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February 13, 2018Volume 14 Issue 06


Image - The World's First -- and Best -- Linear Motion Guides
The World's First -- and Best -- Linear Motion Guides
THK's original technology is behind the smooth and silent movement of the "Linear Motion System." The LM Guide is our major product that put the rolling of the linear motion part into practical use for the first time in the world. This improves the accuracy, rigidity, energy saving, velocity, productivity, and service life of the machine. THK offers a full support system from the beginning design phase throughout the maintenance, and follow-up service.
Click here to learn more.

In this issue of Designfax

  • Army lab's laser forming technique bends metal
  • NIST delves into what makes memristors tick
  • Super wood is stronger than most metals
  • Wheels Fun: Nissan makes one-off 370Z snowmobile
  • Choosing between brush and brushless DC motors
  • The right surface finish for your next molded part
  • ANSYS takes on product complexity release 19
  • 32-mm brushless motor packs massive torque
  • Replace metal parts: KyronMAX outperforms long fiber thermoplastics
  • Increase bearing life, eliminate noise and vibration
  • Make your own bearings with 3D-printing filament
  • Thrust reverser brakes for aviation
  • Carbon composite bellows springs
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Curiosity provides panorama of Mars from crater
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • New research yields super-strong aluminum alloy
    • Bugatti 3D prints largest titanium component
    • Boeing debuts first 737 MAX 7
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: Nissan 370Zki hits 2018 Chicago Auto Show

News

Researchers observe electrons zipping around in crystals

Project to make low-cost carbon fiber advances to pilot phase

Too much of a good thing? Penn State aerospace engineers to investigate overtrusting autonomous vehicles

Columbia engineers develop flexible lithium battery for wearable electronics



Image - Download Photo Etching Precision Parts Guide
Download Photo Etching Precision Parts Guide
This Tech-Etch guide describes how photo etching produces prototype quantities and large production runs of precision parts for many mechanical and electrical applications, without the high cost and long lead times of hard tooling. Custom metal parts from .0005" thick and up are produced with intricate patterns, precise tolerances and burr-free edges, in addition to exact repeatability. By combining photo etching for blanking with inexpensive or universal tooling for forming, Tech-Etch produces complex designs and shapes.
Download (no registration required).

Feature articles

Image - Army lab's laser forming technique may prove useful as new way to bend metal
Army lab's laser forming technique may prove useful as new way to bend metal
What do the ancient Japanese art of origami and laser cutting have in common? For the U.S. Army, it could mean the saving of Soldiers' lives on the battlefield. Researchers Dr. Nathan Lazarus and Gabriel Smith at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have demonstrated for the first time the creation of complex 3D parts directly from a blank sheet of metal using only a laser cutter.
Read the full article.

Image - NIST delves into what makes memristors tick
NIST delves into what makes memristors tick
In the race to build a computer that mimics the massive computational power of the human brain, researchers are increasingly turning to memristors, which can vary their electrical resistance based on the memory of past activity. Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have now unveiled the long-mysterious inner workings of these semiconductor elements, which can act like the short-term memory of nerve cells.
Read the full article.

Image - Super wood is stronger than most metals
Super wood is stronger than most metals
Engineers at the University of Maryland have found a way to make wood more than 10 times stronger and tougher than before, creating a natural substance that is stronger than many titanium alloys. It is as strong as steel, but six times lighter.
Read the full article.

Image - 17,200 Stock Metric Gears
17,200 Stock Metric Gears
KHK USA Inc offers the largest selection of stock metric gears in North America. With over 180 types, in more than 17,200 configurations, KHK USA offers the broadest selection of metric spur gears, helical gears, internal ring gears, gear racks, bevel gears, worms and wormwheels, and other gear types.
See what KHK USA has in stock for you today.

Image - Wheels Fun: Nissan makes one-off 370Z snowmobile
Wheels Fun: Nissan makes one-off 370Z snowmobile
Arriving just in time to take on recent snowfall, Nissan rolled out a one-of-a-kind 370Z Roadster snowmobile at the opening of the 2018 Chicago Auto Show this week. Dubbed the 370Zki ("370-Ski"), the car proved a transformational challenge for engineers and builders alike on the extended Nissan team.
Read the full article.

Image - Choosing between brush and brushless DC motors: What are the tradeoffs?
Choosing between brush and brushless DC motors: What are the tradeoffs?
Designing a system that involves motion and performs as intended requires choosing the right motor. The most fundamental decision involves commutation type. In some cases, mechanically commutated brush motors provide the best solution for the budget. In other cases, only brushless DC (BLDC) motors will do. Allied Motion provides a comprehensive review of the technology, along with tips and tricks for choosing the right solution for a given application.
Get the guide (no registration required).

Image - How to identify the right surface finish for your next molded part
How to identify the right surface finish for your next molded part
Identifying the right surface finish for molded parts is dependent on a few important elements, namely the development or production stage that your parts are in, the materials they're being manufactured in, and their end-use applications. This design tip from Proto Labs will help you navigate and narrow surface finish choices.
Read the full article.

Image - ANSYS takes on product complexity with release of ANSYS 19
ANSYS takes on product complexity with release of ANSYS 19
ANSYS 19 delivers enhancements to its engineering simulation software across the entire industry-leading portfolio -- from structures to fluids and from systems and semiconductors to electromagnetics -- making simulation even more pervasive. Long-time users will notice dramatic improvements in time to solution, while new users can take advantage of state-of-the art functionality. From support for Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) to Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) to radar cross-section (RCS) calculations, ANSYS 19 simplifies user experience across every discipline.
Click here to learn more.

