Design News articles from August 2005

Design News archives from August 2005

It's not easy being green--just ask GM.(MY VIEW)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... I USUALLY FIND THOMAS FRIEDMAN'S OP-ED PIECES IN THE New York Times to be thoughtful and enlightening. But after reading his June 17th editorial (http://rbi.ims.ca/4395-534), lambasting GM for basing its business strategy on "building...

The perfect site: what's the best website for engineers? Here's one candidate.(www.mcmaster.com)
August 15, 2005... IF THERE WAS ONE PERFECT WEBSITE THAT embodied all the features engineers care about and offered nothing else, what would it look like? Probably a lot like McMaster-Carr's site (www.mcmaster.com). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some of you may...

Thanks for challenging me.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... I enjoyed your article in Design News on Engineering Education's unhappiness quotient. As an engineer with a bachelor's degree from Akron University (Akron, OH), I am proud to say that it was tough, difficult, damn near impossible sometimes,...

It's almost as good as sleep.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... Your article reminded me of a college story a colleague of mine likes to recall about his engineering school days at Ohio State. One day the business majors were talking about "getting some" and my colleague thought they were talking about...

But can happy students find jobs.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... As an alumnus of Stevens Institute of Technology, I take exception to Stevens students having a "low quality of life" even if the ad-hoc survey taken by the Princeton Review would suggest that. I believe that the "low quality of life"...

Unhappy or weak?(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... Is student unhappiness an acceptable byproduct of engineering's intense educational experience? It strikes me (based on the survey) that modern students are a little spoiled. They seem to want to be coddled. They have not yet learned to take...

Engineering's eternal struggle.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... I found it interesting that not much has changed since I graduated 27 years ago. I would like to add another possible source for the unhappiness. At most engineering schools, the incoming students were at or near the top of their classes....

More hours, less fun.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... Yeah, the workloads are tough. In the 1970's, the number of (quarter) units required to graduate with a BS in Aero Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona was 210. Those fun-loving liberal arts folks got off with 186 units for a BA. We engineers had to...

Schools could do more.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... I believe that some unhappiness is inevitable, due to the complexity of the material engineering students must study and master, but I do believe that engineering colleges could do a lot more to improve the quality of life for their...

Would you rather work at Wal-Mart?(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... Not long before I went to college, engineers went five years for a BS. Students demanded (so I am told) a four year curriculum, or at least the other nearby engineering school was offering a four year program, so my school had to as well. ...

Grueling curriculum.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... I enjoyed reading your editorial. I graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology (M.E.) in 1971. I must admit, the curriculum was grueling. We (freshmen) had an exam every Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. in one of the four major subjects...

It's not all about smashing robots.(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... As far as the high attrition rates, I think most high school guidance counselors paint an unrealistic picture of our profession. They portray it as an exciting profession, rather than the highly complex mathematical analysis that it really is....

Easier ways to make a buck.(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... At the University of Iowa, it was "learn on your own." Most of the teaching was by graduate assistants. The emphasis was on reading, writing, arithmetic, and problem solving, which sums up a great education compared to other majors. All that...

Real-world experience needed.(engineering students educational assistance)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... My thoughts on improving the happiness quotient of engineering students. 1) Force professors to have at least some real world design experience before unleashing them on unsuspecting students. Grad students, or professional...

Embedded knowledge can drive innovation: automating tedious tasks allows more time for creativity.(Insight from Insiders)
August 15, 2005... How do knowledge systems support new product development? Much has been written about knowledge-based engineering (KBE) systems and the role they play in new product development. Some speculate that these systems only automate the task of...

So Albert, what will you do for an encore? Ever wonder where your next innovation will come from?(Really Opinionated People)
August 15, 2005... IN 1905, ALBERT EINSTEIN, THEN A 26-YEAR old patent clerk, published four research papers that reshaped physics. In one paper, "Through the Measurement of Brownian Motion in a Glass of Water," he proved the existence of atoms. In a second paper...

For constant pressure, adjust motor speed: "PID" process control compensates for outside disturbances.(Special Advertising Section: MOTORHEAD)(Proportional, Integral, Differential)(Advertisement)
August 15, 2005... Adjustable speed drives with built-in control allow process consistency. A properly tuned control system will compensate for outside disturbances to maintain temperature, pressure, flow rate, or other process-critical functions. Many air...

Zig behave: your sneaker may be trying to tell you something.(HEARD ON THE STREET)
August 15, 2005... It could be that the ZigBee wireless networking spec is just the ticket for those who want to use technology to simplify every aspect of their lives. The 150-plus members of the ZigBee Alliance tout all sorts of applications for IEEE 802.15.4,...

