It may come as a surprise to learn that Boeing has been implementing parts of the Toyota Production System for a long time. Likewise, the auto industry has been closely following the development and use of composites by the aircraft industry, with special interest in Boeing's 787 Dreamliner which is 50% composite by weight. It's no accident the Lotus F1 team is leaning heavily on carbon composite construction — from the monocoque body to the front and rear suspension to the driver's seat. Truth be told, both industries have long kept an eye on each other. Automotive Design and Production highlights other technologies of shared interest.

As the trend toward smart cars builds, Molex is developing smaller 0.50 mm-type mating terminals for automotive sensors that reduce package size. We're ready to configure products according to customer specifications that lower overall applied costs for smart car features. For cutting-edge sensor solutions, turn to Molex.

The new DEPRAG flow-drill system is perfect for FDS assemblies because it can adjust to places with limited space. Robotic screwdrivers are specially designed to deal with limited space situations. DEPRAG offsets the drive motor and screwdriving axis and can therefore access locations as close as 10 mm to an obstacle!

When your automotive application calls for tight bends from your tube and pipe bender, the Comco KBB Series booster bender is the machine for you. The booster feature of the KBB Series provides power required to produce D bends in demanding materials. The six second average cycle time gives you competitive production rates.

The 135 Series WOB-L® Piston DC compressor from Thomas is compact and lightweight at only 1.16 lbs (.53 kg). Manufactured with durable components that provide long life, high performance, and low vibration. Available in 12 V and 24 V, the 135 features an oil-less piston and cylinder, and has stainless steel and silicone valves.

Many systems in today's cars require mechanical angle measurements. For safety-critical components requiring fail-safe reliability like throttle controls and steering mechanisms, OEMs often achieve desired redundancy with two separate sensors on a lead frame or PCB. The new KMA220 sensor avoids that duplication and simplifies the assembly by integrating two magnetic sensors into one package.

A three-axis, high-g MEMS accelerometer eliminates the need for alignment of orthogonal sensors. The device is suited to industrial equipment or anywhere that high levels of shock and vibration are closely monitored, including Indy race cars. Designed to record significant shock and vibration events, the new accelerometer measures up to ± 200 g, and can withstand 10,000 g shocks.

Progress in introducing green technologies to motorsports has sped up, thanks to recent advances in composites. Recycled composites and flax-reinforced composites make up a good portion of the materials used to manufacture the world's first electric FIA Formula E race car, which is set to compete in next year's World Championship Series, as shown in this video. Extensive testing of mechanical and impact properties of the composite materials show minimal loss of strength and fiber stiffness when compared with original virgin prepregs.

Researchers from Fraunhofer Institute, Germany, devised a materials solution to a nemesis of electric vehicle (EV) performance: battery overheating. CryoSolplus coolant mixes water, paraffin, glycol, and stabilizing tensides. The paraffin melts during heat absorption and resolidifies as it cools, absorbing 3x as much heat as a water-cooling system.

BETAFORCE™ composite adhesives from Dow Automotive Systems provide OEMs with reliable joining of various similar and dissimilar substrates, and industry-leading temperature stability for customer applications. The solutions enable weight reduction, faster cycle time, and provide design freedom bonding: aluminum, sheet molding compound, carbon fiber composities, polycarbonate, steel, and more.

E³ series 2012 offers enhancements for the automotive and special purpose vehicle industry. Engineers across the vehicle industries — from trucks and tanks to buses, cars, and motorcycles — will benefit from fewer design iterations between manufacturing engineers and design engineers, leading to reduced design time and improved quality. Watch the video here!

Weber in Germany and Ejot Fasteners have developed a new system that is significantly impacting automobiles manufacturing in Europe. The RSF or Flow drilling techniques provide super stiff construction in a fraction of the time associated with conventional methods used in steel chassis production which is common here in North America.

View the report via EngineerXchange, the online professional network for SAE Members, at ex.sae.org. This report provides technical insight and career guidance to help engineers solve automotive, aerospace, and commercial vehicle engineering challenges. Not a Member? Join today at ex.sae.org.

You would think that the thousands of standard fasteners would fill every need, but custom designs requested for special applications are quite common. Learn how some fastener manufacturers can quickly design and produce functional prototypes for testing by the end-user. Discover how, after acceptance, affordable production quantities can be manufactured.

In today's competitive marketplace, noise, vibration, and harshness equate to poor quality. But quieting a car is challenging. Once noise from the engine compartment is suppressed, passengers suddenly become aware of the many squeaks and groans inside a vehicle. There is no universal panacea, but one product type does come close: synthetic noise-damping lubricants. This report describes how pastes, coatings, greases, powder additives, oils, and dispersions can help.

Indian car maker Tata Motors reports testing two cars with compressed-air engines. Next for Tata is setting up manufacturing facilities to build the cars, according to this Discovery News article. Besides discussing Tata's plans, the article looks at the pros and cons of putting compressed-air engines in vehicles.

The world's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered formula car entered the Formula Student competition in the UK last month. The Forze V designed at Delft University of Technology tied for 29^th place in a field of 132, powered by 18 kW or 24 HP from the fuel cell to two motors. Top speed is clocked at 120 km/h (75 mph).

Saving fuel benefits our planet. Moreover, in economic times like these, it is pivotal to cut costs. Equflow flow sensors accurately measure your fuel consumption to optimize your engine. It might be a good start to decrease your fuel consumption and cut your costs. Get inspired today!

Choose from our 150 lb up to 2,200 lb load capacity standard series of washers or have our engineers custom design a system per your specifications. These robust washers can clean virtually any rebuild parts. Adding filtration and turbulation will further enhance cleaning and extends bath life. Learn more...

These products range from truck and bus transportation to construction, mining, agriculture, and power generation. Across industries, Delo's premium lubricants deliver world class protection, performance, and maximum operational reliability in a wide range of operating conditions. Learn more about Delo's family of products at ChevronDelo.com.

Greenleaf industry standard turning and boring tools feature industry common, multi-lock hardware components, qualified to current ANSI / ISO specifications and are available in a wide variety of styles for all common insert geometries. Greenleaf turning and boring tools are precision machined from alloy steel, heat-treated for durability and long life.

Register Today!
GlobalSpec's Material Handling & Supply Chain Event — September 19, 2012

Join your peers and leading manufacturers for this free, informative, and interactive ONLINE conference and trade show — right from the convenience of your desktop. Meet with leading manufacturers eager to showcase their latest products, services and technology offerings. Participate in any or all of the educational sessions including: Improving Efficiency in Your Warehouse: A Slotting Primer, Lean Manufacturing through Mobile Robotics, and more — all designed to meet your information needs. Don't miss out. register today!

A standard from ASTM International offers guidance when specifying vulcanized rubber materials for automotive applications. Based on the premise that the properties of all rubber products can be arranged into characteristic material designations, the classification system — ASTM D2000 — describes the quality of natural rubber, reclaimed rubber, and synthetic rubbers, alone or in combination.

To protect personnel and the environment, GMW3059 lists substances that are either prohibited or limited from being used in materials and components. Restrictions cited are based on existing legislation or self-imposed regulations. The standard applies to materials and components specified by the purchaser, including items where the design is held by the supplier, such as "black box" items.

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