Product Design & Development articles from September 2006

Product Design & Development archives from September 2006

Integrated circuits.(PD&D Exclusive)
September 1, 2006... The AS8500/AS8501 family of high-precision sensor interfaces is designed for the acquisition of physical quantities. These products are capable of collecting a variety of measurements that can be displayed in the form of voltage or resistance...

End bearings.(First Look: Smart Products and Technical Tools for Engineers)
September 1, 2006... A line of end bearings provides support for ball screws and offers an integrated system solution for linear motion applications in the machine tool, metalworking, and woodworking industries, among others. The units can serve as part of a...

Pressure-sensitive tape.(First Look: Smart Products and Technical Tools for Engineers)
September 1, 2006... PEEK tape with pressure-sensitive adhesive features crystalline PEEK film and extremely high performance characteristics. It is designed to be super-tough, strong, flexible, and resistant to very high temperatures and chemicals. This tape has a...

Signal conditioning cards.(First Look: Smart Products and Technical Tools for Engineers)
September 1, 2006... Each of 16 channels on the OMB-DBK207 and OMB-DBK207/CJC accept an OM5 (5B) isolated analog input module. With DaqView software, a user can easily configure any channel to measure temperature, strain, volts, current, or frequency. The cards are...

Ultraviolet LED array.(First Look: Smart Products and Technical Tools for Engineers)
September 1, 2006... A 365-nm UV LED array is part of the Shark product line. Using 50 die in a TO-66 package, it achieves 150 mW of optical power. The UV LED array is suitable for applications that include fluorescence excitation or absorption, document...

Compact I/O modules.(First Look: Smart Products and Technical Tools for Engineers)
September 1, 2006... LioN, a line of compact I/O modules for DeviceNet and Profibus-DP applications, is comprised of two housing styles, the LioN-S and the LioN-M. LioN-S units have ultra-compact housings with pico (M8) I/O and micro (M12) power and bus connectors....

Sealed belt drive.(First Look: Smart Products and Technical Tools for Engineers)
September 1, 2006... A new sealed belt drive features a new sealing method designed to keep dirt and debris at bay. A stainless steel band runs across the length of the beam, which is held in place by a magnetic strip. The band and strip effectively enclose the...

New sensor technologies mean new opportunities.(Future Focus)
September 1, 2006... New sensor technologies are making it possible to measure variables that until recently were too difficult or expensive to sense. According to experts in the field, three areas may cause a transformation in the next few years:...

'Redesign' contest seeks high school and college entries.(Extreme Redesign)
September 1, 2006... The Dimension 3D Printing Group, a business unit of Stratasys Inc. is currently takeing entries for the third annual Extreme Redesign: The Ultimate 3D Printing Challenge, a global design and 3D printing contest for high school and college...

Small geometry design: getting it right.(Tech Watch)
September 1, 2006... Designing in 90 nm and smaller geometries can be intimidating. However, you can ensure first-time silicon success by paying attention to certain aspects of your design methodology. Many of these methodologies have already been used for 130 nm...

Tough little helpers: new technologies are not only shrinking the size of construction equipment, but also creating compact machines capable of bigger tasks.(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... Cyril and Louis Keller probably didn't think they were making history when they scavenged the local junkyards around Rothsay, MN to build a self-propelled loader, light enough to be lifted into a barn loft and small enough to maneuver around...

Hydraulic sealing solutions keep artificial limbs leak-free.(From The Field)
September 1, 2006... The demand for artificial limbs is increasing as our population ages. In the United States alone there are nearly 50,000 new amputations a year. The main cause of lower limb amputation is circulatory problems which result from complications of...

3D modeling adds to printing productivity.(Focus On Software)
September 1, 2006... The latest 3D modeling tools leverage not only geometric specifications but also a wealth of engineering and other data to produce sophisticated models that represent much more than product shape and size. But the way engineers share that...

Q&A: switches get smarter.(Questions & Answers)
September 1, 2006... These days everything seems to be leaning toward integrated performance. That trend holds true for switches and relays with the emergence of "smart switches," microprocessor-based devices that perform several functions in single units and help...