A win for the paperless society: Thomas bans a book.(Thomas Register of American Manufacturers goes online)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The paperless society has fewer big victories than even the Chicago Cubs. But next year marks a major win, when the Big Green Books become a Web-only resource. The last Thomas Register of American Manufacturers will be printed in February when...

Standards ease cable selection: look for the cable label.(HEARD ON THE STREET)
August 15, 2005... Designers often don't think about cables until designs are nearing completion, so there's little time to examine the complex specifications. Yet for many harsh applications, cables can have a major impact on reliability and downtime. Lapp USA...

New and notable product design.(FLASH)(Buyers Guide)
August 15, 2005... Whether you need to protect mobile electronics, provide supportive seating, help keep cars on the road, or add a splash of color, making smart decisions about plastics can help. 1 SAVE THE MUSIC OtterBoxes for iPod Mini and Shuffle...

Tin whiskering borders on urban legend.(Environmental news engineers can use)
August 15, 2005... Some in the components industry believe way too much is being made about the risk of tin whiskering in lead-free components. Whiskering can occur in pure tin solder or tin finishes when components are under stress. According to Arnold Offner,...

Magnetostrictive-based transducer provides feedback: Tol-o-matic claims integration key to lower cost, rodless design.
August 15, 2005... Magnetostrictive sensing has a lot to offer: the devices don't wear, aren't prone to backlash, and don't need extra electronics for converting ac signals into dc. They've good shock and electrical immunity too, and they work well in harsh...

A starter breaks the mold: new safety combines parts to save space.(TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN USE)
August 15, 2005... Schneider's Telemecanique engineers have just changed the venerable motor starter by combining overload and overcurrent protection--a contactor with a breaker. The move saves on space and wiring. A contactor opens and closes pairs of metal...

Digital data hits highs and lows.
August 15, 2005... When testing digital circuits, engineers stimulate inputs and monitor outputs to determine whether or not devices or circuits work properly. Thankfully, software can take a design and create a pattern, or vector, of 1's and 0's that test...

Technology molds GI of the future: the Army is making big investments in new soldier systems.(Geospatial Intelligence )
August 15, 2005... They won't be invincible, but tomorrow's U.S. infantry may well lay claim to being the most effective fighting force the world has ever known. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Through its Land Warrior and Future Force programs, the Army is...

Embedded code made easier: embedded development module creates code for hardware engineers.(ELECTRONICS)
August 15, 2005... Controls engineers without programming skills may now have the ability to develop embedded products from end to end, thanks to a new graphical programming technique that enables them to "write" their own embedded C-code. The technique,...

Like oil for water: a transfusion and a transplant preps an old press for a new mission in Georgia.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... The stories it could tell, the places it's been: Germany during WWII and America after in the U.S. Army's heavy-press program. The Air Force installed the machine at a Dow Chemical facility. Eventually, the press moved to St. Louis where...

"Plastics" return to original meaning, but with light: use of photosensitive polymer switches in plastics could find use in medical implants.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The word "plastic" originally characterized only the material's qualities: It is malleable, pliable, and deformable. Now, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed plastics that change shape when the researchers...

Nanograss provides effective thermal-transfer surface: billions of silicon posts aid in transferring heat from silicon surface to the liquid coolant.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Cooling is a constant design challenge. To meet that challenge, researchers at Bell Labs/Lucent are experimenting with a nanostructured surface that reduces viscous drag on cooling fluid. The intention is to use billions of silicon posts to aid...

MEMS assist microdetectives: advanced gas-sampling procedure increases test validity.(microelectromechanical systems)(Scandia National Laboratories)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) have the versatility to solve specialized problems, and the demonstration of that versatility continues at Sandia National Laboratories. Researchers there have devised an advanced gas-sampling procedure...

M/V lollipop, now with diesel electric: what turns props on cruise ships works for private yachts, too.
August 15, 2005... Siemens has been outfitting big naval and commercial vessels with diesel electric power for years. Its yacht systems arm only recently began addressing the sub-megawatt market, the recreational end populated by many smaller vessels such as the...

CFD for the masses: simple software tackles tough computational fluid dynamics problems.(computation fluid dynamics)
August 15, 2005... Not many engineers would think of computation fluid dynamics as an easy discipline. In fact, some of the analysts who work on the toughest flow and heat transfer problems do little else. But does CFD have to be as specialized as it's become?...

Application-specific embedded operating systems: makers of embedded operating systems are adding features specific to aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and others.
August 15, 2005... As embedded technology evolves, it inevitably grows more specialized. So it goes with embedded operating systems, which now contain more than the usual features of interrupt handling and memory management, and have come to include middleware,...

