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New infinitely reconfigurable and reusable mold tech

UK-based company Fyous is launching the world's first infinitely reusable molding technology that can shapeshift in under 20 minutes, producing zero tooling waste and making usable parts 14 times faster than 3D printing. Sort of like a kid's pin art toy, Fyous' PolyMorphic molding can be set, used, and then reset to help create parts from carbon fiber, polyurethane, PET sheet (thermoformed), foods like chocolate, and more.
Read the full article.

New disk-type flexible couplings

Stock Drive Products/ Sterling Instrument (SDP/SI) has expanded their selection of flexible couplings to include the single disk-type couplings (short-type) series S50XHSM and the double disk-type couplings (standard length-type) series S50XHWM. The disk-type flexible couplings are an economical option that provides greater torque capability and improved performance in a reduced size, with torque ratings of 0.6 up to 12 Nm -- an improvement over similar products.
Learn more.

What is a Heatric Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger?

According to Parker Hannifin, "A Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger is a robust, corrosion-resistant, high-integrity plate-type heat exchanger manufactured using diffusion bonding." Learn about the technology and why Heatric, a Parker brand, "can manufacture a unit up to 85% smaller and lighter than traditional technologies such as shell and tube heat exchangers."
Read this informative Parker blog.

Top Product: 3M Friction Shims -- Why have more than 300 million been sold?

3M Friction Shims are small, thin steel shims with a big impact. They can increase maximum load and peak torque in bolted connections without additional fasteners or redesigns. What else makes them so popular -- and so useful?
Read the full article.

Big news from Smalley! New online store

Smalley's customers for the highest-quality retaining rings and wave springs now have a new procurement option: the Smalley online store. This new service channel is a first for the renowned rings and springs provider. After creating an account, approved users gain access to: convenient 24/7 online ordering that includes more than 11,000 standard parts, real-time product pricing, easy reordering with saved history and wish lists, and a quick checkout. No more waiting for an RFQ response to purchase!
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New robotic parts feeding system claims to be a game changer

TM Robotics has launched a revolutionary new robotic feeding system called Infinifeed™ to the North American market. Powered by Shibaura Machine's advanced THE series of industrial robots, the Infinifeed is an automated feeding system that addresses the common challenges of parts feeding and sorting. Designed by DOMA Automation and integrated by Tera Automation, Infinifeed uses a unique parallel belt conveyor system with opposing motion. This innovative design, equipped with diverters and a 2D vision system, ensures seamless part feeding and sorting.
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V-Conform O-ring Belts -- the Ultra-Drive Belts

V-Conform™ Reinforced O-ring Belts from Dura-Belt are bi-modulus (rubber reinforced with elastic stretchy nylon), so they provide greater tension than solid polyurethane belts. These belts have soft, tiny ribs that conform to standard 3/16-in. roller grooves, so they can replace round elastic belts while maintaining grip and tension. Lots of benefits, including: energy savings, motorized drive roller (MDR) protection, bearing and shaft hole wear prevention, and more.
Learn more.

EXAIR's new AR Mobile App enhances user experience

The new EXAIR AR Mobile App provides users with a handy compressed air reference tool for over 570 different EXAIR products. The app expedites the solution-finding process by allowing users to select their specific sizes and performance requirements, place a 3D version of the product in their actual workspace using Augmented Reality, and navigate to a page to purchase -- all from their mobile device. The app includes a library of conversion calculators. Available in both the Apple and Google Play Stores.
Learn more.

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 new 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. The most common challenges that can be eliminated or reduced by using ClampDisk include over installation, cross threading, stripped screw heads, broken screws, and damaged product. This fastener can be removed easily with a sharp-edged tool.
Learn more and see how ClampDisk works.

New laser welder automates assembly of small plastic parts

Emerson's new Branson GLX-1 Laser Welder offers users flexibility to meet the growing demand for joining small, complex, or delicate plastic components and assemblies. Its compact footprint and modular design make it compatible for use in ISO-8 cleanroom environments, while an integral automation controller simplifies installation and interfaces with production robotics. The precise, servo-based actuation controls allow for greater freedom to design and join components with three-dimensional contours in small-part applications for the medical, electronics, automotive, and appliance industries.
Learn more.

Slip clutch real-world applications

When design engineers think about slip clutches, they first think of using them for overload protection. While this is certainly a valuable application, there are a surprising number of other applications that solve many engineering problems. See real-world applications of Polyclutch slip clutches, from conveyors and military robots to vending machines, printers, and more. There's a good Selection Guide here too.
Learn more.

Precision profile rolled steel products

Need steel products with a special edge? NIPPON KINZOKU CO. of Japan offers its Fine Profile cold-rolled technology that produces metal pieces with irregularly shaped cross-sections of different thicknesses. By rolling the uneven pattern on the roll surface, it is possible to process various designs and functions such as unique designs, oil grooves, gloss prevention, identification grooves, etc. Final products can be delivered in a variety of forms such as record rolls, oscillate rolls, fixed-length products, and secondary processing. An interesting alternative to machining processes such as cutting and grinding.
Learn more.

