Design Engineering articles from June 2002

Design Engineering archives from June 2002

www.AzoM.com. (On Line).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... AZoM.com Pty. Ltd has launched AskAZoM, on online search tool that allows engineers and designers to find answers to their materials problems by asking it questions. Online searches often throw up a wealth of spurious results, but this free...

www.er-online.co.uk. (On Line).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The unashamedly eurocentric Engineering Resources Online is a site aimed at giving a practical guide to engineering products, companies and resources via the Net. Links to everything from international patent offices, institutions and trade...

www.InventThat.com. (On Line).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Prepare to be dazzled. InventThat is a flashy online resource designed to give independent inventors and small businesses a link to the people who can help make their inventions a reality. The aim of the recently launched website is to enable...

www.national.com. (On Line).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... National Semiconductor's website is comprised of four primary subsites, including the Design Engineering subsite. This section of the site offers four 'primary tools' made up of Quick Search, which locates product and technical information from...

Voice activation. (Design News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Students at Johns Hopkins University have designed a portable muscle enhancement device to help a disabled man grasp a number of household items. Jonathan Hofeller, Christina Peace and Nathaniel Young developed the device in the Department...

NOT operation goes magnetic. (Design News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Using just a magnetic microchip, Durham scientists have managed to carry out a basic computer operation. This development could represent a big step in establishing a new generation of electronics. Magnetic methods of storing information...

He shoots! He scores! (Design News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... It may look like magic, but three research groups have employed MSC Software Corps MSC Patran to work out exactly how footballers like David Beckham bend a football around a defensive wall during freekicks. Dr. Takeshi Asai of the Yamagata...

Together in electric dreams. (Design News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... More electric technologies will increase the manoeuvrability and reduce the noise created by ships and reduce the weight and cost of future civil aircraft, according to Dr Mike Howse, director - Engineering and Technology for Rolls-Royce. In...

Clean duel fuel IC engine. (Patent Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... In light of the continuing hunt for environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels in IC engines, this 'clean' engine looks promising. Acetylene has often been tried as an alternative fuel in cars, but problems with knocking have...

Car steering wheel drum machine. (Patent Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Waiting in traffic can be extremely boring, but a car stereo helps alleviate the tedium. This drum machine (GB2362748) goes a step further. Attached to the steering wheel, it has electrical vibration sensors that pick up sudden pressure on the...

Stadium construction with variable geometry. (Patent Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Sports stadium design is often good for spectators and players - but not so for grass. At Manchester United's ground, the grass was replaced 5 times in the 18 months following Summer 1998. This variable stadium (GB2364077) has a roof which...

E-mails to the editor. (Design News).
June 1, 2002... Sir, so you too have fallen into the trap of questioning why there appears to be a shortage of women engineers. Your vision of hope, which would encourage more of the fairer sex into engineering, demonstrates a classic case of the engineer who...

Stick to the road. (Design News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Want to now how well a tyre made of a certain rubber mixture will grip the road, without actually having to manufacture the thing? Well, Dr. Bo Persson of the Institute of Solid State Research in Julich, Germany has developed anew theory that...

Imperial College London.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Caption: Researchers at Imperial College London have begun a five-year project to design and build tiny earthquake measuring devices to go to Mars on the 2007 NetLander mission. The sensors are capable of detecting liquid water reservoirs...

Enough football. (Editor's Comment).
June 1, 2002... As Design Engineering goes to press, England has gone football banzai. But for you, life has probably moved on from the World Cup. Unless of course England has won the whole tournament and the country will still be going football banzai. But...

Dangerous talk. (Design News).(research at Loughborough University on cellular telephone radiation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Using their work associated with GPS (Global Positioning system) technology, researchers at Loughborough University's centre for Mobile communications Research have managed to reduce emissions into the body by as much as 85%. The CMCR...

Water on tap. (Design News).(Martec's SureStop water valve)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... UK company MARTEC has designed a water valve that can turn water on and off at the flick of a switch without using electricity. The new valve, dubbed the SureStop, switches the water supply on and off by using the pressure generated from the...

