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| The latest information on engineering materials
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December 2, 2008
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The three days of
engineering?
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We hope that all of you in the U.S. had a happy Thanksgiving. Now,
thoughts may be turning toward the approaching winter holidays. So today
we'll look at 3D laser cutting, two types of adhesives, and one
glowwwwwing ring.
Don't forget to check out next week's print and online version of
Machine Design for an engineering gift guide. We'll be back next year
with more on materials and engineering. As always, please post your
comments on our forums or send them to me. Have a wonderful
holiday season.
Jessica Shapiro
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Ladish Forging, a firm with over a century of experience forging big
parts for demanding applications, had to do some serious planning when
it took on the task of ring rolling and forging a 21.5-ft diameter kiln
tire out of a 12-ft-wide, 225,000-lb carbon-steel donut.A kiln tire is a
large, seamless ring used to support an enormous kiln and ensure its
weight is properly positioned on rollers when the kiln rotates.This new
ring, a record setter for Ladish, was destined for an iron-ore
pelletizing kiln.
Read the full article.
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FREE FRICTION CD FROM GENERAL
MAGNAPLATE
 Increase
the life of metal components with a FREE CD-ROM from General Magnaplate.
The easy-to-use CD assists design engineers in selecting permanent
coatings that prevent wear, friction, corrosion, sticking, galling, and
chemical attack on ferrous and nonferrous metals. The CD resource
compares the static and kinetic coefficient of friction (COF) of
numerous metals with 20 Magnaplate-applied 'synergistic' coatings.
General Magnaplate's surface enhancements become an integral part of the
metal providing permanent, superior performance.
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Building a sheet-metal structure? It’s likely you might first
think of welding when picking an assembly technique. But for some
applications, durable adhesives deliver the desired
aesthetic.Adhesives spread loads over the structural framework
instead of concentrating them at fastening points and separate
substrates electrically, diminishing the likelihood of corrosive
electrolysis.
Read the full article.
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Bass electric-guitar player Jim Normandy once shopped around for an
archtop guitar — an acoustic guitar with a full body and distinctive
arched top. But the $3,000 price stopped him short.“Manufacturers
were making custom guitars from solid billeted aluminum. I was still in
graduate school and couldn’t afford such instruments. So I decided to
make a competitively priced guitar. Instead of wood or plastic, I opted
to use 0.080-in. aircraft-grade aluminum sheet metal because of its
quality and durability,” says the then-future CEO of Normandy Guitars,
Salem, Oreg. Eventually, Normandy brought in Zephyr Engineering Inc.,
Salem, Oreg., to build a model of the guitar in 3D CAD and manufacture
the guitars in a production environment. “Special software lets us
take the 3D CAD model, convert files into 2D DXF format, and import them
into the laser-programming software,” says Project Manager Doug Jones.
“We then kick code out to the CNCs via CAM for the few machined parts
the guitars need.”
Read the full article.
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Active Elastomeric Encoders (Multi- Pole Magnetic Encoders) monitor
speed, timing and system position in engine crankshafts, camshafts,
axles, and transmissions. A ferrite-loaded polymer is molded into a
geometric shape and magnetized to a specified pole-pair configuration.
The ferrite material provides an alternating north and south magnetic
field, which is read by a sensing element. The sensor sends a digital
output signal to the vehicle controller. The encoder has greater than
3-mm air-gap sensitivity, consistent signal at all speeds, and
zero-speed detection. The chemically resistant encoders have a
high-temperature physical resistance of 250°C.
Simrit Div.,
Freudenberg-NOK
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A wide range of fluoropolymer hoses are inert to virtually all
commercial chemicals, acids, alcohols, coolants, petroleum compounds,
solvents, vinyls, synthetic lubricants, and hydraulic fluids. In
addition, they are not affected by continuous flexing, vibration, or
impulse, and they withstand cold and heat cycling. The low-friction
surface of the smoothbore hoses gives high flow rates with minimal
surface resistance. As a result, the hoses are suited for many difficult
or severe-service applications.
US Hose Corp.
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Two polyphthalamides (PPAs), Amodel HFZ A-4133L and A-1133 NL WH886,
are now available. HFZ A- 4133L is a high-flow grade that reportedly
outperforms most liquid crystal polymers (LCP). Improved flow lets the
PPA fill intricate, multicavity tools for complex thin-walled parts in
lightemitting diodes (LEDs). A-1133 NL WH886, has improved reflectivity
and luminosity-retention and adheres well to silicone and epoxy
encapsulants used in LED applications.
Solvay
Advanced Polymers
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Rev up your interdisciplinary design skills
What happens when a microcontroller turns on a power FET, sending a
current pulse to a motor coil that develops a magnetic field which turns
the rotor shaft, advancing a timing belt that drives a pair of nip rolls
suspended on bearings in a web-processing operation on a form, fill, and
seal machine installed on a potato chip line at a Frito Lay plant in
central California? And how can you be sure that the encoders, prox
sensors, and other feedback devices you plan to use will accurately see
and report every relevant motion, machine state, and process condition?
And will the signals get through the networks fast enough, without being
corrupted, giving the controllers time to execute their algorithms as
intended? It's a lot to think about, and it only scratches the surface
of what many engineers grapple with today. If you happen to be one of
them, then the place for you — where you can find answers and meet
others with similar concerns — is www.Mechatronic-Design.com.
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Begin your search here with a collection of
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CAD Library offers advanced CAD Resources
The Machine Design CAD
Library, includes millions of configurable 2D and 3D CAD models
of
components and assemblies downloadable for easy use in new and existing
designs. Our models are in native CAD formats. No translation
required!
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Sponsored
by:
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UPCOMING IN-PERSON EVENTS
Design-2-Part Shows are America's longest running and most trusted
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Ten shows covering the country offer OEMs, engineers and purchasing
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UPCOMING WEBCASTS
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ARCHIVED WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING
Click Here for a list of archived Machine Design
webcasts.
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AGY boosts S-2 Glass fiber
capacity
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AGY announced it has increased production capacity of its S-2 Glass
fiber products by 20% on top of a 50% bump earlier in the year. The
company credits continued robust demand for composite armor for U.S.
forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The material helps protect armored
vehicles against roadside bombs, IEDs, and EFPs.
For more information contact AGY
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Dow Automotive earns SPE
awards
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Two applications that include Dow Automotive solutions have received
recognition in the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive
Division’s annual Automotive Innovations Competition. IMPAXX foam,
which helps manage crash energy to protect vehicle occupants was part of
the winning entry in the safety category. PULSE™ PC/ABS resins were a
finalist in the body exterior category. They offer durability,
dimensional stability, and high-quality surface aesthetics when painted.
For more information, contact Dow Automotive.
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Victrex celebrates 30 years of
PEEK
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November marked the 30th anniversary of VICTREX polyetheretherketone
(PEEK) polymer. PEEK production began in 1978 under ICI with a handful
of employees. Today, Victrex employs more than 500 people and produces
4,250 tons/year. Victrex product are used in automotive, energy, and
consumer electronics applications. The company is vertically integrated
and controls its own benzophenone difluoride (BDF) raw material supply
chain.
For more information, contact Victrex.
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Boker's 2008 Washer Catalog
Boker's, Inc.'s FREE 2008 Washer Catalog has over 22,000 non-standard
sizes
available with no tooling charges. A wide range of ODs, IDs and
thicknesses,
plus 2,000 material variations provide millions of possibilities.
www.bokers.com/mde
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Editorial questions: Jessica Shapiro
216-931-9850
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