Designfax – Technology for OEM Design Engineers was launched as an exclusive eMagazine in October 2005 following 25 successful years in print. Subscribers to the weekly publication (48 issues a year) are high-level OEM product design engineers and engineering managers who operate in a broad range of manufacturing industries, including automotive, aerospace, appliances, medical equipment, transportation, computer process controls, industrial equipment, and more. Primary content focuses on the latest exciting applications and products for Electrical/Electronic, Mechanical, Motion Control, Fluid Power, and Materials engineering, including articles on powerful software programs that serve as a primary engineering tool. Take a look at what Designfax offers and then subscribe.
| May 14, 2019 | Volume 15 Issue 18 |
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 | Are You Spending Too Much On Metal Bellows?
Making an error when choosing the right material for your application's performance requirements could be one reason a project is over or under budget. Finding the right material at the right price doesn't have to be difficult. BellowsTech edge welded bellows are available in a wide variety of materials with a range of media compatibilities. Our newly developed one-page "Material Selection Guide" quickly and easily helps you compare leak rates, temperature ranges, tensile strengths, and more of various typical applications.
View infographic ... |
 | Optimize mechanical misalignments, get hidden benefits
C-Flex Couplings combine the best qualities of disc, beam, and bellows couplings in a unique and economical new design. Made to couple two rotating shafts together, these couplings can accommodate large misalignments while transmitting high torque loads with zero backlash. Benefits include lower energy usage and less-frequent bearing failure, since less stress is placed upon bearings. Constructed using high-strength hardened stainless steel or glass impregnated polyamide flexures, these couplings require no maintenance and provide years of trouble-free life, even in contaminated environments. Flexible Pivot Bearings and Super Plastic Torsional Damping Couplings also available.
Click here to learn more.
Watch C-Flex Couplings in action handling misalignments. |
 | High-altitude satellites may bring GPS navigation to Moon
Four Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft recently broke the world record for navigating with GPS signals farther from Earth than ever before. The success indicates that NASA spacecraft may soon be able to navigate via GPS as far away as the Moon, which will prove important to the NASA Gateway, a planned space station in lunar orbit.
Read the full article. |
 | New plastic can be recycled again and again -- into any color, shape, or form
Light yet sturdy, plastic is great -- until you no longer need it. Even the most recyclable plastic, PET, is only recycled at a rate of 20 to 30 percent. But a team of researchers has designed a recyclable plastic that can be disassembled into its constituent parts at the molecular level, and then reassembled into a different shape, texture, and color again and again -- without loss of performance or quality. Wow!
Read the full article. |
 | Wheels History:
One-armin' the '52 Fetzenflieger with Porsche factory racing engine
There have been a lot of racing legends throughout the history of motor sport, but none can quite compare to Austrian driver (and mechanical engineer) Otto Mathé, who, despite having only one functional arm, not only drove to victory in each of the 20 races he entered in 1952, but also built his own cars exclusively featuring Porsche engines. In the mid-1950s, he became well known for building, driving, and winning in an unusual vehicle dubbed the "Fetzenflieger."
Read the full article. |
 | 8 ways to improve your sheet metal parts
All sheet metal parts start out flat. And no matter how convoluted or complex their final shapes may be, the wall thickness of those parts must be uniform throughout. Engineers from Protolabs share their eight quick sheet metal design tips, focusing on material and finishing options along with design elements like bends, reliefs, holes, and slots when developing your metal components. Really useful info.
Read the full article. |
 | Piezo motor technology: Questions answered
There's a new kind of piezo motor in town, and it's got legs. The Piezo LEGS rotational motor is a direct-friction drive that provides precise motion without any mechanical play or backlash. There are no gears or transmission, so changing the direction of the motion will introduce no error. The simple Piezo LEGS motor is also extremely stiff. Find out the answers to frequently asked questions about this exciting motor technology available from the FAULHABER Group.
Read the full article. |
 | Water park's 5D movies require special pneumatics
Can you imagine going to the movies in a bikini or swim trunks? You can really do it -- you don't have to dream it. A new form of movie experience at an Abu Dhabi water park involves the audience sitting in special moving seats with various integrated effects taking place around them and on them, including real floods that fill up the theater. Emerson's AVENTICS pneumatic components play a key role in making the magic happen.