Silicone enhancements: technology advances improve these versatile plastics.(PLASTICS)
August 15, 2005... Silicones have their share of desirable qualities, especially in medical applications. Silicone elastomers pair biocompatibility with good chemical resistance, clarity, compression set, and tensile properties. Coatings and adhesives based on...

White goods: washdown design protects devices from astringent cleanings.
August 15, 2005... Various standards from IEC, USDA, and NEMA are but a sampling of the codes governing washdown requirements for equipment in the meat, poultry, dairy, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The standards spell out hygienic design of processing...

Blast air energy usage ... impact resistant steel ... rust removal ...
August 15, 2005... Dear Search Engineer: With energy usage being on everyone's minds these days, we have a few large free-standing dust collectors that use shop air to blast the dust off of the bags/cartridge-type filters. They blast 24 hours every day if the...

Creating parametric ribbon cables: here's a simple assembly you can create using SolidWorks.
August 15, 2005... AS CONSUMER PRODUCT DESIGN BECOMES MORE ERGONOMIC and stylistic, and technology shrinks the size of electronics, the 3D packaging of the electronic components into enclosures become more difficult. The challenge involves coordination between...

CompXs/Integration Associates Inc. USB ZigBee dongle: ZigBee to computer connection.(Universal Serial Bus )
August 15, 2005... With the ZigBee wireless specification formally approved earlier this year, many companies have introduced ZigBee-ready and ZigBee-compliant products. One of the newest products is the USB ZigBee dongle. The ZigBee standard uses an IEEE 802....

Medical miracles: nano-engineering of new drug-releasing polymer structures is changing medical design. Bioabsorbable devices will be the next big thing.
August 15, 2005... TEN YEARS AGO, DESIGN ENGINEERS DIDN'T dare consider use of polymers for implantable medical devices. In the wake of lawsuits over use of silicones for breast implants, major polymer producers disdained offering any products for implantable...

Tuning the motion control loop: minding your P's, I's, and D's.(proportional, integral, and differential)
August 15, 2005... Control loops incorporating proportional, integral, and differential (P, I, and D) factors have become standard functions of motion controllers. Many of the latest controllers also offer feed-forward functions. A typical control loop might...

Performance and efficiency: new IC products boast motor control features.(integrated circuits)(Freescale Semiconductor )
August 15, 2005... COMPETITION AMONG SEMICONDUCTOR SUPPLIERS EAGER TO FILL THE DEMAND for sophisticated motor controls has created a plethora of new options for motion control engineers. Many suppliers offer motion control integrated circuits (ICs) that combine...

Motion accuracy problem; Key: sort out the contributions of the step motor and driver.
August 15, 2005... WHEN IT COMES TO PRECISION IN MOTION CONTROL, MANY FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO inaccurate steps. An engineer considering a total system must be aware of how the step motor and the driver/controller unit work together in determining its overall...

Embedded-system programmers draw the lines: LabVIEW yields 32-bit C code.
August 15, 2005... Software developers who write code for 32-bit processors now have a tool that simplifies their job. The new LabVIEW Embedded Development Module extends the graphical LabVIEW programming language to any 32-bit microprocessor. Thus,...

Ball screw: simplifies design.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The Ball Screw ComDRIVE system is engineered as a self-contained actuator package that combines a ball screw jack, motor, and gear reducer into a single compact package. It can power an entire jacking system, reducing the number of components...

Motor pre-driver: reduces power supply.(Zetex Semiconductors)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The ZXBM1015 single-phase motor pre-driver is designed for variable or fixed speed control of single-phase brushless dc fans, blowers, and pumps. It includes a current monitor that enables supply current on start-ups and stall to be kept...

Rotary stages: ultralow profile.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The ACS LP Series ultralow profile rotary stage with integrated ER collet chuck provides automated material handling capability for a variety of materials and applications. ER collets are designed to provide excellent run-out characteristics...

Servo control system: with 16,000 count/revolution encoders.(QuickSilver Controls Inc)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The 34 Frame I-Grade SilverNugget N3 controller/driver is designed for servo control of the company's NEMA 34-frame step motors. Also included in the system is one of six 34-frame step motors with attached encoder. The 34 frame I-Grade...

Energy Chain: lightweight.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The System E3 Energy Chain features the short pitch design of the company's System E6 product line for smooth, quiet operation and low vibration. It also features the traits of the company's Zipper series of cable carriers. It is comprised of a...

