Design News articles from April 2003

Design News archives from April 2003

Whose job is this, anyway? (My View).
April 7, 2003... IN THIS MONTH LEAD NEWS STORY, "THAT GIANT SUCKing Sound" (pg 37), Contributing Writer Robert Spiegel examines the proliferation of outsourcing and the related loss of engineering jobs to countries overseas. Many people, however, worry more...

Pass the cake, Sir Isaac: how to improve performance by eating more sweets. (Flipside).
April 7, 2003... IF YOU LIKE SWEETS AND PHYSICS, AND HATE dieting, as I do, you'll like the logic of an argument I'm about to make for eating as much cake as you want while you improve your athletic ability and speed. Counterintuitive? Yes. And, given all...

Metering device 'replaces' catalytic converter. (Advertisement).
April 7, 2003... BOSTON -- In light of the ever-threatening and ongoing battle against pollution, the catalytic converter seems to offer mixed blessings. True, it cuts down on pollution, but due to the added backpressure it introduces in the car's exhaust...

Spirol helps customers solve assembly challenges: company has offered its customers value-added engineering services for more than 50 years. (Advertorial).
April 7, 2003... While in the early stages of developing a new power tool, Black & Decker engineers decided to seek application assistance on the assembly portion of the tool from one of their suppliers: Spirol International. A Spirol field engineer helped them...

Mail.
April 7, 2003... Readers Sound Off UNIONS = SLACKERS You apparently have never worked in a union shop. Almost by definition: "unions tolerate poor performers." Rich Hardy DESIGN NEWS READER ALL JOBS AT RISK Unions once served a...

3D moves to the masses: and, it competes with the paper napkin for sketching ideas. (Slant).
April 7, 2003... Not so long ago, CAD--computer-aided design--was a 2D affair, and though it certainly helped engineers, it didn't help them as much as it could have. There were too many tasks engineers couldn't do with it. Then came 3D solid modeling, which...

Efficiency alone won't do it: you have to invest in products to survive and prosper. (Rant).(Column)
April 7, 2003... STAYING AFLOAT, RIDING THE STORM, and waiting for the economy to improve seems to be the doctrine of many struggling corporations today. Manufacturing efficiency initiatives, restructuring, cutting capital budgets, and canceling new product...

Return to Earth. (B.M.O.C.).(Graham Candler; University of Minnesota)
April 7, 2003... U. Minn. Professor Gra ham Candler is developing computational fluid dynamics tools to design better spacecraft re-entry protection systems. PRESENT POSITION: Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota,...

Ethernet for I/O. (Buzz).(Beckhoff North America)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... "Onion ring" design key While most engineers argue Ethernet TCP/IP is inappropriate for an I/O bus, Gerd Hoppe, President of Beckhoff North America, says his company is going in the opposite direction with its new product...

Headhunters twiddle their thumbs. (Buzz).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... High-tech openings remain scarce Call a high-tech headhunter these days, and the phone gets answered on the first ring with an anxious, "How can I help you?" During the summer of 2000, headhunter Hugh MacKenzie was overwhelmed with demand for...

Hard landing for air bearing program. (Buzz).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NASA may ground jet engine program NASA engineers in Ohio were moving forward with an oil-free turbine engine, an advanced research program that replaces ball bearings and oil with foil bearings, air, and coatings. But they've been hit by a...

Counter terrorism cuts to front of the line. (Buzz).
April 7, 2003... The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is giving top priority to inventors of homeland security technology. This is no small favor. "Typically, we're able to knock 14 to 15 months off the 17-month initial examination," says Steve Kunin, deputy...

Turn up that ballgame. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Sprox Soundog. Sports barkeeps tend to keep their multiple TVs' aural chaos at bay by turning off the audio on all but a few sets and using closed captions. And good luck f you want to hear sound for an event on only one set, Enter...

Free roaming scanner. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Baracoda [TM] Pencil. Tired of corded scanners roping you in? Be free to roam with the Baracoda Pencil, a Bluetooth [TM] enabled wireless barcode scanner that goes where you go. Use it at work to manage inventory, track deliveries, and...

Clean machine. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Dirt Bag. Not the derogatory term kicked a round in high school but a disposable air filter that keeps dust from gathering in the nooks and crannies of your PC. Lest you think dust is harmless, speak to chief Dirt Bag engineer Eric Kiilunen....

