News

Conflicting signals can confuse rescue robots

Engine manufacturers ready to tackle EPA's new marine diesel engine standards

Thrill-ride mechanical systems depend on igus

Next-gen hook-and-loop fastening system stuck on using Victrex PEEK polymer

In this issue:

Feature Articles

Boeing Dreamliner insider look: Fuselage units start to roll
Vought Aircraft Industries, a program partner on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner team, is on track to deliver its first production ship set of fuselage sections from its Charleston, SC, facility in April. All of Vought's one-piece fuselage sections, called barrels, have successfully completed nondestructive inspections (NDI) with unprecedented levels of quality. The NDI process uses high-frequency ultrasonic sound waves to scan for imperfections or voids in the skin material. Numerous tests are done to verify manufacturing processes and structural integrity of the all-composite construction.
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Predictive modeling targets unexploded ordnance location
When military munitions do not function as intended or fully detonate, they become unexploded ordnance (UXO). It's been estimated that over 16 million acres of land worldwide may be contaminated with UXO; this poses a significant threat as a portion of these lands are currently used for non-military purposes. To combat the disappointing accuracy of conventional ordnance detection methods, the high expense of multiple excavations, and other major setbacks in UXO detection, the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Maplesoft have joined forces to develop an efficient real-time UXO discrimination method.
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Nanoengineered concrete could cut carbon dioxide emissions
The production of cement, the primary component of concrete, accounts for 5% to 10% of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions; the process is an important contributor to global warming. MIT researchers report that the source of concrete's strength and durability lies in the organization of its nanoparticles. Could the discovery lead to a major reduction in carbon dioxide emissions during manufacturing?
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Researchers use brain scans to try to predict purchasing habits
For the first time, researchers have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine what parts of the brain are active when people consider whether to purchase a product and to predict whether or not they ultimately choose to buy the product. A study from the emerging field of neuroeconomics investigates the mental and neural processes that drive economic decision-making. The results could have a profound impact on economic theory, because the decision of whether to purchase a product is the most basic and pervasive economic behavior.
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Wheels: Plastics get simply complex in GE’s QarmaQ auto concept
Hyundai's sporty new coupe, the QarmaQ, derives its peculiar name from traditional Inuit "karmak" dwellings, constructed from earth, whalebone, and animal skins. There's a metaphor here, and it works on several levels by drawing on the past: simplicity, organics, recycling, strength, resilience, protection, and plain old inventive engineering. Lighter, tougher, and more economical than any current production CUV in its class, the concept also develops and validates over 30 key technologies that will be selectively incorporated into Hyundai's new models to be rolled out from 2008-2014.
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New Products

The Best Is Yet To Come.
Throughout the month of April we count down the Most Requested and most popular new products.
Be sure to check in every week.
Electrical/Electronic
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Mechanical
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Motion Control
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Special: Materials
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Guides

  • Sensors, safety devices, and more — Elobau
  • Surface-mount terminals, systems, and services — Zierick
  • Sensors for force, load, strain, and torque — PCB Piezotronics

View guides …

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