Design News articles from October 2003

Design News archives from October 2003

Accounting: a numbers game.(My View)
October 6, 2003... RECENTLY A SOFTWARE VENDOR WAS IN TO visit us here at Design News. The marketing manager related a story about a recent promotion they held that involved bundling software and hardware together as a special offer for design engineers....

Fun with cars: doing your own repairs? Remember the basics.(Flipside)
October 6, 2003... EVERYONE WHO BREATHES HAS HIS OR HER own special hobby--some little pastime to distract them from the tensions of their everyday routine. And quite naturally, a person's hobby matches his personality. Salesmen and finance executives, for...

I pay, you pay, we all pay.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... Regarding Karen Field's sentence "I only hope Hollywood doesn't try to pass along the costs to you and me," in her editorial on digital cinema (DN Myview 08.18.03), I would like for you to name one, just one, thing in this world that is not...

Not a drag.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... My congratulations to Rose McCallen of the Lawrence Livermore National Lab and her project to improve the aerodynamics of trucks to reduce drag and improve fuel economy. It sounds like a much-needed endeavor! The description of her work,...

Frost heave the culprit.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... After reading "The Case of the Mangled Main," (DN Calamities, 08.04.03), in which you discuss the fracture of a cast iron gas main, I immediately sensed that something was "wrong." The fact that the "chevron" artifacts on the fracture surfaces...

Sweet spot.(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... I read with interest Larry Zirkle's article "The Case of the Corked Bat" (DN 09.08.03). Up until now, I had yet to see a proper explanation of the benefit of one of those. Larry comes close to the answer in the second to last paragraph, in...

Oldie no goodie.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... Your pointing out that ladder construction improvements came out of legal activity (The Case of the Beneficial Barristers, DN 08.18.03) is the first time I have thought positively about malpractice suits. It wasn't OSHA that improved ladder...

Quality.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... I liked your Beneficial Barristers column in Design News. I suppose that since I am under the load limit I have less to worry about than others, but I do look at it all before I go up. So is this all necessary to protect the desire of the firm...

Wheel of misfortune.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... Nice article on ladders. Today the safety aspects are wholly reinforced by the warning stickers attached. In 1974, having just completed my junior year of ME school (Pitt), I took my girl friend on a ride on the little Ferris wheel that showed...

Three's a crowd.(Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... I recently watched three construction workers ascend what had to be a 28-ft ladder, extended way beyond what I would consider a safe level. To quote you, it did indeed take "a frightening lateral bow." They paid no mind to such. I had to quit...

Light climbing.
October 6, 2003... Regarding your ladder piece, is anyone manufacturing long, light ladders of exotic (carbon fiber, etc.) materials? Arnemann Grender PIKEVILLE, KY RUSSELL'S RESPONSE: My younger son suggested I title the faulty aluminum ladder...

Racing improves technology: competition benefits automobiles and the engineers that design them.(Slant: insight from insiders)
October 6, 2003... Racing improves the breed of automotive technology, as well as the skills of racing engineers. And, according to one of the greatest all around racecar drivers in history, on-board computerized data acquisition has been the key to unlocking...

Check your results: too many engineers don't bother, and errors result.(Rant: really opinionated people)
October 6, 2003... BACK IN MY COLLEGE DAYS I BECAME PRETTY adept at using a slide rule, learning, with my fellow engineers, a valuable part of the engineering method. Slide rules forced me to estimate the results of calculations (in my head or on paper) to...

Absoult[TM] power: Chemistry Professor Shelley Minteer has turned to hard alcohol, and she says it takes just a few drops to power a new biofuel cell battery that could soon be running your cell phone.(B.M.O.C.: research for the real world)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... PRESENT POSITION: Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, School of Arts and Sciences Degrees: B.S., Western Illinois University; M.S. and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, University of Iowa AREA OF...

Part needs shrink along with workforce: TI offers logic devices in smaller reel sizes.(Buzz: heard on the street)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... The unemployment rate in manufacturing continues to climb (about 2.5 million U.S. jobs have disappeared since January 2001), with many of those jobs going overseas. Product managers at Texas Instruments' Standard Linear Logic Group have been...

