design apliance

DESIGNING FOR

DESIGNING FOR

HEAT TRANSFER

HEAT TRANSFER

July 2012

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

July 2012

INSIDE 12 Gas Technology

15 Motors & Blowers

18 Joining

22 Heating Technology www.applianceDESIGN.com

NEW MEETSNOW

INTRODUCING

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UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

© 2012. Springboard Engineering 06/12 BDI 20606

Advisory Services

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2 applianceDESIGN July 2012 www.applianceDESIGN.com

CONTENTS JULY 2012 volume 60, no. 7

DEPARTMENTS

4 Editorial: See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Hear Me

6 Shipments/Forecasts

8 News Watch

25 Design Marts

30 New Products

32 Association Report: AHAM

33 Advertiser’s Index

FEATURES

GAS TECHNOLOGY12 Selecting Heavy Duty Transducers for

Harsh Environments: By using an in-depth checklist to select heavy duty pressure transducers, designers can make rapid and sound decisions based on true and verifiable data. By Ketan Mehta of Honeywell

MOTORS15 Linear Encoders for Linear Motors:

Knowing the exact position of the slide is the key to applying linear motors. New measuring devices aim to improve that accuracy. By Johannes Heidenhain

JOINING18 New Materials, Lower Costs: The things

that bind us all together have had a profound impact on the things that bind our things together. By Bob Reisel of Richco

HEATING TECHNOLOGY22 Designing for Efficient Heat Transfer: A

step-by-step procedure for optimizing the use of smaller diameter tubes in eco-friendly air conditioning designs. By Wenson Zheng and Nigel Cotton of the International Copper Association.

WEB EXTRASThermostatic Expansion Valves in the CityIn 2007, the city of New York, at the direction of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, undertook PlaNYC, an impressive effort to prepare the city for one million more residents, strengthen its economy,

15

appliance DESIGN ONLINE

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

www.applianceDESIGN.com

AD TVCorning Gorilla GlassVisually stunning, lightweight, and highly damage-resistant, this gorilla is out to protect the world’s coolest smartphones, tablets, PCs and TVs from everyday wear.

SOCIAL MEDIAConnect with appliance DESIGN on:

BLOGSPaul’s European Perspective: IFA Global Press Conference 2012 DubrovnikAs IFA is originally a consumer electronics event, the white goods sector joined in five years ago, after the demise of the traditional trade-only fairs in Cologne and Paris. The combination has turned out to be a success, also because the white goods makers changed their stands to consumers taste, which roughly means more live cooking and more espresso bars.

WEB EXTRAS

COVER

Fin efficiency is determined by the pitch ratio, the longitudinal tube pitch, the transverse tube pitch, fin spacing and fin patterns as seen here. Computational fluid dynamics allow for the optimization of these features to the tube size and air flow rates.

12

combat climate change and enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers. The Plan brought together more than 25 city agencies to work toward the vision of a greener, greater New York.

22

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www.applianceDESIGN.com

publishing staffDarrell Dal Pozzo (847) 405-4044Group Publisher [email protected]

Seth Fisher (248) 244-6248Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

Daryl Delano (508) 746-7986Economics Editor [email protected]

Paul RoggemaKevin HenryNew Media Contributors [email protected]

Jeff Bagwell (248) 244-6481Production Manager [email protected]

MaTT Britcher (480) 334-0286Art Director [email protected]

circulationHayat Ali-Ghoneim (248) 250-3096Audience Development Specialist Alih@bnpmedia

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Ann Kalb (248) 244-6499Single Copy Sales [email protected]

marketingAdam Thomas (248) 244-6249 Events Marketing Assistant [email protected]

Introducing the new 2012-2013 editorial advisory board:

Joe McGuire, AHAM

Andreas Schuessler, BSH Bosch and Siemens

Richard Watson, Essential-Design

Alberto Uggetti, UL Lighting

Francis Dietz, AHRI

Jill Notini, AHAM

Bill Romick, DNA Group

Pat Blanc, Lydall

Bob Brown, Branson Ultrasonics

Derek Silva, Intertek

John Davis, Traulsen

Tom Lipinksi, Henkel

®

| HVAC | Majors | Water Processing | Housewares | Commercial Appliances | Vending | Medical | Lab |

| Test & Measurement | Lawn & Garden | Electronics | Computers | Communications | Business Equipment |

APPLIANCE DESIGN (ISSN 1552-5938) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals.Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $178.00 USD.Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $220.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $233.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2012, by BNP Media. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations.Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2148, Skokie, IL 60076.Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns(Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2148, Skokie, IL 60076.For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

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Sci-fi fans of the 20th century had no problem imagining us pok-ing at or sliding our fingers across

solid surfaces, or talking to our devices and expecting them to do as told. More recent glimpses into the future—think Iron Man—have predicted heavy use of gesture recognition, allowing our hands to manip-ulate 3D projections as if they were solid.

When we compare science fiction inter-faces with reality, no matter the technol-ogy, the road bumps become all too famil-iar: too much power consumed, inac-curate communications, false positives, accidental initiationset—against human-ity’s remarkable impatience at not being understood.

RIGHT BEHIND YOU, I SEE THE MILLIONS

Another overlying problem for inter-face developers comes down to the fairly extraordinary differences between those of us doing the interfacing. Voice recog-nition, for example, needs to learn about 400 “major” languages (6,500 total) to capture most of the world market, and a million different dialects. Design for more than Tony Stark and you’ve exponentially increased the complexity of recognizing an input. Against such competition, the button’s binary simplicity will never die; it remains the go-to trigger for any binary function.

On the other hand the same complex-ity that baffles advanced interfacing sys-tems is exactly what allows humans to communicate with each other at a level of similar complexity. This is why devel-opers are pushing so hard to free human-ity’s fingertips. Voice controls are into the post-release tinkering stage after consum-ers voiced frustration with devices that lis-

ten about as well as a 2-year-old. Gesture recognition, meanwhile, is now making its way into mainstream devices.

GAZING AT YOUOne of those companies, Omron, has

put its focus on the face, with image sens-ing technology that can recognize users much the same way we recognize each other. From there it will find the moving parts and track meanings from mouth and eye movements. Their gesture recog-nition similarly focuses on universal and simple signs such as pointing (cursor), hand waving (trigger), finger twirling (page-turning), and flashing a peace sign (activate function).

That’s cool on a show floor, but prag-matically gesture recognition has yet to replace anything. For the foreseeable future, gesture recognition instead seems to be finding its way to consumers as a complimentary interface. Samsung last month posted videos of various Web per-sonalities showing off their interface-rich system introduced at CES. The remote has a microphone for voice commands, the screen hides a hand wave-activated gesture recognition system, and if you have a Samsung smartphone it’ll work with that too. Multiple interfaces, though conceptually onerous and redundant, are in fact exactly the way human beings are made to communicate our desires.

Seth M. Fisher, [email protected]: @aplncdsgn

EDITORIAL

See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Hear Me

For subscription information or service, please contact customer service at (847) 763-9534

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volume 60, no. 7

TM

MicroGroove™ technology

is changing the game of air

conditioning and refrigeration (ACR)

OEM product design.

OEMs are going back to their

drawing boards. They are designing

ACR products with high energy-

efficiency, while minimizing

materials usage and reducing

refrigerant volume.

The resulting ACR products

are smaller and lighter yet can

be produced using familiar

manufacturing methods.

It’s a whole new game!

Gustav Lorentzen Conference June 25–27, Delft, Netherlands

Purdue ConferencesJuly 16–19,

West Lafayette,

Indiana

For more information, visit

www.microgroove.net/events


FORECASTSAUTOMATIC WASHERS – Shipments

(Thousands of Units)Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 2040.7 2024.0 2042.22 2023.4 1861.7 1923.13 1902.5 1896.8 1955.64 2038.6 2046.8 2147.0For 2010, a 1.8% increase to 8.005 million units For 2011, a 2.2% decline to 7.829 million unitsFor 2012, a 3.0% increase to 8.068 million units

DRYERS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 1702.0 1609.7 1614.52 1659.5 1519.9 1564.03 1468.5 1403.9 1453.04 1720.8 1695.0 1759.4For 2010, a 1.0% increase to 6.551 million units For 2011, a 4.9% decline to 6.228 million unitsFor 2012, a 2.6% increase to 6.391 million units

FREEZERS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 434.2 437.5 448.02 516.0 509.3 524.63 526.9 528.5 547.54 480.4 491.0 514.0For 2010, a 4.2% decline to 1.958 million units For 2011, a 0.4% increase to 1.966 million unitsFor 2012, a 3.5% increase to 2.034 million units

GAS RANGES and OVENS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)


GAS FURNACES – Shipments(Thousands of Units)


DEHUMIDIFIERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 551.2 349.8 371.12 668.4 553.3 593.13 250.6 279.9 289.24 82.0 97.4 102.0For 2010, an 8.7% decline to 1.552 million units For 2011, a 17.5% decline to 1.280 million unitsFor 2012, a 5.9% increase to 1.355 million units Data Source: AHRI/AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

SHIPMENTSProduct May-12 May-11 %Chg YTD 2012 YTD 2011 %Chg

MAJOR APPLIANCES (Thousands of Units)

