Design News articles from March 2007

Design News archives from March 2007

Drumbeat Quickens for Safer Cars.(Siemens AG introduces VDO system for automotive safety)(Texas Instruments Inc. introduces TMS570 microprocessors)(Atmel Corp. introduces airbag electronic control modules)(Editorial)
March 19, 2007... By Lawrence D. Maloney, contributing editor Suppliers are developing a raft of new systems to prevent accidents GPS and "infotainment" may grab the attention of consumers, but improved safety systems may ultimately be the biggest...

Listen to the Music.(portable music solutions for automobiles)
March 19, 2007... By Randy Frank, contributing editor Vehicle-accessible controls and software make the difference for portable music solutions When you think of high-performance audio in vehicles, the well-known luxury vehicle brands come to mind....

Simulator Provides the Racer's Edge.(suspension system simulators)(Editorial)
March 19, 2007... By Lawrence D. Maloney, contributing editor New suspension system improves performance A new suspension system simulator not only helps NASCAR racing teams improve their performance but also promises to aid chassis development for OEM...

Analyzing Recent Automotive Trends.(Karl-Thomas Neumann on sophisticated systems and standards for automotive electronics)
March 19, 2007... Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann More sophisticated systems, standards Continental was one of the Top 13 Global Automotive suppliers in 2006 according to Automotive News , prior to its acquisition of Motorola's automotive electronics business....

Medical Motion On Display.(Sensirion AG introduces MEMS-based liquid flow sensors )(Maxon Motor AG enhances 6-mm dc motor with an integrated magnetoresistance encoder)(Adept Technology Inc. introduces Quattro four-axis parallel robot)
March 19, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, motion control, and Randy Frank, Contributing Editor The MD&M West show highlights motion products for use in medical devices and more Medical engineers are rightly picky about the technologies they...

The Case of the Nefarious Needle.(failure analysis of a fractured needle)
March 19, 2007... By Kenneth Russell, Professor Emeritus, MIT, Cambridge, MA Some years ago, a lawyer-client presented me with the sharp end of a fractured suture needle and a similar needle still in its packaging. My client was involved in a suit against...

Printed Circuit Board Cleanliness Testing.
March 19, 2007... By Randy Frank, contributing editor Improved molding process ensures consistency Examining for contamination in a localized area of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly can be a critical part of process control in a manufacturing...

Switched-Current Power Converter Technology.
March 19, 2007... By Randy Frank, contributing editor Patented dynamic voltage control provides the answer Today's GHz-level processors frequently operate at only a fraction of their maximum performance levels, but the power consumption is only slightly...

Can the Chevy Volt Recharge GM?(energy conservation issues concerning General Motors)(Editorial)(Company overview)
March 19, 2007... By John Dodge, editor-in-chief I want GM to come roaring back against Toyota and I suspect many of you do, too. After all, even in a weakened state, GM remains an icon in American industry. Winning accolades at the Detroit Auto Show for...

Visualizing Step Motor Differences.(National Electrical Manufacturers Association)
March 19, 2007... By Salleh Ahshim and Mindy Cheng, contributing writers NEMA defines sizes, but applications can dictate modified and custom versions In the motion control industry, step motors have a wide variety of uses. To accommodate these...

And CAD Data for All.(Microsoft Windows Vista for CAD systems)(Editorial)
March 19, 2007... By Beth Stackpole, contributing editor, software/hardware, and Regina Lynch, Web editor Microsoft Vista and the Office 7 productivity suite promise to unlock design data from engineering silos. The question is: Are designers ready to...

Return of the Electric Vehicle.(General Motors Corp. introduces Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid electric cars)
March 19, 2007... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, electronics Consumers hunger for the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, but the technology challenges are no slam dunk. Better batteries are still needed. Within hours of the unveiling of the...

Small Shop Attacks Tech Fear.(Corbin-Pacific Inc.)
March 19, 2007... By Doug Smock, Contributing editor, materials Corbin-Pacific, a California company that employs nearly 200, adopts reverse engineering to boost output of rotomolded ABS motorcycle accessories New engineering technology is rushing in...

Digital Wa Wa.
March 19, 2007... By Terry Costlow, contributing editor Guitarists want the sound of vintage gear without sacrificing the options offered by modern digital equipment. Damage Control blends them in a number of effect pedals and pre-amps powered by Analog...

Jump Into Digital Radio.
March 19, 2007... By Terry Costlow, contributing editor Hoping to help jump-start the move to HD Radio, Visteon Corp. is offering HD Jump, a portable radio that docks in automotive and home settings. It brings the clarity of Ibiquity's digital technology,...

Satellite Goes Mobile.
March 19, 2007... By Terry Costlow, contributing editor XM Radio becomes even more portable with Delphi Corp.'s Premium Sound System, which transmits Satellite Radio sound transmitted seamlessly through the Delphi SKYFi3, Roady XT, MyFi and Audiovox Xpress...

Satellite Radio Comes Home.
March 19, 2007... By Terry Costlow, contributing editor Pioneer Electronics USA Inc. is offering three receivers that augment conventional inputs with both Sirius and XM Satellite Radio and the seemingly ubiquitous iPod docking station. A 180 MIPS Processing...

Gamble Safely.(Statistical and Software Analysts, Inc. uses surveillance equipment from Statistical and Software Analysts, Inc.)(TMS320DM642 DSP surveillance equipment)
March 19, 2007... By Terry Costlow, contributing editor Though a few gamblers may disagree, security is critical for success in casinos. Statistical and Software Analysts, Inc. uses Texas Instruments' TMS320DM642 DSP in its Casino Class Systems, which have...

