Design News articles from September 2008

Design News archives from September 2008

Lock Down That Noise -- Don't Let It Escape.
September 1, 2008... By James Bryant Q. How can I prevent switching-mode power supply noise from devastating my circuit performance? A. With great difficulty -- but it can be done. Switching-mode power supplies are inherently the noisiest circuits...

The Case of the Chippable Claws.
September 1, 2008... By Kenneth Russell, Professor Emeritus, MIT, Cambridge, MA Little boys love to get into their fathers' toolboxes to play with the tools and pretend they are doing daddy-type things. Attempts are made to divert such access by production of...

Best of the Engineering Marketplace.(Schurter Inc., PCB Piezotronics Inc.)
September 1, 2008... Compiled by Elizabeth M. Taurasi and Sasha Brown-Worsham PCB Piezotronics' New Family of Signal Conditioners Elizabeth M. Taurasi, Sasha Brown-Worsham Two new models available Offered with selectable filters or isolated...

Disney Rides on Wireless Ethernet.(Walt Disney Parks and Resorts L.L.C.)
September 1, 2008... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control & Automation Take a behind-the-scenes look at Disney's first attraction with an Ethernet-based ride control network Old-school midway games just got a high-tech makeover from Walt...

The Internet-Enabled Heart.(Medtronic Ind introduces implantable cardiac devices with wireless capabilities)
September 1, 2008... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics Wireless telemetry puts a new spin on cardiac care Cardiologist Marc Silver was driving to work one morning last winter when he received a page from a defibrillator implanted...

Internet Phone Handles GPS, Photos, Even Voice Communications.
September 1, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor A two-way slide design lets users of the Nokia N95 switch between different modes, going from reading maps to watching a video. The phone supports WLAN, EDGE and WCDMA networks and houses a 5 megapixel...

Parallel Processing Helps Prevent Highway Fatalities.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor Parallel processing dominates the lofty world of supercomputing, but it's also found a spot in the cost-sensitive automotive field. Lexus uses a 128-processor chip in the Advanced Obstacle Detection...

Remote Eases Control for Couch Potatoes.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor The iPod's HMI continues to transform the audio world. Chestnut Hill Sound is differentiating a high-end, iPod-compatible clock radio with what it calls the ultimate remote control. The removable front...

Fast Folding Enhances Medical Knowledge.
September 1, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor Scientific researchers have benefited greatly by employing idle computers in thousands of homes and offices. The Folding@home program at Stanford University, which simulates protein folding, recently...

NASA's Analysis Tools Get Big Boost.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor When you're analyzing data sets that are literally universal in their scope, supercomputers are the only tool in town. NASA's Project Pleiades aims to develop a computational system with one Petaflops...

Case #125: Quick-Touch Automated Laundry Chute.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Staff Just what you always wanted -- an automated laundry chute. Jitendra Tailor of Winnipeg created a laundry chute that opens and closes on its own. Drop your clothes on the trap door (built into the floor of an upstairs bathroom) and...

Low On-Resistance MOSFET Saves Energy.
September 1, 2008... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor STMicroelectronics has introduced a 250A power MOSFET that combines ribbon bonding with a surface-mount package to deliver 1.5 milliohm on-resistance with high current handling for 55V applications. The...

Fat Spaniel's Platform for Monitoring Energy Use.
September 1, 2008... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor Fat Spaniel Technologies has released Insight Platform, an open intelligence system for building, sharing and running energy data applications. The platform provides an open information architecture that...

Ocean Wind Power Maps Reveal Wind Energy Sources.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor Ocean wind power may solve some of the stumbling blocks of land-based wind power generation and NASA's QuikSCAT satellite may point to the ocean areas where winds are most likely to produce energy....

Mechatronic Magnetic Magic.
September 1, 2008... By Kevin C. Craig The first time I dropped a strong magnet down a copper pipe, I could not believe what I saw. The magnet floating down the pipe without touching the sides, defying gravity, was magical. I just had to understand how this...

Engineering the Modern Home.
September 1, 2008... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control An exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art shows how prefab houses increasingly make use of design and manufacturing technologies from the industrial world Design News' readers don't...

Industrial Robot Plays Air Hockey.
September 1, 2008... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics Robot combines machine vision, 32-bit processing An air-hockey-playing robot turned out to be the hit of the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) (http://rbi.ims.ca/5721-529 ) held...

