Design News articles from April 2005

Design News archives from April 2005

Blame it on the Y chromosome.(MY VIEW)(Women engineers)(Editorial)
April 4, 2005... LAWRENCE SUMMERS, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD University, really made a mess of things when he tried to explain the possible reasons why more women are not represented in the fields of engineering and science. He made those remarks at the Conference...

Vision vendors get it: they're developing informative, easy-to-use websites.(WEB LOG)(www.bannerengineering.com)(www.cognex.com)(www.omron.com)(Editorial)
April 4, 2005... THE BEST WEBSITES MAKE IT EASY FOR you to find what you're looking for, and make you feel at home while you look. Check out www.harley-davidson.com, for example. Click on the country you're interested in on the home page and you go to a...

Nuclear power a threat.(Readers Sound Off)
April 4, 2005... To author Tom Solon, (DNRant 02.21.05 on nuclear energy http://rbi.ims.ca/4389-548): Show me a system where one mistake, one error, one shoddy joint or defective part, or one cut corner from a contractor trying to save a few bucks won't result...

Lumen for lumen.(Readers Sound Off)
April 4, 2005... Following on your editorial on green lasers (DN My View 02.07.05, http://rbi.ims.ca/4389-550), the human eye seems most sensitive to the yellow/green part of the spectrum. Back when I was an undergrad, I invested in a "state of the art" Pickett...

Infernal deus EX machina.(Readers Sound Off)
April 4, 2005... Regarding your article on the forklift's brake failure (DN Calamities 01.10.05, http://rbi.ims.ca/4389-551), a possible solution might be to add to the motor hydraulic lines, a hydraulic lock valve integral with the brake lever so there could...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
April 4, 2005... In the Flash section of the 02.07.05 issue of Design News (http://rbi.ims.ca/4389-552), we erroneously referred to the Satellite Radio service that will carry Howard Stern. He will be carried on Sirius, not XM. Thanks to the many Stern fans who...

MEMS fulfilling its promise: consumer applications up next.(Insight from Insiders)(MEMS technology)(demand of tire pressure monitoring system)
April 4, 2005... Freescale pioneered the monolithic integration of circuitry with sensors for high volume applications in the mid-1980s with micromachined pressure sensors and you are celebrating your 25th anniversary this year. Automotive has been a...

It's time to go metric; The big obstacle: resistance to change.(Really Opinionated People)(services of U.S. Metric Association)
April 4, 2005... THE REASONS FOR NOT DESIGNING TO THE metric standard of measurement are dwindling. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The U.S. is a multilingual country, in its measurement units as well as its language. The rest of the world, however, uses one...

Why you must consider continuous heat and atmosphere: the UL Relative Thermal Index tests plastics' mettle while screening can predict performance in chemical environments.(DESIGNING WITH PLASTICS: A Practical Guide for Engineers)(Relative Thermal Index )(Advertisement)
April 4, 2005... You're designing a plastic part that must maintain specific load-bearing properties at 100C. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Is that 100C for a very short time, or continuously? What is the environment the part will be used in? What about exposure...

Motorcycle mania: "American Chopper" hosts visit SolidWorks conference.(HEARD ON THE STREET)
April 4, 2005... Attendees at the recent SolidWorks Users Conference in Orlando got a treat during the opening session. Toward the end of COO Jeff Gray's remarks, there was a rumble off stage right that sounded suspiciously like a motorcycle. It was a...

Not small, it's super mini: encoders of 0.472-inch diameter have arrived in the U.S.(HEARD ON THE STREET)(product information of Nidec Nemicon Corp)(rotary encoders )(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... After years of success in Japan, rotary encoders from Nidec Nemicon Corp. (www.nemicon.com) are now available in the U.S. Consisting of more than 2,000 rotary encoders of different sizes, the Nemicon line specializes in super miniature encoders...

Back to the future: exhibit provides a glimpse into auto design history.(HEARD ON THE STREET)
April 4, 2005... The Petersen Automotive Musuem (www.petersen.org) in Los Angeles is hosting the "Driving Through Futures Past" exhibit from April 16 to Sept. 11 featuring 75 pieces of concept car art, conceptual models, and futuristic automobiles. Among the...

