March 09, 2021 Volume 17 Issue 10

Mechanical News & Products

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New slim and ergonomic compression latch

Southco has launched the E3 Compact MIM compression latch, bringing new ergonomic and safety features to its durable family of latches in a low-profile package. The E3 Compact MIM compression latch is metal injection molded and has a shorter head (4 mm vs. the normal 6.4 mm), 180-degree ergonomic actuation, and visual indicators machined into the latch and color coded to easily show when it is open or closed. Features a sleek, low-profile, polished look.
Learn more.


Optimizing seal selection: From O-rings to press-in-place

What is the right seal for my application? The Sealing & Shielding Team at Parker Hannifin is looking to help you out in this blog. Learn some basics and possible modifications, including application and manufacturing considerations, gland options, mating hardware, and more. They are always very helpful over there at Parker.
Read the Parker blog.


Adjustable Spot Cooler provides precise industrial cooling

EXAIR's Adjustable Spot Cooler System offers a low-cost, reliable, and maintenance-free solution for industrial spot cooling needs. This tool offers precision control, versatility, and ease of use for a variety of applications including milling, machining, soldering, gas sampling, welding, and more. Utilizing cool and clean compressed air, the Spot Cooler allows users to precisely adjust temperatures from as low as -30°F (-34°C) to room temperature with the simple turn of a knob.
Learn more.


What can you secure with a retaining ring? 20 examples

From the watch dial on your wrist to a wind turbine, no application is too small or too big for a Smalley retaining ring to secure. Light to heavy-duty loads? Carbon steel to exotic materials? No problem. See how retaining rings are used in slip clutches, bike locks, hip replacements, and even the Louvre Pyramid.
See the Smalley design applications.


Fastest large-format SLA 3D printer in the world

Built on Formlabs' next-generation Low Force Display print engine, the new Form 4L SLA 3D printer delivers unmatched reliability with a 99% print success rate compared to other SLA 3D printers. These benefits, combined with a build volume nearly 5x the size of Form 4, allow Form 4L users to solve big problems and print smaller parts at high volume. Large-scale prints finished in under six hours.
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SOLIDWORKS catch up: What's new in Assemblies?

The last couple of major releases of SOLIDWORKS each introduced significant new Assembly modeling features and workflows. Want to know what's new? Catch up on what you might have missed out on since your last upgrade -- and get a first look at highlights from the upcoming SOLIDWORKS 2025. Some very useful changes!
View the video.


Did you know you can 3D print rubber?

3D-printing materials just keep getting better -- and now there are more choices than ever. Watch as Walter Voit, SVP Polymer Materials, Desktop Metal, describes the 3D printing of DuraChain Elastic ToughRubber photopolymers, which produce tough and resilient end-use parts while eliminating the need for a two-part resin. DuraChain photopolymers also demonstrate a long pot life of roughly one year, depending on environmental conditions, making them more suitable for volume production and reducing waste from spoiled, unused material. These materials are offered exclusively on the ETEC Xtreme 8K top-down DLP systems. ETEC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Desktop Metal.
Learn about this exciting material.
Learn about the ETEC Xtreme 8K DLP systems -- and what makes them so much better.


Best high-speed rotary bearing in THK history

THK has developed its best-performing, high-speed rotary bearing ever: the High-Speed, Double-Row Angular Contact Ring BWH. This rotary bearing has balls aligned inside a cage between the inner and outer rings and is part of the THK Rotary Series, along with the cross-roller ring. The main features of this product are its ability to receive loads in all directions as well as its high rigidity and rotational accuracy, which are equal to that of cross-roller rings. By adopting a new structure to change the rolling elements from rollers to balls, this product achieves the greatest high-speed performance ever offered by THK.
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Large bore zero-backlash jaw couplings from Ruland

Ruland Manufacturing has expanded its jaw coupling line to meet the demands of high-torque applications, now offering bore sizes up to 1-3/4 in. or 45 mm and torque capacities of 2,655 in.-lb (300 Nm). Target uses are in precision systems with high deceleration and acceleration curves, such as semiconductor, solar, conveyor, and warehouse automation applications. Features include zero-backlash, industry-leading misalignment capabilities, and a balanced design that reduces vibration at speeds up to 8,000 rpm.
Learn more.


How Nord-Lock washers work

Can you get a design and functional edge with a wedge? In this animated video, Nord-Lock explains the principle behind their original wedge-locking technology, which secures bolted joints even when exposed to severe vibration and dynamic loads. The company says it is impossible for this washer type to loosen unintentionally, due to the wedge created underneath the bolt head and nut.
View the video.


