Mechanical Engineering-CIME articles from June 2003

Mechanical Engineering-CIME archives from June 2003

Engines of change. (Editorial).(Editorial)
June 1, 2003... At some point in our lives, most of us have owned a Ford. In my case, I opted for a Taurus. A Taurus station wagon with a jump seat, a modern version of what used to be known in the old days as a rumble seat--the definition of which is left to...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... INAPPROPRIATE TOPICS To the Editor: I am deeply troubled that you chose to publish the letter from Paul J. Grosskreuz in the December 2002 issue. I am certainly not an advocate of abortion. It is an issue over which many women have had to...

Who should I choose for my CFD solution?
June 1, 2003... The CFD software from Fluent has enabled us to analyze efficiently and with the required precision, the complex thermal and aerodynamic issues that arose during the continued development of our BR700 aircraft engine within thc existing...

Horn Honk. (News & Notes).
June 1, 2003... Railroad buffs may want to head to Oak Ridge, Tenn., on June 14, for Horn Honk '03, a gathering of locomotive horn collectors and enthusiasts. The Southern Appalachia Railway Museum will be hosting the event for the first time, taking over...

House passes nano R&D bill, 405-19. (News & Notes).
June 1, 2003... The House of Representatives has I passed a bill authorizing more than $700 million for nanotechnology research in fiscal 2004. The bill, H.R. 766, The Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003, passed by a vote of 405 to 19 on May 7,...

Los Alamos management to open for bids. (News & Notes).
June 1, 2003... The Department of Energy will open the management of Los Alamos National Laboratory to competitive bidding in September 2005. The University of California, which has operated the lab since its inception in 1943, will continue to operate it...

U.S. seeks to avert western water Crisis. (News & Notes).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... A new proposal from the U.S. Department of the Interior calls for concentrating current federal resources and expanding research and development in the areas of water conservation and desalination as a means of staving off water conflicts in...

Now that's progress. (News & Notes).(automotive fuel technology)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... A report from the Environmental Protection Agency evaluating light-duty automotive fuel technology from 1975 to 2003 noted a peak of 22.1 mpg in new vehicles in 1987 and 1988. The trend has been downhill since, with model-year 2003 light...

Car plant inhales landfill exhaust. (News & Notes).(BMW Manufacturing Corp)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... BMW Manufacturing Corp. in Spartanburg, S.C., is burning methane gas from a nearby landfill to produce up to 25 percent of its electricity, the company said. A 9 1/2-mile pipeline transports the gas from the Palmetto landfill to four...

Wave Dragon. (Briefly Noted).
June 1, 2003... The Danish wave energy converter Wave Dragon was under deployment when strong winds damaged the fender system between the device's wave reflectors and main platform. The floating wave energy converter is intended to transfer renewable energy...

Informative Graphics Corp. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... A maker of Web publishing and collaboration software applications, Informative Graphics Corp. of Phoenix, has released Brava 4.0, a Java-based view and markup software. It can be used to view and mark up computer-aided design and portable...

MSC.Software Corp. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... MSC.Software Corp. of Los Angeles, a provider of simulation software, has expanded its partnership with nCode International of South-field, Mich., to provide durability and fatigue software tools. nCode International makes durability analysis...

Burning rubber to get wheels made. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Wheel maker American Racing Equipment Inc. of Rancho Dominguez, Calif., will implement product planning technology to help meet the company's aggressive 2003 product introduction schedule, said Andy Paskin, director of product engineering at...

Plant design software to grow this year. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Plant design software and services will grow by 7 percent, to more than $479 million this year, according to the market research and analysis firm Daratech of Cambridge, Mass. Despite a global recession and economic and political...

NIST brings quantum computers closer. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Md., say they've developed a way to increase control of the quantum bits, or qubits, that may some day store and process data using the principles of quantum...

Renault Formula One team uses CAD. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Renault Formula One Team of Enstone, England, recently installed CAD software specifically geared for composite design and manufacturing to help design the composite parts used on its race cars. Because composite materials are strong...

Chrysler goes with fatigue analysis. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Chrsler Group of Auburn Hills, Mich., has implemented new fatigue software that identifies and prioritizes potential automobile durability issues and predicts the life of components and structures used within a vehicle. The Chrysler Group...

Seeing oil inside a rock. (Computing).(Petrobras)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Brazilian oil supplier Petrobras is using medical X-ray technology and visualization software to model oil flow inside the porous rocks of petroleum reservoirs to ensure that oil fields aren't abandoned before oil is fully tapped. Oil fields...

