|
|
Mini Bearings Lighten Soldiers' Load
Microball bearings are one technology graduating from Army-sponsored research at Clark School of Engineering. Microball bearings, a few human hairs wide, help tiny pumps, motors, and turbines energize a micro power generator. The result: lighter battery loads for soldiers and new bearing options for micromechanical designers.
|
Hot New Tech for Chilly Work
Permanent magnet bearings are finding more use in industrial machines. Thanks to smaller control systems and better performance, screw compressors are being replaced with centrifugal turbo-machines in cooling systems. Generating near zero friction, the bearings lower energy consumption and increase compressor efficiencies up to 75%.
|
|
|
Tool Takes Spectroscopy On-Location
Airline safety and metallurgical analyses take a step forward with this tool, based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The hand-held tool helps evaluate large metal or composite parts that previously had to be conducted in labs. It also eliminates the need for destructive removal of samples for lab work.
|
Nuts to Studs for the Small Shop
Whether you work in a job shop or workstation in a small boat building facility, this quick set up and easy-to-use tool will help make faster work of pesky little fastener chores. These include installing rivet nuts and studs in aluminum, steel, and glass reinforced plastics using aluminum, steel, and stainless steel fasteners.
|
|
 |
Online Mechanical Product Selectors Make It Easy
Danaher Motion
Recently updated product selectors for Thomson mechanical motion control components are now available. Quickly narrow thousands of potential choices based on selection of attributes to reach the ideal solution for your application. Categories include: Linear Actuators, Ball and Lead Screws, Round and Square Rail Linear Guides, Gearheads, Clutches, and Brakes.
View all of our Featured Products… |
Need a Solution? Try Fineblanking.
Precision Resource Inc.
No other traditional metal forming process can match fineblankings combination of tight dimensional control, excellent flatness, cleanly sheared and straight-cut edges, and strength. Precision Resource manufactures parts with over 100 presses from 40 - 1400 tons and an extensive range of secondary operations to provide complete component solutions.
|
|
|
Polymers Promise Cheaper Sunlight Capture
Researchers at South Dakota State are chasing one of engineering's most elusive challenges: cost-effective solar energy. They've developed lower cost LEDs and photovoltaic devices using polymers, rather than materials like silicon. The devices capture energy from more of the spectrum (beyond visible sunlight), doubling the harvest.
|
Rubber Fears No Ozone or Heat Zone
Having quality issues when removing hot parts from molds? Is surface marring causing coating problems? Silicon can handle the temperature, but is susceptible to surface marring. Nitrile rubber lacks the heat properties. The solution may be hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR), used to make resilient suction cups.
|
|
|
Big Time Cable Carrier
Been irked when the cable carrier you want is a custom order or available in limited materials? If you need to guide a rats' nest of large cables in rough or high-motion environments, check out the world's largest plastic cable carrier — one that is available directly from stock, and withstands loads similar to steel carriers.
|
Making a Cinch of Self-clinch Selection
With many variations available, is your selection of self-clinching fasteners sure-footed? Once basic hardware to attach components to sheet metal has blossomed to dozens of fastener types and thousands of variations. This review of options and fastener reliability tests will keep you from getting torqued over self-clinchers.
|
|
|
Stainless Steel Rod Ends
Tuthill Controls
A version of Tuthill's most popular rod end, the new stainless steel series features an injected molded nylon race design that offers low maintenance and self-lubricating characteristics. These rod ends excel in applications requiring corrosion resistance, low friction, high wear resistance, and low moisture absorption. Visit us here for more information.
|
Metal Detectable Seals
Creavey Seal Company
Available in nitrile, EPDM, FKM, and silicone, our seals reduce product loss due to contamination, are detectable by most standard metal detection techniques, can be used as part of a HACCP process, and can be detected in sizes as small as 2 mm. Creavey's materials meet all requirements of food and pharmaceutical industries.
|
Parts as Small as a Human Hair!
American Swiss Products Co., Inc.
American Swiss Products provides custom precision screw machine components and specializes in diameters of 1 in. or less. We currently provide parts the diameter of human hair. We work with a variety of materials including titanium, stainless, plastic, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, and brass. Exceptional products and service are the foundation of American Swiss.
|
Feed Rollers, Idler Rollers, and Rollers
Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument
A new series of inch and metric feed rollers from Stock Drive Products (an ISO 9001 manufacturer) feature multiple applications. These 23 feed rollers, identified as the A 7M 5-UR and A 7T 5-UR Series, are dimensioned in inches and feature 60 durometer urethane rolling surfaces with ground outside diameters.
|
Careers & Commentary . . . | |
How Do Your Engineering Skills Stack Up?
My Perfect Gig, Inc.
Engineers are always in demand, but how do you stack up in the marketplace? Do your skills match up with what the best companies need? Visit MyPerfectGig.com to find out.
|
Advance Your Career ONLINE
Drexel University
A better education means a better career. Earn a top-ranked Master's or Bachelor's degree or a certificate online from Drexel University Online. Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Library and Information Science, and MORE.
|
|
Escape the Staff-Cutting Scalpel
With swings in business activity, jobs can almost always be at risk. But especially in today's stressed global economy, many engineering jobs may seem at risk. Worse, an engineer's best achievements seem to accelerate job cuts, by helping automate or speed design processes. This article describes how job survival could depend on engineers improving relationships and demonstrating a knack for handling the novel or tough challenges others avoid.
|
|
Early Foundation for First Engineers?
We're all reminded often enough that life moves past us at a pretty fast pace. Even engineers need to occasionally stop and look around to avoid missing it. A nifty look back was aided recently, when one of America's first math books published in the late 1880s by Newburyport, MA school teacher Nicholas Pike — undoubtedly holding lessons for a few early engineers — was recently auctioned in Boston.
|
Share Your Thoughts . . . About This Month's Topic
P.E.'s — Where's the Legal Line?
Who qualifies as an engineer? Should engineers operate businesses without a P.E. certificate? With exams weighted toward mechanical and civil engineers, should states require separate certification for others? Should the P.E. exam be narrowed, or broadened?
|
|
|
|
|
