Design News articles from July 2004

Design News archives from July 2004

Best cities for singles.(Fact)(Illustration)
July 19, 2004... BEST CITIES FOR SINGLES 1. Denver-Boulder 2. Washington-Baltimore 3. Austin 4. Atlanta 5. Boston 6. Los Angeles 7. Phoenix 8. New York 9. San Francisco-Oakland 10. Miami Source: Forbes

Help needed.(Fact)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... For the first time, the unemployment level of college grads has surpassed that of high-school dropouts. That's according to the Economic Policy Institute, which provides weekly snapshots of charts that illustrate key economic issues at its...

Who is in demand.(Fact)
July 19, 2004... Top five undergraduate degrees in demand by the manufacturing sector: * Mechanical Engineering * Electrical Engineering * Accounting * Business Administration * Chemical Engineering Source: Job Outlook 2004 ...

G-men cutting back.(Fact)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The government/nonprofit employers plan to cut hiring by as much as 10.1 percent in 2004, according to the website www.jobweb.com. The website has information on who is hiring and who is not.

Making less.(Fact)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The National Society of Professional Engineers reports that the median salary for engineers of all disciplines fell from $72,842 in 1999 to $70,200 in 2004. Results are from the Engineering Income and Salary Report.

Location, location, location.(My View)
July 19, 2004... CITIES GET REPUTATIONS, BOTH GOOD AND bad. For example, my home town of Boston routinely ranks high on the list of America's best places for singles. More specifically, singles that are looking to hook up with other singles and therefore not be...

New niche for e-books: reference books become interactive on this website.(Web Log)
July 19, 2004... BOOK SHELVES IN ENGINEERING OFFICES could become a lot less crowded if the folks at Knovel Corp. (www.knovel.com) have their way. Knovel CEO Christopher Forbes and his staff have put the contents of some 600 technical reference books on their...

That must have hurt!(Readers Sound Off)
July 19, 2004... I enjoyed your column, "The Case of the Noxious Needle" (DN Calamities, 05.17.04) about the needle breaking off in a patient's gum. My father was a medical lab tech in the Army. One day he caught some of the other techs dropping needles, point...

Better mousetrap.(Readers Sound Off)
July 19, 2004... One day I watched my dentist give Novocain shots, and each time he put the needle in a slightly different location on the gum. He would bend the needle to give himself a better angle for the injection. I should also tell you about an invention...

It's pure greed.(Readers Sound Off)
July 19, 2004... I read your account of the dentistry debacle. Your sad postscript wondering why cheap, disposable needles can't be put into the hands of health care people everywhere is a political and greedy situation. Giving the needles away still costs a...

Physics 101.(Readers Sound Off)
July 19, 2004... I enjoyed reading your forensic "needle fracture" study. It gave some vigor to that languishing physics degree that I never really used...:) Dan Danknick Design News READER

Why, not which.(Readers Sound Off)
July 19, 2004... Mr. Cybart's "Rant" titled "Proper Circuit Protection Not Based on Cost Alone" (DN RANT, 05.17.04) doesn't provide the full picture. OEMs conforming to UL508A are being told circuit breakers conforming to UL1077 will need to be protected by an...

First, be a problem solver: engineers are the best problemsolvers, and that skill is more important than sheer math aptitude.(Insight from Insiders)
July 19, 2004... An expert in communications and signal processing, Orsak has been the lead researcher on more than 25 federal, state, and local grants totaling more than $7 million. Here, he gives his views on engineering education. Generally, are...

No defense for Linux: inadequate security poses National security threat.(Really Opinionated People)
July 19, 2004... LINUX IS BEING DESIGNED INTO FUTURE U.S. defense systems, including the Army's Future Combat System (FCS), the Land Warrior, and the Global Information Grid, which will connect future military systems into one network. This spread of Linux into...

Tiny transmitter.(Research for the Real World)
July 19, 2004... Ken O's mini radio antenna, at less than one-tenth of an inch on a computer chip, is closer to achieving ultra small radios for military surveillance use. PRESENT POSITION: Professor of electrical and computer engineering, University of...

Mars Scout Mission going straight to the source: Phoenix will look for life and safe landing.(Heard on the Street)
July 19, 2004... On May 25th, 2008, the world may finally know if life exists on other planets. Or at least that's the hope of the scientists behind NASA's Phoenix, the first Mars Scout Mission scheduled to launch in August of 2007 (http://rbi.ims.ca/3852-534)....

TI spices up commodity linear products: design assistance for engineers is a key factor for growth.(Heard on the Street)
July 19, 2004... Simple, commonplace linear products aren't the exciting, hot commodity items that set a design apart. But for engineers who need these mundane analog parts, Texas Instruments believes a broadened product menu and beefed up design support are...