Data acquisition links GM test stations. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... To tie several discrete testing stations into one data analysis environment, General Motors Powertrain, a manufacturer of engines, transmissions, castings, and components for General Motors, has standardized on one data analysis system. ...

Reading CAD files in FEA applications. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Dana Corp.'s commercial vehicles systems group in Kalamazoo, Mich., makes and tests bus and motor home steering axles, drive axles, suspensions, brakes, and other components for the vehicle's original equipment manufacturers. The company...

Music systems maker cuts prototype time. (Computing).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Executives at Bang & Olufsen in truer Denmark, a maker of music systems, televisions, loudspeakers, and telephones, recently announced a new business strategy: more new products and shorter time to market. Though the strategy mirrors the...

AEA Technology. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... CFX, a division of AEA Technology of Waterloo, Ontario, released CFX-5.5, the latest upgrade to its CFD software.

Web4 Inc. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Web4 Inc., a subsidiary of netGuru Inc. of Yorba Linda, Calif., which is an Internet technology and services company, has entered into an alliance with Tekia Corp. of Helsinki, Finland. They will offer a Web-enabled as-is version of Telda's...

Right Hemisphere. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Right Hemisphere of Los Angeles, a provider of visual software, has released its first CAD Module and Granite Module that work with the developer's Deep Exploration and Deep Server. Those two programs repurpose 3-D CAD data for use as...

Harmonic Software Inc. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Harmonic Software Inc. of Seattle, a maker of scientific, engineering, and technical computing software, has released its O-Matrix Run-Time Engine. The software allows the creation of technical computing stand-alone applications. The software...

Algor Inc. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Executives at Algor Inc. of Pittsburgh, a maker of software for mechanical engineers, say that the company's InCAD technology for direct CAD and FEA data exchange now includes associativity for Autodesk Inventor, Pro/Engineer, Solid Edge, and...

Rand Technology Corp. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Rand Technology Corp. of Mississauga, Ontario, has implemented an upgraded new group of services for companies implementing the CAD software and collaboration software Pro/Engineer from PTC of Waltham, Mass.

Autodesk Inc. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... CAD maker Autodesk Inc. of San Rafael, Calif., has released its Autodesk Inventor Series 7 software, the latest version of the developer's application for 3-D design. It will also shortly release its Autodesk Streamline 5 manufacturing...

CNC Software. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... CAM maker CNC Software of Tolland, Conn., has released Mastercam Version 9.1, which includes features designed to simplify complex processes, improve speed, and expand shop capabilities.

Solid modeling. (Software Exchange).
June 1, 2003... Capability: Both TurboCAD and TurboCAD Professional have been upgraded to version 9, which includes incorporation of the latest version three-dimensional ACIS solid modeling engine, improved facet editing as compared to past versions, and the...

Scientific graphing in Excel. (Software Exchange).
June 1, 2003... Capability: XLProPlot is a scientific graphing software application for scientists and engineers who use the Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic for Applications software programs. With the application, users don't have to switch between packages...

Numerical simulation. (Software Exchange).
June 1, 2003... Capability: Foam is a program that simulates various aspects of engineering mechanics, such as fluid flow at all speeds, multiphase and free-surface flow, combustion, turbulence, heat transfer, solid dynamics, electro-magnetics, and...

Industrial design for students. (Software Exchange).
June 1, 2003... Capability: Alias Studio Personal Learning Edition gives access to a large portion of the developer's computer-aided industrial design tools. The limited program is useful for students, beginning digital designers, and industrial designers. The...

Slugs in line. (Technology Focus).(pipelines)
June 1, 2003... Offshore drillers often use a single pipeline to carry a mix of liquid hydrocarbons, gas, and water from satellite wells to a central production platform. Using a single pipeline is cheaper, but the flow of liquid and gas can cause...

Flagging flappers. (Technology Focus).
June 1, 2003... Whatever method of inspecting labels a packaging line uses, it has to be done fast and done right. People must be able to read what's in the can, and the cans have to look good in the store. Labels have to make it onto the right containers,...

Tire check. (Technology Focus).
June 1, 2003... Machine-vision maker LMI Selcom of Detroit and Commercial Time-haring Inc. of Akron, Ohio, have formed a partnership to bring laser sensors to the sidewall inspection machines used in tire manufacturing. According to CTI president Ron...

