Mechanical Engineering-CIME articles from August 2007

Mechanical Engineering-CIME archives from August 2007

Opportunities and challenges.(editorial)(Editorial)
August 1, 2007... If physics professor-turned-lawyer Sir William Robert Grove is recognized as the "father of the fuel cell," then Francis Thomas Bacon, a century later, in the mid-1900s, became the technology's guru. Bacon shepherded the first practical...

Gender issues.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... To The Editor: In response to Henry Borger, grandfather of 13, who suggests that we as a society should cease "any effort to force equalization" because it "would be unfair to women and the profession" (Letters, May): As I read the letter...

Where the brains are.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... To the Editor: I just finished reading the May issue of ME magazine, and I am a little concerned about something. The article "Brain Drain" talks about how many Ph.D. students are being produced by the U.S. compared to India and China, and...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
August 1, 2007... An article, "Hip New World," in the October 2006 issue contained an inaccurate reference to carbon-reinforced PEEK as a material for medical implants. It was another carbon-reinforced polymer that was found to degrade in the human body. PEEK...

New C&S committee seeks members.(news & notes)(ASME Codes and Standards committee)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... A newly formed ASME Codes and Standards committee on steam surface condensers is seeking members to take part in a revision of a standard last issued in 1998. The standard, PTC 12.2, has protocols for testing steam surface condensers. Jack...

Nanotubular gains.(news & notes)
August 1, 2007... If carbon nanotubes are going to be the industrial material of the future--and many experts believe they will be--then engineers need to have a better handle on what, exactly, they can do and how, precisely, designers are going to work with...

ASME fellow receives top science medal.(news & notes)(American Society of Mechanical Engineers)(Jan D. Achenbach gets National Medal of Science )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... An ASME Fellow, Jan D. Achenbach, has received the National Medal of Science from the National Science Foundation and President Bush. Achenbach holds two professorships in three departments at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He is...

Computer institute expands modeling.(news & notes)
August 1, 2007... Southwest Research Institute has opened an office in Minnesota to enhance its computational capabilities in evaluating the dynamic response of materials and structures to impact and explosive loading. The Computational Mechanics office is...

New ASME president.(news & notes)(Sam Y. Zamrik joins American Society of Mechanical Engineers )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Sam Y. Zamrik, a 34-year member, became ASME 126th president on July 1. A resident of State College, Pa., where he is a professor emeritus of engineering mechanics at The Pennsylvania State University, Zamrik is a recognized technical authority...

The Timken Co. will supply JSW Steel Ltd.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Timken Co. will supply JSW Steel Ltd. of India with bearings for a new cold-rolling steel mill and will provide its Milltec rolling mill maintenance services after construction is completed. The contract for bearings is worth $1 million,...

Ricardo plc of Van Buren Twp., Mich., has concluded an agreement with Sinotruk.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Ricardo plc of Van Buren Twp., Mich., has concluded an agreement with Sinotruk, China's biggest heavy-duty truck manufacturer, which will enable Ricardo to provide engineering support to Sinotruk. The signing ceremony took place at Sinotruk's...

Flowserve Corp.(Briefly Noted)(research and development facility for valves is opened)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Flowserve Corp. of Dallas has opened a research and development facility for valves, the Flow Control Engineering Center, in Bangalore, India. The company has two other engineering centers in India, one for pumps and one for seals.

Brammo Motorsports.(Briefly Noted)(plug in electric motorcycle launched)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Brammo Motorsports of Ashland, Ore., has announced the Enertia, which the company calls "the world's first production, zero-emissions, and battery-powered plug-in electric motorcycle." The Enertia which can go 50 mph, has a range of 45 miles...

Engineered Design Solutions.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Engineered Design Solutions of Rockford, III., has released DwgGrid for AutoCAD, a Windows Explorer-like browser for all AutoCAD type files.

MSC. Software Corp.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... MSC. Software Corp. of Santa Ana, Calif., has updated its core computer-aided engineering product suite, including Adams, MSC Nastran, Patran, Marc, and Dytran.

Caspian International Oil Corp.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Houston-based Caspian International Oil Corp. announced its 2007 work plan for its northwest Zhetybai oil field. It is located in the Mangistau region of western Kazakhstan, and will include drilling a new 3,500-meter appraisal well upon the...

DuPont, NASA sign agreement.(news & notes)(E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... DuPont has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to jointly develop urethane foam insulation reinforced with DuPont Kevlar fiber for use in a variety of future spacecraft, including the new launch vehicle being designed to replace the Space...