A digital-to-analog conversion: KC moviegoers lose their digital screen.(Buzz: heard on the street)(Kansas City movie theater removes digital screen)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Despite the apparent benefits and much hype, digital technology has been taking only baby steps on its way to the Big Screen. In fact, little more than one tenth of 1% of the world's theaters (160 in total) have installed the technology (DN...

Gadgets over girls: ubiquitous computing, literally.(Buzz: heard on the street)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Okay, it's something we girls have long suspected, but now it's confirmed: Stuff Magazine reports that British men find electronic gadgets more fun than their wives or girlfriends, and a quarter of them leave their partner alone in bed so they...

(1) Stick it out.(Flash: new and notable product design)
October 6, 2003... Pops-a-Dent Dent Remover. Anyone who has suffered outrageous parking lot fortunes will appreciate this dent remover system, consisting of a proprietary, hot-melt polyurethane (PUR) adhesive coupled with a unique pad and patent-pending bridge...

(2)IR tags.(Flash: new and notable product design)
October 6, 2003... nTAG Event Communication System. These smart tags allow people with common interests to automatically find and greet each other via an IR link-and even exchange contact information electronically. "The challenge was balancing technology and...

(3) Twin trike.(Flash: new and notable product design)
October 6, 2003... Cheetah SS Trike. Unlike conventional tricycles, Engineer Tom Waiters' design carries the driver and passenger within a sturdy cage with a retractable aluminum roof. It's made from 2-inch square (1/8 inch wall thickness) 304 stainless steel...

(4) Say "chip".(Flash: new and notable product design)
October 6, 2003... Kodak EasyShare DX6490 Zoom Digital Camera. This latest addition to the Easy-Share dockable digital camera line involves the tight integration of Kodak Color Science algorithms and Texas Instruments DM270 digital signal processor. Based on the...

(5) Bare-bones GPS.(Flash: new and notable product design)
October 6, 2003... Garmin Geko 101 GPS. These compact (1.9w x 3.9h x 0.96d inch) GPS units may be small and light (3.1 oz with batteries) but store up to 250 waypoints. Geared for GPS rookies, the simple five-button, one-hand interface permits one-touch waypoint...

(6) CE key to sewing computer.(Flash: new and notable product design)
October 6, 2003... Bernina of America artista 200E Sewing Computer. For ease of user engineers say they turned to Windows CE for the interface and web browsing capabilities on this computer-driven sewing machine. Because so many hardware manufacturers support the...

(1) Connector keys compact PLC.(Flash: PLCs/industrial controls)
October 6, 2003... Festo Type IPC FEC Standard PLC. This slimmed down PLC has more going for it than its compact size (156.8 x 105 x 35 mm, W, H, D) for smaller cabinets. Its front panel plug-in sensor/actuator wire connector (SAC) eliminates the need for...

(2) Wide-spectrum, modular drive.(Flash: PLCs/industrial controls)
October 6, 2003... Bosch Rexroth IndraDrive M. Flexibility of this modular drive system is enhanced because of its wide output spectrum, from 1.5 to 120 kW. The system incorporates both servo drive and frequency converter technology on one platform, which...

(3) PLC redundancy.(Flash: PLCs/industrial controls)
October 6, 2003... Omron Electronics CS1D Duplex PLC. Designed with redundancy for critical processes and systems, this controller can initiate its backup CPU within one program scan of detecting a primary CPU malfunction. "This is on the order of 1 ms. compared...

STMicro researches fuel cells.(News: trends breakthroughs developments)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Chipmaker STMicroelectronics is joining in the race to develop fuel cells for portable equipment. Its Geneva, Switzerland, research center has developed a 3D technique for making the membranes found in fuel cells. Using nanoporous layers made...

Let's talk.(News: trends breakthroughs developments)(new integrated circuit permits power saving in cell phones)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Graduate engineering student Vincent Leung from the University of California, San Diego, has developed an ultra-low-power silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS Transmitter IC for third-generation (3G) WCDMA cellphone applications that can lower power...

Leaks detection.(News: trends breakthroughs developments)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... A software developed by aerospace engineers at the University of Buffalo (www.buffalo.edu) may help NASA detect air leaks at the International Space Station. Currently, locating a leak involves closing off modules individually. The software can...

