Mechanical Engineering-CIME articles from October 2004

Mechanical Engineering-CIME archives from October 2004

A time of innocence.(Editorial)
October 1, 2004... Among the articles I invite you to read inside the issue you hold in your hands are stories on hybrid power automobiles, modern analysis software tools, and an intriguing story on desalination techniques. To say that we owe all of the...

Retooling gas taxes.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: The corporate average fuel economy rules, with their loop-holes and unintended consequences, are a classic example of what happens when bureaucratic micromanagement is substituted for market forces ("Retooling CAFE," April). ...

The next generation.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: I can't even begin to express how excited I was to read your April cover story on Engineers Without Borders. I am currently a junior in mechanical engineering at Binghamton University and the president of our local ASME student...

What the third world needs now.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: After seeing your April cover I was eager to read the story "Engineering with a Conscience." Unfortunately I was disappointed to see that it did not break any new ground regarding third world assistance. I applaud the intent of...

Cautionary tales.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: Two great articles in the March issue: "The Trail to the Leading Edge" and "The Breaks of Progress." All engineers need to read such cautionary tales now and again, if only to be reminded of" the human cost of our mistakes...

Turbine talk.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: I enjoyed reading Harry Hutchinson's article, "Rough Water," (January) particularly about the Navy's efforts to require designs to resist the shocks of underwater explosions. One of the first gas turbines designed by Solar...

Applying knowledge.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: I have read Barbara Wolcott's March article, "The Breaks of Progress," with some interest and delight. However, I was totally shocked as she concluded with the following paragraph: "However, success and failure are two sides...

Affirming action.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: This is in response to the letter that Myron Kayton wrote, "On Ability Alone," (February 2003). I am a black Hispanic who came to the U.S.A. (the Bronx, New York) in 1974 at the age of 17 without being able to speak English....

Alternatives.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: This is in response to Philip Manfredi and Stan Jakuba's letters in the April issue concerning the United States oil import problems. They are among the minority of people that really get it. Oil imports cannot be reduced,...

Staying in droves.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... To the Editor: In his letter to the editor, "Employment Realities," in the April issue, I am assuming that Tom Luther is exaggerating to make some point. I am not really sure what that point is. I do engineering. I am nicely employed. I am...

2004 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and RD&D Expo.(American Society of Mechanical Engineers)(Research, Development and Demonstration )
October 1, 2004... Industry Tracks and Sessions Biomedical Technology Panel Sessions * Development of Artificial Hearts and WADs from the beginning * Imaging and Computational Fluid Dynamics: Partners in Understanding Cardiovascular Disease and...

Counting rads.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The federal goverment has set its sights on portable radiation detection equipment. The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate is working in conjunction with four national laboratories--Pacific Northwest, Oak...

Think electric cars may gain a reprieve.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... With leases ending on its Think City electric cars, Ford Motor Co. was planning to scrap the returning fleet of about 350 vehicles. Pressure by the environmental group Greenpeace and others convinced the company it should consider other...

Only on M.E. magazine online.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Responses to the September Question of the Month: What impact will nanotechnology and nanoscience have on industry in the next decade? A new Question of the Month will appear on www.memagazine.org, Oct. 1-14. Many industries will be...

MEMS you can count on.(news & notes)
October 1, 2004... Reliability is a top concern of companies that use micro-electromechanical systems, and manufacturers that produce them say their customers often demand to see a demonstration of the reliability of the products. That demand has made accelerated...

Action plan for water.(news & notes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has released a report that identifies research and technical support projects critical to the country's water supply. The EPA's Water Security Research and Technical Action Plan looks at the areas of...

Rockwell Automation.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Rockwell Automation has opened a radio-frequency identification test lab in Milwaukee to help manufacturers integrate RFID into their distribution operations.

ChevronTexaco Energy Technology Co. in San Ramon, Calif., has entered an agreement with SulphCo. of Sparks, Nev.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... ChevronTexaco Energy Technology Co. in San Ramon, Calif., has entered an agreement with SulphCo. of Sparks, Nev., to develop an ultrasound technique to upgrade sour crude oil at low pressure and low temperatures.

Honeywell International will use its facilities in Allentown, Pa.; Kingman, Ariz.; and Subic Bay, Philippines, to provide wheel and brake repair.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Honeywell International will use its facilities in Allentown, Pa.; Kingman, Ariz.; and Subic Bay, Philippines, to provide wheel and brake repair, and overhaul services to a fleet of 10 Boeing 747 and five DC-9 aircraft operated by Evergreen...