Total 5,283.30 5,222.60 1.20% 25,732.30 26,533.80 -3.00%COOKING-TOTAL 1,327.80 1,223.50 8.50% 6,111.20 6,503.70 -6.00% ELECTRIC COOKING - TOTAL 352.2 314.7 11.90% 1,677.90 1,734.60 -3.30% Electric Ranges 278 250.7 10.90% 1,333.60 1,360.50 -2.00% Electric Ovens 51.3 38.5 33.50% 225 231.3 -2.70% Surface Cooking Units 22.9 25.5 -10.40% 119.2 142.8 -16.60% GAS COOKING - TOTAL 191.5 191.3 0.10% 1,011.40 1,031.80 -2.00% Gas Ranges 165.1 167.6 -1.50% 882.7 893.3 -1.20% Gas Ovens 2.1 2 1.60% 12.8 16.4 -21.90% Surface Cooking Units 24.4 21.7 12.80% 115.9 122.2 -5.20% MICROWAVE OVENS 784 717.5 9.30% 3,422.00 3,737.20 -8.40%

HOME LAUNDRY - TOTAL 1,093.90 1,107.10 -1.20% 5,131.80 5,742.90 -10.60% AUTOMATIC WASHERS 607.8 611.4 -0.60% 2,859.10 3,173.40 -9.90% DRYERS - TOTAL 486.1 495.7 -1.90% 2,272.70 2,569.50 -11.60% Electric 391.8 400.4 -2.20% 1,855.00 2,077.00 -10.70% Gas 94.3 95.3 -1.00% 417.8 492.5 -15.20%

KITCHEN CLEAN UP - TOTAL 929.7 833.7 11.50% 4,639.00 4,465.10 3.90% DISPOSERS 474.6 412.7 15.00% 2,396.80 2,172.20 10.30% DISHWASHERS - TOTAL 452.4 418 8.20% 2,227.50 2,276.50 -2.20% Built-In 448.8 412.7 8.70% 2,205.90 2,245.50 -1.80% Portable 3.5 5.3 -33.20% 21.7 31 -30.20% COMPACTORS 2.7 2.9 -8.00% 14.6 16.4 -11.10%

FOOD PRESERVATION - TOTAL 894.7 928.5 -3.60% 3,918.00 4,129.70 -5.10% REFRIGERATORS 6.5 & OVER 748.4 781.9 -4.30% 3,215.70 3,398.70 -5.40% FREEZERS - TOTAL 146.3 146.6 -0.20% 702.3 731 -3.90% Chest 94 82.7 13.70% 470.5 441.5 6.60% Upright 52.2 63.9 -18.30% 231.8 289.5 -19.90%

HOME COMFORT - TOTAL 1,037.30 1,129.90 -8.20% 5,932.30 5,692.40 4.20% ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS 944.9 978.7 -3.50% 5,453.10 5,037.30 8.30% DEHUMIDIFIERS 92.4 151.1 -38.90% 479.2 655.1 -26.80%

HVAC - Shipment figures for unitary air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and water heaters can be found at www.ahrinet.org.

Note: Figures (in units) include shipments for the U.S. market whether imported or domestically produced. Export shipments are not

included. Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).

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With our global network of laboratories located near manufacturing centers, you can rely on Intertek for fast and effi cient product performance, energy effi ciency and safety testing, including ETL certifi cation. We also offer Global Market Access service, and can support your R&D efforts with industry-specifi c expertise.

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8 applianceDESIGN June 2012 www.applianceDESIGN.com

NEwS watch

the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) released the Sustainability Standard for

Household Refrigeration Appliances. The voluntary AHAM 7001-2012/CSA SPE-7001-12/UL 7001 is the first in a family of product sustainability standards under development by AHAM, CSA Group, and UL Environment intended for use by man-ufacturers and others to identify environ-mentally preferable products. According to AHAM, the standard will serve as an ob-jective and practical measurement tool to assist refrigeration manufacturers in evalu-ating the environmental sustainability of home appliances.

“The notion of product safety as we know it is evolving and expanding. In-

ahaM Releases First Sustainability Standard for household Refrigeration appliances

USPS BaN oN LIthIUM IoNAs of Wednesday, May 16, the United

States Postal Service (USPS) is banning all international shipments containing lithium ion batteries. Businesses have faced restrictions for shipping lithium ion batteries and equipment or devices containing them for several years, as en-forced by the U.S. Department of Trans-portation (DOT).

Lithium batteries are considered Class 9 Hazardous Materials as defined by the government, because they can overheat and ignite under certain conditions. Fast Company magazine reported that lithium ion batteries are thought to have been the cause of “at least two fatal cargo plane crashes since 2006, including a UPS jet in Dubai.”

U.S. DOT rules for shipping hazard-ous materials involve specific packaging requirements such as anti-static bubble wrap, hazard class labeling and spe-cific documentation such as a Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods as required by International Air Transport Association and International Maritime Organization.

With the USPS ban, shippers will not be allowed to send any international-bound packages containing a lithium ion battery, including personal devices such as laptops, iPads, smartphones, and small appliances such as power drills and electronic shavers. The USPS says it may change the ban on January 1, 2013 and al-low customers to mail certain quantities of lithium ion batteries internationally, including to APO and FPO locations.

NEw LIqUID coLoR tEchNoLoGy FoR PoLyoLEFIN BLow MoLDING

Swiss Chemical company Clariant Masterbatches announced a liquid ve-

hicle technology (LVT) developed to eliminate problems that have prevented wider use of liquid color and additive concentrates in extrusion blow molding of polyolefins.

“Extrusion blow molders and brand owners in the personal care and house-hold products markets often find liquid masterbatches to be an attractive alter-native to solid concentrates. However, until now, use of liquid color has been limited in blow molding of polyolefin resins because many liquid based carrier systems, including mineral oil, would not incorporate well with the resins. It was pigment friendly, but not resin friendly,” stated Raymond Sloan, head of liquid color, Clariant Masterbatches North America.

creasingly, consumers are concerned about the lifecycle-based environmental impacts of the products they buy and use in their homes. Ap-pliances are no exception,” said Sara Greenstein, president of UL Environment, a business unit of UL, in a statement.

AHAM 7001-2012 is based on a lifecycle ap-proach for identifying the environmental im-pacts of refrigeration products in five key areas: manufacturing, energy, materials, end-of-life and performance. AHAM, CSA Group and UL Envi-ronment will form consensus committees to move the standard through the U.S. and Canadian ac-credited standards process, following the require-ments of the American National Standards Insti-tute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

For more information, visit www.aham.org. <

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN June 2012 9

RETRACTIONS AND ADDENDA:

I Twenty Fifth Annual EID GOLD Awards

GO

LD 2

012

GO

LD 2

012 IMPRESSA J9 One Touch TFT,

by Jura Capresso Inc. Alameda, Calif.The IMPRESSA is the first model in the company’s J-line to feature TFT color display. A 3.5-inch screen combines graphics and text to showcase the type of beverage, number of ounces, coffee strength and amount of milk . Users operate it by turning the rotary dial, then pressing a button. A built-in conical burr grinder grinds beans before. It features the company’s fine foam system. The machine also stands out for its six-inch, height-adjustable cappuccino spout and adjustable coffee spout to accommodate one or two glasses of varying sizes.

Attention to detail won it high praise from judge Caruso, who noted “The expression of a subtle sculptural form with state-of-the-art features, e.g. display, make this a fine entry.” The flagship machine for the series, its sophisticated lines and glossy silver lacquer

finish on an aluminum front panel and ABS/ Stainless Steel sides give it a modern edge, while subtle lighting showcases the unit’s professional coffee preparation. The TFT screen

really makes this special; colorful images of coffee-house quality beverages glide across the screen with each turn of the rotary dial. The energy-conscious designers also included a

Zero-Energy Switch; no ongoing processes are interrupted if the machine is switched off. The switch then disconnects the machine entirely from the electrical mains.

Category: Small Appliances Price Range: Top of the LineMarket: United States

I Twenty Fifth Annual EID BRONZE Awards

BR

ON

ZE

201

2

BR

ON

ZE

201

2

Category: Small appliances

Price Range: Mid-range

Market: Select Dierbergs, Schnuck’s, Shop & Save and Randall’s in the St. Louis area

Twenty Fifth Annual EID BRONZE Awards

Draftmark Tap System (Model: NBABPD1000-1AB), by Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. and design firm Metaphase

Design Group Inc., St. LouisThis affordable tap system offers beer drinkers a true draught

beer experience in the comfort of their own home. This draught system allows the host to provide an assortment

of draught choices while guests can create their own perfect pour by choosing their own glass, mastering the

proper draught pour, and controlling their beer portion and consumption. Visit www.draftmark.com

EDITOR’S NOTE:We have made a few errors in recent issues that I would like to address here. First and most egregiously, in

our April issue feature, “Low-GWP Blowing Agents,” we wrongly referred to Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent as “HFC-1234yf.” The molecule should have been identified as “HFO-1233zd.” The original version of this article has been retracted. A corrected version of the article is available in our digital edition at http://digital.bnpmedia.com/publication/?i=105031, and will be reprinted in its entirety in our upcoming September issue.