Biometric (fingerprint), CMOS imaging, infrared (IR), piezoelectric, and electromagnetic flow sensors provide unique product functionality. Here are five examples.(NEW AND NOTABLE PRODUCT DESIGN)
April 4, 2005... 1 ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANER iRobot Roomba Discovery Robotic Floorvac (http://rbi.ims.ca/4389-541). Sensors in this robotic vacuum cleaner detect obstruction in its path and identify excessively dirty areas. Four pairs of IR sensors always...

Flexible acrylic polymer lights the way: it provides new vehicle lighting options.(TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN USE)(AMP Light Guides)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Normally automotive exterior lighting performs one of two functions: project light for the driver to see ahead or behind the vehicle, or provide front or rear side markers so the vehicle can be seen. The front and rear side markers are...

Plastic bearings hit the streets: they perform well in pivoting motion application.(TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN USE)
April 4, 2005... Big Cat Human Powered Vehicles of Orlando, FL. replaced the metal bearings initially used in its recumbant tricycle with igubal plastic bearings. The bearings absorb vibration from wheel to arms and allow the use of a much larger rod end...

Tomorrow's Army starts to take shape: new programs harness a raft of cutting-edge technology.(COMMUNICATIONS)
April 4, 2005... While today's GIs wage a frustrating war against insurgents in Iraq, America's defense establishment is laying the groundwork for the Army of the future. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Through its Future Combat Systems (FCS) programs, the Army...

Encoder Solutions Family Overview.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... SICK STEGMANN has introduced its new Encoder Solutions Family Overview, featuring information, specifications, and selection guidelines on its family of feedback solutions. Offering technical innovations in incremental and absolute encoders,...

NAB2005.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... To be held April 16-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center/Las Vegas Hilton, NAB2005 (National Association of Broadcasters) is the world's largest conference and exhibition for the electronic media. Showcases at the show include digital...

Data.(NEWS)
April 4, 2005... 68 Percentage of companies who design circuit boards used in their own products. Source: Design News, Semiconductor Study, 2004

Bright idea saves energy: digital ballast controls save power, trim parts count.(ENERGY)
April 4, 2005... The global thrust to reduce power consumption is prompting a change in the way fluorescent light bulbs are controlled. Microcontroller manufacturers are targeting this huge market, providing substantial savings of electricity while also...

Broadening their fields: less costly FPGAs aimed at broader markets.(FPGAs)(Field Programmable Gate-Array)
April 4, 2005... FPGA prices are dropping, which should help move the programmable parts into new segments of the consumer applications market and opening the door for automotive applications. Xilinx Inc. has cut pricing for its low-end line by about a third,...

Power analyzer reaches 0.02 percent accuracy: also available are real-time FFT calculations.(POWER MANAGEMENT)
April 4, 2005... Yokogawa's WT3000 power analyzer boasts 0.02 percent accuracy of voltage, current and power measurements on motors, inverters, power supplies, lighting systems, and other electrical devices. With a frequency range from dc to 1 MHz, the WT3000...

Proposal moves to next level.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... A group proposing the "Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power" learned that it has made the first cut in its bid for funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF called on the group's members--including the...

Hydraulically powered bikes.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... Parker Hannifin Corp. is sponsoring a contest that encourages college engineering students to develop a hydraulically powered bicycle. The fluid power giant is working with five-student teams at Cleveland State University, the University of...

Beswick unveils tiny vacuum regulators.(FLUID POWER)(Beswick Engineering Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... For vacuum applications where space is at a premium, Beswick Engineering (Greenland, NH) is rolling out an ultra-miniature, single-stage vacuum regulator. The vacuum regulator controls output from 0 psig to full vacuum, and is said to be...

Hybrid valve offers lower cost, longer life: combines hydraulic power with electric actuation.(VALVES)(Source Fluid Power Inc.)
April 4, 2005... Using a hybrid design that combines hydraulic power with electric actuation, a new valve could deliver cost-effective servo-like performance in applications ranging from conveyor drives to mobile equipment accessories. Known as the F24...

