Design News articles from July 2007

Design News archives from July 2007

Top Blog Posts.(significance of CAD-CAM systems in industrial engineering)(Report)
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff Recent posts on the latest engineering technology trends CAD is Hard to Use, Say UGS Customers from Canon Engineers or customers speaking their mind can be a nightmare for marketers. At a Siemens/UGS event in...

The Case of the Oleaginous Inlet.(Report)
July 16, 2007... By Kenneth Russell, Professor Emeritus, MIT, Cambridge, MA Oils become viscous and hard to pump at low temperatures. In the case at hand, refined mineral oil was being stored in a large tank equipped with a heat exchanger to keep the stuff...

Early Warning System for Vibration Failures.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Randy Frank, Contributing Editor Integral accelerometer and control electronics adapt for a variety of applications Detecting eminent failures in critical machinery in factory and other environments where downtime is costly...

Validation System Goes Wireless.
July 16, 2007... By Randy Frank, Contributing Editor Remote loggers transmit data over 2.4 GHz mesh network Many critical industries, such as pharmaceutical or biotech, require monitoring and validation of the consistently maintained temperature and...

Consumer Reports' Clout with Autos.
July 16, 2007... By John Dodge, Editor-in-Chief When it comes to American cars and trucks, Consumer Reports' (http://rbi.ims.ca/5397-511 ) ratings border on cruelty. And while I agree CR is the gold standard of auto ratings, I've often wondered if American...

Best of the Engineering Marketplace.
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff Copal's PS-91 Design News Staff Vacuum switches detect atmospheric pressure The PS-91 has been designed as electrical vacuum switches, which are used in the vacuum process of semiconductor or LCD...

Forging a Path for Today's Engineers.(Report)
July 16, 2007... By Elizabeth M. Taurasi, Executive Editor More outsourcing, a more diversified workload and more money for engineers in 2007 Engineers today need to be able to handle the unexpected, have the ability to unleash their design creativity,...

Consumers Talk Back.(Letter to the editor)
July 16, 2007... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics Consumer Reports ' eight-person engineering team is attracting the top brass of the auto industry to its Connecticut-based facility East Haddam, CT - Ford CEO Alan Mulally has...

A Different Kind of Hybrid.(significance of using automotive hydraulics in hybrid vehicles)
July 16, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control Not all hybrid vehicles rely on electric motors, batteries and wires. Some propel the vehicle with a combination of hydraulic pump-motors, fluid lines and accumulators With gas prices...

How to Select the Proper Latch for Any Designed Enclosure.
July 16, 2007... By Gerry Clisham, Contributing Writer Consider access hardware early in the design process to avoid costly problems With so many access hardware choices available to design engineers - in terms of latch mechanics...

Home Robot Walks, Listens.(ZMP Inc. develops household robot)(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff The push to design the perfect home robot continues. The nuvo from ZMP Inc. is an advanced control system that stabilizes balance and walking coordination so the robot can traverse uneven surfaces. The 39-cm-tall robot...

Out-of-this-World Research Stored for TV.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff The combination of plasma and digital video recorders may get most people thinking about big-screen TV viewing. But on the International Space Station, that linkage is just another setup for, well, far-out research....

Watering Without the Worry.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff When it comes to watering large or remote areas, setting up an automatic irrigation system can be a big headache. A combination of digital and analog technologies are being used to simplify that task. Hunter Industries...

Smashing Helmets for Safety's Sake.(Snell Memorial Foundation uses CompactDAQ modules from National Instruments Corp.)(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff Whacking protective helmets until they break might seem like a fun diversion for charged up kids, but it's serious business at the Snell Memorial Foundation, which certifies the safety of all kinds of helmets....

Case 105: KeyCom Helps Keep Everybody in the Same Key.
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff There was dissonance in the church when the pianist and other musicians had to hunt for the key their Music Leader was playing in. Dick's gadget took the guesswork out of the guitar, the meandering out of the mandolin...

