Mechanical Engineering-CIME articles from June 2004

Mechanical Engineering-CIME archives from June 2004

Winds of change.(editorial)(Editorial)
June 1, 2004... Once I was past the sudden wind gusts that threatened to lift the sand right out of the traps around the 15th hole, the majesty of this golf course, in the desert near Palm Springs, Calif., proved nearly awe-inspiring. During a long...

Humanitarian support.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... To the Editor: The April issue contains Gayle Ehrenman's article, "Engineering With a Conscience," which draws attention to a growing interest among students, faculty, and working engineers to community and service activities, and particularly...

The powering of Polaris.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... To the Editor: In your article "Nuclear Navy," in January, to the section on "Subs Go Ballistic," I would like to add a section. This project was divided into missile system, launch system, and submarine system. Everyone involved realized the...

A bug without a pilot.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... To the Editor: The article "Look, Ma, No Pilot" (November 2003) gives some history of largely unsuccessful pilotless aircraft up through World War II, but strangely it makes no mention at all of one that was unfortunately only too successful....

Watch your engines.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... To the Editor: Jean Thilmany's article in the October 2003 issue about Bob Montgomery's new motorized surfboard points out that this craft has been recently approved by the Coast Guard for U.S. distribution. However, motorized personal...

Flight Pioneer.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... To the Editor: You have published a fine synopsis of the history of the last century of flight, 100 Years of Flight (December 2003), with a great time line and fine pictures, except not a picture or even a footnote giving any distinction to an...

Reservoir rehabilitation completed in Iraq.(news & notes)(Sweet Water Canal reservoir )
June 1, 2004... The U.S. Agency for International Development announced that the rehabilitation of the Sweet Water Canal reservoir in Basrah, Iraq, has been completed. The rehab project, which cost almost $38 million, includes the entire potable water...

We'll see what flies.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Pennsylvania State University engineering professors have developed a flexible truss that one day may enable aircraft wings to change shape in flight. A plane fitted with such morphing wings might shorten them to minimize the fuel used while...

Only on M.E. Magazine Online @ www.memagazine.org.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Responses to the May Question of the Month: Last month, 73 percent of you said you were concerned to some degree about the prospect of global outsourcing. What should be done about it? A new Question of the Month will appear on...

Two-for-one solar.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Proponents of solar energy like to point out that on a sunny day, a typical square foot of ground is bathed in 100 watts of radiation. That figure is a bit misleading, though. Photovoltaic cells that capture this free energy are very...

Water lookalike fights fire.(news & notes)(Tyco Safety Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... It looks like water, feels like water, and puts out fires, but that's where the similarity ends. Tyco Safety Products of Marinette, Wis., says the fluid used in its Sapphire Fire Suppression System won't harm rare artifacts or delicate...

Abaqus Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Abaqus Inc. of Pawtucket, R.I., a maker of finite element analysis software, has released an Abaqus student edition. This FEA software complements the developer's research edition and teaching edition packages.

Timken Co.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Canton, Ohio-based Timken Co. has secured a second delivery order under a $20 million hybrid bearing development contract with the U.S. Air Force. The company will develop anti-friction coatings for aircraft-engine bearings in pursuit of longer...

State of Arizona.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The State of Arizona has formed a task force to track the amount of perchlorate in the water supply, and to create the state's first standard for acceptable levels of the contaminant.

UTI Corp. of Collegeville, Pa., has agreed to acquire Minneapolis-based MedSource Technologies Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... UTI Corp. of Collegeville, Pa., has agreed to acquire Minneapolis-based MedSource Technologies Inc. Both companies provide contract manufacturing, design, and engineering services to the medical device and medical technology markets.

Earth Tech.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Earth Tech of Long Beach, Calif., has signed a $9 million contract to provide design and consulting services for the expansion of a regional wastewater treatment plant in Mississauga, Ontario.

IMSI.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... IMSI of Novato, Calif., which makes computer-aided design and graphics software, will release a simplified Chinese version of TurboCAD Professional version 10.

CD adapco group.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The maker of computational fluid dynamics technology, CD adapco Group of New York, has released STAR CCM+, which is a code for flow analysis.

Rockwell Automation.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Rockwell Automation created the Rockwell Automation Center for Integrated Condition Monitoring in Houston, Texas, as a resource for process and petrochemical manufacturers.