New Medical Designs Power PIM Growth.(powder metal and ceramic-injection molding )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Doug Smock, Contributing Editor, Materials and Fastening Parmatech gear cuts costs 70 percent compared to machined metal New designs for medical and automotive applications will drive growth of powder metal and ceramic-injection...

Smarter Pneumatic Communications.(Numatics Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control Numatics has added even more intelligence to its communications modules Pneumatic components need plenty of smarts to function as part of today's increasingly complex automation systems....

Aligni Flips Switch on Web-Based Management Tool.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... By Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor, Design Tools Takes aim at design engineers frustrated with doing inventory using Excel Small company design engineers frustrated with managing parts inventories in Excel spreadsheets or with...

Highest Common Denominator.
September 1, 2008... By Craig Messerknecht, vice president of marketing and global product management, D-M-E Co. Don't Let Uneven RoHS Enforcement Slow Your Response The implications remain uncertain regarding the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous...

Robotic Automation in Industrial Manufacturing.
September 1, 2008... By Michelle Hopey, Web Editor, Mechatronics One auto factory saves nearly $40 million a day in labor costs For many industries, the future has already arrived with robotic innovations taking the lead. Robotic applications including...

Precision Blown Film.
September 1, 2008... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor Integrated control increases flexibility, reduces cost, improves troubleshooting The ham in the deli aisle seems unremarkable, but look closer and you'll notice the wrapping conforms tightly to every...

The Need for Speed.
September 1, 2008... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor Packaging OEMs look to advanced software solutions and linear servos to boost system performance What are the key trends in motion control for packaging? Flexibility, connectivity and the need for...

Packaging Goes Robosoft.
September 1, 2008... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor New mechanisms and software solutions offer an alternative to standard robots Robotic solutions are making a strong impact in the design of new packaging machines. The trend is driven, in part, by...

Wanted: Engineers Who Can Lead.
September 1, 2008... By Greg Balestrero, CEO, PMI Project management skills go well beyond technical savvy Employers are looking for engineers who can hit the ground running, when it comes to managing high-priority projects, says Greg Balestrero, CEO of...

Bridge-Circuit Wrap-Up.
September 1, 2008... By Jon Titus, Contributing Writer The previous two Tips columns (Aug. 11 and July 14 http://rbi.ims.ca/5721-520 ) described how to use strain gauges in bridge circuits and some of the ways to overcome amplifier and sensor errors. In...

Artful Scanning.
September 1, 2008... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control 3-D imaging hardware and software has become an important tool in fighting the war against art fraud Art and technology have started to come together in an unlikely place -- under the...

Gimme Shelter.
September 22, 2008... By Geoffrey C. Orsak Engineering Innovation Can't Wait for Political Leadership Imagine dropping a grizzled "physician" from 500 years ago into a major, 21st Century hospital. OK, you get the point.Medical science has made...

The Case of the Wily Wires.
September 22, 2008... By Myron J. Boyajian, President, Engineering Consultants Product improvements come from curious, even strange sources. A forklift manufacturer debuted a new electric forklift. A new transistor speed control varied drive motor speed with...

Shifting gears gets easier for truckers.
September 22, 2008... By Randy Frank, Contributing Editor Interlocking ring design provides the answer New transmission technology frequently starts with passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Extending the technology to heavy-duty vehicles can pose more...

A Footprint That Feels Like a Kick in the Pants.(Editorial)
September 22, 2008... By John Dodge, Editor-in-Chief I've been wondering about my carbon footprint. What is it exactly? How do I calculate it? Can I realistically reduce it? Does it matter? Of course, I started by doing a Yahoo search. Before I tell you...

The Power of Pumps.
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor, Motion Control Engineer of the Year Martin Fisher's human-powered irrigation pumps lift both water and standards of living Sometimes it seems there are almost as many theories about helping the...

David Danitz.
September 22, 2008... By Doug Smock, Contributing Editor The RealHand HD revolutionizes abdominal surgeries When David Danitz was an 11 year old in San Diego, CA, his dad told him he should become a mechanical engineer. No, not a baseball player, not an...

Todd Kuiken, M.D., Ph.D.: Engineering the Bionic Person.
September 22, 2008... By Michelle Hopey, Web Editor, Mechatronics Kuiken is rewiring human nerves, changing prostheses and the lives of those who wear them While many engineers solve problems pertaining to a device or mechanism, it's not often someone...