EcoLEDs' Light Bulbs Get Brighter.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor EcoLEDs.com introduced what it calls 'the brightest LED light bulb ever made available to consumers in the United States.' Using just 10W and a single LED component made in the U.S., the EcoLEDs' light...

WiSuite Temperature Control Slashes Hotel Energy Costs.
July 16, 2007... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor WiSuite introduced a wireless environmental automation system that eliminates power use in vacant hotel rooms. The system uses ZigBee wireless technology from Ember Corp. to enable hotels and other...

GE Ecomagination's Green Products and Services.
July 16, 2007... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor General Electric launched its ecomagination initiative in May 2005 as part of the company's commitment to build innovative, environmentally friendly technologies. GE has now delivered 45 energy-efficient...

Readers Sound Off.
July 16, 2007... By Design News Staff Look at the Bigger Picture Mankind looks at a 'new' technology, energy, situation or whatever and sees the perfect answer to the problem at hand. All too often, the apparent solution isn't looked at in the broader...

Tools & Techniques for the Practicing Engineer.
July 16, 2007... By Kevin Craig One of the engineering magazines I read each month, besides Design News, of course, is the IEEE Control Systems magazine. It should be required reading for all multidisciplinary systems engineers, that is, mechatronics...

Microsoft Unveils Surface Computer.
July 16, 2007... By Dean Takahashi, Contributing Editor Unlike a regular PC, new tabletop enables physical and virtual interaction When Stevie Bathiche and Andy Wilson conceived their idea of 'surface computing' at Microsoft (http://rbi.ims.ca/5397-555...

Experts Say Telematics is Going Mainstream.(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics Automakers are putting plans in place for 2008 Experts at the recent Telematics Update Conference (http://rbi.ims.ca/5397-561 ) in Novi, MI, predicted a major rebound for...

New Process Improves Hardness of Stainless.
July 16, 2007... By Doug Smock, Contributing Editor, Materials and Fastening In a major breakthrough, the corrosion resistance is not compromised as it is with normal case hardening Swagelok Co., well known for its products in fluid systems, is now...

Game Controller Brings Haptics to the Masses.
July 16, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control Inspired by Delta Robots, Novint's Falcon makes haptic computer interfaces more accessible to consumers and engineers A new low-cost haptic device from Novint will soon allow more...

Dassault Takes Life Cycle Approach to Simulation.
July 16, 2007... By Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor, Software/Hardware New SLM portfolio melds the SIMULIA simulation environment with the V5 PLM architecture Mirroring its life cycle approach to product development, Dassault Systemes is pursuing a...

A Brilliant Idea on a Napkin.(patent licensing for )(Column)
July 16, 2007... By Cherie Wilkinson, Director of Design & Development, Eastek International Meeting the design and production challenges of 'the next big thing' It was a typical lunch with my friend Frank, an aspiring gadget inventor. His brilliant...

Amplifier Plumbing 101: Are Leaky Amps Sinking Your Design?(Column)
July 16, 2007... By John Ardizzoni, Contributing Writer Q. My amplifier 'leaks' a low level signal at the output with the power supplies off. What gives-is my circuit sunk? A. Ah yes, I've come across this 'plumbing' problem once or twice before, it...

Designing to Save Lives.(small intestinal submucosa technology)
July 16, 2007... By Mark Bleyer, President, Cook Biotech Surgisis Biodesign process repairs with living tissue Medical manufacturing company Cook Biotech developed a new category in the evolution of tissue repair. President Mark Bleyer describes the...

Platform Showcases Automation Integration.(Bosch Rexroth AG develops Programmable Lift Platform )
July 16, 2007... By Lawrence D. Maloney, Contributing Editor Programmable lift platform demonstrates modular mechatronics If you're a global automation supplier with a product line as broad as Bosch Rexroth's, it makes sense to shoulder some of the...