Drew Industries of White Plains, N.Y., a supplier of components for recreational vehicles and mobile homes.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Drew Industries of White Plains, N.Y., a supplier of components for recreational vehicles and mobile homes, acquired Zieman Manufacturing Co. of Whittier, Calif., a manufacturer of specialty trailers and chassis.

The Boeing Co. acquired Irvine, Calif.-based Frontier Systems Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The Boeing Co. acquired Irvine, Calif.-based Frontier Systems Inc., a developer of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Wylie Laboratories Inc. of El Segundo, Calif.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Wylie Laboratories Inc. of El Segundo, Calif., has designed and is building a centrifuge for NASA for use in researching the effects of long-duration space flight on astronauts.

Making sure the flare flames.(computing)(using manufacturing software to improve production of flares)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A SUPPLIER OF DECOY FLARES TO THE U.S. Department of Defense is using multiphysics finite element analysis software to trim its manufacturing costs during production. The flares are designed to draw away heat-seeking missiles by mimicking...

Save your math.(computing)(using engineering mathematics templates)
June 1, 2004... AT LARGE ENGINEERING ORGANIZATIONS, calculations run by one engineer might be useful for others working on similar projects. But how to save math and make sure it's accessible to other engineers? One company, Bechtel Group Inc., the San...

Is everything shipshape?(computing)(product lifecycle software installation at shipyard)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... CRUISE SHIP MANUFACTURER Meyer Werft Shipyard of Papenburg, Germany, has plans to reduce design time by 30 percent, production time by 20 percent, and parts inventory by 50 percent, and to optimize supply chain operation, thanks to its new...

Every move you make.(computing)(human simulation software improves ergonomics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... THE DIGITAL MEN AND WOMEN WORKING the simulated kitchen appliances for Osaka Gas Co. Ltd. of Tokyo are giving engineers vital feedback about human movement. The gas company has installed human-motion simulation technology, which helps...

Taming the paper tiger.(computing)(using document management systems)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... COMPANIES USED TO TALK ABOUT drowning in paper. Now it's more likely to be electronic pages. When Innovative Steam Technologies takes on a project, employees generate hundreds of drawings and documents associated with the job. Of course,...

Pictures of an unbuilt helicopter.(computing)(rendering technology produces computer images)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... IN A BID TO HELP DESIGNERS produce realistic images for salespeople to use in presentations, Westland Helicopters Ltd. of Yeovil, England, has installed a new rendering technology that creates realistic images of helicopter interiors and...

CAM turns around.(trends in CAM software sales)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... LAST YEAR, THE WORLDWIDE MARKET for computer-aided manufacturing software and related services turned around, after having declined for three straight years, according to CIMdata of Ann Arbor, Mich. The strategic consulting firm estimates...

Who sent the spam?(computing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... SICK OF SPAM? Who isn't? Two university researchers say that if you can't stop junk e-mail, you can at least hold the authors accountable. They have devised a scheme that can trace spam senders. The researchers at Pennsylvania State...

Stratasys.(Briefly Noted)(FDM Vantage rapid prototyping system.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The rapid prototyping system maker Stratasys of Minneapolis has released what it calls the Triplets: three variations of its FDM Vantage rapid prototyping system.

Radan Computational.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Radan Computational of Bath, England, has launched Radan 04, the company's CAD and CAM software for sheet metal applications.

MasterGraphics Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... MasterGraphics Inc., a Madison, Wis.-based provider of CAD applications, print room equipment, and reprographic services, announced that president Michael Wilkes and vice president Robert Kraft have acquired the company. Terms were not...

IMSI.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... IMSI of Novato, Calif., a developer of visual content, design, and graphics software, has released TurboCAD version 10.

TA-Sys.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... TA-Sys of Bilbao, Spain, has released Tol-Wizard 2004, tolerance software for users of the SolidWorks CAD program.

Quickparts.com.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Quickparts.com of Atlanta, a provider of custom-manufactured plastic and metal parts, has deployed a patent-pending technology that allows customers to track their order status and shipments in real time for all rapid prototyped projects.

Abaqus Inc. of Pawtucket, R.I., which makes FEA software, has released Abaqus for Catia version 5, version 1.1.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Abaqus Inc. of Pawtucket, R.I., which makes FEA software, has released Abaqus for Carla version 5, version 1.1. The CAD software Catia is made by Dassault Systemes of Paris.