Manufacturing out of a rut? (Design News).(manufacturing sector outlook)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Results at the latest Recruitment Confidence Index (RCI) suggest that managers are cautiously optimistic about manufacturing coming out of recession. Although predictions indicate that more people are likely to be employed in the...

Forgers foiled. (Design News).(Lumenia designs color-changing ink)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... Lumenia, a joint venture company set up by Xennia Land the University of Leeds, has created ink that changes colour when photocopied or scanned, to prevent forgers colour matching banknotes. 'Photocopying brings about a colour change in...

This impressive looking piece of kit is the handiwork of scientists at Dyson.(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Caption: This impressive looking piece of kit is the handiwork of scientists at Dyson. They discovered that higher constant suction and better pick up could be achieved by spreading high volumes of air through many cyclones. Spinning air in the...

Win a Dremel. (Brain Teaser).
June 1, 2002... Bosch-Rexroth is kindly giving away a Dremel power tool to the first person with the right answer to this month's brainteaser. Dremel is a successful brand of the Bosch Power Tools division.

Last month's winner. (Brian Teaser).
June 1, 2002... Last month we asked what would happen to the water level in a swimming pool if a cannon ball in the bottom of a boat in the pool was dropped overboard. The answer is that while in the boat the ball displaces it's own weight of water, but when...

Coniston revisited: Jon Excell reports on Quicksilver -- a British attempt to return the outright world water speed record to the UK. (Quicksilver).(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The struggle to be the fastest man on water has a history that is both colourful and macabre. The earliest reference I could find to the record was in 1874, when Felix Thackeray Haig drove his boat The 'Sir Arthur Cotton' at a blistering...

Piezo's pneu life. (Pneumatics).(Hoerbiger-Origa)
June 1, 2002... Piezo technology is finally taking off 20 years after it first came to public prominence. Using minuscule amounts of power and being superbly controllable and intrinsically safe, its potential in industrial Design Engineering is enormous. ROGER...

Do androids dream of electric sushi? Robodex 2002, a four day exhibition of personal robots held in Yokohama, Japan, offered both a glimpse of the future and a fascinating insight into Japanese culture. (Robotics).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... While Japan's economy may be slowing down -- its innovators most certainly aren't: a fact demonstrated dramatically during the recent world cup, by the hovering stage in the stunning Sapporo dome stadium. However, whether it's industrial...

Caterpillar on track. (Hydraulics).(uses STAR-CD software for computational fluid dynamics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Hydraulics is playing an increasingly important role in the performance of heavy equipment and as such, the reliability and effectiveness of hydraulic systems is becoming paramount. Caterpillar was the first company to investigate and use...

View a fluid world. (Pumps).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... New moving grid features make it possible to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate internal gear pumps and substantially improve the performance of these complex devices, says Rob Broberg, applications manager at CFX/ABA. The...

NSK spin. (Product News: Bearings).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... NSK has developed two new products the RHP ULTRA high-speed super precision bearing and the exclusive Spinshor bearing which incorporates lubrication system. Both are designed to minimise harmful heat generation of spindle beatings within...

INA spin. (Product News: Bearings).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Specially designed for tensioned screw drives vertically arranged screw drives and other applications with continuous load in the main load direction INA's latest Heavy Series triple row angular contact bearings permit higher operational...

Wyko's SRBs. (Product News: Bearings).(split roller bearings)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... The new design of Wyko's SRB split roller bearing can reduce downtime by 25% claims the company. According to Wyko, the benefits of the SRB range provide both designers and plant engineers within the paper industry with a solution which both...

Faster machining. (Product News: Bearings).(FAG Bearings' X-Life Ultra)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... FAG/Harden has developed X-Life Ultra, a new design philosophy for precision bearings. Its application results in bearings that are a synergy of materials, surface engineering, sealing and lubrication technology, designed to offer performance...

SKF: we have contact. (Product News: Bearings).(SKF Bearings)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... In a follow-up to its announcement two years ago of the Explorer spherical roller bearing, SKF has added angular contact bearings to the growing family of Explorer products. This, according to Joacim Fogelstrom, head of SKF Industrial...

