Mechanical Engineering-CIME articles from May 2008

Mechanical Engineering-CIME archives from May 2008

Only on M.E. magazine online @ www.memagazine.org.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Question of the Month: Wind power has been criticized for its variability, which can create instabilities in the electrical grid. Some companies will couple large wind farms with energy storage systems. If this proves practical, should...

Sky's the limit.(editorial)(Arthur C. Clarke)(Editorial)(Biography)
May 1, 2008... We've got a group of curious writers and editors at Mechanical Engineering--none more so than Alan Brown. Last month, Brown said, "We've got to write something on Clarke!" He was referring to the passing of Arthur C. Clarke, the British science...

Nuclear green.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... To the Editor: Thank you for publishing the "Recycling Fuel" letter (December 2007). I wish every issue would contain some mention that points out the availability and advantages of this cleanest and safest of all "green" energy sources. ...

Personal arguments.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... To the Editor: I read with concern the letter by Dan Pangburn (January 2008) concerning the veracity of global warming. It doesn't concern me that he questions the contribution of humans to global warming, as there is scientific evidence...

In the cards.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... To the Editor: One point requires clarification in the very interesting summary of the origins of the digital computer ("Oh, What a Web We Punch," Input/Output, December 2007). As described in a Wikipedia online encyclopedia article, Herman...

Home fires.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... To the Editor: I disagree with outsourcing (January cover feature) and believe we should rebuild manufacturing in the U.S.A. Outsourcing has compromised our quality and reduced the mentality of today's workforce. FRED MOEHRING New...

Jury's out.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... To the Editor: A letter from Michael A. Chaszeyka (February) refers to an article by Arthur B. Robinson, et al., of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which supposedly provides evidence that global warming is not tied to increases in...

Lightning strike.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... To the Editor: I suppose you have received a sack full of mail concerning the error in "The New Point of View" in the February 2008 issue, where either Tom White noted or author Alan S. Brown wrote about the 50th anniversary of Lockheed's P-38...

Federal group lists R&D priorities.(news & notes)(research and development )
May 1, 2008... A group working for the National Science and Technology has issued a report recommending that federal research and development programs give priority to three manufacturing areas--hydrogen energy technologies, nanotechnology, and intelligent...

President's panel urges more for math.(news & notes)(President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel)
May 1, 2008... For years, engineers and scientists have worried that American students didn't learn enough mathematics to pursue their disciplines once they got to college. After two years of assessment, the President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel...

Reactor-safety teams study human factors.(news & notes)
May 1, 2008... Seeking to reduce the number of accidents at nuclear materials facilities in their country, Russian researchers have teamed up with several human factors and cognition experts from Sandia National Laboratories to figure out ways to determine,...

New nuclear HQ.(news & notes)
May 1, 2008... An international engineering company, URS Corp., has opened a facility in South Carolina that will be the new headquarters for its commercial nuclear power operations. The facility, called the URS Nuclear Center, is in Fort Mill. URS's...

Teaming up for biogasoline.(news & notes)(Shell and Virent Energy Systems Inc. partnerd)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... TWO companies, Shell and Virent Energy Systems Inc. of Madison, Wis., have announced a joint research and development effort to convert plant sugars directly into gasoline and gasoline blend components, rather than ethanol. The...

Jaguar Land Rover to be sold.(news & notes)(Ford Motor Co. sold its jaguar land rover operations to Tata Motors Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Ford Motor Co. has agreed to sell its Jaguar Land Rover operations to India-based Tata Motors. The transaction is the culmination of Ford's decision last August to explore strategic options for the Jaguar Land Rover business, as the...

Holey concrete.(news & notes)
May 1, 2008... One early spring day in the middle of March, city leaders, residents, and newspaper reporters gathered in a seven-acre parking lot outside a still-vacant shopping center in Williamsburg, Va. Why the fuss? Williamsburg city planners...

Math for holes.(news & notes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... A researcher at Imperial College London has updated a nearly 140-year-old math problem to make it applicable to modern engineering use. Darren Crowdy, chair in applied mathematics, said he's extended the formula used for an area of...

Detroit, Dubai get new assembly plants.(news & notes)(Axial Vector Engine Corp.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Axial Vector Engine Corp. said that two assembly facilities, one Detroit and the other in Dubai, are scheduled to come online to meet the demand for AVEC products. The Detroit facility is an 18,000-square-foot plant currently housing...