Fuel cells unlimited.(Internet)
October 6, 2003... From $10 components and accessories to $15,000 training systems, online distributor FuelCellStore is poised to satisfy all kinds of splurging. Engineers like Tom Ollila might be experienced at presenting various engineering concepts. Bur...

Cat offers technology portfolio.(Electronics)(Caterpillar Inc. is boosting its efforts to license its intellectual product portfolio)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Caterpillar Inc. is boosting its efforts to license its intellectual product portfolio, which includes 7,000 patents. The Technology Licensing Group at Cat (www.cat.com/ products/shared/technology_ products/technology_products. html) has...

Sonic welding for wires.(Electronics)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Sonic welding is now being used to crimp wires, cables, flex circuits, and other products where gas-tight and moisture-resistant connections are needed. The Sonicrimp technique, developed by Methode Development Co. (www.methode.com/mdc/), is...

High-temp batteries.(Electronics)(Maxell Corp. of America introduced two high temperature-resistant coin-type batteries)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Maxell Corp. of America (http:// maxell.com) has introduced two high temperature-resistant coin-type Li/Mn[O.sup.2] batteries for tire pressure monitoring systems and other rugged applications. The batteries--available as CR2450-HR for standard...

Cooling off hot spots: a new solid state pump speeds heat transfer.(Thermal Management)
October 6, 2003... As processors run faster and add more functions, keeping them cool is becoming more difficult. A Stanford University spinoff has devised a solution that combines both liquid cooling and a solid state pump to move heat away from a...

Telematics starts rolling: carmakers, others bring infotainment to the road.(Telematics)
October 6, 2003... The digital wireless revolution is beginning to spark big changes in the automotive field, with telematics and television signals becoming more readily available in cars. Automakers are pushing to devise technologies and tactics that will get...

Packing features in: ARM core offers more for less.(Embedded Systems)(new memory offers extra features)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Aiming to bring new functionality to embedded systems that have strict cost requirements, Philips Semiconductors Inc. (www.semiconductors. philips.com) has unveiled what it says is the first ARM7 core with embedded flash memory made on a 0.18...

USB On the Go gains momentum: popular PC interface offers more options.(Peripherals)(Universal Serial Bus supported by new related hardware releases)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Component makers are racing to provide tools that will let system designers bring USB On The Go (OTG) to consumers during the upcoming holiday season. That version of the popular PC interface makes it possible for peripherals such as PDAs,...

Chips help trim portable power: battery monitor chip keeps tabs on voltage, current, and temperature; affordable precision for first time in handheld devices.(Power Management)
October 6, 2003... CHANDLER, AZ -- Low battery warnings always leave users in a quandary, unsure how much longer they can use a portable product before they're going to regret it. Microchip Technology Inc. is offering a battery monitor that provides more precise...

Efficiency not just hot air.(Fluid Power)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report "Assessment of the Market for Compressed Air Efficiency," which examines the market for engineering and consulting services to improve the efficiency of compressed air systems, is available from the...

Molding efficiency.(Fluid Power)(energy efficiency of injection molding machines assessed)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Researchers at the Fluid Power Institute at the Milwaukee School of Engineering are collaborating with Focus on Energy (FOE) to study the energy efficiency of injection molding machines. Their work could benefit machine builders and engineers...

Simpler skid-steer designs: plus, hydraulic cartridge motor packs more propulsion.(Hydraulics)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... A new cartridge-style hydraulic motor has the potential to help designers of skid-steer loaders and agricultural vehicles pack more propulsion power into the tight quarters around the wheels of their machines. Known as the LC cartridge-mount...

Informative fuel tanks.(Materials + Joining)(molded in labels allow long term information)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... For those worried about the longevity of fuel tank labels, Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. (www. modroto.com) has a more enduring solution. The company can now provide custom fuel tanks with molded-in logos, warnings, illustrations, serial numbers,...

Paint body panels on line.(Materials + Joining)(heat-resistant thermoplastic for auto-body panels allow painting on line)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Bayer Polymers (www.bayerpolymers. com) has introduced a new heat-resistant thermoplastic for auto-body panels. Called Triax TP 3161, this PA/ABS has a heat distortion temperature of up to 392 F, so it can withstand e-coat process without a...

