| November 19, 2019 | Volume 15 Issue 44 |
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 | Achieve Maximum Flexibility with Electroformed Bellows Couplings
Electrodeposited bellows technology offers the best combination of flexibility and strength among coupling technologies. Servometer® flexible shaft bellows couplings offer seamless construction with maximum flexibility, and handle angular misalignment up to 31° and parallel misalignments up to .076". Servometer bellows couplings exhibit low windup due to the bellows' radial rigidity, and low side thrust due to its lateral flexibility.
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| | Feature articles | 55 Years Ago: First flight of the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle
Neil Armstrong called it unconventional, contrary, and ugly, but the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle provided "a substantial contribution to the Apollo program." Built before NASA had selected the strategy that would use the Lunar Module, the LLRV used a downward pointing turbofan engine, two rockets for descent and horizontal translation, and 16 thrusters for three-axis attitude control.
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 | What they didn't teach you about fittings in engineering school
Do you know why an old standard "Christmas-tree" barbed fitting may not be your best choice for your miniature fluid power application? Specialists at Beswick Engineering run through the common types of fittings used in these smaller pneumatic applications, along with thread sizes and seals to help you make the correct choice. They also touch on pressure and temp ranges, chemical compatibility issues, rigid and flexible lines, and the ease of assembly and maintenance.
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 | Navy demonstrates laser power beaming
Attendees recently gathered at the Naval Surface Warfare Center to stand around in the dark and look at something they mostly couldn't see. It was a long-range, free-space laser system -- the first of its kind -- beaming 400 W of power across 325 m to specially designed photovoltaics.
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 | Ford unveils all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV
Ford Motor Co. took the wraps off its latest Mustang Sunday night, and it was full of surprises. First, it's an SUV called the Mach-E. Second, it's all electric. Yup, the pony car now has a family-friendly, zero-emissions alternative available in late 2020. Buyers will have a host of options, including a 459-hp GT Performance Edition with an extended range of 300 miles that does 0 to 60 in around 3.5 sec. And you get a kit to charge it at home.
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 | Chairless exoskeleton solves long-standing problem
The Chairless Chair is a new innovation for relieving strain and fatigue from excessive standing during long work shifts. The entire construct is lightweight, easy to put on, and hardly noticeable when walking. Operating a switch on the strap turns the flexible construct into a stable seat. Two small FAULHABER DC motors activate a stop valve in the hydraulic elements of the shock absorbers, locking the support into the seated position.
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 | Rapid prototyping of plastic mold inserts improved by Volume Graphics
The development phase of creating injection molded parts and inserts often requires the production of small-quantity prototypes. A new "rapid" method offers improved time and cost savings by using plastic molds (instead of aluminum), produced through industrial 3D printing, that are then used for prototyping traditional plastic components with inserts. The new process was created by the Kunststoff-Institut along with industry partners, including industrial CT software developer Volume Graphics.
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 | Top Design Tip:
Nested Spirawave® wave springs in valves
In a valve where space is limited, Nested springs can provide a high spring force with a low profile. When pressure is applied to the sealing surface, the spring will compress to keep the seal closed. When the seal begins to wear, the spring keeps pressing the seal tight against the surface. Nested Spirawave springs from Smalley produce two to three times more force than a single-turn wave spring.
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 | Hard Materials: Space Station silicon carbide ceramic bearing
Insaco, working with a major pump manufacturer, helped design a specialized pump to process wastewater into usable water on the International Space Station. To overcome both the requirement for reliability during manned space flights and the poor lubricity of water, Insaco recommended and machined a special grade of silicon carbide for their ceramic bearing with dimensional tolerances of +/-.0002". The pump has run in space successfully since 2016. For your unique machining requirements using sapphire, ceramic, quartz, and glass, trust the experts at Insaco.
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 | Smart Guide to Design for Manufacturability
Learn How to Reduce Time and Cost:
- Injection Molding Basics -- the basics of molds and the plastic injection molding process
- Best Practices -- learn the secrets to optimizing wall thickness, drafts, runners and gates, ribs and more
- Features to Incorporate -- discover the features that can be incorporated into your design to enhance your part, potentially saving time and money
- Avoiding Pitfalls -- following these best practices will help you avoid costly mistakes in your tool
Get your Smart Guide today. |
 | Helical bevel gearboxes with cast-iron frames
The new IronHorse HBR series of helical bevel gearboxes combines the helical gearset with a bevel gearset to create an output that is perpendicular to the input. All HBR series gearboxes are hollow shaft output and accept double or single shafts. Dual and single output shaft kits are available. Helical gears offer a smoother, quieter operation than most other gear types. The universally interchangeable compact design ensures easy OEM replacement and provides flexible installation with C-face and TC-face inputs, perpendicular output, and six mounting positions. Five gearbox sizes support 56C up to 254/6TC NEMA motor frames, and 6 ratios are available from 10:1 to 120:1. The helical bevel gearboxes are sized to handle from 1- to 24-hp motors.
Learn more from AutomationDirect. |
 | New anti-static air knife with 30% better performance
EXAIR's new Gen4 Standard Ion Air Knife eliminates static electricity 30 percent better at low inlet pressures, which saves compressed air and money. Production speeds, product quality, and surface cleanliness can improve dramatically. It eliminates static on plastics, webs, sheet stock, and other product surfaces where tearing, jamming, or hazardous shocks are a problem. The unique amplified airflow carries the ions to the target, making it possible to eliminate static charges in less than a half second. Air volume and velocity are infinitely controllable from a breeze to a blast to gently wipe or forcefully blow away debris.
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 | Most advanced LIDAR sensor on the market
Velodyne's new Alpha Prime LIDAR sensor has a unique combination of breakthrough innovations that allows vehicles to navigate in unfamiliar and dynamic settings. It uses patented surround-view technology to deliver the combined highest performance specifications for the autonomous mobility industry in one sensor -- with reflectivity returns from over 4.8 million points per sec. Velodyne says this sensor is an unmatched solution in perception, field-of-view, and range for autonomous markets such as transportation, trucking, and robotics. It also offers a new level of power efficiency. Available now for orders and delivery.
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| | Most popular last issue |
 | 900-hp electric Ford Mustang coupe concept show car has manual gear shift
Ford was full of surprises at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas last week. For one, the company rolled out an all-electric one-off show car dubbed the Mustang Lithium. Besides some incredible power, the surprise pony car also features a six-speed manual transmission -- a real renegade move when it comes to EV design, and something new and novel.
Read the full article. |
 | WOW. Fly with the Blue Angels over Seattle
Ever felt like taking a break and just letting your mind fly for a while? Maybe now is the time. Ride along with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels as they perform impressive close-formation stunts over Seattle at the 2019 Boeing Seafair Air Show. Since 1946, the Blue Angels have flown for more than 260 million spectators. This cockpit view may bring a whole new meaning to "just roll with it" for you today.
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
Save integration time and simplify deployment with cobot end-of-arm-tooling (EoAT)
OnRobot continues to simplify automation, enabling fast and cost-effective robotic deployment. All OnRobot tools now have a unified mechanical and communications interface. This new one-system solution makes a full range of tools and robot compatibility with a single platform for programming and training easily accessible. With OnRobot, manufacturers can get all the EoAT they need to get productive quickly and cost-effectively -- in one place.
View the video. |
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