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February 11, 2020Volume 16 Issue 06


Image - Win Projects with High Fidelity Appearance Models
Win Projects with High Fidelity Appearance Models
3D Systems On Demand creates highly realistic appearance models that perfectly mimic the quality and aesthetics of the real product. Whether you need a physical part for aesthetic review, internal evaluation, trade shows or sales presentations, 3D Systems On Demand can turn your CAD file into a reality. Click here to find out more or get a free quote online now!
Get a Quote.

In this issue of Designfax

  • Machines spotlight: Firefighting robot
  • Floating solar plant captures reflected snow light too
  • Beats like the real thing: Hybrid bionic heart
  • Au naturel: Ford GT supercar carbon fiber finish
  • Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more
  • Tiny Osram LED enables ultra-slim headlight designs
  • Signal-operated air pressure relay
  • Thermoelectric coolers for smart DLP headlights
  • Fully redundant mobile angle sensors
  • Build your own mini synchronous drive systems
  • DENSO launches next-gen MovinCool spot coolers
  • Cool Tools: Digital high-res PCB microscope
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Extension springs -- What are they?
    • Day in the life of a NASA test pilot
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Airbus BelugaXL cargo plane enters service
    • The battle of stainless: 303 vs. 304 vs. 316
    • See paper 'explode' in 144-ton hydraulic press
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: Ford GT 2020 gets special edition upgrades

News

Army researchers use single laser beam to detect all types of airborne particles

Scientists create 3D-printed parts that can kill bacteria

Detroit-Hamtramck will be GM's first assembly plant totally devoted to electric vehicles

15 years ago Denmark didn't have a robotics industry. Now the cobot capital of the world is being built there



Feature articles

Image - Machines spotlight: <br>The hero of Notre-Dame -- Firefighting robot
Machines spotlight:
The hero of Notre-Dame -- Firefighting robot

Last spring, the famous French cathedral of Notre-Dame was heavily damaged in a devastating fire. But the Paris fire department prevented the complete destruction of the building with the help of a special robot called Colossus. Motors from maxon are used in the robot's design.
Read the full article.

Image - Floating solar plant captures reflected snow light too
Floating solar plant captures reflected snow light too
Situated 1,810 m above sea level on the artificial Lac des Toules in Switzerland, a new floating solar plant is predicted to be more efficient than most installations, thanks to technology from ABB that also helps capture and use reflected light from snow and water.
Read the full article.

Image - Beats like the real thing: Hybrid bionic heart
Beats like the real thing: Hybrid bionic heart
Engineers at MIT and their partners have developed a bionic heart that offers a more realistic model for testing artificial valves and other cardiac devices. The device is a real biological heart that has had its tough muscle tissue replaced with a soft robotic matrix of artificial heart muscles that resemble bubble wrap.
Read the full article.

Image - What they didn't teach you about pressure regulators in engineering school
What they didn't teach you about pressure regulators in engineering school
Pressure regulators are in widespread use, but how much do you really know about them? This technical paper explains, in an easy-to-understand format, the important factors to consider before specifying a pressure regulator for your application.
Learn more about The Basics of Pressure Regulators.
View the Beswick Engineering Regulator Catalog.
Read the in-depth Pressure Regulator Selection Guide.

Image - Au naturel: Ford GT supercar gets unpainted carbon fiber, more power updates
Au naturel: Ford GT supercar gets unpainted carbon fiber, more power updates
A brand new option for the Ford GT is called Liquid Carbon, and it lets the supercar's lightweight sculpted carbon fiber body shine through -- completely free of paint color. But if you don't like all that black weave showing, there's a racy painted throwback edition available too. The 2020 GT also gets an engine power update.
Read the full article.

Image - Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more
Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more
KHK USA takes you on a journey through the history and applications of gears in two information-packed, no-cost volumes called "The ABCs of Gears." Part A is aimed at beginners, while part B moves on to intermediate fare, such as types of gears and tooth forms, heat treatment, surface treatment, production methods, etc. Another mid-level text called "Introduction to Gears" and an in-depth "Gear Technical Reference" are also available, chock full of materials information and calculation examples and tables. Best of all, there is no registration for any of these valuable PDF resources. Thanks, KHK USA!
Click here to learn more.

Image - Tiny Osram LED enables ultra-slim headlight designs
Tiny Osram LED enables ultra-slim headlight designs
Smaller and brighter light sources are leading to more compact and versatile headlamps, and headlight designs can often be key product differentiators these days -- particularly in the premium segment. The powerful Osram Oslon Boost HM LED enables ultra-slim designs full of possibilities in next-gen vehicles.
Read the full article.

Image - Signal-operated air pressure relay
Signal-operated air pressure relay
ControlAir has just introduced the Type 7150 Precision Air Relay, a high-precision, multi-stage pressure relay offering fine adjustment and maximum stability under variable operating conditions. High-resolution output control combined with very high relief capacity makes the Type 7150 the choice for pneumatic counter balance applications such as articulating arms and balancers. Other applications include volume boosting, roll loading, tension control, cylinder control, and industrial clutch and brake control.
Learn more.