Thermoset formulators unite.(Materials + Joining)(Thermoset Resin Formulators Association established as a non-profit trade association)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... The Thermoset Resin Formulators Association (TRFA), comprised of former members of the Thermoset Technology Division of the Society of the Plastics Industry, has been independently incorporated as a non-profit trade association. TRFA will host...

A shocking metal: beryllium copper was the material of choice for a new alternative to slip rings.(Metals)
October 6, 2003... NEW YORK -- Weight and properties requirements may drive every engineer's choice of metals. But at Honeybee Robotics (www.hbrobotics.com), which makes advanced automation systems for space and difficult earthbound environments, right mass...

A beneficial bulge: this hydroforming variant gets going when sheet metal shapes get tough to make.(Sheet Metal)
October 6, 2003... Tubular sheet metal components get a lot tougher to make when they need to incorporate branches. Sure, they can always be fabricated in pieces and welded together, but this approach adds a manufacturing process and can risk the creation of...

Airing out.(Motion Control + Power Transmission)(Volvo Ambient Air Cleaner introduced in concept car)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Volvo doesn't trust the air we breathe, at least not that of many polluted city centers. Instead, it has come out with the Volvo Ambient Air Cleaner (VAAC)--currently used in Volvo's Versatility Concept Car (VCC)--which filters the surrounding...

Sensing overseas.(Motion Control + Power Transmission)(SLS 5006/50-RU laser sensors used in tire plant)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Four Selcom[R] SLS 5006/50-RU non-contact laser measurement sensors from LMI Technologies are being used to measure the thickness of calendered sheet at the Vredestein Banden BV tire plant in Enschede, The Netherlands, Measuring the true shape...

Speed reader.(Motion Control + Power Transmission)(high speed book picker introduced)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Autologik has developed the Media Max 350, an integrated system for book order fulfillment and returns processing. According to the company, it can identify a book, find its final destination, print the correct sales label, and apply it to the...

High-torque stepper motor fits in tight spots: higher torque density allows overall product packages to shrink.(Motors)
October 6, 2003... Designed to tackle taxing motion tasks in cramped quarters, the new Super Torque stepper motor packs high torque within a space-saving footprint. The Super Torque stepper motor provides approximately two to three times more torque than a...

Study cites growth in servo drive networking: even low-end users see cost benefits.(Research)
October 6, 2003... In a growing number of applications spanning a variety of regions and power ranges, multiple servo drives are being linked together in digital networks, according to a recently published study. Entitled "Servo Drives Worldwide Outlook," the...

Servo drives bottle labeler: ultimate result is higher processing speeds.(Packaging)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Self-adhesive bottle labeling machines used to come with mechanically driven or step-motor-driven bottle plates. But Italian machinery manufacturer SIG Alfa has introduced what it calls the first bottle labeler using servo axes. The company...

ALGOR code meets NASTRAN.(Software + Hardware)(engineering software enhanced to work with older systems)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Engineers who use NASTRAN can now also use ALGOR's user interface, automatic brick and tetrahedral solid meshing, and CAD associativity. ALGOR has released a NASTRAN product that provides compatibility with NASTRAN and FEMAP output. Engineer...

Coming soon: EMI sensors.(Software + Hardware)
October 6, 2003... Ansoft is conducting a series of seminars on how to incorporate electromagnetic analysis up front in the design processes. The seminars cover high-frequency and high-speed digital design, and electromechanical and power-electronics design. ...

See the results.(Software + Hardware)(Acuitiv V.3, computational fluid dynamics software released)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Acuitiv Software has released version 3 of its visualization program for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Used with such CFD products as Fluent, Star, and CFX, Acuitiv is a post processor that runs on Linux, Unix, Windows 2000, and Windows...

Free trial.(Software + Hardware)(OneSpace. Net available for seven day trial)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... As part of the introduction of its new collaboration product, OneSpace.Net, CoCreate is offering free use of the software for seven days. Engineers can register for their free trial at www.onespace.net and get access to the software for a team...

