Feature Articles

Improved polymer conveyor chain performance
Lightweight polymer conveyor chains are increasingly replacing those made of metal because they require lower drive power and, with the correct material pairing, they can operate quietly, lubricant-free, and with little maintenance over long service periods. DuPont and its partners are collaborating on design and material enhancements to further extend chain performance and range of application.
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Engineering an optimal solution: Mechanical carbon machine parts
Mechanical carbon materials can be an effective solution, and sometimes the only workable solution, for moving machine parts where rubbing must occur with low wear and low friction, and oil-grease lubrication cannot be used.
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UW lab demonstrates 3D printing in glass
A team of engineers and artists working at the University of Washington's Solheim Rapid Manufacturing Laboratory has developed a way to create glass objects using a conventional 3D printer. The technique allows a new type of material to be used in such devices.
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Wheels: When cars go to driving school
What if your car could learn how you handle different driving situations, then alert you if you fail to slow for a curve or start driving erratically? A European research project has already built a working prototype of a car so smart that it goes to driving school every day.
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5-Star Product: Polyurethanes encapsulate electronics in single RIM process
The BaySystems polyurethane systems house in Otterup, Denmark, has joined forces with Isotherm AG in Uetendorf, Switzerland, to develop a cost-effective process for the production of housings and the protection of sensitive electronic components.
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Engineer's Toolbox: Seating innovations with silicone
A unique “shower cap” concept developed by Simrit and healthcare seating design company Sittris molds a liquid silicone rubber (LSR) surface over an entire chair. In order to produce such large, complex moldings, Simrit acquired a custom-built liquid silicone injection-molding machine, believed at the time to be the largest in the Americas.
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Most popular last week:
Wheels: Designing giants for tough work
Liebherr engineers rely on ANSYS structural simulation technology to develop giant diesel electric trucks designed to withstand harsh mining operations while providing maximum load capacity.
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Buzzworthy
(Fast-tracked releases and sponsored corporate announcements)

NIST releases final report on Cowboys facility collapse
Structure collapsed under wind loads significantly less than design standards required
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Quality Transmission Components announces new Q470 catalog
The 352-page catalog contains over 16,000 off-the-shelf standardized components
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