May 10, 2012A Penton Media Publication

Tune in to EngineeringTV.com

A MAGNETIC BRAKEWITHOUT COGGING

OR NONLINEARITIES, page 16

ULTRAPRECISE MACHINING HOLDS

SUBMICRON TOLERANCES, page 56

SOFTWARE ANALYZES BEARING

PERFORMANCE, page 60

DIMENSIONAL TOLERANCES

SIMPLIFY ENGINEERING TASKS,

page 64

Better ways to catch the

WIND page 42

The DL205 micromodular PLC is an industry workhorse,time-tested in some of the toughest industrial settings.Installed in thousands of applications, its wide range of I/O andcommunication options ensure you’ve got the tools you needto do the job. And our direct prices, 30-day money-backguarantee and FREE award-winning technical support are allstandard features that make that job a little easier!

DISCRETE: Choose from 25 discretemodules that support AC, DC and relay I/Otypes. All modules have removableterminal blocks for easy wiring and modulereplacement. Our newest DC output moduleperforms electronic short circuit protection.

ANALOG: 19 analog modules offerinterfaces to current and voltage signals,as well as thermocouples and RTDs.Connect devices such as processtransmitters, proportional valves andAC drives.

COMMUNICATIONS: The DL205 series makesEthernet communications easy andinexpensive. Get fast peer-to-peer accessto HMI, other PLCs and PCs on the factoryfloor at one of the lowest costs per nodein the industry.

Test-drive the software for FREE! Our fully functional PC-DS100 programmingpackage can create and download programs to all our DirectLOGIC PLCs(max 100 words runtime; unlimited programming package PC-DSOFT5 is $395 ).

DirectLOGICDL205

Allen-BradleyCompactLogixPLC modules

* All prices are U.S. published prices. Prices and specifications may vary by dealer and configuration. AutomationDirect pricesare from April 2012 Price List. Allen-Bradley prices are based on www.rockwellautomation.com/en/e-tools 2/20/12.

Discrete Modules $282.80

$240.38

$314.11

$289.87

$135.00

$91.00

$99.00

$100.00

CHECK OUT OUR PRICES ON PLC MODULES

Ethernet interface

Analog Modules

Communications

AC 16-pt. input

DC 16-pt. input

DC 16-pt. output

Isol. relay 8-pt. out

4-channel input (current)

4-channel thermocouple in

8-channel output (voltage)

$201.00

$301.00

$271.00

$301.00

$485.81

$986.77 (6-ch)

$1,454.40

$783.00

www.automationdirect.com

1-800-633-0405

Go online or call to get complete information,request your free catalog, or place an order.

www.automationdirect.com/plcs

HIGH-SPEED/MOTION: Counter modulesinclude a simple counting input moduleor a high-speed input/pulse outputmodule for interfacing to stepper or servodrives. Using our SureServo or SureStepmotion systems with the DL205 gives youa very cost-effective motion control system.

High-speedcounting

Download the software online at:

http://support.automationdirect.com/downloads.html

RS# 101

omega.com

No.®

High Accuracy Pressure Transducers

Over a Million Combinations

with 1-Week Delivery!

Design Your Own Custom Transducer

Online

CR_XVd"!Z_92@e`&!!!adZ8RXV2Sd`]feV5ZWWVcV_eZR]4`^a`f_U8RXVGRTff^3Rc`^VecZT^G G&G"!G^2FD3@feafed2TTfcRTj!%e`!!&EV^aVcRefcVCR_XVR_UEYVc^R]2TTfcRTj46DYf_e`cA`eV_eZ`^VeVc@aeZ`_d&AE?:DEEcRTVRS]V4R]ZScReZ`_DeR_URcU2]]$"'=DeRZ_]VddDeVV]HVeeVUARced

GZdZe`^VXRT`^ T`_WZXRU

+)(+$.$//1.$. +/#1"$.,+%(&1. 0,.$)$"0

Instant Price!`^VXRT`^ T`_WZXRU

$2$0.(",#$)/(&'""1. "4. +/#1"$./("., "'(+$#()(",+""1. "4.$//1.$$ /1.$*$+0

AI>%!*DVcZVdDeRcedRe

$%(&

(/(0,*$& ",*-3*

**5( *$0$.1!*(+( 01.$$+/(,+,.,*-.$//(,+, #$))/0 +# .# +#$0.("

=4#!"2]]>`UV]d

$%)&

(/(0,*$& ",*)" (/(0,*$& ",*-3*

AI>$!*DVcZVdDeRcedRe

$#!!

+#1/0.( )$0.(".$//1.$. +/#1"$./ +#. +/*(00$./

R

RS# 102

FEATURES

OEM SERVICES

Ultra Precision three-axis diamond turning creates a toric with a sine-wave pattern in brass. Final surface is produced without postpolishing.

UPM also obtains surface finish Ra values better than 0.5 nm. When using diamond tooling on nonferrous materials, UPM produces yet more-impressively smooth finishes.

Ametek Precitech, in Keene, N. H., manufactures UPM equipment and has provided the benchmark for this technology. Precitech’s machine layout resembles that of standard equipment, but the details make all the difference. Programming input resolution, the precision level of the machine inputs, is 0.01 nm for linear and 0.026 arc-sec for angular position. Workpiece spindle speeds hit 18,000 rpm and milling spindles rotate at 15,000 or 50,000 rpm. Workpiece positional accuracies of 1 micron linear and ±2 arc-sec are standard and — because these errors are repeatable — software compensation can be used to reduce them by a factor of 10.

The company’s machines have a solid foundation made with a sealed granite base that provides physical and thermal stability. Mounted on pneumatic isolators, the base remains protected from external excitation including footfalls, road traffic, and nearby mechanical equipment.

In addition, the UPM machines have an axis stiffness as high as 875 N/μ as well as Adap-tive Control Technology (ACT), which analyzes feedback, including disturbances. ACT also provides active cancellation (analogous to noise-canceling headsets) that continually

Ultraprecision machining (UPM) comes from the optics industry so not many designers are familiar with the process. However, the technology has the poten-tial to revolutionize the way manufac-turers, in general, finish parts or make fine-featured patterns.

First, recall that “high precision” in tra-ditional machining generally refers to tol-erances in the single-digit micron range. In inch units, machinists talk about hold-ing “tenths” (ten-thousandths of an inch, or 0.0001 in.). And the best conventional machining and grinding machines typi-cally get Ra values no better than 0.1 μm. In contrast, ultraprecision machining provides accuracy an order of magnitude better by holding submicron tolerances.

Fundamentals of

ultraprecisionmachiningIt no longer takes exotic machining to hold submicron tolerances.

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com56

ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC

National Instruments LabView graphical-interface software is one of the first to adopt a noncode approach to writing application programs, relying on operational block diagrams to program the system.

Development cycles have shortened dramatically. So much so that there is no longer enough time to devise computer-powered applications starting with a stand-alone computer or processor.

Consequently, computer and chipmakers have added new and more-powerful functions into the silicon of a computer chip. The result heralds the advent of comput-erized platforms comprised of a processor, a commu-nication interface, and I/O functions targeting specific end-use categories such as mobile phones, computer graphics, and industrial control.

One of the earliest examples of such a single-purpose design is the PC/104, a single-board computer architec-ture about the size of a 3.5-in. floppy disk that had stack-able accessory boards to fit numerous application needs.

As small as the PC/104 system is, some applications required even-smaller processors. Stepping down in size, the system-on-module (SOM) and system-on-chip (SOC) combined all aspects of the single-board com-puter into a single module or integrated-circuit form.

SOMs take the individual dies of multiple devices such as a processor, memory, and I/O, and mount them onto a common substrate material. The tighter integra-tion has led to smaller but more-powerful systems in the form of self-contained devices that can drop into any

Reconfigurable processors hold the key to future products using embedded systems.

Authored by:

Robert RepasAssociate Editor

Key points:• Embedded systems take on the disguise of

ordinary devices, not computers.

• Industrial trends tend to mirror those in the consumer space.

• One critical missing aspect is a simple programming method for the embedded system.

Resources:Microchip Technology Inc., www.microchip.com

National Instruments, www.ni.com

Texas Instruments, www.ti.com

WinSystems, www.winsystems.com

Xilinx, www.xilinx.com

ASOFTWAREDEFINED FUTURE for

embedded controls

ing, improve performance, and future-proof the design with the ability to update the logic at any time during development or even after they have deployed the em-bedded system.

FPGAs have always been used as the “glue” logic that ties various parts of the system together. But as their per-formance rose while power and cost dropped, FPGAs took on the additional task of handling signal process-ing. Today FPGAs perform the functions of digital filters, process Fast-Fourier Transforms (FFTs), and provide the logic needed for proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control loops, among many other things. Most times these processes take place in parallel with the computing side of the system, boosting processing speed while giv-ing more deterministic control of the application.

The addition of FPGAs to embedded systems has become so common that new SOC releases now con-tain both a complete microprocessor and an FPGA in a single package. One example being released in 2012 is the Zynq-7000 Extensible Processing Platform (EPP) from Xilinx, San Jose. The Zynq integrates a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a Xilinx 7 Series programma-ble FPGA and an industry-standard AXI interface. The combination gives embedded design teams the ability to

piece of equipment for a specific purpose. Examples of these devices include digital signal processors (DSPs), network interface and communication services, and even complete computing platforms.

Computers-on-modules (COMs) are a subset of SOMs that integrate an entire computer on a single mod-ular device. While still considered as embedded systems, the versatility of their general-purpose computer lets COMs handle more functions with a single package than typical of the other embedded approaches.

The push to make systems still smaller has freed chip-makers to form all devices onto a single die, the SOC. Instead of individual IC dies of discrete components mounted to a substrate, all devices are etched onto a sin-gle die of silicon or other suitable material.

But there is a problem with this approach. Many de-sign teams may use the same SOC or SOM as the basis of a product. When those design teams compete with one another, it is sometimes difficult to come up with final designs that are distinctively different from those of competitors. So most design teams augment the SOC or SOM with additional discrete components and pro-grammable logic. For example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) let design teams add specialized process-

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com52 MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 53

Access our Reader Service Web site to quickly find and request information on the

products and services found in the pages of MACHINE DESIGN.www.machinedesign.com/rsc

56

52

42

64

73

60

56

52

Better alternatives for wind powerInnovative new designs for wind turbines promise to cure problems ranging from noisy props to poor efficiency in moderate breezes.

A software-defined future for embedded controlsThe future of embedded computing includes devices with more power, features, and simpler programming systems.

Fundamentals of ultraprecision machiningIt no longer takes exotic machining to hold submicron tolerances.

Analyzing the essentials of bearing performanceSoftware that examines bearing fundamentals leads to better designs.

Working with dimensional tolerancesUnderstanding the nuances of tolerances makes life easier for engineers.

MACHINE DESIGN’sLITERATURE EXPRESS

VOLUME 84ISSUE 7

MAY 10, 2012

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com2

* Software and firmware aredownloadable for authorizedcustomers from:www.automationdirect.com

www.automationdirect.com/c-more

REMOTE ACCESS AND CONTROL BUILT-INNo Additional Hardware required. The C-more RemoteAccess feature resides in all panels with Ethernet support,and requires no option modules. Access real-time dataor initiate an action on a control system from anywhere,any time. (Requires software and firmware version 2.4 or later*, and anEthernet C-more panel)

C-more touch panels in 6" to 15" sizes are a practical wayto give plant personnel easy access to controls and data. Check out the powerful yet easy-to-use configurationsoftware by downloading a demo version at:

http://support.automationdirect.com/demos.html

ALL C-MORE PANELS INCLUDE:D 6*470:.;2;<2>.<7=,1;,:..6?2<1=64252<.-<7=,1*:.*;D "6.(&<A8.*6-76.(&<A8.87:<D &.:2*4,755=62,*<276;26<.:/*,.

FULL-FEATURED MODELS ADD:D *;.'<1.:6.<,755=62,*<276;D 758*,<4*;1;47</7:-*<*4700260

C-more touchpanel line-up:

6-inch STNgrayscale

6-inch TFT65,538 colors

8-inch TFT10-inch TFT

12-inch TFT15-inch TFT

Starting at:

$432Starting at:

$540$1,081 $1,727 $2,051 $2,484

CONNECT TO CONTROLLERS WITH DRIVERS FOR:D 44=<75*<2762:.,<#;#;D 44.6:*-4.A

76<:74702@F758*,<702@F 2,:7702@E<1.:6.<!-*8<.:/7:&&.:2.;4.@702@&F<1.:6.<E 2,:7702@E

D 7-+=;%'(*6-'##<1.:6.<D &!#)D "5:767;<263-*8<.: !&&.:2*4and Ethernet

D &.4.,<.- 2<;=+2;12)&.:2.;$&.:2.;D &2.5.6;& ##*6-& <1.:6.<

&"7>.:'##

C-more operator touch panels offer:

D 4.*:'',747:-2;84*A;(6-inch STN models also available)

D 6*470<7=,1;,:..6 /7:5*@25=5/4.@2+242<A

D *;A<7=;.;7/<?*:.

www.automationdirect.com

1-800-633-0405

Go online or call to get complete information,request your free catalog, or place an order.

"=:C-more remote HMI application,

for iPad®, iPhone® or iPod touch®, is

available on the App Store /7:

It provides remote access and control

to a C-more panel for mobile users

who have a wi-fi or cellular connection.

RS# 103

DEPARTMENTS

For customized article reprints and permissions please contact: Penton Reprints, 1-888-858-8851, e-mail at reprints@pentonreprints.com or visit pentonreprints.com.

Editorial content is indexed in the Applied Science Technology Index, the Engineering Index, SciSearch and Research Alert. Microfilm copies available from National Archive Publishing Company (NAPC), 300 N. Zeeb Rd., P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998, Ph: 734-302-6500 or 800-420-NAPC (6272), extension 6578.

Permission to photocopy is granted for users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Inc. to photocopy any article, with the exception of those for which separate ownership is indicated on the first page of the article, provided that the base fee of $1.25 per copy of the article, plus $.60 per page is paid to CCC, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923 (Code No. 0024-9114/12 $1.25 + .60).

Subscription Policy: MACHINE DESIGN is circulated to research, development, and design engineers primarily engaged in the design and manufacture of machinery, electrical/electronic equipment, and mechanical equipment. To obtain a complimentary subscription see our Web page at submag.com/sub/mn. For change of address fill out a new qualification form at submag.com/sub/mn.

Printed in U.S.A., Copyright © 2012. Penton Media, Inc. All rights reserved. MACHINE DESIGN (ISSN 0024-9114) is published semimonthly except for a single issue in January, February, June, July, and December by Penton Media, Inc., 9800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66212.

Paid subscriptions include issues 1-18. Issue No. 19 (OEM Handbook and Supplier Directory) is available at additional cost. Rates: U.S.: one year, $139; two years, $199;. Canada/Mexico: one year, $159; two years, $239; All other countries: one year, $199; two years, $299. Cost for back issues are U.S. $10.00 per copy plus tax, Canada $15.00 per issue plus tax, and Int’l $20.00 per issue. Product Locator, $50.00 plus tax. Prepaid subscription: Penton Media (MACHINE DESIGN), P.O. Box 2100, Skokie IL 60076-7800. Periodicals Postage Paid at Shawnee Mission, Kans., and at additional mailing offices.

Can GST #R126431964. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No.40612608. Canada return address: Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, Ont., N6C 6B2.

Digital subscription rates: U.S.: one year, $69; two years, $99;. Canada/Mexico: one year, $79; two years, $119; All other countries: one year, $99; two years, $149.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address notice to Customer Service, MACHINE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2100, Skokie, IL 60076-7800.

ON THE COVERAltaeros Energies’ proof-

of-concept model for an

airborne turbine platform.

EDITORIALThe wind industry needs more inventors

EDITORIAL STAFF

LETTERS

SCANNING FOR IDEASMagnetic brake’s microcontroller eliminates

cogging and nonlinearity

Compact stepper-motor actuator fits the bill

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

LOOKING BACK

SENSOR SENSE

COMMENTARYUnion or not, engineers’ salaries are about the same

BERKE ON SAFETYBad stretching can defeat good design

VANTAGE POINTWhy aren’t more manufacturers embracing

sustainable metalworking? — Doug Watts

INVENTOR’S CORNERLockbox secures software dongles

MECHANICAL TECH GUIDE PRODUCTS

SOFTWARE REVIEWMerging medical imagery with CAD

SOFTWARE PRODUCTS

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTEngineered materials

PRODUCTS

BUSINESS INDEX

AD INDEX

CLASSIFIEDS

BUSINESS STAFF

BACKTALK

10

12

16

20

26

33

34

8

36

38

40

68

72

82

84

86

92

93

94

94

95

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com4

The Truth About Compressed Air!Facts about BlowersEnergy conscious plants might think a blower to be a better choice due to its slightly lower electrical consumption compared to a compressor. In reality, a blower is an expensive capital expenditure that requires frequent downtime and costly maintenance of fi lters, belts and bearings. Here are some important facts:

Filters must be replaced every one to three months.

Belts must be replaced every three to six months.

Typical bearing replacement is at least once a year at a cost near $1000.

G Blower bearings wear out quickly due to the high speeds (17-20,000 RPM) required to generate eff ective airfl ows.

G Poorly designed seals that allow dirt and moisture infi ltration and environments above 125°F decrease the one year bearing life.

G Many bearings can not be replaced in the fi eld, resulting in downtime to send the assembly back to the manufacturer.

Blowers take up a lot of space and often produce sound levels that exceed OSHA noise level exposure requirements. Air volume and velocity are often diffi cult to control since mechanical adjustments are required.

To discuss an application, contact:

EXAIR Corporation11510 Goldcoast DriveCincinnati, Ohio 45249-1621(800) 903-9247Fax: (513) 671-3363email: techelp@exair.comwww.exair.com/45/423b.htm

Compare these BlowoffsTh ere are a variety of ways to blow the water from the bottles shown in the photo below, but which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application using four diff erent blowoff methods: drilled pipe, fl at air nozzles, Super Air Knife (each using compressed air as a power source), and a blower supplied air knife (using an electric motor as a power source). Each system consisted of two twelve inch long air knives. Th e following comparison proves that the EXAIR Super Air Knife is the best choice for your blowoff , cooling or drying application.

Th e goal for each of the blowoff choices was to use the least amount of air possible to get the job done (lowest energy and noise level). Th e compressed air pressure required was 60 PSIG which provided adequate velocity to blow the water off . Th e blower used had a ten horsepower motor and was a centrifugal type blower at 18,000 RPM. Th e table at the bottom of the page summarizes the overall performance. Since your actual part may have an odd confi guration, holes or sharp edges, we took sound level measurements in free air (no impinging surface).

Drilled PipeTh is common blowoff is very inexpensive and easy to make. For this test, we used (2) drilled pipes, each with (25) 1/16" diameter holes on 1/2" centers. As shown in the test results below, the drilled pipe performed poorly. Th e initial cost of the drilled pipe is overshadowed by its high energy use. Th e holes are easily blocked and the noise level is excessive - both of which violate OSHA requirements. Velocity across the entire length was very inconsistent with spikes of air and numerous dead spots.

Flat Air NozzlesAs shown below, this inexpensive air nozzle was the worst performer. It is available in plastic, aluminum and stainless steel from several manufacturers. Th e fl at air nozzle provides some entrainment, but suff ers from many of the same problems as the drilled pipe. Operating cost and noise level are both high. Some manufacturers off er fl at air nozzles where the holes can be blocked - an OSHA violation. Velocity was inconsistent with spikes of air.

Blower Air KnifeTh e blower proved to be an expensive, noisy option. As noted below, the purchase price is high. Operating cost was considerably lower than the drilled pipe and fl at air nozzle, but was comparable to EXAIR’s Super Air Knife. Th e large blower with its two 3" (8cm) diameter hoses requires signifi cant mounting space compared to the others. Noise level was high at 90 dBA. Th ere was no option for cycling it on and off to conserve energy like the other blowoff s. Costly bearing and fi lter maintenance along with downtime were also negative factors.

EXAIR Super Air KnifeTh e Super Air Knife did an exceptional job of removing the moisture on one pass due to the uniformity of the laminar airfl ow. Th e sound level was extremely low. For this application, energy use was slightly higher than the blower but can be less than the blower if cycling on and off is possible. Safe operation is not an issue since the Super Air Knife can not be dead-ended. Maintenance costs are low since there are no moving parts to wear out.

The Super Air Knife is the low cost way to blowoff, dry, clean and cool.

If you think compressed air is too expensive and noisy - read this. The facts will surprise you!

Blowoff ComparisonComp. Air Horsepower

Required

SoundLevel dBA

PurchasePrice

Annual Electrical

Cost*

Approx. Annual Maintenance

Cost

First Year CostType of blowoff PSIG BAR SCFM SLPM

Drilled Pipes 60 4.1 174 4,924 35 91 $50 $4,508 $920 $5,478

Flat Air Nozzles 60 4.1 257 7,273 51 102 $208 $6,569 $1,450 $8,227

Blower Air Knife 3 0.2 N/A N/A 10 90 $5,500 $1,288 $1,500 $8,288

Super Air Knife 60 4.1 55 1,557 11 69 $518 $1,417 $300 $2,235

*Based on national average electricity cost of 8.3 cents per kWh. Annual cost refl ects 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

RS# 104

ED

ITO

R’S

WE

B P

ICK

SWhat’s new online machinedesign.com

Application note on wireless LANA new Agilent application note,

“Wireless LAN at 60 GHz,” discusses

in detail the proposed IEEE 802.11ad

guidelines for devices that would

provide up to 7 Gbps throughput

using approximately 2 GHz of

spectrum at 60 GHz over a short

range. It addresses the requirements

and challenges of the higher data

throughput needed to support

today’s “unwired office.” Download a

copy at www.agilent.com/find/WLAN.

Capping-clutch Web siteWarner Electric’s new Web site,

www.cappingclutch.com, provides

a comprehensive resource

for improving bottle-capping

operations. The site covers magnetic

headsets that provide consistent

torque control; fixed, quick

connect, and mechanical chucks;

and stainless-steel antirotation

knives. Content includes product

information, design features,

brochures, catalogs, application

profiles, and video links — covering

applications from milk cartons and

bottled water to ketchup and motor

oil.

Metric mechanical-drive productsStock Drive Products/Sterling

Instrument’s new D805 Metric

Catalog includes detailed specs

and information on more than

40,000 drive components, including

timing belts, pulleys, clamps,

bearings, gearheads, couplings,

and vibration mounts, many of

which are RoHS compliant. The

1,264-page catalog also contains a

comprehensive 233-page technical

data section. Download or request a

hard copy at www.sdp-si.com/D805/

D805cat.htm.

YouTube training channelWago Corp.’s new YouTube channel

features more than 30 step-

by-step training and product

support videos that cover a broad

spectrum of content on electrical

interconnections and automation.

Topics range from basic terminal-

block marking to commissioning a

Bluetooth RF transceiver, remote I/O

EtherNet/IP fieldbus, and CoDeSys

programming. The videos include

instructional text, letting users follow

along with their own computer.

Access the channel at www.wago.us

FREE WEBCAST: OPTIMIZE MACHINE PERFORMANCE WITH THE LATEST SERVOTUNING TECHNOLOGY

May 24, 2012, 2:00 ETThis Webinar by Yaskawa will first present some of the latest servotuning

technologies, including advance autotuning, vibration suppression, and model

following, along with the particular strengths of each. The discussion will then

examine how these methods can solve specific application challenges, when

one technique is preferred over another, and cases where a combination of

techniques provides the best results. Servotuning can help simplify designs,

improve throughput and performance, increase component life, and reduce

machine commissioning time. Learn more and register at http://machinedesign.

com/training.

Ball-shaped robotEngineers from STMicroelectronics

show off the Sphero, a small robot

that looks like

a baseball. It

houses a motor, drive, battery, MEMS sensors and, via

Bluetooth, uses an iPad for steering and control. Learn

more and watch it roll at www.engineeringtv.com/video/

Fun-Applications-for-STMicroele.

UPCOMING WEB EVENTS

WATCH PRODUCT OVERVIEW AND TUTORIAL VIDEOS AT YOUR CONVENIENCEAutomationDirect’s YouTube channel features industrial-control product overviews and tutorials. Recent uploads include:

Field wirable connectors — Two helpful videos on the components and how to wire them.

Temperature controllers — Overview of stand-alone process/temperature controllers with universal signal inputs.

Soft starters — Features of soft starters that can help save energy and increase motor reliability.

NFPA pneumatic cylinders — Features and applications for the latest addition to the NITRA pneumatic-cylinder family.

For a complete list of videos, visit www.youtube.com/automationdirect. Become a subscriber and get alerts when new videos are uploaded.

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com6

!

!"

"#$$ %$&$

& '(

'$&$!'$' )*$

RS# 106

EDITORIAL

The wind industry needs more inventors

Next time your TV viewing habits include watching the Cleveland Indians playing at home, keep an eye out for the ballpark’s newly installed wind turbine. It is an innovative design, but it’s only there because the Indians didn’t have to pay for much of it. Cleveland’s vice president of ballpark operations recently admitted that the club used grants, subsidies, and other spiffs — i.e., other people’s money — to justify the installation. The few kilowatts of power it will generate are an insignificant percentage of what the ballpark consumes.

You can’t blame the Indians for taking advantage of “free money.” But the process by which they came to install a wind turbine is a snapshot of the unhealthy situation that characterizes the wind industry: Unless installed by hobbyists, most wind turbines are built only because of sub-sidies, not because of economic feasibility. Consider the comments of the Texas State Energy Conservation Office a few years ago which con-ceded, “For wind farms being installed today, the production tax credit is still the main driver of economic viability.” The PTC is a corporate tax credit for several renewable sources, including wind, which credits 2.2¢/kW-hr for electricity generated by wind power. Wind producers have even been known to pay users to take their energy just so they can get the PTC.