Mechatronics Fuels Revolution in 3D Printing.(Z Corp. introduces ZPrinter(R) 450 3D color printers)(Financial report)
July 16, 2007... By Lawrence D. Maloney, Contributing Editor Z Corp. leverages automation advances in its newest color printer for desktop prototypes For design engineers who want something more to demonstrate their ideas than a solids model on a...

An Inside Look at A Mechatronics Team.(automotive electronics and mechanical electronics)
July 16, 2007... By Lawrence D. Maloney, Contributing Editor Machine vision, laser-cutting and precision control challenged INVOTEC engineers on an automation project for a medical customer The engineers at Ohio-based INVOTEC have another term for...

Get Your Mechatronics in a Box.(LINAK Corp. introduces LA36 actuator)
July 16, 2007... By Lawrence D. Maloney, Contributing Editor New actuator designs offer plug-and-play capability For engineers looking for a simple, turnkey solution to mechatronics challenges, prepackaged actuators may be just the ticket. A good...

Diamond Analyzer Achieves Dazzling Accuracy.(GemEx Systems introduces BrillianceScope(TM) Analyzer)
July 16, 2007... By Tom Solon, Contributing Writer BrillianceScope(TM) helps determine how stones rate against the 4Cs Most of us are familiar with the four 'C's' that help determine the quality of a diamond: Clarity, Carat, Color and Cut. These...

Autonomous Navigation Technology 'Brains' Behind Service Robots.
July 16, 2007... By John Williamson, Contributing Writer Real-time calculations, scanner and sensor help machines move more smoothly Robots - or autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) - used for pallet positioning, deep stacking, load transfers and a...

All-in-One Motion.(WAGO Corp. introduces 750-670 motion control modules)(Siemens AG introduces SIMOTION D mtion control module)(Intelligent Motion Systems Inc. introduces MForce PowerDrive)
July 16, 2007... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor Integration blurs lines between motion, PLC, HMIs for automation control The overriding trend in automation control is solutions that combine motion controllers, drives, PLCs and HMIs into more and...

Value-Added Motion.(Column)
July 16, 2007... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor Integrating diverse technologies results in stronger product solutions What are the key trends in integrated motion control products? The trend to more integrated motion solutions is exciting...

Digital Signal Controllers Aid Sensor Applications.(digital signal controllers from Microchip Technology Inc. )
July 16, 2007... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics New DSCs help boost energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness in embedded applications Increasingly, digital signal controllers (DSCs) are offering a boost to embedded...

3D Data Capture Ready to Pop.(ROMER CimCore introduces ScanShark data acquisition system)(NextEngine Corp. introduces 3D scanner)(Dimensional Photonics International introduces Accordion Fringe Interferometry based 3D scanners)
July 16, 2007... By Doug Smock, Contributing Editor, Materials and Fastening Prices and opportunities are attractive The moons are all coming into the right phase for a dramatic takeoff for three-dimensional data scanning, which could become a bigger...

Factory-Friendly RFID.(Siemens Automation and Drives introduces Simatic RF300 line RFID equipment)(Impinj introduces UHF RFID equipment)(Turck Inc. introduces BLident modular RFID system )
July 16, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control Manufacturers embrace it as a way to track tools, materials & finished goods RFID continues to get more popular on the factory floor as manufacturers seek a reliable way to track the...

Switch or No Switch.(multiplexing and network switching)
July 16, 2007... By Jon Titus, Contributing Editor At one time, a 12-bit ADC cost more than $100, so data-acquisition (DAQ) equipment vendors routinely provided a multiplexer that let users switch one of several signals to the expensive ADC. But, as costs...

Just Call it '3D Printing'.(3D prototyping)
July 16, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control Has 'rapid prototyping' outlived its usefulness as a descriptive term? Sometimes it seems as if the rapid prototyping industry produces almost as many acronyms as it does parts. There's...