Design News articles from January 2005

Design News archives from January 2005

Gazing into the crystal ball.(MY VIEW)
January 10, 2005... THIS ISSUE IS A LOT OF FUN FOR US EDITORS TO PUT together because it features our annual technology forecast. It's an opportunity for us to peer into our crystal ball and tell readers about the "don't-miss trends" of the year--trends that we've...

E-schooling grows: Many vendors are offering training on-line.(WEB LOG)
January 10, 2005... THE ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE OF yore has morphed into a single cubicle or office. That's where many engineers go to school now to learn the details of new technology and how to use it. And they don't have to travel far: It's their own cubicles or...

"Local" recruitment.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
January 10, 2005... I was very curious about your 11.08.04 Special News article "Academia Slams Visa Policies" (http://rbi.ims.ca/4385-534) in which there wasn't any reference made to students that are U.S. citizens or legal residents. Why can't the graduate...

Admit U.S. students instead.(Readers Sound Off)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... The solution to the "problem" of the decline of international students seeking post-graduate educational opportunities in the sciences is a simple one: Give these positions to American students. Institutes of higher learning need to understand...

Rising demand for faculty?(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
January 10, 2005... I don't fully understand the academia's argument. While they cite a 36-percent decline in graduate school applications in 2004 versus 2003, approximately 75 percent of the 120-plus employment advertisements in the IEEE Spectrum are for...

Parametric search is vital.(Readers Sound Off)(Letter to the Editor)
January 10, 2005... Thank you for your 11.08.04 "One-Minute Search" Web Log (http://rbi.ims.ca/4385-535). As a component engineer, I spend most of my time searching Web pages for parts or datasheets. I find that if I can't get the information I need from the...

Frustrating "Flash" remote.(Readers Sound Off)
January 10, 2005... The reference to the Zenith Flash-matic in the Fact section adjacent to your editorial on remote control (http://rbi.ims.ca/4385-539) reminded me of many years ago when my Dad proudly brought home our first television with remote control. Pride...

CAD should enable design creativity: engineers need CAD tools as easy as the 'paper napkin'.(Insight from Insiders)(Computer-Aided Design)
January 10, 2005... CAD systems often constrain engineers rather than liberate them to do their best and most creative designs, Bean says. Here are his thoughts on why that is, what's in the future, and what the hidden costs of CAD are. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Market your profession: It's one way to revive interest in engineering careers.(Really Opinionated People)
January 10, 2005... SINCE THE MID-1980s, INTEREST IN SCIENCE and engineering in the U.S. has waned. There are many organizations working to improve interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. But our efforts have not had a significant impact. Perhaps...

Inspector's gadget; 3D printer solves a shooting case on CSI: NY.(HEARD ON THE STREET)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... A tool that's growing in popularity among design engineers, 3D printing still has a long way to go before becoming a standard fixture in the crime scene lab. But on the popular TV series CSI: NY, the tool--which rapidly creates models of parts...

A big job at the Eiffel Tower: Engineers rebuild one of the elevators to the top.(HEARD ON THE STREET)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... "The beauty of the reducer is that it's so huge," says Dragos Oprescu, a principle applications engineer for Timken who clearly enjoys working with really big mechanical stuff. He's referring to the 40-ton speed reducer on one of the Eiffel...

Class of 2004: car yearbook features 130-plus new designs.(HEARD ON THE STREET)(Car Design Yearbook 3)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Now available is the Car Design Yearbook 3, the third volume of the annual series that features the latest concept and production cars from around the world. New to this edition are essays on aerodynamics and developments in lighting, as well...

Plastics at home.(NEW AND NOTABLE PRODUCT DESIGN)
January 10, 2005... These household applications for engineering plastics, which turned up at the recent K Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany, have implications beyond the purely domestic. They show how plastics can address essential engineering problems like the balance...

Flexures smooth motion: wide, thin members give high shear and moment stiffness to a new bearing.(TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN USE)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Like a window shade, this Z-axis bearing unwinds thin, 0.003-inch strips, or flexures, as it moves, achieving high parallelism without backlash, friction, or rolling contact. Designer Michael Everman Inc. claims that the bearing's top and...

Patent office faces backlog crisis: criticism heats up as the PTO scrambles to cope.(INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY)
January 10, 2005... The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), conceived in horse-and-buggy times, is finding it harder than ever to meet the demands of a high-tech era. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Patent filings are at an all-time high--more than 350,000...