If there was ever an energy source in need of technological progress to be economically viable, it is wind power. That is why we devoted a few pages in this issue to looking at novel designs for wind turbines. Readers will note none of these ideas come from mainstream wind-turbine manu-facturers. Turbine makers today seem to act a little like Detroit automak-ers of the 1970s and 80s: Despite criticism of their designs, they’d rather push the models already in their brochures than go back to the drawing board to come up with something better.

The wind-turbine designs we highlight are products of independent inventors who have noted the many difficulties of commercial wind-tur-bine architectures. In particular, they have tried to devise ways of fielding wind turbines that are less costly and more reliable than those that occupy wind farms today.

A case in point is the wind turbine now adorning the Indians’ home field. Designed by Dr. Majid Rashidi of Cleveland State University, it is a noncommercial prototype that uses a cylindrical structure with a heli-cal shape to deflect wind into small-scale turbines on its sides. This lets Rashidi’s turbines begin turning in light breezes that wouldn’t budge the blades on most other designs. They are essentially noiseless thanks to dif-fuser rings that reduce the wind currents traveling along the blades. And the design uses inexpensive materials that are easy to find and relatively simple to assemble.

Proponents of the wind industry have predicted dire consequences if legislators fail to extend wind’s production tax credit. But their arguments begin to sound like those of automakers and their Armageddon-like pro-nouncements about CAFE standards decimating their industry. Wind-turbine makers would be better served listening to some of the inventors who want to make wind power practical without spending other people’s money to subsidize it.

— Leland Teschler, Editor

RS# 107

MAY 10, 2012

Most axial fans of the “compact class” use the old shaded-pole motor AC technology, despite its poor efficiency compared to DC technology. The barrier to improvement was that DC technology couldn’t be operated directly from the AC mains supply. A solution is now available with i-Maxx technology from ebm-papst. The i-Maxx retains the mounting dimensions of the equivalent AC fans and is capable of operating on AC mains power around the world. There is no simpler way to save energy.

Learn more at info.ebmpapst.us/i-maxx

the engineer’s choice

Intelligent fans for smart savings.

RS# 108

We’ve Covered All The Angles-Without Contact

With more than a thousand different series, models,sizes, and options there is a Novotechnik non-contact rotary

position sensor to match your application, and there’s one very good reason to choose Novotechnik: A level of precision that’s unmatched in

the industry. Whether you’re looking for non-contacting, or even touchless, single-turn, or multi-turn rotary position sensors, Novotechnik has the sensor youneed. They are all detailed in our 96-page rotary position sensor catalog. For your

free copy, contact Novotechnik.Setting A Higher Standard:• Operating lives to: unlimited movements• Independent linearity to ± 0.3º• Resolution to 0.09º• Repeatability to <0.03% of signal range• Maximum rotating speed to: unlimited rpm• Sealed to protection class IP 69• Absolute measurements to 360º• Housing diameters from 13 mm

We’ve Covered All The Angles-Without Contact

Novotechnik U.S., Inc.155 Northboro RoadSouthborough, MA 01772Tel: 508-485-2244 • Fax: 508-485-2430

For complete information, visitwww.novotechnik.com/ncr

3$7(17('

t_.1B_14* QSFTTVSFSBOHF

t1SFTTVSFVOJUPOEJTQMBZ

t'PVSQSFTTVSFVOJUDPOWFSTJPOT.1B LHGDN2 CBS 14*

t"DDVSBUFSFBEPVUBOEXJEFWJFXJOHBOHMF

t3FQMBDFBCMF$3CBUUFSZMBTUVQUPZFBST

t*1EVTUBOETQMBTIQSPPGFODMPTVSF

Digital Pressure Gauge

Email: sales@adsens.net

www.adsens.net

18310 Bedford Cir., Industry, CA 91744-5971 USA

TEL: 626-854-2773 FAX: 626-854-8183

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITORLeland E. Teschler

leland.teschler@penton.com

MANAGING EDITORKenneth J. Korane

ken.korane@penton.com

SENIOR EDITORSLeslie Gordon

leslie.gordon@penton.com

Stephen J. Mrazstephen.mraz@penton.com

ASSOCIATE EDITORRobert J. Repas, Jr.

robert.repas@penton.com

INDUSTRY COVERAGE

AUTOMOTIVE, PACKAGING, MEDICAL

Stephen J. Mraz

CAD/CAM, MANUFACTURING Leslie Gordon

ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONICS Robert J. Repas, Jr.

FLUID POWER, MECHANICALKenneth J. Korane

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Denise Greco

Editorial Production Manager

Randall L. RubenkingArt Director

1300 E. 9th St. Cleveland, OH 44114-1503

RS# 110

RS# 109

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com10

For more information contact Ellen Girard, LUBRIPLATE’s -'"/&*$*(3./4"$&--!(0-&,(/" +)

Backed By:

4 +),(&)"*/-3(*/0-1"3.4" %0,,+-/4 0-& /&+*+#/2-"4Machinery Tags 4 +((+2,0-& */*(3.&.4 Training

ESPLubriplate ®

Extra Services Package

WHEN IT COMES TOSPECIFYING

H-1 LUBRICANTSFOR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT...

Lubriplate®

CAN MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

5"-.+#0-& /&+*3,"-/&."5 /+-4&-" /",-"."*//&1".

5"!& /"!",-/)"*/5./-+!0 /*$"+/% ++!-!""*"-(*!0./-&(5+-(!2&!"&./-&0/&+*"/2+-'

Lubriplate’s Advanced, 100% Synthetic, NSF H-1 Registered Lubricants Include...

%".."*/&(0-& */*$" Lubriplate®

ISO21469Compliant

ISO9001

Registered

PGO-FGL Series – Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG)-Based, Synthetic, Helical and Worm Gear Fluids.

SFGO Ultra Series – 100% Synthetic, Polyalphaolefin (PAO)-Based, High-Performance, Super Multi-Purpose Fluids For A Variety of Applications Including Gearboxes, Bearings, Pumps, Chains, Hydraulic Systems and Air Compressors.

SSO-FG Series – 100% Synthetic Lubricants For Can Closing and Seaming Equipment.

SYNXTREME FG-Series – Synthetic, High-Performance,Calcium Sulfonate Complex, Food Machinery Greases.

HTCL-FG Series – 100% Synthetic, Ester-Based, Oven Chain Lubricants. RS# 111

LETTERS

Them kidsI graduated from college 30 years ago, and about every two years after that, I read at least one ar-ticle about college graduates be-ing unprepared for the workforce (“Old Codgers Always Gripe About ‘the Kids,’” March 8). The articles are usually written by academics from places like the Social Science Research Council. But they just want to extract more education funding from the government. If the premise of the articles is true, however, then it is an embarrass-ment to academia to advertise such poor student preparedness, considering the astronomical sal-aries and benefits teachers and professors receive.

The argument that college graduates are not prepared for the workforce also comes from managers in all industries. When asked about this issue, one dis-covers that managers expect new hires to jump in and know all the systems and procedures of their company. This is too much to ex-pect from any new hire, especially from recent college graduates. I find that some engineering man-agers have even higher expecta-tion from new college graduates. They expect them to know and have experience in all advanced manufacturing processes, in ad-dition to being able to jump in and create new designs.

As you pointed out, the idea that new college grads are not being properly educated to join the workforce will be around for a long time, along with other myths espoused by academia such as the one that says engineers lose half their knowledge every five years after graduating from college. Twelve of the engineering text-books that I used in my studies 30 years ago are still in print today. What new laws of physics are new engineers learning, making the old engineers obsolete? Please do not publish such absurd ideas without real proof.

G. Harris

Getting more U. S. engineering jobsAs a long-time reader of your magazine, I can remember many variations on one topic being de-bated repeatedly in your editori-als and letters: the deterioration of the labor market in the U. S. for engineers.

Anyway you look at the situ-ation, it becomes clear that the root cause of the problem is the loss of manufacturing in the U. S. causing the reduction in demand for materials and services.

This trend has been going on for more than two decades, and it is time we admit that global-ization is not working for us and will never work in our favor. Most of the calls to level the playing field with tax cuts and incentives are just more smoke and mirrors sponsored by corporations al-ready making billions of dollars despite the deterioration of the take-home pay and standard of living of American engineers and workers in general.

There is no silver bullet or a s imp le solution to decades of failed industrial policies, but a fair-trade policy that protects American jobs is required to stop, or at least slow, the further dete-rioration of our labor market.

Name withheld by request

Quality not quantityI recall having a related discussion with engineering educators about 10 years ago (“Deconstructing Engineering Education,” Leland Teschler ’s Blog, Feb. 22). A few years before that, around 1997, many univers i t ies essential ly junked a full year of engineering curriculum to squeeze in a full year of “design courses.” I asked educators how they managed to still teach the essentials and get it all done in four years of course-work . They said they got rid of overlap by combining parts of classes to eliminate several sepa-rate classes. It seems they didn’t see the value in courses that re-peated some materials, but in a different approach.

Many critics of current engi-neering education seem to have a single complaint: “Engineering courses are too hard!” But then, they are supposed to be hard. That’s what produces great en-gineers.

Engineers have an awesome responsibility to society ; repeti-tion and “hard” are absolutely necessary to produce those great engineers that we need. “More engineers” is not a worthwhile goal, while “the best engineers in the world” is the only goal worth pursuing.

Scott Prost-Domasky

Kids and baseball: They never changeThe establishment, to use an old 60s term, is always harping on the col-lege grads, complaining they aren’t as educated or qualified as they themselves were at that age. But one reader points out that the older gen-eration never seems to take respon-sibility for educating and training those college grads. In another vein, readers agreed with Ken Korane’s sa-tiric plea for Congress to mandate strike-zone-detection technology for major-league baseball.

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com12

Q Graphical Software

Q Sensor Connectivity

Q Signal Analysis

Q Control Algorithms

Q Custom Timing

Q Custom Triggering

Q Actuator Connectivity

Q Embedded Storage

Q Industrial Networks

Q Expansion Systems

All the Tools you Need for Embedded Measurements and Control,

in one rugged box.

The NI CompactRIO hardware platform can handle your embedded measurement

and control applications, and do it in a way that outperforms other off-the-shelf

systems so you don’t have to spend time developing a custom solution. The range

of high-quality measurements, coupled with an extremely rugged design and the

ability to modify the hardware using NI LabVIEW system design software, gives you

all the benefits of customization with the convenience of an off-the-shelf platform.

>> To learn more about CompactRIO, visit ni.com/compactRIO 800 891 2755

©2012 National Instruments. All rights reserved. CompactRIO, LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments.

Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 05312

RS# 112

LETTERS

When I was at Purdue, there was a story making the rounds that the Indiana legislature discussed passing a law that would man-date that pi equal three, since the real value was too hard to re-member.

Buck

I’ve heard rumors the new Cor-porate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) mandate will include an antigravity provision that vehi-cle manufacturers must meet by 2050.

Ellen Hellman

Correction

In the March 22 Looking Back item, “Rough-water power boats,” the sentence “Speed is 20 knots with an 180-hp outboard,” should have read, “Speed is 20 knots with an 18-hp outboard. — Editor

man error from calling balls and strikes is long overdue.

Frank C. Maffei

I recall a small hometown game yea r s a g o w h e n t h e u m p i r e called a strike on my father when the ball bounced off the front edge of the plate. The ump’s ar-gument was that as the ball went by the batter, it was in the strike zone. My father was deep in the batter’s box. As it turned out, the ump had a substantial bet on the game.

M a y b e u m p i r e s c o u l d b e rigged with cameras so we could all see exactly what they see. Sort of an instant replay. And the ump could review the pitch before making the call.

All in all, I don’t support add-ing high tech to baseball. Over the course of nine innings, it usu-ally all balances out.

Carl Junior

One problem with keeping stu-dents in engineering is that they do not relate what they are learn-ing in early courses to practical en-gineering. What is needed is more hands-on experience early in the curriculum to show them the need for what they are learning.

Lawrence Mann

Strike zone technology and a new piIn reference to your commentary (Mandating Innovation, Feb. 9): I have been advocating the use of modern technology to deter-mine and police the strike zone in major-league baseball. Umps have needed it for many years now. I want to explode when I hear the argument that doing so would remove the “human ele-ment” from the game. Only when the players are robots will such a statement be true. Removing hu-

RS# 113

+'()*$)0#)')+

&*$)

')'-$'(%%#

')('-$'(%%#

###(

#!.$%)$#($'',)')'$' $"%*)'.*)$"))$$!%)((#))$#

+'$)$*$)0

#)')+&*$)

#!.&*$)#(*")

$!(##"!!#

+$''$#/'")$#,))# )$'!-$*) %%'$+

')%'$*)$#

('$)$(')/()'

"!!" !"%"

! ! %"!

&% !&% !

! % '!$ !! ! !%

# !

RS# 114

SCANNING FOR IDEAS

Edited by Stephen J. Mraz

Request free information via our

Reader Service Web site at

www.machinedesign.com/rsc

Magnetic brake’s microcontroller eliminates cogging and nonlinearity Magnetic brakes have suffered from hysteresis, cogging, and low-power output for over 30 years. And they have lacked linearity, so users had to more than double the input signal to double the output force of the brake. To solve these problems, engineers at Magnetic Brake Sys-tems, Camarillo, Calif. (www.magbrakesystems.com), designed a new type of magnetic brake. It uses a microcontroller to ensure output torque is linear with input sig-nals, regardless of whether the control signal is increasing or decreasing.

The same microcon-troller eliminates cogging which, on some magnetic brakes, can be as high as 25% of the brake’s maximum torque. The microcontroller ensures that within 500 msec after the input signal goes to zero, cogging disappears — and with no rotation of the brake drag ring.

The brakes can exert constant ten-sion instead of constant torque, which is useful for unwinding wire or films from variable-diameter feed rolls. To do this, the microcontroller monitors the radius of the feed roll by measuring the time between pulses created by Hall-effect devices and magnets on the feed spindle and metering roller.

The brakes use an internal, centrifu-gal cooling fan and ventilation slots to keep the brakes cool. For example, the MBL-5.5, with a 5.5-in. OD, can

dissipate 4,700 W for 10 sec; on a con-tinuous basis, it can dissipate 1,700 W at 8,000 rpm. The brakes come with outside diameters ranging from 1.5 to 12 in., and handle 4,000 to 20,000 rpm. The brakes are powered by a 24-V power supply.

RS# 401

Inner stator

Outer stator

Impeller

Shaft

Drag ring

Vent hole

Coil

Ball bearings

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com16

©2012 Stratasys, Inc.

NOW I THINK IN 3D.

AND MY DESIGNS JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER.

With our Dimension® 3D Printer, I know my model will represent my idea exactly.

And that makes it easier to improve my design with each iteration.

Our Dimension is right here in the office, and that helps us

get our products to market faster. The Dimension models we

create are made in ABS, so they’re also tough and durable. Overall,

Dimension gives me an amazing sense of freedom—and creativity.

Find out more at www.dimensionprinting.com/macd4

RS# 115

How do you

identifythe correct

tray cables foryour next application?

askTURCK.com©2012 TURCK

SCANNING FOR IDEAS

Compact stepper-motor actuator fills the bill

For another article on Ultra Motion actuators, scan this code or go to http://machinedesign.com/article/modular-actuator-meets-flexible-demands-0108

The Digit, a stepper-motor actua-tor from Ultra Motion, Cutchogue, N. Y. (www.ultramotion.com), is based on an in-line design that couples the motor directly to the leadscrew. This makes for a com-pact package, one that measures 5.4-in. long when equipped with a NEMA-176 motor and about 6.6-in. long when a NEMA-23 stepper mo-

tor is used. Coupling the motor to the leadscrew with an Acme or ball nut gives the actuator more accu-racy and a longer life.Repeatability of the Digit is

±0.00004 in., and resolution is 0.00004 in./step. The device can exert up to 400 lb of force and move at up to 15 ips.

RS# 402

RS# 116

NEMA-17 or 23 stepper motor with preloaded ball bearings

Antirotation collar

Anodized-aluminum housing

Wiper seal

Polished stainless-steel shaft

O-ring seal

Bidirectional end-of-stroke-seal

Acme or ball nut with optional antibacklash feature

US/International: 1-800-52 ALPHA

Europe: +44 (0) 800 288 8809

Asia Pacific: +86-21-61498201/61498205

www.alphawire.comCable | Wire | Accessories

©20

12 A

lph

a W

ire

Available Now

Xtra-Guard Industrial Ethernet cables

are in stock and available in 500

and 1000 ft put-ups. For additional

information and free samples,

visit www.alphawire.com/XGIE

Alpha Wire’s new line of Xtra-Guard®

Industrial Ethernet Cat 5e cables

give you rugged connectivity for

your challenging networking needs.

Choose from the widest selection

of materials, configurations, and

shielding options to satisfy your

needs for flexibility, fluid resistance,

noise immunity, and other challenging

application demands.

Exceptional Performance

These new Cat 5e cables combine

the advanced technology of Ethernet

communications with the durability

and temperature range of Alpha’s

renowned Xtra-Guard 4 jacket.

The result is a flexible and routable

Ethernet cable that provides rugged,

reliable performance in the most

extreme environments.

Z -50°C to 105°C (PP core) and

125°C (FEP core)

Z 4 times OD (unshielded) and

8 times OD (shielded) cold

bend radius per TIA-568-C.2

Z Meets ANSI/TIA-568-C.2

Cat 5e requirements

Z UL Type CMR and suitable for

use in NFPA 79 applications

Z Sunlight, fluid, and

abrasion resistant

Z High-performance TPE jacket

provides three times the low-

temperature flexibility of PVC

Z Unshielded, foil shielded, or

Supra-Shield® foil + braid for

best EMI protection

Rugged Ethernet Connectivity

RS# 117

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

and throughput by offering part storage, automated selection, and shipping that costs less and uses less labor.Conventional ASRS have been

storing and retrieving cases containing identi-cal parts for some time. They have recently been expanded to handle small-quantity orders of several different items. However, several factors limit the ef-ficiency of these systems. First, they often experience single-point failures that halt the entire store-and-pick operation. Second, they cannot easily be expanded to match the growth in shipments. This is particularly true regarding the ability to independently scale throughput and inventory during installation and over the life of the system. Third, the need to store and retrieve orders sequentially instead of simultaneously limits speed and efficiency in handling orders on a high-throughput basis.New designs for piece picking have overcome

these deficiencies, boosting order-processing speed without sacrificing accuracy. In addition to high throughput and cost-efficient distribution, this new machinery also supplies a higher density of storage and more modular flexibility, which promotes enlarg-ing the system as needed.

This new approach is typified by the AutoStore system from Jakob Hatteland Logistics AS in Nor-

way. AutoStore uses independently operating robots that move bins

from a grid layout to individual pick stations. The distribution center’s immediate needs dictate the number of bins installed. But system flexibility accom-modates future growth by making it easy to add more bins for more storage.

Each robot travels on two sets of wheels that let it move along perpendicular axes. Thus, all robots can reach any position and any bin on the grid, indepen-dently of other robots. And if one of the robots needs maintenance, for example, its tasks are automatically taken over by other robots.

The system accommodates almost any number of robots, and the number of robots determines overall throughput. Each robot has a lift for picking up, car-rying, and placing bins stored in the grid. The robots wirelessly communicate with a warehouse-manage-ment system (WMS), and pick stations through a stan-dard application interface.Robots deliver each bin to a pick station where

workers pick, place, or check inventory. The robot

Robotic platforms make

retrieval system hum

Resources:Swisslog Warehouse & Distribution Solutions, www.swisslog.com

By placing storage bins in vertical stacks, Autostore boosts storage capacity 300% over conventional rack systems.

ule with near-zero errors while coping with a growing variety of stock numbers and complex orders. To address this situation, new automated-stor-age and retrieval systems (ASRS) try to balance inven-tory complexity

Many high-throughput retail-distribution centers face a growing logistics challenge: how to prepare small quantities of diverse parts to ship and arrive on sched-

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com20

A camera that can see around cornersResearchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are using a device that bounces a laser off doors and walls to create three-dimen-sional images of what is out of sight.

For example, to create images inside a room around a corner, the device fires a femtosecond laser that emits bursts of light measured in quadrillionths of a second at the wall or ceiling outside the room. Some of the laser beam reflects off that surface and into the room, where it continues to bounce off objects and walls. Some of the light reemerges and strikes a photodetector that takes samples every few picoseconds (trillionths of a second). Like radar, the device measures the time it takes for reflections to return, which lets it calculate how far the beams have traveled.

The device repeats this process several times, angling the laser off

different spots on the wall. Travel times from several laser bursts are assembled using various algorithms, including filtered backscatttering,

a technique commonly used in CAT scans. This lets the device piece to-gether the geometry of the room. In tests, images are said to be blurry but easily recognizable.Once improved, the device could

be a tool for police or firefighters try-ing to determine if it‘s safe to enter a room. It could also be used by a vehicle’s nav system to peer around corners, and in medical endoscopic cameras to see otherwise hidden ar-eas inside the human body. MD

then returns the bin to storage. New bins are thereby delivered back-to-back so that operators rarely wait for one.

AutoStore holds approximately 30 min of live pick-ing tasks in its queue at any one time. Should the need arise, any order can be redirected to any pick station to improve throughput. Control panels at each pick sta-tion display status information for the current order.

Using a modular approach lets storage bins, robots, and pick stations be expanded or extended. Size and form are no restrictions, as the system can adapt to different building heights, levels, and even surround obstacles such as pillars or walls.

The system places goods in the grid so that fre-quently used products are towards the tops of the stacks. Seldom-used bins sink to the bottom. This leads to shorter access times by reducing the distance between commonly used parts.

As each bin stacks on top of the other, the system produces up to 60% better use of space than other ASRS, and 300% better than conventional rack sys-tems. Typical installations may see up to 87% of the available cube space used for storage. MD

Resources:Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mit.edu

To see the device in action: tinyurl.com/7s59ecv

Each AutoStore autonomous robot uses two pairs of wheels for XY motion along guide rails. Robots receive operating instructions from a warehouse controller via a wireless network. Any robot can retrieve any container and take over tasks from other robots in the event of malfunctions.

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 21

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

state and make neutrons in the nucleus vibrate pre-cisely. The ions need to be kept at temperatures in the 0.01°K range, a task usually handled by lasers for achieving ultralow temperatures. (Bombarding atoms with a properly tuned laser lowers the temperature by forcing atoms to absorb photons, along with their

causing them to drift by at least 4 sec/14 billion years (the estimated age of the universe). The new clock will use heavier neutrons, which should be less affected by these fields.

A laser in the clock operating at 1015 Hz will boost the nucleus of a thorium 229 ion to a higher energy

New clock will be incredibly accurate, losing 1 second every 14 billion years

Research scientists at Georgia Tech make adjustments to the overlapping laser beams used to cool trapped atoms. (Credit: Gary Meek)

Researchers are designing a nuclear clock that would be two orders of magni-tude more accurate than the most ad-vanced atomic clock. It could someday be used in a new GPS, as the basis for secure communications, and to study fundamental theories of physics.

The new clock will base its time keeping on the oscil-lations of a thorium ion’s nucleus. Atomic clocks use oscil-lating electrons to keep time, but these relatively light sub-atomic particles are affected by magnetic and electrical fields,

RS# 118MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com22

momentum, which slows or cools the atoms.) But bombarding the ions with a second laser to cool them would affect the accuracy of the clock. To get around this problem, researchers will include a thorium 223 ion with the 229 ion. The heavier, time-keeping ion will be unaffected by a cooling laser tuned to the lighter

ion‘s frequency, but because of its proximity to the lighter ion, it will be cooled as well without degrading its vibrational frequency.

The major challenge facing the research team is determining the laser frequency needed to excite the thorium nucleus, and scientists have spent 30 years looking for that frequency.

The team includes scientists and engineers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Nevada, and University of New South Wales, Aus-tralia. MD

An ultrahigh vacuum chamber houses the RF ion trap where a single thorium atom is suspended and laser-cooled to near absolute zero temperature. (Credit: Alexander Radnaev)

RS# 119MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 23

(03&Ê&MFDUSPOJD.BUFSJBMT

&OIBODFQFSGPSNBODFBOEJODSFBTFEFTJHOlFYJCJMJUZ

JOZPVSFMFDUSPOJDTZTUFNTXJUIUIFMBUFTU&.*TIJFMEJOHBOE

3'HSPVOEJOHTPMVUJPOTGSPN(PSF

HPSFDPNFNJ

&.*("4,&54"/%

(306/%*/(1"%4

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

NASA engineers at the Glenn Research Centerin Cleveland are develop-ing a fuel cell that will let planetary rovers operate longer, especially in the cold and dark. Current rovers rely on batteries recharged with electric-ity from solar panels. But NASA wants to send rovers into canyons and valleys on Mars that aren’t in the sunlight because these shaded areas are more likely to have water (ice) near the surface than ar-eas exposed to sunlight, and finding water would change NASA’s plans for exploring Mars. These areas are also colder than those exposed to sunlight, which reduces battery capacity. So today’s rovers have limited time — any-where from a few hours to a few days — to explore shadowed areas. But a fuel cell could power a rover for weeks at time, despite the cold and darkness.

Fuel cells used in space explora-tion use hydrogen and pure oxygen, whereas those built for use on Earth rely on hydrogen and air, though only the oxygen from the air is re-ally needed. Using pure oxygen eliminates the need to get rid of im-purities found in air. This is one way NASA can boost fuel-cell efficiency.

In the pursuit of efficiency, the space agency also uses a nonflow-through cell, which means capillary action wicks away water produced by the electrochemical reactions that generate electricity. Conven-tional flow-through cells need a pump to handle this task, which adds weight, takes up space, and is less reliable.

