Click this link if you cannot read the issue below: Designfax - Tech for OEM Design Engineers
May 26, 2020Volume 16 Issue 20


Image - 20,000 Stock Metric Gears
20,000 Stock Metric Gears
KHK USA Inc offers the largest selection of stock metric gears in North America. With over 200 types, in more than 20,000 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.

In this issue of Designfax

  • Better meshes: Automating complex 3D modeling
  • Nanotechnology repairs engine damage in cars
  • 44.2 Tbps! Fastest internet speed from single chip
  • Shooting for 300+ mph: SSC North America Tuatara
  • Cool Tools: Measure up to 99 dimensions in seconds
  • Engineer's Toolbox: How to design the optimum hinge
  • ServoClass Couplings have the advantage
  • Great Resources: Design guidelines for stainless steels
  • Design Tip: Uniform wall thickness for injection molding
  • How to choose O-ring cross-sections
  • Robotic strain wave gearboxes
  • Test your knowledge of the periodic table
  • Direct drive linear motor with encoder and temp sensor
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Optimize mechanical misalignments
    • What spring rate do I need for my car?
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • 70 trillion pictures per sec: Ultra-fast camera
    • World Car of the Year: Kia Telluride
    • Plastic camshaft module for cars developed
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: Tuatara supercar by SSC North America

News

Engineers develop way to improve efficiency and heat tolerance of devices

New 'self-repairing' rubber aimed at industrial uses

Airbus achieves world's first fully automatic air-to-air refueling contacts with fighter jet

Researchers develop new bio-inspired wing design for small drones



Image - Replace metals with hard materials
Replace metals with hard materials
The use of sapphire, ceramics, and other hard materials has significant advantages over metal, depending on the application. The materials machined at Insaco are harder and stronger in compression than most metals. They can be electrically or thermally insulating or conducting, and in the case of sapphire, can be polished optically clear to a surface finish less than 1 micro inch. This allows for selecting a material based on the most important material property required. When a low-cost part must be frequently replaced because of a harsh environment, looking to hard materials may be the key to lowering overall cost.
Learn more in this informative Insaco article.

Feature articles

Image - Better and faster meshes: Automating complex 3D modeling
Better and faster meshes: Automating complex 3D modeling
A team of researchers led by Sandia National Laboratories has invented a first-of-its-kind software to create accurate (and automatic) digital representations of complex objects. VoroCrust is the first software to generate Voronoi-cell meshes that conform to complex models without needing to be fixed manually in post-processing. The software can reduce countless hours of manual labor that engineers and scientists spend on 3D modeling.
Read the full article.

Image - NASA support helps spur nanotechnology that repairs engine damage in cars
NASA support helps spur nanotechnology that repairs engine damage in cars
Lubricants that reduce friction can only delay and minimize inevitable damage. The idea of reversing that wear by fixing a worn part was the dream of Washington State University PhD candidate Pavlo "Pasha" Rudenko, who decided to research using smart nanoparticles to work with lubricants to replace eroded material back in 2009. Today, more than 30,000 cars and trucks use Rudenko's TriboTEX nano-flakes additive product that forms a new, diamond-like surface on worn engine parts like rings and bearings.
Read the full article.

Image - 44.2 Tbps! World's fastest internet speed from a single optical chip
44.2 Tbps! World's fastest internet speed from a single optical chip
Researchers from universities in Australia have successfully tested and recorded the fastest internet data speed from a single optical chip, which is capable of downloading 1,000 high-def movies in a split second.
Read the full article.

Image - Shooting for 300+ mph: SSC North America Tuatara
Shooting for 300+ mph: SSC North America Tuatara
SSC North America, the only supercar manufacturer in the United States, is aiming to capture the world speed record for a production car with its new 1,350-hp (1,750-hp using E85) Tuatara model, which combines high-end engine tech with funky aerodynamics to rocket the driver forward. It sports multiple fins and quirky design features, just like its namesake "living fossil" New Zealand lizard, but that's what makes it intriguing.
Read the full article.

Image - Cool Tools: Measure up to 99 dimensions in seconds
Cool Tools: Measure up to 99 dimensions in seconds
The IM-7500 Image Dimension Measurement System is Keyence's latest addition to its Instant Measurement System series. This next-gen optical comparator includes an automatic measurement function that enables all settings to be completed with one click, the ability to record all measurement results and create reports automatically, and an intuitive interface that involves simply placing the part on the measurement stage and pressing the "Measure" button. Significantly, no measurement expertise is needed to operate the IM-7500.
Learn more.

Image - Engineer's Toolbox: How to design the optimum hinge
Engineer's Toolbox: How to design the optimum hinge
Although many pin styles are available, Coiled Spring Pins are particularly well suited for use in both friction- and free-fit hinges. To achieve optimum long-term hinge performance, designers should observe some simple design guidelines. SPIROL provides these helpful recommendations.
Read the full article.

Image - ServoClass Couplings have the advantage
ServoClass Couplings have the advantage
Demanding applications require a coupling that holds up to shock loads caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration, start/stop conditions, and torque reversals in servo-driven systems. The ServoClass Coupling from Zero-Max has a longer-lifetime advantage because it is not as radially stiff as a bellows coupling, which reduces the reaction loads on the connected components and stresses within the coupling itself. Jaw/spider couplings do not perform as well as ServoClass Couplings either. The reason is that a coupling's spider element can deteriorate over time from heat and fatigue, shortening its lifetime. Also, jaw/spider couplings experience torsional windup in higher torque applications and have longer settling times when stopping higher inertial loads.
Learn more about Zero-Max ServoClass Couplings.

