| December 27, 2022 | Volume 18 Issue 48 |
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 | You need motion control components?
HIWIN has them in stock!
Many models of ballsplines, rolled ballscrews PLUS supports, linear guideways, crossed roller bearings and stages are in stock at our Chicago factory, where HIWIN can cut and machine to our spec or yours. Fast shipment to meet applications in machine tool, medical, lab, packaging, metal fab, semicon and advanced high-precision automation equipment.
Learn more. |
 | Happy New Year from Designfax!
We made it! Woohoo! Thanks to all of our readers, sponsors, writers, and article contributors for supporting us in 2022. We wish all of you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2023. Hang in there!
Don't forget to pass along your issue of Designfax to an engineering colleague.
And if you're looking to advertise, we can help with that too. Designfax provides a unique and effective weekly direct channel to get your messaging through to our highly qualified engineering audience.
Go to the Designfax advertise page. |
 | Motors for model train meet demanding requirements
Building an N-gauge model train system involves working with very small units. The 1930s-inspired BR 70 locomotive from Fleischmann is only 2.25 in. long. To give the unit appropriately scaled big-train power with low vibration and noise, the folks at Fleischmann turned to customized DC motors from the FAULHABER Group.
Read the full article. |
 | First all-electric Rolls-Royce: Spectre Super Coupe
Rolls-Royce's first purely electric vehicle, Spectre, will be a two-door, jazzy fastback, all blinged out for the Great Gatsby types of the 21st century. With its suicide doors, illuminated surfaces, and star-studded interior, Spectre heralds the arrival of Rolls-Royce 3.0 and the beginning of a bold new all-electric era for the brand.
Read the full article. |
 | See the hottest trends in surface design:
KURZ at CES 2023!
Starship metallization? Smart crystals? Disappearing controls and colorful backlighting effects? The future of surface design is happening now. See the latest trends at the KURZ booth #4367 at the CES 2023 show in Las Vegas (Jan. 5-8). Learn about Shy Tech -- one of the hottest trends, where hidden buttons and switches are illuminated and activated with a touch -- and so much more, including lighting, texture, mobility, In-Mold Decoration and In-Mold Electronics, and 5G-compatible metal concepts. Can't make the show? No problem. Check out the impressive array of capabilities KURZ has to offer.
Learn more about KURZ at CES 2023. |
 | Inspiration: One-armin' the '52 Fetzenflieger with Porsche factory racing engine
There have been a lot of racing legends throughout the history of motor sport, but none can quite compare to Austrian driver (and mechanical engineer) Otto Mathé, who, despite having only one functional arm, not only drove to victory in each of the 20 races he entered in 1952, but also built his own cars exclusively featuring Porsche engines. In the mid-1950s, he became well known for building, driving, and winning in an unusual vehicle dubbed the "Fetzenflieger."
Read the full article. |
 | Pneumatic flow control: 7 factors to consider
Selecting the right pneumatic flow control for applications such as factory automation lines, robotic welding cells, and food/beverage packing lines can be challenging, but Parker Hannifin has got you covered. This quick guide is designed to help make the process easier, with the reminder that installing a pressure regulator in place of a pneumatic flow control can result in unnecessary energy consumption or, even worse, system or component damage.
Read this informative Parker blog. |
 | Top 10 Onshape features of 2022
Product developers at Onshape have compiled their list of Top 10 releases of 2022 for the powerful and versatile cloud-native product development platform, which was no easy task given that possibilities run the gamut from CAD and Control to Collaboration and PDM. See their top picks, including simulation, PCB design, and special surfacing features. Onshape delivers full-featured CAD, integrated PDM, and enterprise analytics -- all in a single system.
Read the Onshape blog. |
 | Pneumatic vs. electric ultrasonic welding machines
Rinco Ultrasonics compares two drive technologies used in ultrasonic welding machines and presents the differences and advantages of each in terms of energy savings and the quality of welding. You may be surprised by the results. Rinco launched its first electrically driven ultrasonic welding machine, the Electrical Motion, back in 2015 as an extension of its product range of pneumatic welding machines.
Learn more. |
 | Quick quarter-turn locking for slide adjustment
Fixtureworks has a new solution for sliding adjustment where frequent disassembly or changeovers are required -- no tools needed. Their Quarter-Turn Sliding Locks allow the user to slide the stop, component, or plate into position, and then lock with a quarter-turn of the knob. The QCSL type is designed for use in a slotted hole in a plate, while the QCSQ type is designed for use with a square bar. Each Sliding Lock features ON/OFF markings and clicks into position to indicate a locked state.
Learn more. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | Hyundai IONIQ 5: EV SUV of the year -- again and again
What's the top electric SUV for 2022? According to Car and Driver, Kelley Blue Book, and other notable automotive publications worldwide, it's the Hyundai IONIQ 5. MotorTrend named it the top SUV ... period. With a sharp angular design, a spacious and very cool interior, two battery pack options, and a slew of responsive driving features, it's full of differentiators that count in this fast-growing market.
Read the full article. |
 | Apollo 8: A story of Christmas around the Moon
Christmas Eve, 1968. As one of the most turbulent, tragic years in American history drew to a close, millions around the world were watching and listening as the Apollo 8 astronauts -- Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders -- became the first humans to orbit another world.
Read the full article. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Kapow! Watch inflatable space habitat burst test
Engineers at Lockheed Martin recently performed a burst test of their woven-fabric inflatable structure technology to support human space habitation as part of NASA's NextSTEP program. The test module achieved a burst at 285 psi -- more than six times its max operating pressure. Lockheed says, "Inflatables provide more volume per mass than other habitat technologies, outperform traditional metallic structures in numerous ways, are affordable, easily launched, and proven."
Watch the test. |
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