And although it seems contra-dictory, NASA’s nonflow-through

cells are larger and heavier than conventional fuel cells. This lets NASA use higher pressures and temperatures inside — about 70°C and 45 psi for both the hydrogen and oxygen, compared with just a few pounds/square inch over ambient and room temperature for conventional cells. All these factors make the rover cell more efficient at converting hydrogen and water to electricity. So the larger size and weight of the NASA cell is offset by the additional electricity it can ex-tract from the store of water carried onboard the rover or spacecraft.NASA can also configure a rover

to use solar panels to generate electricity for converting water to hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. The rover would use the hydrogen and oxygen to re-supply the fuel cell’s reactant tanks and extend its power generation capability. MD

NASA develops fuel cells for planetary rovers

RS# 120

Resources:NASA Glenn Research Center,www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn

MAY 10, 2012

(03&Ê8JSFBOE$BCMF

8IFOSFMJBCJMJUZ EVSBCJMJUZ BOEQFSGPSNBODFDBOCFDPNQSPNJTFE

CZIBSTIFOWJSPONFOUT (03&Ë8JSFBOE$BCMFTPGGFSUIFCFTUTPMVUJPO

HPSFDPNFMFDUSPOJDT

8*3&"/%$"#-&

Shot peeningshapes thin ceramicsResearchers at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Me-chanics of Materials IWM and Production Systems and Design Technology IPK in Germany have developed a way to use shot peening to straighten thin, distorted ceramics for parts such as leaf springs. They fire shot or small pellets at the surface of a component with a blasting gun. The shot strikes the surface and alters the shape of the thin, outermost layer. By moving the gun over the ceramic part along a precisely calculated path, researchers counteracted warping. “Shot peening is common for working metals,” says IWM manager Wulf Pfeiffer. “But it has not been feasible for ceramics because they are too brittle and would shatter.”Researchers analyzed which size shot might work on ceramics.

Pellets that were too big would destroy the surface. Pellet speed was also a factor because hitting the material too fast damages it while hitting it too slowly does not change the surface shape enough. Before making a new component, researchers determined what to expect of particular ceramics. They fired shot and measured the stresses to see what sort of deformation is feasible and how the beam should be directed.Ceramics are useful in industry because they are lightweight,

rigid, resist corrosion, and withstand higher temperatures than metal (over 500°C). Until now, however, ceramics could only be machined using costly diamond tools. And machining creates tensions in the material’s surface, which distort the finished part as soon as it is re-moved from the machine.

Fortunately, the capability to shot peen the material has let re-searchers create various prototypes, including a ceramic leaf spring and a concave mirror. The technique is now advanced enough to serve in series production for simple components. Researchers have developed a computer simulation that will let components be worked in multiple axes. They also hope to automate the process us-ing a robot. MD

The cylindrical, 16-cell, flow-through fuel cell developed by NASA for spacecraft and planetary rovers was tested in NASA’s Scarab, a testbed for rover technology.

RS# 121

Resources:Fraunhofer, www.fraunhofer.de/en.html

MAY 10, 2012

Call us at 1-888-260-7466 or fax us at 516-771-6444

or Email us at sales@ondrives.us

See us at www.ondrives.us/LBG

4 or 8 arc-min...perfect for positioning applications

+ 4 or 8 arc-minutes + Shaft or Nema flange inputs+ Torques 12 to 600 in*lbs + Flanges for your motor+ Eight gearbox sizes + Mil specs accommodated+ Easily customized + Low temperature to -40°C

/RZEDFNODVKLQHLJKWVL]HV

.US Corp.-

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

LOOKING BACK

10 YEARS AGO — 2002Clean mail in an hour: Mail-Klenz from APO Health,Oceanside, N.Y., sterilizes an entire envelope and its contents in less than an hour using dry or steam heat. Systems come in four sizes and fit into a typical mail room. Smaller units use standard 110-V outlets and need no special wiring while larger units require 220 V.Sterilizers have automatic timers with heat “hold”

capability for continuous use. They are delivered ready to use, are FDA approved as a medical-sterilizing device, and UL-rated. The system includes a sterilizing unit, high-filtration facemasks, gloves, isolation pouches, and monthly strips.

30 YEARS AGO — 1982Step toward new destroyers: RCA Missile and Surface Radar has re-ceived a definition-phase contract as the combat-system engineering agent for the Navy’s new DDG-51 class of

multipurpose guided-missile destroy-ers. RCA will design a balanced combat system that integrates anti-air, anti-submarine, strike, and surface-warfare capabilities. As many as 60 ships of this new class are planned in a program that may continue to the year 2000.

50 YEARS AGO — 1962Stainless-steel-clad aluminum can be fabricated without separation or deformation and joined by various methods, including welding, brazing,

soldering, and adhesive bonding. The material, designated C908 by the Aluminum Co. of America, is a 0.010-in. layer of Type 300 stainless bonded to 3004 aluminum alloy. It comes in thicknesses of 0.040 to 0.250 in. Initial uses are for cooking utensils and small appliances; potential applications are seen in aerospace and automotive components and process equipment. MD

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com26

(952) 927-1400www.mnrubber.com

Minnesota Rubber & Plastics

Engineered to improve performance.Designed to reduce costs.

High tolerance components and assemblies are

what we work with everyday at Minnesota Rubber

and Plastics. Our experience in design, sealing and

manufacturing complex devices has made us the

preferred partner for industry leaders throughout

North America, Europe and Asia. The next time

your component or assembly seems impossible,

there's no one better to partner with than Minnesota

Rubber and Plastics. We'll make your tough

application a reality.

We Mold IdeasInto Reality.

RS# 122

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

COMPANY NEWS

CERTIFICATIONSThe testing and certifica-tion organization, TÜV SÜD America, Peabody, Mass., can now provide accredited certification for ISO 50001 to companies of all sizes and complexities.

DISTRIBUTIONConabelt USA, Miami, a dis-tributor of engineered rub-ber products, has agreed to distribute industrial belts for ContiTech North America, Montvale, N. J., into Latin America. ContiTech Group,

a div. of Continental AG, is comprised of seven special-ized operative business units.

TRAINING PROGRAMSTÜV Rheinland, Boxborough, Mass., will hold a four-day Functional Safety Training Program from June 18 to 21 at its Chicago office. The program is designed for engi-neers and developers of pro-grammable electronic safety systems and products who want to deepen their knowl-edge and experience within the area of functional safety according to IEC 61508. The program includes three days of training, and participants can take an optional exam on the fourth day to obtain an official verification of their expertise. To register or learn more, go to http://education.tuv.com/tuv-functional-safety-program.

DISTRIBUTORSAutomation-solutions pro-vider iAutomation, Beverly, Mass., has expanded its prod-uct portfolio through a new channel partner agreement covering Dunkermotor’s frac-tional-horsepower brushed and brushless-dc motors and intelligent servomotors, as well as its Thrust Tube linear motors. Dunkermotor, Elgin, Ill., manufactures industrial and commercial automation motors.

NEW HEADQUARTERSNovaTorque Inc., a producer of high-efficiency permanent-magnet motors, has moved from Sunnyvale, Calif., to new headquarters in Fremont, Calif.

AWARDSUnited Technologies Corp., Hartford, Conn., has awarded Simrit’s Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada, facility its Supplier Gold status for outstand-

RS# 123MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com28

Accelerating Your Success.™

Three Times the PowerPeople. Products. Services. The powerful combination of Avnet and

Bell Microproducts provides the expertise you need to accelerate your success.

Our combined team gives you access to world-class resources. Bringing industry

leading line cards together, we now deliver the most extensive inventory of brand

name systems, embedded hardware, displays, storage and software. And, with

our enhanced services you have access to Avnet’s leading ISO integration centers,

financial solutions and supply chain strategies.

©Avnet, Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. AVNET is a registered trademark of Avnet, Inc.Follow us on Twitter!

www.twitter.com/avnetdesignwire

1 800 332 8638www.avnetexpress.com

RS# 124

/ Ê/"1 -/Ê, +1, /-Ê"Ê/"9½-Ê, /,"1Ê

**/" -Ê/ Ê/ Ê 8/9Ê"Ê-Ê-* /9Ê -°

ÀÊÛiÀÊÈäÊÞi>ÀÃ]Ê-Ê>ÃÊLiiÊÌiÊ«ÀÛiÊi>`iÀÊÊÌiÊ`iÛi«iÌÊ>`Ê>Õv>VÌÕÀÊvÊÃÕ«iÀÀÊëiV>ÌÞÊyÊiÝLiÊV>LiÃÊLÕÌÊvÀÊëiV>Êii`ÃÊ>`Ê>««ÀÛ>ÃÊvÀÊÌiÊÃÌÊ`i>`Ê>««V>ÌðÛ>>LiÊÊÛ>ÀÕÃÊVwÊÕÀ>ÌÃÊ>`ÊVL>ÌÃÊvÀÊVÌÀ]Ê«ÜiÀ]Ê`>Ì>Ê

>`ÊÃ>ÊÊÃi`i`ÊÛiÀÃÃÊ>`Ê>LÀ>ÃÛiÊÀiÃÃÌ>ÌÊ>ViÌÃÊÌÕÀÊV>LiÊVÕÃÌiÀÃÊÌÊÃ>ÌÃwÊi`ÊVÕÃÌiÀð-ÊyÊiÝLiÊëiV>ÌÞÊV>LiÃÊi«ÊÞÕÊiiiÀÊÃÕÌÃÊ

ÌÊÌiÊÌÕiÃÌÊ«ÀLiÃÊ>`ÊÕÀÊÌÜÃÌi`ÊÌÊ>ÃÊi`ÊÌÊÃiÊvÊÌiÊÀi>ÌiÃÌÊÛ>ÌÃÊÊ«iÀviVÌÊyÊiÝLiÊëiV>ÌÞÊV>LiÃÊÃiÌÌÊiÜÊÃÌ>`>À`ÃÊÊÌiÊyÊiÝLiÊV>LiÊ>ÀiÌ°

16Ê,iÃÃÌ>Ì>ÀiÊEÊ

ÌiÀ>Ì>Ê««ÀÛ>Ã

-i`i`ÊEÊ1Ãi`i`

ÕiÊEÊ"Ê,iÃÃÌ>Ì

iV>,iÃÃÌ>Ì

i>ÌÊ,iÃÃÌ>Ì

>ÊÞÕÀÊV>ÊÀi«ÀiÃiÌ>ÌÛiÊÌ`>ÞÊ

ÎÊ>«>ÊÀÛi]Ê>ÀwÊi`]Ê iÜÊiÀÃiÞÊäÇääÊUÊ/i\ÊÇΰÓÇÈ°äxääÊUÊ>Ý\ÊÇΰÓÇÈ°£x£x/ÊvÀii\Ê£nÈÈÇÓÓÓÇÊUÊÜÜÜ°Ã>LV>Li°VÊUÊvJÃ>LV>Li°V

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

COMPANY NEWS

NEW FACTORYBauer Gear Motor, part of Al-tra Industrial Motion, Brain-tree, Mass., has opened its

first assembly plant in China. Bauer, located in Esslingen, Germany, manufactures high-quality gearmotors.

TEST EQUIPMENTSigmaTron International Inc., Elk Grove Village, Ill., has ad-opted the Agilent i1000D diag-nostic test set (DTS) application and the TS-8900 functional test system from Agilent Technolo-gies Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., to reduce test costs and increase business. Agilent offers mea-surement solutions in chemical analysis, life sciences, electron-ics, and communications. SigmaTron is a contract elec-tronics manufacturer.

INVESTMENTOmron Automation & Safety, Schaumburg,Ill., has invested in TEN Media LLC, a technology company that provides egg producers, su-permarkets, and consumers with solutions to aid in the prevention of salmonella disease and food-borne ill-nesses associated with table eggs. Omron will provide the automation technology to the network. TEN Media is build-ing the first nationwide, fully integrated compliance verifi-cation and quality-assurance network capable of defending all U. S. egg production. MD

NEW BRANCH OFFICEMoog Industrial Group, a div. of Moog Inc., East Aurora, N. Y., has opened a branch office in Istanbul, Turkey. Moog designs and manufactures high-perfor-mance motion-control compo-nents and systems.

ing performance in delivery, quality, lean practices, and customer support. The facil-ity is one of only five original Gold Supplier recipients to maintain this status for three consecutive years.

RS# 125MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com30

Associated Spring Raymond - USA370 West Dussel, Suite A s Maumee, OH 43537

800.872.7732 s asraymond.com/spec-spd/

We are an ISO/TS 16949:2009 and ISO 9001: 2008 certifi ed company ©2012 Barnes Group Inc. SPEC® is a trademark of Barnes Group Inc.

The difference is in the details.

Get our 2012 catalog. See the difference.

>LHYL[OLSLHKPUNZV\YJLMVYZ[VJRWYLJPZPVUJVTWVULU[ZHUK^L

[HRLV\YYLZWVUZPIPSP[`]LY`ZLYPV\ZS 6\YJVTWYLZZPVUL_[LUZPVUHUK

[VYZPVUZWYPUNZHUKZWYPUN^HZOLYZHYL[OLOPNOLZ[X\HSP[ LUNPULLYLK

MVYZ\WLYPVYWLYMVYTHUJL(UK^LJVU[PU\L[VPU[YVK\JLUL^WYVK\J[Z

[OH[TLL[[OLZLOPNOZ[HUKHYKZ¶MVYL_HTWSLV\YJVTWSL[LSPULVM

:[HPUSLZZ:[LLSJVTWYLZZPVUL_[LUZPVUHUK[VYZPVUZWYPUNZ

0UJVULSJVTWYLZZPVUZWYPUNZHUKUL^SPULZVMNHZZ[Y\[Z

)\[[OLKPMMLYLUJLPZHSZVPUV\YL_[YHZLY]PJL9HWPKZOPWWPUNMYVT

MHJPSP[PLZPU[OL(TLYPJHZ,\YVWLHUK(ZPH*\Z[VT^VYRJHWHIPSP[PLZ

MVYTH[LYPHSZJVH[PUNZRP[[PUNHUKZLJVUKHY`WYVJLZZLZ6YKLYPUN

HUKZOPWWPUNH]HPSHISL

3VVRJSVZLS`H[(ZZVJPH[LK:WYPUN9H`TVUK:7,*

*HSSVY]PZP[HZYH`TVUKJVTZWLJZWKMVY

V\YUL^WYVK\J[JH[HSVN

RS# 126

-(!##%!"*!&#" %&++ &$

%!$%' $ $ % !!*,#!

$ $!&#"#% #-'$%*&$*$

!#!'# %&#*'!" !'%'

"#!&%$%%%%$% !&%!""*

$ $!#$&#$ $!#$##%&$ $%%!

%#%!"! %$ %%$%% !!$

%! $&#"#$! #%* & %! %*

%! (!#($%! !

$$!#$%!%*!&#""%! $

!%! ((($ $ %&++!#'&$&++

% (-'!%$(#!

% )"#%$%!!%!(!#!#*!&

EVERY PLANT NEEDS A PARTNER TO

KEEP THINGS BUZZING

""# &$

( $&#!

((("""#&$! RS# 127

%VSBCJMJUZWT%JTUBODF°*UμT/P

-POHFSB%FDJTJPO

8IFOTFMFDUJOHUIFCFTUQSPYJNJUZ

TFOTPSGPSBCVTJWFFOWJSPONFOUT

UIFEFDJTJPOIBTBMXBZTDBSSJFE

BEJG¾DVMUUSBEFPGG°EVSBCJMJUZWT

TFOTJOHEJTUBODF5IFTUBJOMFTT

TUFFM9TFSJFT1JMF%SJWFSJTUIF¾STU

TFOTPSUPEFMJWFSCPUI

)PXEVSBCMF *NQBDU

XJUITUBOEBCJMJUZJT9CFZPOE

USBEJUJPOBMQMBTUJDGBDFQSPEVDUT

)PXGBS 4FOTJOHSBOHFTFYDFFE

JOEVTUSZTUBOEBSETCZVQUP9

4PXIBUEPFTUIJTDPNCJOBUJPO

NFBOUPZPV

N'FXFSTFOTPSUBSHFUJNQBDUT

N*ODSFBTFENBDIJOFVQUJNF

N3FEVDFENBJOUFOBODFBOE

USPVCMFTIPPUJOH

N'FXFSSFKFDUTBOEJODSFBTFERVBMJUZ

N-PXFSTQBSFQBSUTJOWFOUPSZ

5)&"#*-*5:508*5)45"/%

16/*4).&/5*4(00%#65

"70*%*/(*5*4&7&/#&55&3

1FQQFSM'VDIT *OD/5XJOTCVSH 0IJP/

SENSOR SENSE

Inductive position-measuring sensors

target and the sensor. As that gap is typically 1 mm or less, the buildup of particles may easily exceed that spacing, producing drag and wear on the sensor as the particles are pulled across the surface.

In addition, permanent magnets lose their strength over time, especially when exposed to high temperatures. If the application involves high-temperature work, the target magnet may need constant replacement.

Though IPMS targets are made of ferrous materials, they are not magnetized. So one immediate advantage is that they don’t attract metallic chips and there’s no worries of high temperatures demagnetizing the material. In addition, the air gap between target and sensor can approach 6 mm when used with appropriately sized targets.

Typical resolution for this type of sensor is 0.125 mm in linear travel or 0.4° if used in a rotary sensor. Both versions provide nearly limitless cycles of operation.Besides the analog output, the internal microprocessor can be

programmed to give switched output setpoints. In other words, the output can turn full-on or full-off when the target reaches a specific setpoint. Setpoints and travel spans can be changed with no recalibration. MD

Pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.us) supplied information for this column.

Edited by Robert Repas

RS# 128

Ferrous target Internal inductive sensors

Inductive position-measuring sensor

Inductive position-measuring systems (IPMSs) operate on the same principle as an inductive proximity sensor. But instead of a single sensing coil, position measuring uses a multiple-coil system. The outputs from each coil go to a microprocessor that analyzes and compares the sensing-coil output and determines the position of a nonmagnetic ferrous target based on the relative signal strengths from each coil. The microprocessor then outputs the position of the target as either a distance-proportional current of 4-to-20 mA, or a voltage signal from 0-to-10 V. Note that the sensing coils may mount in either a linear or circular pattern, depending on the type of location sensing desired.

Many noncontact posi-tion-measurement systems use magnetic or inductive-magnetic principles of op-eration. Their target must be a permanent magnet, as the sensor de-tects the target’s magnetic field. The magnetized target can create some problems depending on the application.

For example, magnetized targets can attract metallic particles that build up between the

MAY 10, 2012

Inductive position-monitoring sensors compare the outputs from

multiple inductive proximity sensors to determine the position of the

target on the sensor face.

The widest range of gearboxes,gearheads, gearmotors

and reducers available froma single source...

... and the experienceto help you select the

right one for your needs.

Let DieQua be an extensionof your design team.

&RQWDFWXVWRGD\ZZZGLHTXDFRP

Servo Gearheads

Special Design Gearboxes

Gearmotors & Reducers

Spiral Bevel Gearboxes

COMMENTARY

Back in January, I wrote a commentary asking why the vast majority of engi-neers are dead set against joining or forming labor unions (“Time for engi-neers to think about unionizing? “Jan. 19). Most of the answers I received fell into three broad categories:1.) We don’t need unions because we can negotiate compensation and working

conditions for ourselves. And if we don’t like our current job/employer, we can easily go out and find another.

2.) Unions are selfish, don’t care about America, and are “destructive” to companies and the country. We’re above all that.

3.) And my favorite, paraphrased here: “You have to be a spineless wimp to consider letting a union do your bidding.”All of these responses led me to conclude that

engineers are fiercely independent, loyal to com-pany and country, and insist on doing things themselves.

But then we got the results back from our an-nual salary survey. A section of it asks engineers about workplace gripes and what they don’t like about the profession. Almost a quarter of the respondents said their compensation packages were poor, 17% mentioned long hours with no provision for overtime pay, 33% said they were forced to do too much nonengineering work, and half saw their health-care costs climb.

These complaints sounded much like the is-sues unions try to address in their contracts when negotiating with manage-ment. And usually, unions get contracts giving them at least half of what they want, sometimes much more. This has become less common in the current economy where even unions have taken hits. However, it still seems as though unions get better deals from companies and employers than folks in nonunion shops.

But is this really true? Statistics can shed light on the situation. Specifi-cally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps figures on the weekly earnings of full-time and salaried workers broken down by occupation and whether or not workers are represented by a union (tinyurl.com/3dpvv66).

Turns out that those in architecture and engineering occupations who are represented by unions earn a median salary of $1,325/week. Those not represented by unions pulled in a median of $1,314/week, or $11 less. (For comparison, the difference was $33 last year, still favoring those with union representation.) But when you add in the dues paid by union members (about $40 for SPEEA, the engineering union at Boeing), the result is a probably a wash.

The moral of the story: When it comes to salaries, engineers are like most other people, they want more. And with or without a union, you’re going to take home roughly the same amount. MD

Union or not, engineers’ salaries are about the same

Stephen J. MrazSenior Editor

“…Engineers

are fiercely

independent,

loyal to

company

and country,

and insist on

doing things

themselves.”

RS# 129

MAY 10, 2012

INDUSTRIALAUTOMATION

There are no short-cuts to innovation. Inspired ideas come from hard work, clever engineering, and those special partners who always seem to have just the right solution to bring your ideas to life. That’s what fuels our sense of urgency at B&B — making the connection between our wide range of USB, Serial, Ethernet and Wireless connectivity platforms to drive your current burst of creativity.

With over 7,000 connectivity products, and deployments in more than 75% of Fortune 100 companies, B&B is the right connection for your next project. Learn how at www.bb-elec.com.

CONNECTING DEVICES.

UNITING IDEAS.

www.bb-elec.com1-800-346-3119

RS# 130

BERKE ON SAFETY

create as many as 3 million jobs by the end of this decade. Problem is, indications are that this welcome trend could lead to a severe shortage of skilled workers. Virtually every person on a factory floor will be valuable and hard to replace.

All the more reason, then, to take steps that minimize the possibility of worker injuries. But sometimes equipment designs can only do so much to promote an injury-free workplace. Operational norms can be just as important for keeping workers well and on the job.

This is particularly true for an aging workforce, a fact of life in the U. S. with its Baby Boomers. As people get older, they need to spend more time loosening up and stretching before exercising. That is why many companies conduct calisthen-ics, on the clock, for their factory workers. Too many of us put ourselves in high-energy situations without taking the proper precautions.

A story helps illustrate the point. While in college many years ago, I was a skydiver. During my 26th jump on a December morning in Minnesota (ground temperature 0°F), and without any stretching before boarding the aircraft, I broke my ankle on landing. When I healed and the weather warmed up, I jumped again into a plowed field and broke my foot. This time I had done a few minutes of stretching first.

Since then, I have always stretched and loosened up, but on occasion would still injure myself. Recently I found out why: What I was doing was exactly wrong. Bill Holcomb, Ph.D., professor of Athletic Training at the University of Nevada,

Las Vegas, set me straight. Extensive research shows that the worst thing one can do is stretch cold muscles. Holcomb has found that static stretches (meaning the kind where you hold the stretch before a workout or competition) actually reduce strength, power, and performance.

He has come up with several tips on proper stretching techniques. Among them: Always warm up first. Stretch, but not when muscles are cold. Do 5 min-utes of brisk walking or slow jogging. “Warming up increases blood flow, which increases the temperature in the muscle, which makes the collagen fibers more elastic like a rubber band,” he explains.

After warming up, do dynamic, not static, stretches. Dynamic stretching means slow, controlled movements rather than remaining still and holding a stretch. These include a goose-step march: Slowly lift your leg straight out in front of you, alternating as you walk with your normal stride length. This is also an ef-fective hamstring stretch. Also do knee lifts: Bring your knees up to or close to your chest as you jog or walk. Finally, try a butt-kick: As you jog or walk, bend one knee and lift it behind you as though you were trying to kick yourself in the butt.

And never stretch to the point of pain. Forget the phrase, “no pain, no gain.”My stepson and son-in-law both began to subscribe to these principles once

they suffered severe Achilles injuries after doing static stretching exercises. My stepson suffered his Achilles tendon injury chasing a fly ball. He now coaches his son’s soccer team and has his players do proper warm-ups before each soccer practice and game. My son-in-law tore his Achilles tendon taking a first step in a touch-football game. Now even before something as mundane as bowling, he goes through Holcomb’s warm-up and stretching program.

The lesson: Workers should warm up and stretch before any activity where they may be injured, but they should do it properly.

— Lanny BerkeLanny Berke is a registered professional engineer and Certified Safety Professional involved in forensic engineering since 1972. Got a question about safety? You can reach Lanny at lannyb@comcast.net.

Edited by Leland Teschler

Bad stretching can defeat good designThe Boston Consulting Group recently predicted that reshoring of manufacturing operations to the U. S. could

RS# 131MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com36

Get the Original from Avago Technologies!

Technology You Can Trust

Avago has been making encoder modules previously used in US Digital kit encoders for over 25 years. Get your US Digital replacement kit encoder from the original source... Avago Technologies.

For further information, visit us at:

www.avagotech.com/encoders

If you have been using US Digital kit encoders in the past, then you’ve been using Avago encoders all along.

RS# 132

OVER 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION

When Timing Is Everything

7YLJPZPVU:LY]V.LHYOLHKZ

/PNOLY8\HSP[`3V^LY*VZ[

;OL(JJ\.LHY;4

(K]HU[HNL

ORDER TODAY!

www.candycontrols.com

Phase Adjusting Couplings

Position/Speed Control Differentials

Zero-Backlash Couplings

VANTAGE POINT

Why aren’t more manufacturers embracing sustainable metalworking?While environmental stewardship has become better understood and more widely accepted, many manufac-turers are still not taking the necessary steps to implement newer, proven production methods that foster sustain-ability. Metalworking operations in particular have an obligation to embrace sustainable manufacturing processes that protect workers and the environment. The good news: Such changes can generate substantial savings.