John Van Danacker: Making Hearts Talk.
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics Veteran engineer John Van Danacker helped Medtronic create technology that lets implanted defibrillators communicate over the Internet When Medtronic Inc....

Larry Burns.
September 22, 2008... By John Dodge, Editor-in-Chief Charting GM's electrifying charge Vice president of R&D and Strategic Planning Larry Burns is the man of the hour at General Motors (GM) as the giant automaker, no longer the world's largest, struggles to...

DAC Gives Boost During Power Failure.
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray EEPROM keeps re-set values in place ANALOG CONTROL MCP4725 DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER, MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC. Loss of data at power failures needn't be an issue anymore, thanks to a new...

When Data Absolutely Has to Be There.(Simtek Corp. )
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray SRAM works with EEPROM to save data quickly COMPONENTS, HARDWARE & INTERCONNECT SIMTEK'S 4-MBIT PRODUCT FAMILY, SIMTEK CORP. In some storage applications, loss of data simply can't be tolerated. For...

Solid State Drive Offers Alternative to Hard Disks.(Silicon Storage Technology Inc.)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray Accelerometer senses high-frequency vibration DIGITAL CONTROL/EMBEDDED COMPUTING NANDRIVE, SST85LD100xx, SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY INC. Electronic applications in need of storage may now have a viable...

TI Brings Easy RF Control to LEDs.(Texas Instruments Inc.)
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray Development boards work with MCU to create an RF lighting network POWER MANAGEMENT & CONTROL TPS62260LED, REMOTE-CONTROLLED LED BOARD, TEXAS INSTRUMENTS Using a Texas Instruments' (TI) microcontroller,...

Smart Camera Simplifies Automated Inspection.
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray Processing images at the camera sensor cuts cost, reduces complexity SENSORS & VISION NI 1742 SMART CAMERA, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS By placing image processing capabilities directly on a camera sensor,...

Sensor Reduces Machine Downtime.(Analog Devices Inc. introducing accelerometer)
September 22, 2008... By Charles J. Murray Accelerometer senses high-frequency vibration TEST & MEASUREMENT ADXL001 i MEMS[R] VIBRATION SENSOR, ANALOG DEVICES Catastrophic plant equipment failure might now be dramatically reduced, thanks to the...

Pedestal Closure Assembly Features Snag-Free Lock.
September 22, 2008... By Doug Smock Reduces technician service times by focusing on ease-of-use FASTENING, JOINING & ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS EMERSON PROFORM[R] PEDESTAL, EMERSON NETWORK POWER The Emerson ProForm[R] Pedestal (EPP) protects telephone and...

Forget Stuffing Grease, Go with Springer.
September 22, 2008... By Doug Smock Three sizes ease clutch repairs for home-based 'gearheads' METALS CLUTCH PILOT BUSHING TOOL #22002, #22003, SPRINGERTOOL Aimed at "gearheads" who work on their own cars, the Clutch Pilot Bushing Tool removes...

Robot in the Machine.
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando Bosch-Rexroth's motion controllers feature robust embedded robotics capabilities AMPLIFIERS & DRIVES/CONTROLLERS INDRAMOTION MLC WITH EMBEDDED ROBOTICS, BOSCH-REXROTH CORP. Machine builders increasingly have...

Electric Steering That Feels Right.
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando Danaher's steer-by-wire system relies on a unique torquefeedback device that simulates the feel of conventional steering FEEDBACK DEVICES TORQUE FEEDBACK DEVICE, DANAHER MOTION As good as they've become,...

Miniature Motor Moves Fast.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando The nuvoDisc 32BF brushless dc motors offer a compact, flat form factor. Yet, they don't skimp on speed and output MOTORS/MECHANICAL COMPONENTS NUVODISC 32BF BRUSHLESS DC MOTOR, PORTESCAP, A DANAHER MOTION CO. ...

Distributed HMI in a Flash.
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando Parker's newest HMI product uses Flash to deliver a richer user experience AUTOMATION INTERACT XPRESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTED HMI SOFTWARE, PARKER HANNIFIN, ELECTROMECHANICAL AUTOMATION DIV. Parker Hannifin has...

Miniature Flow Control Valve.(Beswick Engineering Company Inc.)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando Beswick Engineering's miniature valve is both small and capable of accommodating pressure differentials FLUID POWER CONNECTORS & COMPONENTS ULTRA-MINIATURE PRESSURE COMPENSATED FLOW CONTROL VALVE WITH LOW FRICTION...