Do-it-all digital device. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Thomson RCA Lyra Audio/Video 20GB Jukebox. Looking for take-along entertainment for that next camping or business trip? The palm-sized RCA RD2780 Lyre is more than an MP3 Player. With a 3.5-inch LCD screen and 20 Gbytes of herd drive apace, it...

Pump up the volume! (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Ellula Hot Air Speakers. Stuff them into your briefcase or beach bag, and you're set for any business presentation or beach party. These lightweight, inflatable speakers from Ellula are like beach balls. All they need is air. Let the air out,...

Slippery but cool. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Groschopp Parallel Shaft Gear Motors. Two new models feature a modular gearhead reducer appropriate for automation and conveyor applications. "The two subtle but important enhancements in this new product line are larger face-width gears for...

Built tough. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Leeson All Stainless Steel Gear+Motor[TM]. This combination package is appropriate for use in high-humidity, abrasive or corrosive environments such as chemical processing. "Some suppliers offer stainless steel reducers and others offer...

High torque, long life. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Pittman LO-.COG[R] Series 6000. These 22-mm brush-commutated dc gear motors are designed for increased output torque over traditional gear motors of the same size, with a quiet operation, and long life. Pittman's secret is really no secret...

Integrated gear motor and drive. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Danfoss Bauer BK Series. This compact bevel-gear-motor line with integrated FCD300 drive offers a high performance frequency drive, purpose built motor, and a robust gearbox for an 80-90% efficiency range with low backlash. "As an integrated...

Hollow Shaft. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Bison Gear & Engineering 750 Hollow Shaft Right Angle Gear Motors. There may be hollow shaft gear motors on the market, but not at these sizes. These come with shaft options of 3/4 inch hollow, along with double and single extension 3/4-, 5/8-,...

Small but mighty. (Flash).
April 7, 2003... Alpha gear drives TPM AC Servo Actuator. Approximately 62% shorter--and a good deal lighter than a traditional motor gearhead combination having comparable power-makes this servo appropriate for applications where mounting space is limited. The...

That giant sucking sound: as more and more companies turn to outsourcing, an increasing number and variety of engineering jobs are going overseas. (Careers).
April 7, 2003... NEWTON, MA--For two or three decades, U.S. companies had a good deal going with the rest of the world. They'd keep all of the high-pay technical jobs such as design engineering, and ship the low-pay unpleasant work off to China, Mexico, and...

Federal Engineer of the Year. (News).(William A. Mittelstadt)
April 7, 2003... William A. Mittelstadt, a principle engineer for the Department of Energy, has been named the 2003 Federal Engineer of the Year by the National Society of Professional Engineers (www.nspe.org). Mittelstadt is recognized for his impact on...

G-men earn most. (News).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Design engineers looking to maximize their salary should look for government work, if they can find it. According to the Design News annual career survey, engineers in the defense industry earn an average of $75k annually. That's compared to...

First peep. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... The French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) has unveiled the first infrared images taken inside a nuclear fusion reactor. Taken at the CEA's TORE SUPRA tokamak reactor, the images show the temperature variations and integrity of...

Standard voltage. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have developed a dc and ac Josephson voltage standard system that produces output voltages of up to 0.25V, making possible far more precise measurements and comparisons with...

Thermo security. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Integrated security and surveillance software company VistaScape Technology Corp. is integrating ThermoVision[R] Security[TM] imagers from FLIR Systems in its Security Data Management System (SDMS). FLIR's sensor suite generates a...

Shape shifters: versatile enclosures morph into many forms. (Enclosures).
April 7, 2003... NEWTON, MA -- Just as the semiconductor industry continues shrinking integrated circuits to put more technology into a single package, enclosure designers are also striving to let system developers cram more devices into each box. At the same...

Next move in pneumatics. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Clippard instrument Lab. Inc. (www.clippard.com) will introduce pressure-actuated electrical switches-that will enable penumatics to remotely pilot electrical devices. The actuator has a spring return piston with a low-friction U-cup seal that...

Unusual fluids. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... How likely are engineers to use an alternative to conventional hydraulic fluids? More than one-third of engineers surveyed in a recent Design News study say they are likely or very likely to use an alternative. Main reasons: environmental,...

This seal likes it hot--and abrasive. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Engineers say seals made with Parker Hanninfin's carboxylated HNBR sealing material operate better in extremely high temperatures and with highly abrasive fluids than other nitriles. A Canadian oil-well tooling company is using the material as...