Prone to failure.(MATERIALS + JOINING )( Failure Analysis Center )(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... A new online source for failure analysis information has been launched by ASM International, the Materials Information Society. The ASM's Failure Analysis Center contains more than 1,000 failure analysis case histories, some of which first...

Small turnings.(MATERIALS + JOINING)(Precision Machining Technology Show)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Sandvik Coromant will showcase a new small-part machining system at the upcoming Precision Machining Technology Show, to be held May 3-5 at the Columbus, OH, convention center. Sandvik's CoroTurn XS consists of cutting inserts, the smallest of...

Extreme textiles.(MATERIALS + JOINING)
April 4, 2005... Textiles aren't just for clothes and furniture. A new exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York will put a number of cutting-edge textile applications on display. Opening April 8, Extreme Textiles: Designing for High...

Beams shine, chips fly: lasers and machining centers get together in integrated tool building systems.(TOOLING)(Fraunhofer Institute's Center for Coatings and Laser Applications.)
April 4, 2005... Lasers have a real flair for metalworking. They can cut, weld, heat-treat, and perform various surface modifications. Yet injection molds and similar types of complex tooling mostly consist of components that require traditional machining...

2006 Michelin Challenge Design.(MOTION CONTROL + POWER TRANSMISSION)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The 2006 Michelin Challenge Design (www.michelinchallengedesign.com) features California as the geographic focus for the design forum. Designers must combine vehicle aesthetics with vehicle technology, and must also incorporate an alternative...

Free seminars.(MOTION CONTROL + POWER TRANSMISSION)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Cognex Corp. has announced a new series of free machine vision seminars exclusively for manufacturing professionals. Each of these half-day events combine a machine vision basics tutorial with a live vision sensor demonstration. The seminars...

High-resolution imaging.(MOTION CONTROL + POWER TRANSMISSION)(Omron Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... OMRON reports that its F500 vision system has found use in medical applications requiring high resolution. Among the products requiring the 1 million to 2 million pixel resolution are scalpels and radioisotope chemotherapy beads. The former...

Retrofit renews grinder operation: CNC grinder retrofit spurs production and eliminates headaches caused by maintainence.(GRINDING)
April 4, 2005... When a critical piece of machinery operates effectively for more than a decade, the inevitable problem becomes aging controls, maintenance headaches, and fast-approaching obsolescence. At the Eaton production facility that supplies hydraulic...

Making waves: Moog's integrated servo motor/linear actuator assembly cuts size and cost in water wave application.(SERVOS)(water wave generators)( Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering)
April 4, 2005... South Korea, like other seafaring countries, maintains large rectangular basins for testing the abilities of ships, drilling rigs and other structures to withstand the power of ocean waves, whether offshore or nearshore. [ILLUSTRATION...

Conference.(SOFTWARE + HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... CDPA (Collaborative Product Development Assoc.) will be holding its conference Product Lifecycle Management Road Map 2005 on Sept. 28-29 at the Dearborn Inn in Dearborn, MI. The conference will focus on the issues confronted by end users in...

New book.(SOFTWARE + HARDWARE)(Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures)(DARcorporation)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 4, 2005... DARcorporation has released Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures by E.F. Bruhn. The 1973 edition provides two changes from the 1965 edition: Chapter A23 has been revised and expanded by Dr. Joseph A. Wolf who was helped by Dr. A.F....

Free access to datasheets.(SOFTWARE + HARDWARE)(MatWeb)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... SolidWorks announced that they can now import information from a collection of 47,000 material data sheets through a new partnership with online information provider MatWeb. MatWeb has built a customized engine that exports data in...

Inside look at a brand new FEA release: engineer/reviewer Paris Altidis cites high points and low points.(SIMULATION)
April 4, 2005... Can finite element analysis (FEA) software that's fully integrated into a CAD package possibly be as impressive as software totally dedicated to structural analysis? The answer is, "yes," based on a review of COSMOSWorks 2005, which is...