One such technique is Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL). In metal-cutting operations, MQL eliminates large quantities of water and oil-based cool-ants and replaces them with small amounts of lubricant mixed with air. This air-oil stream is precisely metered and delivered to the cutting tool’s edge, and it has no adverse affect on machining speed or quality. The philosophy behind MQL is simple: more is not always better. Use only what’s needed, because enough is as good as a feast.

MQL offers many benefits. Workers are safer, both in the short and long term, because operators, skilled tradesmen, and engineers are no longer ex-posed to the toxicity, bacteria, and fungi risks that come with traditional “wet” machining, nor to the coolant mists that foul plant air. The small amount of oil used for MQL is generally based on vegetables or esters, which are less harmful to humans.

The environment stays cleaner because there are no used cutting fluids that require costly disposal. And manufacturers don’t face the headaches of comply-ing with strict EPA regulations. Metal chips produced during MQL machining are nearly dry, easier to recycle, and more valuable than chips generated with conventional approaches.

MQL even helps change the “dirty” perception of manufacturing.Most manufacturers still associate sustainability with higher costs. However,

when we break down the investment in “wet” manufacturing systems, it’s clear they are expensive to build and operate. A machine that uses conventional cool-ants requires costly supply, filtration, and mist-collection equipment to transfer, pressurize, and recycle coolant. It demands more-costly plant infrastructure, has higher installation costs, and is more difficult and expensive to relocate. And on-going expenses include energy consumption, chemical maintenance, fluid replenishment, and disposal of used cutting fluids.

The metalworking industry consumes several hundred million gallons of fluids each year. MQL produces an operating savings of approximately 15% over wet sys-tems, not counting savings on plant infrastructure, installation, and the like. There’s a cascade of cost savings when you take flood coolant out of machining.

So with all of these benefits, one might wonder why more manufacturers aren’t implementing MQL and other sustainable-manufacturing processes. Perhaps it’s fear of new technology or the associated cultural change? In most cases, we hide behind the myth that sustainability adds cost. In the case of MQL, sustainability pays for itself.

These questions pose a real challenge for our industry. If we don’t have the courage to change our behavior and embrace a new idea like sustainability, we may miss the next real technology opportunity to restore American manufac-turing leadership — and no one can afford that. MD

MAG (www.mag-ias.com) is a leading manufacturer of machine tools and manufacturing systems for the aerospace, transportation, heavy equipment, oil and gas, and alternative-energy markets.

Edited by Kenneth J. Korane

Doug WattsChief Technical OfficerMAG AmericasHebron, Ky.

RS# 133MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com38

RCP4ROBO Cylinder Series

PCON-CAPower Controller

Maximum productivity at minimum cost? You got it.

IAI America, Inc. California: 800-736-1712 Illinois: 800-944-0333 Georgia: 888-354-9470

www.IntelligentActuator.com/RCP4

1. Increase speed and acceleration

2. Be capable of many positions

3. Have long life

4. Have reliable operation

1. Shorten cycle time

2. Minimize stoppage

3. Shorten each setup time

4. Improve the yield rate

For maximum 24/7 productivity, automated operation must:

7LPHVWKH6SHHG'RXEOHWKH3D\ORDG

To achieve these objectives,

actuators must:

RS# 134

INVENTOR’S CORNER

The DongleLockbox lets users secure a software dongle — an electronic device that protects software from illegal copying — such that it cannot be lost, stolen, or damaged. Users can link software to a dongle so that each time they run a protected program, it checks for the dongle. The program only runs if it finds the correct dongle. Software that uses a dongle is typically expensive — many thousands of dollars.

According to DongleLockbox inventor Jerry Hiller, when a dongle is lost, almost all software companies require users to purchase a brand-new software package at full price. The more-significant cost, however, is downtime while a production facility waits for a replacement key. With replacement keys taking two to five working days to deliver, jobs can be delayed and accounts can be lost. Because the DongleLockbox protects a dongle against theft, loss, or damage, it potentially saves customers thousands of dollars.

The product is made up of a hard plastic housing connected to a combination lock that secures the contents inside. The lock’s metal cable can fasten to an anchor such as a hook, loop, or grommet attached to the desktop or a wall. Inside the housing is the female end of a USB 2.0 cable (which attaches to the dongle) that extends 5 ft outside the housing to a male end (which attaches to the computer).

It takes a few simple steps to use a DongleLockbox. Opening the combination lock gives access to the housing. Connect the dongle to the female end of the USB cable, and plug the male end of the USB cable into the computer that runs the software.

As a frequent exhibitor at trade shows demonstrating engineering software that used a software dongle, Hiller got

the idea after worrying about someone stealing or damaging the dongle. He wanted a device he could attach to the leg of an

exhibit table that would secure a dongle and keep it out of view. He developed the DongleLockbox on his own time off the job using

a number of off-the-shelf parts and a few special-order items. He assembled the prototype using a drill, soldering iron, and a handful

of other tools. The DongleLockbox is currently beyond the prototype stage and just going into production.

Hiller says that prior to his invention, the only way he knew of to protect a software dongle was to purchase a custom computer with an

internal USB port, or to modify an existing computer to have an internal USB port. Hiller can be reached at sales@donglelockbox.com. MD

Are you (or do you know) an engineer who has come up with a sophisticated invention in your spare time? Want to get your idea showcased in MACHINE DESIGN magazine? Contact

leslie.gordon@penton.com or (216) 931-9242.

Edited by Leslie Gordonleslie.gordon@penton.com, Twitter @LeslieGordon

Lockbox secures software dongles

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com40

For more information, please contact Aryan Zandieh at (312) 924-1688 or azandieh@hfusa.com.

Partner: Organized by:

www.ia-na.com

at

To register for IANA and IMTS, please visit industrialautomation-na.com

V

International Trade Show for Factory, Process and Building Automation Systems and Solutions

September 10 - 5 +-)& '( "%& $+((&*+&.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATIONNORTH AMERICA at IMTS 2012

" '%+##0/+)/&+* provides advanced,

open automation products based upon

proven industrial technologies. Manufacturers

and machine builders can implement high

performance Beckhoff control systems

more efficiently and at a lower overall cost

than traditional PLC and motion control

systems. Visit them at booth E-4271

or www.beckhoff.com.

ALTERNATIVEENERGY INDUSTRY FOCUS

These issues have been so well publicized that serious inventors have taken notice. Now, numerous innovative wind-turbine designs are taking shape that, at least on pa-per, overcome many of the difficulties associated with or-dinary horizontal wind turbines. There are probably doz-ens if not hundreds of interesting designs in development somewhere between fanciful paper studies and physical prototypes. A few are nearing commercial production. So here are a handful of concepts representing current out-of-the-box thinking on wind-turbine technology.

Quiet and efficientA novel wind turbine developed by Wind Sail Recep-

tor Inc., Boulder City, Nev., could have a big impact on the small wind-turbine market when it goes into produc-tion this month. The turbines sport four flared blades that make them look a little like pinwheels. The blades are of a special polyurethane material that inventor and WSRI Chairman Richard Steinke says is strong enough to with-stand a round from an AK-47, important in developing countries where there is a big market for small turbines.

The shape of the blades is such that the turbines can capture more wind energy than traditional designs and, thus, can do useful work at much lower wind speeds partly

Wind turbines are drawing more flak these days than a squadron of B-17s over Düsseldorf. Critics claim, among other things, that the machines are noisy, inefficient, and destroy wildlife. Ammunition for this view comes from researchers who say conventional turbines gen-erate about 95 dB(A) of sound power at frequencies that many people find annoying. And in 2009, the U. S. Fish

and Wildlife Service estimated domestic wind turbines kill about 440,000 birds every year. This includes about 70 golden eagles, 2,400 raptors, and 7,500 other birds, nearly all protected by federal legislation, killed annually by turbines in Altamont Pass near Oakland, Calif.

Lack of performance in slight breezes constitutes an additional point of contention. Many large-scale wind turbines don’t start turning until wind speeds reach about 20 mph. Worse, some brands need a running start when wind speeds are low. This “kick start” comes from using a starter motor to get the prop moving, thus consuming electricity for a time rather than generating it.

To address such issues, some promoters advocate siting turbines offshore in relatively windy areas away from most birds and humans. But offshore wind-farm construction can be pricey, partly because of the need for erecting beefy wind-turbine structural members on the sea bed.

Innovative new designs for wind turbines promise

to cure problems ranging from noisy props to poor

efficiency in moderate breezes.

Better alternatives

for wind power

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com42

Authored by:

Leland TeschlerEditorleland.teschler@penton.com

Key points:• Gearboxes with high step-up ratios tend to give horizontal wind turbines poor efficiency when wind speeds are low.

• One way to eliminate wind-turbine bird kills: Locate turbines far out at sea.

Resources:Altaeros Energies, www.altaerosenergies.com/

American Offshore Energy, vertical wind-turbine technology, http://americanoffshoreenergy.com/

Wind Sail Receptor Inc., www.windsailreceptor.com/

For another feature on wind turbines, scan this code or go to: http://machinedesign.com/article/hydraulic-wind-turbines-0420

in the turbine base rather than in the nacelle. They con-nect to the rotor with a mechanical driveshaft. “I wanted something that won’t break down, so we went with a de-sign having as few components as possible. Driveshafts don’t break down,” Steinke explains.

The mechanical connection is practical because the turbines are relatively short. The first production units have a 12-in. hub system and 2.5-ft-long blades. The hub is just 6 ft off the ground. This unit will generate as much as 7 kW in a 35-mph wind. Another optimized genera-tor now on the drawing board will bring that figure up to 9 kW.

In a few months, Steinke expects to come out with a 12-ft-diameter turbine able to generate 30 kW. This will be a game changer, he says, because similar conventional tur-bines this size typically generate only about 2.5 kW.

Go fly a ... wind turbineIf you crossed the Goodyear Blimp with a wind tur-

bine, the result might look something like the Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) from Altaeros Energies. The Bos-ton-based start-up has developed a prototype that, so far, has floated 350-ft (107-m) high in a demonstration that it can produce power.

There are multiple reasons for coming up with a scheme for wind turbines able to function hundreds of feet in the air: Such devices should be able to harness winds at and above 1,000 ft (305 m). Winds at that altitude are about five times stronger than surface winds, thus quick-ening the payback for a capital investment in the necessary equipment. Any wind-turbine noise will be too far away to annoy people on the ground. Moreover, only migratory birds fly at those altitudes, and the turbines will be highly

because the blades are a relatively large percentage of the area they sweep out, compared to that of conventional tur-bines. The blade shape is the culmination of 52 different trials aimed at optimizing the turbine rotational speed ver-sus the torque generated, says Steinke. “Existing wind tur-bines can run with winds as low as perhaps 7 or 8 mph. But our blade design lets us start generating power at 1.5 mph and we don’t use a starting motor,” says Steinke.

Another benefit of the blade shape is superlow noise, below about 10 dB. “About the sound level of normal breathing,” says Steinke.

One reason Steinke’s turbines can do useful work at such low rpms is that they don’t need a gearbox between the turbine rotor and the generator, unlike conventional wind turbines. The gearbox normally has a high step-up ratio, necessary to get the rotational speed high enough to drive a generator at useful speeds. This step-up ratio, plus the friction and stiffness of their bearings, gives gearboxes a significant amount of inertia that must be overcome be-fore the turbine rotor can start spinning.

Interestingly, Steinke’s turbines have generators sitting

The off-the-shelf wind turbine mounted in this proof-of-concept model for Altaeros Energies’ airborne platform is small compared with the shroud in which it sits. Altaeros says it will devise turbines better sized for the airborne platform when it gets to production, probably in a few years.

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 43

ALTERNATIVEENERGY INDUSTRY FOCUS

Inventor Drew Devitt’s concept of a vertical wind turbine for offshore use lets the wind push on sail-like blades. The design is not as efficient as those employing airfoil-shaped blades, but is simpler and works well with strong winds out at sea, he says. Blades spin on air bearings and the generator mounts below the spinning blades for a low center of gravity. The whole assembly floats on the ocean surface and can be towed into port for repairs.

bines, this inertia limits the power that can be harvested from moderate breezes.

No surprise, then, that such woes have fostered a lot of thinking about how to devise big wind turbines that don’t need all this gearing. One of the more-novel ideas comes from former Massachusetts Institute of Technology pro-fessor David Wilson. His concept: Eliminate the need for a gearbox by generating electricity at the tips of the turbine blades.

The resulting structure looks a little like a turbine with its blades running through a piece of a shroud at the bot-tom of their arc. The shroud holds what amounts to a sta-tor of an electrical generator. Blade tips carry either mag-nets or a stack of laminations that travel through the stator as the wind blows, generating electricity directly.

The thinking behind Wilson’s scheme becomes clear from an analysis of blade-tip speed compared with wind-turbine rotor speed. The optimum blade-tip speed for a two or three-bladed turbine is about five times the wind speed. Wind turbines generally operate at up to a maxi-mum wind speed of about 20 m/sec (44 mph). The blade speed at the tip is then around 100 m/sec regardless of size. A large turbine rotates slowly and a small turbine has a higher rotating speed even if the blade-tip speed is the same in the two cases.

Of course, the diameter of the rotor of a conventional wind turbine is perhaps one-tenth or one-twentieth that of the blade tips, hence the need for at least a 20:1 step-up gearbox. (Some wind-turbine gear transmissions have step-up ratios of over 100, Wilson points out.)

The turbine nacelle for this type of scheme would just contain a bearing for the rotor. It would see a continuous

visible objects easy for them to avoid.The AWT uses an inflatable shell filled

with helium. Altaeros worked with Doyle

Sailmakers of Salem, Mass., on the shell, which is assembled from the same sail material found on advanced racing boats. Tethers are designed to passively help align the craft with the wind, and there is some control authority for steering built into the winches on the ground feeding out the tethers.

The first application Altaeros has in mind for the flying turbines is in powering remote locations that now use diesel gener-ators. Altaeros CTO Ben Glass says the goal is to field units initially able to generate up to about 200 kW. These will be about twice the size of the recently flown prototype, and Altaeros calculates they will generate elec-tricity costing about 35% of that from diesel gen sets. Eventually, the company wants to deploy utility-scale AWTs generating power in the megawatt range.

However, Altaeros has a way to go before it is ready for prime time. It doesn’t have a final design yet, only guiding concepts. The prototype used an off-the-shelf turbine just to prove the concept. Altaeros says it will work with turbine-develop-ment partners to produce optimized components made from lightweight materials. To keep weight and complex-ity down, it is looking at using permanent-magnet motors and a direct drive that eliminates the need for a gearbox.

Tests so far, however, show that electrical cables strung to an airborne turbine 1,000 ft off the ground won’t be a large component of the overall weight. The plan is to build power-conversion electronics into the turbine nacelle that will convert generated electricity to a high voltage before feeding it down to the ground. Conductors handling the high-voltage/low-current juice can have a relatively small diameter while still incurring low losses, Glass says.

Glass figures it will take about two years to finish the detailed design for the first commercial units. And these will probably undergo several months of testing before they are ready to start generating power.

Goodbye gearboxOne of the biggest sources of criticism in wind-turbine

technology is the gearbox. Most horizontal wind-tur-bine nacelles contain a planetary gearbox that steps up the rotor speed from tens of revolutions per minute to the 1,800-rpm range for running the electrical generator. Problem is, these gearboxes have a reputation for being unreliable. Their manufacturers generally peg their ex-pected life at better than a decade, but it is not unusual for major problems to emerge after only a few years.

The big step-up ratio typically also gives the gearbox appreciable inertia, which must be overcome when the turbine begins rotating. Particularly on utility-scale tur-

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com44

In high speed rail, there is no room for quick fixes.

On the contrary. The pressure on railways to work

more efficiently, safely and productively while reducing

costs is higher than ever.

SKF service manager Stewart McLellan and SKF

remanufacturing teams around the world offer a

solution. They can have wheelset bearings correctly

disassembled, washed, inspected, measured, greased

and reassembled with new components. The bearings

can also be upgraded to a higher standard. After this,

the bearings are quickly returned to the customer,

and the vehicle is right back on track.

The bottom line? Minimized downtime, optimized

assets, and reduced environmental impact. It’s another

great example of knowledge engineering at work.

Find out more at www.skf.com/poke

The Power of Knowledge Engineering

Wheelset maintenance Stewart McLellanSKF Remanufacturing

Reduce downtime with remanufactured bearings

RS# 135

Tradition + Innovation = Success

32%R[:HVW0F&R\/DQH

6DQWD0DULD&DOLIRUQLD

)D[

Helical Products Company, Inc. and its engineering team have

over 50 years of experience designing and manufacturing

innovative products for controlling mechanical movements,

VSHFLDOL]LQJLQÀH[LEOHFRXSOLQJVDQGPDFKLQHGVSULQJV

:LWKRYHUVXFFHVVIXOGHVLJQVDQGVDWLV¿HG

customers served, why not let Helical spring into action and

start coupling your dreams with reality today!

Flexible Couplings&

e

Atlantic D

esign &

Manufacturi

ng show M

ay

22-24, 2

012 Boot

h #440

AtlDesign

Show.com

3

6

RS# 136

ALTERNATIVEENERGY INDUSTRY FOCUS

Comparing wind speed

versus generated torque

Wind Sail Receptor

operational range

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Wind

, mp

h

Torque (relative)

Standard wind-turbine

operationalrange

The shape of the blades on inventor Richard Steinke’s turbines lets them capture more wind energy than traditional designs and, thus, they can do useful work at much lower wind speeds. Steinke, pictured next to one of his prototypes, says the blade shape is the culmination of 52 different trials aimed at optimizing the turbine rotational speed versus the torque generated.

a wind farm any time soon. Wilson, whose career has mostly concentrated on the engineering of gas turbines, says he holds provisional patents on the basic technol-ogy behind his design. But at least for now, the turbine remains a design study.

Off-shoring turbines Ocean winds tend to be stronger and more consistent

than those on shore. This is one of the arguments for siting wind turbines in coastal waters. Trouble is, the underwater infrastructure for ocean-based wind farms is expensive, and permission to use these sites is often fraught with po-litical problems, as exemplified by the fight over the Cape Wind site off Cape Cod.

One solution to such controversy is to site wind har-vesting more than 50 miles offshore where winds are even stronger, as the effects of the jet stream approach sea level, becoming trade winds. There is also less wildlife this far offshore and less recreational and commercial boating to

torque, exerted on each blade in turn. Wilson figures it may be desirable to have a tensioning wire connecting the three blade tips to avoid vibratory responses.

Wilson thinks the resulting wind turbines would be considerably more reliable, possibly more efficient (because of the elimina-tion of the gear losses), less expensive to erect and to ser-vice, and possibly lower in first cost compared with the traditional approach. He also figures his new approach would generate less noise than ordinary turbines. “A lot of wind buffeting in conventional turbines is because of ed-dies coming off the back side of the circular tower form. But with this new design, the whole tower can be stream-lined to minimize that effect because the nacelle just con-tains a rotor bearing instead of a heavy gearbox, generator, and supporting subsystems,” Wilson says.

However, don’t expect to see one of these turbines in

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 47

ALTERNATIVEENERGY INDUSTRY FOCUS

offshore VAWT design. He says the VAWT has less than half the efficiency

of horizontal designs, but this deficiency is canceled out by the fact that the stronger winds offshore have twice the energy as breezes characterizing terrestrial sites, be-cause power in the wind is a cubed func-tion of its velocity. Importantly, the capac-ity factor is significantly better in offshore wind. Capacity factors are based on the

power curve for the particular wind tur-bine combined with wind speed and duration data from the proposed site. Horizontal-axis wind turbines tend to

be most efficient at higher wind speeds. But poor performance at low speeds tends

to give them a low capacity factor, meaning these turbines will generate their rated capacity only a small fraction of the time.

Devitt says VAWTs avoid such difficulties. For one thing, VAWTs in an impulse configuration — where wind pushes on the blades to move the rotor — have a relatively high efficiency in lower wind speeds because their blades

boot. And wind turbines that far out would be over the horizon, out of sight from the shore.

But if it is ex-pensive to mount wind-turbine foun-dations in shallow water, it is megaexpen-sive to do so farther out where the seabed drops away off the continental shelf. The fix: Eliminate the sea-floor foundation and let the wind turbines float on the surface

The price of offshore wind plants has gen-erated a lot of hard thinking about alternatives. The Dept. of Energy, for example, pegs the price of offshore wind even on shallow seabeds at 4 to 5 million dollars/megawatt, about twice what terrestrial turbines cost. The Energy Technology Institute (ETI) in the U. K. is spending millions of pounds trying to develop floating offshore wind turbines that halve the cost of offshore wind. There are similar efforts underway in the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Portugal.

One design they’ve tried uses vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs), where vertically oriented turbine blades are positioned around the perimeter of a vertically oriented rotor. These aren’t as efficient as conventional horizontal turbines, but they can be cheaper to build, more reliable, and have a low cen-ter of gravity and, thus, are more amenable to flotation.

One configuration of VAWT proposed by Drew Devitt, chief technical officer at New Way Air Bearings, Aston, Pa., uses near-frictionless radial-air bearings to support the rotor at the perimeter. The rotor is the only moving part.

Devitt, an entrepreneur, created a company called American Offshore Energy, Aston,Pa., to develop the

Inventor David Wilson wants to create a wind turbine carrying electrical generating components on the tips of its three blades and in an arc-shaped stator. This would greatly reduce the mass of the electrical generator and should also reduce the total wind-turbine mass because the relative speeds of the rotor and stator are near optimum levels without resorting to a gearbox. The assembly should also generate little noise because the downstream components can be streamlined so they will not produce vortices from the wakes of the turbine blades.

Shroud-generator

concept

Tension wires connecting blade tips

Generator stator in arc

Main bearing, slip rings for power output. Vortices from

airflow around main column do not affect rotor blades.

Streamlined strut-

supporting stator

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com48

Meet top suppliers face-to-face and see the full

spectrum of resources to help accelerate your project to completion:

1SPEVDFEBOENBOBHFECZ6#.$BOPOr6#.$BOPODPN

f CAD/CAM/CAE Software

f Computer Hardware and Peripherals

f Contract Manufacturing and

Engineering

f Custom Automation and Assembly

f Electronic Components and

Subassemblies

f Fastening and Joining Systems

f Lasers

f Packaging Equipment

f Precision Machining

f QA/QC, Sensing, and Inspection

Services

f Rapid Prototyping

and much more!

REGISTER ONLINE TODAY!

Visit AtlDesignShow.com

In the world of rapidly changing technologies

and a shifting marketplace, find answers here.

May 22–24, 2012Pennsylvania Convention Center

Philadelphia, PA

Promo Code: AB

,QJHDUER[HVHOHFWULFPRWRUVPDWHULDOVKDQGOLQJV\VWHPVZLQGWXUELQHVUDLOYHKLFOHWUDFWLRQPRWRUVSXPSVRUDJULFXOWXUDOPDFKLQHU\1.(EHDULQJVFDQEHIRXQGZKHUHYHUURWDU\PRWLRQWDNHVSODFH

:HGHYHORSDQGPDQXIDFWXUHSUHPLXPTXDOLW\EHDULQJVIRUDOODSSOLFDWLRQVLQFOXGLQJ\RXUV

&RQWDFWXVWRGD\IRUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQ

1.($8675,$*PE+,P6WDGWJXW&$6WH\U$XVWULD7HO)D[(PDLOLQIR#QNHDWZZZQNHDW

0DLQ'LVWULEXWRULQ86$

Ritbearing3UDWHU'ULYH&RYLQJWRQ*$ZZZULWEHDULQJFRPLQIR#ULWEHDULQJFRP&DOOXVWRGD\WROOIUHH

Creative Solutionsfor Your

Applications!

ALTERNATIVEENERGY INDUSTRY FOCUS

have cross sections that are an appreciable percentage of swept area. This design will make power most of the time the wind is blowing.

Large horizontal wind turbines also have a disadvantage associated with the speed of the outmost tips of their huge blades. Conventional horizontal-axis wind turbines are aerodynamic turbines — the blades are airfoils shaped to create low pressure that turns the rotor. A 100-m swept area has a 314-m circumference. In a wind speed of 14 m/sec, the tip speed can be six times that, or 84 m/sec. This equates to over 300 km/hr and is a fundamental limitation on the degree to which horizontal turbines can be scaled up. Eventual loss of blade strength due to fatigue becomes an issue on big blades, and the fact that the blades comprise a small percentage of the swept area also helps explain why the aerodynamic design needs a relatively high wind speed just to start spinning.

The VAWTs Devitt has in mind are supported on three bearing points, giving them stability analogous to that of a three legged stool. The three-point flotation provides spots for three mooring tethers to provide antirotation force. The VAWT will always wind up and tighten its tethers in the same direction. The bearings are fixed on gimbaled mounts so they self-align to the rotor. This simplifies assembly and avoids the requirements for rigid structures. Moment loads from the wind spread across the large base circumference of the VAWT, rather than on a narrow pole as would be the case for horizontal turbines.

Devitt foresees a direct-drive arrangement with the generator di-rectly coupled to the rotor shaft and residing below the water line to give the VAWT a low center of gravity. Everything above the base ring would be built with lightweight materials. Fiberglass blades would support a top ring also made from fiberglass. Steel wires in a combination of sail-boat mast and bicycle spoke technology would create a lightweight, but stiff cylindrical shape, he says.

Additionally, a steadier wind means less wear on turbine compo-nents. Undersea cables are also much-less expensive to permit and do not require high-tension towers. And 30 to 50 miles of undersea cable is significantly less expensive than the 1,500-mile run of high-tension lines currently contemplated for transmitting Midwest wind power to the East Coast, he says.

