News

New world record of 31.25% set for solar-to-grid conversion efficiency

Nitty-gritty but vital data helps field rescue robots

Neil Young hybridizes his 19.5-ft-long heavyweight 1959 Mark IV

$80,000 Karma luxury hybrid hints at once-a-year gas fill-up

Chain systems lauded by material-handling specialist
As a 60-year veteran in the material-handling industry, Diamond Phoenix's experience led them recently to begin using Energy Chain cable carriers and Chainflex cables from igus. The company employs igus' E2 mini and E2 medium Energy Chains to guide, protect, and extend the service life of Chainflex cables on the majority of its material-handling machines.
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The Unbelievable Prototyping Company. Are you behind the curve in product launch? Do you have a design that just doesn't seem to be working? If you're having difficulty answering these questions, chances are the 3-Dimensional Services Group has the answers. We’re experts in bringing product ideas to reality and laying design challenges to rest. We design and build prototypes with manufacturing intent in mind, and we do it faster than you can imagine. For more information visit 3-Dimensional Services Group online.

Automaker shines new light on energy efficiency
There's no cleaner power than the power you don't use. The opportunity to improve the efficiency of its High Velocity Center in Windsor Locks, CT, became apparent after Ford Motor Company engaged energy services company New England Energy Management to conduct an audit of its 227,000-sq-ft distribution facility. New England Energy proposed replacing 650 existing HID lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient linear fluorescent lighting from GE Consumer & Industrial, coupled with motion sensors that could reduce light output (and energy usage) up to 50%. The payback period? Seven months.
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New nanowire battery holds 10 times the charge as existing lithium-ions
Stanford University researchers have found a way to use silicon nanowires to reinvent the rechargeable Li-ion batteries that power laptops, iPods, video cameras, cell phones, and countless other devices. The new version, developed through research led by Yi Cui, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford, produces 10 times the amount of electricity of existing Li-ion batteries.
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Wheels: It's all in the solder joints; Analysis software predicts thermal-cycling reliability
One could argue that the reliability of electronics systems in automotive applications hinges on the reliability of every solder joint on every circuit board. Considering that the daily production of solder joints at Delphi is about one billion, the task of predicting thermal-cycling reliability for all the electronic packages under design calls for very special tools. That's where Abaqus simulation software comes in.
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