2012 EID I would also like to add a few addenda to our June issue’s announcement of our annual Excellence in Design Awards. When pub-

lishing the issue, we inadvertently left one of the Gold winners—The Jura Impressa Coffeemaker—out of the final layout, and the wording for another winner was accidentally included with the final Bronze recipient, the Draftmark Tap System by Anheuser Busch. These two items are correct as follows:

10 applianceDESIGN June 2012 www.applianceDESIGN.com

NEwS watch

h caNaDa! ahaM LauNchES NEIGhborLy aSSocIatIoN

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) announced it will open its long-rumored AHAM Cana-da association in July 2012. This step fol-lows interest shown over the past several years by appliance manufacturers who wish to benefit from fuller integration of home appliance industry representation in Canada and the United States.

GE to opEN chIcaGo DESIGN cENtEr

GE Monogram plans to open its first-ever Midwest design center next year in Chicago. The center is slated to open in March 2013 at LuxeHome in The Mer-

chandise Mart, a prominent shopping area of downtown Chicago. The location will target the professional trades as well as consumers, and display the company’s appliances in different settings.

Since GE opened its first Monogram Design Center in New York City’s Archi-tects & Designers Building in 2008, mar-ket share in the northern region of the U.S. has increased by 50%, according to the company.

The Chicago location will feature work-ing kitchens for cooking demonstra-tions and a showroom with more than 50 GE Monogram appliances that will be outfit-ted with cabinetry, millwork and finishes. Design of the 3,500-square-foot center will begin this summer with con-struction starting in January 2013. Once open, the GE Mono-gram Design Center will be staffed by three product specialists and a professional chef.

Ipv6 LauNchES, worLD MaDE SafE for wEbtocracy

On June 5-6, IPv6 was launched. The

new Internet protocol is based on a

128-bit signature, as opposed to the 32-

bit IPv4 signature that would have run

out of IP addresses after about 4 billion

devices. Countries and large organiza-

tions—GE was noted as one—will re-

ceive unique signatures as IP addresses,

like telephone numbers, will be assign-

able using logic.

Major Internet service providers

(ISPs), home networking equip-

ment manufacturers, and Web

companies around the world

came together to perma-

nently enable IPv6 for

their products and

services by the 68th

anniversary of D-

Day. IPv6 Launch

Day was organized

by the Internet So-

ciety, and built on the

World IPv6 Day event

held on June 8, 2011.

According to the May 2012 Precision Metalforming Associa-tion (PMA) Business Conditions Report, metalforming compa-nies expect a softening in business conditions during the next three months. Conducted monthly, the report is an economic indicator for manufacturing, sampling 126 metalforming com-panies in the United States and Canada. Lately the reports had been trending fairly rosy, so this represents a shift.

The May report shows that only 24 percent of participants anticipate economic activity to improve during the next three months (down from 37 percent in April), 60 percent predict that activity will remain unchanged (compared to 51 percent last month) and 16 percent report that activity will decline (up from 12 percent in April).

Metalforming companies also forecast a downward trend in incoming orders during the next three months, with 34 percent anticipating an increase in orders (compared to 43 percent in April), 46 percent expecting no change (up from 41 percent in April) and 20 percent predicting a decrease in orders (up from 16 percent last month).

Average daily shipping levels declined in May. Only 37 percent of participants report that shipping levels are above levels of three months ago (down from 46 percent in April), 44 percent report that shipping levels are the same as three

months ago (compared to 41 percent last month), and 19 per-cent report a decrease in shipping levels (up from 13 percent in April).

The percentage of metalforming companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff increased to 10 per-cent in May, from 9 percent in April. However, this number is lower than May 2011, when metalformers reported 14 percent of their workforce on short time or layoff.

“PMA’s manufacturing member companies report softer, but still quite positive, business conditions in PMA’s May Business Conditions Report,” said William E. Gaskin, PMA president. “For the first three months of 2012, metalform-ing companies reported strong orders and shipments, up 10 percent vs. Q-1 in 2011, so the general uptick in manu-facturing that has led the economic recovery continues to be reflected in our numbers. Compared with PMA’s May 2011 Business Conditions Report, the 2012 outlook is simi-lar in that softening is expected over the next few months, but with 10 percent growth in the first quarter, business levels continue to be more positive.”

The monthly Business Conditions Report has been conduct-ed by PMA since 1979. Full report results are available at http://www.pma.org/public/business_reports/pdf/BCREP.pdf.

rEport: MEtaLforMErS bEarISh ovEr NExt thrEE MoNthS

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GaS TEchNoloGy

time and every time anywhere in the world. Consistency is also critical—Transducer #1 out of the box must be interchange-able with Transducer #2 out of the box—the parts must always act predictably. A third con-sideration is the ever-present challenge of cost. As electronics become smarter and more accu-rate, they replace a number of components previously used in the solution. Cost, therefore, is not dependent solely on the cost of the individual sensor, but on total cost. What does the sensor replace? What resource-laden activities, such as pre-calibration or fully compensated parts, no longer necessary?

When selecting transducers for your industrial/transporta-tion application, consider:

1) configurability With each transducer, what does the device feature as to

standard or custom connec-tors, ports, pressure reference types, ranges, and output options? Can exact design requirements be met easily and rapidly either off-the-shelf or with configurability assistance? Can you design the device you need and receive samples rapidly so that time-to-market is not slowed or affected?

2) Total Error Band Total Error Band (TEB) (see Figure 2) is a comprehensive, clear and meaningful mea-surement. It provides the true accuracy of the device over a compensated temperature range of 40 °C to 125 °C (-40 °F to 257 °F). TEB is critical to address the consistency of parts and to ensure they are interchangeable. When the TEB is established at ±2 percent, for example, no mat-

ter where the temperature is within the established range, or whether pressure increases or decreases, the error will be within 2 percent of the estab-lished value.Often, manufacturers do not

list TEB in their product data sheets. Instead, errors are listed individually. When added up, the total error (or what would be TEB) can be significant. TEB can be one of the most compelling aspects of selecting a transducer.

3) Quality and performance What are the performance standards to be met? In many cases, transducers are pro-duced to one- or two-sigma tolerances. When a transducer is produced to meet six-sigma standards, however, the device combines high quality and high performance and consis-tency and the resulting confi-dence that the transducer will perform to spec.

4) other considerations Additional checklist items for heavy duty transducer selec-tion include:4Transducers should be

compensated, calibrated, amplified, and finished—additional resources should not be required to “make it fit.”

4Custom calibration, or custom calibration with custom outputs, should be available with a variety of regulated output voltages to meet the specifications of the design without design modification.

4CE compliance, IP rating, long mean time to failure, and an EMC (electromag-netic compatibility) rating provide for durability in harsh environments.

4A broad compensated temperature range allows the same device to be used throughout the system design, as well as designed into a broad range of appli-cations.

4A variety of connectors and ports allows the transducer to meet a variety of appli-cation needs.

4Consider flexibility in device placement based on the transducer’s small footprint.

4The transducer should meet applicable industry standards, such as ISO 9001.

4The total cost of the trans-ducer should be consid-ered, which includes inte-gration, configurability and implementation.

Another major consideration is design and application sup-port. What is available for the designer to answer important questions during the design, development, launch and pro-duction phases? Are there suffi-cient global presence, products, and support to assist from design to global manufacturing?

Many modern pressure transducers are highly configu-rable, designed for potential use in HVAC, refrigeration, industrial and transportation applications. Based on piezo-resistive-sensing technol-ogy with Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) sig-nal conditioning, they meet the criteria for use in harsh envi-ronments. Fully calibrated and compensated for transducer offset, sensitivity, temperature effects and non-linearity, they feature a TEB of ±2 percent over the operation temperature range of -40 ºC to 125 ºC (-40 °F to 257 °F).

By using an in-depth check-list to select heavy duty pres-sure transducers, designers can make rapid and sound deci-sions based on true and veri-fiable data. While the level of accuracy available in today’s transducers is light years ahead of products on the market just a few years ago, it is important that designers select a product that fits without modification and that is ready to go as rap-

idly as possible. <

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www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2012 13

GAS TECHNOLOGY

A Look at PossibilitiesBefore outlining an effective shopping

list for a transducer, it’s important to see the potential range of solutions. What are some of the alternatives, and how can you meet the specification of your own design?

As previously stated, the realities of control and monitoring systems have changed greatly in the last few decades, mostly as a result of design complexity. A move from manual to electronics-based systems, a high component count evolving to a highly integrated one, and a greater focus on the bottom line have been part of the change.

There is a range of possible solutions for heavy duty applications. But first it’s impor-tant to define exactly what constitutes heavy duty? Environments representing a wide temperature range, for example between -40 °C to 125 °C (-40 °F to 257 °F), and environ-ments where a variety of harsh media such as refrigerants, engine oil, brake fluids, hydraulic fluids, and compressed air are used are some good examples. While these temperatures and harsh environments are not necessarily the most extreme, they represent the bulk of con-ditions in both transportation and industrial environments.

Heavy duty pressure transducers may potentially be used in:HVAC/R applications to monitor system

performance for environmental control of compressor inlet and outlet pressure, rooftop chillers, compressor rack rooms, refrigerant recovery systems, and compres-sor oil pressure.