Undersea cables have another significant advantage in that they are insulated from summertime heat, Devitt notes. Higher temperatures reduce the conductivity of transmission cables, so just when the grid needs to work hard in the summertime heat, the heat reduces their transmission capacity.

Offshore VAWTs would have other advantages as well, Devitt ar-gues. If necessary the turbine could be towed back to land in a day for service. A 200-ft turbine would also provide excellent horizontal radar reflection for maritime visibility with few vertical reflections. And such turbines would be well outside the 12-mile state control zones, this fur-ther minimizing theaters in which legal action may be taken against a proposed wind farm.

What about the occasional hurricanes and rogue storms that can wreak havoc with wind turbines? Because the VAWT would have no gearbox, it has no oil reservoir. All the components on the turbine would be waterproof and rustproof, so they could be easily sunk by re-mote control to ride out a storm safely beneath the ocean surface.

Still, don’t expect to see Devitt’s VAWT design floating in the sea anytime soon. He says he is working on a prototype but at this point, it is only a part-time effort. MD

RS# 170

MAY 10, 2012

WWW.BOKERS.COM/MD

FREE CATALOG & BROCHURE

WASHERS & STAMPINGS

Call 1-888-WASHERS )($"( &#"'(!&%

)

No swell Replaces bronze Self-lube. No greasing Enviro friendly No heavy metals Extended MTBR

Toll free: 1866 635 7596vesconite@vesconite.comvesconite.com

# $"!#$#'&* $&

#$(%&)))#+!"#" "#!* $&

Excelerate gives you three ways to get the broadest

range of enclosure solutions on your terms and at the

speed you need to make every project a success.

STANDARD ENCLOSURES—Access more than 12,000

standard products immediately available through our

extensive distribution network.

DESIGN YOUR STANDARD—Modify a standard

enclosure to satisfy unique project requirements.

ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS—Customize a solution to

meet more complex project needs.

RS# 138RS# 139

RS# 140

ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC

Development cycles have shortened dramatically. So much so that there is no longer enough time to devise computer-powered applications starting with a stand-alone computer or processor.

Consequently, computer and chipmakers have added new and more-powerful functions into the silicon of a computer chip. The result heralds the advent of comput-erized platforms comprised of a processor, a commu-nication interface, and I/O functions targeting specific end-use categories such as mobile phones, computer graphics, and industrial control.

One of the earliest examples of such a single-purpose design is the PC/104, a single-board computer architec-ture about the size of a 3.5-in. floppy disk that had stack-able accessory boards to fit numerous application needs.

As small as the PC/104 system is, some applications required even-smaller processors. Stepping down in size, the system-on-module (SOM) and system-on-chip (SOC) combined all aspects of the single-board com-puter into a single module or integrated-circuit form.

SOMs take the individual dies of multiple devices such as a processor, memory, and I/O, and mount them onto a common substrate material. The tighter integra-tion has led to smaller but more-powerful systems in the form of self-contained devices that can drop into any

Reconfigurable processors hold the key to

future products using embedded systems.

Authored by:

Robert RepasAssociate Editor

Key points:• Embedded systems take on the disguise of

ordinary devices, not computers.

• Industrial trends tend to mirror those in the consumer space.

• One critical missing aspect is a simple programming method for the embedded system.

Resources:Microchip Technology Inc., www.microchip.com

National Instruments, www.ni.com

Texas Instruments, www.ti.com

WinSystems, www.winsystems.com

Xilinx, www.xilinx.com

ASOFTWAREDEFINED FUTURE

for

embedded controls

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com52

National Instruments LabView graphical-interface software is one of the first to adopt a noncode approach to writing application programs, relying on operational block diagrams to program the system.

ing, improve performance, and future-proof the design with the ability to update the logic at any time during development or even after they have deployed the em-bedded system.

FPGAs have always been used as the “glue” logic that ties various parts of the system together. But as their per-formance rose while power and cost dropped, FPGAs took on the additional task of handling signal process-ing. Today FPGAs perform the functions of digital filters, process Fast-Fourier Transforms (FFTs), and provide the logic needed for proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control loops, among many other things. Most times these processes take place in parallel with the computing side of the system, boosting processing speed while giv-ing more deterministic control of the application.

The addition of FPGAs to embedded systems has become so common that new SOC releases now con-tain both a complete microprocessor and an FPGA in a single package. One example being released in 2012 is the Zynq-7000 Extensible Processing Platform (EPP) from Xilinx, San Jose. The Zynq integrates a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a Xilinx 7 Series programma-ble FPGA and an industry-standard AXI interface. The combination gives embedded design teams the ability to

piece of equipment for a specific purpose. Examples of these devices include digital signal processors (DSPs), network interface and communication services, and even complete computing platforms.

Computers-on-modules (COMs) are a subset of SOMs that integrate an entire computer on a single mod-ular device. While still considered as embedded systems, the versatility of their general-purpose computer lets COMs handle more functions with a single package than typical of the other embedded approaches.

The push to make systems still smaller has freed chip-makers to form all devices onto a single die, the SOC. Instead of individual IC dies of discrete components mounted to a substrate, all devices are etched onto a sin-gle die of silicon or other suitable material.

But there is a problem with this approach. Many de-sign teams may use the same SOC or SOM as the basis of a product. When those design teams compete with one another, it is sometimes difficult to come up with final designs that are distinctively different from those of competitors. So most design teams augment the SOC or SOM with additional discrete components and pro-grammable logic. For example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) let design teams add specialized process-

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 53

ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC

The Xilinx Zynq-7000 Extensible Processing Platform combines an ARM microprocessor with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to create a reconfigurable computing system.

Embedded systems overview

TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS CONSIDERATIONS

Microcontrollers (μC) Low cost, small form factors, easy to program Not enough horsepower for high-performance applications

Microprocessors (μP) High clock rates for higher-performance applications, easy to program

Higher power, sequential-processing architecture

Digital signal processors (DSPs)

Dedicated components for signal processing, fl oating-point arithmetic

Inherently sequential processing

Graphic-processing units (GPUs)

Parallel-processing engines for CPU acceleration Higher power, needs a CPU present

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)

Flexible hardware through software-defi ned, reprogrammable circuitry — inherently parallel

processing

Complexity of programming in hardware-description

languages

Application-specific standard products (ASSPs)

Fast and optimized for specific applications, offered standard, commercially available chips

No flexibility to modify designs

Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)

Completely custom chips, optimized down to a single package for a single application

High initial investment, only feasible in high volumes

This table compares the advantages and faults of different types of embedded systems. Courtesy of National Instruments

velopment kits that let designers add features and capa-bilities to their systems, such as a Wi-Fi wireless-network connection. One such development kit is the Wi-Fi PIC-Tail by Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, Ariz. The PICTail lets designers of any embedded market device create a direct connection to the Internet through any standard 802.11b/g wireless access point. The commu-nication system is designed to work across a wide range of Microchip processors, including the PIC18, PIC24, PIC32, and dsPIC family of microcontrollers.

In addition, Texas Instruments, Dallas, recently in-troduced the SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC 3300, designed to

produce designs with distinctive details while benefiting from the reduced cost, size, and power of an SOC.

Another marriage that started in the SOM arena and has graduated to SOC status is the combination of a pro-cessor and communication system, notably one that uses radio communications. Wireless connectivity has seen explosive growth over the last few years, fueled by an ever expanding plethora of devices. Once the exclusive province of laptop computers, wireless connectivity can now be found in just about any device including mobile phones, video displays, and printers.

Today, several embedded-system makers offer de-

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com54

The PXM-C388-S, a PC/104-compatible

single-board computer (SBC) from WinSystems,

Arlington, Tex., demonstrates the small

size typical of SBCs today for embedded applications.

The entire computer measures 4.6 × 3.8 in., or just

slightly larger than a 3.5-in. floppy disk.

grammers do meaningful work without having to know details about the computer hardware running their pro-gram. That trend continues with the advent of more sophisticated tools that permit programming at higher levels of abstraction.

One example is offered by National Instruments,

Austin, in its LabView series. LabView is a graphical-pro-gramming environment that works with many different hardware structures including microcontrollers, micro-processors, and FPGAs. Instead of forcing a programmer to write code, LabView lets users drag-and-drop features to build a working block diagram of an application in a graphical display. The computer then translates the block diagram into hardware and software configurations that are programmed into the target embedded system. As the system designer does not write any actual code, the LabView system lets designers and engineers create em-bedded-control devices though developers may possess no formal embedded-system design knowledge.

A completely integrated embedded platform must include a single software-development environment that covers every aspect of programming. The program-ming environment typically must have a large library of analysis and control algorithms, tight integration with communication and application-specific I/O, and must give the design team the ability to choose from a variety of programming approaches specific to the needs of the application.

The embedded platform should also be flexible and modular enough to let design teams evolve the system during the entire design process, from first prototype to final deployment, while using the same code throughout. Goals of an embedded design platform improve the over-all design experience with a tightly integrated hardware/software approach to embedded design. MD

simplify Internet connectivity in embedded devices. Designed to work with any embedded microcontroller system, the modular approach of the SimpleLink system saves board space, reduces development time, lowers manufacturing costs, eases certification, and minimizes the need for expertise in RF work. TI offers several exam-ples of software-derived functions for the basic system including a home automation application, a data logger, a simple e-mail system, a Web server, and a wireless sensor.

Embedded platform challengesEarly embedded designs were dictated by the capabili-

ties of the hardware and the realities of interfacing to the outside world. The lower power, cost, and size of SOCs and SOMs over the last decade means hardware no lon-ger limits or dictates the way design teams approach em-bedded design projects. The controlling factor becomes productivity.

The need for higher productivity will push the indus-try towards general platforms that do not change from one product cycle to the next. Instead, the electronics becomes general enough to allow most, if not all, new features to be handled by software programming. The software may even redefine hardware logic, such as re-programming an FPGA to create new logic functions or alter existing paths.

In the interest of productivity, software-design tools should provide an environment intuitive enough for use by nearly all engineers and scientists, not just those trained in embedded-system design. However, one criti-cal aspect still missing from effective embedded deploy-ment is a simple programming method. The future will see software tools playing a more critical role in system design and development than hardware.

The long-term trend in software has been to let pro-

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 55

OEM SERVICES

Ultra Precision three-axis diamond turning creates a toric with a sine-wave pattern in brass. Final surface is produced without postpolishing.

UPM also obtains surface finish Ra values better than 0.5 nm. When using diamond tooling on nonferrous materials, UPM produces yet more-impressively smooth finishes.

Ametek Precitech, in Keene, N. H., manufactures UPM equipment and has provided the benchmark for this technology. Precitech’s machine layout resembles that of standard equipment, but the details make all the difference. Programming input resolution, the precision level of the machine inputs, is 0.01 nm for linear and 0.026 arc-sec for angular position. Workpiece spindle speeds hit 18,000 rpm and milling spindles rotate at 15,000 or 50,000 rpm. Workpiece positional accuracies of 1 micron linear and ±2 arc-sec are standard and — because these errors are repeatable — software compensation can be used to reduce them by a factor of 10.

The company’s machines have a solid foundation made with a sealed granite base that provides physical and thermal stability. Mounted on pneumatic isolators, the base remains protected from external excitation including footfalls, road traffic, and nearby mechanical equipment.

In addition, the UPM machines have an axis stiffness as high as 875 N/μ as well as Adap-tive Control Technology (ACT), which analyzes feedback, including disturbances. ACT also provides active cancellation (analogous to noise-canceling headsets) that continually

Ultraprecision machining (UPM) comes from the optics industry so not many designers are familiar with the process. However, the technology has the poten-tial to revolutionize the way manufac-turers, in general, finish parts or make fine-featured patterns.

First, recall that “high precision” in tra-ditional machining generally refers to tol-erances in the single-digit micron range. In inch units, machinists talk about hold-ing “tenths” (ten-thousandths of an inch, or 0.0001 in.). And the best conventional machining and grinding machines typi-cally get Ra values no better than 0.1 μm. In contrast, ultraprecision machining provides accuracy an order of magnitude better by holding submicron tolerances.

Fundamentals of

ultraprecisionmachiningIt no longer takes

exotic machining

to hold submicron

tolerances.

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com56

Ultra Precision two-axis diamond turning creates a diffractive, infrared lens of germanium. Final surface is produced without postpolishing.

Ultra Precision diamond turning is used to form a pivot bearing on an electroless-nickel-plated toric form with a surface accuracy better than 70-nm peak to valley (PV).

Authored by:

Tom Solon, P. E.Engineering ManagerHaydon Kerk Motion SolutionsHollis, N. H.

Edited by Leslie Gordonleslie.gordon@penton.com, Twitter @LeslieGordon

Key points:• Ultraprecision machining produces fine finishes not possible with any other machining technology.

• Lower costs has let UPM branch into many industries.

• UPM can also make tiny patterns on parts.

Resources:Ametek Precitech, www.precitech.com; www.precitech.com/company-profile/white-papers

Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions, www.haydonkerk.com

For another feature on finishing technologies, scan this code or go to: http://machinedesign.com/article/liquid-electrode-finishes-alloy-parts-1026

adjusts and fine-tunes system-control parameters. The critical element is the anticipation of a repetitive event such as a resonance and the pre-emptive application of compensation. The machines feature onboard metrology as well.

What’s more, the UPM machines use only air and oil bearings to eliminate mechanical interactions of surfaces. This means that friction all but disappears.

In traditional machining, coolant handles heat generated at the work-piece but heat generated by the machine itself is ignored. UPM equip-ment is itself liquid cooled, adding the necessary dimensional stability to maintain accuracy and repeatability. Chillers are used to cool spindles, slides, rotary tables, and other moving parts to insure dimensional sta-bility, remove heat from cutting tools, and prevent heat transfer to struc-tural elements.

Ultraprecision machining can be performed via turning or freeform machining. With turning, the machine generates rotationally symmetric geometries. With freeform machining, the machine generates complex geometries based on an X-Y-Z coordinate system. Freeform machin-ing can be further divided into Servoform 3D or Fast-Tool Servo (FTS) machining. FTS machining uses voice-coil and piezoelectric actuation to produce small-scale features (up to 500 μm) at high frequencies (up to 1 kHz). The machines produce high-density, high-definition patterns in this manner. In contrast, Servoform 3D provides long excursions (mul-tiple millimeters) at low frequencies (<100 Hz). This creates large-scale surface variations. A third method of ultraprecision machining freeform components is the conventional three linear axis X-Y-Z machining.

A clear technical advantageOptical lenses obviously require both accuracy and clarity. The pol-

ishing of an irregular or faceted surface such as a Fresnel or prismatic lens becomes a series of compromises. UPM can easily handle this kind of work.

In fact, UPM has lowered the cost of directly machining lenses. It has done the same for manufacturing mold cavities for mass produc-tion of lenses. Contact lenses have benefited: Low-cost, disposable con-

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 57

OEM SERVICES

Ultra Precision three-axis diamond turning with Precitech’s Fast Tool Servo process can produce this 200-mm-diameter brass aspheric-lenslet array mold. Final surface is produced without postpolishing.

Using three-axis X-Y-Z turning with coordinated motion, the final optical surface is produced with postpolishing.

suring equipment and metrology tools than otherwise possible. It can easily support the rule of thumb that mea-surement tools should be one or two orders of magnitude more accurate than the items they measure.

However, UPM really shines when it comes to creating superior surface finishes for visual impact. Ultraprecision machining can repeatedly generate superior surface fin-ishes and do so with operators who have the same skill set as traditional CNC machinists.

Overall, methods for producing submicron finishes include polishing, lapping, and focused ion-beam mill-ing. However, these are costly, time-consuming processes. UPM offers similar capabilities with fewer steps and pro-cess variables. Also, ultraprecision machining is more likely to cut through surface irregularities, preserving the true makeup of the sample. Abrasive techniques tend to drag or smear particulates, which could compromise the quality of the sample’s surface.

Special machines The small diamond tools on UPM machines make

only tiny cuts. Therefore, UPM will not replace traditional machining equipment. Instead, it is a complementary pro-cess, much like polishing, but with greatly enhanced ca-pabilities. It is not particularly quick, but it is quicker than

the alternatives. It is most often used to create tooling or spe-cialized custom parts.

The diamond tools work well on a variety of materials includ-ing nonferrous meta ls such as aluminum, cop-per, electroless nickel, and tin. They also work well on a variety of polymers. But on ferrous met-als, a chemical reaction occurs between the iron and the diamond tool, leading to a breakdown of the diamond surface.

One solution is to lay down an electroless-nickel layer which can be finish-machined with diamond tooling. This combination can obtain a surface finish of 0.4-nm Ra. Another option is to use tooling of cubic-boron nitride (CBN) that is compatible with ferrous materials. Surfaces created with CBN tooling aren’t as smooth as those created with diamond on nickel because of the particle size of the

tact lenses, and toric lenses for astigmatic vision correction now come in both hard and soft forms at a fraction of the cost of in the past.

In the l i fe sc i-ences, sample sizes have dropped from milli liters to pico-liters. Even tolerances of a few microns can have a dramatic ef-fect on picoliter vol-umes. Open up any typical portable elec-tronic device today — whether a camera, cell phone, insulin pump, or pacemaker — and perform a tolerance analysis on the assem-bly. The small size of the tolerance budget will be obvious. Everyday systems such as inkjet printers and automotive fuel-injection devices benefit from preci-sion that was impractical 25 years ago. Inkjet cartridges have nozzles in them that are more precise than typical aerospace components, just to make sure every drop of ink is exactly the correct size and lands in the right place.

UPM allows the manufacturing of more-precise mea-

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com58

Adaptive-Control

TechnologyState command

ACT state controller (Variable filter & compensation parameters)

Output State error Feedbackstate

Sensor noise is filtered byACT in the state estimator

Error analyzer State estimator

Known input

Parameter

update

Knowninput

Sensorsignal

(includingnoise)

Power electronics Actuator

MechanicsTraditional mechanicsand feedback sensors Position sensors

Output

PID controller (fixed filter and compensation parameters)

Traditional position command

Ultra Precision diamond turning produces an infrared lens of silicon material. Final surface is produced without postpolishing.

Adaptive-Control Technology (ACT) builds on traditional feedback controls by anticipating repetitive events. The flowchart illustrates the ACT process (green blocks) that adjusts inputs to cancel disturbances that would degrade the accuracy of the UPM machine’s movements.

terministic grinding of materials such as glass or ceramics that cannot be turned. Ceramic mold components (typi-cally silicon carbide or tungsten carbide) used for produc-ing glass products can be directly manufactured in this

manner. This technology has enabled the low-cost optics found in today’s mobile products.

Companies building precision injection molds for plastics, especially where surface finish is important, should look into UPM. Mold polishing is an art as much as a science. It is limited in both accuracy and precision compared to ultraprecision machining and is not practical for details containing sharp edges or corners. Electrical-discharge machining, a mainstay for creating complex cavity features, has limitations such as rough surface finish and the risk of surface defects from inadequate flushing that are easily sur-passed by ultraprecision machining.

For consumer products, UPM supports the pro-duction of high-gloss prototypes in the correct mate-rial even if it is translucent or transparent. For tech-nical prototypes, UPM can build proof-of-concept models in metal, glass, and polymeric materials.

It is important to note that UPM is not a fringe or an experimental technology. It is no longer a labora-tory process needing a team of scientists to operate. In fact, ultraprecision machining has never been as simple and easy to use as it is today. With production machines shipping worldwide, and prices competi-tive with other CNC equipment starting in the low six-figure range, the only thing preventing wide-scale adoption is awareness. MD

abrasive. But CBN can still produce a finish of 15 to 20-nm Ra or better on electroless nickel. Both of these methods are used for building mold cavities.

Ultraprecision machining can also be used for the de-

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 59

MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

The rolling elements in antifriction bearings are critical components that can affect the overall performance of an entire machine. Engineers must consider their many attributes to get the best bearing performance, including:

• Diameter and diameter tolerance.• Axial profile.• Radial clearance.• Surface finish.In many cases, catalog data alone does not provide enough information

for engineers to confidently specify a bearing and predict performance — particularly in critical applications. Fortunately, some major bearing manu-facturers offer application-analysis services that delve deeper into design and operating details. Such analysis considers all bearing inputs and recom-mends designs or products that deliver the required performance.

As an example, let’s look at some gearbox bearings that recently came un-der the scrutiny of RBC Bearings, Oxford, Conn. These bearings support

Software that

examines bearing

fundamentals leads

to better designs.

Analyzing the essentials of

BEARING PERFORMANCE

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com60

Planetary-gear bearings

Planet

carrier

Gear

Spacer

Needle

rollers

Washer

Free-body

diagram +X

TF

S

Z

S

F T

+Y

This illustration depicts the helical-planet gear, with two paths of rollers, analyzed by RBC application engineers.

This free-body diagram shows tooth forces on the gear. Roller loads are omitted for clarity.

Taking a detailed look at bearing loads can improve gear performance and life.

Authored by:

Kelvin M. SmithSenior Application EngineerRBC BearingsOxford, Conn.

Edited by Kenneth J. Koraneken.korane@penton.com

Key points:• Applications-analysis software

can look at most every aspect of bearing performance.

• Typical recommendations range from bearing size, type, and speed to materials, heat treatment, and lubrication requirements.

Resources:RBC Bearings, www.rbcbearings.com

RS# 621

force on the bearing, either. However the thrust tooth forces do create a moment with a magnitude of 2T mul-tiplied by the gear’s pitch radius. The needle rollers react to the applied forces and moments which, in this case, are –4,033 lb of load and –860 lb-in. of moment.

Applying this load and moment to the bearing in the company’s simulation program gives loads on rollers in positions 1 through 6 and 13 through 17, (shown in the “Roller position loads” illustration). Roller position 1 bears the greatest load. However, positions 3 and 6 are the most heavily stressed roller positions due to reac-tions to the overturning moment.

The “Individual roller loads” graphic shows a top view of the two roller paths, depicting the magnitude and distribution of the load on each roller. The num-

a helical gear in a simple planetary set, using two rows of loose needle rollers housed in the bore of the gear, as shown in the accompanying graphic. Shaft OD is ap-proximately 0.500 in. and gear bore is about 0.750 in. The unit runs at a maximum speed of 2,300 rpm.

Among the areas analyzed: • Loads on the bearing and individual needle rollers.• Contact pressure on the most highly stressed rollers.• Subsurface stress in the raceway, and how it compares

to the strength of the raceway material.A free-body diagram shows tooth-separating forces,

S, which are equal and opposite and, therefore, do not add to the load on the bearing. The tangential tooth forces, F, act in the same direction and are additive. Equal and opposite thrust tooth forces, T, add no net

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 61

MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

12

3

4

5

6

7

89 10

11

12

13

14

15

1617

45

246

459

658

887977

887

658

459

246

45

Roller position loads4,033-lb LOAD, 860-lb-in. MOMENT

Most-heavily stressed rollers (3 and 16)

4,033

Z+

Individual roller loads, lb

Individual roller loads

45 246 459 591 601 489 286 67

67 286 409 601 591 459 246 45

Roller position number

45 246 459 658 887 977 887 658 459 246 45

6 5 4 3 2 1 17 16 15 14 13

Loads on the rollers will vary, depending on their position around the shaft. Moment is about the Z axis, and units are in inches and pounds.

Bearing-simulation software can generate a top view of the magnitude and distribution of loads on each roller.

bers between the roller paths indicate loads on each roller. Although rollers 2 and 17 have the highest loads, roll-ers 3 and 16 have the highest concen-tration of load (the widest red area) and, therefore, the highest stress due to misalignment caused by the overturn-ing moment.

Using a program coded specifi-cally for this type of analysis, applica-tion engineers can then analyze the contact pressure with the raceway on roller positions 3 and 16. A “Contact pressure” plot shows three details: the effective length of the roller is along the horizontal axis; the width of the contact patch along the axis going into the page; and the contact pressure on the vertical axis. Contact pressure is skewed due to the skewed loading pattern on the roller, and it exceeds 500,000 psi — which is considered quite high.

The last graphic plots subsurface stress versus material strength. The red line represents the subsurface von Mises effective stress due to contact pressure; the blue and purple lines show the yield and tensile strength, respectively. Here, the von Mises sub-surface stress in the material slightly

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com62

Patch

wid

th, i

n.

500,000 to 600,000

Contact pressure

Helical planetary example

Co

nta

ct press

ure

, psi

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0

Effective length, in.

–0.280–0.218

–0.155–0.093

–0.0310.031

0.0930.155

0.2180.280

–0.005

0.000

0.005

400,000 to 500,000

300,000 to 400,000

200,000 to 300,000

100,000 to 200,000

0 to 100,000

Subsurface stress versus strength

Stre

ss/stren

gth

, psi

Depth into raceway, in.

400,000

350,000

300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0

0.000 0.005 0.010 0.015 0.020 0.025 0.030 0.035 0.040

Yield strength

Tensile strength

von Mises stress

More in-depth analysis software plots contact pressure for individual rollers.

This graph compares internal bearing stresses and material strength. Because stress slightly exceeds yield strength, a change in design or material is warranted.

• Shaft, housing, and gear bore sizes, materials, surfaces finishes, and hardness.

• Lubrication requirements.• Materials and heat treatment required on raceways and

shafts.These and other guidelines let OEM designers spec-

ify bearings that precisely match intended performance and life requirements. MD

exceeds the yield strength of the case-hardened material. Therefore, the material needs to be replaced or the heat-treatment process changed to improve performance.

These results give just a few examples of the types of analysis available to help improve bearing applications. Other analyses might recommend:• Bearing size, number of rollers, limiting speed, mis-

alignment capability, and the axial profile required on the races and rollers.

