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January 12, 2021Volume 17 Issue 02


Image - Manufacturing on Demand. More Materials, More Processes, Better Results.
Manufacturing on Demand. More Materials, More Processes, Better Results.
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In this issue of Designfax

  • Wow. Researchers claim new material can't be cut
  • Aero History: WWII Superfortress bomber struggles
  • All-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX: King of the mountain
  • Chevy converts 1977 K5 Blazer to electric
  • Tricked out: Ford shows off Bronco Adventure Concepts
  • Neat. Cars painted precisely with inkjet tech
  • 9 unseen Porsche concept cars
  • Raspberry Pi now available with 8GB RAM
  • Top Machines Spotlight: Firefighting robot
  • Top Product: Allite Super Magnesium
  • Top Application Note: Why harvesters need angle sensors
  • Top Blog: Top reasons cylinders fail
  • Top Education: Robot programming in 87 minutes!
  • Top Blog: Gantry vs. Split Bridge system
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • See SpaceX rocket explode -- on purpose
    • Ice Blast cleans and deburs parts
    • New Boeing Advanced Trainer jet does first roll
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Infantry Squad Vehicle is Chevy Colorado truck
    • New PLC handbook full of must-know information
    • Toolbox: Gear crowning -- a cheap fix for noise
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: Ford Bronco, Ram 1500 TRX, WWII Superfortress

News

Weird Science: New laser beam doesn't follow normal laws of refraction

Army tests aluminum foam for blast protection

GM's electric vehicles will include industry's first wireless battery management system

What's up with the U.S. Space Force? Is "Star Wars" just around the corner -- or is it already here? DOD gives update



Feature articles
Wow. Researchers claim new material can't be cut

Engineers in England at Durham University and their research partners have created what they say is the first manufactured "non-cuttable" material. Their unlikely design inspirations? Grapefruit and abalone shell. In tests, the metallic foam material could not be cut by angle grinders, drills, or high-pressure water jets.
Read the full article.
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The DM66200H hollow shaft motor is suitable for many different application areas including robotics, optics, impellers, and prostheses.


Image - Aero History: WWII Superfortress bomber engine struggles
Aero History: WWII Superfortress bomber engine struggles
In July 1944, a B-29 Superfortress aircraft conducted a series of flight tests at the NACA Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland, OH. The tests were part of a national effort to get the new bomber into combat as the Allies sought to turn the tide in the Pacific theater of World War II.
Read the full article.

Image - All-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX: King of the mountain
All-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX: King of the mountain
Watch out Ford F-150 Raptor. There's a new big, bad, and brawny top truck in town. The all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the fastest and most powerful mass-produced truck in the world. It features a 702-hp 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8, a 0- to 60-mph time of 4.5 sec, an armored body, and tons of new tech that makes it not only king of the mountain but a comfy and capable all-round workhorse too.
Read the full article.

Image - Chevy converts 1977 K5 Blazer to electric
Chevy converts 1977 K5 Blazer to electric
To demonstrate the possibilities of bringing electric vehicle (EV) technology to aftermarket cars, Chevrolet Performance has used its eCrate conversion package to give a 1977 K5 Blazer a fully electric propulsion makeover. With an increase to 200 hp, the classic two-door SUV retains as much of the stock Blazer as possible, with about 90 percent of the new parts installed being factory components from the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
Read the full article.

Image - Tricked out: Ford shows off Bronco Adventure Concepts
Tricked out: Ford shows off Bronco Adventure Concepts
When the reborn Ford Bronco made its debut last July, it left fans both excited and faced with a mountain of choices. Should you get two doors or four, and which special Bronco series -- like Big Bend, Wildtrak, or Badlands -- should you choose? Base setup or advanced 4x4? Seven-speed manual or 10-speed automatic? Now Ford has thrown five pulled-together aftermarket adventure packages into the mix, so you can take your customization options to the max.
Read the full article.

Image - Neat. Cars painted precisely with inkjet tech -- no masking required
Neat. Cars painted precisely with inkjet tech -- no masking required
Two-tone or customized paint jobs require time-intensive masking, and sprayers usually waste a lot of paint. A new system called PixelPaint from ABB Robotics erases those concerns, providing robotic cells that use inkjet technology to lay down even the most intricate designs accurately with no overspray or taped areas.
Read the full article.

Image - 9 unseen Porsche concept cars
9 unseen Porsche concept cars
Not every car design makes it to production, but there are some exciting ideas along the way. In that spirit, Porsche has released design studies of some of its coolest concepts that did not make the cut from 2005 to 2019. "It is not about bringing every car onto the road," said Michael Mauer, Vice President Style at Porsche. "It is more a question of establishing creative space and a relationship with the future."
Read the full article.

Image - Raspberry Pi computer now available with 8GB RAM
Raspberry Pi computer now available with 8GB RAM
A new version of the Raspberry Pi -- the credit-card-size computer that has been so popular among business developers, DIYers, and students alike -- now offers double the on-board memory of the current Pi 4 Model B device. It's a big increase in performance for 20 bucks more.
Read the full article.

Image - Top Machines Spotlight: The hero of Notre-Dame -- Firefighting robot
Top Machines Spotlight: The hero of Notre-Dame -- Firefighting robot
In the spring of 2019, the famous French cathedral of Notre-Dame was heavily damaged in a devastating fire. But the Paris fire department prevented the complete destruction of the building with the help of a special robot called Colossus. Motors from maxon are used in the robot's design.
Read the full article.