Running the Plows.
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando Parker Chelsea has combined a single PTO and accumulator to replace multiple hydraulic systems HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS & CONTROLS STORED ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, PARKER HANNIFIN CORP., CHELSEA PRODUCTS DIV. Snow...

Diagnostic Tool Keeps Energy Use in Check.(Festo Corp.)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando Festo's Energy Monitoring System minimizes the energy waste associated with pneumatic systems PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS & CONTROLS ENERGY MONITORING PACKAGE, FESTO CORP. Pneumatic systems in the field don't...

Laser Scanning Gets Big.
September 22, 2008... By Joseph Ogando With a range up to 76m, Faro's Photon Laser Scanner tackles large-object scanning applications 3-D IMAGING PHOTON LASER SCANNER, FARO TECHNOLOGIES While most laser scanners work just great at distances up to a...

NI LabVIEW 8.5 Gets Right to the Multi-Core.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Beth Stackpole Upgrade helps developers take advantage of multi-core architectures in real time and embedded systems ANALYSIS & CALCULATION SOFTWARE LABVIEW 8.5, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS The latest version of National...

SolidWorks Helps Users Get SWIFT with CAD.(SolidWorks Corp.)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Beth Stackpole SolidWorks 2008's SWIFT technology fosters CAD user productivity and reduces the overhead of learning CAD CAD SOFTWARE SOLIDWORKS 2008, SOLIDWORKS CORP. With this major new upgrade, SolidWorks continues to...

Dell Designs Blade Servers for 'Pull and Go'.
September 22, 2008... By Beth Stackpole Modular handle on M1000e chassis and M600 and M605 servers facilitate installation, transport HARDWARE DELL BLADES CHASSIS M1000e/SERVERS M600 AND M605, DELL INC. There are a number of criteria used when...

IDC Missing Link Bridges CAD and ERP.
September 22, 2008... By Beth Stackpole Software creates greater visibility between development and manufacturing without the overhead of PLM PLM SOFTWARE IDC MISSING LINK WITH CAD2xRP TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATIVE DYNAMICS CORP. Innovative Dynamics...

Best Product Winners.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Design News ' annual Golden Mousetrap Awards recognize engineering innovation and creativity in product design. This year awards were given in five major categories: electronics, materials, motion control/automation,...

High-Def Goes Mobile.
September 22, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor High-definition video cameras are broadening their reach, replacing portable cameras used for field reporting. Panasonic's P2 HD Professional-Broadcast High-Definition Camera-Recorders are compact and...

Options Galore for Couch Potatoes.(Yamaha Electronics Corporation USA.)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor There's no end to the entertainment options available for those who don't want to leave the house. Yamaha's RX-V563 digital home theater receiver offers 1080p-compatible HDMI switching, XM and Sirius...

PCs Match Capabilities of TVs with DVRs.(Hauppauge Computer Works Inc.)(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor The line between computers and television is being further blurred by Hauppauge Computer Works Inc. Its WinTV-HVR-2250 PCI Express board is a dual hybrid PC TV tuner that lets users watch one TV program...

Helping the Handicapped Enjoy Audio.
September 22, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor The audio processing capabilities that make DSPs popular in stereos and TVs can also help those with hearing loss hear more of those audio signals. America Hears Inc. is locking arms with its Australian...

Create Your Own Entertainment.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Terry Costlow, Contributing Editor Designers in the open source world can finish developments quickly with the Beagle Board, a 3 x 3-inch module that can be used to create gaming images or other complex tasks. Digi-Key Corp. is now...

Gearing up for Flexibility.
September 22, 2008... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor Gearheads broaden product variations, specialized application features The common theme for new gearheads, servo actuators and other products that offer geared motion, along with lowering product...

Steam Engines Go High Tech.
September 22, 2008... By Ron Ruel and Don Warren, Contributing Writers Little locomotives on Mount Washington begin the switch to bio-diesel-powered hydraulics Since the first locomotive excursion to the top of New Hampshire's Mount Washington on July 3,...

Cable Carrier to the Stars.
September 22, 2008... By Al Presher, Contributing Editor Carrier systems manage transfer of power, control, data for radio telescope The world's second largest radio telescope utilizes five cable carriers to reliably supply two receiver cabins with...