Quickparts Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Quickparts Inc. of Atlanta, which provides custom manufactured plastic and metal parts, has launched its QuickQuote Online storefront from which customers can order prototypes and production parts and tooling. Customers can create multiple...

Optimal Solutions Software LLC.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Optimal Solutions Software LLC of Provo, Utah, has released SculptorPLUS, design deformation software that gives users the choice to include T-Spline and Grid Clip.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. of Irvine, Calif., announced that its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, has won a $20 million contract from Krannich Solar.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. of Irvine, Calif., announced that its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, has won a $20 million contract from Krannich Solar, for the supply of high-efficiency...

Distributed Energy Systems Corp.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Distributed Energy Systems Corp. of Barre, Vt., a leader in wind power technology, received an order for its advanced Northwind 100 gearless wind turbines from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, the fourth largest utility company in Canada. Three...

Water Remediation Technology LLC.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Water Remediation Technology LLC of Wheat Ridge, Colo., has installed and put into operation two new Z-88 radium removal systems in the village of Antioch, further expanding its operations in Illinois. Under a 20-year contact, the WRT system...

Going batty.(computing)(engineers at the University of Arizona are looking to bats as role models)
May 1, 2008... ENGINEERS AT THE University of Arizona are looking to bats as role models. They specifically want to study the flying mammals' navigation systems as the base for the advanced radar systems they're looking to create. "Bats do exactly what...

Security code cracked.(computing)
May 1, 2008... RESEARCHERS RECENTLY CRACKED several widely used security systems used to encrypt computers. The systems include Microsoft's BitLocker, Apple's FileVault, and Linux's dm-crypt. In the process, they discovered several things that computer...

Running cool.(computing)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED AT Purdue University's new hydrogen facility aim to help NASA develop rockets faster and less expensively for future missions to Mars and the moon. A more efficient cooling mechanism could...

Cheaper wind turbines.(computing)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... NORDIC WINDPOWER LTD. of San Francisco has implemented a product lifecycle management system to help roll out its two-blade, utility-scale wind turbines The company recently installed Arena PLM, from Arena Solutions Inc. of Foster City,...

Your own helmet.(computing)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... WHEN IT COMES TO motorcycle helmets, one size doesn't fit all and no size fits everyone. Many riders resign themselves to buying a slightly too-large or too-small helmet. But officials at the European Custom Fit project feel that vital...

IMSI Design.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... IMSI Design of Novato, Calif., has released IDX ToleranceCalc version five, a one- and two-dimensional tolerance analysis solution that works with drawing-exchange-file CAD applications.

MecSoft Corp.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... MecSoft Corp. of Irvine, Calif., has released VisualMill 6.0 Professional, which introduces three-axis toolpath generation methods to the VisualMill product suite.

Atalasoft Inc.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Atalasoft Inc. of Boston, which makes imaging components for Microsoft.NET Framework-based developers, has released DotImage 6.0, the latest version of its Imaging Toolkit.

ESI Group.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... A maker of physics-based simulation software, ESI Group of Chicago, has released an upgrade to its PAM-CEM Solutions software package. This product allows users to perform predictive electro-magnetic compatibility simulations.

Mechdyne Corp.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Mechdyne Corp. of Marshalltown, Iowa, has released an upgrade to its professional application programmer interface and library for development of interactive three-dimensional environments. The new release, CaveLib Version 3.2, adds support for...

Granta Design.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Granta Design of Cambridge, England, is shipping Granta MI version 2.0, for materials information management in industries including aerospace, defense, energy, automotive, consumer products, and industrial equipment.

Spicer Corp.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Spicer Corp. of Kitchener, Ontario, which makes viewing, redaction, and scanning software, has released ViewCafe 4.2, with online review and collaboration capabilities.

Dynasim.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Dynasim of Bielefeld, Germany, has released Dymola 7.0, the latest version of the company's object-oriented modeling and simulation tool.

Creaform.(Briefly Noted)
May 1, 2008... Creaform of Levis, Quebec, is now shipping the second version of VxScan, its data acquisition software for the company's Handyscan 3-D line of scanners.

Robert McNeel & Associates of Seattle, which makes surfacing software, and SpaceClaim of Concord, Mass., which makes 3-D design software, announced an integration between Rhinoceros and SpaceClaim LTX.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Robert McNeel & Associates of Seattle, which makes surfacing software, and SpaceClaim of Concord, Mass., which makes 3-D design software, announced an integration between Rhinoceros and SpaceClaim LTX. The integration allows users to open Rhino...