Image - Great Resources: Design guidelines for selecting/using stainless steels
Great Resources: Design guidelines for selecting/using stainless steels
This extensive guide from the Nickel Institute helps designers better understand the large family of corrosion-resistant stainless steels. It describes typical corrosion modes and how to select materials to minimize or prevent corrosion. Forty-seven figures help illustrate important characteristics of, and end-use applications for, 57 different stainless steel types, including chemical compositions, physical and mechanical properties, properties at elevated temperatures, and heat-transfer characteristics.
Get your guide (no registration required).

Image - Design Tip: Uniform wall thickness for injection molding
Design Tip: Uniform wall thickness for injection molding
Ever notice how wall features on products like a molded toothbrush holder or a plastic gas can are all relatively uniform? That's because consistent wall thickness helps prevent sink, warp, and inaccurate or non-functional parts. This design tip from Protolabs offers several ways to avoid those problems. They even included a helpful chart that shows recommended wall thickness for common injection molding materials.
Read the full article.

Image - How to choose commercially available O-ring cross-sections
How to choose commercially available O-ring cross-sections
There are 400+ standard O-ring sizes, so which is the right one for your application? What if multiple thicknesses are available for the same O-ring size? Dorothy Kern, applications engineering lead, Parker O-Ring & Engineered Seals Division, runs through the key considerations, including compression set, tolerances, contact width, and more. Very good info.
Read this informative Parker blog.

Image - Robotic strain wave gearboxes
Robotic strain wave gearboxes
GAM has just announced the release of its new GSL series of strain wave gearboxes. The new gearboxes provide zero backlash and high torque in a small gearbox for robotic and motion control applications. This gearbox uses harmonic gearing for a very compact design that easily integrates into applications requiring high ratios and high precision in a small form factor. The GSL series is available in frame sizes 14 to 40 and reduction ratios 50:1 to 160:1.
Learn more.

Image - Test your knowledge of the periodic table
Test your knowledge of the periodic table
Ideal for those extra days you have at home, Goodfellow has launched the latest version of Mr. Material™, their free educational app that enables participants to test their knowledge of the periodic table. Featuring more than 200 questions spread over multiple levels of difficulty, the app provides an entertaining way to learn or review facts about the 118 chemical elements. Ideal for students, teachers, researchers, or anyone who has a general interest in science, it's available free at both the App Store and Google Play. The aim of the game is to answer questions as quickly as possible and rank on the leaderboard.
Check it out at the App Store.
Check it out at Google Play.

Image - Direct drive linear motor with integrated encoder and temperature sensor
Direct drive linear motor with integrated encoder and temperature sensor
The new, patented SDLM-019-070-01-01 direct drive linear motor with integrated position and temperature sensors is the latest addition to the series of zero-backlash, zero-cogging, high-acceleration, high-speed, high-resolution, long-life motors from Moticont. Also known as an electric cylinder, this compact direct drive linear motor is just 0.75 in. (19.1 mm) in diameter and 2.75 in. (69.9 mm) long. Protected inside the motor housing, the linear optical quadrature encoder is directly connected to the shaft for the greatest possible accuracy. Highest throughputs are achieved by this motor when operating at peak efficiency, monitoring the data from the internal temperature sensor.
Learn more.

Most popular last issue

Image - 70 trillion pictures per sec: New ultra-fast camera
70 trillion pictures per sec: New ultra-fast camera
A new ultra-fast camera developed at Caltech is capable of taking as many as 70 trillion frames per second. That is fast enough to see waves of light traveling and the fluorescent decay of molecules.
Read the full article.

Image - World Car of the Year: Kia Telluride
World Car of the Year: Kia Telluride
It's Kia's largest SUV ever, but the Telluride isn't big enough to fit all the automotive awards it's collected since hitting the scene with the 2020 model. World car of the Year, North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, MotorTrend SUV of the Year, and Edmunds' Top Rated SUV are just some of the accolades for this 291-hp, 3.8-liter V6 that's all about rugged luxury at an affordable price point.
Read the full article.

Image - Plastic camshaft module for cars developed and tested
Plastic camshaft module for cars developed and tested
A research team from the Fraunhofer Institute, in collaboration with its partners (including Daimler AG), has succeeded in manufacturing a camshaft module from fiber-reinforced thermoset polymers. This lightweight design element helps lower engine weight, reduces assembly costs, and saves energy.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Optimize mechanical misalignments, get hidden benefits
C-Flex Couplings combine the best qualities of disc, beam, and bellows couplings in a unique and economical new design. Made to couple two rotating shafts together, these couplings can accommodate large misalignments while transmitting high torque loads with zero backlash. Benefits include lower energy usage and less-frequent bearing failure, since less stress is placed upon bearings. Constructed using high-strength hardened stainless steel or glass impregnated polyamide flexures, these couplings require no maintenance and provide years of trouble-free life, even in contaminated environments. Flexible Pivot Bearings and Super Plastic Torsional Damping Couplings also available.
See C-Flex Couplings handle misalignments.
Click here to learn more.

Video Image
What spring rate do I need for my car?
Bill Foley from QA1 Precision Products answers a question he says he gets a lot: "How do I determine the spring rate for my car?" In this clip, he explains how to determine the ideal range and also reviews spring sizes and compression targets. Basic info but quite helpful.
View the video.

Video Image

New products

Electrical/Electronics
View Products…
Mechanical
View Products…
Motion
View Products…


Subscribe to DesignFax

For advertising opportunities contact:

John Holmes

jholmes@nelsonpub.com
(847) 364-7441

Dan Beck

danbeck58@gmail.com
(518) 852-9624

Questions or comments about the eMagazine or articles? Contact us at: Designfax

www.designfax.net
PO Box 424, Alto, MI 49302

webteam@designfax.net
Privacy Statement