CAD tool meshes gear-design modules: 70-plus modules roll into one.(All In One)(Integrated Gear Software and Unigraphics NX assist in gear design)
October 6, 2003... From airplanes to cars to snowmobiles to washing machines, gears play a vital role in mechanical design. Elementary in concept, they can wreak havoc if designed wrong. To get the design right and avoid premature failures, engineers use CAD...

Pencil plus CAD equals better design: traditional design helps a small team develop child car seats.(Neat Seat)
October 6, 2003... Despite the wealth of sophisticated software available, pencil-and-paper drafting lives. And for some projects, it's the best choice for initial design. So say the engineers at Ove Industrial Design. They used old-fashioned pencil and paper to...

Analysis stabilizes disk-drive suspension assemblies: hardware tweaking also speeds up solution time.(Suspension Retention)(ANSYS alters computers to increase speed and memory)
October 6, 2003... Software developer ANSYS recently helped Hutchinson Technology, Inc. cut about 20 percent from the time it was taking to solve various engineering-analysis problems in the design of its computer-disk-drive suspension assemblies. The assemblies,...

Ask the search engineer: the search engineer finds solutions to all your questions, problems, and dilemmas. Occasionally, he could be wrong. But he doubts it.(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2003... Glowing characters... Thread engagement... Resin under a load... Dear Search Engineer: I am trying to find a way to have characters glowing through a tinted plexiglass (2064 Bronze) window using the power of an LED. The font...

Soapbox surfing: lightweight materials and an aerodynamic design help Porsche derby car score a win.(Racing)
October 6, 2003... NOSTALGIC IMAGES OF SOAP BOX DERBY CARS recall parents and kids from the 1940's and 50's happily sawing plywood and borrowing wagon wheels. But when the 21st century racecar carries the Porsche nameplate, about the only remaining part of that...

D-days in Detroit: if you think 'black smoke and balky engines' when you hear the word 'diesel, Detroit has a surprise for you: diesels just may be the ticket to a clean, quiet, fuel-efficient future.
October 6, 2003... Hold your nose if you like, but the fuel-efficient car of the future may well be the not-so-venerable diesel. ACTUALLY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD YOUR NOSE, THANKS TO MASSIVE ENGINEERING efforts underway in Detroit today to clean up the...

Breaking the glass barrier: after 10 years in development, new coating and processing technologies have paved the way for plastic car windows.(Automotive Plastics)
October 6, 2003... DO CAR WINDOWS HAVE TO BE MADE FROM GLASS? THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY HAS always answered "yes." But you may soon find yourself gazing through a very different kind of glazing. Recent advances in materials and processing technology have for the...

Survive the data deluge: tips for managing your test data successfully.(Measurements in the design flow: a special editorial series sponsored by National Instruments)
October 6, 2003... Today's tests can produce thousands or millions of values from dozens or hundreds of sensors. It's easy to get swamped in growing waves of data that will become useless unless saved in some meaningful way. In many test labs, the engineers--the...

Data management: turning data into results.(National Instruments Promotion)
October 6, 2003... Depending on your job function or the size of your company you work for, the term "data management" can embody a wide variety of definitions. "Data storage," "data mining," and "test data management" are just a few of the many terms defining...

Design changes boost pneumatic gripper's load capacity: sporting several key changes, a new pneumatics gripper series is designed to handle heavier loads than its predecessor.(Pneumatics)
October 6, 2003... Manufactured by Schunk Inc., the PGN-plus series includes eight gripper sizes with six versions each. These units offer gripping forces ranging from 140-12,500N. PGN-plus grippers include a redesigned jaw guide featuring a serrated inner...

Motion controller: real-time status information.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... The Posys[TM] ISA-BUS motion controller operates brush and brushless serve motors or steppers in 1-, 2-, or 4-axis configurations. Units generate a PWM signal for serves or a pulse and direction signal for steppers. Motion profiles include...

Linear bearings: no pulsation effect.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... High accuracy, cross roller precision linear bearings are available in two quality options: special and super special quality. SQ bearings are designed for applications requiring runout of no more than 5 microns over distances up to 1,800 mm....