A plan for reliability data: NFPS's groundbreaking goal; a level playing field. (Standards).
April 7, 2003... MILWAUKEE, WI--In an effort to boost the popularity of fluid power components, makers of hydraulic and pneumatic devices are banding together to create reliability standards. The proposed benchmarks, which are expected to reach initial...

German supplier jumps into American prototyping. (Materials + Joining).
April 7, 2003... EOS GmbH, a German manufacturer of laser sintering machines, has chalked up its first system installation in the North American market. Synergeering SLS LLC (Farmington Hills, Ml) has installed the EOSINT P 700, which produces plastic...

Special fasteners, no problem. (Materials + Joining).
April 7, 2003... Spirol Corp.'s Ascutney Metal Products (Windsor, VT) has enhanced its ability to turn out small runs of precision inserts, nuts, and threaded products with the addition of new Swiss CNC machines. The new equipment targets precision products...

Rubber chills out. (Materials + Joining).
April 7, 2003... Zeon Chemicals (Louisville, KY) has enhanced its low-temperature hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) to meet the needs of oil, energy, automotive, aerospace, and industrial environments. Zetpol 4310 HNBR provides low-temperature performance,...

Fashionable Electronics: a new process wraps consumer electronics in fabric. (Injection Molding).
April 7, 2003... MIDLAND, MI -- Injection molding is about to become a whole lot more fashionable, thanks to a new system that can incorporate real fabrics into molded electronics enclosures. Developed by Dow Plastics Inclosia Solutions, the system could...

Short run composites for less: new process aims for better composite economics. (Composites).
April 7, 2003... WOBURN, MA -- The Diaphorm Division' of Solectria Inc. has developed a new manufacturing process that takes aim at the high cost of compression molding continuous-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics at low production volumes. The...

Happy birthday. (Motion Control + Power Transmission).
April 7, 2003... Automotive component supplier Valeo (www.valeo.com) is celebrating its 80th anniversary since its 1923 inception as the Societe Anonyme Francaise du Ferodo. Originally formed as the exclusive distributor in France of friction materials produced...

Growing market. (Motion Control + Power Transmission).
April 7, 2003... Consulting firm Frost & Sullivan projects the worldwide revenue of the machine vision technology systems market could reach $2.62 billion in 2009. But it also warns that the lack of operating standards would create difficulties in developing...

Joint effort. (Motion Control + Power Transmission).
April 7, 2003... Ford (www.ford.com) and General Motors (www.gm.com) have agreed to jointly develop a high-volume, front-wheel-drive, 6-speed automatic transmission that would offer a 4% improvement in fuel economy over 4-speed automatic transmissions available...

See me, feel me: laser mapping, touch sensitivity drive automated robot calibration. (Semiconductor Manufacturing).
April 7, 2003... RICHMOND, CA--It may be hard to think of a connection between offshore welding of oil pipelines and integrated circuit wafer handling. Thanks to Berkeley Process Control (www.berkeleyprocess.com) looking to leverage its technology skills, there...

Wanna bet? (Software + Hardware).
April 7, 2003... Software developer Alibre has an interesting challenge for engineers: The company is betting that its Alibre Design Professional can help you do your design job, and if it falls short in any project, Alibre will pay you $500. It's part of the...

Fluid move. (Software + Hardware).
April 7, 2003... Engineers tasked with doing complicated fluids analysis in mechanical and electromechanical design will have one less software vendor to choose from--but the same number of software products. Pittsburgh-based finite-element analysis developer...

Where design, manufacturing meet. (Software + Hardware).
April 7, 2003... Boothroyd Dewhurst Inc. will host an international forum on design for manufacturability June 17-18 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Newport, RI. Among speakers will be representatives from Hewlett-Packard, Raytheon, Harley-Davidson, and Visteon....

Solid footing for CAD: conferences give users the basics--and then some. (3D Without the Glasses).
April 7, 2003... ORLANDO, FL--It was more than the sun and Mickey Mouse that attracted hundreds of engineers to Orlando in the first two months of 2003: Both SolidWorks (www.solidworks.com) and Solid Edge (www.eds.com), fierce competitors in the CAD software...

In data acquisition, timing is everything: nanoseconds lost here and there can diminish the value of data and cost money. (Measurements in the Design Flow).
April 7, 2003... If you doubt the usefulness of accurately timed data, recall NASA's second-by-second analysis of sensor failures during the last moments of the space shuttle Columbia. A careful analysis of the times of failures and the sequences of those...