Assembled assortment of processes: hundreds of hands-on exhibits to demonstrate high-tech operations.(Show Stoppers)
September 1, 2006... Assembly Technology Expo, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL, Sept. 25-28 When manufacturing professionals converge on Rosemont, IL this month, more than 600 exhibitors will be waiting for them armed with new technology...

Chip fuse.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... An IEC quick-acting chip fuse series, USI 1206, is a universal modular fuse approved according to IEC 60127-4/2. It also bears international approvals by cURus, METI, and CCC. The new fuse series has high melting 12t values, which provide...

Ultrasonic positioning system.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... The UOS-100 consists of ultrasonic emitters, receivers, and a control interface. It is designed to significantly enhance error proofing in demanding industrial assembly applications. The unit is suitable for applications requiring assembly...

Molding compound.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... A bulk molding compound (BMC) is formulated specifically for the automotive market. Designated BMC Grade A103, this new polyester-based grade facilitates injection molding of high-intensity discharge (HID) and traditional automotive headlamp...

Locking nuts.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... A line of castellated locking nuts is available in both hex and 12-point configurations. These nuts are frequently used with cotter pins for added locking assurance. The locknuts are offered in sizes from 0.19 to 2 in. with diameters in a...

Polyamide-grade resin.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... Technyl XCell 6.6 and 6 polyamide-grade materials are optimized for use with the MuCell process. These new grades are suitable for applications such as automotive under-the-hood components, including rocker covers and air intake manifolds. The...

Scroll vacuum pump.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... Space technology for down-to-earth gas-pumping applications is available in a semi-hermetic scroll vacuum pump/compressor. It is available in a variety of materials, with seals that allows it to handle almost any gas other than air, including...

Interface transformers.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... Series B78416 interface transformers are designed for DSL equipment. Whereas ferrite material was the driving force behind the industry switch from EP13 to EP7 cores, this design is the result of optimized core technology. Compared with an...

Thermal modeling software.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... Reducing the time required to develop communications test solutions, eliminating a PC board, and the ability to re-spin by modeling thermal management at the board and systems level during the early design process, are a few of the design...

Dust covers.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... A new line of Santoprene dust covers is designed for PowerMod HP "A" Series dual-pole male and female connectors. These dust covers provide pin and socket protection against dust and dirt, as well as effective protection against environmental...

Tabletop enclosures.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... A line of tabletop enclosures is designed for optical tables. These enclosures are intended to be lightweight, economical, and aesthetically pleasing solutions for applications where the workspace or the work being performed requires an...

Diaphragm pumps.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... PowerFLO 5850-101 Series 12-V, DC motor-driven diaphragm pumps are five chamber positive displacement units that are self-priming and can run dry without damage. They operate in demand-mode and provide maximum torque and operating efficiency...

Pressure gauge.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... The Ashcroft Xmitr combines the advantages of the Ashcroft PowerFlex pressure gauge with patented transducer technology to create a single, convenient, dual-function instrument. With only half the number of instruments to install, the Xmitr is...

Miniature coupling.(New Products)
September 1, 2006... The Microflex is a flexible miniature coupling that is 5.5 mm in diameter by 9 mm in length. The coupling is composed of a flexible beam-cut polyamide element clamped to shafting with stainless steel hubs and set screws. Suitable for sterile...

Catalogs & Brochures.(Catalogs & Brochure)
September 1, 2006... * ITW Devcon has released a new 60-page catalog providing application, technical, and ordering information for all of the products formed by the combination of Devcon and Permatex brands of OEM assembly solutions. The brochure is presented in a...

RFID tools and resources.(Free Stuff)
September 1, 2006... In order to deliver the latest emerging technologies to developers, businesses, and universities, IBM has made RFID software tools and training resources available at no charge. The software available was made to help accelerate the...

Busway installation gives electronics manufacturer new flexibility.(Focus On: Instrumentation and Controls)(Reprint)
September 1, 2006... In late 2003, a top customer of Solectron Corp. changed its parameters for testing repaired boards. The change required a massive influx of electricity to power special test machinery. The Milpitas, CA-based electronics manufacturer and...