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New Standard Parts Handbook from JW Winco

JW Winco's printed Standard Parts Handbook is a comprehensive 2,184-page reference that supports designers and engineers with the largest selection of standard parts categorized into three main groups: operating, clamping, and machine parts. More than 75,000 standard parts can be found in this valuable resource, including toggle clamps, shaft collars, concealed multiple-joint hinges, and hygienically designed components.
Get your Standard Parts Handbook today.

PBC linear shafts, bearings, and shaft supports from AutomationDirect

Automation-Direct has added PBC linear shafts, bearings, and shaft supports to their power transmission product category. PBC linear shafts are precision ground to provide an optimized surface for plain and ball bearings and are ideal for high-precision linear motion applications where tight tolerances are needed. Shafts are available in carbon or stainless steel with round and fully supported models in diameters from 1/4" to 1-1/4" and lengths from 6" to 36". Maintenance-free plain bearings or ball bearings available.
Learn more.

Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more

KHK USA takes you on a journey through the history and applications of gears in two information-packed, no-cost volumes called "The ABCs of Gears." Part A is aimed at beginners, while part B moves on to intermediate fare, such as types of gears and tooth forms, heat treatment, surface treatment, production methods, etc. Another mid-level text called "Introduction to Gears" and an in-depth "Gear Technical Reference" are also available. No registration required.
Click here to learn more.

New adhesive for automotive lighting

DELO has developed PHOTOBOND OB4189, a new adhesive for automotive lighting applications. It is extremely resistant to yellowing and, with its high aspect ratio, is particularly suitable for bonding microlens arrays, such as those found in headlights and projection systems. The adhesive also retains its shape after dispensing and does not flow, which is important for bonding microlens arrays.
Learn more.

Which parts should be 3D printed? AI combs through CAD files to find out

One of the biggest challenges in transitioning to additive manufacturing (AM) is the ability to identify which parts are best suited for the process quickly and easily. Learn how Danfoss, Stanley Engineered Fastening, and even the U.S. military have utilized advanced additive manufacturing software to automate the process, reducing material waste and energy costs, improving part reliability, decreasing lead times, as well as now having the ability to identify part consolidation opportunities through intelligent AM decision-making.
Read the full article.

9 key design tips for injection molding

Keep costs down and quality up all while optimizing your injection molded designs with these helpful tips from Xometry. Learn how to build better injection molded parts and products -- using draft angles, ribs and gussets, radii, fillets, and more -- and set expectations for the injection molding process. Good info here.
View the video.

Metal additive manufacturing: Rocket turbopump design

Mixing undergraduate curiosity and real-world engagement, two students from Colorado University Boulder Aerospace Engineering Sciences program, Zachary Lesan and Patrick Watson, started an independent effort on turbopump design and manufacture that is a lesson in determination and industry collaboration. With lots of supplies and advice from industry heavy hitters including Velo3D, CFturbo, SpaceX, and many more, their project has reinforced significant points being made about next-generation rocketry.
Read the full article.

Easy-to-detect plastic parts: Food processing

Foreign materials have no place in food, and yet undesired contamination makes its way into production processes time and time again. JW Winco has established a new line of standard parts made of plastic that are easy to detect -- visually and with metallic sensors -- even in pasty and opaque media. The visually detectable (VD) knobs, cabinet U-handles, hinges, hand levers, and three-lobe knobs are made of solid-colored blue plastic. The metal detectable (MD) standard parts are also made of blue plastic but contain additional additives with iron oxide. These parts can be used in both the food and pharmaceutical industries without reservation.
Learn more.

VariBlast air gun for safe and efficient blowoff

Safety and efficiency are coupled with ergonomic design and engineered air nozzle technology to produce the VariBlast Precision Safety Air Gun -- an essential tool for processes needing a handheld and effective blowoff solution. The lightweight unit with variable flow trigger from EXAIR provides a focused blast of air capable of handling tough jobs with remarkable ease.
Learn more.

Linear bushings with 70% longer service life

Bosch Rexroth's segmental linear bushings with plastic cage are used in a wide variety of industries to achieve a load capacity that is up to 20% higher and a service life that is up to 70% longer. They are part of a Rexroth round guide with a matching shaft. The particularly light and short linear bushings allow long working spaces and offer additional sealing options. They are also available as linear sets. Use the Linear Motion Designer (LMD) calculation program to select the right linear bushing for your needs.
Learn more.

Robotic machining just got a whole lot better! All-electric force compensator for robotic sanding, grinding, and deburring

SUHNER's new end-of-arm EFC-02 active compliance system combines over a century of abrasives and material removal expertise with smart automation to deliver precise, constant force for robotic sanding, grinding, and deburring processes. The result is superior, consistent surface quality. EFC-02 is used for material removal or surface finishing -- even in tight or narrow spaces. It features simple robot programming for complex processes, Industry 4.0 functionality, and is fully compatible with angle grinders, orbital sanders, angle polishers, and straight grinders. Optional automatic changers for abrasives or belts are available.
Learn more and see how this new SUHNER innovation works.