The bug hunters: meet the working engineers who test your CAD/CAE vendor's software before you see it--and make sure the innovations work. (Cover Story).
April 7, 2003... Think you know the source of that engineering software code you use? Well, not so fast! The software itself may have come from the vendor whose name is on the package, but many of the features you use every day were probably the brainchild...

New kids on line block: PCs are showing up more and more on the factory floor. (Automation).
April 7, 2003... ONCE A RARE SIGHT IN MANUFACTURING PLANTS, PCS ARE BECOMING MORE commonplace in factories today as manufacturers are finding that they really can control applications from machining to material handling. Case in point: At the Honda Engine...

Smart potentiometer, display key calibration: microprocessor-based device permits precise set-point calibration in any units. (Motion Control).
April 7, 2003... Using an external potentiometer, factory floor personnel can now precisely calibrate the set points of a motor drive, and program them in whatever units they prefer. Known as the Accu-Dial, the new potentiometer replaces conventional...

Controls. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Fits standard panel openings The LMR-series Mirror Rotate Control for automotive interiors includes a 4axis joystick actuator, internal boot seal, control to 1 or 2 mirrors with up to 4 motors, and standard arrow graphics. The electronic...

Design support. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Integrates with test automation Design verification application support is available, integrating EDA tools and test instrumentation for connected activity. The company claims the combination saves development costs and improves productivity,...

Temperature sensors. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Small probes, two wavebands A two-color infrared temperature system uses fiber optic sensors designed for the DP 1541 two-color monitor and cable assembly. Probes are small to fit in limited spaces and are unaffected by RFI and EMI noise, the...

Titanium has a big impact. (Designer's Corner).(new impact wrench from Ingersoll-Rand)
April 7, 2003... Auto mechanics who wield air tools for much of their day want those tools to be both powerful and lightweight. A new impact wrench from Ingersoll-Rand (IR, Annandale, NJ) fits the bill on both scores. The IR2135TI 1/2 wrench, a half-inch...

Multiple connectors. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... High-temp insulation included A small multiple connector line for backplane rear I/O includes 68-and 80-position high-density units. Designed for flexible board-to-board stack heights for subassemblies, the connectors are available as...

Development board. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Ready-to-run, peripheral devices Fully stackable for different layers in hard, real-time systems, the TTP-Powerlink board system supports many interfaces and conforms to time-triggered architecture and TTP. The system has a NEC TINA or...

Digital converters. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Single or quad-channel The industry's first 16-bit, digital-to-analog converters are available with [l.sup.2]C interface, the company reports. Converters are available in single-channel (DAC8571) and quad-channel (DAC8574), and both...

Auxiliary switch. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Continuous rating of 20A at 600V A unidirectional 90[degrees] indexing auxiliary switch offers snap action and up to 24 poles. Series 102 is modified to allow lever arm activation and quick break action of about 10 milliseconds for dc and...

Relay terminal blocks. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Compact, 6-mm wide housing Series 859 rail-mounted switching relay terminal blocks and octocoupler blocks feature 5, 24, 48, 60, 115 and 170V dc input voltages. The wide voltage range allows interface with old or unique circuitry in...

Serial ATA. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Replaces larger flat ribbons The Serial ATA is a miniature version of the parallel ATA but has double the data transfer capability, the company reports. Units allow the design of smaller devices with improved airflow. With a transfer speed...

Cylinder position sensor. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... For heavy-duty machinery The MH magnetostrictive hydraulic cylinder position sensor is designed for on-and off-road machinery where non-contact measurement is a must. Reportedly compact and rugged, the MH offers OEM and cylinder suppliers...

Assembly system. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Modular, integrated in stages The AutoAlign[TM] MODAL is an entry-level version of an automated assembly system, used for early process development, prototyping, and pilot production. The modular system performs alignment and metrology of...

Surge protection. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... For machine, motor controls SURGELOGIC(R)TVSS surge protection devices are mounted in the company's SQUARE D POWERZONE(R) 4 Switchgear, designed for machine controls, motor controls, HVAC and material handling applications. With peak...

Super-thin led. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Light source in small space applications Designed for backlighting keypads and other devices, the PY1114CK Super Thin Type SMT LED is 0.4 mm thick and available in yellow-green with a milky white lens. Luminous intensity is 5.6 mcd, forward...

Microcontroller. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Extends normal battery life Super low power technology is available in the H8/38004 series 8-bit microcontroller that operates as low as 1.8V and uses 200 mA at 1 MHz when CPU and peripherals are active. The 64-pin units are suited for...