Oil-field mud watch without wires. (Technology Focus).
June 1, 2003... Oil drilling contractors need a constant feed of information about operations they can't see. A driller will look for hints by keeping tabs on the tanks known as mud pits, for instance. During a drilling operation, mud and water are pumped...

Keeping water pure. (Technology Focus).
June 1, 2003... Water monitoring is typically a manual endeavor, in which water samples are collected in the field and analyzed back at the laboratory. It is an important function that ensures a pure water supply. It is also expensive and time-consuming, and...

Tracking sticky chemicals in tests. (Technology Focus).
June 1, 2003... Chemicals known as semi-volatiles are present in diesel fuels, pesticides, and herbicides, and also could be used to produce chemical weapons. They are the sort of thing that people need to keep a close eye on, in order to handle them safely....

A second go-around for the energy bill. (Washington Window).
June 1, 2003... After an arduous fight at the end of the 107th Congress last December turned out to be for naught, the House and Senate are again working on separate comprehensive energy bills. Last year, House and Senate conferees were unable to agree on...

FEA tool upgrade. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... NORAN ENGINEERING INC., Los ALAMITOS, CALIF. NE/Nastran V8.2 is the company's latest upgrade of its finite element analysis tool for engineers in a variety of disciplines. It adds a next--generation Lanczos eigensolver based on the same...

Powerful micromotor. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... FAULHABER GROUP, MICROMO ELECTRONICS INC., CLEARWATER, PLA. The 06 Series of micromotors is small and light, but powerful. The iron less dc 0615 is 6 mm in diameter, 15 mm long, and weighs 2 grams. It is available in 1.5, 3, and 4 volts, with a...

Single port serial to USB adaptors. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. The OMG-USB-232-1 and OMG-USB-485-1 USB to serial I/O adaptors provide a single USB to RS-232 serial port (OMG-USB-232-1) or a single USB to RS-422/485/530 serial port (OMG-USB-485-1), providing USB...

Torque measurement system. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... TRANSDUCER TECHNIQUES INC., TEMECULA, CALIF. This system combination is made up of the TRT (the low-capacity, general purpose reaction torque sensor) and the PHM-100 portable handheld transducer indicator. This system is suitable for a variety...

Heavy-duty slide. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... ACCURIDE INTERNATIONAL INC., SANTA FE SPRINGS, CALIF. The company's 3832 heavy-duty self-closing slide, with its stronger pull force, is suitable for mobile applications subjected to harsh load conditions such as vibration or impact. The new...

Seal-leak detection system. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... BENTLY NEVADA, MINDEN, NEV. The Seal-Leak Detection system is designed to detect seal leaks on process pumps in refineries and chemical plants. Because many of these machines handle hazardous or flammable materials, uncontrolled seal failures...

Direct drive compressors. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... KAESER COMPRESSORS, FREDERICKSBURG, VA. The ASD Series of direct drive rotary screw compressors features 25- to 40-hp units available in flows from 72 to 166 cfm and pressures to 217 psig. They are designed for efficiency, reliability, and...

Pneumatic clamps. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... DE-STA-CO INDUSTRIES, MADISON HTS., MICH. A new family of clamps--Models 8021, 8071, and 8101--was created to withstand dirty workholding environments. The fully enclosed, pneumatic hold-down clamps were designed with applications such as spot...

Volumetric feeder. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... VIBRA SCREW INC., TOTOWA, N.J. The AccuFeed vibrating volumetric feeder is for low-cost precision feeding of water and wastewater treatment chemicals. Available in sizes from 1 to 6 in. screw diameters and feed capacities from 2.8 to over...

Pressure sensors. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... SILICON MICROSTRUCTURES INC., MILPITAS, CALIF. Two new pressure sensors, the 5M5415 and the 5M5455, use the company's MEMS-based piezoresistive pressure sensor element in a small footprint single inline package. These units are available in...

Pool dehumidifiers. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... DECTRON INTERNATIONALE, ROSWELL, GA. The SupervisAire microprocessor-based monitor/controller has been introduced for Dry-O-Thon heat recovering indoor swimming pool dehumidifiers. The SupervisAire is available on larger models in six different...

Cable reel. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... HANNAY REELS INC., WESTERLO, N.Y. The CR1600 direct crank rewind cable reel offers live connection of power cable for direct wiring to a collector ring assembly for continuous current during cable payout and rewind. The reel has a standard...