Johnson Controls of Plymouth, Mich., plans to open a manufacturing plant early next year in Montgomery, Ala.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Johnson Controls of Plymouth, Mich., plans to open a manufacturing plant early next year in Montgomery, Ala., to supply automotive center floor consoles and interior trim components to Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, when the automaker's...

The Timken Co.(Briefly Noted)(Local 1645 )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Timken Co. has reached a contract agreement with Local 1645 and the United Auto Workers. The new contract, which expires in September 2007, will cover all production and skilled trade employees at the company's facilities in Torrington,...

Signs of life.(computing)
October 1, 2004... IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW to collect evidence of life in space, practice first in the uninhabitable regions of Earth. NASA scientists are developing what they call a life detector they say will help researchers look for exotic life forms...

Rifling for evidence.(computing)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... THOUGH YOU MAY NOT have heard of it, computer forensics aims to improve investigation into a new generation of crimes that uses computers, computer-aided terrorism, espionage, bank and business fraud, and identity theft. Students learn to...

12% growth rate seen for CAE this year.(computing)(computer-aided engineering )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... U.S. SALES IN computer-aided engineering software and services may top $2.1 billion this year, a 12 percent increase over spending in 2003, according to researchers at Daratech, a market analysis firm in Cambridge, Mass. They attribute the...

Whipping up a red storm.(computing)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... RESEARCHERS AT SANDIA National Laboratory in Albuquerque, N.M., are developing a $90 million supercomputer called Red Storm, and expect it to be faster, smaller, and less expensive than previous supercomputers. The first quarter of the...

Wonders never cease.(Foundation of the Hellenic World)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... TO COMMEMORATE THE OLYMPIC GAMES, held this year in their home country, the Foundation of the Hellenic World, a nonprofit cultural institution in Athens, has expanded its permanent virtual exbibits. The foundation has opened an immersive...

Nanotubes make swell improvements.(computing)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... RESEARCHERS AT THE National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Md., have discovered that adding carbon nanotubes to a common commercial polymer, polypropylene, leads to dramatic changes in the way the molten polymer flows....

Shake it up.(computing)(PSA Peugeot Citroen, plans to shake itself up)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... THE COMPANY THAT BILLS ITSELF as Western Europe's No. 2 carmaker, PSA Peugeot Citroen, plans to shake itself up. The company, headquartered in Paris, has set a goal of selling 4 million cars a year by 2006, at least 20 percent more than it sold...

Better housekeeping of legacy knowledge.(computing)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... IN THE FACE OF ABRUPT change, executives must keep track of a company's collective knowledge. That way, engineers and other key personnel can avoid duplication of work and wasteful errors. An engineering company, the Ramboll Group of...

UGS.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... UGS of Plano, Texas, which makes product lifecycle management software, has released Solid Edge version 16. The software is a three-dimensional computer-aided design system for the mainstream PLM market.

Fluent Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The maker of computational fluid dynamics software, Fluent Inc. of Lebanon, N.H., has released FloWizard, a simulation tool for conducting basic fluid flow and heat transfer analysis.

Pathtrace.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Pathtrace of Reading, England, says that its latest version of EdgeCAM computer-aided manufacturing software supports SolidWorks 2005 3-D mechanical design software. SolidWorks is from the company of the same name in Concord, Mass.

ESI Group.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... ESI Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has released AutoSEA2 version 2004, which addresses the higher frequency vibration and acoustic response of systems.

Simmetrix Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Simmetrix Inc. of Clifton Park, N.Y., which makes component software for simulation-based design, has made available version 5.3 of its Simulation Modeling Suite.

Microspot Ltd.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Microspot Ltd. of Maidstone, England, which develops 2-D and 3-D graphics, has released Microspot Modeler 3.5 for Macintosh operating system X. The modeling application creates and renders models in real-world dimensions.

Right Hemisphere.(Briefly Noted)
October 1, 2004... Right Hemisphere of Los Angeles, a maker of visual communication software has released a new technology for real-world lighting effects. The software, Realight, mimics the effect of real-world lighting conditions on 3-D models.

IronCAD of Atlanta, a maker of CAD and other CAE software.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... IronCAD of Atlanta, a maker of CAD and other CAE software, says that IronCAD's version 7 release is powered by the ACIS Modeler from Spatial of Westminster, Colo.

Theorem Solutions.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Theorem Solutions of Staffordshire, England, is shipping CADverter revision 8, the latest version of its family of CAD data translators.