Air compressors to monitor compres-sor performance and efficiency such as compressor inlet and outlet pressure, filter pressure drop, cooling water inlet and out-let pressure, and compressor oil pressure.

Transportation applications to maintain heavy equipment performance by moni-toring system pressure, fluid power, fluid flow, and fluid levels in such key systems as pneumatics, light hydraulics, brake pres-sure, engine oil pressure, transmission, and truck/trailer air braking.The number of transducers available is

nearly endless, making it critical to put poten-tial selections under a powerful microscope. The transducer should be analyzed for reli-ability, calibration, offset compensation, sen-sitivity, and total error band.

The Selection CriteriaAs with the majority of electronic prod-

ucts, the selection criteria mirror important design challenges. Systems design requires reliability so that the system works the first

Figure 2. Error components of TEB. Source: Honeywell Sensing and Control.

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GaS TEchNoloGy

time and every time anywhere in the world. Consistency is also critical—Transducer #1 out of the box must be interchange-able with Transducer #2 out of the box—the parts must always act predictably. A third con-sideration is the ever-present challenge of cost. As electronics become smarter and more accu-rate, they replace a number of components previously used in the solution. Cost, therefore, is not dependent solely on the cost of the individual sensor, but on total cost. What does the sensor replace? What resource-laden activities, such as pre-calibration or fully compensated parts, no longer necessary?

When selecting transducers for your industrial/transporta-tion application, consider:

1) configurability With each transducer, what does the device feature as to

standard or custom connec-tors, ports, pressure reference types, ranges, and output options? Can exact design requirements be met easily and rapidly either off-the-shelf or with configurability assistance? Can you design the device you need and receive samples rapidly so that time-to-market is not slowed or affected?

2) Total Error Band Total Error Band (TEB) (see Figure 2) is a comprehensive, clear and meaningful mea-surement. It provides the true accuracy of the device over a compensated temperature range of 40 °C to 125 °C (-40 °F to 257 °F). TEB is critical to address the consistency of parts and to ensure they are interchangeable. When the TEB is established at ±2 percent, for example, no mat-

ter where the temperature is within the established range, or whether pressure increases or decreases, the error will be within 2 percent of the estab-lished value.Often, manufacturers do not

list TEB in their product data sheets. Instead, errors are listed individually. When added up, the total error (or what would be TEB) can be significant. TEB can be one of the most compelling aspects of selecting a transducer.

3) Quality and performance What are the performance standards to be met? In many cases, transducers are pro-duced to one- or two-sigma tolerances. When a transducer is produced to meet six-sigma standards, however, the device combines high quality and high performance and consis-tency and the resulting confi-dence that the transducer will perform to spec.

4) other considerations Additional checklist items for heavy duty transducer selec-tion include:4Transducers should be

compensated, calibrated, amplified, and finished—additional resources should not be required to “make it fit.”

4Custom calibration, or custom calibration with custom outputs, should be available with a variety of regulated output voltages to meet the specifications of the design without design modification.

4CE compliance, IP rating, long mean time to failure, and an EMC (electromag-netic compatibility) rating provide for durability in harsh environments.

4A broad compensated temperature range allows the same device to be used throughout the system design, as well as designed into a broad range of appli-cations.

4A variety of connectors and ports allows the transducer to meet a variety of appli-cation needs.

4Consider flexibility in device placement based on the transducer’s small footprint.

4The transducer should meet applicable industry standards, such as ISO 9001.

4The total cost of the trans-ducer should be consid-ered, which includes inte-gration, configurability and implementation.

Another major consideration is design and application sup-port. What is available for the designer to answer important questions during the design, development, launch and pro-duction phases? Are there suffi-cient global presence, products, and support to assist from design to global manufacturing?

Many modern pressure transducers are highly configu-rable, designed for potential use in HVAC, refrigeration, industrial and transportation applications. Based on piezo-resistive-sensing technol-ogy with Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) sig-nal conditioning, they meet the criteria for use in harsh envi-ronments. Fully calibrated and compensated for transducer offset, sensitivity, temperature effects and non-linearity, they feature a TEB of ±2 percent over the operation temperature range of -40 ºC to 125 ºC (-40 °F to 257 °F).

By using an in-depth check-list to select heavy duty pres-sure transducers, designers can make rapid and sound deci-sions based on true and veri-fiable data. While the level of accuracy available in today’s transducers is light years ahead of products on the market just a few years ago, it is important that designers select a product that fits without modification and that is ready to go as rap-

idly as possible. <

Gas Ignition Controls

Features 5vdc, 24vac, 24vdc or 120vac Alarm

Combustion blower control

Rollout switch input

Flame stabilization

Thousands of timing options

120V or 24 VAC operation

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Made in USA

Applications Commercial Cooking Equipment Gas Furnaces Residential and Commercial Boilers Water / Space Heaters

Spa and Pool Heaters New and Replacement Applications

CUSTOM OEM VERSIONS AVAILABLE



Series 8X: Smart Hot Surface Ignition Control

AApplications

630-860-6514 www.capablecontrols.com [email protected] Maple Lane Bensenville, Illinois 60106Capable Controls Inc.


CE EN 298:2003

Certified to Standards AG206 and AG210




MotorS & BlowErS

Knowing the exact

position of the slide is

the key to applying linear

motors. New measuring

devices aim to improve

that accuracy.

linear motors have made irreversible inroads into highly dynamic appli-cations such as manufacturing and

measuring equipment in the semiconductor industry, in PCB assembly machines, textile machines and in automation. Direct drives for open and closed-loop control require continuous real-time and exact information on the position of the slide. The accuracy, performance and reliability of the individual axes depend on the linear measuring devices used. In connection with linear motors, this task is now performed primarily by com-pact, contact-free measuring devices called exposed linear encoders.

The decisive advantage of direct drive technology is the very stiff coupling of the drive to the feed component without any other mechanical transfer elements. This allows significantly higher gain in the con-trol loop than with a conventional drive. Here, the efficiency of a linear motor is greatly influenced by the selection of the position encoder. High-control loop gain can only be reached if the encoder provides high-quality position signals. With the high gain required in the control loops, even minor disturbances in the encoder output signal can cause serious trouble in drive performance. The higher quality of the position information noticeably improves velocity control and positioning. The motor operates quietly and develops only a small

amount of heat.

Velocity measurement on direct drives

On direct drives, there is no additional encoder for measuring the speed. Both posi-tion and speed are measured by the posi-tion encoder: linear encoders for linear motors, angle encoders for rotating motors. Since there is no mechanical transmission between the speed encoder and the feed unit, the position encoder must have a cor-respondingly high resolution in order to enable exact velocity control, particularly at slow traversing speeds. The velocity is calculated here from the distance traversed per unit of time. This method, which is also applied to conventional axes, represents a numerical differentiation that amplifies periodic disturbances or noise in the signal. The significantly higher control loop gain on direct drives dramatically increases the influence of the signal quality on drive per-formance.

Linear encoders that generate a high-quality position signal with only small inter-polation error are therefore essential for the meaningful operation of direct drives. Encoders that use photoelectric scanning are particularly suited here for this task, since very fine graduations can be used as measuring standards by this method. These encoders provide benefits in the position-

Provided by Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH, Traunreut, Germany

Linear Encoders for Linear Motors


MOTORS & BLOWERS

ing, speed stability, and thermal behavior of a direct drive. Up to now, an absolute posi-tion value calculation and the associated availability of the position value immedi-ately after encoder switch-on without any axis movement were not yet available with exposed linear encoders. Sealed absolute lin-ear encoders are not always used on direct drives because they often required com-pact dimensions. Exposed encoders, which thanks to their lack of an enclosure have very small dimensions and therefore low weight, were previously available only in incremental versions.

The graduation carrier—a scale tape

Encoders with optical scanning incorpo-rate measuring standards of periodic struc-tures are known as graduations. They are characterized by their high edge definition and excellent homogeneity—a fundamen-tal prerequisite for low interpolation error, and therefore for smooth operating per-formance and high control loop gain. The quasi-planar graduation structure applied in the process is extremely tolerant to con-

tamination and thereby greatly enhances

encoder reliability.

With absolute graduation, the position

value can be available from the encoder

immediately upon machine switch-on. There is no need to move the axes over the reference marks to find the reference posi-tion. The absolute position information is scanned from the scale graduation, which is configured as a pseudo-random-coded track (PRC) and a separate incremental track. The position information is ascertained with a newly developed scanning method through the evaluation of the PRC track and the incremental track. Adding a highly integrat-ed opto-ASIC makes it possible to achieve new dimensions in terms of accuracy and reliability of position information.

Measuring accuracy and high reliability contribute to machine safety

This scanning method is based on the high quality of the graduation and provides absolute position values with a specified interpolation error of less than ± 40 nm. Exposed linear encoders are therefore opti-mized for use on fast, precise machines. In spite of their exposed design, everyday con-

Figure 2: Design and functional principle of the optical scanning method of the LIC 4000.

Figure 1: Scale tape of the LIC.

