Looking for innovation, but at an economical rate? Then look at this company's arrangement for ball screw drives. A decoupling setup enables stages to achieve super straight motion and flatness runout of 50 nanometers or less — with mechanical cross roller bearings, instead of larger and more expensive air bearings.

Some components, unchanged for decades, can do more with a makeover. A Design News writes about black chrome plating, a process that helps stainless steel bearings do extraordinary things. The coating improves corrosion resistance, prevents cracking or peeling from flex or friction, and adds years to a component's life.

The fatal explosion at a Georgia sugar factory this year served as a tragic reminder of the dangers of sparks in settings with combustible dust or gases. Outfit crews for duty in danger zones with safety hand tools — hammers, wrenches, sockets, shovels and more — made from non-sparking, non-magnetic bronze or copper.

Faster, more durable, lighter, and even comfy. We expect such attributes in any new power tool we deploy. This fastening tool scores well on all fronts, but especially in the weight category. Imagine the lower worker fatigue levels by replacing your 8 lb stud welding tool with one that scales in at less than 2 lbs.

With new aircraft insulation rules looming, engineers are hunting for materials that can perform in environments as hot as a fuel-fed fire. A new APTIV film has an RTI rating of 428 F, and satisfies the mechanical and flame characteristics at half the thickness of the PVF now used for fiberglass batting cover.

Weight reduction is a top design priority in fuel efficiency gains. The Future Steel Vehicles program aims to share research for new design in power trains, suspensions, and body panels. Advanced steels helped slash vehicle body mass in recent years, but third generation steels should deliver even more dramatic cuts.

OEM designs often benefit from components transferred from other industries. Looking for a component that can withstand the worst? Check out Aerex 350, a superalloy originally used to make bolts for gas-turbine engines. It's now employed in a fastener that can handle 1350 F heat and resist creep and stress ruptures.

Technology for thread-locking fasteners has advanced over several decades. Have your products kept pace? Is your quality good, or are warranty claims climbing? This review of mechanical and chemical thread-locking systems provides fresh thoughts on both the technology to use and the decision to outsource the pre-application.

The industry's still trying to get a handle on Mechatronics. It's a term coined in the 1960s and involves mechanical, electrical, control, and software engineers. And we're still sorting out the division of labor. Which discipline leads the way? At least three engineering schools offer a bachelor's degree in Mechatronics. Companies like Procter & Gamble, SKF, Rockwell Automation, IDEO, and Yaskawa believe in the concept. This article makes the case that mechanical engineers should be in a great position to lead the pack.

Home architecture isn't the typical bailiwick of OEM design engineers, but a recent exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art does showcase materials and technologies borrowed from industrial design for use in prefabricated homes. Architects built five homes using prefab materials, creating the "world's wackiest subdivision," including the Cellophane House.

Which Path for Auto Power?

Auto engines are being redesigned to burn a mix of 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. Is this the right plan for the next five years? Will this put the nation on the wrong consumption path again?