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Cool! Internal threading in hard materials now possible

INSACO has a new capability where they can machine an internal thread in ceramic, sapphire, quartz, and other very hard materials. This advance pushes the boundaries of what's possible to support advanced applications that demand high precision and complexity. Ultra-hard materials are alternatives for when metal can't do the job. Ideal for aerospace, medical, and industrial applications.
Learn more. Video available on right side of page.

ClampDisk micro fastener is new alternative for automotive and consumer electronics

Designed as a unique alternative in assemblies for the automotive and consumer electronics markets, the ClampDisk Press-on Fastener is a newer offering from PennEngineering that delivers a fast, simple way to achieve sheet-to-sheet clamped fastening while replacing the use of standard screws, nuts, and adhesives. ClampDisk eliminates over-installation, cross-threading, stripped screw heads, broken screws, and damaged product. This fastener can be removed easily with a sharp-edged tool.
See how ClampDisk works.

Simplify appliance glass assembly

Henkel's Technomelt PUR 9015 BV/WV is a polyurethane hotmelt adhesive providing high initial strength and long-term durability for glass and large-panel appliance assembly. It enables immediate handling, excellent substrate adhesion, and high thermal resistance, while supporting automated, cost-efficient production. It offers a flexible solution for high-reliability manufacturing.
Learn more.

Made-to-order stamped components for insert molding

Traditionally, OEMs source metal inserts and insert molding services separately. Not anymore. Plastics manufacturers and injection molders are now taking on more of the sourcing responsibility for insert molded parts, and they are partnering with Boker's, who has a long-term proven record for delivering precision stampings with quick turnaround times and ensuring metal inserts are mold-ready upon delivery. Boker's has immediate access to over 2,000 commonly specified and hard-to-find materials.
Learn more.

SDP/SI Shaftloc Fastening System

Shaftloc is a unique, reusable locking device for securely mounting mechanical components like gears and sprockets onto shafts without the need for keyways, set screws, or adhesives. Its simple, two-piece design offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional fasteners, providing high clamping force and vibration resistance. Installed with standard tools, Shaftloc is perfect for designers seeking flexible, hubless mounting solutions. Available in four styles.
Learn more from SDP/SI.

Epoxy engineered for heat-sink bonding

Master Bond EP54TC is a two-component epoxy engineered for heat-sink bonding and thermal management applications. Featuring the highest thermal conductivity in the Master Bond electrically insulating portfolio, it delivers exceptional heat dissipation while remaining electrically non-conductive and compliant with ASTM E595 NASA low outgassing requirements. It supports thin bond lines and efficient void filling to maximize thermal performance.
Learn more.

Metal 3D printing: Right at your desktop

From prototyping to tooling or batch production of end-use parts, the Studio System 2 from Desktop Metal brings metal 3D printing to any office, studio, or lab setting. This powder- and laser-free system consists of an easy-to-adopt two-step process: print using pre-bound metal rod feedstock and then sinter. It requires minimal training and operator intervention. Combined with next-gen Separable Supports and a software-controlled workflow, the Studio System makes metal 3D printing simpler than ever. This platform offers more materials than any other metal extrusion 3D-printing system on the market, including Inconel 625, titanium (Ti64), copper, tool steels, and stainless steels.
View the video and learn more.

Metal 3D printing: EOS adds four new materials

Industrial 3D-printing supplier EOS has added four new metal additive manufacturing materials to its portfolio: an iron-nickel alloy that boasts stability under fluctuating temps, a nickel alloy with high strength and extreme corrosion resistance, a low-alloyed steel prized for its high toughness and strength, and an industrial-grade stainless steel. Each has been optimized for EOS Laser Powder Bed Fusion systems.
Get all the details.

Application Note: Disc springs in mechanical braking system

Braking systems for off-highway equipment are commonly designed to be hydraulically actuated, but without an additional fail-safe system, this design alone has limited reliability. If a hydraulic seal is compromised, or the hydraulic cylinder loses pressure for any reason, the brakes fail. One solid mechanical back-up design uses SPIROL disc springs.
Read the full article.

Configurable welding platform for flexible manufacturing

Emerson's new Branson Polaris Ultrasonic Welding Platform offers a highly configurable, smart solution for advanced manufacturing. It features secure connectivity and real-time control to join diverse materials, from medical devices to food packaging. With adaptable power supplies and actuators, the system scales from benchtop lab trials to fully automated production lines, optimizing footprint and data storage to meet complex application needs.
Learn more.