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 63

MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

Engineers who discount the importance of dimensional tolerance do so at their own risk. It’s like ignoring the odds in Vegas, and often with the same disappointing results. For instance, design a 0.875-in.-diameter shaft to mate with a precision bearing, send the drawings to a reputable and experienced manufacturer and, without specifying tolerances, the bearing may or may not fit on the finished part.

How can this happen? A machine shop that sees an un-toleranced diameter, without knowing the design intent, may apply a standard tolerance for three-decimal-place untoleranced dimensions, ±0.005 in. Unfortunately, this may result in interference, where the hole is smaller than the shaft diameter, which prevents the parts from sliding together. They might have to be pressed together, but if too large of an interference exists, it will degrade performance, especially in bearings. The manufacturer will gladly of-fer to rework the pieces to fit — for an additional charge — which will extend delivery times and possibly lead to missed deadlines and budgets.

And make no mistake, this happens all the time. While many machine shops take due diligence to verify nontoler-

Understanding

the nuances

of tolerances

makes life easier

for engineers.

Authored by:

Stefan MeninMechanical EngineerOndrives.US Corp.Freeport, N. Y.

Edited by Kenneth J. Koraneken.korane@penton.com

Key points:• Always use dimensional tolerances.

• By using suitable tolerances, engineers pass the responsibility for making the part correctly to the manufacturer.

• Don’t expect machine shops to verify untoleranced dimensions.

Resources:Ondrives.US, www.ondrives.us

RS# 622

Applying dimensional tolerances to mechanical parts helps ensure proper fit and function.

Working with

DIMENSIONAL

TOLERANCES

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com64

upper and lower limits, the larger the tolerance band, referred to as a “looser” tolerance. Con-versely, a smaller tolerance band is considered a “tighter” tolerance.

Always use tolerances. Always. Ambiguity is not the friend of the mechanical designer. If you leave a dimension without a tolerance, no one else will know the importance, or unim-portance, of the dimension.

BenefitsWhen tolerances are used correctly, en-

gineers have much to gain. They ensure that parts will fit properly and work as designed within an assembly, be it a sliding or press fit. They can also reduce costs. Unnecessar-ily tight tolerances make parts more expen-sive to produce. There is no reason to apply a ±0.0002 tolerance when ±0.002 will do. Also, although some manufacturers apply their own standard tolerances to nontoleranced dimen-sions, many will not even begin making parts until all features are defined, which consumes valuable time and possibly pushes out delivery time.

Expecting parts to be made to the machin-ist’s best effort is not acceptable. The machinist does not know how parts interact, nor is that his or her responsibility. Furthermore, one machinist’s “best effort” may be maintaining features to within a few ten-thousandths of the dimension indicated, whereas another may make the feature 0.015-in. larger or smaller than indicated.

Tolerances should not be used with hesita-tion. Just because a larger tolerance band is

used, it doesn’t mean parts will be sloppily made. In fact, depending on the manufacturer’s standards, shipped parts might have even tighter tolerances than originally speci-fied. One good example is the bore of a gear. The specifica-tion might be ø0.250 0.000

0.002 but the manufacturer may machine the bore to a tighter tolerance of ø0.2500 0.0000

0.0005simply because it is the particular manufacturer’s stan-dard and this tighter tolerance is critical to the gear-cut-ting process.

Another significant benefit is that by using suitable tolerances, engineers pass the responsibility of making the part correctly to the manufacturer. But remember, it’s not the manufacturer’s job to figure out design intent. If the part is within tolerance but doesn’t fit or function properly, the manufacturer cannot be held accountable. Dimensions without tolerances leave the acceptable limits open, and it’s not the manufacturer’s responsibility to determine what is acceptable.

Important considerationsOne of the most critical considerations when applying

tolerances is to take into account fits. This refers to how

anced dimensions, many don’t. Engineers who know the importance of tolerances, and how to use them, can easily avoid this problem.

Understanding basicsIf parts did not need to interact with each other, or if

the world were perfect, there would be no need for tol-erances. But parts are made either from larger pieces of material or built up from a powder or liquid, so there is no guarantee they will be exactly the size one requires.

It’s important to understand what tolerance is. ASME Y14.5M defines it as “the total amount a specific dimen-sion is permitted to vary. The tolerance is the difference between the maximum and minimum limits.” This can be shown as upper and lower limits 0.2500

0.2498 or an allow-able amount above and below a nominal dimension (0.25000.0000

0.0002, 0.2499 ±0.0001). Both of these methods define the same range of allowable dimensions. In this ex-ample, a finished part is acceptable when its dimension is anywhere between 0.2498 and 0.2500 in.; outside of this range, it is rejected. This range of allowable dimensions is the tolerance band. The larger the difference between the

Tolerance accumulationL ±0.05

K ±0.05

J ±0.05

I ±0.05

B D

B D

B D

(M)

L ±0.05K ±0.05J ±0.05I ±0.05

L ±0.05K ±0.05

J ±0.05

I ±0.05

Be aware of tolerance accumulation. As shown here, although every length has the same tolerance, overall length can vary, depending on how tolerances are applied.

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 65

MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

Corner radius

R0.015 min

R0.125

When using minimum or maximum tolerances, make sure limiting dimensions do not affect the part’s intended function.

A certain deviation from nominal in the location of a dowel pin hole may result in parts that are impossible to assemble, while the same deviation in the location of clearance holes will likely cause no effect to the entire assembly, except for perhaps a near-imperceptible aesthetic oddity.

While thoroughly dimensioning parts is important, one must avoid redundan-cies. They may cause conflicts in inspec-tion because certain features will be de-fined more than once in more than one way. If a dimension that overdefines the part is desired, use a reference dimension between parentheses and usually with-out tolerances, like dimension (M) in the middle shaft drawing. This dimension is derived from others or is repeated, usually in a different view.

Dimensional tolerances are key in making parts right. Using them appro-priately will save time spent coordinat-

ing with the manufacturer, circumvent design issues, and reduce unnecessary costs. However, while dimensional tolerances are important, so are geometric tolerances in fully defining parts. They deal with geometric features and relationships between features such as form, profile, orien-tation, and runout, and cannot be defined by dimensions alone. This topic will be explored in a future article. MD

shafts will fit into bearings or bushings, motors into pilot holes, and so on. Depending on the application, the part may require a clearance fit to allow for ther-mal expansion, a sliding fit for better positioning, or an interference (press) fit for holding capability. Information on limits and fits (among a plethora of other information) can be found in the 29th edition of “Machinery’s Handbook” for both U. S. customary units and standard ISO fits.

Another consideration is how “tolerance accumu-lation” (also called “tolerance stack”) affects a part. For example, take a shaft with four sections, each of a different diameter (as shown in the “Tolerance ac-cumulation” graphic.) Although every length dimen-sion has the same tolerance, the tolerance between surfaces B and D can be as large as ±0.15 (top figure) or as low as ±0.05 (bottom), depending on where di-mensions are placed. It is up to the designer to decide which lengths are critical to the part’s function.

Be careful when applying tolerances to a radius or diameter. A tolerance on a radius will double when measured as a diameter. A tolerance on a radius might be looser than intended, while one on a diam-eter might be tighter than intended. The effect of this is illustrated in the two gear drawings. If the part is manufactured to the dimensions in the top drawing, a hole diameter of 0.502 is acceptable. In the lower drawing, it’s not.

Also, one need not assume measure-ments will be rounded when determining if a part conforms to the specified toler-ance. If a part is measured to be 0.2502 using a dial micrometer or other device, and the part’s dimension is supposed to be 0.250 0.000

0.002 the dimension is not rounded down to three decimal places; it is considered nonconforming. ASME Y14.5M states dimensions “are used as if they were continued with zeros,” even if not shown.

Also take into account any plating or finishing processes the part requires. A note should indicate if dimensions apply before or after such processes.

When using either MIN or MAX limits, ensure that if the dimension ap-proaches infinity (in the case of MIN) or is zero (in the case of MAX), it does not hinder the design of the part. The “Corner radius” illustration uses a MIN tolerance, possibly to ensure a radius will reduce stress concentration. However, the lower figure shows a dimension that is within tolerance, but it may hinder the part’s functionality. Other features should clearly define unstated limits.

Both the location and size of alignment holes (such as for dowel pins) should not carry the same tolerances as clearance holes (such as for screws to pass through).

0.001–0.000

0.001–0.000

0.001–0.000

0.001–0.000

Hole tolerances

0.563+0.001

R0.250+0.001

ø0.500+0.001

0.563+0.001

Specifying tolerances to a radius or diameter can produce different results for the same hole.

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com66

Medical equipment requires high performance motors. Moog Silencer™ series brushless DC

ŵŽƚŽƌƐŽīĞƌƵŶŝƋƵĞĚĞƐŝŐŶƐƚŚĂƚĚĞůŝǀĞƌƌĞƐƵůƚƐhůƚƌĂƋƵŝĞƚĨƵŶĐƟŽŶĂůŝƚLJƐŵŽŽƚŚŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶ

ĂƚǀĂƌŝŽƵƐƐƉĞĞĚƐĂŶĚƚŚĞĂĚǀĂŶƚĂŐĞŽĨŚŝŐŚƚŽƌƋƵĞĂƚĂůŽǁĐŽƐƚ

>ĞĂƌŶŵŽƌĞĂďŽƵƚDŽŽŐƐƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐĨŽƌportable oxygen concentrators and other medical

ĚĞǀŝĐĞƐ^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚĂŶĚĐƵƐƚŽŵŵŽƚŽƌŵŽĚĞůƐĂƌĞĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞǁŝƚŚŽƉƟŽŶƐŽŶƚĂĐƚƵƐƚŽĚŝƐĐƵƐƐ

LJŽƵƌĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶ

Looking for more?

^ĐĂŶƚŽǀŝĞǁŵŽƚŽƌƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂƟŽŶƐ

Brushless DC Motor Features:

>ŽǁŶŽŝƐĞůŽǁǀŝďƌĂƟŽŶ

ŽŵƉĂĐƚƐŝnjĞ

,ŝŐŚƌĞůŝĂďŝůŝƚLJ

>ŽŶŐůŝĨĞ

,ŝŐŚĞĸĐŝĞŶĐLJDŽƟŽŶdĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ#&ŝďĞƌKƉƟĐƐ#ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐ^LJƐƚĞŵƐ

нϭϱϰϬϱϱϮϯϬϭϭဒϬϬϯϯϲϮϭϭϮ;h^3ŵĐŐΛŵŽŽŐĐŽŵ

www.moog.com/componentsRS# 171

FlexiForce sensors incorporated into drug delivery systems ensure

successful delivery of the medication as well as accurate positioning of the device.

'UXJ'HOLYHU\

0RQLWRULQJ'HYLFHV

phone: 617.464.4500 toll-free: 800.248.3669 email: marketing@tekscan.com web: www.tekscan.com/flexiforce

)OH[L)RUFH8CNWCDNG(QTEG(GGFDCEM

)RUFH6HQVLWLYH

,QVROHV

The sleek design of FlexiForce sensors is perfect for insole designs such as the one shown, enabling a natural stepping motion.

Sensors provide force feedback to detect balance problems and prevent falls.

'CU[VQ+PVGITCVG

ultra-thin flexible low-power low-cost

MECHANICAL PRODUCTS

Industrial gearbox bearingsGearbox bearings must withstand tough operating conditions in applications

from mining and conveying equipment to wind turbines. Single-row cylindrical

roller bearings come in more than 3,000 different designs and versions, and han-

dle high radial loads and moderate to high speeds. High-quality, rolling-bearing

steel contributes to exceptional life, while the raceways’ high surface quality

keeps the operating temperature down and reduces wear. The inner and outer

rings can be fitted separately to simplify installation. Other standard gearbox

bearings include spherical and taper

roller bearings as well as angular con-

tact and deep groove ball bearings.

Special bearings for gearboxes can be

developed and manufactured in close

cooperation with users.

NKE Austria GmbH, 20 Barney Rd.,

Clifton Park, NY 12065, (518) 371-5759,

www.nke.at RS# 623

Heavy-duty traverse drivesUhing RG50, RG60, and RG80 drives

now have a 100-notch scale for

pitch-adjustment control, doubling

precision over previous versions for

more-accurate incremental linear

movement. The unit’s 10:1 linear-pitch

range is now adjustable over 100 dis-

crete notched settings. A worm-gear

option makes linear pitch infinitely

adjustable using a control knob.

Large RG traverse drives provide

from 225 to 800 lb of axial thrust and

are primarily used for traverse winding

of thick cable, heavy rope, and chain

onto spools and reels. RG drives are

also used for linear motion in packag-

ing and converting equipment, and in

other production machinery requiring

reciprocating linear motion. “Rolling-

ring” mechanical control over reversal

eliminates the need for electronic

controls and a reversible motor.

Amacoil, 2100 Bridgewater Rd.,

Aston, PA 19014, (800) 252-2645,

www.amacoil.com RS# 624

RS# 141MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com68

ry our totally-integrated

ctric actuator solutione and development costs.

complex engineering and achieve signifi cant savings with our

nance Tritex II™ motion solutions. These include an integrated controller,

amplifier, motor and robust roller screw actuator, all in one effi cient, sealed package.

Highest power density, smallest footprint, most durable.

Unrivaled power, performance and compactness comes from our T-LAM

stator design and rugged roller screw technology.

Compare and learn more at www.exlarcorp.com

Patented actuators from Exlar utilize planetary roller screws to outperform ball screw actuators in life, load, speed and acceleration.

Actuator

Motor

Amplifi er

Controller

Linear or Rotary ActuatorSolutions Available

Compact servodriveThe alpha V-Drive family now includes Size 040 units. The VDH 040 expands the current

servo worm-gear line to meet compact design requirements. The drive satisfies high

precision and dynamic demands of common servo applications. Features include

high rated speed, power density, and duty cycle (>60%) with low running

noise. The worm gear is especially suited for machine tool, automation,

and packaging applications.

Wittenstein Inc., 1249 Humbracht Circle, Bartlett, IL 60103, (888) 534-

1222, www.wittenstein-us.com

RS# 625

Induction-hardened gear racksTwo new versions of Rack Gears feature 1045 carbon-steel construction and

induction-hardened teeth for precise operation, high strength, abrasion re-

sistance, and long service life. The RGEAH ground rack gear comes without

holes or with bottom, side, or side-counterboard tapped holes. The RGEAHL

version lets users configure hole machining with bottom, side, or side-coun-

terboard tapped options. Both rack gears have a black-oxide finish, end-face

machining, and come in a variety of sizes. The racks are used with pinions

(spur gears) to convert rotational motion into linear motion in products such

as machine tools, conveyors, hoists, drives, and roller feeds.

Misumi USA, 1717 Penny Lane, Suite 200, Schaumburg, IL 60173, (800) 681-

7475, http://us.misumi-ec.com

RS# 626

Request free information via our

Reader Service Web site at

www.machinedesign.com/rsc

RS# 142MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 69

©20

12 C

OM

SOL.

Multiphysics tools let you build simulations that

accurately replicate the important characteristics

of your designs. The key is the ability to include all

physical eff ects that exist in the real world. Order a

free CD containing 700 multiphysics presentations

at www.comsol.com/confcd

Verify and optimize your designs with COMSOL Multiphysics.®

METAL FORMING: Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) in the cast and mold of an aluminum extrusion process. The isosurfaces show the dynamic viscosity in the non-Newtonian aluminum fl ow.

MECHANICAL PRODUCTS

iwis drive systems, 8266

Zionsville Rd., Building 100,

Indianapolis, IN 46268, (317) 821-

3539, www.iwisusa.com

RS# 627

Long-life chainsNew-generation Everlast Plus Series chains have an advanced sintered-

metal construction that is said to significantly extend service life. Lab

tests show a major reduction in friction and wear over previous versions,

improving wear lifespan by more than 300% without the need for relubri-

cation. A black coating visually distinguishes the new chains from their pre-

decessors. The Everlast Plus chains meet ISO 606, DIN 8187, and DIN 8188

requirements and are available in sizes 06B to 16B and ANSI 40 to 160.

Sleeve bearings A new Series of 44 Frelon-lined

flanged sleeve bearings are designed

to replace sintered and plastic bear-

ings. The self-lubricating bearings

come in inch (BSLFLN-PF Series) and

metric (BSLFLNM Series) versions.

They fit shafts ranging from 0.1890

to 3.0015 in. (6.028 to 50.062 mm) in

diameter. Overall flange diameters

range from 0.4370 to 3.5000 in. (14

to 70 mm). Engineers can get quotes

and place online orders at the com-

pany’s new eStore.

Quality Bearings & Components (QBC), 125 Railroad Ave., Garden City

Park, NY 11040, (888) 276-4787, www.

qbcbearings.com

RS# 628

RS# 143MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com70

www.fixtureworks.net

STOCKED VS CUSTOM-MOLDED.

Fixtureworks® stocks a full-line of rollers from Fairlane® Products. No need to spec and wait for a custom roller to be tooled up and molded. Our line up is stocked and ready to ship. A lineup that now includes urethane covered bearing and press fit rollers in addition to our solid, soft and finned rollers. They are available in a variety of styles, mountings and durometers and can be custom modified for your specific application. And they’re available when you need them.

RS# 144 RS# 145

RS# 146

SOFTWARE REVIEW

The image shows the loading of the Dicom file.

Use the background/foreground slide bar to adjust transparency of the respective scans.

Obesity is a problem in the U. S. and even software has joined the battle to eliminate it. For example, a Dicom image-processing program called Slicer lets us-ers import positron-emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans into a CAD package for further manipulation of the segmented image. (Dicom, short for “digital imaging and communica-tions in medicine,” is a standard for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting information in medical imaging.) But how is putting medical imagery in CAD useful in the battle against obesity?

It is helpful to note that a tissue known as Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) plays a large part in burning calories. To study BAT in regulating metabolism and, thus, help reduce obesity, it is helpful to identify BAT’s volume and anatomical variation.

Most medical-imaging tech-nologies can segment tissues for further study, but they do not contain the analytical capability of CAD programs. Slicer, a free and open-source software package for visualization and medical-image computing, can segment BAT from a PET-CT scan and then im-port it into 3D CAD software.

Here is how using Slicer typi-cally works:

First, technicians send the designer or researcher PET-CT image files on a CD that contains indi-vidual PET and CT folders. Each folder holds multiple files comprising the slices captured. Also on the disc is a viewer that lets users see the images. We use a freeware program down-loaded from Slicer’s site, selecting Slicer3 3.6.2010-08-23 for Windows. The download takes just a few minutes.

Next, we open the Slicer program and select the Dicom directory from the browser. A slide-bar adjusts the transparency of the PET and CT scans.

The 3D Slicer files (xxx.nrrr) can be saved at this point.

Upon first opening the Editor func-tion, a dialogue box opens that lets users select a color table for selecting tissue colors. Here, users can label the images created. With the PET layer active, one selects the “Threshold” tool and then selects a threshold limit using the Range slider. All tissue with a threshold in the range that was in-put is now color labeled, for instance, green.

Merging medical imagerywith CAD

Authored by:

Jim Voegele, P. E.Jacob Crabtree, co-opEthicon Endo-SurgeryCincinnati, Ohio

Edited by Leslie Gordon,leslie.gordon@penton.com, Twitter @LeslieGordon

Resources:Ethicon Endo-Surgery, www.its.jnj.com

Slicer, www.slicer.org

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com72

77STOCK DRIVE PRODUCTS/STERLING INSTRUMENT79

BRECOFLEX CO., L.L.C. 77

MAY 2012

FLOYD BELL INC75

HERCULES SEALING PRODUCTS79 SMALLEY STEEL RING CO77

ACE CONTROLS INC. 77

Literature Express

ADVANCED ANTIVIBRATION COMPONENTS75

http://www.machinedesign.com

QUALITY TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS

It’s time to team up with some of the industries

best resources and the University of Minnesota

has alot to share!

The Twin Cities area was already one of the

country’s most active locations for fl uid power,

and with it becoming the headquarters of the

Center for Compact and Effi cient Fluid Power,

it’s now a real hotbed of fl uid power technology,

industry, and academia. Seminar attendees,

exhibitors, and sponsors will all be able to

take advantage of this rich concentration of

technology.

Attendee Registration $175Includes two days of access to sessions and exhibit

area, breakfast, lunch and afternoon breaks, Cocktail

Reception at the end day one, and tour of the Eolos

Wind Research Station

Anthony J. Welter

Segment Director

Construction and Mining

EATON CORPORATION

Expanding the

Boundaries of Power

Management: Is

Hydraulics the Next

Game Changer?

HEADED TO

THE TWIN CITIES

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:

WWW.FLUIDPOWEREXPO.COM

JUNE 26-27, 2012

KEYNOTE

SPEAKER:

AAC Advanced

Antivibration Components

Phone: (516) 328-3662

Fax: (516) 328-3365

Email: aacsupport@vibrationmounts.com

Web: www.vibrationmounts.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 1

Advanced Antivibration Components now carries the largest selection of built-

to-last Foot Mounts available. Whether your machinery is: light, medium or heavy

weight; requiring adjustability, vibration isolation,

non-slip pad or washdown; used in Pharmaceuti-

cal, Medical, Food, Dairy or Beverage Industries

– AAC Levels it All. New Catalog V120 available

– request your Free copy today.

WE WANT TO LEVEL WITH YOU

Intech Corp.,

250 Herbert Ave., Closter, NJ 07624

(201) 767-8066

Fax: (201) 767-7797

Web: www.intechpower.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 2

The Intech Power-Core™ gears are precision machined and offer solutions to ap-

plications in which lubrication, wear, noise, vibration, inertia, shock load, moisture

and chemicals present a problem for nylon, Delrin

or metal gears. Metal Core provides for a secure

attachment to the shaft and higher torque trans-

mission. Gear design and sizing is backed by

durability calculation using proprietary software.

SELF-LUBRICATING GEAR SOLUTIONS CALCULATED FOR LIFE

FOR A GREEN FUTURE

All Metric Small Parts, a division of Designa-tronics, Inc., has announced the availability of a NEW 512 page catalog titled M100. The catalog features over 5,600 RoHS compli-ant, Metric components. The products de-tailed include: Handles, Handwheels, Cranks, Grips, Levers, Knobs, Latches, Locks, Catches, Hinges, Screws, Washers, Springs,Keys, Plungers, Pins, Leveling & Support Feet.

Request your FREE copy today.

ALL METRIC SMALL PARTSNew Hyde Park, NY516-302-0152, FAX: 516-302-0153Web: www.allmetricsmallparts.com

Floyd Bell Inc

(614) 294-4000

Fax: (614) 291-0823

Email: sales@floydbell.com

Web: www.floydbell.com

TURBO LIGHT® WATERPROOF LED PANEL INDICATORS

Tiny (approx.1”x1”) LED Panel Indicators provide BRIGHT output with super-

sleek design. Available in variety of voltages and output up to 14,500 cd/m2! Rug-

ged, tamper-proof, lo-profile panel mount de-

sign is IP68 and NEMA 4X. Available in 5 colors

and 3 brightness levels. ISO 9001:2000 regis-

tered company – all products made in the USA.

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 7

Floyd Bell Inc

(614) 294-4000

Fax: (614) 291-0823

Email: sales@floydbell.com

Web: www.floydbell.com

TURBO® MINIATURE PIEZOELECTRIC ALARMSTiny (approx.1”x1”) piezoelectric alarms provide LOUD output with a super-

sleek design. Available in variety of voltages and output up to 103dB! Rug-

ged, tamper-proof, lo-profile panel mount

design is IP68 and NEMA 4X. Optional

manual volume control offers increased at-

tenuation. ISO 9001:2000 registered com-

pany – al l products made in the USA.

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 6

Floyd Bell Inc

(614) 294-4000

Fax: (614) 291-0823

Email: sales@floydbell.com

Web: www.floydbell.com

ULTRA™ LOUD PIEZOELECTRIC ALARMSUltra Loud selection of piezoelectric whoops, warbles, sirens, beeps and

more offers 100Hz lower frequency than industry counterparts. Available

in variety of voltages and output up to

108dB! Rugged panel mount products are

IP68 and NEMA 4X when used with op-

tional gasket ISO 9001:2000 registered

company – all products made in the USA.

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 8

Floyd Bell Inc

(614) 294-4000

Fax: (614) 291-0823

Email: sales@floydbell.com

Web: www.floydbell.com

AUDIOLARM II® PIEZOELECTRIC ALARMSThe industry’s largest selection of piezoelectric whoops, warbles, si-

rens, beeps and more. Available in variety of voltages and output up to

103dB! Rugged panel mount products are

IP68 and NEMA 4X when used with op-

tional gasket. ISO 9001:2000 registered

company – all products made in the USA.

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 5

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 3

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 4MACHINE Design.com 75

JULY 11-12, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

McNamara Events Center

OCTOBER 4-5, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

PROTOTYPING Medical Design’s Medical Prototyping

Conference (MPC) will be held in

Minneapolis, home to many medical

device companies. Modeled after our

successful two-day Medical Silicone

Conference events, MPC will feature

presentations by leading industry

experts on all areas of prototyping,

including stereolithography, selective

lasersintering, 3D printing, rapid injec-

WLRQPROGLQJDQGRWKHUWRSLFVVSHFLÀF

to medical device OEMs .

Keynote sessions will address the

VLJQLÀFDQFHRISURWRW\SLQJLQWKH

medical device industry, particularly

in light of market forces. Unlike other

prototyping conferences, MPC will fo-

cus exclusively on using these methods

in the medical device industry. SILICONE

7KHÀIWKHGLWLRQRIWKH0HGLFDO6LOLFRQH

Conference (MSC) will travel back to

Minneapolis, a major hub for medical

device manufacturing. Minnesota is set

to become an even bigger player in the

medical device industry as small and

midsize companies proliferate and grow.