Equipment inspection analysis.(software exchange)
October 1, 2004... Capability: Risk-analysis reliability software called Trim allows engineers to plan risk-based equipment inspections at refineries, manufacturing plants, and power plants. The software assesses equipment-loss risk and generates work-order tasks...

NURBS modeler production prototype.(software exchange)
October 1, 2004... Capability: Rhino 4.0, which is available as a production prototype for Rhino 3.0 users, creates, edits, and analyzes nonuniform rational B-spline curves, surfaces, and solids. The upgrade will include Universal Deformation Technology, which...

Fortran flowchart generator.(software exchange)
October 1, 2004... Capability: OmegaChart version 1.1 is a Fortran flowchart generator that converts Fortran source code to its flowchart equivalent. The generated flowchart is then transmitted as an Excel file. The software is useful for untangling programming...

A toolbox brings facts into focus.(software exchange)
October 1, 2004... Capability: The developer of Maple, a program for visualizing and analyzing technical data, has released the Database Integration Toolbox, useful for applying Maple 9.5 to technical datasets. The toolbox allows engineers and scientists to...

Algorithms create realistic 3-D textures.(software exchange)
October 1, 2004... Capability: Realviz ImageModeler version 4.0 is an image-based three-dimensional modeling software that uses algorithms to create accurate 3D models with realistic textures. The application is useful for 3-D content creators working in a...

Sniffing out the crime.(Instrumentation And Control)
October 1, 2004... What can sniff out drugs like a well-trained dog, but doesn't need to be walked? A new dog-on-a-chip vapor-sensing device developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The vapor sensor, also known as an electronic nose,...

A hint of corrosion.(Instrumentation And Control)
October 1, 2004... Localized corrosion can weaken metal structures in aircraft, chemical plants, or any number of other places, and it can sneak up on you. Uniform corrosion, such as rust, tends to be forthright. It covers a large surface area and makes its...

Roll the film.(Instrumentation And Control)(Pliant Corp upgrading the temperature controllers)
October 1, 2004... Plastic bags are everywhere. They hold our new stuff when we carry it home. They catch our old stuff when we throw it out. They are produced on blown film extrusion lines. In this process, extruders melt plastic pellets in a heated barrel and...

Elephants on parade.(Instrumentation And Control)
October 1, 2004... If you're one of the five million people who visit the American Museum of Natural History every year, you've no doubt been awed by the herd of African elephants in the center of Akeley Hall. The anatomically correct sculptures, covered with...

See the soot as you go.(Instrumentation And Control)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A Cooperative project involving Sandia National Laboratories, the National Research Council Canada, and a commercial start-up has demonstrated a system that can measure the carbon particulate emissions from a vehicle on the road in real time....

A few million more for defense.(Washington window)
October 1, 2004... The U.S. Department of Defense is by far the largest supporter of research and development in the federal government, accounting for more than half the total federal R&D portfolio. In the 1980s, the Defense Department funded nearly two-thirds...

Freedom of choice: the fuel cell vehicle has a long way to go. Maybe those part electric-powered, part gasoline-burning cars will help clear the way.(Feature focus: the hybrid auto bandwagon)
October 1, 2004... Clean, pure water dripping from the exhaust of a fuel cell vehicle, we are told, is the only waste product in an energy chain that one day will include making hydrogen, storing and transporting it, and converting it chemically into electricity....

Virtually Edison: analysis software makes it easy to experiment early and often. It doesn't eliminate the hard work, but it can get more out of less.
October 1, 2004... Wasn't it Thomas Edison who made the quip about success? That it's 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. It makes you wonder what Edison might have explored if he had access to analysis software. Computers don't do away with...

From sea to sink: with supplies of water under stress, the prospect of rendering saltwater drinkable is growing more appealing and more affordable.(related article: Tampa Bay: poster child for desalination? )(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... A combination of need and cost is making desalination of saltwater more attractive in the United States. And reverse osmosis is the overwhelming choice when it comes to desalination methods. Desalination, the removal of salt from either...

Down but not out: checked in the courts, Jerome Lemelson's patent machine is still churning out new claims.
October 1, 2004... On January 26, in one of the quieter rooms in Las Vegas, one of the biggest all-time winners in the patent game finally lost to the house. Jerome Lemelson was the high-rolling inventor, holding more than 590 U.S. patents, including claims for...

