February 26, 2019 Volume 15 Issue 08

Mechanical News & Products

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Dual-laser metal AM system makes parts faster

Renishaw's new dual-laser RenAM 500D metal additive manufacturing machine has been designed to offer exceptional product quality and productivity for a wider range of budgets. The RenAM 500D features two 500-W lasers that can access the entire build platform, delivering superior performance when compared with single-laser systems. Additionally, the RenAM 500D Ultra, fitted with Renishaw's TEMPUS technology, allows the laser to fire while the recoater is moving, saving up to nine seconds per build layer and reducing cost per part. This also helps to deliver a production speed up to three times faster than conventional single-laser systems. Many more features.
Learn more.


NEW! Aluminum Press-In Inserts for plastics

SPIROL is pleased to introduce a range of 2024 aluminum Press-In Inserts. Available in symmetrical (Series INS 50) and headed (INS 51) versions, the new aluminum Press-In Inserts line complements the existing brass line. Threaded Inserts are essential for reinforcing plastic components and provide a reusable thread within a bolted assembly. This ensures a proper seating torque and prevents the potential for plastic creep over time. These inserts are designed to be Pressed-In without heat and provide the lowest cost to install with acceptable joint performance for many applications.
Learn more.


When glass or plastic can't cut it: Transparent ceramics solve critical design challenges

Complex designs are still possible when grinding and polishing Fused Silica or Sapphire. Ceramic properties such as wear, abrasion resistance, and strength of these optical materials can be a designer's dream solution when high temperatures or severe environments rule out standard optical glass or plastic. INSACO is a machine shop specializing in ultra-hard and extreme materials.
→ Contact Jackson Evans, Sales Engineer at INSACO jpe@insaco.com.
→ Learn more about INSACO materials and capabilities.


New contactless link magnetic couplings use magnetic field to transmit torque

Miki Pulley Magnetic Couplings are shaft couplings that transmit torque from one shaft to another using a magnetic field instead of a physical or mechanical connection. These Magnetic Couplings are non-contact and rely on the attraction and repulsion of magnetic poles to generate rotational power. The full product range can withstand significant misalignments and are silent, vibration-free, and do not generate thermal conduction. Design advantages include configurations that are versatile for use in various engagement angles and installations. Max transmittable torque is adjustable.
Learn more.


New aero and defense PEKK-based FDM polymers from Stratasys

Stratasys has partnered with top aerospace and defense companies to develop two newly qualified materials for 3D printing. Antero 800NA is a PEKK-based FDM polymer with excellent physical and mechanical properties for demanding applications. Antero 840CN03 is a high-performance PEKK-based FDM polymer with electrostatic dissipative (ESD) properties. These new advanced industrial solution materials were rigorously qualified in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Blue Origin, Raytheon, Naval Air Systems Command, the National Institute for Aviation Research, United States Air Force, BAE, and Stratasys Direct Manufacturing.
Learn more.


New washer tech for leak-free automotive sealing

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has launched the Rubore® Washer, a unique solution offering virtually leak-free sealing beneath screwheads to safeguard critical systems in vehicles, especially electric ones.
Read the full article.


EOS expands its Nickel superalloys for 3D printing

EOS, a leading supplier of manufacturing solutions for industrial 3D printing, has added two new metal additive manufacturing materials: EOS NickelAlloy IN738 and EOS NickelAlloy K500, both delivering excellent performance, part properties, and value to a variety of industries that leverage EOS Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LBPF) 3D-printing technology. The IN738 superalloy is aimed at high-strength, high-stress energy and turbomachinery applications, while the K500 superalloy is a cost-effective, corrosion-resistant option for chemical, maritime, and space industries.
Learn more.


Ruland acquires RoCom Couplings, expanding beam coupling and machined spring capabilities

Ruland Manufacturing has acquired the assets of RoCom Couplings, a Santa Maria, CA-based company specializing in beaming technology, including beam couplings, machined springs, and custom beamed components. The acquisition expands Ruland's beam coupling offerings and enhances its manufacturing capabilities to better serve customers requiring precision-engineered flexible couplings and custom machined solutions.
Learn more and see what's offered.


norelem adds 30,000 new components to its range

norelem, a global manufacturer and supplier of standard components for machinery and automation, has expanded its product range by adding 30,000 parts to its catalog. Unique in the industry, this expansion brings norelem's selection of high-quality components to over 130,000 products for design engineers and machine technicians. From sensors and clamps to plungers, levers, and measurement instruments, norelem's entire supply is available to order from its online shop with guaranteed fast and reliable delivery times.
Check out what norelem has to offer. They are new to Designfax.


Wear-resistant precision hinges from JW Winco

The precision hinges GN 7580 from JW Winco supply a pivoting movement to elements such as swing arms, spacers, and clamping plates in applications such as jig construction, automation systems, or testing systems. These wear-resistant hinges feature low radial play and adjustable axial play. They are made of black anodized and high-strength alloyed aluminum, while the bearing bushings are made of bronze. Stainless steel is used for the hardened hinge axis as well as the thrust washers and adjusting screws. An additional polyamide coating on the adjusting screws provides for thread locking.
Learn more.