Position sensor ideal in hostile mining environments.(Linear & Rotary Measurement Technology)
April 4, 2005... The PT9150 Cable-Extension Position Sensor provides reliable performance in harsh environments such as non-stop use on mining equipment by Superior Highwall Miners, Beckley, WV. Environmentally rated IP67, the PT9150 makes linear measurements...

Linear Potentiometer ideal for industrial automation and robotic applications.(Linear & Rotary Measurement Technology)
April 4, 2005... Specifically designed for a wide range of demanding applications including industrial automation and robotics, the CLWG Linear Potentiometer is a highly accurate and rugged device with measurement ranges of 3" to 30". Easy to install and...

Digital output position sensors are easy to install and quick to ship.(Linear & Rotary Measurement Technology)
April 4, 2005... Easy to install and maintain, Celesco's ruggedly designed digital output position sensors are reliable and accurate devices that are available with DeviceNet[R], CAN J1939, and RS232 communication protocols. Digital signals are highly reliable...

Linear position transducer has 316SS enclosure for hazardous area applications.(Linear & Rotary Measurement Technology)
April 4, 2005... Rugged by design, the PT8000 Series Linear Cable-Extension Transducers are industrial-grade devices that have been engineered for reliability and easy installation. The 316SS enclosure provides increased corrosion resistance in hostile...

Sharpness measurements ... Tread straps ... Non-metallic fasteners ... the Search Engineer finds solutions to all your questions, problems, and dilemmas. Occasionally, he could be wrong. But he doubts it.(Ask THE SEARCH ENGINEER)
April 4, 2005... Dear Search Engineer: Is there some simple, inexpensive way to measure the sharpness of a cutting edge, such as on a drill bit, lathe bit, end mill, hockey skate blade, etc., and get some type of numeric readout that would indicate how sharp...

StoneFly networks storage concentrator: memory test.(REFERENCE THIS!)(Advertisement)
April 4, 2005... The i3000 Storage Concentrator provides IP-based storage for real-time management and optimization of storage assets. StoneFly engineers added block-level intelligence to the IP networking core to develop a storage concentrator that delivers...

Thinking big, an aerospace engineer takes on Hollywood: challenging movie-making tradition, Joe Bok's oversize, radio-controlled models for "The Aviator" flew better, faster, and safer. Why? Higher Reynolds numbers, for starters.(Aero Telemetry Corp)
April 4, 2005... Shortly after producers of "The Aviator" began gearing up to make their epic film biography of Howard Hughes, aircraft engineer and USC grad Joe Bok received his first Hollywood contract. But when Bok, who normally builds flying drones for the...

Seeing is believing: a look at what's new in semiconductor-based imaging sensors.
April 4, 2005... Semiconductor-based imaging sensors are coming on strong today, thanks to new advanced features, reduced power consumption, and lower costs. Design engineers are increasingly finding ways to apply the technology in a whole range of products,...

Topology affects common-mode current flow paths: a look at how they impact functional reliability.(HOW-TO FOR TECHIES)
April 4, 2005... It is well known that electronic systems--products and devices--circulate currents in two modes: single-ended, and differential. These two modes of current include all signals and power distributions. Differential mode currents are generally...

The truth about compressed air! If you think compressed air is too expensive and noisy--read this. The facts will surprise you!
April 4, 2005... Compare these Blowoffs There are a variety of ways to blow the water from the bottles shown in the photo below, but which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application using four different blowoff methods:...

Microcontrollers deliver performance with peripherals: industry standard 32-bit architecture provides up to 60 MHz.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... Based on the need for more processing performance and more than 64 Kbyte memory, engineers in many market segments are considering upgrading from 8-bit or 16-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) to 32-bit products. Once users arrive at this point,...

Absolute encoder: for miniature applications.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... Designed for applications where limited space is a factor, the MAS10-256-G is reportedly one of the smallest absolute rotary encoders in the industry. It measures 13 mm in diameter and 17.5 mm high. It is designed for a variety of applications,...

Converters: rated up to 50A.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... The PAF600F280 series is designed as a high-efficiency family of 600W full-brick dc-dc converters with a nominal input of 300V dc. They are suitable for systems using distributed high-voltage dc power architecture and for users designing custom...

