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, 2013 | Volume 09 Issue 18 |
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 | New Full Line Catalog -- Full of New Fasteners
Micro Plastics introduces its new catalog #39. With 290 pages of nylon fastener items, 12 new product lines, and over 500 new items added. Contents include: standard and metric machine screws, cap screws, nuts, washers, spacers, insulators, grommets, bushings, rivets, hole plugs, clamps, printed circuit board accessories, suspended ceiling hooks, and wire routing kits. FREE samples are available upon request.
Click here for more information. |
 | 'Intelligent' coatings protect high-value products
Smart coatings used at different stages of manufacturing can provide a competitive advantage in a number of industrial segments. These coatings can protect sensitive electronic devices by providing "intelligent" reactions to external stimuli. Learn what these Bayer MaterialScience coatings can do for you.
Read the full article. |
 | Wheels:
World's smallest production V8 optimized with precision honing
Gary Conley's 30-year quest to manufacture a true production V8 engine in quarter-scale almost went up in smoke twice: once in 2001 when a foundry fire claimed all his critical molds, and later when oil smoke proved a stubborn problem during run-offs of the engine. Conley overcame the first setback with years of sheer determination. The second issue required a Sunnen MB 1660 honing machine, abrasives, and some Sunnen know-how.
Read the full article. |
 | Mike Likes:
Discover the design and functional advantages of copper foam
Copper foam, now available from Goodfellow, combines the outstanding thermal conductivity of copper with the structural benefits of a metal foam. These features are of particular interest to design engineers working in the fields of medical products and devices, defense systems and manned flight, power generation, and the manufacture of semiconductor devices. This product has a true skeletal structure with no voids, inclusions, or entrapments. The matrix of cells and ligaments is completely repeatable, regular, and uniform throughout the material. Characteristics of copper foam include: optimal heat transfer; high strength-to-weight and surface area-to-volume ratio; controlled stress-strain characteristics; isotropic load response; and can be brazed, coated, and plated.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Product Spotlight:
LED power supply for hand-held devices in medical and industrial applications
BEAR Power Supplies has introduced a compact, high-efficiency DC-DC converter for hand-held LED devices. The 10 x 20 mm power supply features a microprocessor for programmable LED dimming. The LED power supply is designed for high-performance applications where reliability is critical, including medical lighting devices and industrial instruments. It is available in 1-W, 2-W, and 3-W versions. It is a constant-current supply and uses one or two cells (lithium or alkaline batteries).
Click here to learn more. |
 | Fluid Power Product Spotlight:
Is brass obsolete for fluid power?
There is a growing requirement in fluid power applications for specialty alloys such as 316 and 303 stainless steel, as well as high-performance elastomers. These materials provide corrosion resistance, low out-gassing, strength, weight reduction, temperature resistance, and durability -- all of which are common considerations in the medical, semiconductor, instrumentation, toxic gas detection, inkjet, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries.
Click here to read Beswick's article, "High-performance materials make their mark in manufacturing." |
 | Cool Tools:
Powerful CAD viewer for fast viewing and markup of over two dozen CAD formats
KeyMarkUp CAD from Kubotek USA views and marks up over two dozen CAD file formats -- but this product does so much more. It gives engineers a powerful method to measure, analyze, annotate, print, and export CAD data for better collaboration and more accurate quoting. A dynamic selection tool, for instance, allows users to create simple cross-sections easily of complex parts or assemblies to complete difficult measurements or geometry checks. Multiple dimensioning, measuring, and mass property features and calculating tools, as well as mold design tools, simplify quoting and estimating. And there is a lot more.
See all that KeyMarkUp CAD can do. |
 | Tough new stainless steel quarter-turn fastener
Southco has just launched the stainless steel DZUS D8 PANEX Quarter-Turn Fastener, the newest line extension to the already successful DZUS D8 PANEX range of quarter-turn fasteners. The stainless steel version delivers the same quick access and fast installation as the standard D8, but enables dependable, vibration-resistant fastening in harsh environments where heat and corrosion may affect operation. The durable, formed stainless steel construction provides aesthetic appeal as well as increased total material thickness (TMT) tolerance for robust fastening. Available in size 6 with slotted, hex, and Phillips recessed head styles; has mini clip-on and rivet-on receptacle options.
Click here to learn more. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | Wheels:
Cyclists take industrial 3D printing for a spin
About four years ago, Russell Kappius -- mountain-bike enthusiast, winner of six Masters racing titles, and a research geophysicist/software developer -- became obsessed with bicycle hubs. After working out a design for a novel oversized hub and high-performance drive assembly that would transfer more power from pedal to chain to wheel, he looked to direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), an additive manufacturing (3D printing) technology, to produce complex parts quickly to exacting specifications.
Read the full article. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Thinnest electro-mechanical actuators put some lift in keystrokes
The thin-film polymer actuators from startup Strategic Polymers may give rise to more tactile keyboard strokes on smartphones, tablets, and other HMI screens, and they can even be used as speakers. The highly flexible actuators can bend 180 degrees and offer a unique combination of high strain and high mechanical modulus brought about by the high electrostrictive response of the electro-mechanical polymer (EMP) material.
View the video. |
 |
Is PETMAN a warfighting droid in training?
Boston Dynamics, famous for its BigDog four-legged military pack-animal bot that can carry hundreds of pounds, developed the PETMAN robot for the DoD to test the performance of protective clothing designed for hazardous environments. But doesn't it look capable of so much more? PETMAN has sensors embedded in its skin that detect any chemicals leaking through the suit. The skin also maintains a micro-climate inside the clothing by sweating and regulating temperature.
View the video. |
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