Air filter housings. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... CAMFIL FARR, RIVERDALE, N.J. The company's GB Series of bag in/bag out air filter housings contains hazardous airborne contaminants. The housings use a PVC bag enclosure system to ensure capture of airborne contaminants during filter service,...

Polyurethane tubing. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... NEWAGE INDUSTRIES INC., SOUTHAMPTON, PA. Superthane is a brand of transparent polyurethane tubing that offers durability, chemical resistance, and strong weathering characteristics. It is suitable for a wide variety of applications, including...

Industrial pressure transmitters. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... DRUCK INC., NEW FAIRFIELD, CONN. The PTX 7200 Series of rugged industrial pressure transmitters combines modular design with advances in ASIC technology and surface mount electronics. This provides a lightweight, reliable, and cost--effective...

Digital manometer. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... YOKOGAWA CORP. OF AMERICA, NEWNAN, GA. The MT200 Series digital manometers have been designed with emphasis on high performance, precision pressure measurements with a basic accuracy of 0.01 percent of reading. They have high accuracy and...

Powerline filter. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... EMISSION CONTROL LTD., BUTLER, WIs. The FL Series EMI filter provides protection from conducted electronic noise in three--phase applications from 100 to 300 amps. Suitable for requirements including inverters, variable speed motor drives, RF...

Pressure gauge and transmitter. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... VESPO MARKETING ASSOCIATES INC., THOMPSON RIDGE, N.Y. The 700 Plus transmitter gauge is designed to provide both local and remote pressure readings through the integration of an independent pressure transmitter to the pressure gauge. It has a...

Measurement unit. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... BEI SYSTRON DONNER INERTIAL DIVISION, BEI TECHNOLOGIES INC., CONCORD, CALIF. The digital quartz inertial measurement unit is suitable for guidance, navigation, and control for commercial, aerospace, and defense applications. Specific...

Digital panel meter. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... SELCO PRODUCTS CO., ORANGE, CALIF. The A5000 digital panel meter has a modular design that uses interchangeable PC boards to provide a selection of seven output choices and 18 input choices. Since the modules are factory set via DIP switch,...

Clean process ovens. (New Products).
June 1, 2003... DESPATCH INDUSTRIES, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. The company is offering its first clean process ovens to have a 350[degrees]C (662[degrees]F) maximum operating temperature while maintaining Class 100 conditions throughout the entire process cycle. The...

Stacking up: efficiency on a small scale and a means of curbing emissions make fuel cells an investment for the future. (Feature Focus: Advanced Energy Systems).
June 1, 2003... A fuel cell has made it into Yale. This summer, the university will fire up a new 250-watt fuel cell system, which will meet about a quarter of the electricity needs of the school's Environmental Sciences Building. The installation is...

Tracking fusion; a rich energy source with low-level waste products: it's a goal researchers continue to chase. (Feature Focus: Advanced Energy Systems).
June 1, 2003... Researchers have hunted for the keys to fusion energy for 50 years, and they may need 50 more. The lure that keeps them on the chase is summed up in five words by Richard Hawryluk, deputy director of the Princeton Plasma Physics...

Too much information: organizing information--after gathering it in the first place--is the key to actually using it.
June 1, 2003... as anyone with a Web browser and a little Internet-surfing experience knows, saying there's a lot of information floating around out there is like saying the ocean is a little bit wet. Tracking down the specifics of any given topic at a...

Rebuilding Iraq: now that soldiers have finished the bulk of their work, it's time for engineers to take over the task of turning Iraq back into a habitable country.
June 1, 2003... Now that President Bush has announced that the major military effort in Iraq has come to a close, it's time to start rebuilding a country decimated by war and years of governmental neglect. "From a reconstruction perspective, today is Day...

Under the Capitol dome: that may look like marble, but looks can be deceiving.
June 1, 2003... ANYONE FORTUNATE ENOUGH to accompany a member of Congress on an expedition to the inside of the Capitol dome will see that what looks like a classical stone structure is, in fact, a product of high-grade 19th-century engineering. It is...

The telltale heart: for those whose natural hearts are no longer up to the task, mechanical devices called LVADs are real life-savers.
June 1, 2003... at its most basic, the heart is simply a pump. But, for nearly 4,000 Americans per year, that pump has broken down beyond repair. For those people, the best solution is a heart transplant. According to the American Heart Association, only about...