SPIROL receives 2025 Supplier Excellence Recognition Award from Caterpillar

Kudos to SPIROL! The engineered fasteners manufacturer has received the 2025 Supplier Excellence Recognition Award from Caterpillar Inc. This prestigious award recognizes suppliers who demonstrate world-class performance and a sustained commitment to quality, delivery, and operational excellence.
Read the full article.

Eliminate cotters, bolts, nuts with SLIC Pin^®

The SLIC Pin (Self-Locking Implanted Cotter Pin) from Pivot Point is a pin and cotter all in one. This one-piece locking clevis pin is cost saving, fast, and secure. It functions as a quick locking pin wherever you need a fast-lock function. It features a spring-loaded plunger that functions as an easy insertion ramp. This revolutionary fastening pin is very popular and used successfully in a wide range of applications.
Learn more.

Tech Tip: How to install sleeve bearings

According to the engineering experts over at PBC Linear, "Installing Simplicity Sleeve Bearings can be tricky due to the thin aluminum outer shell." Learn the basic procedures that can be followed to install the aluminum-backed Simplicity Sleeve and Flange Bearings -- each comes with its own unique challenges.
Read the PBC Linear blog.

Hold any shape with ID and OD Form Holding Clamps

These simple OD and ID clamping solutions from Fixtureworks clamp onto your part in one easy operation, eliminating the need for custom fixtures. They allow users to clamp onto the inner or outer diameter of small-size, irregularly shaped work parts fast. Lots of options.
Learn more.

Engineer's Toolbox: The basics of pressure regulators

Pressure regulators are found in many common home and industrial applications. Learn all about their functions, selection criteria, installation, and more in this in-depth article from Beswick Engineering.
Read the full article.

Alcoa announces jet engine aluminum first in $1.1B supply agreement with Pratt & Whitney

Leading aerospace manufacturer Alcoa recently announced a 10-year, $1.1 billion agreement with Pratt & Whitney for state-of-the-art jet engine components. Under the deal signed at the Farnborough Air Show in mid-July, Alcoa will supply key parts for Pratt & Whitney's engines, including the forging for the first-ever aluminum fan blade for jet engines. The forging was developed for Pratt & Whitney's PurePower engines using an advanced aluminum alloy and a proprietary manufacturing process. Alcoa is also developing a fan blade forging for the PurePower engines using its most advanced aluminum-lithium alloy.

Pratt & Whitney's PurePower engine. [Photo courtesy of Pratt & Whitney]

 

 

"We're going where no materials scientist has gone before," says Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Klaus Kleinfeld. "Combining Alcoa's proprietary alloys and unique manufacturing processes with Pratt & Whitney's design, we cracked the code on forging an aluminum fan blade that is lighter and enables better fuel efficiency."

Under the billion-dollar deal, Alcoa will supply components for Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1000G, V2500, GP7000, and several other regional jet and military engines. The unique Geared Turbofan architecture of the PurePower engine allows for aluminum alloys to be used in the Pratt & Whitney-designed fan blades, making the engine lighter, as well as more fuel and cost efficient. The PurePower engine will be used to power some of the world's highest-volume aircraft, including the next-generation Airbus A320neo.

"We are able to provide our customers with double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions, and noise," says Paul Adams, president, Pratt & Whitney.

In the PurePower PW1000G engine family, a state-of-the-art gear system separates the engine fan from the low-pressure compressor and turbine, allowing each of the modules to operate at their optimum speeds. This enables: 1. an increase in the diameter of the fan, and 2. the low-pressure compressor and turbine to operate at a high speed. The increased efficiency also translates to fewer engine stages and parts for lower weight and reduced maintenance costs. The large, lightweight fan moves more than 90 percent of the air around the core, delivering a very quiet engine with very low fuel burn. The larger fan diameter also opened the door to materials beyond titanium and composites.

Alcoa plans to use aluminum and aluminum-lithium from its Pittsburgh, PA, and Lafayette, IN, facilities for the front fan blades, which will be produced using proprietary manufacturing processes at its Cleveland, OH, plant. Several of Alcoa's facilities including La Porte, IN; Whitehall, MI; Dover, NJ; and Wichita Falls, TX, will supply the blades, vanes, and structural components produced using nickel-based superalloys, titanium, and aluminum.

Source: Alcoa

Published August 2014

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