U.S. plant to build Chinese trucks.(news & notes)
August 1, 2007... Tiger Truck LLC, a Dallas-based company, has announced its first assembly plant in the United States for vehicles designed by ChangAn Automobile Group, China's third largest vehicle manufacturer. The plant will be in Poteau, Okla., just across...

Adding megawatts.(news & notes )(Navasota Holdings Texas Partners LP)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... A Texas energy development company completing two 550-megawatt power plants has filed for permits to expand them both to produce another 275 MW each. The parent company, Navasota Holdings Texas Partners LP in Houston, said the plants operate on...

Continental presses China growth.(news & notes)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Automotive Systems Division of international automotive supplier Continental AG plans to build a dedicated engineering center in Shanghai. The new engineering center will be composed of two facilities: an office site with design and...

Smooth ride.(computing)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... ATHLETES GET OBSESSED WITH their equipment. And with good reason. The style of ski or bike they use can mean the difference between winning and losing in split-second finishes. "Innovation is paramount in this industry," said Roland Alonzo, who...

Human model.(computing)(Zygote Media Group Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... ONE MEDICAL MODELING COMPANY uses CAD software to make sure its models are anatomically correct--down to the smallest detail. The company, Zygote Media Group of Lindon, Utah, builds and sells detailed 3-D models of the human body that are...

Joints in a crash.(computing)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... COMPUTER SIMULATIONS CAN BE cheaper than crash tests, but they do have a downside. According to Silke Sommer, a researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Freiburg, Germany, conventional simulations don't fully...

What lies ahead.(computing)(Purdue University developed terrain robots)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... BY MAKING EDUCATED GUESSES about how best to traverse unfamiliar terrain, robots developed at Purdue University were able to cut their navigation time. Robots often rely entirely on sensors to guide them. But the sensors are sometimes...

What's round and smart?(computing)(wheel made by PML Flightlink Ltd.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... CONVENTIONAL WISDOM HOLDS that you can't reinvent the wheel. But a wheel's intelligence is an altogether different case. Scientists at the University of Portsmouth in England are at work on auto wheels that automatically adjust their ride...

A smaller wheelchair.(computing)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH disabilities are too small to sit in a powered wheelchair, which they often can't operate properly anyway. But they still need a way to get around. Medical Engineering Resources Unit, a charitable organization in...

Jet through water.(computing)(Hawkes Ocean Technologies of San Francisco developed submarines)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... WHEN THEY ARE PERFECTED, some small submarines will move through water as a jet moves through air. For the past decade, Hawkes Ocean Technologies of San Francisco has been at work on a class of small, maneuverable submarines that can be...

Machine tool supercomputer.(computing)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... MACHINE TOOLS TEND TO HEAT UP after they've been running several hours. That can affect their accuracy and makes designing them very tricky. Mori Seiki Co. Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan, has enlisted the aid of a supercomputer to help speed its...

Algor Inc. of Pittsburgh is now an Autodesk inventor 2008.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Algor Inc. of Pittsburgh is now an Autodesk Inventor 2008 certified application that operates in tandem with Inventor.

Ledas Ltd.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Ledas Ltd. of Novosibirsk, Russia, has released an upgraded version of its 2-D geometric solver, LGS 2D 2.0.

Vistagy Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Vistagy Inc. of Waltham, Mass., has upgraded its Seat Design Environment to 2.0. The 3-D development environment is tailored specifically to the design and manufacture of seats for the transportation interiors industry.

Wolfram research.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Wolfram Research of Champaign, III., is shipping its Parallel Computing Toolkit 2.1 software for those using Mathematica and more than one processor.

Centric Software.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Centric Software of San Jose, Calif., has released Centric Product Sourcing, which helps manage new product sourcing, including supplier lifecycle management.

Applied PLM Solutions.(Briefly Noted)(Ramsis is introduced)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Applied PLM Solutions of Leicestershire, England, is now selling its anthropometric software, Ramsis, in England. The software is a 3-D CAD ergonomics tool, which was designed in cooperation with the German automobile industry for the...

MSC. Software Corp.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... MSC.Software Corp. of Santa Ana, Calif., has released SimEnterprise R2, an enterprise simulation application that includes the develop er's SimXpert, SimDesigner, and SimManager applications.

DotSoft.(Briefly Noted)(XL2CAD inroduced)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... DotSoft of Ewing, Ky., has a new release of its spreadsheet import tool, XL2CAD. The product adds support for Windows Vista, AutoCAD 2008, and Excel 2007.

