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December 14, 2021Volume 17 Issue 46


Image - Clean up your actuator
Clean up your actuator
It's not a matter of if hydraulics will leak, but when. Leaks are messy, potentially dangerous and can contaminate processes. In comparison, electric actuator systems are clean, flexible, precise and maintenance-free.

Compare the factors affecting the performance and cost of each technology. Learn recommended methods for converting your application from hydraulic to electric actuation (Hint: Don't oversize the actuator.)
Read the Tolomatic white paper and save a downloadable copy.


In this issue of Designfax

  • Rolls-Royce aero hybrid-electric propulsion system
  • GrabCAD AM Platform: Software for production-scale AM
  • How to increase endurance of stainless steel
  • Ford turns 1978 F-100 pickup into all-electric showpiece
  • ActiNav drives savings, productivity on 24/7 line
  • Engineer's Toolbox: Specifying a slewing ring bearing
  • Jeep wins Altair Enlighten Award for lightweighting
  • Xometry acquiring Thomas in move to dominate
  • New GSL strain wave robotic gearboxes
  • Live tooling for popular turning center lines
  • App Note: Mini linear actuator with Linfinity nut
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Tech Tip: Converting sheet metal parts in Onshape
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Ferrari Daytona SP3: A beauty and a beast
    • THOR drone killer wins Popular Science award
    • Why EV batteries can't charge in minutes
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: All-electric Ford F-100 Eluminator conversion

News

Particle accelerator magnet sets record using high-temperature superconductor

Georgia Tech leads industry effort to tackle the composite and hybrid materials challenge

Researchers digging in to figure out how to make Martian rocket biofuel on Mars

SwRI wins R&D 100 Award for Catalyzed Diesel Exhaust Fluid technology



Image - Dual Robotic Gripper Reduces Cycle Time and Pays for Itself in 6 Months
Dual Robotic Gripper Reduces Cycle Time and Pays for Itself in 6 Months
With a huge influx of orders from big names like Volvo, Renault, and Scania, FT-Produktion needed to significantly increase production -- and fast. When recruiting qualified employees became difficult, the Swedish machine shop turned to collaborative robot technology and dual electric grippers from OnRobot to automate machine operation.
Learn more:
Want to make collaborative automation work for you? Download the ebook:

Feature articles
Rolls-Royce aero hybrid-electric propulsion system sets a megawatt milestone
About the size of a beer keg, Rolls-Royce's hybrid-electric aero power and propulsion system called Power Generation System 1 has delivered more than a megawatt of power just weeks after its first testing start -- and ramping up the power is in the works. It has already produced enough electricity to continuously power around 1,000 homes.
Read the full article.
Image -
The DM66200H hollow shaft motor is suitable for many different application areas including robotics, optics, impellers, and prostheses.


Image - GrabCAD AM Platform: Stratasys introduces open software platform for production-scale additive manufacturing
GrabCAD AM Platform: Stratasys introduces open software platform for production-scale additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing systems are increasingly demonstrating their readiness for volume production of end-use parts, but 3D printing at production scale also requires new software-driven operational capabilities, such as the ability to manage a large number of 3D printers across multiple locations, monitor quality, and integrate within the broader enterprise.
Read the full article.

Image - Researchers work out how to increase endurance of stainless steel
Researchers work out how to increase endurance of stainless steel
A team of scientists from Russia, Italy, and Turkey has found the optimal parameters for cold working on steel. Through careful observation and experimentation, they have determined how to increase the endurance of 316L steel by 81.25%.
Read the full article.

Image - Ford turns 1978 F-100 pickup into all-electric showpiece
Ford turns 1978 F-100 pickup into all-electric showpiece
We've seen some pretty impressive restomods in the past couple of years, where vintage gasoline vehicles are outfitted with state-of-the-art all-electric propulsion systems. Ford showed off its latest conversion at the 2021 SEMA show: the 480-hp 1978 all-electric F-100 Eluminator concept truck that features twin front and rear electric traction motors from the Mustang Mach-E.
Read the full article.