Copper foam -- so many advantages

Copper foam 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. A perennial favorite of Designfax readers.
Learn more.


New patented wave spring engineered for EV market and more

Rotor Clip has just launched its new, patented InterShim™ Wave Spring design, which has been engineered for high-acceleration electric motor applications. It features alternating turns between inactive (flat) and active (waved) turns to ensure reliable performance under torsional loads and precise rotational movement. The highly customizable wave spring's advanced design addresses physical challenges such as extreme forces and vibrations, making it a versatile solution for high-speed and high-stress applications across various industries.
Learn more.


Tube bending and cutting design guide

Xometry's just-launched downloadable Laser Tube Cutting and Tube Bending Design Guide covers design tips and tricks for cutting parts, including minimums, tolerances, and sizes. The guide also covers important rules for mandrel tube bending, like tolerancing, distance between bends, and bends to avoid. Interested in even more in-depth information? Watch the corresponding on-demand webinar, which introduces how Xometry is bringing AI and machine learning to provide instant pricing and lead time on tube bending and cutting to its Instant Quoting Engine.
Get the guide. No registration required.
Watch the extended Best Practices webinar.


Stratasys, BASF partner on new polypropylene for 3D printing

A new additive manufacturing material from Stratasys and BASF is aimed at driving greater part quality, versatility, and cost efficiency. SAF™ PP is recognized for its exceptional chemical resistance and airtight capabilities, making it the ultimate choice for complex applications across various industries. It can also be welded to other polypropylene components.
Read the full article.


Cam followers with space-saving polymer outer ring design

The new CFL Series cam follower from IKO International boasts a unique, space-saving outer ring design and polymer layer that exceeds the capabilities of conventional resin-type cam followers. Many conventional cam followers press-fit a layer of resin onto the unit's standard outer ring to maintain radial load capacity and provide quiet, clean, and durable operation. However, this thicker assembly makes it difficult to fit into constrained spaces. The CFL Series significantly improves on this design with a polymer layer that is molded directly onto the IKO exclusive thin-walled steel outer ring. This construction solves the dilemma of being able to install a cam follower with special polymers, offering self-lubricating and shock-absorbing properties into existing applications.
Learn more.


Meteorites inspire creation of high-performance magnets without rare-earth elements

The Critical Materials Institute has developed a low-cost, high-performance permanent magnet by drawing inspiration from an out-of-this-world source: iron-nickel alloys in meteorites. [Image credit: U.S. Department of Energy Ames Laboratory]

 

 

 

 

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Critical Materials Institute has developed a low-cost, high-performance permanent magnet by drawing inspiration from an out-of-this-world source: iron-nickel alloys in meteorites. The magnet rivals widely used "Alnico" magnets in magnetic strength and has the potential to fill a strong demand for rare-earth-free and cobalt-free magnets in the market.

Here on earth, the strongest permanent magnets are ones containing the rare earth element neodymium (NdFeB magnets). Next strongest are Samarium-Cobalt, or SmCo magnets. Before rare-earth magnets were developed in the 1970s, the strongest magnets were made of aluminum-nickel-cobalt, or Alnico, which are still in wide use today in applications ranging from electric motors to consumer electronics.

The problem with these strong but earthly man-made permanent magnets is that they contain critical elements -- rare earths in the case of NdFeB and SmCo, and cobalt in the case of SmCo and Alnico -- ones that are in high demand for many technologies and for which manufacturers pay a premium for a sometimes unreliable supply.

"The iron-nickel magnetic alloys found in meteors are rare-earth and cobalt-free, but are highly ordered and take millions of years to produce through natural means," said Vitalij Pecharsky, scientist at U.S. DOE's Ames Laboratory and CMI. "Our team -- Oleksandr Dolotko, Ihor Hlova, Shalabh Gupta, and Anis Biswas -- developed a method to produce the magnetic qualities of iron-nickel alloys that already perform on the level of Alnico, but in a much faster fashion."

The method introduces a large number of defects into an iron and nickel alloy. It is then placed in reaction with ammonia, which results in a chemically ordered precursor iron-nickel-nitrogen, or FeNiN. The next step extracts the nitrogen from the material, without disturbing the order of the remaining iron and nickel.

Pecharsky said the ammonia process is scalable and reliably yields the precursor material at about 98%. The end product has an energy density of 6 MG-Oe, which makes it comparable to Alnico magnets, and room for further improvements is substantial.

"There is a market demand for magnets that fill the gap in technical applications between the higher end, strongest rare-earth permanent magnets, and lower strength options," said Pecharsky. "We see this gaining wide adoption in that gap magnet space."

Source: AOE/Ames Laboratory

Published March 2021

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