Captive linear actuator: durable design.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... The company's size 8 captive linear actuator is designed with an HIS patented integral anti-rotation mechanism. It is suitable for applications in which external anti-rotation methods would be difficult or impossible to employ. It features...

Software suite: completes projects faster, cheaper.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... The FactoryFloor 4.1 industrial automation software suite is designed for use with the company's line of process automation controllers, typically combined with the company's SNAP Ethernet I/O[TM] and SNAP Serial I/O products. Using the...

Operator interface terminals: electronics upgraded.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... The electronics of the QTERM-G70 and QTERM-G75 rugged graphics operator interface terminals has been upgraded. New hardware features a 400 MHz Intel[R] XScale[TM] core platform with 8 Mbytes of Flash memory and 32 Mbytes RAM. They are designed...

Modular I/O products: 256 digital inputs.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... Compatible with the company's SynqNet network, the family of modular SynqNet I/O products is comprised of a SynqNet Interface Device (SQID) and flexible analog and digital add-on boards that provide machine builders with a modular and...

Sensor: detects fluorescent agents.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... The CZ-H52 UV sensor detects the presence of fluorescent agents used in a wide variety of products and packaging materials. It emits a UV light beam from the transmitter in the sensor head; the receiver picks up the visible light reflected by...

Lin-controlled alternator-regulator: data received in single pass.(ELECTRONICS)
April 4, 2005... The company has introduced a local interconnect network (LIN)-controlled alternator-regulator for next-generation vehicles. It is designed to optimize performance in intelligent automotive charging systems for increased efficiency and improved...

Rotary pumps: increased service life.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... The FLG 12/01-LC miniature liquid pumps are designed with an improved shaft seal and corrosion-resistant features that increase the pump's life expectancy to over 1,000 hrs. Rotary vane technology offers pulseless, reversible flow and quiet...

Servo drive: built-in trajectory generation.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... The DS2100 servo drive is engineered for the full digital control of brushless motors. It uses a high-power microprocessor system that provides increased current, velocity, and position closed loop performance. It features all digital control...

Flow sensor: with no moving parts.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... Designed with no moving parts to wear or foul, the Signet 2551 Magmeter is an insertion style, electromagnetic flow sensor for conductive fluid applications that contain particles, solids, and fibers. Intended applications include flow...

Cartridge valve: pneumatically operated.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... Suitable for precision dispensing of all types of fluids (solvents, oils, silicones, glues, UV adhesives, ink, etc.), the CV629 is a pneumatically operated valve that is designed for use with a valve controller and reservoir tank. It can be...

Tankless water heater: with copper heat exchanger.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... The ProStar[TM] tankless gas water heater can reportedly be plumbed to serve a single fixture or multiple fixtures within the home. It is recommended for vacation homes, room additions, and other low- to medium-demand applications. The product...

Capacitive level sensor: for small tubes and hoses.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... The TLS 100 is reportedly the first capacitive level sensor designed specifically for tubes and hoses. Its clip-on mounting design is engineered to reduce installation time and to permit a wider adjustment band for sensitivity. It detects the...

Flow sensors: accurate, convenient.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... Engineered for a wide variety of applications, the Flo-Tube flow sensors create and sense a pressure difference. When connected to the appropriate secondary instrumentation, the product provides an accurate and convenient method of flow...

Testing instrument: fast, accurate.(FLUID POWER)
April 4, 2005... The Sentinel F-21 testing instrument uses a solid-state mass flow sensor to respond rapidly to flow changes, resulting in faster test cycles. The 32-point calibration is designed to provide the most advanced and accurate flow measurement...

Software: provides controlled access to SolidWorks.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... The latest version of the company's Adept software for SolidWorks[R] 2005 is designed to provide users with a comprehensive, out-of-the-box document management system to find, view, track, secure, and control access to SolidWorks drawings and...

New cad function: provides double curvature end caps.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... The Dome function is now available in the company's Version 10 CAD/CAM solution. It provides double-curvature end caps and is designed to be easy to use. The Dome command can produce a concave or convex shape, picking up a 2D or 3D profile. The...