Image - ActiNav drives savings and productivity on 24/7 manufacturing line
ActiNav drives savings and productivity on 24/7 manufacturing line
Dump the parts in a bin, and move on to other tasks. That's what's happening on a Schaeffler Group USA assembly line for precision automotive components. Universal Robots' ActiNav system picks complex parts from randomized bins and accurately places them for assembly, reducing labor needs and improving output. The UR5e cobot-powered system runs on its own -- even autonomously triggering a new bin to move into place as needed to keep the line running.
Watch how:

Image - Engineer's Toolbox: 9 considerations for specifying a slewing ring bearing
Engineer's Toolbox: 9 considerations for specifying a slewing ring bearing
In applications that require a bearing to support a structure while it rotates (e.g., cranes, radar, tank turrets), premature bearing failure can put people and equipment at risk. While slewing ring bearings have proven themselves countless times in such applications, designers must consider many factors when specifying them. The bearing's support structure, mounting (including bolt strength, tensioning, and hole patterns), installation, and even storage are all factors in a bearing's success or failure.
Read the full article by Kaydon Bearings.

Image - Jeep composite tunnel reinforcement wins Altair Enlighten Award for lightweighting
Jeep composite tunnel reinforcement wins Altair Enlighten Award for lightweighting
BASF, L&L Products, and Stellantis were recognized earlier this year for lightweighting success on the composite tunnel for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The vehicle, which launched in May, won the prestigious Altair Enlighten Award for achievements in vehicle weight savings.
Read the full article.

Image - Xometry acquiring Thomas in move to dominate on-demand manufacturing marketplace
Xometry acquiring Thomas in move to dominate on-demand manufacturing marketplace
Xometry, a leading AI-enabled marketplace for on-demand manufacturing, has announced a $300 million deal to acquire Thomas, a leader in product sourcing, supplier selection, and digital marketing solutions. The acquisition is expected to expand Xometry's buyer and seller base rapidly, significantly enhancing Xometry's global digital marketplace for manufacturers. The Xometry marketplace provides immediate pricing, delivery lead times, and quality assurance to customers in a highly fragmented manufacturing environment.
Learn more.

Image - New GSL strain wave robotic gearboxes
New GSL strain wave robotic gearboxes
GAM has released the new GSL series of strain wave gearboxes, which provide zero backlash and high torque in a small gearbox for robotic and motion control applications. The GSL 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 - Live tooling for popular turning center lines
Live tooling for popular turning center lines
Heimatec, a world leader in live tools and multi-spindle drill heads, announces the immediate availability of live tooling for all popular models in the Hyundai, Miyano, and Nakamura turning center lines. According to Preben Hansen, president of Platinum Tooling Technologies and master North American importer for Heimatec, "We're carrying a substantial inventory of live tools for our customers' machines now, and it represents a substantial financial and warehouse-space commitment we've made to support them in the North American market."
Learn more.

Image - App Note: Mini linear actuator with Linfinity nut
App Note: Mini linear actuator with Linfinity nut
When a customer was trying to fit a motorized linear actuator that needed to move a couple pounds into a small space that could not accommodate a conventional off-the-shelf-type solution, Lin Engineering's team got to work. The novel solution included an actuator system using a 106 motor, a lead screw, a self-lubricating LinFinity nut to remove backlash and provide maintenance-free performance, and a right-size encoder to provide the feedback the system needed.
Read the Lin Engineering application story.

Most popular last issue

Image - Ferrari Daytona SP3: A beauty and a beast
Ferrari Daytona SP3: A beauty and a beast
Inspired by the Prancing Horse's legendary 1960s racing prototypes, Ferrari's new limited-edition Daytona SP3 boasts the brand's most powerful mid-rear-mounted naturally-aspirated V12 ever, Formula 1 racing technologies, and a design that is so slick and pure that it's a joy to behold.
Read the full article.

Image - Air Force's THOR drone killer wins Popular Science 'Best of' award
Air Force's THOR drone killer wins Popular Science 'Best of' award
The U.S. Air Force Research Lab is celebrating the success of its counter-drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder (THOR), after being named the Popular Science "Best of What's New" in the security category.
Read the full article.

Image - Scientists identify another reason why EV batteries can't charge in minutes
Scientists identify another reason why EV batteries can't charge in minutes
In new research from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, scientists have found interesting chemical behavior of one of the battery's two terminals as the battery is charged and discharged.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Tech Tip: Converting legacy sheet metal parts in Onshape
Converting legacy sheet metal into Sheet Metal parts that users can unfold in Onshape is a straightforward process. Learn how in this short Tech Tip. Onshape is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product development platform that combines CAD, built-in data management, real-time collaboration tools, and business analytics.
View the video.

New products

Electrical/Electronics
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Mechanical
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Motion
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