Hybrid circuits enable compact IR camera.(New and Notable Product Design)
July 19, 2004... Sensors Unlimited SDV Short-Wave Infrared Camera. Engineers mated their recently developed, large, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) imaging array with a low-cost silicon CMOS readout circuit to enable this compact short-wavelength (1-2.5...

High-wattage motor powers blender.(New and Notable Product Design)
July 19, 2004... L'Equip[R] Model 228 R.P.M. Blender. To give users the power to beat-up any vegetable or fruit, inventor Jamie Pascotti propels his blender with a 900WLG (http://rbi.ims.ca/XXXX-XXX) universal ac motor, more than three times as strong as the...

Piezos, algorithms pace pedometer.(New and Notable Product Design)
July 19, 2004... OMRON Healthcare HJ-112 Premium Pedometer. Twin piezo sensors, mounted 90 degrees to each other, ensure this pedometer generates one or two walking "signals" as long as the device's orientation is not perfectly horizontal. Engineers had to...

Dual-levers soften drive reversal.(Technology You Can Use)
July 19, 2004... A mechanical device that replaces cams, clutches, and gears, simplifies rolling-ring linear-actuator control in slowing, reversing, and speeding up the motion of a housing mounting an application payload. These drives convert the rotary motion...

Terminal block needs no tools, is full current rated.(Technology You Can Use)
July 19, 2004... A new contact design allows wiring WAGO's TOPJOB[R]S series of DIN rail terminal blocks without tools. This saves 75 percent of the time needed to connect screw clamps, says Jim Bachle, electrical product manager. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Mixed job outlook.(Trends Breakthroughs Developments)
July 19, 2004... While the number of jobs for mechanical engineers is expected to grow more slowly than the average of all jobs through 2012, a February 2004 Bureau of Labor Stastics survey predicts the number of jobs available to mechanical engineers in...

Engineering for the future.(Trends Breakthroughs Developments)
July 19, 2004... Engineers are going to have to adapt to the changing engineering practice expected in the future, says a new report by the National Academy of Engineering. According to the book, The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New Century,...

Data.(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... DATA 48,585 Dollars per year offered to a bachelors degree candidate in mechanical engineering Source: Design News, Annual Auto Survey, 2002

Get the lead out, say new solder regs: Europe to ban lead-based solder by July 2006, but will engineers be ready?(Electronics)
July 19, 2004... Most design engineers don't give much thought to solder, but it's at the heart of one of the biggest transitions the electronics industry has made in decades. It will be illegal to sell gear with lead-based solder in Europe after July 1, 2006,...

Buying and trading probes online.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... ATE types who have always wanted their own eBay-type of selling page can rejoice now that www.buysellprobes.com has been created. An offshoot of its parent site www.fixtureforum.com, the new site has several benefits for buyers of all types of...

Electronic Shelf Labeling.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Zarlink Semiconductor has manufactured a chip for Pricer AB designed to aid its Electronic Shelf Labeling (ESL) system. This system lets retailers easily change the price of an item by transmitting the information to a central pricing...

Flywheel UPS.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The newest prototype from Active Power is its battery-free flywheel energy storage system that operates for 15 minutes at 80 kW. Slated to replace lead-acid batteries in a 3-phase Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), the device delivers double...

Two chips for three jobs: DSPs handle voice, video, and data.(Networking)
July 19, 2004... Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) is combining Blackfin and Fusiv families to meet the growing demand for video, voice, and data over broadband networks. The integrated package employs the latest version of the Fusiv line of DSPs, which now house...

Distributors benefit from aiding developers: philips is among companies rewarding those who help engineers.(Design Services)
July 19, 2004... The burgeoning shift to contract manufacturing has limited the ability of distribution companies that want to provide increasing amounts of design help, because they aren't sure they'll be compensated if manufacturing moves offshore. Royal...

DSPs power down: chips, tools keep circuits sleeping.(Power Management)
July 19, 2004... Texas Instruments is taking aim at the growing push for low-power portable products, rolling out design tools that provide a methodology for measuring real-world power consumption as well as three DSP chips designed to trim that consumption....

NFPA's outlook.(Fluid Power)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... On Aug. 17-18, the National Fluid Power Association will host its Economic Outlook Conference at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, WI, to discuss data and trends in the fluid power market. All who are interested in fluid power are invited to...

Fluid power in Asia.(Fluid Power)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The National Fluid Power Association is providing an opportunity for anyone in the fluid power industry to attend the PTC Asia convention in Shanghai, China, from Oct. 12-15. NFPA says the Asian fluid power market increased its sales 18 percent...