Compact, lightweight table from IKO. (Product News: Linear Motion).
June 1, 2002... New from IKO is the Linear Motor Table LT, a direct-drive positioning table, consisting of a moving table and bed of aluminum alloy, in which an AC linear servo-motor and an optical linear scale are compactly integrated. Compact and...

35% extra torque design. (Product News: Linear Motion).(Inmoco's SR Series integrated linear actuators)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2002... The convenience and flexibility of INMOCO's SR Series of integrated linear actuators is complemented by increased torque performance, following the introduction to the range of T-LAM segmented stator technology. The T-LAM design enables 35%...

Replacing the ball rail. (Product News: Linear Motion).
June 1, 2002... Faced with the costs of a failing ball rail system on its abrasive belt joining machine colchester-based Hemes Abrasives opted for Hpco's GV3 linear slide system and claims to have cut replacement costs by as much as 90%. Where the trough...

Self-aligning linear ball bearings. (Product News: Linear Motion).(Advertisement)
June 1, 2002... KS linear ball bearings from the Linear Technology Division of INA-Schaeffler are, claims the company, characterised by an unbeatable cost/benefit ratio and several notable technical advantages. These include the floating arrangement of the...

Hunter dries up. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Many compress air drying applications exist which need to be integrated into pneumatic machinery and indeed, point of use drying where treating the complete system would prove impractical or too costly. The new PNEUDRI MiDAS range from domnick...

Hunter wins an award. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The Queens Award for Enterprise in the Innovation Category has been won by domnick hunter. This award has been made as recognition of domnick hunter's continued innovation and development of its range of MAXIGAS nitrogen gas generators. MAXIGAS...

Uplifting news. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... MasterMover working with General Trailer UK developed a brand new unit, the MM5/400 TMS, which now plays a key role in the build-process at General Trailers UK enabling one operator to manoeuvre an unloaded tri-axle articulated trailer up to...

On the hob. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Wieland Electric's Stocko division has a range of innovative electronic connector products for use with leading brand cooker and hob appliances. Widely specified by key manufacturers across Europe for their superior performance, Stocko's...

Solartron Mobrey. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Solartron Mobrey's ground breaking development work in real-time measurement of viscosity has taken another major step forward with the launch of a new range of long stemmed in-line, vibrating fork viscosity meters. The new meters do away with...

Mill donation. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Flender Power Transmission has donated a Motox gear unit to an 18th century water mill that has been restored to full working order, and which now sells the flour it grinds. The Motox-N Z88 gear unit was given to the mill by Flender in response...

Soft starter. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Providing the benefits of soft starting and stopping in new and existing equipment is now easier than ever, with the introduction of the new, and very competitively priced, LH7 range of enclosed soft starters from Telemecanique, a brand of...

First for Hiflex. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Dunlop Hiflex Fluidpower's Glasgow Service Centre has become the first part of the UniPoly Group to achieve accreditation of its quality systems to ISO9001:2000. Operations manager, Gordon Duff, also believes that his business is the first...

CompAir arrival. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The latest introduction onto the UK market from CompAir is an extension to its energy saving regulated screw range of compressors, the L120SR The existing L45SR and L75SR models are already showing significant energy efficiency gains and...

Norma analyser. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... IEC 61972/DCV divides electric motors into three efficiency classes: standard, improved efficiency and high efficiency. LEM has introduced the NORMA 5000 power analyser to measure this efficiency. The new unit exactly measures the electrical...

Ge Fanuc scoops prize. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The Annual Supplier Quality Award of the Gildemeister Group, Europe's No 1 machine too I builder and No 2 in world has been won against strong competition by GE Fanuc Automation, the world's leading manufacturer of computer numerical contol...

Can't resist? (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... A new brochure describing the range of dynamic braking resistors (DBRs) from Cressall includes helpful rating curves to aid selection by users DBRs can be specified for precise, efficient control of almost any type of drive with the optimum...