Digital Process Ltd., or Dipro, of Loveland, Ohio, has signed an agreement with Theorem Solutions of Staffordshire, England.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Digital Process Ltd., or Dipro, of Loveland, Ohio, has signed an agreement with Theorem Solutions of Staffordshire, England, to sell Theorem Solutions products in Japan.

Daat Research Corp.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Coolit version 5.55 thermal and flow simulation software has been released by Daat Research Corp. of Hanover, N.H.

Nemetschek North America.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Nemetschek North America of Columbia, Md., has updated its complete line of VectorWorks products to version 11. The tools are for production drafting and modeling.

MITCalc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... MITCalc of Decin, Czech Republic, has released the new version of its mechanical calculations package. The application is a multi-language mechanical and technical calculation package.

CFD for engineering design.(software exchange)
June 1, 2004... Capability: STAR CCM+ is computational fluid dynamics software for engineering design and analysis. A tree-structured graphical interface guides users through setup and analysis. Numerical algorithms include an advanced coupled and segregated...

Energy analysis.(software exchange)
June 1, 2004... Capability: This software application, called Energy Analysis, comprises three programs: a thermodynamic calculator, a device-design performance analyzer, and a system efficiency cost analyzer. The calculator addresses the thermodynamic and...

Educational time trip.(software exchange)
June 1, 2004... Capability: This educational game, intended for middle school and high school students, teaches math, science, physics, and history to students as they time-travel via CD-ROM through a series of three-dimensional, photorealistic environments....

Visuals to software.(software exchange)
June 1, 2004... Capability: Application developers can use the data visualization software Tecplot Edge 2.0 to help users better understand their applications' data. Developers use the software to integrate x-y, two-dimensional, and 3-D plotting capabilities...

Technical diagramming.(software exchange)
June 1, 2004... Capability: Users can create technical diagrams and vector artwork with PC Draft Personal Edition, which is for personal drawing and design. Features include a scaled drawing environment for drawings up to 17 inches square. Included are tools...

Analyzing threats off-site.(Technology focus: instrumentation and control)
June 1, 2004... Firemen, policemen, rescue workers, and other first responders to disaster put their lives on the line. They enter dangerous places, and often do not know the exact nature of a threat that may be waiting inside. The National Nuclear Security...

More spies in the sky.(Technology focus: instrumentation and control)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The next decade could see the launch of as many as 113 dedicated military satellites with a total worth estimated at $47 billion, according to a new market analysis. The report, Western Military Satellites: 2004-2013, predicts that most of the...

GPS takes out the trash.(Technology focus: instrumentation and control)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Charleston, S.C., sits on a peninsula, which is prime real estate for traffic bottlenecks and bridge chokepoints. The congestion can upset the city's schedules for delivering basic services, such as picking up the garbage. According to Mike...

Hunting buried danger.(Technology focus: instrumentation and control)
June 1, 2004... Landmines claim 15,000 to 20,000 victims a year. Half of them die. According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, 80 percent of those people aren't fighters at all, but civilians, and as many as a third of them are children. ...

Split-second fuel injection.(Technology focus: instrumentation and control)
June 1, 2004... Precise timing and volume of fuel injection in the combustion chamber is critical for efficient combustion in diesel engines. It's the aim of the mechanically actuated, electronically controlled fuel injectors that Caterpillar Inc. installs in...

Electronic tongue tastes water contaminants.(Technology focus: instrumentation and control)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Researchers from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena are developing an electronic tongue for use in measuring concentrations of contaminants in water in the parts per million range. The work is being conducted by Martin Buehler...

Research funding isn't what it seems.(washington window)
June 1, 2004... If you looked at only the raw numbers, it would appear as if everything were just hunky-dory in American research-land. The $132 billion proposed by President Bush for research and development spending in fiscal year 2005 is the highest...

What do you know? Employers hire engineers based on the CAD package they know. Or, they don't.(Computer Aided Design)
June 1, 2004... When it comes time for mechanical engineering students to look for their first professional jobs, how much does it count which computer-aided design system they learned in college? Maybe all employer uses a particular type of system and wants...

Another approach to wind: vertical-axis turbines may avoid the limitations of today's standard propeller-like machines.(Advanced Energy Systems)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2004... THE IMAGE OF MODERN WIND TURBINES has finally crept into the public consciousness. At long last, the Dutch windmill and the Great Plains wind-powered water pump have been supplanted by something sleek and futuristic: a tower that is 10, 20,...