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MotorS & BlowErS

tamination resulting from small quantities of oil, dust, fingerprints, hair or small metal objects applied were tested intensively in a laboratory and show few effects on opera-tional reliability. The measuring accuracy of such devices is also hardly influenced by the tested types of contamination (see Figure 3).

Benefits of serial position transmission with EnDat 2.2

The scanning signals of such encoders are digitized directly in the scanning head and are converted into a high-resolution position value. This eliminates the previ-ously prevailing transmission of analog signals from the scanning head for drive control. With digital position transmission via EnDat 2.2, the accuracy and resolution can be exploited without loss in the trans-mission. Both the speed stability and posi-tioning behavior of linear direct drives can be increased significantly. Highly dynamic drives running on position signals, also with very high proportional gain in the veloc-ity controller, feature quietness in opera-tion. The high control loop gain would not have been possible without the high clock frequency of the EnDat interface and the

resulting short read-out times. EnDat 2.2 is now the fastest purely serial interface for position encoders based on RS 485 trans-mission characteristics (www.endat.de).

Valuation numbers provided over EnDat 2.2 for the absolute track, incremental track and position value calculation provide a real-time status report on the condition of the encoder. Strong mounting tolerances are important in conjunction with valua-tion number. The valuation numbers can be called through EnDat 2.2 during motor operation without sacrifices in the perfor-mance of the servo control.

SummaryApplications with direct drives often

place special requirements on control and

measuring technology. Encoders for acqui-

sition of position and drive velocity need to

provide high-quality signals. Short-range

errors in the position measuring signal are

particularly critical for direct-driven feed

axes because they can result in positioning

error, speed ripple, loud noise and addition-

al heat generation. Encoders that use opti-

cal scanning and provide small signal peri-

ods have proven to be particularly effective

by enabling machines to operate with high

accuracy and resolution values.

Absolute encoders with resolutions of 1

nm are now available. Meanwhile the EnDat

protocol makes it possible to transfer vari-

ous data that can be used, for example, for

system diagnostics. For demanding posi-

tioning and control tasks in various applica-

tions such as in the semiconductor industry,

metrology, medical technology, automation

and textile machines, machine tool builders

and plant manufacturers are now flanked by

an exposed absolute encoder. <

Figure 3: Contamination on the graduation: measuring accuracy of the LIC without the application of electronic corrective measures.

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JOINING

The things that bind us

all together have had

a profound impact on

the things that bind our

things together.

The era of the basic plastic fastener, foot, strap, wire harness or

circuit board hardware as the stan-dard connective tissue of almost every appliance in recent years has now given way to a new generation of fastening component materials, including thermoset rubber, metal and high-temperature plastics. These new material choices––both indi-vidually and in combination––now offer appliance manufacturers not only higher operational performance, but also in many cases can help lower production cost by combining materials in a way that eliminates a number of traditional sepa-rate parts.

These new materials not only meet the traditional UL flammability requirements, but also the newer demands of the EU RoHS and REACH environmental regulations, as well as toxicity certification, conflict materi-als laws, etc.

Manufacturer need has been the primary driver

The development of many of these new fasteners and hardware assemblies has been driven by the need for manufacturers to

simultaneously solve performance prob-

lems, reduce production costs and meet the increas-ing controls imposed on them by global regulatory agencies. External controls related to recy-clability and re-use, and inter-nal engineering needs related to higher operating temperatures have been important drivers of new material adoptions, as have

the higher costs to which manu-facturers are extremely sensitive. Changes in appliance design that offer new convenience features have also been drivers of new material

adoption.For example, a major manufacturer

of electric cooking stoves, when moving from knob controls to touch controls, expe-rienced a problem with touch pressure con-sistency. Touch control pressure problems are sometimes related to the touch control spacer (TCS), which absorbs the varying pressures from the impact caused by using the controls. A new touch control spacer, made of plastic with an integrated metal spring that con-sistently absorbs touch pressure, solved the problem while simultaneously reducing the

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JoINING

cost required in a traditional TCS.As a result of the opportunities offered

by these new materials, joining companies have been dramatically adding new plastic components, overmolded combinations, and metal and thermoset rubber products to their offerings.

Benefits should be much more widespread

While many manufacturers have taken advantage of the benefits offered by the new materials, their use could be more widespread if more manufacturers’ design engineers took greater advantage of newer options.

Thermoset rubber, for example, performs well in higher temperatures and resists dry-ing, and also can be lower in overall cost than the comparable plastic and metal parts it replaces. A circuit board support spacer molded as a thermoset rubber unit will out-perform the plastic by being more durable, will provide more shock and vibration iso-lation and support, and can lower overall production cost. Thermoset rubber should be considered as an option along with plastic or metal in the design of any fastening, foot strap, support or other hardware function. However designers don’t yet know it as well, and therefore don’t exploit the market inef-ficiency it provides.

Temperature and humidity are critical considerations when making the decision about what materials to choose for an appli-ance. Appliances are situated in a wide variety of locales, from warm kitchens to cool base-ments to unheated garages. It is incumbent on designers to specify materials that offer the highest performance across the widest potential range of temperature and humidity.

Nylon is not always the optimal choice due to its sensitivity to humidity; thermoset rub-ber could provide a much more satisfactory performance across a wide range of tempera-tures and humidity levels.

For these reasons, it is incumbent on appliance designers and engineers to either become more familiar with the performance characteristics of the materials they specify––including new materials that are available––or to rely on the recommendations of sup-pliers who do devote the time and research required to stay aware of those new materials.

In specific applicationsIn addition to those critical components

like touch control spacers, even basic appli-ance fastening and hardware needs common to all appliances, such as hole grommets, snap rivets, circuit board supports, wire rout-ing and releasable product designs can ben-efit in terms of longevity, reliability and cost reduction by adopting these new materials.

Something as basic as a leg leveling foot that uses an overmolded rubber/plastic part with a fastener and screw to produce a more resilient foot while eliminating parts, and stainless steel wire ties to replace the tradi-tional plastic, can result in lower cost over the life of the product.

Appliances in commercial settings like restaurants and fast food retail operations differ from those in homes because of size and capacity, of course, but also by being computer controlled and monitored, so that management can control volume produc-tion and monitor appliance performance. Similarly, in upscale homes, kitchens are sometimes designed so that ovens, micro-waves, dishwashers and refrigerators can be controlled from the homeowner’s computer system or even from a smart phone or tablet.

Will this technology, if it becomes more common in consumer appliances, with its remote controllers and new wire routings, require new appliance designs, and perhaps new heat-stabilized grommets, stainless steel wire ties, etc.? Associations and providers have had numerous inquiries from appliance manufacturers about such new requirements, but whether they will become standard fea-tures, only the future can tell. However, some manufacturers are already thinking about it.

The next generation of appli-ances?

We live in a country that reveres the “new,” sometimes without looking beyond the word. But manufacturers will be wise to have their designers and engineers explore these and other future materials that can help create better-performing, longer-performing appli-ances while helping to contain costs.

Will these materials create a new genera-tion of appliances? That is going a little far. As appliance manufacturers continue to innovate through the latest technologies, such as LED lighting and touch controls, advances in material technologies can aid in their development. But that is not to say that they cannot be made to perform more reliably, more efficiently, and help to lower

production costs as well. <

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webinars.applianceDESIGN.comREGISTER FOR FREE AT

DATE: AUGUST 9TH TIME: 2PM ET

SPONSORED BY: PRESENTED BY:

DESIGN, TRANSFORM, CREATEWITH SMART GRID-ENABLED DEVICESThis useful webinar is aimed at the appliance DESIGN Magazine audience to educate, encourage and energize you in your current on-the-job needs as well as better position you to cope and succeed with future anticipated and unanticipated challenges. Spotlighted are logical pathways that will lead – now and into the future – to intelligent appliances in a connected home delivering sustainability, enhanced controls and energy savings to the homeowner as well as sales and after-sales service/maintenance advantages for appliance manufacturers. Insightful information provided by key knowledge leaders will also complement the evolution of utilities and their influence in a smart grid world.

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Kenneth Wacks, Ph.D.Management &

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Kristen BowringSenior Director, Platform

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Barry HaaserExecutive DirectorUSNAP Alliance

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by wenson zheng and nigel cotton

Wenson Zheng is the Deputy Director of Technology for the International Copper

Association (ICA). He can be reached at [email protected]

Nigel Cotton is the MicroGroove OEM Team Leader for ICA, and can be reached

at [email protected] more information

visit www.microgroove.net/contact-us

DESIGNING

FOR EFFICIENT

HEAT TRANSFER

HEATING TECHNOLOGY

The steps involved in the design of heat exchangers for air conditioning and refrigeration applications using small-

er diameter copper tubes are summarized here. These steps are intended as a general guideline. Specific choices and recommenda-tions are not given here, since such choices may depend upon other components in the system design.

Simply put, an air conditioning or refrig-eration system consists of a compressor for work input; and condenser and evaporator coils for heat output and input, respectively. Energy efficiency is dependent upon keeping the refrigerant passing through the condens-er and evaporator coils as close as possible to the surrounding outdoor and indoor tem-peratures, respectively.