Drive growth. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Specialist servomotor manufacturer, Control Techniques Dynamics, has seen the sales of its Unimotor range of AC brushless sevomotors in the USA increase by a hefty 38% making it one of the company's fastest growing markets. The dramatic...

Four pole rated. (Markeplace).
June 1, 2002... The popular TeSys range of contactors from Telemecanique, a brand of Schneider Electric, has now been extended to include four-pole versions with AC1 ratings up to 40A, which are ideal for emergency lighting, mains isolation, supply changover,...

IFM will sort you out. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Whatever the application, straightforward or challenging, sensing and control expert, IFM Electronic is now almost certain to have a photosensor which will provide a convenient, dependable and economical solution. One of the foremost developers...

Torque read. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... ReadStar from Crane Electronics is an ideal entry level solution for basic torque readout applications. It is a standard data collector which is designed to take readings from a wide range of torque measurement tools. ]t offers highly accurate...

Parker Racor. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Parker Racor top loading fuel filters are now specified on all Chrysler PT Cruisers, including the new PT Dream Cruiser Series 1, the PT Flame Cruiser and the attention-getting, two-door, PT Cruiser Convertible concept cars. Evoking classic...

MicroGas generator. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... MicroGas has brought out a new easy-to-use gas generator to add to its range of electrochemical calibration gas generators. The OzoCal generates a calibrated gas mixture of 0.8 parts per million ozone in air. The OzoCal joins the MicroGas...

Green and lush. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... An irrigation system powered by ABB drives is keeping the grass green at Wimbledon Park Golf Club, while cutting watering costs. ABB Drives Alliance member MKE Drive Systems supplied, fitted and commissioned the system including a 7.5kw ABB...

Maximum service life. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Microglass III is Parker Filtration's new filtration media for hydraulic applications -- the result of considerable research investment and extensive experience in hydraulic filtration. Microglass III is a graded multi-layer glass fibre media,...

New method in check. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Rotor Clip has developed a pioneering new way of quality checking and improving the accuracy of measurements of a retaining ring. The new method is accurate, quick, allows timely adjustments and assures the customer of receiving quality...

Plastic pumps. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Totton Pumps, designer and manufacturer of plastic pumps, has recently introduced significant improvements to its NEMP range of heavy-duty magnetically coupled plastic pumps. Standard Polypropylene (PP) models are now fitted with a higher...

Euroquartz. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Frequency products specialist, Euroquartz Group has announced that the company has achieved accreditation to ISO 9001 (2000) with Moody International. The accreditation marks a significant landmark in the company's continued commitment to...

Switch to click. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... When Dutch manufacturer Ligvoet Products BV specified a membrane switch to operate its electric wheelchairs and scooters, reliability was the key priority. With cost and ease-of-use also important factors, Ligvoet Products chose Velleman...

Textron's range. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Textron Fastening Systems has extended its range of Rivscrew blind fasteners with the addition of a coarse threader version for use in plastics. Rivscrew blind fasteners are unique in that they can be removed and reused using an Easy-Out tool...

New ABB drive. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... ABB's latest AC drive brings greater performance easter commissioning and simpler programming allowing the drive to be used in a wide range of applications. Called the ACS 800 the size has been significantly reduced, with for instance the 165KW...

Circuit breaker. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... E-T-A has introduced a 110V DC version of one of its magnetic circuit breakers -- its precise and dependable protection of sophisticated systems make it particularly suitable for rail and telecommunications applications. The modified version is...

Keller transducer. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Keller's latest Series 21SC pressure transducer has been designed for the demanding world of autosport. With it's very low mass and construction to withstand the tough conditions, the transducer is ideal for measuring engine, brake and gearbox...

Gas trap. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... A unique device for removing in-line gas and air bubbles in laboratory tubing is now available from Omnifit. Manufactured from inert PEEK or PTFE material, this timesaving device prevents errors that can be caused by gas bubbles in the flow...

Fascia panels. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... With the new Profil range of fascia panels from Telemecanique, a brand of Schneider Electric, designing and producing attractive operator stations for building into machines is fast, straightforward and inexpensive. Profil fascia panels feature...