Ultimate guide to metal 3D printing with binder jetting technology

Desktop Metal has published its ultra-informative "Metal Binder Jetting Guide," a 40-page resource that will help interested parties explore binder jetting technology, which does not use a laser, and how it compares to other metal 3D-printing processes. Take a deep dive into what makes binder jetting a standout technology, and learn how it works, its many benefits, and real-world case studies of successful adopters.
Learn more.

New clamping innovation for precise 5-axis machining

The versatile Modular Pull Clamping System from Fixtureworks is ideal for machining from five sides with no tool interference and no need for additional machining setup. This innovative solution with a compact cylindrical design helps users achieve secure, precise workholding quickly and easily. It can be used as a mechanical zero-point clamping system for quick fixture change with 0.005-mm accuracy.
Learn more.

Real-world applications: Replacing hydrodynamic fluid film bearings with modern rolling element bearings

SKF's Evolution magazine has an informative article about the benefits of replacing hydrodynamic fluid film bearings with modern rolling element bearings. Real-world applications cited include turbochargers and crankshafts, screw expanders that drive electricity generators in a geothermal power plant, and industrial chillers and heat pumps. Very interesting with technical info.
Read the full SKF article.

New HUCO nylon sleeve gear couplings catalog

The new and downloadable HUCO NSG Couplings Catalog features flexible molded nylon sleeve couplings with a double crowned tooth design that provide free axial movement, low friction, no heat buildup, and minimal stress during misalignment. Designs are available with up to 9.5-mm axial travel. With this no-maintenance design, the load is distributed near the center of the tooth for maximum strength.
Get all the specs.

New paint makes tough self-cleaning surfaces

By Hayley Dunning, Imperial College London

A new paint coating that makes robust self-cleaning surfaces has been developed by an international team of researchers.

The coating can be applied to clothes, paper, glass, and steel. When combined with adhesives, it maintains its self-cleaning properties after being wiped, scratched with a knife, and scuffed with sandpaper.

[Photo: UCL]

 

 

The study involved researchers from University College London (UCL), Imperial College London, and Dalian University of Technology (China), and it was published the first week of March in Science. It shows how the new paint, made from coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles, can give a wide range of materials self-cleaning properties, even during and after immersion in oil and following damage to the surface.

Self-cleaning surfaces work by being extremely repellent to water but often stop working when they are damaged or exposed to oil. The new paint creates a more resilient surface that is resistant to everyday wear and tear, so it could be used for a wide range of real-world applications from clothing to cars, say the researchers.

Co-author Dr Colin Crick, from the Department of Chemistry at Imperial, said: "The surface coating we developed is not only formed with relative ease, but can also be applied to a wide range of materials. The production of robust self-cleaning surfaces is a key step in ensuring that these highly promising materials can be widely used."

Extremely water-repellent surfaces cause water to ball into tight droplets. When these roll about on the surface, they pick up dirt, viruses, and bacteria, cleaning it without any scrubbing. In this way, a rain shower could clean a car instead of making it dirty.

Different coating methods were used to create the water-repellent surfaces, depending on the material. An artist's spray-gun was used to coat glass and steel, dip-coating for cotton wool, and a syringe to apply the paint onto paper.

Tough conditions
All the materials became waterproof and self-cleaning as water droplets of different sizes were seen bouncing instead of wetting the surface, removing the dirt applied by the researchers. This was maintained after damage was inflicted on the surfaces.

First author Yao Lu from UCL, said: "Our paint worked extremely well for a variety of surfaces in tough conditions that were designed to simulate the wear and tear of materials in the real world. For example, car paint frequently gets scuffed and scratched, and we wanted to make sure our paint would survive that."

The experiments were filmed to show the behavior of the treated surfaces against controls. Examples include videos of treated cotton-wool being dipped into blue-colored water and emerging pristine white with no trace of contamination, and treated paper remaining dry and clean after being exposed to dirt and water.

Co-author Professor Claire Carmalt at UCL said: "The biggest challenge for the widespread application of self-cleaning surfaces is finding a way to make them tough enough to withstand everyday damage. The surfaces tend to be mechanically weak and so rub off easily, but by pairing our paint with different adhesives, we've shown it is possible to make a robust self-cleaning surface. We used materials that are readily available, so our methods can be scaled-up for industrial applications."

"Robust self-cleaning surfaces that function when exposed to either air or oil," by Yao Lu, Sanjayan Sathasivam, Jinlong Song, Colin R. Crick, Claire J. Carmalt, and Ivan P. Parkin is published in Science.

Published May 2015

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