In the Marketplace.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Red Valve's Megaflex Design News Staff Handles stormwater overflow The Type A Megaflex Valve, available in sizes 20 to 84 inch, is extremely simple in design and principle. As with every Red Valve Pinch...

Pump Maker Uses Up-Front CFD to Reap Opportunity in Energy Conservation.(Finish Thompson manufactures efficiency pumps)
September 22, 2008... By Bob Cramblitt, Contributing Writer Customers save thousands of kilowatt-hours on electric bills Mention "energy conservation" to makers of industrial pumps and the words will either strike fear or spell opportunity. Firmly in...

Case #126: Talking to Your Gadgets Remotely.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Want to turn on your home's heating system before you arrive? Would you like to double check your home alarm from your car -- or your car alarm from your home? Alvaro Mautone created a gadget that allows you to use...

Category: Feedback Devices.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff BEI Industrial Encoders Design News Staff SwiftComm Wireless Interface System BEI Industrial Encoders has rolled out a wireless interface system for incremental encoders. Called SwiftComm, the system...

Category: Motors/Mechanical Components.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Groschopp Inc. Design News Staff Brushless dc Motor with Flux Ring Groschopp's latest brushless dc motor, designed for use on a commercial bakery packing machine, achieves Hall-Effect commutation without...

Category: Automation.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Rockwell Automation Design News Staff Allen-Bradley SensaGuard The Allen-Bradley SensaGuard family of non-contact, RFID-coded safety switches offer a Category 4/SIL 3 safety rating. With an operating...

Category: Fluid Power, Connectors & Components.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Clippard Instrument Lab. Design News Staff Oxygen Clean Series Electronic Valves New Oxygen Clean Series Electronic Valves (O-E Series) from Clippard are two- or three-way pneumatic control valves designed...

Category: Pneumatic Systems & Controls.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Norgren Design News Staff Excelon Pro FRL System The Excelon Pro FRL system from Norgren takes a modular approach to air preparation. It includes a general-purpose filter to remove particles and common...

Category: Hardware.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Lantronix Inc. Design News Staff MatchPort b/g Pro/MPP3002000G-01 Engineers looking to embed secure WiFi networking capabilities into their devices can get a turnkey solution -- from a programmable,...

Category: Analysis & Calculation Software.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Maplesoft Design News Staff Maple 12 Maplesoft's latest version of its analysis and calculation software offers a range of new tools built on Maplesoft's technology platform of smart documents, powerful...

Category: Analog Control.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff National Semiconductor Design News Staff Microphone Amplifier National Semiconductor's LMV1088 Noise Suppression Microphone Amplifier is a fully analog dual-input microphone array that delivers background...

Category: Components, Hardware & Interconnect.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Silicon Storage Design News Staff MelodyWing SP Wireless Audio Solution Silicon Storage Technology Inc.'s SST MelodyWing SP advanced wireless audio solution is an integrated board-level product reportedly...

Category: Digital Control/Embedded Computing.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Microchip Technology Inc. Design News Staff 32-Bit Microcontrollers Microchip Technology Inc.'s PIC32 family of 32-bit microcontrollers builds on the success of the company's 8- and 16-bit portfolios,...

Category: Power Management & Control.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Fairchild Semiconductor Design News Staff Rectification Module Fairchild Semiconductor's Power-SPM(TM) FPP06R001 is an integrated synchronous rectification module that increases power efficiency, system...

Category: Sensors & Vision.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Upek Inc. Design News Staff TCS5 TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor Upek Inc.'s TCS5 TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor is designed for integration into 2009 notebook computers. The TCS5 enables PC users to have...

Category: Test & Measurement.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Agilent Technologies Design News Staff MIPI D-PHY Test Solution Agilent Technologies' N4851A MIPI D-PHY Analysis/Stimulus Test Solution facilitates hardware and software debug with a unique...

Category: Amplifiers & Drives/Controllers.
September 22, 2008... By Design News Staff Texas Instruments Design News Staff Floating Point Controller Series For the first time, the TMS320F2833x controllers from Texas Instruments add floating point capabilities to the company's digital signal...

Napa Valley Goes for Hybrid School Bus.(Brief article)
September 22, 2008... By Rob Spiegel, Contributing Editor The Napa Valley School District in California has doubled the fuel efficiency of its school buses while eliminating up to 40 percent of the bus's greenhouse gas emissions. The district switched one of its...