Dual vision.(ELECTRONICS)(Sensors Unlimited Inc. has introduced Visible-InGaAs SU320Mvis 1.7RT Mini-Camera)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Sensors Unlimited Inc. (SUI; www.sensorsinc.com) has introduced reportedly the world's smallest dual-wavelength, visible and near-infrared camera--the Visible-InGaAs SU320Mvis 1.7RT Mini-Camera. Built around SUI's proprietary InGaAs focal plane...

Industrial strength.(ELECTRONICS)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Now available for industrial control and embedded rack systems applications is the DRL Series from Astrodyne (www.astrodyne.com). Featuring a cage-covered package with snap-on DIN rail mounts, the DRL Series of enclosed switching power supplies...

New approval.(ELECTRONICS)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Newly UL- and Semko-approved is the dc and ac single line Feedthru filters from Spectrum Control Inc. (www.spectrumcontrol.com). Rated at 10-300A and intended for 0-400 Hz applications, these filters have C and Pi configurations with the dc...

UWB brings speed and questions: specs run in very different directions.(WIRELESS)(advantages of ultrawideband technologgy)
January 10, 2005... The development of ultrawideband technology has been closely watched by design engineers who want high bandwidth and low power for portable products that use video and other large files. Now there's a flurry of activity in UWB, but there's also...

Ethernet gains more power: Voice over internet greatly enabled.(POWER)
January 10, 2005... Power over Ethernet (PoE) is starting to see solid acceptance, offering a way to simplify the installation of many nodes by providing power as well as communications. It will be a key factor in the emergence of voice over Internet phones while...

Compact Air Monitoring System.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... The new AM Air Monitoring System from MIDAC (www.midac.com) can detect, identify, and measure a wide range of compounds simultaneously within seconds. This compact interferometer measures at just 8 X 14 X 8 inches, weighs only 40 lbs, and can...

Reservoir tanks.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... I & J Fisnar Inc. now offers a variety of sizes for its line of Reservoir tanks used to feed bulk fluids to a valve or dispensing pen. Features include top porting for low- to medium-viscosity liquids, bottom porting for high-viscosity liquids,...

Data.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... 26 Percent of total fluid market devoted to aerospace applications Source: National Fluid Power Association

Mission impossible: PLC, pots, and pressure transducers help 'move' concert hall.(CYLINDERS)
January 10, 2005... Fluid power recently flexed its muscle in Shanghai as engineers used high-pressure hydraulics to move a 5,800-ton concert hall. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The lifting project, huge even in the world of high-powered hydraulics, called for a...

Back to school.(Autodesk University, software industry)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... About 4,000 users registered for Autodesk University, the software company's 2004 international user group conference in November. Those in attendance heard CEO Carol Bartz describe the company's vision. Among the new products she touted:...

Meetings on deck.(SOFTWARE + HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... Daratech will hold its next conference on engineering software Feb. 14 in Cambridge, MA. For details, see http://rbi.ims.ca/4385-599. COFES (Congress on the Future of Engineering Software) will kick off its conference April 14 in Scottsdale,...

Annual report.(SOFTWARE + HARDWARE)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... ANSYS' Annual Report was named one of the three best in industry in the computer software and services category of the National Association of Investors Corp. 27th Annual Nicholson Awards. More than 400 volunteer judges ranked annual reports...

Data.(NEWS)
January 10, 2005... 80 Percent of AutoCad users who customize their user interface of the software and the menus Source: Autodesk

Simulation saves time: computer simulation models speed product development, reduce physical testing as well as production costs.(ANALYSIS)
January 10, 2005... Designers at Automotive Systems Laboratory are finding that virtual product development using simulation is the preferred tool for testing airbag restraint systems. While physical tests are required for product certification, simulation is more...

Bill of material software ... control circuits ... riveting material ... 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)
January 10, 2005... Dear Search Engineer: I need the math process for the circumference of a helical trapezoidal thread (1) revolution. I must cut a pattern and need the exact length without using my CAD program.--S.L., DN reader Dear S.L.: Merely "unwrap" the...

Breaking away: striving to improve cycling performance, engineers push the envelope on lightweight materials.
January 10, 2005... A man, a bike, and six yellow jerseys: one athlete claims that honor. Lance Armstrong, of course, who peddled to six consecutive wins in the Tour de France, beginning in 1999. And Trek, a company out of Waterloo, Wisconsin that's been building...

