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| The latest information on engineering materials
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August 4, 2009
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In these days of slashing budgets, trimming expenses, and heads
rolling from layoffs, talk of cuts of any kind is liable to give us the
shakes. Still, beautiful and high-quality cutting instruments like those
produced from Damascus steel are worth checking
out.
Also take a look at some other recent stories from Machine Design,
including carbon interconnects, electronics enclosures made from plastic, and the
basics of microscopic injection molding. Don't
forget to scroll down for new products, news
from Machine
Design, and industry updates.
Please let us know what you think by emailing us, by leaving a
comment on the articles at machinedesign.com, or by participating in our discussion
forums.
Enjoy!
Jessica Shapiro
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Damascus or damascene steel is beautiful and tough. If forged from
the right materials it is an excellent cutting tool. This advanced form
of blacksmithing is recognizable by the decorative pattern on the
metal's surface which comes from stratified layers of steel with varying
compositions that have been etched to reveal distinctive swirl patterns
of light-colored regions on nearly black backgrounds.
There are two types Damascus steel. The first, from which the name
originated, is now referred to as wootz or oriental Damascus. The other
is called pattern-welded steel. The art of making wootz Damascus was
lost over 200 years ago and has only recently been replicated.
Pattern-welded blades were also a lost art until U.S. smiths began
experimenting in the early 70s with more modern grades of steel.
Read about the basics of Damascus steel blades. Then follow up with
a modern take on Damascus steel via Swedish powder metallurgists.
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DataCELL® FOUNDATION™
fieldbus M-EZ Cables
 Northwire's
DataCELL FOUNDATION fieldbus M-EZ Cables are engineered with
up-to 24 individual pairs with an extruded PVC binder over each pair,
all within a single cable. This allows for fast, simple installation
into marshaling cabinets without shrink tubing. Easier to strip and
install, cables offer superior ground system integrity and eliminate the
potential for cross continuity between shields. Cables are FF-844
certified and ITC/PLTC-rated for exposed run applications, allowing
users to do without the conduit. Complimentary sample! +1 715-294-2121; http://www.northwire.com/ez
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Copper has long been used to make wires and the small traces used to
electrically connect ICs and electronics on circuit boards. But as
copper connections get smaller, copper’s resistivity rises until its
nanoscale behavior overshadow its macroscale properties. One possible
replacement for copper, say researchers at Georgia Institute of
Technology, is graphene, comprised of thin layers of common
graphite.
Read the full article.
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James Conkey from Accumold, a micromolding firm, describes the firm's
Micro-Mold process as well as the tiny parts it makes. The company makes
its own tooling and presses that can control exceedingly small shot
sizes. Conkey explains how all the fundamental best practices of plastic
design still apply for micromolding, just at a smaller scale.
See the video. Running time: 5 min.
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TECAPEEK ST is a polyaryletherketoe (PEEK) based on Victrex ST and
designed for consistent mechanical performance and dimensional stability
in high-temperature applications. The plastics have a 324°
glass-transition temperature and a heat-distortion temperature of
342°F.
Ensinger
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The free brochure details the properties of Fluorosint PTFE
materials including Fluorosint 500, FDA-compliant Fluorosint 207, and
the new Fluorosint HPV and MT-01 grades. HPV has 40% better bearing
performance and longer wear life than other FDA-compliant PTFEs, letting
it replace bronze, steel, and powdered metal parts. MT-01 has low
deformation and a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion at high
temperatures for use in ovens, dryers, and linear positioning equipment
exposed to elevated temperatures.
The materials come in rod, sheet, and tube forms. Formed parts can be
special ordered. Engineers can download the eight-page Fluorosint
brochure from Quadrant's website.
Quadrant
Engineering Plastic Products
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S-1 glass rovings are high-performance reinforcements for
thermoplastics. A 32% S-1-glass-filled thermoplastic performs the same
as a 60% E-glass-filled material. Using less fiber provides better
impact resistance, surface aesthetics, and process efficiency.
The S-1 fibers work with PC, PEI, PBT, and PA 6.6. The fibers have
better hydrolytic stability, 30% higher tensile strength, and 18% higher
tensile modulus than E-glass. The fillers come in roving and
chopped-fiber forms.
AGY
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Check Out the New EET Website
Are you looking for more information on energy efficiency? EETweb.com
features the latest efficiency updates, information on the basics of
energy efficiency and products available for energy efficient designs.
Click here to
visit the site and learn more!
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!
ARCHIVED WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING
Click
Here for a list of archived Machine Design webcasts.
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The Advanced Circuit Materials (ACM) Division of Rogers Corp.
introduced RO4730 LoPro laminates for base station, RFID, and other
antenna designs. The materials combine a low-loss dielectric with
low-profile copper foil for reduced passive intermodulation (PIM) and
low insertion loss with a matched dielectric constant of 3.0 and a
temperature coefficient of dielectric constant of about 23 PPM/ºC.
The laminates have Z-axis CTEs of about 40 PPM/ºC and glass-transition
temperatures greater than 280ºC. The thermoset resin system's hollow
microsphere filler makes it about 30% less dense than woven-glass PTFE
materials. The RoHS-compliant laminates are compatible with standard PCB
fabrication techniques and plated-through-hole (PTH) processing.
For more information, contact Rogers Corp.
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TenCate Advanced Composites USA was chosen as a materials supplier
to Alliant Techsystems
(ATK), Minneapolis. ATK will buy composite prepreg materials from
TenCate for the composite rotor tubes it is making in West Virginia for
United States Enrichment
Corp. Inc. (USEC), Bethesda, Md. The tubes' end use will be for
uranium enrichment in USEC's American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio.
USEC has applied for project debt to be partially financed by the U.S.
Department of Energy.
TenCate's Advanced Composites facilities in northern California will
manufacture the materials. TenCate produces advanced composite materials
for space, aerospace, and armor applications. The company has previously
supplied materials and parts for ATK through its wholly owned
subsidiaries YLA Inc. and CCS Composites Inc., both of Benicia,
Calif.
For further information contact Royal Ten Cate
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Victrex Polymer Solutions, a division of Victrex plc, announced the
launch of a redesigned website. The site is said to be offer user-friendly
and content-rich navigation through the company's product and
application information by industry or product name. OEMs, engineers,
and processing partners can access expert engineering and technical
support. The new site includes an “Ask the Expert” section and a
library of datasheets, press releases, and literature.
For more information, contact Victrex
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First Cut
New to the prototyping field or an expert, we’ve created a white paper
you shouldn’t miss, Prototyping Processes: Choosing the best
process for your project.
Visit www.firstcut.com/prototypingprocesses
Protomold
"Designing for Moldability" is a quick-reference user guide for rapid
injection molding, great for engineers and designers of plastic parts.
Download this invaluable guide today!
Boker's Free 2009 Washer Catalog
Boker's 2009 Washer Catalog has over 23,000 non-standard sizes with
outside diameters of 0.080" to 5.140", numerous IDs and thicknesses and
2,000 material variations. ISO 9001:2000 Registered
www.bokers.com/mde
Coating Solutions for OEMs
Every industry and every project has different standards or
requirements. Tekra leverages years of experience and quality
manufacturing to deliver solutions, both custom & off the shelf.
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Contact Information
Editorial questions: Jessica Shapiro
216-931-9850
Advertising/sponsorship opportunities: Virginia Goulding
216-931-9893
Machine Design
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©2009 Penton Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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