Sensortechnics: pressure sensors and transducers. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Featured are fully signal conditioned sensors, industrial transducers, high purity transmitters, submersible transmitters and much more. All products are based on high-quality piezoresistive silicon sensors. Non-standard calibrations, fittings,...

Bolted joint evaluation software. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... BoltFAST consists of three distinct components: Joint Analysis, Torque Analysis and Thread Analysis. By combining a large database of fastener and interface materials and their physical characteristics, BoltFAST allows the engineer to quickly...

Load/force transducers. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Catalog describes a complete line of force transducers manufactured by Strainsert. Transducers include: flat load cells, tension and compression from 250 to 2 million pounds; clevis pins with 0-10 vdc and 4-20 ma outputs; tension links up to...

Low-cost position feedback pots. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... 100,000,000 Revolutions / Strokes Minimum Some Applications * Actuators * Robotic joints * Motor feedback * Directional sensing * Valve positioning * Instruments * Engine controls JDK's process produces...

Film indicates stress distribution. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Pressurex[R] enables you to quickly and inexpensively determine force distribution and magnitude between contacting surfaces. Microcapsules within the film burst at specific pressure levels and cause an instantaneous color change, producing a...

High-speed rotating machinery & fluid recirculating systems. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... We design high-performance AC motors and integrated systems in power levels from fractional to 800 hp at speeds from 50K rpm to 15K rpm. We design and Integrate cooling, lube and control systems with local or remote operation capability. Use of...

Simplify linear motion design, setup, operation. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Amacoil/Uhing linear motion assemblies for positioning, indexing, scanning, winding, x-y table movement, cutting, grinding, other applications. Smooth shaft -- no clogging. Drive head travel direction automatically, instantaneously reversible...

Rotating electrical connectors. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Liquid metal wetted connectors are superior to conventional slip rings and feature sealed ball bearing construction. Durable, compact connectors otter increased reliability, low electrical noise and less than 1 milliohm resistance. Ideal for...

Andantex introduces Web tension control system. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Now available from Andantex USA, the DGT 2000 by Merobel is retrofittable for most printing, paper & converting equipment. The package includes a full range of sensors along with Merobel's electromagnetic particle brakes & clutches, has...

Advanced 3D for AutoCAD. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... * Constraint-free parametric solid modeling * QuickDraw automatic 20 drawing generation * RealView advanced visualization tools * Runs inside of AufoCAD (800) 255-5130 www.autosolids.com AUTOSOLIDS, INC. Circle...

NE/Nastran V8.2 adds new state-of-the-art eigensolver. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... NE/Nastran V8.2 adds a next-generation, PCGLSS Lanczos elgensolver. The new eigensolver is over 10 times faster than typical solvers and delivers performance gains in normal modes and dynamic response analysis. Other improvements include creep...

CAEPIPE-the new standard piping stress analysis software. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Once again, CAEPIPE pushes the limits. The new Windows program is comprehensive, usable and efficient. View data simultaneously through multiple windows for input, details, graphics, and results. Unmatched rendering for graphics visualization...

Storm/CFD2000-CFD software free trial with full functionality. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... All flow speeds, heat transfer, advanced chemistry, multi-phase, and FSI. Easily customizable BCs and equation source terms. (800) 326-5155; sales@adaptive-research.com. www.adaptive-research.com ADAPTIVE RESEARCH Circle 316

API 650/653 TANK design. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Brochure describes TANK, COADE's software for the design and evaluation of welded steel oil storage tanks in accordance with API Standards 650 and 653. TANK calculates shell course thickness for new tanks and allowable liquid height in existing...

Gridgen reliable CFD meshing. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... Gridgen is reliable software for making hybrid CED meshes, It is known for its ease-of-use, high-quality grids and expert technical support. Use it to create triangular, quadrilateral, prismatic, tetrahedral, pyramidal, and hexahedral cells in...

ANSYS release 7.0. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... ANSYS 7.0 offers a host of brand-new simulation capabilities, including: * Tools for nonlinear diagnostics * Layered thermal shell elements * Point/edge-to-surface contact element * Fluid/Solid Interaction (FSI) capability ...

OMEGALUX Complete Electric Heaters Handbook and Encyclopedia[TM]. (The Resource File).
June 1, 2003... OMEGALUX Complete Electric Heaters Handbook and Encyclopedia[TM] offers equipment for thousands of industrial and lab, electric heating and temperature control applications. Over 1,000 color pages present heating cables, strip, cartridge,...