Fea software solution: provides constraint-based environment.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... Engineered to use geometric dimensions and constraints to provide the parametric sketching capabilities, the 2D DCM is a robust, industry-tested solution that is an alternative to resource-intensive in-house development. It will be used in...

Software component: eliminates compatibility problem.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... A free software component, DWGgateway, is available. It is designed for users who need to work with multiple versions of DWG files, regardless of the AutoCAD version that produced it. It enables AutoCAD versions going back to AutoCAD R14 for...

VPD software: new version.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... MSC.Fatigue is designed to help engineers evaluate durability and damage tolerance of components and systems, and to make changes early in the design cycle before prototypes are ever created. This increases product durability, lessens product...

Workstations: performance increase.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... The UltraSPARC[R] processor-based Sun Blade[TM] 1500 and Sun Blade 2500 workstations now feature a 40 percent performance increase. The workstations are intended for software development, engineering, and scientific research. They are designed...

Website: newly updated.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... The company's updated website offers a variety of information, including descriptions of the firm's Mold-Vac Systems, mold evacuation equipment designed to eliminate entrapped air and gas within mold cavities prior to and during plastic...

Networking solution: cost-effective.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
April 4, 2005... SMLC-Lite is designed as a cost-effective motion, logic, HMI, and networking solution for 1- to 3.5-axis systems. It lowers system costs and reduces complexity using off-the-shelf components, IEC 61131-3 languages, and powerful motion software....

Tool set: offers experimentation.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)(VX Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The company has added a new model morphing tool set to help designers experiment with new shapes and old designs. It offers the capability to bend, twist, stretch, pull, and push solid or non-solid geometry to enhance a shape. The tools have a...

Controller/driver: low EMI emission.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(QuickSilver Controls Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The SilverNugget I-Grade controller/driver and the I-Grade motor/encoders are designed with standard DB connectors for inexpensive and reliable cables. The system is suitable for dusty environments; it meets IP50 standards. The SilverNuggets...

Brushless dc motor: high power, high acceleration.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The 000-0358 high performance, brushless dc frameless motor is for low-voltage applications where a high-acceleration, high-torque motor is required at low speeds. At 48V, the product operates at 200 rpm and delivers 600 oz/inch of torque with...

Open frame solenoid models: six models available.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Gee Plus Inc)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The RD series of six open frame solenoid models provide flexible production with fast turnaround delivery. While the open frame solenoid features a simple configuration, a maximum performance is achieved through the use of better magnetic...

Serial configuration cable: with fully molded connector ends.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Animatics Corp)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Designed as an entire "off the shelf" servo system solution, Add-A-Motor" serial configuration cable--with SmartMotors--is ready to plug and play. The fully molded cable connects SmartMotor to SmartMotor in a daisy-chain configuration for...

Motorized cylinders: housed in compact body.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Oriental Motor USA Corp. )(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The EZ Limo series of linear motions products are engineered to combine advanced step motor functionality and sophisticated motion control features into an easy-to-use linear motion product. They use the company's stepping motor with built-in...

Extension plug: doubles conveyer belt length.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Siemens Energy and Automation Inc)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The AS-i extension plug is designed to allow each segment of a conveyer belt to reach 200m before a repeater is used, doubling the potential length of a conveyer with a single AS-Interface network to 600m, and eliminating the need for multiple...

Nano-controllers: improved display functionality.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Rockwell Automation Inc)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Designed to provide manufacturers with expanded control functionality while maintaining a small footprint and low cost, the Allen-Bradley Pico Series B nano-controllers are equipped with faster processor speeds and an expanded memory. This...

I/O module: provides "drive-like" control.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
April 4, 2005... Engineered as a cost-effective I/O alternative to traditional stepper controls, the KL2531 and KL2541 stepper motor terminals integrate a compact motion control solution for small stepper motors up to 200W. Both products offer two controlled...

Linear voice coil motors: seven models.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Gee Plus Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... The company has introduced seven models of linear motion voice coil motors, ranging in size from 0.63 inch diameter by 0.55 inch long, to 3.15 inches diameter by 2.13 inches long. They are designed to offer precision linear actuation over short...