Where the cookie will crumble: Five don't-miss trends in 2005.
January 10, 2005... 1. ENGINEERING SOFTWARE/HARDWARE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAD Will Get Easier Virtually every developer is taking steps to improve their user interface--and facilitate design collaboration If you want to glimpse one intriguing...

Processor with CAN fits into tiny package: A compact controller integrates communications, Flash memory and an A/D converter.(CONTROLLER)(Community Area Network )
January 10, 2005... Two constants in many fields are the need for networking and a demand for smaller circuit boards. Microchip Technology Inc. is addressing both trends with a compact 8-bit microcontroller that includes a CAN controller. The PIC18F4580,...

Ac input module, dc CPUs: two new additions.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... As part of the MicroSmart PLC family, the company is introducing a new ac input expansion module and 24V dc all-in-one CPUs. The input expansion module is designed to provide an easy solution for any system requiring direct 120V ac inputs. Up...

Prox sensor: rugged housing.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The RO1 mini block-style, low-profile inductive sensor reportedly combines compact size with superior sensing range. Its narrow profile configuration makes it suitable for applications where conventional sensors can't fit, according to the...

Industrial switches: various combinations.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The Series 04 range of sealed, illuminated switches are designed with a choice of possible combinations. These include square and round indicators and push buttons, rotary switches, emergency stops, and mushroom-headed push buttons. A compact,...

Extension systems: delivers improved performance.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... Designed to provide enhanced power and performance, the company's expanded range of VME64 extension systems and products reportedly feature high pin count, improved signal shielding, higher power, and RTM support. The products are suitable for...

Signal conditioners: various platforms available.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The company's capacitive sensor signal conditioners are designed to provide excitation power for capacitive accelerometers, and to prepare their measurement signals for readout, recording, and data acquisition. A range of signal conditioner...

Customizable dielectrics: improves antenna performance.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The company's 100 Series reinforced polypropylene (PP) compound features a UV stabilizer that reportedly ensures long-term outdoor performance. A combination of milled glass and glass beads is designed to add strength and dimensional stability....

EMI filter: with integrated ESD protection diodes.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The GTF701-HS3-GS08, an ESD protection array that integrates an EMI filter in a leadless LLP75 package, is designed for space-critical applications. It measures 1.6 X 1.6 mm with a 0.7-mm height profile. The two-channel product reportedly...

Lever switch: prevents unintentional actuation.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The 100 series K locking lever switch reportedly allows the toggle to be locked in any of the three positions to prevent unintentional actuation. They are suitable for rugged environments, and the panel-mounted switch is intended for wide...

Controller/gateway: Controls vehicle applications.(ELECTRONICS)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... The SAE J1939 controller/gateway uses the standardized application layer protocols CANopen and SAE J1939 to control the functions of special purpose applications on a vehicle and to enable the exchange of data between the applications and the...

Vrla battery: small design.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... Designed to offer the same capacity as the company's previous model, the new low-profile, front terminal valve-regulated lead-acid battery features a 10 percent reduction in height. It measures 561 X 125 X 283 mm, and is suitable for such...

Double display timer: allows simultaneous programming.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... Engineered to enable simultaneous programming of two different activities from 20 hrs to 1 sec, the Traceable[R] double display timer features a resolution of 1 sec and accuracy of 0.01 percent. Each channel reportedly has a distinct electronic...

Ethernet switches: rugged, intended for dc environments.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The company's 10/100Base-T Ethernet switches reportedly accept any voltage between 10 and 30V dc with surge protection to 3,000V dc, making them suitable for any dc environment. The ADAM6521 lets users interconnect four copper (RJ-45) and one...

Synchro/Linear converter: low cost and accurate.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The company's series of infinite resolution Synchro/Linear dc converter modules are designed to be low-cost and have an accuracy of [+ or -]10V dc outputs representing [+ or -]180 of input angle. Output scaling of 0-360 for 0-10V is also...

Solid-state relays: for medium- to high-power loads.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... The Series S20DC30 and Series S20DC100 commercial dc solid-state relays for switching medium- to high-power dc loads. The devices reportedly feature the latest-generation MOSFET technology as well as an isolated driver to ensure fast power turn...

PCB: 50W output.(ELECTRONICS)
January 10, 2005... Engineered to meet the space and performance needs in instrumentation, industrial controls, embedded systems, and telecommunications applications, the LPS50 Series line of PCB switching power supplies reportedly provide output power of 50W. The...

