 |
| For design engineers and engineering management
|
June 25, 2009
|
From farming to engineering
Career expert Joel Orr recently fielded the following question from
a farmer: "I have been a farmer all my life and always enjoyed the
engineering side of it. I enjoy being able to put ideas onto paper, and
I have started to use Turbocad. What is the best way to look into moving
into a engineering career? There seem to be alot of avenues to go down.
I am 49. Is it too late?"
Joel's answer:
"First of all, 49 is NOT too late. But whether you are 19 or 49, you
must craft a plan that suits your circumstances and your goals--positive
vision tempered with realism...."
Read the rest of Joel's answer here
|
Are wind speeds diminishing?
A recent entry in the Machine Design blog area discusses an item
from the up-coming Journal of Geophysical Research in August. Iowa State
University researchers say US wind speeds are diminishing because of
global warming. That is not a surprising result if you believe the globe
really is warming up. Winds are generated by temperature differences. In
a global warming scenario, the absolute difference between the hottest
and coldest global temperatures diminishes. Thus, winds should also
diminish. Read more.
|
From our LinkedIn group: Calculating bolt
strength reduction
A question arose recently on the Machine Design group discussion at
the social networking site LinkedIn: "Does anyone have any information
on how to calculate the reduction in a bolt's strength due to the prying
action on a bolt head from a plane that is not perpendicular to the bolt
itself?" Answers are coming in, including this one: "Unfortunately for
you, you will need to know the stiffness of the members and the analysis
will be non-linear. Your best bet maybe to break it into components of
shear and axial loading or possibly the resultant but I don’t know
what your joint looks like..." Read more of this answer and other
kibitzing here.
|
ETV video: How wind turbine blade pitch
control works
Ever wonder how wind turbines adjust the pitch of their blades to
maximize the power derived from the wind? Here is an explanation from
Moog which provides both hydraulic and electric blade pitch control
systems.
|
Video: Bendable concrete
A concrete material developed at the University of Michigan can heal
itself when it cracks. No human intervention is necessary—just water
and carbon dioxide. A handful of drizzly days would be enough to mend a
damaged bridge made of the new substance. You can see a video of the
stuff under pressure at this link, complete with cornball dramatic
music.
|
|
SOLUTIONS FOR SHIELDING, SEALING,
GUIDING, POSITIONING,
AND STATIC DISSIPATION
 Custom Designed Strip
Brush Solutions
- Metal-backed strip brush and holders custom formed for your
application
- Galvanized or stainless steel brush construction
- Widest variety of brush sizes and filaments
- Holders formed, punched and painted to your specifications
- Ez-Flex® flexible strip brush available in rolls for sealing
irregular shaped surfaces
Experienced sales representatives and in-house engineers & design
services are available to help you find the right brush solution for
your application.
|
|
Ball-bearing mini clutches
The MC electromagnetic clutch line now uses two ball bearings
instead of bushings. The bearings, located under the field assembly,
allow the clutch to operate at 3,600 rpm. A zero-backlash single-spring
armature design prevents armature rattle for quiet operation. The
clutches come in a 4.5 and 9-lb-in. torque rating. The RoHS-compliant
clutches conform to UL/CSA requirements for the lead wires.
More Information:
Ogura Industrial
Corp.
|
Multiport junction blocks for
sensors
Zip-Port multiport junction blocks allowing multiple sensors to be
wired to a single block with one cable connecting to the control panel.
Available in field-wireable or 5-m cable versions, the blocks feature
four and five-pin M12 connectors in four, six and eight-port models, and
a choice of one or two I/O per port. The blocks provide 24-Vdc and
120-Vdc/Vac operation in –20 to 80°C temperatures, as well as IP67
protection when all ports are either connected or covered with
recommended protective caps.
The five-meter integrated cable series come with three 18-gage wires for
power connection and four to sixteen 22-gage wires for I/O connections,
depending on the number of ports.