Pneumatic Shaft Locking Clamps for automated machine changeover

Discover the power of Fixtureworks' expanded line of Pneumatic Shaft-Locking Clamps. These compact pneumatic locks are perfect for secure clamping of sliding shafts and spindles after positioning and adjustment of machinery equipment. Two types available: Light Duty and Heavy Duty. Sliding shaft options include horizontal and vertical locking. Multiple shafts can be clamped at a time from a distance too.
Learn more and see them in action.

Improving gear hobbing setups by 50%

Buffalo Gear partnered with Helios Gear Products to install a new Hera 350 CNC gear hobber. Helios visited Matt Davis, Russ Jagow, and Bob Kasperek in Buffalo, NY, to see how their processes and productivity have improved since the installation, and to learn about what they have in store for the future.
View the video.

Lead screw selector tool: Your perfect configuration

Thomson Industries has added the ability to configure end supports and machining for their acme lead screws. Get the exact solution you need using the company's lead screw selector tool. Options include the ability to add standard machining, supports, and/or handwheels to your acme screw. Spec selections are updated in real time graphically.
Learn more.

Air Force Research Lab improving processes for fabricating aircraft engine inlet ducts

The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie is an experimental stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle designed and built by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the United States Air Force Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator program, under the USAF Research Laboratory's Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology project portfolio. [Photo: AFRL]

 

 

 

 

By Donna Lindner, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Aircraft engine inlet ducts provide the engine compressor with a constant supply of air to prevent the compressor from stalling. Since the inlet is directly exposed to the impacting airflow, it must create as little drag as possible. The smallest gap in airflow supply can cause major engine problems as well as significant efficiency losses.

Part of the Air Force 2030 Science and Technology strategy includes the deployment of low-cost Unmanned Aerial Systems in mass to assist in future near-peer engagements. In order to realize this vision, new manufacturing strategies need to be identified that can support the rapid manufacturing of high-quality aerospace components at costs that are lower than what are currently available using legacy manufacturing processes.

If the inlet duct is to retain its function of providing sufficient air with minimum turbulence, it must be clean and flawless.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies Division and the contractor team of Cornerstone Research Group, A&P Technology, and Spintech LLC conducted research to quantify the benefits of replacing legacy manufacturing processes with novel processes for the fabrication of an 11-ft-long, S-shaped engine inlet duct.

An 11-ft-long unmanned aircraft system inlet duct preform is shown prior to resin infusion. [Photo: AFRL]

 

 

The legacy fabrication process for the inlet duct consists of composite material preimpregnated with a synthetic resin, applied by hand, to a multi-piece steel mandrel. The mandrel is packaged and placed in an autoclave for processing. An autoclave is essentially a heated pressure vessel that supplies heat to activate resin curing and pressure to ensure there is minimal absorbency in the fully cured composite part.

The approach replaces the hand-applied composite prepreg with an automated overbraid process that applies dry fiber to a mandrel. The very heavy multi-piece steel mandrel was replaced with a light-weight, single-piece shape-memory polymer (SMP) mandrel, and the dry braided carbon fiber was processed with a low-cost epoxy resin using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding process.

One of the primary goals of this program is to understand part cost and production time benefits from introducing the new tooling and processing solutions.

The team completed element analysis finalization of the overbraid architecture, fabrication of a shape-memory polymer forming tool, and construction of the SMP mandrel that will serve as the tool during the preform overbraid process.

Because of inlet duct geometrical complexity, multiple iterations will be necessary to optimize the overbraid machine settings and thus minimize composite material wrinkling. A total of four inlet ducts will be fabricated, and legacy part cost and production time will be compared to the new design.

"We believe that the introduction of a reusable shape-memory polymer mandrel together with the automated overbraid process and an oven-based VARTM composite cure will lead to significant cost and cycle time reductions," said Craig Neslen, manufacturing lead for the Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology Initiative in the Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies Division. "Quantifying the manufacturing benefits and validating structural integrity will be critical to establishing a positive business case and convincing designers and manufacturers that the new materials and processes should be incorporated into future low-cost engine inlet duct designs."

The final inlet duct will be delivered to the government for further integration into the Aerospace System's Directorate's complementary airframe design and manufacturing program. Personnel at the Aerospace Vehicles Division will conduct static ground testing of the integrated braided fuselage and inlet duct structure.

"While we have yet to define all of the implications of attrition tolerance on design criteria and the resulting manufacturing materials and processes utilized, we do have a baseline with threshold requirements for strength and stiffness which we will assess via full-scale airframe ground tests," said Ray Fisher, aerospace engineer in the Aerospace Vehicles Division.

Published June 2020

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