Test products: Two different systems.(FLUID POWER)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... The Falcon Leak Test System simultaneously locates and calculates the leak rate, eliminating the need for costly additional leak tests, according to the company. It uses patent-pending Intelense technology, offers real-time process control, and...

Hydraulic pumps: new sizes.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... The company has introduced two new pump sizes to their line of PVM medium-duty axial piston hydraulic pumps. The PVM-065 offers a Theoretical Maximum Displacement of 3.96 inche[s.sup.3]/rev, and the PVM-075 provides a displacement of 4.58...

Pressure switch: miniature.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... Part of the company's Herion pressure switches, the mini version is reportedly fit for deployment in applications with space limitations. It is designed as an inexpensive solution for monitoring tasks and are the smallest devices within the...

Products CD: available for free.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... A CD available from the company features its Nylatrac Automation Line of cable and hose carriers. It reportedly highlights the company's carriers, features a Web link that is specifically designed for users of automation-style cables and hose...

Condensate pump: for long life cycles.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... Engineered for dependable steam system condensate recovery in rapid-cycling process environments and under all pressure and temperature conditions, the Pivotrol[R] Pressure Powered Condensate Pump is backed by a three-year or three million...

Pressure transmitter: with optional three-way valve.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... The Series 629 Wet/Wet Differential Pressure Transmitter features an optional three-way valve that is reportedly fit for monitoring differential pressures on HVAC equipment. The optional integral valve manifold is designed for simple...

Flow solution: accurate, convenient.(FLUID POWER)(Complete Flow Solution)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... The company's Complete Flow Solution[TM] is designed for the precise measurement of liquid, gas, and steam flows. It reportedly provides more accuracy, convenience, and flexibility than traditional orifice plates and vortex meters, at an...

In-line filters: high flow.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... Designed for chemical solutions, ink, water, oil, gasoline, fuel, and alcohol, the company's series of large in-line filters for air, vacuum, or liquids are molded in polyoxymethylene acetal. They feature filter frames that are color-coded to...

Turbine fuel control valve: proportional.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... The company's proportional turbine fuel control valve is engineered as a single-state, direct-acting, electromagnetic, pressure-regulated valve. It reportedly provides maximum fuel flows up to 700 PPH at supply pressures up to 1,500 psig with...

Close-coupled pump: with ANSI flat face flanges.(FLUID POWER)
January 10, 2005... The company's 1500 pump is designed for municipal and industrial applications where close-coupled configurations are deemed acceptable, but the robustness of a gear joint drive is needed. It features a sealed gear-type universal joint drive...

Simulation software: new functionalities.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... MSC.Dynamic Designer is now available for Autodesk Inventor 9 and Solid Edge 16. It reportedly uses the MSC. ADAMS motion simulation technology to provide users with the ability to understand critical performance information about a design...

Software: with CFD and mesh creation.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... ANSYS 9.0 is reportedly the first software release featuring electromagnetic, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and mesh creation technologies integrated within the company's Workbench[TM] product development environment. Its modern...

White paper: available on website.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... A new white paper, Model Manager: Managing Design Data in the Interconnected Enterprise, is available at the company's website. It reportedly leverages the power of XML Web services to tie into service-oriented architectures that link together...

Server: extreme performance.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... The FlexPCServer Series is a performance briefcase notebook and mobile server with Single or Dual Xeon[TM] to 3.06 GHz. It reportedly offers extreme performance computing in a portable form for the most mission-critical applications. According...

System design software: recently updated.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... The Nexar system design software has been updated to support v4.2 of the company's Quartus[R] II development software. It is reportedly a comprehensive, vendor-independent, electronic design solution that enables engineers to build complete...

Fea distance learning: Subscription-based.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Designed to allow engineers to learn the principles of finite element analysis and ALGOR software at their computer and at their own pace, the company is offering a subscription-based program for distance-learning Web courses. They are...

Online catalog: more than 75,000 models.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... The company is using SolidWorks 3D PartStream. NET[R] service, reportedly enabling customers to choose conveyors based on exact specifications for their assembly lines in minutes, rather than in days. It is designed to enable engineers and...

Upgrade program: preview in seminars.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... The company will preview in seminars its upgrade program for AutoCAD 2000i and AutoCAD LT 2000i users facing Autodesk's retirement of these products. Included in the seminars will be presentations and demonstrations of MicroStation PowerDraft...

Software: extends ability.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... Document3D Service Pack 1 is designed to directly create printed manuals from CAD files. It reportedly seamlessly simplifies the software's ability to support printed documents, as well as interactive documents. Benefits include quick updates,...