Read the full article. |
 | Cobot is 'golden arm' for new pipe welding system
ARC Specialties has solved the challenge of creating repeatable, full-penetration pipe welds by combining artificial intelligence (AI), advanced sensors, and the UR5 collaborative robot from Universal Robots. The unique Artificial Intelligence Pipe Welding System debuted at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston at the beginning of May.
Read the full article. |
 | Cobham introduces spacecraft, satellite electronics
Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions, a leading provider of electronics technology and services for space and other high-reliability applications, recently released the new LeanREL product family designed to meet the needs of small satellite and non-traditional spacecraft manufacturers. The LeanREL product family, comprised of microprocessors, microcontrollers, as well as memory and interface integrated circuits (ICs), leverages Cobham's 30+ years of radiation-hardened, QML-level reliability, and innovative space systems design expertise and offers an unmatched combination of user benefits.
Find out more. |
 | Compact spiral elevator opens up conveying possibilities
FlexLink AB has upgraded its compact spiral elevator even further with in and out feeds. With a total of six configurations, this solution increases your possibilities and fits different production line layouts even better. The spiral gives you increased access to the production floor, offering a 40 percent smaller footprint compared to the most common solutions on the market -- and the possibility to transport goods vertically, bridging the differences of height. The spiral can be installed in a few hours and ensures smooth running, low noise, and long service life.
Learn more. |
 | New lead screw configurator allows for quick design
igus has developed a new lead screw configurator that allows customers to design their own lead screw and associated drawing in minutes without in-depth technical knowledge and CAD software. The new tool even directly checks the plausibility of the configuration. Trapezoidal, high helix, or metric thread lead screws in combination with nuts made of iglide high-performance polymers ensure lubrication-free adjustment for long-lasting and smooth-running applications. The company runs its North American operations out of Providence, RI.
Learn more. |
 | Mini LVDTs offer position feedback for UAVs
Unmanned drones require a variety of sensors to monitor different critical measurements to control flight and maintain aircraft stability. Miniature Linear Position Sensors from NewTek Sensor Solutions provide reliable position feedback for monitoring the fin/rudder position and rotor angle of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with quick response times, so drones can make adjustments to accurately control flight.
Learn more. |
 | Workshop: IoT solutions using Cellular LPWAN Technology
Does your IoT development need a jump-start? Four IoT industry leaders have partnered to create a workshop to prepare your business for growth. Avnet, Microsoft, STMicroelectronics, and Verizon have developed a one-day, hands-on workshop for IoT embedded developers interested in using cellular LPWAN (LTE Cat-M1) technology and needing faster time to market. Upcoming locations include: San Diego, CA; Cambridge, MA; Schaumburg, IL; and Cary, NC.
Learn more. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | Hot Concept Cars: Kia HabaNiro EV
One of the most popular vehicles at the New York Auto show at the end of April was not an American muscle car, a huge pickup truck, or even a super-luxe sedan. It was a hot little concept cleverly named a HabaNiro by Kia, and it got many people excited about what the near future of all-electric cars really could look like.
Read the full article. |
 | Fun! NIST unidentified museum objects
From time to time, the National Institute of Standards and Technology publishes a blog entry on a new batch of "Unidentified Museum Objects" -- weird gizmos and doodads from the organization's underground storage shelves. Some of these thingamabobs may have been there for the better part of a century. The problem is, nobody knows what they were used for. Maybe you have a clue.
Read the NIST blog. |
 | How GE's 'leaky engine' became ubiquitous
"Over four decades, the F404 developed and produced at GE's Lynn, MA, plant has powered thousands of F/A-18 Hornets for the U.S. Navy and other Allied nations, as well as other aircraft applications, most notably the U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-117 Stealth Fighter," according to GE Aviation. The J101 design was dubbed a "continuous bleed" or "leaky" engine at GE "because a continuous flow of air from the fan cooled the afterburner and nozzle downstream. This clever design feature allowed the engine to operate at higher temperatures and pressures, but with less installed drag."
Read the GE Aviation blog. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | New Spirawave® Wave Spring Series
Smalley's Nested Spirawave Wave Springs are now available as standards. These flat wire springs are coiled in parallel with multiple turns to produce high loads, and are ideal for applications requiring high forces in tight spaces. When replacing single-turn wave spring stacks with one nested spring, misalignment and uneven loading are eliminated, simplifying assembly. Standard or custom, Smalley will provide you the right part, in the right material, with No Tooling Charges™.
Watch the Smalley video for more information. |
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