Vibration isolation mounts: in four heights.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Engineered for designing or retrofitting sensitive OEM equipment where external isolation is not desired or is not suited to the application, Series 1206 provides vertical and horizontal isolations. It is available in variety of shapes and...

Motor controller: lightweight.(AmpFlow Inc)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The company's microcontroller-based motor controller supplies up to 180A per channel at 12 to 40V. It features multiple command input modes for use with either radio control receivers or analog devices, such as industrial or gaming joysticks....

Linear actuator: range of uses.(Ultra Motion)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The RO-Bug remotely operated linear actuator system integrates a 12 or 24V dc servo motor with a 12 or 24V dc amplifier for remotely operated applications. Each product is tuned and configured for a standard 1 to 2 msec pulse RC interface. It...

Vision sensor: delivers high-speed inspections.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Able to accurately sense and evaluate more than 10,000 objects per minute, the P4 EDGE is fit for validating the height and width of parts, finding the location of labels, or detecting the edge of materials such as plastic or paper on a Web...

Corner Leg System: enables height adjustment.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The Movotec[R] Corner Leg System is designed to enable height adjustment of a range of light industrial machines, such as workbenches, conveyors, and assembly equipment. The product's lift cylinders are integrated directly into aluminum...

Stepper motor: high-torque applications.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The company's hollow pancake stepper motor features a 2.5-inch hole in the center for a microwave tube. It is engineered for applications where accurate positioning and high torque are needed. It has a 1.8-degree step angle and provides up to...

Ring index drives: three different sizes.(Industrial Motion Control)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The company's family of ring index drives--models 1100RNG, 1550RNG, and 2050RNG--feature larger through-holes to accommodate a range of automated machinery and equipment, including electrical wiring and air or hydraulic lines. They are ideally...

Plug-in board: direct attachment.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Designed for the company's DMC-21 X 3 series of Ethernet motion controllers, the AMP-20542 Low Inductance Servo Motor option attaches directly to the 96-pin connector, eliminating the need for any cabling. The option contains four...

Equipment platforms: vibration isolation.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The company's 9300 Series of equipment platforms are engineered to isolate large sensitive equipment from surrounding floor vibrations. It is configurable for a range of applications, including vibration isolation for SEMS, TEMS, CMMs,...

Miniature slides: four sizes available.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The company's miniature slides, type LZM, are engineered as complete and compact assemblies for linear motion applications where short strokes are required and space for system components is minimal. They offer high carrying capacity, smooth...

Servo amplifier: with DTS control.(digital)(TrustAutomation)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Designed to allow users to easily integrate the latest developments in sinusoidal motion control and its benefits into applications, the TA320 linear three-phase servo amplifier features very low electrical noise, making it ideal for...

Step motor: with eight leads.(Gee Plus Inc)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The company's high-torque, NEMA 42, 1.8 degree, step 2 phase hybrid step motor features a holding torque that reaches 180 inches/lb in a 4.3-inch square by 5.91-inch long package size. It is supplied with eight leads that allow it to be...

Ac gearmotors: fan cooled.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The 880 series of gearmotors are available in five gear ratios ranging from 5.8:1 to 42.8:1. They produce up to 1,060 inch/lbs of continuous duty torque. The products are totally enclosed and fan cooled, making them ideal for a variety of...

Rack & pinion drives: zero backlash.(Atlanta Drive Systems)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... This range of zero-backlash rack and pinion drives eliminate system backlash by means of a split-pinion and dual-pinion arrangement, providing ultra-precise positioning and repeatability. Positioning accuracy is maintained during acceleration...

Patented products: for various applications.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Intelligent Motion Systems (IMS) is one of the leaders in motors, drives, and controls with patented products such as the MDrive, which combines onboard electronics with high-torque brushless motors in NEMA sizes 14, 17, 23, 34, and 42....

Low-profile rotary stages: automated material handling.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
August 15, 2005... The ACS LP series ultralow profile rotary stage with integrated ER collet chuck provides automated material handling capability for a wide range of materials and applications. ER collets provide excellent run-out characteristics for...

Industrial automation catalog: data, photos, prices, and more.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
August 15, 2005... AutomationDirect's 2005 free catalog offers 5,500 industrial automation products for a wide range of applications. The expanded 1,700-page volume features product descriptions, technical data, photos, and price lists for PLCs, ac drives/motors,...

FRF Analyzer: powerful servo analysis GUI.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
August 15, 2005... The SPiiPlus FRF (frequency response function) Analyzer[TM] is a powerful servo analysis GUI for all ACS-Tech80 SPiiPlus motion controllers. It allows mechanical characterization of the user's machine and takes machine tuning and optimization a...