Supercool protector: a runaway-current limiter passes a test.
October 1, 2004... Agrid-protection device that takes advantage of a property of superconductors has passed its proof of concept test, the developers say. SuperPower Inc. of Schenectady, N.Y., is leading the development of a device called a matrix fault current...

Get on the bus.(new products)
October 1, 2004... 4B COMPONENTS LTD., EAST PEORIA, ILL. The new HotBus Digital Serial Communication System offers a simpler and more cost effective approach to continuous bearing temperature monitoring. With up to 256 bearing sensors on a single twisted pair...

Vaporizing pressure regulators.(new products)
October 1, 2004... SWAGELOK CO., SOLON, OHIO. New vaporizing pressure regulators are now available to vaporize liquid samples or preheat gas samples. Two models are available: The KEV series electrically heated vaporizing pressure regulator is ATEX (Cenelec) and...

You smell something?(new products)
October 1, 2004... E INSTRUMENTS GROUP. LANGHORNE PA. The Mini Gas Sniffer is a handheld natural gas leak detector. An 8- in.-long, flexible probe accesses difficult-to-reach areas of piping or appliances. Visual and audio alarms warn of methane, propane, butane,...

Drive system.(new products)
October 1, 2004... FALK CORP., MILWAUKEE, WIS. A drive system for 25- to 100-hp conveyors, Drive One comprises pre-engineered assemblies mounted on a common base. The shaft mounted swing base assembly uses a foot-mounted motor and flexible or fluid coupling....

Compact encoders.(new products)
October 1, 2004... GURLEY PRECISION INSTRUMENTS, TROY, N.Y. The company says its Model R112S and R112B optical rotary incremental encoders are the smallest it has made. Available in either shafted or blind-hollow shaft versions, the encoders are 12 mm in diameter...

Toggle clamps.(new products)
October 1, 2004... CARR LANE MFG. CO., ST. LOUIS, MO. The company's new toggle clamps feature a built-in safety lock. These latch-action clamps have a lock that automatically engages when the clamp is closed, then remains locked until manually disengaged by,...

Smaller is better.(new products)
October 1, 2004... EXERGEN CORP., WATERTOWN, MASS. Original equipment manufacturers demand smaller sensors to control the temperature of smaller rollers, heaters, products, and fluids in the graphics, medical equipment, defense, and aerospace industries. Infrared...

Brushless motor.(new products)
October 1, 2004... SERVO MAGNETICS INC., CANOGA PARK, CALIF. In addition to offering the advantages of a brushless dc motor design, this 12-volt, high-efficiency brushless dc motor has been designed with efficiency as a major consideration. The motor is capable...

Control the flow.(new products)
October 1, 2004... FLUID METERING INC., SYOSSET, N.Y. The V200 stroke rate controller is designed for controlling fluid metering pumps in the R&D lab or pilot plant, and during processing or production. Pump speed settings can be adjusted in 0.1 percent...

Square rails.(new products)
October 1, 2004... IGUS INC., EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. The latest addition to the company's DryLin W linear guide system is DryLin WQ square rails. They add to the versatility and flexibility of the modular DryLin W line by reducing friction and providing the...

Polyamide alternative.(new products)
October 1, 2004... RHODIA ENGINEERING PLASTICS. FARMINGTON HILLS. MICH. Technyl RTM is a line of polyamides designed for the rotomolding industry. Tensile strength, impact strength, and stiffness allow users to address needs in nontraditional applications, such...

Double-acting pins.(new products)
October 1, 2004... JERGENS INC., CLEVELAND. OHIO. Corrosion-resistant, stainless steel KwikLok locking pins are activated by a push or pull motion for quick insertion and removal. Nominal pin diameters range from 3/16 to 1 in. and come in metric sizes from 5 mm...

Ergonomic temperature probes.(new products)
October 1, 2004... FLUKE CORP., EVERETT, WASH. The company has added six new temperature probes suitable for those who measure air, liquid, and exposed or insulation-covered surfaces with digital thermometers or multimeters with temperature functions. The...

Personal voltage safety detector.(new products)
October 1, 2004... AEMC INSTRUMENTS. FOXBOROUGH. MASS. A personal voltage detector, Model 44SVD is designed to detect high voltage without physical contact. As the detector is moved toward the voltage-carrying conductor, an ac sensor plate picks up the radiated...

Seal of approval.(new products)
October 1, 2004... PARKER HANNIFIN CORP., LEXINGTON, KY. E1549-70 is a sealing material that meets the National Safety Foundation's Standard 61, which restricts the release of contaminants into potable water systems. The sealing material is an EPDM base polymer...

