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September 01, 2020Volume 16 Issue 33


Image - Extend Bearing Life
Extend Bearing Life
Single Turn Wave Springs are ideal for bearing preload. Preloading the bearing through its outer race takes up play in the bearing. This reduces bearing damage, wear, noise, and vibration.
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In this issue of Designfax

  • 6 technologies NASA is advancing to send humans to Mars
  • World First: Non-contact torque sensor for vehicles
  • New internet speed record: All of Netflix in 1 sec
  • New 'bullet' plane design aims to shake up aero industry
  • Self-service fever scanner uses fist or wrist
  • 5 facts about hydraulics that may surprise automators
  • How to increase accuracy in stepper motors
  • Mastercam software retains top ranking worldwide
  • Siemens introduces Simatic Micro-Drive
  • MathWorks introduces Motor Control Blockset
  • Design Tip: Thermoplastic vs. thermoset
  • NASA Ebook: Green Light for Green Flight
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Dual collaborative gripper reduces contamination
    • Optimize mechanical misalignments
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Aero History: WWII Superfortress bomber struggles
    • MIT, 3M developing 10-min. COVID-19 test
    • Cadillac's giant 4-cylinder was made for truck use
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: Otto Aviation Celera 500L

News

Novel method of heat conduction could be a game changer for server farms and aircraft

Researchers develop flat lens a thousand times thinner than a human hair

Airbus wins next study contract for Martian Sample Fetch Rover

Study: Portable, point-of-care COVID-19 test could bypass the lab



Image - Flat Brushless Motor + Speed Control
Flat Brushless Motor + Speed Control
Optimized design and impressive performance make the FAULHABER BXT Flat Brushless DC Motor Series ideal for applications in medical devices, lab diagnostics, optics systems, and robotics. The external rotor motors are designed for continuous output power up to 100W, and deliver up to 134mNm of torque. The FAULHABER BXT SC motor series delivers reliable performance, incredible torque, plus precise speed control in even the most confined applications and spaces.
Learn more.

Feature articles

Image - 6 technologies NASA is advancing to send humans to Mars
6 technologies NASA is advancing to send humans to Mars
Technology development has already begun to enable a crewed Mars mission as early as the 2030s. Many of the capabilities will be demonstrated at the Moon first, during the Artemis missions, while other systems are more uniquely suited for deeper space. Here are six technologies NASA is working on to make Mars science fiction a reality.
Read the full article.

Image - NSK develops world's first non-contact torque sensor for motor vehicle drive shafts
NSK develops world's first non-contact torque sensor for motor vehicle drive shafts
NSK has developed a non-contact torque sensor capable of measuring the torque of drive shafts in real time. The technology is the first sensor in the world with this capability. Benefits include increased fuel economy and improved ride comfort and safety.
Read the full article.

Image - New internet speed record: Download all of Netflix in 1 sec
New internet speed record: Download all of Netflix in 1 sec
The world's fastest data transmission rate has been achieved by a team of University College London engineers who reached an internet speed a fifth faster than the previous record.
Read the full article.

Image - New 'bullet' plane design aims to shake up aero industry
New 'bullet' plane design aims to shake up aero industry
It may not feature a traditional super-aerodynamic look, but the Celera 500L sports a "bullet" design that Otto Aviation says is the future of fuel-efficient, small commercial plane flight. Boasting 18 to 25 mpg and a range of over 4,500 nautical miles, the six-passenger plane prototype already has 31 successful test flights under its belt.
Read the full article.

Image - Self-service fever scanner uses fist or wrist
Self-service fever scanner uses fist or wrist
FeverWarn is a new, non-contact device that determines if a user has a fever instantly -- simply by scanning the wrist or fist. The technology's creators at MachineSense, along with some university studies, say these hand areas are consistently some of the most reliable on the body for accurate temperature scanning. The FDA-compliant FeverWarn unit can be installed in front lobbies, security checkpoints, manufacturing entrances, school entrances, and any other place where the initial entryway is your first line of defense. A red or green light indicates pass or fail. Provides outputs for triggering auxiliary doors or gates.
Learn more about this exciting technology.

Image - 5 facts about hydraulics that may surprise automators
5 facts about hydraulics that may surprise automators
Hydraulics come into their own whenever large forces and robustness are required, however many young designers and engineers are not very familiar with this technology. Here are some convincing arguments and capabilities from Bosch Rexroth that show why the use of modern, connected hydraulics is easier and more cost effective than many engineers may realize.
Read the full article.

Image - How to increase accuracy in stepper motors
How to increase accuracy in stepper motors
The motor experts at Lin Engineering have put together some very useful advice for design engineers interested in stepper motors. In this short but informative article, they review micro stepping for accuracy and its effects, including torque ripple, resonance, and noise. They also hit on inertia load sizes and controller choices. Very good info.
Read the full Lin Engineering article.