Dc gearmotor: high-powered, increased torque.(Globe Motors)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Efficient gearmotor solutions for hospital beds, powered awnings, turret drives, mobility conversions, and more are featured in this new brochure from Globe Motors[TM]. The brochure details the performance, durability, and cost advantages of...

Linear-type stepper motor: long life and high thread efficiency.(Nippon Pulse America Inc)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The LINEARSTEP[R] offers linear motion in a rotary size package. LINEARSTEP is available with outside dimensions of 25 and 35 mm. The motors' linear shaft movement allows the customer to design a simple system at a fraction of the cost of...

Aegis products: protect ac motor bearings.(Electro Static Technology)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... When variable frequency drives are used to control ac motors, currents are induced on the motor shaft. These harmful currents build up until they are strong enough to discharge through the bearings, causing fusion craters (frosting, pitting,...

Multi-axis motion controller: high performance.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The Advanced SPiiPlus PCI multi-axis motion controller supports position feedback devices with SIN-COS output up to 3 MHz with built-in programmable multiplication factor up to 8,192. This opens new possibilities for demanding applications,...

Linear actuators: new 21000 series.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The 21000 series (Size 8) linear actuators are the newest and smallest addition to HIS's hybrid motor line. These linear actuators occupy a minimal 0.8 inch square (21 mm) space and include numerous patented innovations that provide customers...

Motion control card: adds advanced servo filters.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
August 15, 2005... The Magellan[TM]-PCI motion controller come with dual biquad filters. Available in one-, two-, three-, and four-axis versions, Magellan-PCI supports dc brush, brushless dc, microstepping, and pulse and direction motors. On-the-fly changes and...

Grounding brush: protects ac motor bearings.(Electro Static Technology)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The new AEGIS SGR[TM] shaft grounding brush prevents electrical damage to ac motor bearings and extends motor life by safely channeling harmful shaft currents to ground. Conductive microfibers inside the AEGIS SGR provide the path of least...

Motor testing software: with enhanced user-friendly features.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... M-TEST 5.0 is a motor testing program designed for Windows[R] 2000/XP operating systems. The software is fit for PC-based data acquisition when it is used in conjunction with Magtrol's motor testing dynamometers and controllers. Users can test...

Magnetic particle brakes & clutches: high capacity, high torque.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... The high-capacity magnetic particle brakes and clutches feature torque of up to 300 lbs-ft. They are fit for payout and rewind tension control, load simulation (for testing motors and actuators), torque limiting, and soft starts and stops. Slip...

Diaphragm pump: larger surface area.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... The company's 4002 miniature diaphragm ms is engineered with an elongated oval-shaped diaphragm with a larger surface area than a conventional round diaphragm. As a result, it can produce higher flows than a similarly sized pump with a standard...

Air Guns: high force, reduced noise.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... The Super Blast Air Guns are engineered to deliver up to 9.8 lbs of blowing force. They are available with 4, 7, or 12 Super Air Nozzles, which are designed to maximize entrained airflow and force while reducing compressed air use and noise. At...

Pneumatic valve actuator: small space applications.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... The company's Seriece PCD and PCS pneumatic valve actuators feature a four-piston rack and pinion design for high torque output. The design is also engineered to permit the actuator to be physically smaller than other design types, making it...

Sight flow indicator: durable, magnet-less.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... A durable paddlewheel-style flow indicator with output sensor, the Series SFI-100T sight flow indicator uses no magnets in the paddlewheel to attract ferrous materials. It is constructed of a solid brass body with a tempered glass window for...

Diaphragm valve: three configurations.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... Engineered for trouble-free use in applications requiring minimal maintenance and maximum lifetime, the DV22 microvolume diaphragm valve is offered in three configurations: 4 port internal loop sample injector, 6 port external loop...

Flow Switch: plastic or stainless steel.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... The Model 501 Flo-Switch provides a solid-state relay output indicating flow above or below a selected set point. It is ideal for applications with alarms for low- or no-flow conditions, excessive flow, or intermittent flow rates. They are...

Micro needle valve: stainless steel.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... Designed for applications where space, durability, and light weight are required, the M3 threaded needle valve weights 2.26 gm and has an installed height of about 10.4 mm. It is ideal for mini cylinders, nozzles, timing circuits, filling...

Static mixer: short laying length.(FLUID POWER)
August 15, 2005... The company's variable head loss static mixer features a short laying length and accommodates a wide variety of flow rates, with reasonable head loss. It consists of two in-line static mixers in the series: one with a fixed plate and the other...