I/O amplifiers. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Wide bandwidth, low quiescent current A series of high-performance amplifiers has rail-to-rail inputs and outputs using low power to 2.7V. The AD8027 features high bandwidth, 100 V/[micro]sec slew rate, selectable crossover and reportedly the...

Current converter. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... Operates in parallel The two-channel, full-scale output VC21 00-HS voltage-to-current converter provides up to 200 mA with a 15 kHz response. Two channels can operate in parallel, and current is field- settable from [+ or -]10 to [+ or...

Heating elements. (Electronics).
April 7, 2003... For confined applications Custom designed security enclosure heaters are ideal for areas using outdoor cameras and ATM machines. Low-watt density heaters are required to maintain mechanical and electrical performance, the company says....

Explosion-proof enclosures. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... Bolt-on lug mounting Bi-directional bolt-on mounting lugs are available on explosion-proof enclosures, allowing vertical or horizontal mounting. Made of ductile aluminum alloy, lugs conform to irregular shapes, are alternatives to cast...

Cable-tie tool. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... Tension adjustment included The GTH ergonomic cable tie installation tool is reportedly comfortable to use and lightweight. Cable-tie tools are designed with a tension adjustment located for easy changes and a narrow nose for access to...

Nylon handles. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... Non-corrosive, impact-resistant These polyamide handles resist basic chemicals, impact, and corrosion, and have dimensional stability and high thermal resistance. Models include mounting with self-tapping, hex head, or crosshead screws, or...

Cordless glue gun. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... For most assembly materials GG-100 Portapro[TM] cordless glue gun adds flexibility to many applications since it is self-contained, powered by butane, and can be taken anywhere in the plant. Glue gun fastens plastics, light metals, and...

High-temp putty. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... Resists chemicals, steam Pyro-putty[TM] 950 high-temperature sealant was developed for steam and gas turbine casing applications to 950F. The formula combines resins with ceramic fibers and powders, creating a putty that fills irregular...

Inorganic adhesive. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... High-temp, chemical resistant Ceramabond[TM] 503 alumina-filled adhesive bonds fiberoptic bundles into ferrules and housings. It is inorganic, disperses in water, and is reportedly easily applied by spatula, syringe, and brush. Available in...

Hot-melt applicator. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... For large, flat surfaces A bulk, hot-melt adhesive transfer machine is available to apply most EVA products. The HYSOL[R] Wheelcoater features an adhesive reservoir, three heaters, and a variable speed transfer roller. Applications include...

Binder head screw. (Fastening/Joining/Assembly).
April 7, 2003... Combination drive, non-magnetic Combination drive binder head screws are made of nylon 6/6 and are available in thread sizes of 256 through 1/4-20 and lengths of 3/32 to 2.5 inches. Applications include electronics, electrical, automotive,...

Flow switch. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Set point, by-pass design The 2600 flow switch operates by either set point mode or by-pass mode. A magnetic shuttle, displaced at increased or decreased flow from the calibrated set point, activates a sealed reed switch inside the...

Display filters. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... EMI/RFI shielding Duralan II display filters offer fine wire meshes and conductive films to shield, based on the application. Features include hardness, chemical resistance, light transmission, and a variety of colors, surface finishes,...

Valve monitoring systems. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Rotary, linear actuation Valve monitoring systems protect process valves and improve system reliability while meeting the service requirements of process applications. Available with rotary or linear actuation, systems are made of resin or...

Gear pumps. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Compact size, pulseless fluid delivery Compact annular gear pumps feature precision rotors for tight flow control, gear-tooth forming technology for fewer pulsations, and smooth, constant flows. Pumps dispense volumes as low as 0.25 ml and...

Flow controller. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Pilot module interface Smart-Trakp[TM] digital mass flow controllers feature Dial-a-Gas[TM] programming calibrated for ten gases used in pharmaceutical, biotech, analytical, and other research applications. Instruments can be dropped in as...

TPE butterfly valve. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... No welding, assembly operations TPE butterfly valves regulate heated radiator coolant flow from engine to heater core and replace stamped steel, welded components. Reportedly reducing manufacturing costs by 80%, TPE simplifies units to one...

Flow indicator. (Fluid Power).
April 7, 2003... Output range up 0 to 0.012 [inches.sup.3] per cycle Sight-Rite"' flow indicators are recommended for equipment applications needing visual inspection of critical flows within safety margins. The units confirm that minute amounts of liquid have...