Image - Top Product: Allite Super Magnesium
Top Product: Allite Super Magnesium
Weighing 33% less than aluminum and stiffer and stronger pound for pound, the Allite Super Magnesium alloy has shown its mettle in classified defense and aerospace applications. Now it's available for wider use. This material is less expensive than carbon fiber and has the lowest carbon footprint of any structural material throughout the value chain. Industry applications include home improvement, sporting goods, aerospace, automotive, biking, and beyond. Three alloy variants are available to suit welding, forming/forging, or casting. These alloys feature excellent shock-absorption properties, good electromagnetic shielding performance, good heat dissipation, and recyclability. Allite is based in Dayton, OH.
Learn more.

Image - Top Application Note: Why harvesters need angle sensors
Top Application Note: Why harvesters need angle sensors
The SFM Samurai is a self-propelled apple harvester that can collect a whopping 100 tons of apples each day. The machine is designed for optimal navigation through the narrowest of orchard rows thanks to its SFM-developed four-wheel steering system that relies on Novotechnik RFC4800 series angle sensors to monitor each axle position.
Read the full article.

Image - Top Blog: Top reasons cylinders fail
Top Blog: Top reasons cylinders fail
Cylinders can fail for a number of reasons from wrong specifications to operator error. However, one of the leading causes of cylinder failure is still seals. Ryan Roberts from Parker Hannifin's Cylinder Division details common seal problems and suggests a number of remedies.
Read this informative Parker blog.

Image - Top Education: Become a robot programmer in only 87 minutes!
Top Education: Become a robot programmer in only 87 minutes!
Learning how to set up and program a collaborative robot -- or cobot -- no longer depends on real-life access to a robot or a training class. Now everybody with a desire to learn the concepts of cobots can log in to the Universal Robots Academy and get the introduction necessary to master basic programming skills. Become a master of the cobots! (That's a pretty sweet title.)
Click here to learn more.

Image - Top Blog: Gantry vs. Split Bridge system: What's the difference?
Top Blog: Gantry vs. Split Bridge system: What's the difference?
Gantry motion systems and split bridge motion systems are often used in industrial production, testing, and additive manufacturing, but what makes one better than another for a given application? The experts at PI (Physik Instrumente) run through the basics.
Read this informative PI blog.

Most popular last issue

Image - New U.S. Army Infantry Squad Vehicle based on Chevy Colorado ZR2 truck
New U.S. Army Infantry Squad Vehicle based on Chevy Colorado ZR2 truck
GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has been awarded the production contract to build, field, and sustain the Army's new Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). The agile and light all-terrain troop carrier is based on the award-winning 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize truck architecture. GM says the new vehicle design leverages 90% commercial off-the-shelf parts.
Read the full article.

Image - New PLC handbook chock full of must-know information
New PLC handbook chock full of must-know information
AutomationDirect's Practical Guide to Programmable Logic Controllers Handbook has been improved with tons of new need-to-know info, making it a more comprehensive guide to the world of PLCs. Besides covering the basics of PLC history, PLC hardware, and PLC software, this guide takes you deeper into the ever-changing world of PLC communication, the importance of feedback loops, cyber security, and many other areas that are a must-know for any PLC novice or seasoned automation professional.
Get this great resource today.

Image - Engineer's Toolbox: Gear crowning -- a cheap fix for noise
Engineer's Toolbox: Gear crowning -- a cheap fix for noise
With smaller gearboxes transmitting more power at higher rpm and the incumbent demands for greater efficiency, gear engineers are always searching for new ways to reduce vibration and limit noise -- without increasing costs.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
See SpaceX rocket explode -- on purpose
SpaceX conducted an exciting test Jan. 19, 2020, of the Crew Dragon spacecraft's emergency abort system. The spacecraft was preparing to take astronauts to the International Space Station later in the year. Launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A, the unmanned Crew Dragon capsule rose through the atmosphere for 84 sec before the abort was triggered, the rocket engines were shut down, and the Falcon 9 booster was deliberately exploded. The Crew Dragon capsule has eight SuperDraco engines embedded in its hull that activate to push the vehicle away from the rocket if there is an in-flight emergency. It all worked as planned, and the capsule successfully descended to a parachute-assisted splashdown about 9 min. after liftoff some 32 km off the Florida coast. If you just want to zoom to the explosion, fast forward to the launch about 18 minutes in.
View the video.

Video Image
Ice Blast cleans and deburs parts
When you mix an IceStorm machine from Coulson Ice Blast with a KUKA articulated robot, you get a neat and efficient system that carries out cleaning, deburring, and deflashing of metal parts automatically -- using real ice (the same type of ice cubes you can put in your drink). The combination of pressurized air and wet ice in the blast stream allows for a non-toxic and non-abrasive process. There is a dry ice option too. Many more applications.
View the video.
Learn all the things this system can do.

Video Image
New Boeing Advanced Trainer jet does first roll
This past July, Boeing's new T-7A Red Hawk Advanced Trainer jet aircraft, which was developed for the U.S. Air Force, was really put through its paces -- including a roll to an inverted position and a push to -1 g. Watch as Boeing Test & Evaluation pilots Matt Giese and William Berryman put the jet through a rugged series of maneuvers to test its fuel system at all angles. The T-7A Red Hawk aircraft and trainers will replace the Air Force's aging T-38 training fleet.
View the video.

Video Image

New products

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