News

LEDs to make a splash at Beijing Olympics

Timken acquires Purdy Corp., adds to growing aerospace business

Energy lost from hot engines could save billions

"Wave Farm" ocean energy generators get realistic hydraulic, electrical, and assembly simulation

Engine builder gets quick grip on ergonomic nightmare
Ever had trouble getting to that tricky engine part? Detroit Diesel did, and that was just in the initial build stage. To solve the problem of placing sensor terminals into the sixth generation of its electronic engine control system (as one Detroit Diesel engineer put it, an ergonomic nightmare), the company called on prototyping specialist 3-Dimensional Services. Multiple fabrication and machining resources were used to fabricate a pliers-like insertion tool in little more than a week's time — and a prototype tool in just three days.
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Cold hard steel: Spanish cement mixer wins 2007 Swedish Steel Prize
Lighter, tougher, and safer on the road. This was the vision of Spanish company Baryval-Serviplem, which was awarded the Swedish Steel Prize 2007 for its work on its semi-trailer with concrete mixer. The truck was voted the best high-strength steel design for 2007, presented in conjunction with a gala dinner at the Berns Banqueting Hall in Stockholm on November 29.
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Sunshine-to-Petrol project seeks fuel from thin air
Using concentrated solar energy to reverse combustion, a research team from Sandia National Laboratories is building a prototype device intended to chemically "re-energize" carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using concentrated solar power. The carbon monoxide could then be used to make hydrogen or serve as a building block to synthesize a liquid combustible fuel, such as methanol or even gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
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Wheels: Pressure sensors provide critical data for drag racers
Gaining a competitive advantage in drag racing — whether you are driving a Top Fuel dragster, a Funny car, or even just a plain-old Chevy on amateur night — boils down to one overriding strategy: shave as many hundredths of a second off your car's race time as possible. And one of the primary tools to achieve this objective is the data logger that is permanently affixed to every car as it speeds down the track, whether in practice or during competition. RPM-brand data loggers are equipped with pressure sensors provided by Setra Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of pressure, acceleration, and weight-sensing devices.
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