From foul to fuel: a new approach to fuel cells turns wastewater into clean water and electricity.(Advanced Energy Systems)
June 1, 2004... Microbial fuel cells are nothing new. Teams from around the world have developed microbial fuel cells that produce electricity as bacteria metabolize glucose, lactate, or acetate. Now researchers from Pennsylvania State University have come up...

No gear is an island ... a system is the sum of all its parts, both good and bad.
June 1, 2004... Most people probably don't give a second thought to the works of a vending machine, as long as it accepts their money, returns the correct change, and gives them what they paid for. When someone deposits money into a vending machine, the...

Exhaust-gas throttle: with the right control, it can boost engine efficiency.
June 1, 2004... Researchers at Kettering University are trying a novel approach to increase the efficiency of diesel engines. By recirculating exhaust gas to the cylinder, they will not only cur down on N[O.sub.X] formation, but if they can keep the exhaust...

Conveyor design.(new products)
June 1, 2004... ALBA MANUFACTURING INC., FAIRFIELD, OHIO. In seeking to fill the gap in mixed size part transport, the company has come out with a chain driven live roller conveyor, or CRLR, design. This design offers five-ton capacity while still handling...

Evaporators.(new products)
June 1, 2004... BALTIMORE AIRCOIL CO., JESSUP, MD. Aircoil evaporators are robustly designed to serve the rigorous operating requirements and extreme environmental conditions of industrial refrigeration applications, as in rood processing, ware housing, and...

Spotlight curing system.(new products)
June 1, 2004... DYMAX CORP., ADAC SYSTEMS, TORRINGTON, CONN. Low cost and high efficiency are the hallmarks of the new ADAC Cure Spot 50 ultraviolet spotlight curing system. This durable light source is low maintenance, easy to use for both lab evaluation or...

Rotary table.(new products)
June 1, 2004... PRECISION INTERNATIONAL CORP., BLOOMFIELD, CONN. The Penico rotary grinding attachment converts surface grinders for rotary work. Its rugged construction makes it suitable for toolrooms and production work achieving a surface flatness of 0.005...

Electropneumatic transducer.(new products)
June 1, 2004... MARSH BELLOFRAM, NEWELL, W. VA. The company developed the Type 2000 I/P and E/P transducers for a variety of applications, and now offers the unit in a new low pressure configuration. This option allows for an input pressure of up to 140 psi,...

Pneumatic torque wrench.(new products)
June 1, 2004... NORBAR TORQUE TOOLS INC., WILLOUGHBY, OHIO. The Model PT52 Pneutorque pneumatic torque wrench, with its compact 2-in.- or 52 mm diameter gearbox and new air motor design, is engineered to be a fast, lightweight tool with smooth, continuous...

Environmental testing.(new products)
June 1, 2004... CONTROL CO., FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS. In one handheld unit, the Enviro-Meter provides an anemometer, humidity meter, light meter, and two thermometers. Its lightweight, compact case permit one-hand operation. A bright LCD digital display allows all...

High-pressure valves.(new products)
June 1, 2004... PETER PAUL ELECTRONICS CO. INC., NEW BRITAIN, CONN. Models H21 and H24 high-pressure valves have a redesigned guide pin that provides high sealability at lower cost. Standard operating pressures are to 2,000 psi (H21) and 1,000 psi (H24), in...

Diaphragm valve.(new products)
June 1, 2004... VALCO INSTRUMENTS CO. INC., HOUSTON. TEXAS. The company, known also as VICI, is introducing a microvolume diaphragm valve, which it says is designed for trouble-free use in applications requiring minimal maintenance and maximum lifetime, as in...

Power film capacitors.(new products)
June 1, 2004... ELECTROCUBE INC., MONROVIA, CALIF. Seacor power film capacitors are designed for power electronics and electrical applications. Key product specifications include multiple film types; ratings up to 2,000 [micro]f, 6,300 volts, 100 amperes,...

Pneumatic connection.(new products)
June 1, 2004... CLIPPARD INSTRUMENT LABORATORY INC., CINCINNATI, OHIO. Minimatic push-quick fittings offer easy tube insertion for quick assembly of-pneumatic circuits. Push-quick fittings provide a simple method of connecting pneumatic components to each...