The two-day event will feature pre-

sentations by leading industry experts

on material, processing, and design

WRSLFVVSHFLÀFWRPHGLFDOGHYLFH2(0V

Keynote sessions will address medtech

issues and trends. Unlike other

polymer or silicone conferences, the

Medical Silicone Conference will focus

exclusively on utilizing silicone in the

medical device industry.

CONFERENCE

www.medprotoconference.com www.medicalsiliconeconference.com

TWO DATES - TWO LOCATIONS - TWO OPPORTUNITIES

Brecoflex CO., L.L.C.

For free catalogs, samples, and/or

technical support call (732) 460-9500

or visit our website,

www.brecoflex.com today!

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 14

ATN® CONVERTIBLE PROFILE TIMING BELT DESIGN

BRECOflex CO., L.L.C., the world leader in the polyurethane timing belt industry, has devel-

oped a patented timing belt concept that allows the customer to rapidly and easily attach, in-

terchange, or reconfigure timing belts in house or in the field

with a multitude of profiles using simple hand tools.

BRECOflex also offers a full range of accessories including

pulleys, clamps, tensioners and slider beds.

CONVERTIBLE PROFILE TIMING BELT (ATN) B209 CATALOG

ACE Controls Inc.

Farmington Hills, MI

(800) 521-3320 (248) 476-0213

Email: shocks@acecontrols.com

Web: www.acecontrols.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 10

Made of V4A high quality stainless steel for long life and extreme environment applica-

tions. The ACE PMC Series includes a Teflon bellows

cap that protects against damaging environmental

agents. Ideal for packaging, food processing, medi-

cal, marine and more. Energy capacities from 175 to

30,000 in. lbs/cycle (20 to 3,400 Nm/cycle).

ACE STAINLESS INDUSTRIAL SHOCK

ABSORBERS FOR LONG LIFE APPLICATIONS

Smalley’s new catalog combines existing Spirolox Retaining Ring and Smalley Wave

Spring selections with series recently released from Smalley. Now a single catalog

includes new: Hoopster Rings, Metric Wave

Springs, Constant Section Rings and more. Over

10,000 standard parts in carbon and stainless

steel; free samples available. Specials manufac-

tured with No-Tooling-Costs™ from .200”-120”.

Smalley Steel Ring Company

(847) 719-5900

Email: info@smalley.com

Web: www.smalley.com/getcatalog

NEW SMALLEY ENGINEERING & PARTS CATALOG

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 13

Accurate Bushing Company

Garwood, NJ

(800) 932-0076 (908) 789-1121

Fax: (908) 789-9429

Email: sales@smithbearing.com

Web: www.smithbearing.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 9

Smith Bearing® is a registered trademark of Accurate Bushing Company. With over

50 years experience in designing and manufacturing precision needle roller bear-

ings, we can handle your requirements for stan-

dard aerospace and industrial bearings. As well

as our existing product line, we are ready to as-

sist you with the manufacture of custom made

products, precision machine components and

assemblies. ISO 9001 and AS 9100 registered.

SMITH BEARING PRODUCT CATALOG

Deublin Company

2050 Norman Drive West

Waukegan, IL 60085

Phone: (847) 689-8600

E-mail: info@deublin.com

Web: www.deublin.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 15

Deublin, the leading manufacturer of rotating unions,has a new, updated 56-page catalog that

includes complete information for selecting unions for a variety of applications, from water and

steam, to air and hydraulic, oil and coolant. Both operating data and dimensional specifica-

tions are provided in one comprehensive catalog, along

with installation and service information. This refer-

ence catalog provides detailed information on over 50

application categories and over 500 models. The cata-

log is available free via reader response, phone or email.

DEUBLIN ROTATING UNION CATALOG AVAILABLE

Astro Met, Inc.

Cincinnati, OH

(513) 772-1242

Fax: (513) 772-9080

Email: fgorman@astromet.com

Web: www.astromet.com

Astro Met’s unique advanced ceramics provide cost effective solutions to material

performance problems in a wide range of demanding applications. “Amalox 68” a

99.8% alumina ceramic and “Amzirox 86” an yttria

stabilized zirconia provide superior wear resistance,

corrosion resistance, high temperature stability,

low thermal expansion, high stiffness to weight ra-

tio, biocompatibility and high dielectric strength.

ADVANCED CERAMIC SOLUTIONS

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 12

SDP/SI Stock Drive Products/

Sterling Instrument

New Hyde Park, NY

Phone: (800) 819-8900

Web: www.sdp-si.com

Email: sdp-sisupport@sdp-si.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 11

Request your free copy today – SDP/SI 2012 Inch Master Catalog, D810, is available online

and in print, now features over 87,000 components including an entirely new section of in-

dustrial quality leveling foot mounts. Many new items

and sizes included. For fifty years, SDP/SI has been

providing precision components for industrial, medical,

defense, and aerospace applications. Stock Drive Prod-

ucts is ISO 9100 registered. Sterling Instrument is both

ISO 9100 and AS9100C Registered.

NEW SDP/SI INCH MASTER CATALOG IS BIGGER THAN EVER!

ì

ì

ì

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 16

School is back in

Session

Let the Learning begin!

machinedesign.com/dg-subsGet your own free subscription at

…WELL ALMOST

A P e n t o n P u b l i c a t i o n

MARCH / APRIL 10

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

THE TECHNOLOGIST’S TOOL FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT PRODUCT DESIGN

Computer simulation gets a bigger role in wind

power design Pg. 14

Do energy efficient induction motors always pay for

themselves?Pg. 20

Tricky! The difficulties of drivinghigh-brightness

LEDsPg. 36

Conference & Expo

ENERGY EFFICIENCYT E C H N O L O G Y

Super low-power circuitry makes it possible to run remote, hard-to-reach applications

SHOW PREVIEW Pg. 31

Focus on

Medical Silicones

www.medicaldesign.com

Page 34

Designing out electronic failuresPage 22

MARCH 2010A PENTON PUBLICATION Designing in lithium-ionbatteries Page 25

Canopen can do Page 29

THE SOURCE FOR THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF MEDICAL DEVICES

ARE YOU THE WORLD’S SMARTEST DESIGN ENGINEER?

PLAY NOW TO FIND OUT AND WIN GREAT PRIZESwww.smartestdesignengineer.com

Comparing servo to

proportional valves

Where to place

that hydraulic filter

Rotary actuators

take their turnPage 24

Page 36

Page 30

Inside

Page 20

A P e n t o n P u b l i c a t i o n

July 2010

w w w. h y d r a u l i c s p n e u m a t i c s . c o m

QTC – Quality Transmission

Components

Garden City Park, NY

Phone: (516) 437-6700

Fax: (516) 328-3343

Web: www.qtcgears.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 18

New 528-page catalog Q420 has technical specs for 3,800+ standardized stock metric

gear components, including spur, helical and internal gears, straight and helical racks,

straight and spiral bevel gears, worm and worm

gears, ratchets, splines and gear couplings in mod-

ules 0.5 to 10. Materials include carbon & chrome-

moly steel, brass, bronze, nylon and cast iron.

METRIC GEAR COMPONENTS

Helical Products Co., Inc.

Santa Maria, CA

(888) 211-9589

Fax: (805) 928-2369

Web: www.Heli-Cal.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 17

New brochure, “The spring for the 21st century,” describes Helical’s special expertise in

designing and producing single piece, maintenance free, “machined” springs for a broad

range of applications. It also features examples of inte-

grated attachments plus data comparing wirewound

and machined springs. Helical machined springs

are used in industries such as medical, aerospace,

military, nuclear, industrial and electrical/electronics.

NEW SPRING BROCHURE

RACO International L.P.

Bethel Park, PA

(888) 289-7226, (412) 835-5744

Fax: (412) 835-0338

Email: raco@racointernational.com

Web: www.racointernational.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 23

RACO Electric Linear Cylinders with ballscrews or acme screws are an environmentally safe

and low maintenance replacement for hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. Thrusts to 200,000

lbs., speeds to 30”/second, and strokes to 20 ft. Mod-

ular system allows custom built units using the spe-

cial high torque RACO actuator motor or servo and

stepper motors. Cylinders are built for heavy duty indus-

trial applications. Other types of cylinders are available

for high speed, high positioning accuracy applications.

ELECTRIC CYLINDERS

Kano Laboratories

Call (866) 598-1192

or order from the Website at:

www.kanolabs.com/mdsili

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 19

Engineered to loosen frozen metal parts and provide silicone-enhanced lubrication to keep the parts

moving. Kroil’s high solvency penetrating oils first penetrate to one-millionth inch spaces to break the

bond of rust and to provide lubrication at the first molecular level. This frees the frozen metal part. The

dimethyl silicones then provide extra long-lasting lubrication

to keep the parts moving. Silikroil is designed for use on

frozen bearings, slides, gate valves, hinges, chains etc. The

addition of Silicone to Kroil also enhances its water displace-

ment qualities and improves its performance as a cutting oil.

SILIKROIL LOOSENS AND LUBRICATES

Hercules Sealing Products

Clearwater, Fl

(888) 525-0094

Fax: (800) 759-6391

Online Ordering Available Now:

www.HerculesUS.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 20

The 2012 Seal Catalog contains over 600 pages of inch and metric cylinder repair seals in the most popular

styles. The easy to use format quickly enables you to locate u-seals, piston seals, wear rings, wipers, o-rings,

piston rings, buffer rings and much more. Each listing includes seal material, temperature, pressure specifica-

tions and a cross-sectional drawing. A color index has been added

with enlarged profiles for ease of identification. A Custom Seal

section is available in the front of the Seal Catalog, with a choice

of piston, rod or rotary seals, along with wiper, guide or gasket/

backUp rings. Custom orders placed before 3pm (Eastern Time)

ship the same day. Technical and drawing assistance is available

free of charge through the Hercules Engineering Department.

SEAL CATALOG

CPV Manufacturing

Philadelphia, PA

(888) 278-8339, FAX: (215) 387-9043

Email: sales@cpvmfg.com

Web: www.cpvmfg.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 21

O-Seal System valves and fittings are rated for heavy-duty liquid or gas services and provide

years of reliable leakproof operation. The unique O-Seal System design allows operators to

change out valves and other ocmponents for maintenance with the simple turn of a union

nut. The flat-faced fittings are joined with a resilient O-ring in a close tolerance groove -- so

the higher the pressure, the tighter the seal. These fit-

tings are rated for 6,000 psi, at temperatures from -20

to 225° F.

VALVES & FITTINGS PROVIDE LEAKPROOF

PROTECTION TO 6,000 PSI

Intech Corp.

250 Herbert Ave., Closter, NJ 07624

(201) 767-8066

Fax: (201) 767-7797

Web: www.intechpower.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 24

Only our patent pending iCamFollowers® offer all these advantages: plastic tire elimi-

nates rail wear; no lubrication is required in the bearing or on the rail; reduce noise

up to 10dB; absorb shock and vibration; high

load capacity; ball bearings permit higher linear

speeds; lighter weight reduces inertia; are suit-

able for use in clean rooms; wash downs; work

well in subzero temperatures (-40F). For load rat-

ings and sizes go to www.intechpower.com/icam.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO METAL CAM FOLLOWERS FOR EASY REPLACEMENT

O’Keefe Controls Co.

(800) 533-3285

Email: sa@okcc.com

Web: www.okccbo.com

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 22

An economy line of check valves and checked orifices which can be installed

JOGFNBMFUISFBETJOTJ[FT tBOEt$PNQBSBCMFmetric sizes are M3.5, M5, M6 and M8. Valves

are available in all metal construction, brass or

stainless steel or also with resilient seating – Buna

N or Viton.

MINITURE THREADED CHECK VALVES

CATALOG TCV-1

MACHINE Design.com 79

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

FOR A FREE COPY, CIRCLE NUMBER 25

To receive the catalogs or brochures described in this

issue of Machine Design’s Literature Express, simply

circle the inquiry number on the Reader Service Card and

mail or go to http://www.machinedesign.com/rsc

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this index,

the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

ADVERTISER. . . . . . . . .PAGE#

ACCURATE BUSHING

CO., INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

ACE CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

ADVANCED ANTIVIBRATION

COMPONENTS. . . . . . . . 75

ALL METRIC SMALL PARTS . . . . 75

ALTECH CORP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

ASTRO MET ASSOCIATES INC. . 77

BRECOFLEX CO LLC . . . . . . . . . 77

CPV MFG. INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

DEUBLIN COMPANY. . . . . . . . . . 77

FLOYD BELL INCORPORATED. . 75

HELICAL PRODUCTS

COMPANY, INC. . . . . . . . 79

HERCULES SEALING

PRODUCTS. . . . . . . . . . . 79

INTECH TRADING CORP . . . 75, 79

KANO LABORATORIES INC . . . . 79

MASTER BOND, INC. . . . . . . . . . 77

O’KEEFE CONTROLS, INC. . . . . 79

QUALITY TRANSMISSION

COMPONENTS. . . . . . . . 79

RACO INTERNATIONAL . . . . . . . 79

SMALLEY STEEL

RING COMPANY. . . . . . . 77

STOCK DRIVE PRODUCTS. . . . . 77

TRIM-LOK INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE Design.com80

Faced with gaps, crevices, close tolerances, misaligned parts and awkward equipment

designs – a custom elastomeric sealcan be your solution to provide a

leak-proof closure.

These seals are not simplerubber extrusions. They are

engineered, built andmolded to fit your applica-

tion and to meet strict performance, safety and

environmental standards.

Fabric-reinforced for strength andstructural integrity for optimum

inflation/deflating operations, theyare not subject to the compression

set of ordinary seals.

Strong, versatile and flexible, Seal Master seals have been solving

troublesome problems for industry since 1974.

SOLVE DIFFICULT SEALING PROBLEMSCUSTOM

Seal Master® Inflatable Seals

TYPICAL INFLATABLE SEAL OPERATION

When inflated it expands to the striking surface creating a positiveseal. When deflated it returns to its original configuration allowingfree movement of one or both surfaces.

Inflatable seals and other custom rubber productsSEAL MASTER CORPORATION

368 MARTINEL DRIVE, KENT, OH 44240-4368 USA800.477.8436 • 330.673.8410 • FAX 330.673.8242

E-mail: info@sealmaster.com • www.sealmaster.com

Design assistance offered

© 2010 Seal Master Corporation

DEFLATED INFLATED

SOFTWARE REVIEW

The screen shows the BAT region of interest. A .STL can now be exported.

.STL files. When users import the .STL file, a dialog box pops-up asking if they want to run import diagnostics. Clicking “Yes” shows the image of the segmented tis-sue. Users can assemble the .STL images into a digital human model to illustrate anatomical relationships to other tissue or landmarks. MD

The user identifying the labeled BAT islands uses mouse controls to adjust the sagital, axial, and coronal views to reveal the volume of interest. An “Iden-tity Island” tool can give each island a distinct color.

A “Make Model” tool segments the BAT islands. Users choose the colored label corresponding to the island they want to model. Naming the model and selecting “Apply” displays the 3D view. Users repeat this step for each island they want to use to create models.

Once all the needed islands are made into models in Slicer, users can export the models as .STL files into CAD.

To create a composite of BAT depos-its, one must capture anatomical refer-ences. The axial, coronal, and sagital views have a slider that lets users see each slice in the volume set giving 3D coordinates. Users now know the special thickness of each slice and the number of slices between anatomy and tissue reference points.

Users can import the segmented image into any CAD package such as SolidWorks 3D that accepts

RS# 148RS# 147

Simplified, accurate, and fast CAD simulationKeyCreator Analysis is powered by Sefea, a new technology with unique algorithms that makes analysis easier to prepare and generates accurate results faster. KeyCreator Analysis works inside of KeyCreator direct-modeling software. Sefea technology speeds analysis time for several reasons, includ-ing internal processing of analysis equations and the use of a less-dense mesh and lower memory requirements. This smart FEA technology combined with simple tree-driven menus embedded into KeyCreator now makes it possible for users with a basic knowledge of FEA to get complete and accurate results. Users can now use a tool intended to support mul-tiple design iterations and get simulation results in minutes — not hours or days.Kubotek USA Inc., 2 Mount Royal Ave., Suite 500, Marlborough, MA 01752, (508) 229-2020, www.kubotekusa.com RS# 427

Smart features help users do complex math problemsMaple 16, tech-nical comput-ing software for math-ematicians, engineers, and scientists, intro-duces new tools and techniques in its clickable Math collec-tion. This collection includes Drag-to-Solve, Smart Popups, interactive assistants, context-sensitive menus, and tutors that provide a point-and-click interface for solving, visual-izing, and exploring mathematical problems. Drag-to-Solve lets users solve equations step by step by dragging individual terms. Smart Popups instantly show mathemat-ical identities, plots, and factorizations for the highlighted expression, helping users choose the next operation to perform. Other improvements include: a smart-plot view that automatically focuses on points of interest; faster per-formance on both core Maple operations and calculations using multiple cores and multithreading; and over 100 new Math Apps that provide insight into concepts from math, statistics, physics, and finance.Maplesoft, 615 Kumpf Dr., Waterloo, Ont., Canada, (800) 267-6583, www.maplesoft.com RS# 426

RS# 149MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com82

SOFTWARE PRODUCTS

! " #$ " %$ ! "!" ! % #$ "$$ $ &$ ' ( " ')*+,) ' ')-./0 . $""$ $ % &

#

RS# 150 RS# 151

RS# 152

Connectable (“PC”) Belts available in diameters ranging from .093” through .562”.

CUSTOM MADE IN INCH, METRIC & O-RING SIZES

&18+&"-*-/&1"3*.-:+*,*-"3&2&-2*.-*-(&5*$&27$&/3*.-"+#1"2*.-&2*23"-$&

Line Shaft Conveyor Belts1*(*-"+04*/,&-3.--&$3"#+&

www.pyramidbelts.com :,"*+2"+&2/81",*%#&+32$.,

.13)*-3)5&-4&"23&63.- AN ISO 9001

CERTIFIED COMPANY

COLORS AVAILABLE

Round, Flat and Connectable Polyurethane Belts

++.62'.1"$$41"3&-.-%&2314$3*5&,&"241&,&-32.-

o-ring and belt inside %*",&3&1.1*-2*%&

$*1$4,'&1&-$&Available in Standard and

Metric Sizes.

DIAMETAPE BELTMEASURING TOOL

Samples available at little or no costPOWER TRANSMISSION-PART CONVEYING

PYRATHANE BELTS!*3)*'&3*,&!"11"-38("*-23"-4'"$341*-(&'&$32

®

SPOTLIGHT ENGINEERED MATERIALS

PLA compoundsThe company’s polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic compound line now includes impact modified grades for select semidurable and durable applica-tions. The compounds deliver enhanced impact strength and higher heat-deflection temperatures than are possible with unmodified PLA resin. The

compounds use resin derived from sustainable and renewable resources.

The materials come in both injection and extrusion grades, expanding the product line to include impact modified, nucleated, and mineral-reinforced compounds. Varying levels of impact modification are available providing several combinations of stiffness and ductility.

PLA compounds achieve notched Izod impact performance as high as 30 times that of neat PLA. High-performance nucleators raise the heat-deflection temperature up to 1.5 times, in °F.RTP Co., 580 E. Front St., Winona, MN 55987, (800) 433-4787, www.rtpcompany.com RS# 446

Photovoltaic wire and cable materialSyncure Solar, for photovoltaic (PV) wire and cable, is a UV-resistant, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). The material provides high-per-formance, UL 4703 and VW 1-compliance in one material, eliminat-ing the need for two separate insulation and jacketing formulations. It also improves efficiency, complies with RoHS requirements, and meets sustainability goals.Syncure Solar promotes the use of alternative energy by simpli-

fying the wiring of PV systems. It can be used seamlessly from the outside to the inside of a building in underground service-entrance applications, eliminating the need for a junction between interior and exterior wiring or cabling.

The material requires only one pass through the extruder (versus the industry norm of two) for simplified logis-tics, reduced cycle time, and overall systems cost reduction. The combined insulation and jacketing allows for a thinner coating (60 versus the typical 75 mil). Syncure Solar comes in natural and black.PolyOne Corp., 33587 Walker Rd., Avon Lake, OH 44012, (866) 765-9663, www.polyone.com RS# 448

Flexible vinyl compoundsFlexible vinyl com-pounds, with plasti-cizers based on re-newable resources, are suitable for appli-cations such as au-tomotive windows, medical tubing, and footwear.

The BioVinyl flexi-ble-vinyl compounds use phthalate-free, bio-based Ecolibrium plas-ticizers. The plasticizers are manufactured using plant by-products by Dow Electri-cal and Telecommunica-tions, a unit of The Dow Chemical Co. Life-cycle analysis tests indicate that every ton of vinyl compound made with flexible Ecolib-rium helps reduce carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions by 0.7 ton, or 41%.

The plasticizers are derived from naturally occurring vegetable substances not used for food. A number of grades have been developed for standard flexible vinyl applications, such as irrigation tubing and building and construction seals and gaskets. The bio-based plasticizer also exhibits greater plasticizing efficiency than most com-mon phthalates.Teknor Apex, 505 Central Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02861, (800) 554-9892, www.teknorapex.com RS# 447

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com84

Glass microspheresGlass Bubbles are lightweight, low-density addi-tives with very-high strength-to-density ratios. The chemically stable hollow microspheres have a pres-sure resistance up to 28,000 psi.

The bubbles reduce the weight of plastic parts, while improving dimensional stability, for lighter and more stable products. They reduce the weight of parts by 10 to 20%, decrease production time, minimize warpage and shrinkage, reduce overall system costs, and help to meet weight-reduction targets.

The glass spheres, created as an additive to drill-ing fluids and cement slurries, withstand the crush-ing weight of ocean waters at extreme depths, while improving the buoyancy of undersea risers.3M, 3M Center, Building 225-1S-15, St. Paul, MN 55144, (888) 364-3577), www.3m.com

RS# 451

PC materialsNew additions to the Lexan line of polycarbonate (PC) materials include Lexan CFR (clear-flame-retardant) copolymer and three Lexan LUX resin grades for LED applications such as light guides and lenses.

The CFR copolymer complies with the UL 94 V-0 standard down to 1.0 mm and the UL 94 5VA standard at 3.0 mm. The transparent resin provides a nonbrominated, nonchlori-nated, nonphosphate, non-Teflon FR that complies with major environmental protocols.

The Lexan LUX resin portfolio includes three new transparent grades, as well as three others designed for covers of LED bulbs and tubes.

The new resins —Lexan LUX2110T, LUX2010T, and LUX2910T — use technology that offers improved initial color, color stability, and light transmission during heat aging versus standard PC. These resins are engineered using a technologically advanced process, resulting in high-purity resins that provide significantly im-proved light transmission as molded and after heat aging. These grades retain more than 98% of initial light transmission when exposed to a temperature of 130°C for more than 5,000 hr. At more typical heat exposure — in the range of 90 to 110°C — the transmission retained is even higher.Sabic Innovative Plastics, One Plastics Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201, (413)448-7110, www.sabic-ip.com/prtechinquiry RS# 449

Polymer withstands high temperaturesVictrex WG polymer withstands mechanical stresses of high-heat environments where metals previously failed. The polymer re-duces frictional losses, for instance, leading to a reduction in the power consumption of pumps. This, in turn, reduces stress on com-ponents and increases life. The PEEK-based polymer also elimi-nates the possibility of corrosion.

Additional features of the polymer include good hydrolysis and chemical resistance, up to 70% weight reduction compared to metals, good dimensional stability at 150°C (302°F), a coef-ficient of thermal expansion similar to steel, high abrasion resistance for loads at 4,500 rpm, low coefficient of friction, and the possibility of redesigns to achieve part miniaturization that reach tight toler-ances during the injection-molding process.Victrex USA Inc., 300 Conshohocken State Rd., Suite 120, West Conshohocken, PA 19428, (800) 842-8739, www.victrex.com RS# 450

Request free information via our

Reader Service Web site at

www.machinedesign.com/rsc

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 85

Etching, Forming, Heat Treating, Finishing Under One Roof

TECH-ETCH, INC., xÊ`ÀÊ,>`]Ê*ÞÕÌ]ÊÊäÓÎÈäÊUÊ/ ÊxänÇÇäÎääÊUÊ8ÊxänÇÈÈÎ

Capabilities Brochure and Full Specs atwww.tech-etch.com/photoetch

,629,.0:;,9,+

Specializing in Spring MaterialsPrototypes Delivered in 5 Days

MP35N Ultra high tensile strength, good ductility and excellent corrosion resistance for medical implants.

Elgiloy High strength, ductility, fatigue life and corrosion resistant in numerous environments for stiffener bands and spring energized seals.

Beryllium Copper Good conductivity for battery contact and ground spring applications. Can form sharp bends and heat treat for optimum spring properties.

Stainless Steels All types including 300 and 400 series, hardened and tempered, fl apper valve grade, razor blade grade, and precipitation hardened grade that are selected for their corrosion resistant, fatigue strength, toughness and surgical implant suitability.

Nitinol Shape memory alloy has very good electrical and mechanical properties, long fatigue life and high corrosion resistance for stents and retaining springs.

Phos Bronze Good conductivity and cold workability for clutch springs, diaphragms and contact springs.

PRODUCTS

Stainless-steel sliding plate coverGorplate stainless-steel pro-

tective covers provide an

additional level of protection

not available with conven-

tional fabric bellows. The

stainless-steel plates and monofila-

ment connections protect linear rails,

ways, and machine elements from

damage. The unidirectional monofila-

ment plate connection provides uni-

form plate expansion in a low profile

design.

Cover depth is approximately 1 in.

with the capability of cover widths

as narrow at 7 in. The system can be

used horizontally or vertically, and is

an alternative to sliding-plate systems

that are prone to locking. Benefits of the system include

resistance to heavy chip load and weld splatter, and ex-

cellent extended to retracted ratios.