From the Forums.(motor efficiency )(installing Linux)(Column)
March 19, 2007... By Design News Staff Q: A new permanent magnet motor structure from Novatorque looks promising in terms of increasing motor efficiency for appliance and servo motors. How important is motor efficiency as a selection criterion for new...

Case #99: Bob Had a Problem with the Thermal Management.(Brief article)
March 19, 2007... By Design News Staff NASA engineer Bob Wilson devised a technological solution for a bureaucratic problem: convince building maintenance that his office was frigid in the morning. By the time anyone responded to a call, the heat was on. So...

DaimlerChrysler Rolls Out Fuel-Cell Powered Fire-Fighting Car.(Brief article)
March 19, 2007... By Design News Staff DaimlerChrysler has sent its first fuel-cell fire response vehicle to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. The district will operate the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell as a supervisor's vehicle. The fire response car joins...

Most Americans Want U.S. to Produce More Green Technology.(Brief article)
March 19, 2007... By Design News Staff A surprising 77 percent of American voters say the U.S. is not doing enough to promote and utilize green technology in order to reduce reliance on foreign oil fuel sources. Only 17 percent believe the government is...

Sundance Will Run Robert Redford's Green Series.(Brief article)
March 19, 2007... By Design News Staff The Sundance Channel will begin running The Green , a new series focusing on environmental topics, on Tuesday, April 17, at 9 p.m. The Green will present original programming as well as documentaries that will present...

Readers Sound Off.(Letter to the editor)
March 19, 2007... By Design News Staff Steel Blades Make the Grade In a recent edition of Design News , I followed the letters regarding the stainless knives (DN 12.11.06, http://rbi.ims.ca/5384-503 ). If one is intending to purchase a set of these,...

No Design 'After-thoughts' Allowed.(use of mechatronic systems on the rise)
March 19, 2007... By Kevin Craig To really achieve success in mechatronics' design, it's important to understand how the mechatronics' approach differs from conventional design approaches. The conventional design process includes several steps: (1) need...

New Thermoplastic Composite Process for Car Hoods Will Go Live Next Year.(thermoplastics technological innovation by GE Plastics)
March 19, 2007... By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials GE Plastics showcased the breakthrough on the Chevy Volt A new concept in thermoplastic composite technology will go live next year on the hood of a running production model, marking one of...

Ford, Microsoft Unveil Sync.
March 19, 2007... By Charles J. Murray, senior technical editor, electronics Operating system sets stage for mobile media devices in vehicles Microsoft Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are teaming up to deliver a new breed of vehicle operating system that will...

Net Shape Breakthrough.(ThyssenKrupp AG develops unique process for piston production)(Editorial)
March 19, 2007... By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials New process developed to enhance diesel piston performance Developments in near-net-shape forging processes promise to enhance engine performance, strengthen components for oil and gas...

Robotic Parking Comes to the Big Apple.(Automotion Parking Systems Inc.)(Editorial)
March 19, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, senior editor, motion control New Yorkers get their first automated parking system -- and hope it works better than the one in New Jersey New Yorkers will soon have a robotic alternative to the sometimes-surly,...

SolidWorks Takes Steps to Protect CAD Users' IP.
March 19, 2007... By Beth Stackpole, contributing editor, software/hardware Company folds enterprise rights management technology into a new version of its software SolidWorks Corp. is taking steps to protect the intellectual property of its CAD users,...

Linux and High-Performance Computing.
March 19, 2007... By Jason Lowry, Linux Networx product manager Linux still best choice for today and the foreseeable future High-performance computing (HPC) has moved from the domain of government and academic laboratories to being an essential...

Igor, Pass Me Some Supply Sequencers!
March 19, 2007... By James Bryant Q. Last month you said that some absolute maximum ratings depended on the value on some other pin of an integrated circuit (IC). How do I ensure that they are not exceeded during power-up? A. As Viktor Frankenstein...

Service Robots Provide Elder Assistance.(an interview with Jodi Forlizzi)(Interview)
March 19, 2007... By Jodi Forlizzi, Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Developing human computer interaction technology Assistive robotic products use personal information to provide support to elders and their caregivers. Jodi Forlizzi is...

ADCs Get Smaller, Faster.
March 19, 2007... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, electronics New breed of devices draws less power, uses less space Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), which quietly convert continuous signals to discrete signals, are being asked to do...

New Plastics Feature Performance.
March 19, 2007... By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials Emphasis on lightweight, complex designs Creativity continues to flow from the major producers of engineering thermoplastics, despite oil-related economics' problems afflicting the industry...

What's Up with Air?
March 19, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, Senior editor, motion control Pneumatics get smaller and smarter Pneumatic devices don't ever seem to change all that radically, but sometimes even small improvements can make a big difference in how well they...

Chip Does the Math.(Serial Peripheral Interface port)(Editorial)
March 19, 2007... By Jon Titus, Contributing editor If you plan to design a small instrument that must accurately measure temperatures, you can use the types of sensors described in the past three columns. But, your microcontroller (MCU) may require some...

Wiimote Robotics.(two USMechatronics engineers design robot)
March 19, 2007... By Joseph Ogando, senior editor, motion control A KUKA industrial robot has some fun with wireless control Expensive industrial robots have little in common with robotic toys, right? Well, don't tell that to Aaron Rasmussen and Brian...