Image - Mastercam software retains top ranking worldwide
Mastercam software retains top ranking worldwide
More shops and schools invest in Mastercam than any other CAD/CAM software package in the world. According to CIMdata, an independent research firm specializing in the NC industry, Mastercam is the No. 1 CAM software used worldwide for 26 years in a row. In the latest report, Mastercam retained the top spot for CAM software in three categories: industry, education, and support network. For the educational and industrial categories, Mastercam had nearly twice as many installed seats as the nearest competitor.
Learn what's new in Mastercam 2021.

Image - Siemens introduces Simatic Micro-Drive -- the new servo-drive system for extra-low-voltage commercial and manufacturing applications
Siemens introduces Simatic Micro-Drive -- the new servo-drive system for extra-low-voltage commercial and manufacturing applications
Siemens has extended its drive portfolio in the safety extra-low-voltage range for 24- to 48-V EC motors by introducing a new servo drive system named Simatic Micro-Drive. It is suited to a wide range of diverse applications such as precise positioning, shuttles for storage and retrieval machines or warehousing systems, automatic guided vehicle systems, and medical technology. Components consists of the PDC (Profidrive Control) servo drive in conjunction with a flexible range of motors and connecting cables from product partners. Simple connectivity to Simatic programmable logic controllers (PLCs) helps reduce the engineering workload significantly. Integration into Siemens automation technology via its TIA Portal makes for simple commissioning and servicing. Smart encoders and one-button tuning add to its plug-and-play startup. The system offers units from 100 W to 1 kW and allows for side-by-side rail mounting.
Learn more.

Image - MathWorks introduces Motor Control Blockset for algorithm development
MathWorks introduces Motor Control Blockset for algorithm development
MathWorks has just released Motor Control Blockset, an add-on product for Simulink for designing and implementing motor control algorithms. Now, motor control engineers can use reference examples and Simulink blocks for developing field-oriented control algorithms to spin brushless motors. The blockset extends the set of Simulink products for motor control design, enabling engineers to test algorithms with each design change, generate fast and compact ANSI/ISO C code, and use simulation to validate software, which can reduce certification testing cycles.
Learn more.

Image - Design Tip: Thermoplastic vs. thermoset
Design Tip: Thermoplastic vs. thermoset
Two broad categories of plastic materials exist: thermoplastics and thermosets, which are differentiated based on their behaviors in the presence of heat. This informative design tip from Protolabs offers a few considerations to keep in mind when using these materials. Includes guidelines for using thermoplastics and considerations for thermosets.
Read the Protolabs design tip.

Image - NASA Ebook: Green Light for Green Flight
NASA Ebook: Green Light for Green Flight
NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project began in 2009 to explore and document the feasibility, benefits, and technical risks of advanced vehicle concepts and enabling technologies for reducing aviation's overall impact on the environment. Its goals included reducing community noise footprints, fuel burn, and nitrogen oxide emissions. This ebook by Peter W. Merlin reviews the advanced aircraft design concepts, construction technologies, and propulsion advancements that were researched by the ERA project.
Get the NASA ebook.

Most popular last issue

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 - MIT collaborating with 3M to develop COVID-19 test that gives results in 10 minutes
MIT collaborating with 3M to develop COVID-19 test that gives results in 10 minutes
3M is collaborating with labs at MIT to create a COVID-19 test with rapid results. They will determine whether the test renders highly accurate results within 10 minutes, and if it is feasible to mass manufacture.
Read the full article.

Image - Cadillac's giant 4-cylinder was made for truck use
Cadillac's giant 4-cylinder was made for truck use
Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained delves into the engineering behind GM's L3B engine, one of the largest gasoline 4-cylinders available. It features a dual volute turbocharger, advanced three-position camshaft, integrated exhaust manifold, and jumbo cylinders. You can find the 2.7L I4 engine variants in both the Chevy Colorado pickup (310 hp) and the Cadillac CT4-V four-door (325 hp). Very interesting. You always learn something from a Fenske presentation.
View the video.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Dual collaborative gripper configuration reduces contamination risk and cycle time
MedicoPack was looking to implement collaborative automation to optimize the process of collecting, inspecting, and packaging hospital drip bags. After deploying grippers from OnRobot to automate the handling and stacking process, they were able to significantly increase productivity by reducing cycle time and contamination risk.
Watch more.
Learn about OnRobot tooling.
Read the OnRobot White Paper on Automation for Business Resilience.

Video Image
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.
Watch C-Flex Couplings handle misalignments.
Learn more product details.

Video Image

New products

Electrical/Electronics
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Mechanical
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Motion
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