Siemens PLM Software of Plano, Texas, and IT service provider Wipro Technologies of Bangalore, India, have announced a global consulting and systems integrator alliance.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Siemens PLM Software of Plano, Texas, and IT service provider Wipro Technologies of Bangalore, India, have announced a global consulting and systems integrator alliance to provide optimized PLM software and services to customers.

Time-traveling engineers.(software exchange)
May 1, 2008... Capability: The engineering computer game Time Engineers helps students in sixth to ninth grade learn how mechanical engineering principles have helped people through the ages. By playing the game, students travel in a time machine to three...

Scripting and numerical computing.(software exchange)
May 1, 2008... Capability: Ch 6.0 is a cross platform C/C++ interpreter for scripting two-dimensional and three-dimensional plots, numerical computing, shell programming, and embedded scripting. This new release adds more plotting functions. Ch also offers an...

Sketching and calculating.(software exchange)
May 1, 2008... Capability: GrafiCalc Expert 2008 digital prototyping software combines sketching with calculation, motion simulation, and tolerance analysis in a CAD-neutral application. With it, engineers can evaluate new product concepts, validate design...

No-cost modeling.(software exchange)
May 1, 2008... Capability: The personal-use version of the MEDUSA4 personal design application includes much of the functionality available in the developer's regular modeling application, including basic 3-D modeling and drafting tools and new sheet-metal...

Composite failure.(software exchange)
May 1, 2008... Capability: Sublam analysis software examines interlaminar stress and failure in composite laminates. Users can compare continuous distributions of interlaminar tractions at the interfaces between sublaminates. The resulting differential...

Calling doctor roboto.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)(Adept Technology Inc.)(Prosurgics Ltd.)
May 1, 2008... Robot developer Adept Technology Inc., of Livermore, Calif., will collaborate with the United Kingdom's Prosurgics Ltd. to develop robots to perform image-guided and navigated neurological and soft tissue surgery. This unusual combination...

Hot bolt powers sensors.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)
May 1, 2008... A German company, Micropelt GmbH, has developed a prototype bolt that screws into a hot machine and harvests the waste heat as electricity. Based on thermoelectric thin films, the TE-Power-Bolt generates 0.2 to 15 milliwatts of power and uses...

Diamonds are a pump's best friend.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)
May 1, 2008... Diamonds are not just beautiful, but also rank with the best engineering materials. They are the hardest of all natural substances, more slippery than Teflon, and conduct heat better than copper. Diamond would make an outstanding wear surface,...

Sleep on a nanotube sheet.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)
May 1, 2008... A three-year-old New Hampshire start-up, Nanocomp Technologies Inc., has produced the largest cohesive nanotube structures ever, a series of 3-foot-by-6-foot sheets made entirely of carbon nanotubes. Not only is the structure big, but the way...

Stainless tools take on corrosion.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Anyone who works with stainless-steel screws eventually finds out that, yes, they do rust. Corrosion may occur after a single season on boats that sail the salty seas, or after several years on window and door frames. The reason, according...

Wind in a bottle: like everything else, wind power is bigger in Texas. But plans to erect thousands of large turbines have utilities scrambling to build a new energy infrastructure.(POWER & energy)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Texas and oil go together like hound dogs and huntin', but petroleum won't keep the lights on. The state is facing a possible shortfall in electrical power generation capacity as early as 2009, when its reserve...

Changing the game: potentially radical advances in gas turbines came in all shapes and sizes in 2007.(POWER & energy)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Air travel has traditionally been a symbol of freedom and limitless potential. But in recent years its image has changed for the worse. Part of the blame for that, to be sure, sits squarely with the experience of...

Power window: caps & costs.(POWER & energy)
May 1, 2008... Government reports bearing bad news are often released on Fridays. The hope is that the details get buried in the little-read Saturday newspaper. It's odd, then, that an assessment of a pending Congressional bill by the Environmental Protection...

Offshore analysis: engineers call upon FEA to design equipment built to withstand the rigors of life in the ocean.(POWER & energy)(finite element analysis)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Say you're designing a huge piece of machinery. Now, imagine that you're creating the machine from scratch; it's never existed before. The expected lifespan is around 40 years. If this thing doesn't function...