PLM technology: e-mail-enabled.(SOFTWARE/HARDWARE)
January 10, 2005... Reportedly the first e-mail-enabled communication tool that allows the sharing of 2D and 3D CAD data, eDrawings creates files that are compact and easy to e-mail, according to the company. An eDrawings file is reportedly 95 percent smaller than...

Linear guide systems: lowers amount of friction.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... Engineered as the newest addition to the company's DryLin[R] W linear guide system, the DryLin WQ square rails reportedly further add to the versatility and flexibility of the modular line by reducing friction and providing the ability to...

Vision sensors: two new models.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... The In-Sign 5100C color vision sensor and the In-Sight 5101 high-resolution model have been added to the company's 5000 Series of industrial-grade vision sensors. The 5100C is designed to perform a variety of color inspection tasks in a number...

Universal power supply: drives non-linear load on output.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... The DTI PCS-5000 universal power supply is reportedly a fully isolated, high-frequency power converter that uses solid-state switching and control algorithms to offer high output waveform fidelity, with low harmonics and distortion on the...

Servo cables: for factory automation.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... Chainflex[R] CF21 and CF27 high-flex servo cables are designed to supply power for factory automation, performing through millions of cycles under long or short travel conditions, and at a small bend radius of 7.5 times the outer diameter of...

Encoders: multi-turn.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... Engineered as the latest edition to the company's Kubler line of Fieldbus absolute encoders, the new multi-turn encoders are available in an industry standard 58-mm diameter (model 5860) for shaft style units and 90-mm diameter (model 9080) for...

Junction Box: four-pin.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... The company's four-pin picofast Junction Box is reportedly the first to offer dual I/O per port with the space-saving picofast footprint. It is designed to allow users to consolidate wiring when using four-pin sensors, such as photoelectric, or...

Robot: Micro-machining.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Now available for micro-machining applications, the RP Series robot features a high-speed spindle that reportedly allows quick machining of PC boards and/or rework or depaneling of components. No PC is required for operation. An embedded...

Hollow bore gearmotors: saves space.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... The new H Box Hollow Bore Gearmotors from Baldor feature a 1-inch hollow output shaft that can be connected directly to the driven load, saving space and eliminating expensive shaft couplings, chains or sprockets, as well as costly chain guards...

Micrometer system: uses GaN LED.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... The LS-7010 Optical Micrometer System reportedly provides a resolution of 0.01 [micro]m with a repeatability of [+ or -]0.06 [micro]m. This is two times the accuracy of conventional micrometers, according to the company. It incorporates a high...

Linear actuators: with encoder feedback.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... The company's size 34 hybrid linear actuators are now available with encoder feedback. The compact optical incremental encoder designer is reportedly available with two channel quadrature TTL squarewave outputs. The encoder is available in...

Integrated drive: compact size.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... Engineered for the power and water industries, the air-cooled ACS 1000i is a medium-voltage ac drive that integrates an input transfer, input contactor, and onboard auxiliary power supply. It is rated from 315 to 1,800 kW, in voltages 3.3,...

Relay: Subminiature, Sensitive.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Designed for industrial control use in products such as programmable logic controllers, instrumentation, times, counters, and other process equipment, the AZ6951 Series relay is 0.25 inch wide. It reportedly has a footprint of 0.18...

Roller bearings: for industrial fan applications.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... Designed to perform as non-locating bearings in self-aligning bearing systems for industrial fans, CARB[R] toroidal roller bearings reportedly enhance fan reliability, productivity, and life by providing solutions to problems associated with...

DPMI seminars: available for free.(MOTION CONTROL/POWER TRANSMISSION)
January 10, 2005... Cognex will be hosting a series of free ID seminars, covering important factors for implementing DPMI for part traceability in the automotive, healthcare, aerospace, electronics, and defense industries. Participants will receive information on...

Energy Control Solutions.(Taylor Devices Inc.)
January 10, 2005... Applying six decades of experience to your specific application. Solving your unique energy control challenges is the hallmark of Taylor Devices. We can adapt our proven energy management technology to meet the precise requirements of your...

Table top machining center: MAXNC 10CL.(PRODUCT MART)
January 10, 2005... Machine prototypes, 3D shapes etc. in a variety of materials including steel. Program it with standard CNC code written by hand or with most CAD-CAM programs. Controlled by a PC Computer, it operates in the same fashion as the large industrial...