Pressure transmitter.(new products)
October 1, 2004... ENDRESS+HAUSER INC., GREENWOOD, IND. The Cerabar S gauge and absolute pressure transmitter features a 99.9 percent pure ceramic capacity measuring cell, which is resistant to corrosion from chemicals, acids, and alkalines. The ceramic sensor...

Distribution manifold.(new products)
October 1, 2004... SWAGELOK CO., SOLON, OHIO. The J6 series of distribution manifolds controls multiple outlets from a single source inlet. Assemblies can range from four to 18 needle valve/outlet connections. The valves can be isolated for individual control....

Making connections.(new products)
October 1, 2004... WOODHEAD INDUSTRIES, NORTHBROOK. ILL. Brad Harrison Passive DeviceNet Block offers 14 nodes in the 'same size--or smaller--block as existing 8-port blocks. Combined with ultra-thin cordsets, more connections can fit into a single trunk cable....

Protective diaphragm seal.(new products)
October 1, 2004... DRESSER INSTRUMENTS, STRATFORD, CONN. The Ashcroft Type 310 mini diaphragm seal protects transducers, switches, and pressure gauges from corrosive media, plugging, and freeze-up, according to the company They are available with male NPT process...

Load up.(new products)
October 1, 2004... TRANSDUCER TECHNIQUES INC., TEMECULA, CALIF. SLB Series subminiature load cells, or load buttons, are offered for compression only applications in the 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 lbs. full-scale range, for flat surfaces. Heat-treated...

Quiet chiller.(new products)
October 1, 2004... MCQUAY INTERNATIONAL, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. The GeneSys air-cooled screw compressor chiller minimizes background noise without attenuation. The company says its virtually vibration-free screw compressor, consisting of a single main rotor and two...

Tool holders.(product information)
October 1, 2004... T.M. SMITH TOOL INTERNATIONAL CORP., MT. CLEMENS. MICH. A 128-page catalog includes quick change drilling systems quick change tapping systems, Shrinker and HSK tool holders, and special tool holders. Among the latest products to be featured...

Monitor, alarm, and shut down.(product information)
October 1, 2004... UNITED ELECTRIC CONTROLS CO., WATERTOWN, MASS. A 24-page catalog describes electronic and electromechanical transducers and switches for pressure, differential pressure, and temperature. The solid-state One Series two-wire pressure and...

Leak tester.(product information)
October 1, 2004... CINCINNATI TEST SYSTEMS INC., CLEVES, OHIO. A color brochure describes the Sentinel M24 leak test instrument, which can manage four independent stations simultaneously Features include VFD graphic display, auto calibration, and ability to...

Bolted joint evaluation software.(Instrumentation & Control)
October 1, 2004... 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...

Temperature Handbook and Encyclopedia Volume MMV[TM] 5th Edition.(Instrumentation & Control)
October 1, 2004... Omega is pleased to announce the release of Volume MMV[TM] Temperature Handbook 5th Edition. It offers detailed information and specifications on over 40,000 products for process measurement and control featured on over 1,800 pages. The new 5th...

Custom pressure systems, manifolds and assemblies!(Instrumentation & Control)
October 1, 2004... Tescom Corporation, Elk River, Minnesota, has released a new 6-page brochure highlighting their capability of providing custom manifolds, systems and assemblies for test and measurement applications. Tescom has designed and manufactured custom...

Megascope[TM] OS533RS-DM handheld infrared thermometer.(Instrumentation & Control)
October 1, 2004... Upgrade your OMEGA[R] IR gun with the new field installable distance measuring option. The new upgraded portable and rugged OS530 series infrared thermometers offer solutions or many non-contact temperature measurement applications. The...

Ultra-Slim[TM] bearings fit tight design envelopes.(Power Transmission & Motion Control)
October 1, 2004... At just 2.5 mm wide, Ultra-Slim bearings are available in bore sizes ranging from 35 mm to 170 mm. Precision-engineered of stainless steel for corrosion resistance. Select from angular, radial or four-point contact styles. Hybrid versions with...

Wave Springs.(Power Transmission & Motion Control)
October 1, 2004... The new Smalley Steel Ring Company Wave Spring Catalog is now available. Smalley has over 1800 springs in stock with sizes from 3/8" to 16". Special designs range from 9/32" to 84"; carbon and stainless steel are available. Smalley offers a...