Much attention has been focused in recent decades on refrigerants and valves for con-trolling and regulating refrigerant flow. Yet in the past half a decade, significant advances have also been made in the design of evapo-rator and condenser coils. These advances have been motivated by the conflicting needs to increase energy efficiency while also reduc-ing materials usage.

It has long been understood that a smaller diameter tube would increase the local heat

transfer coefficient (HTC or α) that governs the heat transfer between the refrigerant and the inside of the tube wall. The challenge has been to fabricate smaller diameter tubes and assemble them into heat exchanger coils. The proving ground has been the highly competi-tive, high volume manufacture of residential air conditioning (RAC) systems, including window-type air conditioners as well as split units. The same design principles apply as well to larger commercial units.

Establishing a ConsortiumThe ICA sponsors a research and develop-

ment consortium dedicated to the develop-ment of more efficient heat exchanger coils. The consortium includes not only copper tube suppliers but also several major research universities as well as many OEMs who are responsible for a major share of the global production in this product category.

Initially, prototypes were made simply by replacing the larger-diameter copper tubes with smaller diameter copper tubes. The footprint of the heat exchanger in the product was unchanged and the fins in the coil designs were not optimized to the smaller diameter tubes. This could be

A step-by-step procedure

for optimizing the use of

smaller diameter tubes in

eco-friendly AC designs.

Fin efficiency is determined by the pitch ratio, the longitudinal tube pitch, the transverse tube pitch, fin spacing and fin patterns as

seen here. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allows for the optimization of these features to

the tube size and air flow rates. The use of a smaller tube size typically requires a complete redesign of the coil to maximize fin efficiency,

since the smaller diameter tubes are less restrictive to the airflow.


HEATING TECHNOLOGY

referred to as the “cut-and-try method.” Nonetheless, the results were immediate and dramatic and this intensified interest in further development.

Consider that if tube diameter is halved then the cross sectional area is cut by 75 percent. Besides reducing the amount of tube material, refrigerant volume could also be reduced. Furthermore, it is well known from tube stress analysis that the burst pres-sure increases as the tube diameter decreas-es, hence wall thickness could be decreased, resulting in a further savings of material.

Once it was fully understood how smaller-diameter copper tubes provide major competi-tive advantages, more system-atic approaches were taken by the various OEMs in the design and optimization of coils for specific products using various refrigerants.

Tube Pitch RatioAn evaporator coil or con-

denser coil is, of course, a com-ponent in a system and the tubes and fins are sub-compo-nents. The first step toward an optimal heat-exchanger design is to select the tube pitch ratio, which may be quite differ-ent for smaller-diameter tubes

compared to conventional tubes because the airflow around the tubes is not obstructed as much for smaller tubes.

If there are two rows of tubes then the ratio (Pt /Pl) between transverse and lon-gitudinal tube spacing must be approxi-mated before any further steps can be taken.

Initially, values commonly used in heat exchanger

designs are selected for fins with high efficien-cy with operating con-ditions such as airflow and tube-wall temper-ature as defined by the applications. The tube pitch ratio is then opti-mized for the particu-lar application using

CFD calculations.

Tube SpacingHow far apart should the tubes be spaced?

The outside air pressure drop must be equal to or less than the design criterion; if the tubes are spaced too closely, this air pres-sure drop may be too high. The objective is to maximize performance while minimizing the cost. An overly large fin size would cost more to manufacture because it uses more fin material. It would also result in a heat exchanger that is larger-than-necessary. For evaporator coils, the condensate film that forms on the fin influences the choice of fin size. Tube spacing dictates the “fin size” that will be used in fin-design simulations.

Fin DesignThe next step is to optimize the fin pat-

tern. The two most common types of fin patterns are the louver fin and the slit fin (or slotted fin). The CFD method is used to simulate both fin patterns. For the louver pattern, the independent variables are the louver angle and the louver number; the lou-ver height and pitch are determined by these independent variables. For the slit pattern, the slit height is determined as one-half the fin pitch, so the only independent variable is the slit number.

It should again be stressed that the fin pat-terns that worked best for larger diameter tubes are not optimized to smaller diameter tubes and related fin sizes. Thus it is neces-sary to re-examine the design space for all types of fin patterns using CFD simulations. Only in this manner can the fin pattern be optimized for smaller diameter tubes. Ease of manufacture and assembly can also be a fac-tor in the selection of the fin pattern.

The final fin pattern design that is selected may be specific to the final application. The

objective in all pattern designs is to maximize

referred to as the “cut-and-try method.” Nonetheless, the results were immediate and dramatic and this intensified interest in further development.

Smaller diameter copper tubes with inner grooves transfer heat more

efficiently than conventional tubes, prompting the redesign of evaporator

and condenser coils for many types of air conditioning and refrigeration products.

This 2600 W split-unit, room air-conditioner from the Kelon

Corporation uses coils made with MicroGroove technology. The use of

smaller-diameter copper tubes in the evaporators of the split units resulted in

a higher coefficient of performance while reducing the total weight of tube material.

This single-row coil for an outdoor condenser unit of a split system from Midea features highly efficient, smaller

diameter, inner-grooved copper tubes. The tubes are only 4-mm in diameter.


HEATING TECHNOLOGY

the heat transfer capacity while meeting the requirement for a low air pressure drop. Of course, efficient heat transfer through the coils results in higher energy efficiency for the system because the refrigerant cools down faster in the condenser and heats up faster in the evaporator.

Build and TestAt this stage, a reality check is necessary.

An actual heat exchanger needs to be built and thoroughly tested in a laboratory wind tunnel. The heat transfer capacity can be experimentally measured as the refriger-ant flow rates and wind velocities are var-ied. The former controls the internal rate of heat transfer and the latter determines the external rate of heat transfer. Heat transfer through the tube wall is also a factor. The various components of the heat transfer can be represented as a circuit diagram.

Today’s CFD simulations are very good. For examples, case studies specifically on designing with small tubes of copper were presented at the 23rd IIR International Congress of Refrigeration last year in Prague and another paper will be present-ed this month at the 14th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.[1, 2]

The results of a well-designed simula-tion can be expected to agree very well with experiment. Nonetheless, there is no sub-stitute for the real thing. The experimental measurements can be used to develop pre-diction correlations, which can be used in further refining the heat exchanger design and the results can also be used in the design of the next step.

Tube CircuitryAn entirely new series of simulations

is required to optimize the tube circuitry. Tube circuitry simulations answer the ques-tions about how many separate tube paths (branches) should be included in the cir-cuit and what should be the length of each branch. If the paths are too short then the refrigerant might not reach the target tem-perature; if too long then the inside pres-sure drop may be too great, which is an important consideration as tube diameter decreases.

Temperatures vary throughout the heat exchanger as the refrigerant passes through the various circuit branches. Branches can be placed in the first or second row. Tubes at similar temperatures can be placed far-ther apart or closer together. The problem of optimization can become a complicated puzzle indeed. Fortunately, there are sophis-

ticated software programs to do the hard calculations. The software is based on the differential equations governing heat trans-fer and mass flow through the tube branch-es. The design space of possible tube config-urations can be quite large so a knowledge-based search method is commonly used to reduce the search space without losing opti-mal solutions.

Design for ManufactureOnce the fin pattern and tube circuitry

has been optimized then the heat exchanger is ready for use in the product design. The time to market for new products can greatly shortened by using the design principles outlined above. Already several case stud-ies are available on the design of optimized heat exchangers using smaller diameter, inner grooved copper tubes[1, 2].

Technologies for manufacturing smaller diameter copper tubes are now available as

Typically, in round tube plate fin (RTPF) heat exchanger coils, the fins are laced into the tubes, which are then mechanically expanded to make contact with the fins. The tubes are flared at the ends to allow for the insertion of U-bends to complete the tube circuitry.

Typically, the fins are laced into the tubes and then the tubes are expanded using a tube expander, such as this horizontal tube expander. Vertical tube expanders are also

available to mechanically expand the tubes until they make contact with the fins.

Evaporator Coil (indoor coil) from a Split System. The coil employs 5-mm diameter MicroGroove copper tubes, which resulted in a 30 percent reduction in tube weight for the same performance (2500W cooling capacity) as previous models.

These are 5 mm tubes for window units.

HEATING TECHNOLOGY

well as the equipment for making coils from the smaller diam-eter copper tubes. These technologies have been developed and proven in the highly competitive manufacture of residential air conditioners. The same manufacturing technologies can be applied to a wide range of air conditioning and refrigeration products. The only limitation is the imagination of the designer.

Supply ChainThe International Copper Association uses the brand

“MicroGroove” to promote the adoption of smaller diameter copper tubes with enhanced surfaces. Both of these features con-tribute to improved rates of heat transfer between the refriger-ant and the tube walls, making it possible to use less material in smaller, lighter evaporators and condenser coils. ICA members supply many variants of microgroove technology, depending on application-specific needs and market focus. For example, the enhancements of the inside surface of the tubes vary widely from one tube manufacturer to another. Various patterns of inner grooves are used to further increase the local heat transfer coefficient for the transfer of heat between the refrigerant and the tube walls.