Sofelec.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Sofelec of Munich, Germany, has released VPindex, which allows hundreds of scanned drawings or 2-D CAD flies to be indexed and saved to a database.

CADgasm.tk.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... CADgasm.tk of Bakersfield, Calif., has released CADgasm, which is an AutoCAD program that helps with many aspects of drafting, including dimensioning, annotation, and commenting.

LMS.(Briefly Noted)(LMS International N.V. introduced LMS Virtual)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... LMS of Leuven, Belgium, is shipping LMS Virtual. Lab Fast Trim, a modeling and simulation program that assesses the acoustic behavior of multilayer acoustic trim panels.

Seemage Inc.(Briefly Noted)
August 1, 2007... Seemage Inc. of Newton, Mass., has released Seemage 4.2, which produces product documentation and service procedures from 3-D CAD systems.

Quick what-if.(software exchange)
August 1, 2007... Capability: TurboCAD Professional, version 14 includes an improved part tree function that suppresses an operation and delays an update while the user runs a quick what-if scenario. Portions of the part tree can also be hidden for re-rendering....

Batch printing.(software exchange)
August 1, 2007... Capability: Slick! ViewPlus version 2 is useful for printing and viewing of AutoCAD files and other raster file formats. It allows for batch printing of all supported formats to both local and networked printers and for batch printing of...

Looking good.(software exchange)
August 1, 2007... Capability: Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design premium and standard editions and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web premium and standard editions allow for Web, page layout, and interactive design. The premium edition includes features for print, Web,...

Your design here.(software exchange)
August 1, 2007... Capability: Alibre 3D Publisher for Google SketchUp is an add-on for the developer's Alibre Design product line. A 3-D model from any CAD system can be exported in an industry standard format to Google SketchUp, edited, and uploaded to Google...

How's it running?(software exchange)
August 1, 2007... Capability: Those with systems running SolidWorks 2007 can check system performance using SPECapc for SolidWorks 2007. The software--created in cooperation with developer SolidWorks Corp.--represents typical user operations to evaluate system...

Belting water out.(technology focus: FLUID HANDLING AND FLUID POWER)
August 1, 2007... Flue gas desulfurization is one of the technologies that have helped clear the air. A power plant burning lignite can churn out 600 to 3,500 mg of sulfur dioxide for every cubic meter of exhaust gas. But that potential contribution to acid rain...

Nuclear expansion.(technology focus: FLUID HANDLING AND FLUID POWER)(Weir Valves & Controls UK)
August 1, 2007... A valve manufacturer in Massachusetts is moving into a newer and larger factory to prepare for increased demand from the nuclear power industry. The manufacturer, Weir Valves & Controls USA, in Salem, Mass., is moving its nuclear valve...

Unexpected efficiency.(technology focus: FLUID HANDLING AND FLUID POWER)(Bronswerk Heat Transfer BV designed air-cooled cooler systems and fans )
August 1, 2007... Sometimes an unexpected outcome of a project can have far-flung implications. When a Dutch manufacturer set out to develop a new air-cooled cooler and fan that ran quieter, the company's engineers were surprised by the improvement they got. The...

Growing interest in algae.(technology focus: FLUID HANDLING AND FLUID POWER)
August 1, 2007... A developer of advanced technology ranging from unpiloted aircraft to nuclear radiation monitoring systems wants to be a partner in a not-for-profit group's experiment in growing algae as a source of motor fuel. The company, General...

Rethinking the matter diaphragm pumps.(technology focus: FLUID HANDLING AND FLUID POWER)
August 1, 2007... Funny how engineers can keep improving a well-characterized product. Take the diaphragm pump, for example, which uses the displacement of a membrane to move air or liquids. It has been around since 1880, but engineers keep finding ways to make...

Filtered water supply.(technology focus: FLUID HANDLING AND FLUID POWER)
August 1, 2007... The city of Waxahachie, Texas, has teamed with a neighboring utility district to prepare for water demands of the future. Waxahachie and its partner, Rockett Special Utility District, are taking bids for a new water treatment plant that, at...

Power points: nanoscale materials may soon revolutionize energy storage.(FOCUS ON NANOTECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2007... But if you go to Lowe's or Home Depot, you might actually be able to do it. In the power tool aisle, pick up a cordless drill or saw from DeWalt and there might well be a futuristic batter pack attached--a battery that promises greater power,...

Korea's nano future: halfway through an ambitious 10-year plan, South Korea is making strides in nanotech.(FOCUS ON NANOTECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2007... It's hard to remember now, but the Republic of Korea was once a largely agricultural nation. In the 1960s, about a decade after the ravages of the Korean War, the per capita income in Korea was just $79 a year. The Korean economy was one of the...