Compressor performance hits fuel cell sweet spot: non-wearing seal boosts efficiency, eliminates friction.(Power Generation)
July 19, 2004... Using a non-contact sealing technique, a new compressor from Parker-Hannifin Corp. could offer the right combination of mechanical efficiency, durability, and performance required for fuel cells, demanding needs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Foam weather seals.(Materials + Joining)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Advanced Elastomer Systems and Trexel, Inc. have announced an exclusive license agreement to develop dynamic sponge-foam automotive weatherseal systems. Advanced Elastomer will develop Santoprene[TM] thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) products...

Wireless key.(Materials + Joining)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... DIRAK Inc. has developed a hands-free system to automatically control access to cabinets outfitted with the company's E-Line handles. This new Wireless Active Key continuously transmits signals to nearby E-Line handles, whose on-board...

Heavy like metal.(Materials + Joining)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... LNP has added relatively lightweight members to its line of high-specific-gravity thermoplastics. The company's Thermocomp HSG line, which in the past covered a specific gravity range from 5.0 to 10.0, now includes grades in the 2.0 to 5.0...

Bayer breaks up polymers business: it is possible that this corporate restructuring will ultimately push plastics into emerging applications.(Engineering Plastics)
July 19, 2004... PITTSBURGH -- Breaking up doesn't have to be hard to do. In the chemical-company equivalent of an amicable divorce, Bayer Chemicals Corp. this month divvied up its materials portfolio and created two new companies that will focus on various...

Powder prizes: design competition highlights powder metallurgy capabilities.(Metals)
July 19, 2004... The winning entries in the Metal Powder Industry Federation's 2004 design competition were a diverse lot that included components used in automobiles and light trucks, industrial pumps, power tools, and biomedical products. Made by conventional...

Gear guide.(Motion Control + Power Transmission)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The SP + and SP + High Speed[R] series planetary gear-heads are featured in a new 32-page guide from Alpha Gear Drives. The guide includes such technical information as data and diagrams on the gear-heads' accuracy, acceleration, noise, and...

Gages on tour.(Motion Control + Power Transmission)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Looking to see a concert this summer? Check out FARO Technologies' summer "Screaming for Accuracy" tour. The company decided to undertake the tour to teach manufacturers around the country how FARO's gages can have a positive impact on...

Ethernet of choice.(Motion Control + Power Transmission)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Because of increasing demand by the automotive industry, Phoenix Contact has chosen PROFInet as its preferred Ethernet solution for Interbus. Interbus technology, a classification of high-speed I/O devices, is joining with PROFInet technology...

BMWs V8s get servo under the hood: motor continuously varies length of air path to engine.(Motors)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Engineers (http://rbi.ims.ca/3852-548) working at BMW have further maximized engine performance across the rpm range by continuously varying the air path in the intake system on their V8 engines, the latest application of which is in the 6...

Wheel offers omni-directional motion: rim-mounted rollers move lift truck for tight maneuvering.(Powertrains)
July 19, 2004... Omni-directional wheel technology by Hammonton, NJ-based Airtrax provides its new lift truck with smooth, crablike moves in any direction. Such translating motion capability offers operators precise movement in tight confines, which allows...

PLM confusion.(Software + Hardware)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Do you know what PLM is? Does it matter? In a white paper from Datamation, Dr. Kais Al-Timmi argues that the time for PLM has not yet arrived. PLM is supposed to be a total solution, seeing a product throughout its entire lifecycle, using...

UGS acquisition.(Software + Hardware)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... UGS, a PLM software and services developer, recently acquired D-Cubed, Ltd., an England-based supplier of embedded technology. UGS believes that D-Cubed's contribution to the computer software market has aided their own PLM product. The company...

New beta progams.(Software + Hardware)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Autodesk has a list of new eBeta programs available to users, including Autodesk Inventor[R], a program from which an entire line of products could be developed using both 3D capabilities and 2D drawings. Also offered is the Autodesk DWF Viewer...

Software packages offer users more power: new 3D CAD and CAE upgrades cater to a global industry.(CAD/CAE)
July 19, 2004... CHICAGO -- "It's evolution, not a revolution," Senior Mechanical Designer Mark Termion tells his coworkers at Life Fitness who are resistant to change. The evolution he speaks of has less to do with the next exercise fad or the next fitness...

Toyota 'gets the feeling' with CAD: powertrain group works with PTC to incorporate its best practices in its software.(Auto Development)
July 19, 2004... As part of a multi-year project to enshrine its best practices in a CAD package, Toyota and PTC announced that the automotive company would roll out Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 2.0 as its powertrain-development standard. The development comes after...