Wide format scanner.(new products)
June 1, 2004... CONTEX SCANNING TECHNOLOGY INC., ONTARIO, CALIF. The Chameleon Sx 25 wide format scamper, built upon the established Sx technology, incorporates the next generation of state-of-the-art Sx technology for enhanced scan speed, high image quality,...

Block-and-bleed valves.(new products)
June 1, 2004... SWAGELOK CO., SOLON, OHIO. Kenmac Series double block and bleed valves provide a smooth transition from process to instrumentation systems in a single, compact valve assembly. Each one piece forged body incorporates a primary isolation valve...

Angle body piston valve.(new products)
June 1, 2004... PARKER FLUID CONTROL DIVISION, NEW BRITAIN, CONN. The angle body piston valve line has applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, HVAC, and related industrial markets. The line is designed to be versatile and durable,...

Precision actuators.(new products)
June 1, 2004... DANAHER MOTION, MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, OHIO. The company's Thomson TC Series of precision actuators comes in four models: TC2, TC3, TC4, and TC5. The programmable actuators come with a choice of stepper, servo, or dc motor. Typical applications...

Clamp meter.(new products)
June 1, 2004... EXTECH INSTRUMENTS CORP., WALTHAM. MASS. The 40 A clamp meter, Model 200, measures ac current to 400 A, ac/dc voltage to 600 V, and resistance to 20 M[OMEGA]. The compact size allows the meter to be used in tight locations. Measurements are...

Rupture panel.(new products)
June 1, 2004... OSECO INC., BROKEN ARROW, OKLA. The company's gasket-lined rupture panel is used to prevent overpressures, which can cause fires and explosions in piping, compressors, and other pressure vessels. The GL line includes panels suited to grain...

Four-gas detection system.(new products)
June 1, 2004... MSA INSTRUMENT DIVISION, PITTSBURGH, PA. The four-gas wet well monitoring custom system is designed to provide the continuous monitoring and display of four gas concentrations: oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and combustible gas....

Adhesive applicator.(new products)
June 1, 2004... HENKEL LOCTITE CORP., ROCKY HILL, CONN. For manual dispensing applications, Henkel otters the Loctite 50 ml dual cartridge pneumatic applicator, a convenient, cost-effective method of consistently dispensing two-part adhesives. The applicator...

Aerospace locknuts.(new products)
June 1, 2004... SPS TECHNOLOGIES, JENKINTOWN, PA. ESNA aerospace locknuts with nonmetallic inserts come in a variety of configurations. A red nylon is used as the locknut insert for applications up to 250 [degrees] F. Vespel insert material may be used in...

Pressure transmitters.(new products)
June 1, 2004... TURCK INC., MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Industrial pressure transmitters combine the reliability of solid-state design with the durability of stainless steel. The result is a pressure transmitter that provides accurate and dependable pressure...

Side-entry mixers.(new products)
June 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA MIXERS, PALMYRA, PA. Two side-entry mixers have been designed specifically for the oil/petrochemical industry. The Cutlass fixed-angle side-entry mixer offers a 10-degree fixed position that effectively handles homogenizing,...

Portable pyrometer.(new products)
June 1, 2004... PYROMETER INSTRUMENT CO. INC., NORTHVALE, N.J. The Pyro digital 500 pyrometer is specifically designed for the taking of portable temperature measurements by the production operator on the plant floor. The company offers a choice of several...

Air filter.(new products)
June 1, 2004... UNIVERSAL AIR FILTER CO., SAUGET, ILL. The Tracewell Systems dual workstation is beefed up for rugged, military environments with a Quadrafoam air filter from Universal, as it meets military standards 810 and 461C. The dual workstation includes...

Vacuum pump.(new products)
June 1, 2004... PIAB USA INC., HINGHAM, MASS. A multi-stage ejector vacuum pump is said by the manufacturer to provide up to 50 percent savings in energy costs. The pump, the P2010, weighs about 15 grams and reaches peak efficiency at 1.8 bar feed pressure....

Rodless cylinders.(new products)
June 1, 2004... IMI NORGREN INC., LITTLETON, COLO. Pneumatic rodless cylinders, according to the company, are useful for applications where space is at a premium. The cylinders can be incorporated into machine designs within such sectors as the electronics,...