Good conduct: a researcher says that a new membrane textured on the nanoscale will let fuel cells triple the current they can carry.(FOCUS ON NANOTECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2007... THE WORLD IS FLAT. The world of the fuel cell, that is. For years, the technology has held out the promise of a future with a more efficient and environmentally friendly source of energy. Laptops, automobiles, and space stations, we've been...

Design in virtual space: the vantage point of the computer is giving designers ever-deeper insights into their craft.
August 1, 2007... We rarely hear the word "cyberspace" anymore. Remember? It took the world y storm for a while several years ago and then, like a hurricane, blew out to sea. Maybe as a society we wore it out. It was truly evocative, though. The term was...

Time to flight: remodeling the avionics in hundreds of C-130s can't be done in a day, or a year. A manufacturer is working to speed things up.
August 1, 2007... One of the basic tools used in the defense of the United States is the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. Flown by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, the ruggedly built Hercules has been adapted for low-level attacks, close-in...

Preform epoxy.(new products)
August 1, 2007... MULTI-SEALS INC., MANCHESTER. CONN. Uni-form epoxy is an alternative to liquid epoxy for high-volume, high-quality epoxy sealing applications. These preforms are one-part epoxy resins that are solid at room temperature. When heated, they melt...

Heather kit.(new products)
August 1, 2007... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. The Kapton heater kit has thin, flexible heaters with adhesive backing so they conform to almost any flat or curved surface. With an etched foil design and constructed in 15 different shapes, this...

Transformer oil pumps.(new products)
August 1, 2007... UNIFIN INTERNATIONAL, LONDON. ONTARIO. Unifin's line of transformer oil pumps is manufactured under the company's Cardinal brand. To meet the extreme temperature requirements, the pumps are rated for continuous duty operating temperature ranges...

Linear actuators.(new products)
August 1, 2007... HAYDON SWITCH & INSTRUMENT INC., WATERBURY, CONN. Size 11 hybrid linear actuators are now available with an integrated connector. Offered alone or with a harness assembly, this connector is RoHS compliant and features a positive latch for high...

Mount roller bearing.(new products)
August 1, 2007... REXNORD INDUSTRIES LLC, MILWAUKEE, WIS. The 6000 Series Shurlok adapter mount roller bearing increases an operation's efficiency and profitability by reducing installation errors, maintenance costs, and downtime, according to the company. The...

Roto resins.(new products)
August 1, 2007... AARDVARK POLYMERS, LAMBERTVlLLE. N.J. The company's additions to its line of next-generation roto resins include an FR nylon with UL94-V0 ratings and its first commercial Aardalloy thermoplastic alloy products. Aarlon 4055FR is a...

Temperature meter.(new products)
August 1, 2007... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. The company's temperature meter has a wide temperature range, two selectable alarm settings, and an internal buzzer that indicates alarm condition or error. The user can define set point, on/off...

Split seal.(new products)
August 1, 2007... FLOWSERVE CORP., DALLAS, TEXAS. The PSS III is the company's next-generation single pressurized split seal. Designed for pumps and mixers, it is suitable for use in paper mills, wastewater treatment facilities, soda ash processing, and light...

Adjustable speed drives.(new products)
August 1, 2007... BALDOR ELECTRIC CO., FORT SMITH. ARK. The V*S line of adjustable speed drives includes two ac high-performance models with powerful processors and advanced designs. Built on the H2 technology platform, the VS1SP sensorless vector drive and...

Signal transmitters.(new products)
August 1, 2007... MOORE INDUSTRIES-INTERNATIONAL INC., NORTH HILLS, CALIF. The THZ2 and TDZ2 family of two-wire, loop-powered smart HART temperature and signal transmitters have input-to-output analog accuracy up to [+ or -]0.014[degrees]C ([+ or...

Linear actuators.(new products)
August 1, 2007... DANAHER MOTION. WOOD DALE. ILL. Thomson ElecTrak Pro linear actuators are a zero-maintenance electromechanical solution with standard features that promise easy installation, superior accuracy, repeatability, reliability, and advanced control...

Linear sensors.(new products)
August 1, 2007... MACRO SENSORS. PENNSAUKEN. N.J. The HSTAP, 750 Series of 3/4-in. (19 mm) diameter ac-operated linear variable differential transformers is composed of hermetically sealed, stainless steel sensors intended for use in environments with high...