Round copper tubes offer several important advantages over brazed aluminum multichannel tubes. Using round copper tubes, heat transfer can be increased without the added costs and risks associated with aluminum brazing. In evaporator applications, moisture is more readily removed from the evapo-rator coils because there are no flat tubes between the fins but rather the fins surround round copper tubes, allowing for easy drainage.

Durability is an issue. For most environments, copper tubes are preferred over aluminum tubes on the basis of durability and corrosion resistance. Copper is proven as a tube material in ACR applications. Costly coating processes, as often required for all aluminum heat exchangers, are not necessary. Finally, microgroove coils can offer smaller refrigerant volumes because the tube ends are connected by small U-joints rather than bulky headers associated with aluminum coils.

For more information, the interested reader is invit-ed to contact ICA member companies directly. A list of MicroGroove contacts at member companies can be found on the supplier directory webpage at microgroove.net. In addi-

tion, technical papers and recorded webinars are available.

References1. G.L. Ding, T Ren, Y.X. Zheng and Y.F. Gao, “Simulation-Based Design Method for Room Air Conditioner with Smaller Diameter Copper Tubes,” 23rd IIR International Congress of Refrigeration, Prague, Czech Republic, July 2011.

2. W. Wu, G.L. Ding, Y.X. Zheng, Y.F. Gao and J. Song, “Principle of Designing Fin-And-Tube Heat Exchanger with Smaller Diameter Tubes for Air Conditioner,” 14th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference, Purdue Conferences, West Lafayette, Indiana, July 2012.

DESIGN MART

This appliance DESIGN Design Mart section brings you

information on new products and services available through

print and online. To receive more information about the

the products and services in this section, visit appliance

DESIGN online at www.applianceDESIGN.com.


UL is seeking Sr Design Engineers specializing in Dishwasher or Cooking Appliance Design!

Exciting opportunities available with our UL Verifi cation Services team at the UL Springboard offi ce in Newton, Iowa! Manage a variety of dishwasher and/or cooking appliance design projects. If you have: • A University Degree in Mechanical Engineering or applicable discipline • Eight (8) years of experience • Experience with Design for Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing principals, and ProEngineer we would like to hear from you! For more info & to apply, visit www.ULCareers.com and enter IRC76359 (Dishwashers) or IRC78535 (Cooking Appliances) in the keyword search. Relocation assistance will be considered.

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appliance DESIGN CASE STUDY [Advertorial]

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[Advertorial] appliance DESIGN CASE STUDY

Attend a MicroGroove™ webinar on the design of air conditioning and refrigeration products using smaller diameter copper tubes with inner grooves.

The following three recorded webinars in the MicroGroove webinar series are available for viewing anytime for free.

The Manufacture of ACR Coils with Smaller Diameter Copper Tubes

Presented in partnership with Burr Oak Tool Inc. and moderated by Kyle Gargaro, this webinar focuses on the manufacture of heat exchanger coils. Familiar processes for making copper tube / aluminum plate-fin coils are reviewed; and the evolution of coil manufacturing equipment as the market moves to smaller diameter copper tubes is fully explained. View anytime; this webinar requires registration.

Achieving Higher Energy-Efficiency with Smaller- Diameter Copper Tubes

The advantage of MicroGroove technology

is clearly demonstrated through data comparisons of products in this webinar, which is moderated by Barbara Checket-Hanks of the ACHR News. This webinar concludes by showing how improved heat transfer results in a system-wide savings of energy and materials. View anytime. No registration is required.

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HIGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITH LESS MATERIALS

To view a past webinar or register for an upcoming webinar visit

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Custom die cut electrically insulated parts that provide high dielectric strength, are flame retardant per UL94V-0, and are RoHS compliant are being introduced by Interstate Specialty Products, Inc. of Sutton, Massachusetts.

Interstate Specialty Electrical Insulations are digitally die cut from ITW Formex® GK which is a flame retardant polypropylene material that provides a high dielectric strength and is offered in 0.005” to 0.062” thicknesses. Suitable for a variety of applications, the parts produced can be folded repeatedly without cracking or splitting, are non-hygroscopic, provide superior chemical resistance, and operate at up to 115°C continuous.

Supplied embossed, printed, and with EMI/RFI shielding where required, Interstate Specialty Electrical Insulations are available with dielectric strengths from 1080 to 2625 V/mil per ASTM D-149 and volume resistivity of 3.97 x 1015 ohm-cm per ASTM D-257. Applications include appliances, auto-motive, battery packs, circuit boards, instruments, and wire harnesses.

Interstate Specialty Electrical Insulations are priced

according to material grade, configuration, and quantity. Price quotations and material samples are provided upon request.

Interstate Specialty Products is a world class leader in custom converting and die-cutting of non-metallic and specialty materials. A veteran team has specialized expertise in serving the electronics, industrial, medical, scientific, transportation, and water filtration markets.

DIE CUT ELECTRICAL INSULATIONS

Interstate Specialty Products, Inc.Phone: (800) 984-1811 Fax: (508) 234-5558Email: [email protected]: www.interstatesp.com


appliance DESIGN CASE STUDY [Advertorial]

We’ve all been there—on hands and knees under or behind a piece of furniture, wrestling with a tangle of cords looking for the one that needs to be plugged, unplugged, or otherwise manipulated. In calmer moments, many of us have wished that someone would come up with a way of sorting out the mess. Micah Maraia, actually invented one.

The patented Dotz CordI-dentifier™ is a small, colored plastic bubble that snaps onto the end of a power or connecting cord. It displays, through a clear window, an icon showing the appliance/electronic device that’s on the other end of the cord and can make your stay behind the couch or under the desk briefer and a lot less frustrating.

Beginning with sketches, Maraia produced the 3D CAD models. “I had developed detailed visual representations but still needed functional prototypes for testing and

initial marketing. I looked at SLA and other prototyping methods, but features like the living hinge can only be produced by injec-tion molding. Proto Labs’ rapid injection molding service, Protomold®, provided the capabilities I needed—real molded parts, quick turnaround, and affordable prices. Their ProtoQuote® online quoting and design analysis can be fairly aggressive in pointing out potential problems, but it’s fast, helpful and lets you ascertain that your 3D CAD model can be molded.”

To read this entire case study:visit bit.ly/pl-cordotz

CORD KNOTS? NOT WITH DOTZ!

Phone: 877-479-3680 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.protolabs.com

In choosing your testing partner, you need someone with the reliability of a strong appliance background, the resources of the latest technology, and expert foresight into the future needs and requirements of the industry. Intertek is that testing partner.

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[Advertorial] appliance DESIGN CASE STUDY

What do you do if you are a manufacturer and no matter how many times you reengineer your product to meet or exceed the jointly created EPA and DOE Energy Star guidelines, you still can’t seem to gain the results you desire? In the case of a particular customer, they turned to Springboard Engineering. Springboard Engineering, a UL Company, provides advisory engineering, testing and prototyping services.

This particular customer came to Springboard Engineering for advisory engineering help with regards to achieving a better score on an Energy Star qualifying product. The product was not meeting the baseline energy requirement to qualify under the Energy Star program. After advising the client on some changes to their existing design, the manufacturer not only met the baseline energy star requirement for this category, but Springboard Engineering helped them exceed this requirement by 30%. By exceeding the energy star

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Springboard Engineering also provided a working prototype of this design to this customer, along with performing reliability life cycle testing, to ensure this new design would perform during normal usage and competitive benchmark performance testing, to gauge how well it performs against their competition. This “Cradle to Grave” product development solution

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UL LLCPhone: 1-877-UL Helps (877-854-3577)Web: ul.com/advantage

Phone: 641-787-8700

UL is pleased to announce a new streamlined certification process, the UL Advantage Program, available for select small appliances, combining the proven benefits of UL certification with a faster, simplified, more cost-effective approach. The UL Advantage program offers small appliance end product and component parts manufacturers a significantly more agile and innovative path to certification. It has been carefully developed and backed by UL’s technical expertise and uncompromising standard of quality.

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Micro PlasticsThe company has added color to their

polyethylene and nylon lines of wire rout-

ing split loom. They now offer all sizes of

their nylon split loom in orange, to accom-

modate applications where identification

is critical to safety. The polyethylene split

loom is now available in red, yellow and

green. Perfect for organizing cables and

managing cords into color-coded bundles,

the colored split loom comes in six standard

sizes: 1/4-, 3/8-, 1/2-, 5/8-, 3/4-, and 1-inch.

They’re extruded from durable materials,

and resistant to temperature and corrosion

conditions. Visit www.microplastics.com

SensirionThe Swiss sensor manufacturer is launch-

ing its new digital SFM3000 mass flow

meter for high-volume applications in

medical devices, process automation

and burner control. The flow channel is

designed to achieve a very low pressure

drop of less than 3mbar through the sensor

element. The flow meter bi-directionally

measures the flow of air and other non-

aggressive gases at rates up to 200slm with

high accuracy and very high speed. It out-

puts a 14-bit digital signal at a 2kHz update

rate. The signal is internally linearized and

temperature compensated.