Image - Thermoelectric coolers for smart DLP headlights
Thermoelectric coolers for smart DLP headlights
Digital light processing (DLP) technology is now used in many smart automotive headlight systems to cast sharper and brighter light in front of a vehicle. These automotive headlight systems operate in temperature environments that can reach 110 C. However, the maximum operating temperature of a DLP is only 70 C. The HiTemp ET Series of thermoelectric coolers from Laird can lower the control temperature by as much as 40 C below ambient, protecting sensitive DLP electronics and ensuring optimum performance. The HiTemp ET can also protect components in optical transceiver, LIDAR, and CMOS applications.
Learn more.

Image - Fully redundant mobile angle sensors
Fully redundant mobile angle sensors
The just-released compact RSA3200 Series of Hall effect angle sensors from Novotechnik features auto-diagnostics, fully redundant versions, and ultra-EMC tolerance for use in harsh environments and high-reliability applications. The measurement angle is factory programmable for range maximum between 60 to 360 deg. An optional linkage lever that attaches to a shaft provides additional mounting options. Applications include: boom angle measurement, swash plate angle on hydraulic pumps for off-highway vehicles, rotational position of a valve, and trim senders for marine outboard powertrains.
Learn more about angle sensors from Novotechnik.

Image - Build your own mini synchronous drive systems
Build your own mini synchronous drive systems
With the Miniature Synchronous Drive System from Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument (SDP/SI), you can put your own 1-, 2-, or 3-mm design together in a snap. The tiny timing belts and pulleys are engineered and manufactured to give high accuracy and smooth, dependable operation in 3D printers, moving security cameras, med devices, robotic surgical equipment, self-service machines, and more. Advantages include no-slip synchronization, accurate positioning, high torque transmission with low backlash, quiet operation, and long belt life.
Learn more.

Image - DENSO launches next-gen MovinCool spot coolers
DENSO launches next-gen MovinCool spot coolers
Reconfigured from the ground up, the sleek Climate Pro spot air conditioning units offer upgraded design features including a streamlined control panel, a black matte finish, reinforced bumpers, built-in power cord holder, heavy-duty casters, and state-of-the-art connectivity. The new series features 11 models: six models for office use, three models for industrial applications, and two that offer both heating and cooling. All units are covered by MovinCool's industry-leading three-year warranty.
Learn more.

Image - Cool Tools: Digital high-res PCB microscope
Cool Tools: Digital high-res PCB microscope
The Saelig SAE106S Digital Microscope is a versatile tool designed specifically for PCB inspection, but it is also useful in many other fields such as mechanical part examination. This unit can be used as a standalone inspection device for circuit board examination using its built-in 4.3-in. LCD screen, or it can be connected to a PC. Illumination is enhanced by an eight-LED adjustable ring light and two repositionable, dimmable side lights. This microscope offers 10X to 220X magnification for discovering the smallest blemish or trace problem. Resultant images and videos can be stored on an SD card or transferred to a Windows PC. Under 200 bucks. Wish I had this as a kid.
Learn more.

Most popular last issue

Image - Airbus BelugaXL cargo plane enters service with 30% extra transport capacity
Airbus BelugaXL cargo plane enters service with 30% extra transport capacity
Jan. 9 was a big, big day for Airbus when the first of six new BelugaXL cargo planes -- boasting the largest cargo bay cross-section of all existing cargo aircraft worldwide -- entered into service. The new mega plane will provide Airbus with 30 percent extra transport capacity in order to shuttle huge commercial aircraft parts to and from its various facilities.
Read the full article.

Image - The battle of stainless: 303 vs. 304 vs. 316
The battle of stainless: 303 vs. 304 vs. 316
Choosing the correct stainless steel material is critical to any application -- especially those designed for wash-down, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, or strength. There are a variety of materials to choose from, with many different specifications tied to them. But do you know the differences between the most widely used grades? Carlicia Layosa from MISUMI gives the rundown.
Read this informative MISUMI blog.

Image - See paper 'explode' in 144-ton hydraulic press
See paper 'explode' in 144-ton hydraulic press
Annihilated any good books lately? The affable experimenters over at the Hydraulic Press Channel are at it again, this time using their hydraulic press to crush a stack of printer paper, paperback books, pure paper pulp, playing cards, and more. The results are surprisingly energetic, and the big-bang payoff is greater than many other things they've crushed in a while.
View the video.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Extension springs -- What are they?
Extension springs are used for applications where a very precise amount of force at a certain deflection is needed. They can be pulled from an inch to 100 inches. See the manufacturing process.
View the video.

Video Image
Day in the life of a NASA test pilot
Got a couple minutes to think about a dream job? David Nils Larson, the chief test pilot at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, talks about his job and some of the influences that guided his career. He also talks about his office, where Neil Armstrong and some other famous NASA names used to sit behind a desk to work sometimes.
View the video.

Video Image

New products

Electrical/Electronics
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Mechanical
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Motion
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