Crimping tools.(new products)
August 1, 2007... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. Designed for comfort, Omega's crimping tools have rubber embedded handles and heavy-duty precision ratchet action. The tools are suitable for many electrical and industrial applications, including...

Pneumatic grippers.(new products)
August 1, 2007... FABCO-AIR INC., GAINESVlLLE, FLA. Angular jaw motion pneumatic grippers, in round or square body styles and with bore sizes from 1/2 in. to 2 1/2 in., can grip parts internally with an "open" motion or externally with a "close" motion....

Case drain monitoring.(new products)
August 1, 2007... HEDLAND. RACINE. WlS. Unexpected pump failure can be costly and time-consuming. According to the company, by installing a Hedland direct-reading flow meter on the pump case drain, the user can monitor changes in efficiency by keeping tabs on...

Alignment system.(new products)
August 1, 2007... LUDECA INC., DORAL, FLA. The Optalign smart is a new generation of laser shaft/coupling alignment systems for quick, accurate, and reliable maintenance work on rotating equipment. According to the company, its innovative modular concept allows...

Flow-switch unit.(new products)
August 1, 2007... BRW TECHNOLOGIES. GREENWOOD. S.C. The Torch Saver is a coolant flow-switch package for such welding applications as MIG welding, TIG welding, automatic, robotic, and laser welding. It includes a combination visual flow indicator and flow switch...

Microstepping driver.(new products)
August 1, 2007... INTELLIGENT MOTION SYSTEMS INC., MARLBOROUGH. CONN. The MForce MicroDrive is a very compact microstepping driver. It measures 5 cu. in. (12.7 [cm.sup.3]) and delivers performance and smoothness, using the identical technology as the proven...

Acoustic wave transmitters.(new products)
August 1, 2007... HAWK MEASUREMENT AMERICA, MIDDLETON, MASS. The Sultan Series non-intrusive acoustic wave transmitter has non-contact measurement and low installation costs. It yields accurate and comprehensive results for a range of applications. Designed to...

Break-resistant reflectors.(new products)
August 1, 2007... LEICA GEOSYSTEMS, MIAMISBURG. OHIO. Leica, a Hexagon company, now has high-precision, break-resistant reflectors for use with Leica laser trackers. The reflectors work with all models of the Leica laser tracker in a range up to 40 meters. They...

Temperature/humidity transmitter.(new products)
August 1, 2007... RENSE INSTRUMENTS. DANBURY. CONN. The HT-748 humidity/and temperature transmitter is intended for rugged applications up to 300[degrees]F (150[degrees]C) where a small (5/16-in. diameter) stainless steel probe is required. This sensor offers a...

Right-angle connectors.(new products)
August 1, 2007... MOLEX INC., LISLE, ILL. A new LPH low-profile hybrid right-angle connector is designed to reduce space and lower costs, compared to traditional power interconnects. This hybrid system offers a mixed power and signal contact design, intended to...

Disconnect enclosures.(new products)
August 1, 2007... AUTOMATIONDIRECT, CUMMING, GA. Disconnect enclosures from Hubbell/Wiegmann are NEMA-rated cabinets. They range in size from 20 x 21 x 8 in. wall-mountable to 84 x 197 x 18 in. heavy-duty, free-standing units. A full line of adapter plates and...

Pinch valve.(new products)
August 1, 2007... RED VALVE CO. INC., CARNEGIE. PA. The large-diameter Type A Megaflex pinch valve can be used to handle stormwater overflows. The Megaflex has full-port opening, no moving parts, no external actuator, and the ability to close drop-tight on...

Laser probe.(new products)
August 1, 2007... ROMER INC., WlXOM. MICH. The ScanShark V5 laser probe is a premium addition to the company's portable inspection and reverse engineering systems. A ScanShark system includes Romer's seven-axis Infinite portable CMM, a ScanShark V5 laser...

Machinery monitor.(new products)
August 1, 2007... EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT. KNOXVILLE. TENN. The company now has an innovation for plantwide predictive machinery health monitoring. The CSI XP32 Machinery Health Expert fills the gap between the two-channel portable analyzer and the...

Digital pressure gauge.(new products)
August 1, 2007... AMERICAN SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES INC., MT. OLIVE. N.J. The AccuGauge AG200 is a digital pressure gauge that offers a 4-20 mA output signal with a large LCD display. Using AST's Krystal Bond Technology, the AG200 provides the quality and performance...

Limit controllers.(new products)
August 1, 2007... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. The CN7400 temperature/process limit controllers set new standards in 1/16 DIN limit controls, according to the company. They have universal inputs (10 thermocouple and 4RTD types, voltage and current)....