Visit www.sensirion.com

Ix InnovationsThe PocketPico P200 PowerMate energy

optimization instrument was designed for

embedded systems engineers and other

low-power electronics developers, It accu-

rately measures current from 1nA to 30mA

between 200mV and 5V in a single mea-

surement range, and charts system energy

usage over time. Developers can optimize

both hardware and software for maximum

energy efficiency within any development

environment and on any development plat-

form. Visit www.pocketpico.com

A.W.T. World TradeThese expertly designed and engineered

machines enable glass printers to deliver

rapid output with high-quality printing on

an array of rigid substrates including solar

panels, architectural glass, automotive glass,

appliance components and decorative mir-

rors. The printers include a remote diag-

nostics tool that connects to the Internet.

Standard printer features include parallel

peel for a more consistent flood stroke and

ink deposit, automatic leveling of squeegee/

floodbar pressure across the substrate, pat-

ented upfront stroke adjustment for easier

print positioning and advanced ink recov-

ery. Visit www.awt-gpi.com

ObjetThe Objet30 Pro, unveiled at RAPID, is a

new desktop 3D printer that offers seven

different materials, including, for the first

time on a desktop system, clear transpar-

ent material and high-temperature resis-

tant material. The Objet30 Pro takes its

place as the new top-of-the-line addition to

the company’s existing desktop 3D printer

line. With a small footprint, professional

28 micron print quality and wide ranging

material versatility, the printer produces

high quality prototypes with a choice of

seven different materials and functional

properties.

W.L. Gore & AssociatesVenting solutions for portable electron-

ics prevent contaminants from entering,

while preserving sound transmission qual-

ity through the use of high-transmission

materials employing Gore’s unique ePTFE

(expanded polytetraflouroethylene) tech-

nology. These are available in a variety of

product forms for protection from dust

and splash as well as full immersion. Pre-

cut adhesive vents and unique custom vent

designs are also available. The company has

formed a new business unit for its portable

electronic vent technology, offering dust,

splash and immersion protection that meets

a range of IP standards up to IP68 (full dust

protection, complete immersion). Visit www.gore.com

Global Lighting TechnologiesThe company has improved the perfor-

mance of their standard 2x2 ft.-square

edge-lit LED-based flat panel downlight

New Products


NEw ProDuctS

assembly by developing a

brighter and more efficient

SSL solution for ceiling lights

that delivers efficiencies greater

than 70 lumens per watt using

standard GLT 2x2-ft. troffer

packaging, with a CRI of >

80. The LEDs used in the new

panel have increased in bright-

ness from approximately 100

lumens up to 130 lumens, with

no increase in price. Visit www.glthome.com

SystecThe company announced it

will now be manufacturing

and servicing the NW140 UV

Digital Inkjet Printer in coop-

eration with Spartanics Laser

Cutting Systems and JetINX

UV Inkjet Printing technol-

ogy in Bielefeld, Germany,

beginning July 2012. The

NW140 UV Digital Narrow

Web Press is a fully integrated

printing and laser finishing

system that provides single

pass printing at speeds up to

80 feet per minute. For more information, e-mail Scott Edwards at [email protected].

techniforThe TFG20 gantry enclosure’s

table (12 feet by 24 feet by

6 feet) with its X and Y axis

numeric references, simplifies

large batch marking and part

serialization. The compact Class

1 laser enclosure (26 inches by

40 inches by 18 inches) sits on

a bench or cart. The large, ergo-

nomic access door makes it easy

to load/unload parts. The 20W

fiber laser marks a wide range

of materials, including anod-

ized aluminum, stainless steel

and most plastics, and readily

accommodates many shaped

and sized parts. For more informa-tion visit www.technifor.us

Advanced Machine & Engineering/HennigThe company is introduc-

ing several new workholding

clamping products from Jakob

Antriebstechnik, the company’s

European partner. The series

MC power clamping nut offers

simple manual operation, high

clamping forces through force

magnification and high operat-

ing safety, as a result of a self-

locking feature. The clamping

force ranges from 40 to 160 kN.

This product line can be used

to clamp workpieces and tools,

particularly in forming presses

and punches, or to clamp down

closing lids of tanks and enclo-

sures on various machine types.

Visit www.ame.com

Branson ultrasonics, a subsidiary of EmersonThe company recently intro-

duced its first global series of

ultrasonic welding power sup-

plies for automated assembly

systems in the automotive,

packaging, textiles and food

industries. The DCX Digital

Power Supply Series combine

scalable technology and the

industry’s first closed loop

amplitude control. Visit www.BransonUltrasonics.com

crystekThe CCHD-95 is a new ultra-

low phase noise HCMOS clock

oscillator with standby mode,

featuring an extremely low

close-in phase noise of -100 dBc/

Hz at 10Hz offset and a typical

noise floor of -170 dBc/Hz at

100kHz offset. This makes it per-

fect for DACs (digital-to-analog

converters), ADCs (analog-to-

digital converters), DAB (digital

audio broadcasting), and pro-

fessional CD audio equipment.

It also features a standby func-

tion—when placed in disable

mode, the internal oscillator is

completely shut down and its

output buffer is placed in Tri-

State. This family is housed in

a 9x14 mm SMT package and

operates with a +3.3V power

supply consuming 15mA of

current. Stability is rated at

20-50ppm (0°C to +70°C) and

±25-50ppm (-40°C to +85°C).

E-mail [email protected]

Low Viscosity SiliconePotting Compound

154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA+1.201.343.8983 [email protected]

www.masterbond.com

Two Component MasterSil 151 Tough and flexible Optically clear Vibration and shock resistant


ASSOCIATION REPORT: AHAM

Leading the WayJoseph M. McGuire

PresidentAssociation of Home

Appliance ManufacturersThis year marks AHAM’s 45th anniversary as

the trade association of the home appliance

industry. Along with this important mile-

stone, this year AHAM also announced its new stra-

tegic plan for 2012-2015, which was presented to the

membership in late April.

As AHAM looks ahead, it is important to recognize

the qualities, culture, and customers that empower

the actions of the organization and support the val-

ues of the industry. This identity combined with a

strong mission lays the foundation for how AHAM

leads into the future.

AHAM’s mission guides our actions and moves

the organization towards its vision: A single voice

providing the home appliance industry and its cus-

tomers leadership, advocacy, and a forum for action,

and developing and implementing credible solutions

for public policy, standards, and business decisions.

Our vision is that AHAM leadership and member

participation result in a vibrant home appliance

industry enhancing consumers’ lives through inno-

vative, sustainable products and services.

The foundation of AHAM’s strategic plan is a

number of pillars that reflect the core services the

association provides to its members and the oppor-

tunities before the industry in the foreseeable future.

Advocacy of policies that foster innovation. Continue to work with government at all levels and

increasingly with other influencers of product design

such as retailers and utilities to seek public policies

and market-related specifications that serve social

needs and allow companies to innovate, compete,

and serve consumers.

Standards that remove barriers. AHAM’s exper-

tise in developing appliance testing standards and

its participation in the safety and performance stan-

dards processes of North American and global stan-

dards development bodies will always put the con-

sumer first while maintaining product integrity.

Data that drives business and consumer deci-

sions. Services such as market statistics, third-party

rating verification, and consumer safety tips drive

intelligent decisions by members, trade partners and

consumers.

Connect with retailers through a formal channel

of communication. AHAM’s dialogue with the retail

sector will continue to grow in substance and impor-

tance based on experience with key public policy-

type issues such as sustainability, safety, and prod-

uct stewardship. To ensure a formal relationship to

address such mutual priorities, AHAM will establish

a Retail Advisory Council of senior retail executives.

Strategic resource deployment in the U.S. and

Canada. Appliance manufacturers wish to benefit

from fuller integration of industry representation in

Canada and the United States. Offering a single, ded-

icated appliance industry association in both coun-

tries, AHAM will open an office in Canada in July

2012 and broaden membership to include appliance

manufacturers in Canada. Stay tuned to Appliance

Design and the AHAM website for more information

about the launch of AHAM Canada.

Embrace and lead transformational industry

issues. Providing leadership to the industry to pre-

pare for and shape emerging issues is a critical value-

add for members and an essential return on member

dues. AHAM will continue its work on smart appli-

ances, sustainability, and product stewardship, and

scan for other cross-cutting issues for companies and

consumers.

Promote value and trust in the AHAM brand

AHAM is the voice of the appliance industry, its

credibility honed by its proven ability to forge indus-

try consensus on critical issues. This benefit and the

breadth of member-driven services provide substan-

tial return on member investment and value to its

customers. <

AHAM’s expertise in developing appliance testing

standards and its participation in the safety and

performance standards processes of North

American and global standards development

bodies will always put the consumer first while

maintaining product integrity.


AD INDEXcompany name page numberweb site

Capable Controls Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14www.capablecontrols.com

CoorsTek Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17www.coorstek.com

EBM-Papst Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BCwww.ebmpapst.us

International Copper Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5www.microgroove.net/events

Interstate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19www.interstatesp.com

Intertek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7www.intertek.com/AD2

MasterBond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31www.masterbond.com

Proto Labs Inc., Protomold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3www.protomold.com

Soler & Palau Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6www.soler-palauinc.com

Springboard Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1www.springboardengineering.com

Underwriters Laboratories Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCwww.ul.com/ad

This index is for the convenience of our readers. Every care is taken to make it accurate. appliance DESIGN assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

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