Bonding Tivar ... UAV mounting ... sensing device ... 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)
July 19, 2004... Dear Search Engineer: I'm looking for a method to bond Tivar together. Right now, we currently wrap the edges of each piece of Tivar with angle iron, but are searching for glue or another compound to bond Tivar together using butt...

Reference this! A USB 2.0 interface and flash memory stick turn the popular Swiss Army Knife into an ultra-cool portable storage device.(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Swissbit SWISSMEMORY USB Victorinox Geek Storage Some really clever engineers came up with the idea of adding a cool new tool to the venerable Swiss Army Knife: A small form-factor USB flash memory stick with USB 2.0 interface. Simply...

Rolling along--at least for most: how are you faring compared to other engineers? Where are the openings and big bucks? What is your job outlook? Our exclusive annual salary survey tells all.(Cover Story)
July 19, 2004... RECOVERY SIGNS ARE what we've found in our 2004 Design News annual salary survey. Most of you (81.3 percent) got a raise, our poll shows, with quite a few (26.6 percent) receiving an increase of 4 percent or more. Those earning at least $70,000...

Cool screws: high-speed applications can dictate actively cooled ball screws.(Deep Dive)
July 19, 2004... Ball screws can transmit several kilowatts of power. This doesn't sound like a lot, and it is insignificant compared to the power consumption of a linear motor. Most of the heating in a ball screw drive occurs in the servo motor, where heat...

Vision cost goes beyond price: vision systems continually offer more bang for the buck, but engineers must take care to control factors that drive up total cost of ownership.(Industrial Automation)
July 19, 2004... Machine vision systems for product identification, measurement, and inspection and robot guidance are declining in price and improving in performance. Vision capabilities of competing categories of systems at the low end of the price spectrum...

Careful timing brings test rewards: in test, as in life, timing is everything.(Innovative Ideas from the Test Experts)
July 19, 2004... Accurate measurements demand more than just high-quality data-acquisition boards or instruments. When a project requires obtaining data from hundreds of sensors, precise timing plays a key role in gathering reliable information. ...

Test experts editorial series: solve instrument synchronization with PXI.(Innovative Ideas from the Test Experts)
July 19, 2004... As electronic products continue to evolve in complexity, the requirement to synchronize multiple instruments to test or characterize a device becomes even more necessary. Synchronization is key for either synchronizing instruments of the same...

Video streaming boosts data acquisition boards: flexibility, low cost, and free software make DAQ boards more accessible.(Test and Measurement)
July 19, 2004... The XH Series High Speed Data Acquisition board line and the XM series Multifunction Analog I/O board line for the PXI platform from Exacq Technologies provides users with a board designed for glitch-free capture and playback of analog signals....

LCP resin: increases performance.(Materials)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The company's 5000 series liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resin for precision motion control components is designed to increase performance and reduce costs. An alternative to PPS, it was developed to rapidly fill parts with walls less than 1-mm...

Coating: moisture-resistant.(Materials)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Aqualene[TM] 4343 is a water-based coating that reportedly offers high grease, oil, and water resistance, as well as lactic and acetic acid resistance. It is designed for a wide variety of paper packaging applications. According to the company,...

Coating: fluid-resistant.(Materials)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed as an improved water-based coating, Aqualene[TM] 4357 reportedly provides exceptional product-resistant characteristics against grease, oil, and water, as well as lactic and acetic acids. It is designed for a range of paper packaging...

Epoxy: thermally conductive.(Materials)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Listed with Underwriters Laboratory for passing UL94, V-0, the company's 50-3150 FR Black Epoxy with Catalyst 190 and Catalyst 105 are designed to offer electrical insulation while transferring heat away from hot components. It is a...

Extruded bar product: high machinability and straightness.(Materials)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Engineered as a premium, high-performance extruded square and rectangular bar product, ACC-U-BAR is for applications requiring tighter tolerances and reduced twist, such as the telecom and manifold bar markets. It reportedly features high...

Circuit breakers: color coded.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed as an alternative for standard plug-in blade fuses in vehicles with 12 or 24V electrical systems, the 1610 Series circuit reportedly decreases the downtime caused by blown fuses. The color-coding, corresponding to the blade fuse colors...

Semiconductor IP platform: extends battery life.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... IPrima Mobile is an application-optimized semiconductor IP platform, designed to minimize and manage power dissipation without performance losses. The IP platform brings together memory, logic, and I/O technologies, enabling power management...