Image - 32-mm brushless motor packs massive torque
32-mm brushless motor packs massive torque
The FAULHABER 3274 BP4 series packs a punch, yet weights half as much as competitors' motors -- and in a significantly smaller size, too. The 3274 BP4 is overload?resistant and offers longer operational lifetime than conventional DC motors. It withstands harsh ambient conditions and temperatures from -40°C to 125°C.
Click here to learn more.

Image - Replace metal parts: KyronMAX outperforms long fiber thermoplastics
Replace metal parts: KyronMAX outperforms long fiber thermoplastics
Responding to customer demand for a short fiber thermoplastic material that would outperform the mechanical strength of long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) materials, Piper Plastics developed the KyronMAX series of structural thermoplastic compounds, the next generation in injection-moldable metal replacement technology. KyronMAX is based on short fiber technology, so the polymer behaves more like the isotropic nature of metal and eliminates the processing and fiber breakage concerns associated with LFT compounds. The technology enables very complex parts to be molded with unrivaled mechanical performance and consistency -- and often 20 percent lighter and 20 to 50 percent stronger than LFT.
Click here to learn more.

Image - Increase bearing life, eliminate noise and vibration
Increase bearing life, eliminate noise and vibration
Bearing Preload is the process of adding a sustained axial load, independent of external loads. Properly preloading a bearing can increase its life and eliminate vibration and noise that result from specified clearance, manufacturing precision, and wear. The Smalley Bearing Preload Wave Spring Series is designed with gap or overlap geometry to prevent binding in tight radial spaces. Over 10,000 parts stocked and customs can be made from .157" and 4 mm to 120" and 3000 mm diameters with No-Tooling-Costs™.
Click here to learn more.

Image - Make your own bearings with world's first printable bearing material filament for 3D printers
Make your own bearings with world's first printable bearing material filament for 3D printers
Plastics expert igus has introduced the world's first plastic filament for 3D printers enhanced with tribological, or low-friction, properties. The iglide material, 50 times more resistant to wear and abrasion than conventional 3D-printer materials, is ideally suited for creating custom bearings.
Click here to learn more.

Image - Thrust reverser brakes for aviation
Thrust reverser brakes for aviation
SEPAC announces a line of high-performance thrust reverser brakes, which are used to prevent the thrust reversers on an airplane from being engaged in flight. SEPAC's thrust reverser brakes are suitable for any aerospace application and are currently used on platforms such as the Airbus A380 wide-body jet. Highlights include: RPM up to 20,000+, dual coils for superior reliability, 28V for use in standard aircraft or customizable voltage for other applications, multiple discs for high torque in a small package, and aerospace-rated coatings and corrosion protection. In-house staff can quickly customize high-performance, off-the-shelf brakes for other applications.
Click here to learn more.

Image - Carbon composite bellows springs for lightweighting and more
Carbon composite bellows springs for lightweighting and more
The Carbon Composite Bellows Spring (CCBS) from MW Industries is a system of carbon fiber elements that combine to work as a high-performance, lightweight, and design-flexible compression spring meant to replace conventional coil springs or metallic Belleville disc springs. It offers value through unique dynamic characteristics and unparalleled in-the-field design flexibility. A functional spring is made from several individual elements, paired in sets and joined to make a stack. The spring rate of the stack is determined by the number of elements, the base rate of each element, and their series or parallel orientation in the stack. Applications include motorsports, aerospace, outdoor recreation, general industry, and high-performance activities.
Click here to learn more.

Most popular last issue

Image - New research yields super-strong aluminum alloy
New research yields super-strong aluminum alloy
Researchers at Purdue University have demonstrated how to create a super-strong aluminum alloy that rivals the strength of stainless steel, an advance with potential industrial applications. Much of the work focused on adding one magic (and common) ingredient.
Read the full article.

Image - Bugatti brake caliper is world's largest 3D-printed titanium component
Bugatti brake caliper is world's largest 3D-printed titanium component
If you're going to plop down $3 million for a hypercar like the Bugatti Chiron and go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2.5 sec, it better come with a trusty way to stop. Luckily, the French luxury automaker uses the most powerful brakes in the world, which have just been upgraded by incorporating the world's largest titanium 3D-printed brake caliper.
Read the full article.

Image - Boeing debuts first 737 MAX 7
Boeing debuts first 737 MAX 7
Boeing marked a new airplane development milestone Feb. 5 as thousands of employees celebrated the debut of the first 737 MAX 7 at the company's Renton, WA, factory. The MAX 7 is the third and newest member of Boeing's 737 MAX family to come down the assembly line -- and part of the fastest-selling airplane product line in Boeing history.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Curiosity provides impressive panorama of Mars from Gale Crater
Mars Curiosity rover Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada gives a descriptive tour of the Mars rover's view in Gale Crater. The white-balanced scene looks back over the journey so far. The view from "Vera Rubin Ridge" looks back over buttes, dunes, and other features along the route. If you're planning a space vacation one day, this is what you could be facing in a Martian winter.
View the video.

New products

Electrical/Electronics
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Mechanical
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