Energy squad: they might be able to slash power consumption with a single visit, but can these efficiency experts dodge the budget ax?(POWER & energy)
May 1, 2008... The Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C., isn't a normal work site. For one thing, if you need to carry something from place to place, you must use a clear plastic bag; that way, no one can hide a bundle of freshly printed...

ASME and IGTI team provide significant benefits.(International Gas Turbine Institute)(American Society Of Mechanical Engineers)
May 1, 2008... So, what's an edition of the the Global Gas Turbine News doing in the Mechanical Engineering magazine? Well, you can t beat a two-for-one offer, especially when the return on the initial investment is so fantastic. At least that's what my wife...

Register today for Turbo Expo 2008 in Berlin: the most important conference for gas turbine professionals!(Conference news)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's not too late to join more than 2500 gas turbine professionals from over 50 countries for Turbo Expo 2008--a premier FIVE-day Technical Congress and a three-day, premium exhibition of gas turbine products and...

Calender of events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2008... MAY 28-30, 2008 Hands-on Thermodynamics of Power and Aero Engines Short Course Penn Stater Conference Center University Park, PA Come and share your questions and knowledge in this IGT1 first-of-its-kind, interactive course! ...

The link between climate change and turbomachines.
May 1, 2008... A lot has changed in the last 10 years. The global climate change due to green house emissions, as predicted by a number of scientists and engineers, is evident by receding glaciers and the melting of the polar cap. The recent UN sponsored...

IGTI scholarships and awards are available ... again.(The International Gas Turbine Institute)
May 1, 2008... The International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI) is once again providing scholarships and young engineer awards to undergraduate and graduate students studying gas turbines. Travel awards are also available to students and young engineers in the...

Pipeline compression using gas turbines or electric motors--C[O.sub.2], footprint.
May 1, 2008... Local legislation and regulation on C[O.sub.2] emissions are starting to affect the decision making process for building new natural gas compression stations in North America. To minimize C[O.sub.2] emissions some pipeline companies have...

Hands-on thermodynamics of power and aero engines: new state of the art short course for the gas turbine industry!(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
May 1, 2008... May 28-30, 2008 * Penn Stater Conference Center * University Park, PA Come and share your questions and knowledge in this IGTI first-of-its-kind, interactive course!! This course will allow engineers throughout the world to acquire ready...

Turbo expo 2008: pre-conference short courses.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Saturday g Sunday, June 7-8: Three comprehensive short courses will be held at the Estrel Convention Center on the weekend prior to Turbo Expo. * Gas Turbine Aerothermodynamics and Performance Modeling is an interactive two-day course that...

ASME Turbo Expo 2009 set for Orlando, Florida.(American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
May 1, 2008... Connect and reconnect with your gas turbine colleagues from around the world at TURBO EXPO, ASME s premier gas turbine technical congress and exposition, from June 8-12, 2009, in Orlando, Florida, at the World Center Marriott Resort &...

IGTI names 2009 executive conference chair.(Conference news)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Barry Nicholls, Vice President of Siemens Power Systems Sales, Siemens Power Generation, Inc., has accepted the position of Executive Conference Chair for ASME Turbo Expo 2009. In this role, he will provide strategic...

Gas turbine users symposium set for September in Houston.
May 1, 2008... The Gas Turbine Users Symposium (GTHS) will be co-located with the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Symposium, September 8-11, 2008, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Organized by users, for users, GTUS is for all turbomachinery...

Portable inspection for race cars: advanced technology changes the rules and helps enforce them, too.(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc.)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This story was written by staff writers with the assistance of outside contributors. When Nascar driving legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a final-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, it stunned his legions of...

Hydrodynamic diplomacy: those fountains were beautiful, but they were also psychological warfare.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Throughout history, rulers have felt it necessary to create tangible displays of their wealth because wealth bought the power that impressed allies and intimidated enemies. We know of numerous examples in the ancient...

DIY patent: want to protect your idea with a patent? You can draft it yourself, but be aware of the risks.(Do it yourself Patent )
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Patent attorneys are expensive, no doubt about it. The price for a patent application drafted by an attorney can range from $6,000 to $20,000. In some cases, expect to pay more. This may be why a Google search for...

Adjustable ball lock pins.(new products)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CARR LANE MFG. CO., ST. LOUIS, MO. Newly redesigned adjustable ball lock pins from Carr Lane now have added clamping strength. These locking pins are useful for pulling two components together or to provide an...