Planetary roller screws: high displacement speeds.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Planetary roller screws and bearing Components are designed as ready-to-fit Assemblies. Roller screws reportedly have greater rigidity, lower axial clearance, and higher limiting speeds than ball screw drives. Features include low sensitivity...

Single sensor measures linear, rotary motion.(Designer's corner: useful technology for your idea file)
October 6, 2003... Measuring the position of a shaft with both linear and rotary motion is a challenging design problem that usually involves two sensors, one of each axes of motion, and two input ports. Three engineers at MTS Sensors just received a patent (U.S....

Advanced motion controller: for multiple-axis operations.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... The CS1W-MCH71 advanced motion controller is designed as a single module for fast and accurate control of up to 30 axes of motion at one time. Up to eight programs run concurrently. The controller can handle point-to-point positioning and...

Collet chucks: for lathes, mills, and grinders.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Wrench-operated collet chucks are reportedly ideal for combination lathes that are operated manually or through a CNC control. Features include adjustable concentricity, precision clamping, universal flat back, and availability of types 5C,...

Linear actuator: long life, high precision performance.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Long life, high precision performance Size 14 hybrid external linear actuators feature an ACME stainless steel lead screw and require no lead screw couplers. The linear actuator assembly replaces motor, coupler, lead screw and nut....

Needle roller bearings: for 8 micro-inch surface or lower.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Improved roller technology helps the company manufacture needle rollers with tolerances held to 0.0001 inch or better, and surface finishes of 8 micro-inches or lower. Needle rollers are used in the automotive and agricultural equipment...

Linear drive: mechanical reversal included.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Users may spool materials of various diameters using one winding assembly--the Kinemax linear drive featuring variable pitch turndown. Linear pitch is set using a control dial on the drive unit and the pitch remains constant regardless of the...

Brake pack: meets safety standards.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... The SB50 Brake Pack features four key control functions for AC induction, reversible, watertight and electromagnetic brakes. Also integrated into this package are instant stop, forward/reverse motion, electromagnetic brake control, and thermal...

Slide gate monitor: analog or digital output.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Precise feedback for accurate control is a main feature of the SG 1000 slide gate monitor, which reports the position of slide gates and valves. The monitor is available in a 4-20 mA analog output version, or a DeviceNet interface; both install...

Prober retrofit kit: compact but efficient.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... The In-Sight[R] 1700 Series prober retrofit kit is easy to install and reportedly features the 1700 Series wafer readers. The readers read alphanumeric and 2D matrix codes, track wafers through production, and read degraded softmarked codes and...

Slot-0 controllers: easy upgrade ability.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Nine products, developed in the framework of ProDAQ, are available for entry into the VXIbus controller market. Three VXIbus Slot-O controllers offer measured data throughput rates to 32 Mbytes/sec sustained, depending on the slave. They...

Coated drills: jobber length for ductile materials.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... The A509 Dialub coated drill series is designed for drilling stainless steel and other tough materials. Made of M42 HSCo steel for wear-resistance, the series features a diamond coating which lowers friction and improves hole finish. Standard...

Data software suite: compatible with windows.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... ioControl S.0 programming software--Manager 5.0 software for Ethernet and ioDisplay 5.0 graphics-based interface software--are available for input-output applications. The first product lets users develop control and data acquisition...

SFP slide: adjustable cushions, standard ports.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Rodless rail slides feature enclosed precision bearings, stainless steel outer band, saddle scraper seal, and side switch slots. The slides accommodate series 6790, 4-mm reed or solid-state switches. Available in two bore sizes and travel...

Motor controller: protected from overages and shorts.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... The 371-0028 brushless dc motor controller provides 1,000W of power in a footprint of 3 x 4.65 x 1.75 inches. Suitable for closed or open-loop velocity or torque control, the controller accepts voltages from 10-SOV and is rated at 20A...

Conveyor rollers: last up to 10 times longer.(Motion Control/Power Transmission)
October 6, 2003... Taperhex[R] spring-loaded gold rollers use a tapered hexagonal shaft to firmly fit into side-frame mounting holes of conveyers. The rollers fit regardless of the size or condition of the frame, reducing wear and maintenance, the company claims....