| August 11, 2015 | Volume 11 Issue 30 |
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 | Completely Updated New Full Line Catalog:
Full of New Fasteners
Micro Plastics introduces its new 300-page catalog #40 containing thousands of fastening solutions for engineers and product designers. Find hundreds of new problem-solving products, including Spacers, Washers, Clips, Clamps, Ties, Bushings, Screws, Nuts, Rivets, and Plugs. Micro Plastics specializes in Nylon threaded fasteners, but the company also offers extensive product lines for wire management and circuit board hardware. FREE samples are available upon request.
Click here for more information. |
| | Feature articles |
 | Stainless steel metal foams can shield X-rays, gamma rays, neutron radiation
Research from North Carolina State University shows that lightweight composite metal foams made of stainless steel and stainless steel/metal hybrids are effective at blocking X-rays, gamma rays, and neutron radiation, and are capable of absorbing the energy of high-impact collisions. The finding means the metal foams hold promise for use in nuclear safety, space exploration, and medical technology applications.
Read the full article. |
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 | Electrically conducting fibers get stretched to new lengths
An international research team based at The University of Texas at Dallas has made electrically conducting fibers that can be reversibly stretched to over 14 times their initial length and whose electrical conductivity increases 200-fold when stretched. The research team is using the new fibers to make artificial muscles, as well as capacitors whose energy storage capacity increases about tenfold when the fibers are stretched.
Read the full article. |
 | Wings:
NASA gives insider look at Mars glider prototype
A prototype of the Preliminary Research Aerodynamic Design to Land on Mars, which is a flying wing aircraft with a twist, is planned to be ready for launch from a high-altitude balloon later this year. The glider will be released at about at 100,000-ft altitude, which will simulate the flight conditions of the Martian atmosphere.
Read the full article. |
 | Mike Likes:
Reduce power consumption of Internet of Things smart devices
The Rockchip RKi6000 is a new ultra-low-power Wi-Fi and memory technology that greatly reduces power consumption of IoT (Internet of Things) smart devices by 85 percent, allowing the use of AAA batteries for years and the use of coin batteries in smart plugs, intelligent access controls, smart cameras, home appliances, wearables, and more. The new technology advances the widespread adoption of IoT by providing more efficient power, a lower price, smaller size, and the ability to use Wi-Fi for the development of IoT devices. This special processor technology sets a new standard for Wi-Fi, with power consumption now equal to that of Bluetooth 4.0 LE (Low Energy).
Click here to learn more. |
 | Engineer's Toolbox:
12 key factors in bellows design
What do you need to know to design your own custom bellows? The specialists at Servometer have prepared this handy resource for you. Typical bellows applications include: volume compensators, actuators, electrical spring contacts, pressure switches and transducers, flexible shaft couplings, and more.
Read the full article. |
 | Sensors: Donut load cells
FUTEK's Thru-Hole or Donut Load Cells (LTH Family) are built for press or inline compression applications. The LTH Family has over a dozen inner-diameter variations with capacities ranging from 50 lb to 50,000 lb. Uses for Thru-Hole Load Cells can range from the most delicate medical bolt fastening measurements to the most robust industrial automation press measurements. These highly versatile solutions feature: nonlinearity of +/-0.5 percent; deflection of 0.002 in. nominal; operating temp of -60 F to 200 F?; and inside-diameter options ranging from 1/8 in. to 1 1/4 in.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Raspberry Pi: Touch-panel display
Just in time for those back-to-school science projects, a new touch panel for the Raspberry Pi credit-card-size computer functions without a mouse or an alternate HDMI device -- or an extra power source. The 4DPi-24-HAT from 4D Systems and Newark element14 is a 2.4-in., 320- x 240-pixel fully HAT-compliant primary display with resistive touch that plugs directly on top of the Raspberry Pi. Neat and useful for only 35 bucks.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Injection Molding: Get magnesium parts fast
Proto Labs has introduced magnesium injection molding (thixomolding) into its current rapid manufacturing services. This advanced injection-molding process enables product designers and engineers to prototype using the same materials and processes used for final-part production. In addition to prototypes, Proto Labs offers production parts in quantities up to 5,000+ with a typical turnaround time of 15 days. Magnesium is a strong and lightweight metal increasingly being used in the automotive and aerospace industries to reduce the weight of components. Magnesium AZ-91D joins Proto Labs' current injection molding offerings that include more than a hundred thermoplastic, liquid silicone rubber, steel, and stainless steel materials.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Robotics: Guide to buying small assembly robots
Want to get a robot or two to help out your business, but don't know exactly what to buy or key points to consider? DENSO Robotics has you covered. The global supplier of advanced robotic technology has published a new guide to help prospective robot buyers meet their manufacturing, packaging, and other industrial needs. "Small Assembly Robots: Comparing the Cost of Ownership of Different Brands" explains what buyers need to know to evaluate their options and comparison shop for the best value.
Click here to get the guide (no registration required). |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | NTSB: Cause of Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo in-flight breakup was human error
The National Transportation Safety Board has determined the cause of the Oct. 31, 2014, in-flight breakup of SpaceShipTwo, the Virgin Galactic rocket plane designed to take commercial passengers on a ride to the edge of space. NTSB cited the spacecraft maker's failure to consider and protect against human error and the co-pilot's premature unlocking of the spaceship's feather system, which performs some mechanical gymnastics to slow the vehicle down as it cruises back to Earth.
Read the full article. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Jetpack flyer takes Dubai tour
How cool would it be to fly with a real jetpack? See for yourself as Swiss-born Yves Rossy, sometimes called "Jetman" or "Rocketman," dons a 120-lb pack with 7-ft-long carbon-fiber wings and four modified kerosene-fueled model aircraft engines. In this incredible adventure, he flies with fellow jetpack enthusiast Vince Reffet around Dubai. The fuel they can carry provides up to 13 minutes of fly time. Speeds average 125 mph. Thrilling.
View the video. |
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