Laser cutting.(new products)
May 1, 2008... CINCINNATI INCORPORATED, CINCINNATI, OHIO. Bringing high laser cutting productivity to a range of flat stock applications, the Cincinnati CL-850 laser cutting center can make fast work of thick and thin material with a 5,000 W GE Fanuc laser...

Miniature accelerometer.(new products)
May 1, 2008... DYTRAN INSTRUMENTS INC., CHATSWORTH, CALIF. A miniature triaxial accelerometer is for use in applications where space is at a premium. The 3023M20 uses the latest in quartz shear technology coupled with 2-wire internal IEPE electronics. Model...

Secure bottle packing.(new products)
May 1, 2008... STANDARD-KNAPP, PORTLAND, CONN. The company has a soft placement module for secure, efficient packing of bottles in a range of industries. Compatible with several case packer models, Standard-Knapp's soft placement module with advanced motion...

Flexible hosing.(new products)
May 1, 2008... PARKER HANNIFIN, STRONGSVILLE, OHIO. E-Z Form Hose, from the Parker Industrial Hose Division, provides extreme flexibility while retaining full-flow performance. The value to OEMs, equipment users, and distributors is that this hose can be used...

Double-ended studs.(new products)
May 1, 2008... SPS TECHNOLOGIES, JENKINTOWN, PA. The manufacturer offers double-ended studs in sizes from No. 10 to 1-in. diameters, in a variety of materials, including alloy steel, MP35N, MP159, Aerex 350, Waspaloy, H-11, A286, Alloy 718, and titanium in...

Laser scanner.(new products)
May 1, 2008... FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC., LAKE MARY, FLA. Faro's new 3-D laser scanners are called the Photon 80 and Photon 20. These Photons, which replace the company's laser scanners LS 880, 840, and 420, offer greater clarity, accuracy and portability than...

Better water quality.(new products)
May 1, 2008... TIDEFLEX TECHNOLOGIES, CARNEGIE, PA. Many potable water tanks or reservoirs depend on a typical common inlet or outlet to maintain drinking water quality. This system often proves inadequate when water outside the common inlet/outlet area of...

Tracking tools.(new products)
May 1, 2008... DICKSON CO., ADDISON, ILL. Engineers tracking temperature or humidity conditions can now have the convenience of both real-time data and the ability to download data for further analysis with the redesigned Dickson Graph-at-a-Glance flat panel...

Spindle alignment tool.(new products)
May 1, 2008... PINPOINT LASER SYSTEMS, NEWBURYPORT, MASS. The company has a new measuring and alignment system for lathes, turning equipment, spindles, and related machinery. This spindle alignment tool is easy to use, versatile, and affordable. Uses of the...

Handheld fiber optic meter.(new products)
May 1, 2008... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. The FOH201 is a compact, portable fiber optic handhold meter. This device provides accurate measurements complete with white light polarization interferometry technology. Designed to be paired with...

Single-seal solution.(new products)
May 1, 2008... EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT, MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA. The Fisher Fieldvue DVC6000 is a digital valve controller for natural gas applications, and recently received approval, making the instrument an "energy-responsible" choice for the natural gas...

Pressure transmitters.(new products)
May 1, 2008... ASHCROFT INC., STRATFORD, CONN. The GC51 and GC52 gauge and differential pressure transmitters offer an economical alternative to network process transmitters when a digital protocol is not required. The innovative design features an...

Blind hollow shaft encoders.(new products)
May 1, 2008... SICK STEGMANN INC., DAYTON, OHIO. VFS 60 motor feedback systems are now available in blind hollow shaft configurations. Blind hollow shaft encoders have just one point of potential access, which significantly reduces the potential for...

Touchpanels.(new products)
May 1, 2008... OMEGA ENGINEERING INC., STAMFORD, CONN. EZ Series PLC Touchpanels are the easy-to-use touchpanels with enhanced data acquisition, Ethernet connectivity options, and simple programming in just 10 minutes. Tested and proven by over 20,000...

Heated touchscreen.(new products)
May 1, 2008... GLACIER COMPUTER, NEW MILFORD, CONN. The company has come out with a heated touchscreen for its Everest line of vehicle computers. The Everest is an all-in-one computer designed for use on forklifts, carts, pallet jacks, and yard jockeys. The...

Weather sensor.(new products)
May 1, 2008... BANNER ENGINEERING CORP., MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. The R-Gaget QT50R is an advanced radar-based sensor for close and long-range presence detection in many weather conditions. The QT50R features frequency-modulated technology to accurately monitor or...