More Information:
AutomationDirect
|
Join the Elite Group of Engineering Professionals Qualified to
Receive Energy Efficiency & Technology Magazine!
The mission of EET is to serve engineers who are working
to enhance energy efficiency and productivity and bring clean, reliable,
and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace. EET
helps engineers develop and employ state-of-the-art energy systems and
practices by providing a forum for the exchange of information among
those involved in energy conservation and efficiency. The goal is to
bring together practitioners with emphasis on technical content and on
all technical aspects of the design, manufacture, and application of
devices, circuits, and systems related to technology for energy
conversion and efficiency. Our content includes technical articles,
written by practicing professionals and edited by engineers, overviews
describing the latest developments in industry, tutorials that cover
wide-ranging energy topics, and a showcase of new technologies and
products. Furthermore, EET includes viewpoints and
discussions contributed by experts in relevant areas, and regular
updates on relevant energy legislation and standards.
Subscribe
Now!
Machine Design Video Spotlight
 |
Linear motor vs.
belt-drive actuators |
 |
Woody Yen from THK America Inc. talks
about the advantages of linear-motor-driven actuators and belt-drive
actuators with Lee Teschler of MACHINE DESIGN |
Now Available On-Demand
The Energy Efficiency Web Conference & Expo
Engineers saw and heard great educational content at the Energy
Efficiency Web Conference and Expo. If you missed the live virtual
event, don’t despair! An archive of the full day’s agenda is now
available.
Design engineers are required to integrate energy efficiency into their
designs while maintaining lower costs, the highest reliability or both.
The editors of Machine Design understand these challenges
and have developed this conference to help engineers understand the
recently imposed energy mandates. The information presented at this
educational event will help engineers compare the different technologies
and product related to energy efficiency. Attendees will gain access to
the technical information needed to help them make the best decisions
without having to travel or take time away from current projects.
Visit the archive to:
- View informative webinars on energy efficiency
- Visit interactive booths where you can contact suppliers
- Peruse the Resource Center where you can download or link to
additional pertinent energy efficiency information
Register Now!
UPCOMING WEBCASTS
Unleash the Power of Virtual Prototyping
Sponsored by PTC
DATE: June 25th, 2009
TIME: 2:00pm ET/11am PT
Need to create great products faster and cheaper in order to stay
competitive? No problem. Virtual Prototyping is an easy way to cut
manufacturing costs and bring products to market faster while increasing
innovation and productivity throughout the whole design process.
This live webinar will cover:
- Distinguishing the prototyping facts from myths
- The importance of analysis and simulation
- Best practices to ensure top design performance
- Streamlining industrial design, engineering and
manufacturing
Click here learn more and to register!
ARCHIVED WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING
Click
Here for a list of archived Machine Design webcasts.
|
Minco Flexible Heaters Design Guide
Order a FREE Flexible Heaters Design Guide to learn how flexible heaters
can benefit your design. Also get tips on selecting the right heater for
prototyping. Get your copy today: www.minco.com/heaterguide
Dimension, a division of Stratasys
Dimension 3D printers are fast, affordable, office-friendly systems for
building functional 3D models. And now build models at your desk with
uPrint™ Personal 3D Printers, just $14,900.
www.dimensionprinting.com/machine
|
|
|
Thank you for reading the Machine Design Tech Insider Newsletter
from Machine Design.
This email was sent to #email#. You've received this e-newsletter for
one of two reasons:
1) You signed up for it on one of our web sites.
2) You are a reader of Machine Design magazine.
Manage Your Subscription
To quickly unsubscribe from this newsletter, click here Unsubscribe
To subscribe or unsubscribe, to this or any of our newsletters, visit our subscription page.
To CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, visit our subscription page, login with your
old email address, then change your address.
Contact Information
Editorial questions: Jessica Shapiro
216-931-9850
Advertising/sponsorship opportunities: Virginia Goulding
216-931-9893
Machine Design
1300 E. 9th St.
Cleveland, OH 44114
©2009 Penton Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
|