LCR meter: high accuracy.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Claiming a 0.3-percent accuracy rate for measurements of inductance, capacitance, resistance, and impedance, the Model Z-8200 LCR Meter features read-outs of Component Value, Absolute Delta, and Percent Delta on a five-digit display. The meter...

Connectivity products: avoids bacteria and residue build-up.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed to meet the demands of the food and beverage processing and packaging industries, the connectivity products' design utilizes stainless steel hardware, PVC inserts, and cable jackets with overmolding. The products' smooth surfaces...

Digital manometer: for field and laboratory.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed for field or laboratory use, the Model 476-0 Digital Manometer measures positive and negative pressure from -20 to +20 inches w.c. with [+ or -]1.5 percent full scale accuracy. The Model 476-0 sets gas supply pressures, adjusts...

Differential amplifiers: low noise and distortion.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Featuring low levels of distortion and noise, as well as a wide dynamic range, both the model AD8139 and AD8137 differential amplifiers are suited for driving high-speed, analog-to-digital converters. The products also address requirements to...

Insulated battery straps: available in three types.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Supplied with either rigid vinyl or rigid fiber base construction, the Premium Model incorporates insulation and spring steel with nickel-plated, snap-on connectors. The Economy Model, available in T or I configurations, features full...

Video borescope: digital video features.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The company enhanced its VideoProbe XL PRO Plus System with CompactFlash removable storage media, an over two-hour DVD playback, and a USB streaming digital video port. The borescope features the capacity to record digital still images and...

Sensor: barrel body style.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The durable housing of this new barrel style, ultrasonic sensor makes it ideal for OEM and packaging applications, including food and beverage. Running on 12 to 24V dc, the sensor offers either a sourcing or sinking output. The dust, humidity,...

Copper module: cost-effective.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The XENPAK module claims to reduce cost per port by offering a low-cost copper solution that supports VSR parallel optics through a single port. The module reportedly delivers 10-Gigabit-per-sec Ethernet data over 15m of high-speed copper cable...

Integrated circuit controller: manages direct current power.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Made with silicon-on-insulator technology, the Model TPS2375 controller can reportedly withstand transients up to 100V and operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to 85C. The controller also features an internal 0.6-ohm FET to minimize heat, a...

UV sensor application handbook: reference guide and tutorial.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The UV Luminescence Sensor Application Handbook, created to help guide engineers in selecting sensors appropriate for their projects, serves as both a reference guide and tutorial. The handbook offers a list of UV luminescent marker and...

Power interconnects: high density.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed for elevated board stacking, the four-row interconnects can reportedly carry 27A at 80C over four banks of four power pins each. To maximize power capacity, 3.5-mm separates power banks from the nearest signal pin. Standard connectors...

LCD display: high contrast and clarity.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed for compact electronic devices requiring the display of graphics, text, or moving images in tight locations, this LCD display offers a high-contrast, 13.9- X 10.6-mm viewing area with a 36- X 24-pixel resolution. The product works with...

Data acquisition modules: fast sampling.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The DI-158 module series is comprised of three modules varying in interface type and input voltage range. The DI-158-U offers gain ranges per channel of 1, 2, 4, and 8, with a range of [+ or -] 10V. The DI-158-UP and DI-158-EP provide [+ or...

Code reading scanner: featuring DSP technology.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... With the addition of DSP technology, the Intelligent Scanner XS is reportedly three to eight times faster than previous readers, claiming to be capable of executing more than 100 data matrix reads per second. The scanner reportedly reads all...

Telecentric lenses: high resolution and low distortion.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed for machine vision applications, telecentric lenses allow precise measurements to be taken from images. These lenses provide less than 0.2-degree telecentricity when used in working distance range. The company offers the lenses in...

Microcontrollers: flash program memory.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The Flash memory update in the Baseline Micro-controllers allows customers to reprogram design during development, production, and field installation. The memory update reportedly speeds time-to-market and cuts production and development costs....

Front-end modules: environmentally friendly.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... The lead-free FQ1200 MK5 front-end modules offer multi-standard TV system coverage, with reportedly higher performance than the MK3 family. The MK5 consists of an enhanced high-performance version, with both models claiming a best-in-class...

Power MOSFET: more efficient.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed for use in isolated dc-to-dc converters in telecommunications systems, the IRF7842 40V MOSFET claims to enhance reliability in secondary-side synchronous rectification circuits for telecom and datacom systems. The IRF7842 is reportedly...

Buck-boost dc/dc converter: optimize battery run time.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Designed to optimize battery life in single-cell Lilon, multi-cell alkaline, or NiMH battery-powered applications, the model LTC3443 buck-boost converter reportedly delivers up to 1.2A of output current, at as high as 95 percent efficiency. The...