Supercar of the skies: Autodesk Alias design

Learn how Hill Helicopter is using Autodesk Alias to design the innovative HX50, the "supercar of the skies." The next-gen, private copter marries high-end automotive and aero design and materials to create a futuristic flying five-seat SUV for a discriminating clientele. A neat insider look.
View the video.


CNC machining: How to avoid high costs on thin walls

Parts that are light and strong are crucial to nearly every industry. To achieve better performance without risking part failure, parts must maintain a specific wall-height-to-thickness ratio and wall-height-to-length ratio. Additionally, some geometries and supports can support thin walls to achieve a lighter component weight. Dive deeper into the cost drivers behind CNC-machined thin walls in this Xometry design-for-manufacturing article.
Read the full article.


Before you design your next application, try this

Smalley's industry-leading Spirolox® Retaining Rings feature a gapless design with 360° of retaining surface. Unlike other rings, Spirolox has no protruding ears to interfere with mating components in your assembly! The highly versatile Spirolox rings are also groove-interchangeable with circlips, meaning they can replace circlips without any design changes. Are you ready to try the Smalley Advantage? Request your free samples today!
Learn more.


No-cost courses in fastener technology

Master the theory of fastener design to expand your product knowledge and become an even better and more efficient design engineer. PennEngineering's PEM FastenerClass® courses aim to give participants insight into peer and competitor techniques, a better understanding of loads and stress analysis, and enhanced career opportunities -- all beyond the basics of fastener design, selection, and installation. Self-clinch, threads, press-in inserts, surface-mount options, and sheet-to-sheet are only a few of the many topics covered.
See what courses are offered.


Engineer's Toolbox: The secret to living hinges that fold flat

Living hinges are often used to produce a container and its lid as a single molded part. If properly designed, they can open and close thousands of times without ever losing strength or flexibility. Protolabs provides valuable tips on designing these (sometimes thin and fragile) parts.
Read the full article.


New super-tough-to-mimic chemical fingerprint aims to combat counterfeit goods, can be verified on smartphone

Researchers in Denmark tested a new anti-conterfeiting system by producing tags consisting of QR-codes printed on paper and sprayed with transparent ink containing various microparticles. [Credit: Thomas Just Sørensen]

 

 

 

 

Many of us have come home with a new designer bag, watch, or other merchandise only to suspect or discover that it was a fake. More ominously, people die from counterfeit drugs on a daily basis. Globally, consumer counterfeit imports are worth just short of a half-a-trillion dollars annually. The trade is growing, has spread to most industries, and counterfeiters always seem to be at least one step ahead of manufacturers. As such, it is tough for consumers to feel entirely secure about their purchases.

In response, two researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Nano-Science Center have developed what they are deeming a 100 percent pirate-safe labelling system, where individual items receive a label, a so-called "tag," that corresponds with a unique fingerprint. After nearly 10,000 tests, the researchers have proved that their method works.

"You can put it on a wine bottle, a gold watch, a painting -- whatever. The label needn't be larger than a comma. And, it is impossible to copy because the probability that two items share the same fingerprint is nil," says UCPH researcher and associate professor Thomas Just Sørensen, who along with fellow researcher Riikka Arppe-Tabbara has developed the anti-counterfeiting system that they are able to confidently refer to as "the world's safest."

Transparent ink as a fingerprint
The fingerprint, or "tag," consists of a bit of transparent ink containing various microparticles, sprayed upon a bar code on paper, for example. Just as a handful of sand thrown over a surface would, the particles form a random, completely unique pattern of tiny white dots when applied. As there is no chance of creating identical patterns using this method, it is impossible to copy.

Because the ink can be sprayed over any type of bar code and onto many types of materials, the tags are inexpensive to mass-produce. The system works in such a way that each product leaving a factory receives its own fingerprint, which is then registered in a database.

Consumers can check using their phones
Counterfeit safety isn't the only smart thing about this system. Purchasers can validate their product using an ordinary smartphone that, by way of an app, scans an item's fingerprint and checks for a matching database image.

"When purchasing pharmaceuticals online, you have no way of knowing whether what you bought might have been produced in a Ghanaian sweatshop. Today, consumers are not able to check for themselves whether an item is genuine or not. They must trust every step of the production and supply chain. Our system provides every step in this process with equal access to the system," says Sørensen.

During their nearly 10,000 tests, which included various types of mobile phones handled by a variety of users, the researchers encountered zero false positives. The researchers also tested the system together with companies that produce packaging and labels for everything from pain relievers and bottles of wine, to sneakers and tins of biscuits.

The researchers tested the system, based on PUF technology (physical unclonable function), by producing 9,720 tags consisting of QR codes printed on plain paper and sprayed with transparent ink. Each tag was photographed with a mobile phone to create an image database. The images were then scanned with other mobile phones to see if they matched. The results:

  • There was a false match in 0 percent of cases.
  • There was a positive match in 76 percent of cases.
  • In the remaining cases, the photo was either out of focus or the tag was dirty, thus requiring a new image before a match could be made. The researchers say this error will be remediated by software.

The University of Copenhagen has taken out a patent on the system, which is now only missing the software component. The researchers expect the app to be completed over the course of the year. The result has been published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Source: University of Copenhagen

Published February 2019

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