A&A Mfg. Co. Inc., Gortite Div., 2300 S. Calhoun Rd.,

New Berlin, WI 53151, (800) 298-2066, www.gortite.com

RS# 466

Inching-drive optionAn inching

drive option

is now avail-

able for the

Falk V-Class

gear drive.

The drives

are designed for

maximum uptime and performance. The inching drive will

let the gear drive offer full-load inching operation, which

allows slow-speed operation of equipment for inspection

and maintenance. It can also be run continuously to pre-

vent freeze-up of components in harsh and cold-weather

environments.

The inching drive uses a Falk Ultramite gear drive,

mounted to the main gear drive unit coupled via an

overrunning clutch. This allows the inching drive to be

automatically disengaged when the main motor is op-

erating. The gear drive features the latest advances in

materials technology, engineering design, and manufac-

turing processes.

Rexnord Corp., 4701 W. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI

53214, (414) 643-3000, www.falkv-class.com RS# 465

RS# 153MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com86

®

Flow switchThe Model

2100 fix-

setpoint

flow

switch

comes in

threaded

and barbed

connections.

Current uses of the switch include

monitoring minimum flows in

cryogenic cooling equipment and

plasma cutters to prevent wear;

ensuring minimum and maximum

flow during the ion-implantation

process; and to alarm if the flow

drops in equipment used to bring

warmth back to patients suffering

from hypo-hyperthermia.

Thomas Products Ltd., 987 West

St., Southington, CT 06489, (800)

666-9101, www.thomasproducts.

com

RS# 467

Rapid-response lithium batteriesThe Tadiran Rapid Response (TRR) Series of lithium-thionyl-

chloride (LiSOCl2) batteries delivers high capacity and high

energy density without voltage or power delay, de-

livering up to 15% longer operating life in certain

applications. The Series is the first LiSOCl2 battery

capable of eliminating passivation effects that hin-

ders battery performance.

The batteries eliminate the voltage drop that occurs when standard

LiSOCl2 batteries are first subjected to load, as well as voltage drop under

pulse (or transient minimum voltage level). The final result is zero delay

during the voltage response. These attributes allow TRR batteries to use

available capacity more

efficiently, especially in

extremely hot or cold

temperatures, thus ex-

tending battery life by

up to 15%. Key product

features include:

Tadiran, 2001 Marcus

Ave., Suite 125E, Lake

Success, NY 11042,

(800) 537-1368, www.

tadiranbat.com

RS# 468

RS# 154MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 87

Low Viscosity Silicone

Potting Compound

154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA

+1.201.343.8983ìmain@masterbond.com

www.masterbond.com

Two Component MasterSil 151ì Tough and flexible

ì Optically clear

ì Vibration and shock resistant

Free BrochureAvailable

0Hs&AXwww.servometer.com

Engineers who utilize Servometer’selectroforming capabilities find theirmost significant advantage in ourability to create small and unusuallyshaped parts.

s%XTREMELYCLOSEINTERNALtolerances

s,IGHTWEIGHT(IGH3TRENGTH

s4HINWALLEDTO

s5NUSUALSHAPES

s#USTOMENGINEERED

s#ANBERIGIDmEXIBLEORBOTH

PRODUCTS

Thermal imagerThe OSXL-I Series (FLIR I

Series) thermal cam-

eras are compact and

lightweight. The point-

and-shoot camera with

an easy-to-use focus-

free lens stores up to

5,000 jpeg images with

a thumbnail image gal-

lery. The cameras are said

to be easier, faster and

safer to use than infrared

thermometers, and far

more accurate. A 2.8-in. LCD

color display makes it easy

to read temperature data to

find wasteful energy loss and

moisture damage, document

repairs, detect energized equip-

ment, and minimize downtime.

Omega Engineering Inc., One Omega

Dr., Stamford, CT 06907, (800) 726-6342,

www.omega.com/pptst/OSXL-I_Series.html

RS# 469

RFID controllerThe IC-KP2-

2HB18-2V1D

IDENTControl

RFID controllers

feature CC-Link

communication,

an upper-level

bus system used

by MitsubishiPLCs. These

CC-link RFID

controllers sup-

port CC-Link V2,

which facilitates

extended cy-

clic settings resulting in a large data map. These IP67 controllers

are compatible with any of the company’s read heads for low-

frequency (125-kHz), high-frequency (13.56-MHz), or ultrahigh-

frequency (915-MHz) operation.

The rugged controllers feature a powder-coated zinc-alloy

housing, and M12 connectors provide quick connection of the

read heads, power, CC-Link in, and CC-Link out cables.

Pepperl+Fuchs, 1600 Enterprise Pkwy., Twinsburg, OH 44087;

(330) 486-0001, www.pepperl-fuchs.us

RS# 470

RS# 156RS# 155MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com88

Whether it’s a surgical system arm, computermonitor arm or another automation application,AMETEK Hunter Spring constant force springreels offer clear advantages over gas struts andcounterweights.

They’re compact, allowing smaller packagingsize. And amazingly durable, with a fatigue lifefrom thousands to more than a million cycles, depending on load and spring size. Rated at up to 200 lbs., with 4' to 6' linear extensions and a smooth range of motion that begins at first touch: no heavy starting inertia or uneven resistance at the end of their range.

Lighten your load with constant force counterbalancesprings from AMETEK Hunter Spring.

Support arms move farther, smoother, and last longer.

www.ametekhunterspring.com

Constant ForceCounterbalance

da Vinci® S™ Surgical System Instrument Arm image

©2007 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.Used with permission.

Linear actuatorThe Green Drive linear

direct-drive actuator is suited

to industrial applications requir-

ing high force, accuracy, and precision.

Features of the actuator include acceleration

(peak) force of up to 600 N for 40 sec; stroke lengths be-

tween 10 and 1,540 mm; cooling systems that increase

rated force up to 20%; rated force between 13 and 150 N;

±0.05-mm position repeatability; T-slots for easy and quick

integration into applications; and four different feedback

output types: analog sin/cos, digital-

bus BISS-C, digital A/B TTL line-drive

incremental, and absolute SSI; color

coded-quick connectors; and high-perfor-

mance slide bearings.

Two sizes are available: The G16x Series features a

shaft (magnets) with a 16-mm diameter and the G25x has a

25-mm-shaft diameter. Each has varying lengths depending

on the required effective stroke.

Nippon Pulse America Inc., 4 Corporate Dr., Radford, VA

24141, (540) 633-1677, www.nipponpulse.com

RS# 471

Tape-extension position sensorThe WB25 Series joins the Positape line of tape-extension position sensors for ap-

plications requiring cable pulleys due to space limitations.

The flexible measurement tape is made from stainless steel that is 10-mm wide

and 0.08-mm thick. A tape dust wiper cleans the tape each time it is retracted into

the housing. The unit’s measurement ranges are 12, 15, 20, and 25 m.

The sensors are available with analog outputs of 0.5 to 10 V, and 0.5 to 4.5 and

4 to 20 mA. Linearity is ±0.05% of full scale. The unit’s angular sensing element is a

magnetic encoder, which translates linear motion into an electrical signal.

ASM Sensors Inc., 650 W. Grand Ave., Unit 205, Elmhurst, IL 60126, (630) 832-3202,

www.asm-sensor.com

RS# 472

RS# 157MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 89

-&(*,./,%-./,+)*/"*',%/+.!(.++)(.!"-('/),&"'(,./(.+.',)/%-.-!+%+.'/),!)-%*-.&/*,)'/+-&/'(%+*/")/*+.*,)*/-)+/--(-+/(.,'/*'-.&-)&/-.&/"*',%&+*(!.+&/+)*(,.*

Visit our website to order online 24/7, configureproducts, research applications and more.

Sensor solutions for today and the future™

Liquid Level andTemperature Sensing

Madison Company • (.,%-&(*,.,,%

(800) 466-5383 • www.madisonco.com

Single- and Multi-point Level SwitchesPressure and Continuous Level SensorsUltrasonic and Radar Level Sensors

Optical Switches • Temperature Sensors

PRODUCTS

Pocket motion controllerA new addition to the DMC-30000 Pocket Motion Controller Series

is the DMC-30017. The controller combines a single-axis motion

controller with a 6-A microstepping drive for operating a two-phase

bipolar stepper motor. The drive produces 256 microsteps/full step or

1,024 steps/full cycle, which results in 51,200 steps/rev for a standard

200-step motor. The controller generates a maximum step rate of

3,000,000 microsteps/sec, and drives motors operating at up to 6 A at

20 to 80 Vdc. There are four software-selectable current settings: 0.75,

1.5, 3, and 6 A.

The unit’s 125-μsec

servoloop update time

is half that of previous

single-axis controllers,

and the 15-MHz en-

coder frequency and

3-MHz stepper pulse

output are 25% higher.

Additional features

include PID compen-

sation with velocity

and acceleration feedforward, nonvolatile memory for user programs,

multitasking for simultaneously running up to four programs, and I/O

processing for synchronizing motion with external events.

Galil Motion Control Inc., 270 Technology Way, Rocklin, CA 95765,

(800) 377-6329, www.galilmc.com RS# 473

Midget fuse holders

The Solar (SPF) midget fuse holders for

photovoltaic systems accommodate the

5AG midget fuses (10 x 38 mm) in the SPF

Solar Protection Fuse Series. The devices

are rated for up to 30 A, 1,000 Vdc. The

holders feature durable UL 94V-0 nylon

bodies with tin-plated brass contacts for

low-contact resistance and durability.

Keystone Electronics Corp., 31-07 20th

Rd., Astoria, NY 11105, (800) 221-5510,

www.keyelco.com RS# 474

RS# 159RS# 158MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com90

RS# 160

RS# 161

RS# 162

Recipe for Perfect Fluid ControlStep 1: Choose Step 2: Customize Step 3: WinChoose from the largest range of fl uid sensors and controls

Partner with us to customize our standard products to your exact requirements.

Win with Gems: more performance, lower cost, quicker to market.

PRESSURE VALVESFLOWLEVEL

MOTION CONTROLFOR HARSH, DIRTY, TOUGHINDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS

Farmington Hills MI

Enertrols rugged and resilient product line provides deceleration and motion control for applications in the most extreme environments.

> Heavy-Duty Designs > Wide Range of Models and Sizes > Reduce Damage and Downtime > Increase Productivity > Increase Operating Loads > Quality-Built – ISO Certified > Expert Application Assistance

Applications include: Automotive, Marine, Steel, Foundry, Oil & Gas, Glass & PET, Mining, Defense, and More

For further information or product catalog contact us at: customerservice@enertrols.com

&/

BUSINESS INDEX

This index includes all significant references to parent companies mentioned in feature editorial material within this issue of MACHINE DESIGN. It doesn’t cite companies listed solely in the Products and Lit Section. Page numbers listed refer to the pages where the articles begin.

Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26New Way Air Bearings. . . . . . . . . . 48NovaTorque Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Omron Automation & Safety . . . 30Ondrives.US Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Pepperl+Fuchs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33PolyOne Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Production Systems and Design

Technology IPK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Purdue Society of Professional

Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Quality Bearings & Components (QBC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

RBC Bearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60RCA Missile and Surface Radar . 26RTP Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

STMicroelectronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Sabic Innovative Plastics . . . . . . . 85SigmaTron International Inc. . . . 30Simrit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Slicer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Stock Drive Products/Sterling

Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Teknor Apex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84TEN Media LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Texas Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Texas State Energy Conservation Office. . . . . . . . . . .8

TÜV Rheinland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28TÜV SÜD America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service . . . 42Ultra Motion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18United Way Technologies Corp.. 28University of Nevada. . . . . . . . . . . 23University of Nevada, Las Vegas 36University of New South Wales,

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Victrex USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Wago Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Warner Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Wind Sail Receptor Inc.. . . . . . . . . 42WinSystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Wittenstein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Xilinx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Yaskawa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

3M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

APO Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Agilent Technologies Inc. . . . . 6, 30Altaeros Energies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Aluminum Co. of America . . . . . . 26Amacoil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68American Offshore Energy . . . . . 48Ametek Precitech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56AutomationDirect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Bauer Gear Motor, part of Altra Industrial Motion . . . . . . 30

Boeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Boston Consulting Group . . . . . . 36Bureau of Labor Statistics . . . . . . 34

Cleveland State University . . . . . . .8Conabelt USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Continental AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28ContiTech Group, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28ContiTech North America . . . . . . 28

Dept. of Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Doyle Sailmakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Dunkermotor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Energy Technology Institute . . . 48Ethicon Endo-Surgery . . . . . . . . . 72

Fraunhofer Institutes for Mechanics of Materials IWM. 25

Georgia Institute of Technology 23Glenn Research Center. . . . . . . . . 24Goodyear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Guinness World Records . . . . . . . 95

Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions . 57Hispanic Society of Professional

Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

iAutomation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28iwis drive systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Jakob Hatteland Logistics AS . . . 20

Kubotek USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

MAG Americas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Magnetic Brake Systems . . . . . . . 16Maplesoft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Massachusetts Institute of

Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 44Microchip Technology Inc. . . . . . 54Misumi USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Moog Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Moog Industrial Group. . . . . . . . . 30

NASA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24NKE Austria GmbH. . . . . . . . . . . . . 68National Instruments . . . . . . . . . . 55

RS# 163MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com92

51 Parmenter Road, Hudson, MA 01749

(800) 258-0110

www.boydcoatings.com/MachD

COATEDINDUSTRIALDEVICE

The Leader

in Coating

Industrial,

Medical, and

Aerospace

Components.

ADVERTISER INDEX

RS# . . . . COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

158 . . . . . Absopulse Electronics Ltd. . . . 90

109 . . . . . Adsens Technology Inc. . . . . . . 10

117 . . . . . Alpha Wire Company. . . . . . . . . 19

157 . . . . . Ametek Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

150 . . . . . APM Hexseal Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . 83

126 . . . . . Associated Spring/

Raymond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

101 . . . . . Automationdirect.com. . . . . . IFC

103 . . . . . Automationdirect.com. . . . . . . . .3

105 . . . . . Automationdirect.com. . . . . . . . .6

132 . . . . . Avago Technologies U.S. Inc. . 37

124 . . . . . Avnet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

130 . . . . . B & B Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

168 . . . . . Baldor Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . IBC

169 . . . . . Bimba Manufacturing

Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC

139 . . . . . Boker’s Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

164 . . . . . Boyd Coatings

Research Co. Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

133 . . . . . Candy Manufacturing

Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

143 . . . . . Comsol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

129 . . . . . Diequa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

108 . . . . . EBM-Papst. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

163 . . . . . Enertrols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

104 . . . . . Exair Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

142 . . . . . Exlar Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

144 . . . . . Fixtureworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

162 . . . . . Gems Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

167 . . . . . GGB LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

136 . . . . . Helical Products

Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

140 . . . . . Hoffman Engineering/

Pentair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

134 . . . . . IAI America Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

131 . . . . . Intech Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . 36

165 . . . . . KNF Neuberger, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 95

106 . . . . . Lee Spring Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

111 . . . . . Lubriplate Lubricants Co. . . . . . 11

159 . . . . . Madison Company . . . . . . . . . . . 90

151 . . . . . Magnetic Brake System . . . . . . 83

156 . . . . . Master Bond, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

122 . . . . . Minnesota Rubber . . . . . . . . . . . 27

171 . . . . . Moog Components Group . . 67

112 . . . . . National Instruments

Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

170 . . . . . NKE Austria Gmbh . . . . . . . . . . . 50

113 . . . . . Nook Industries Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 14

110 . . . . . Novotechnik U.S., Inc. . . . . . . . . 10

166 . . . . . Ogura Industrial Corp. . . . . . . . . 95

102 . . . . . Omega Engineering Inc . . . . . . . .1

. . . . . . . . . Ondrives.us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

127 . . . . . Pepperl+Fuchs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

128 . . . . . Pepperl+Fuchs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

161 . . . . . Precision Paper Tube

Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

114 . . . . . Proto Labs, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

152 . . . . . Pyramid Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

160 . . . . . Quality Bearings &

Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

147 . . . . . Quality Transmission

Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

146 . . . . . Quickparts.com Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 71

145 . . . . . Raco International, L.P.. . . . . . . . 71

149 . . . . . Rotor Clip Company. . . . . . . . . . 82

125 . . . . . SAB Associated

Wire Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

148 . . . . . Seal Master Corporation. . . . . . 81

155 . . . . . Servometer® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

135 . . . . . SKF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

123 . . . . . Smalley Steel Ring

Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

107 . . . . . Spirol International

Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

115 . . . . . Stratasys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

153 . . . . . Tech-etch Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

141 . . . . . Tekscan, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

154 . . . . . Trim-Lok Company . . . . . . . . . . . 87

116 . . . . . Turck Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . 18

118 . . . . . Veljan Hydrair Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

119 . . . . . Veljan Hydrair Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

138 . . . . . Vesco Plastics Sales . . . . . . . . . . . 51

120 . . . . . W.L. Gore & Associates Inc . . . . 24

121 . . . . . W.L. Gore & Associates Inc . . . . 25

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this index, the

publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

RS# 164

BUSINESS STAFF

1300 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114-1503, Ph: 216-696-7000 — Fax: 216-696-0177

Debbie Brady, Audience Development Manager

Carey Sweeten, Group Production Manager,

913-967-1823

Courtney Denison, Production Coordinator, 913-967-1738

Denise Donaldson, Administrative Manager/Sales Support

216-931-9403

Debbie Brady, Audience Development Manager

Carey Sweeten, Group Production Manager,

913-967-1823

Courtney Denison, Production Coordinator, 913-967-1738

Denise Donaldson, Administrative Manager/Sales Support

216-931-9403

Corporate OfficersBob MacArthur, Senior Vice President

Nicola Allais, CFO

Mike HancockInternational Sales Director, mike.hancock@penton.com

Ph: 011-44-1372-824284, Fax: 011-44-1372-824322

United Kingdom, Scandinavia, France, Spain, Portugal :

Stuart Payne, stuart.payne@husonmedia.com

Ph: +44 (0)1932 564999Fax: +44 (0)1932 564998

Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg:Rodric Leerling, rodric.leerling@

husonmedia.com, Ph:011-31-229-841882 , Mobile 31-683-232625,

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland: Christian Hoelscher,

christian.hoelscher@husonmedia.comPh: 011-49-89-95002778, Fax: 011-49-89-95002779

Italy: Cesare Casiraghi, Casiraghi Pubblicitá Estera,

Ph: 011-390-31-261407, Fax: 011-390-31-261380

Tokyo, Japan: Yoshinori Ikeda,

Pacific Business, Inc., Ph: 011-81-03-3661-6138, Fax: 011-81-03-3661-6139

Advertising Sales

AZ, CA, ID, OR, NV, UT, WA, British

Columbia: Jim Theriault,

jim.theriault@penton.com,

Ph: 408-857-0322, Fax: 925-736-8705

AL, AR, FL, GA, KS, LA, NM, MS, MO, OK,

TX: Franny Singleton,

franny.singleton@penton.com,

Ph: 678-947-8563, Fax: 913-514-6884

CO, IA, S. IN, KY, MN, MT, NE, ND,

S. OH, SD, TN, WI, WV, WY:

Dennis Jensen,

dennis.jensen@penton.com,

Ph: 952-368-0018, Fax: 913-514-6627

IL: Melinda Hurley,

melinda.hurley@penton.com,

Ph: 847-784-9825, Fax: 847-784-9826

N. IN, N. OH, MI, NY, PA, Ontario:

Bill Rodman,

bill.rodman@penton.com,

Ph: 216-931-9636, Fax: 216-621-8469

DE, DC, MD, NJ, NC, SC, VA:

Brandy Bissell,

brandy.bissell@penton.com,

Ph: 919-773-1875, Fax: 913-514-6357

CT, ME, NH, MA, RI, VT, Quebec:

Liz Stott, liz.stott@penton.com,

Ph: 857-636-9737, Fax: 913-514-6914

Bill Baumann, Vice President/Market Leader

Dennis Jensen, Associate Publisher

Larry Berardinis, Business Development Director

Virginia Goulding, Online Sales & Marketing Manager

Julie Ritchie, Research Manager

Jane Maloney Cooper, Marketing Manager

CLASSIFIEDS

<W)L^MZ\Q[MQV

5)+016-,-;1/6¼;

+TI[[QÅML[;MK\QWV

KWV\IK\4IZZa*MZIZLQVQ[I\

!!!

TIZZaJMZIZLQVQ[(XMV\WVKWU

PRODUCTS/SERVICES

THUMBSCREW

THE ORIGINAL

INSTANT

In most cases, advertisements contained

in Machine Design employment section

indicate that the companies are equal

opportunity employers. The Federal Civil

Rights Act of 1964, and other laws, prohibit

discrimination in employment based on

race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or

for any reason other than lack of professional

qualification for the position being offered.

It should be noted that employment

advertisements in Machine Design are

published for the readers convenience and, in

no way, to the best of our knowledge, promote

unlawful discrimination.

MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com94

41/6*'914.&5.#4)'56

/#07(#%674'41(914.&g%.#55

'.'%641/#)0'6+%%.76%*'5

#0&$4#-'5

,SLJ[YVTHNUL[PJJS\[JOLZ IYHRLZ

MVY]PY[\HSS`L]LY`HWWSPJH[PVU

14*1.&+0)#0&56122+0)

#22.+%#6+105

9+&'#44#;1(56#0&#4&61437'

4#0)'5jETKI+0f.$5gLLN+0f.$5k

7561/&'5+)0'&#0&/#07(#%674'&

(14;174#22.+%#6+10

#07#.4'.'#5'X<'41$#%-.#5*X#0&

#&,756#$.'61437'#.51#8#+.#$.'

0%*#0&/'64+%$14'5#8#+.#$.'

ENN#0&1.2*1#&1/'45'6XNLLKG

*10'UKGFgFKEgKGJE#:UKGFgFKEgKILN

'$5+6'U*662U1)74#g%.76%*T%1/f524+0)

/#+.U+0(1u1)74#g%.76%*T%1/

SpringApplied Brakes

Spring Applied Brakes

BACKTALK

Record-setting machine

A 300-step Rube Goldberg ma-chine, built by Purdue University students, has been designated as the largest in the world by Guin-ness World Records.More than 5,000 hr were spent

by the Purdue Society of Profes-sional Engineers and the His-panic Society of Professional Engineers to build the mammoth machine. The machine took part in the annual Rube Goldberg Ma-chine Contest intercollegiate na-tional championship. It performed the assigned task of inflating and popping a balloon.

In a nod to the school’s Boiler-maker mascot, the team powered some machine parts with a home-made boiler that boasted a loco-motivelike drive that inflated the balloon. For this, the team earned

Purdue set the previous world record in 2011 with a 244-step ma-chine that traced the history of the world and destroyed it several times over before watering a flower.

The machine has become an Internet sensation, scoring nearly 1 million YouTube views (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTjJzF_Oaow) and coverage from a host of online media. MD

the People’s Choice Award as well as a prize for the most “Rube-ish” step, which used an accordion arm that sprung free to pop the balloon.

To get as many steps as pos-sible, the team invented a novel platform consisting of two pad-dlewheels that reveal new sets of modules to chronologically ac-complish the tasks. The final bal-loon pop is punctuated with a blast from an antique train whistle.

RS# 166

RS# 165

MAY 10, 2012 MACHINE DESIGN.com 95

GGB North America700 Mid Atlantic ParkwayThorofare, New Jersey 08086Tel: +1-856-848-3200 Fax: +1-856-848-5115usa@ggbearings.com

BACKTALK

READER SERVICES

SIGN IN TO PLAY THE

2012 WORLD’S SMARTEST DESIGN ENGINEER

CONTEST AT:

WWW.SMARTESTDESIGNENGINEER.COM

Letters to the editor: Please include your name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for brevity and to focus on essential points.

Mail: Letters, MACHINE DESIGN, 1300 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114-1503, Fax: 216-621-8469

E-mail, Editorial: mdeditor@penton.com

Online forums: To comment on articles, editorials, and other engineering topics, go to http://community.machinedesign.com/forums/157/ShowForum.aspx and log in.

Questions about articles: Denise Greco, 216-931-9402, denise.greco@penton.com, Fax questions about releases & literature to 913-514-6694

Subscriptions: For a subscription qualification form, see our Web page at submag.com/sub/mn.

Subscription problems or questions: Contact a customer service representative at 866-505-7173 or e-mail: machinedesign@halldata.com.

Order a paid subscription: 847-763-9670

Circulation: machinedesign@halldata.com.

Editorial reprints: Contact Penton Reprints, 1-888-858-8851, e-mail at reprints@pentonreprints.com or visit pentonreprints.com.

List rentals: Marie Briganti, 877-796-6947, mbriganti@meritdirect.com

RS# 167MAY 10, 2012MACHINE DESIGN.com96

The New Gearmotor Gold Standard

©2012 Baldor Electric Company

Energy Efficient

Unmatched Quality

Superior Reliability

Quickest Delivery Available

The new BaldorDodge® Quantis® Gold gearmotor

combines the BaldorReliance® premium efficient Super-E®

motor with the superior Quantis gearbox, making the Quantis

Gold the most energy efficient, coolest running gearmotor in

the world.

Available as in-line helical or right angle helical bevel c-face

units, 1/2 to 10 Hp, the Quantis Gold raises gearmotor

energy efficiency, quality and reliability to a new gold

standard.

baldor.com 479-646-4711

RS# 168

INTRODUCING MORE ALL-STAINLESS STEEL

BORE SIZES THAN ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER.

BIG SPLASH IN WASH-DOWN APPLICATIONS.

MAKING A

Go to bimba.com/washdown to:

t Save up to 50% with the Bimba sampling program*

t View the Preventing Contamination webinar

t Download the Corrosion Resistant Products catalog

www.bimba.com 1-800-44-BIMBA ©2012 Bimba Manufacturing * One piece sample orders are available for any standard model at 50% off the catalog list price.

RS# 169