LED measurement. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... The LH-50 Series of High Precision Measurement Sensors is an LED-based system that offers the same measurement performance as a Class 1 or 2 laser-based system. This eliminates any concerns about optical safety, which is one of the issues...

Keyence dual digital. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Digital fibreoptic sensors have taken a giant leap forward with the introduction of Keyenc's new FS-V20 series. As well as being the industry's first to incorporate a dual digital display monitor, the new series also includes a host of other...

MKS release. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... MKS instruments UK Ltd announces the release of a new line of components for biopharmaceutical applications from the HPS product group. HPS Series 25 BioPharm Fittings are a new line of clamp fittings and buttweld components designed and...

A friendly initiative. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... SI Pressure Instruments, a leading manufacturer of Portable Calibration Instruments and associated equipment has introduced a new customer friendly initiative. It includes a 20% trade in offer 'new for old', and an extended warranty period of...

Okura's solution. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... Okura Automatic was recently commissioned by Denso Manufacturing UK to provide a solution to its production process of Automotive equipment. The task Involved providing a conveyor solution that mirrored Denso's current manufacturing philosophy...

Guided missile. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... A contract for an integrated motion system to be employed as part of a guided missile simulation facility has been awarded to Heason Technologies by MBDA (UK), a joint venture company between BAe Systems, Finnmeccanica & EAD. The Antenna...

David Brown series M. (Marketplace).
June 1, 2002... A new range of 4 single stage in-line geared motors and speed reducers has been launched by David Brown Engineering to provide rugged and cost effective long service with a ratio range of 1.2/1 to 1.811. The Series M single stage units have...

Optical quality. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... The new stereomicroscopes being introduced by Carl Zeiss bring optical quality to the budget price range. The new DR models add to the already available Stemi DV4 but offer a tower starting price. No compromise has been made in build quality...

IFM products. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... New additions to the range of products available from sensing and control expert, IFM Electronic, mean that the company is now able to offer innovative and money-saving solutions for virtually every application in conveying and mechanical...

New Rittal workstations. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Rittal's new Industrial Workstations bring the 'desk into the factory' adding a new dimension to the interface between man and machine. The supporting floor enclosure provides space for production folders, writing utensils, tools and other...

Conveyor sense. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Sensors designed specifically for conveyor systems form part of the large range of optical devices developed by TAKEX. The series consists of a pre-wireable modular base unit where the sensing element can be removed prior to shipping to prevent...

New free INA guide. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... A new guide giving recommended combinations of radial insert ball bearings and housings can be obtained free of charge from INA. Publication TPI 106 outlines the features and selection of the large range of housed bearing units manufactured...

Donati drives. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Materials handling specialist, Donati, has added new drive units to its product range. Designated the DGR series, the wheel assembly running units are suitable for the movement of track mounted materials handling systems, including hoists,...

New chairman. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Members of GAMBICA, the trade association for the instrumentation, control and automation industry in the UK, have elected Brian O'Donoghue, strategic Marketing Manager of Sarel, a brand of Schneider Electric, as chairman of the GAMBICA...

Arcoelectric twin-rockers. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... The new 8800 twin rocker series from Arcoelectric has a bezel size of only 21.0mm x 15.0mm and snaps into a panel cut-out of just 19.8mm x 13.5mm (but up to 3.0mm thick). Yet remarkably for a component of such modest dimensions, it houses two...

Transducers. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... To complement its existing range of transducers and instrumentation for the measurement of load, pressure and torque, Applied Measurements Limited now offers a comprehensive series of LVDT displacement transducers with models covering most...

Gary Bale heads Portec. (Marketplace).(advertisement)
June 1, 2002... Gary Bale, has been appointed Managing Director of Portec Rail Products. With over 20 years' experience within the UK materials handling market, Gary will be responsible for continuing the rapid expansion of the group through business...

Crompton Small Motors. (Marketplace).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Crompton Small Motors, the UK's leading manufacturer of small AC electric motors has recently been accredited with certification to the European Environmental Standard ISO1401. The Doncaster business has also recently joined the Inside UK...