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Drive makers need to improve
reputation in China
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A new survey from IMS Research, Ausutin, Tex., reports, “Chinese
users of motor drives tend to favor brands of European origin. One
question in the survey asked users to name the brand of drive that they
had used in 2007. Of the top five most popular answers, three were well
known European manufacturers — ABB, Siemens, and Schneider — which
together accounted for some 45% of all responses. Mitsubishi and Fuji of
Japan completed the top five with a combined 15%. The remaining 40% was
split between 22 companies, indicating the fragmented nature of the
market beyond the major players.”
The report goes on to say that the Chinese view products manufactured by
Asian firms as less expensive solutions, while their European
counterparts were perceived as industry experts offering premium quality
products. A concluding remark states, “Quality and industry expertise,
or rather the perception of them, therefore play a seemingly fundamental
part in the brand selection process, the harvest of long European
presence in the Chinese motor drive market.” That said, how could
American manufacturers of industrial products boost their reputation in
China, one of the world’s most promising growth markets? We’d like
to hear from you.
—Frances Richards
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Sturdy actuator strengthens pool
lift
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Many people who have difficulty with weight-bearing activities due
to arthritis, injury, or being overweight can enjoy the benefits of
aquatic physical therapy and rehabilitation. Significant populations of
wheelchair-bound and disabled people also use pools and spas for
recreation and therapeutic reasons. Yet a dilemma constantly faces these
individuals - how to get in and out of the pool or spa safely. Various
manufacturers offer pool lifts ranging from simple manual slings powered
with water pressure to complex battery-powered lifts operated by radio
remote control. Spectrum Products, Missoula, Mont., recently fortified
its battery-powered lifts by fitting its top-of-the-line Traveler II
XRC500 unit with a 500-lb-capacity linear actuator specially designed
for the application by Warner Linear, Belvidere, Ill. To read the story
in its entirety, click here.
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NIWeek 2009 - Worldwide Graphical
System Design
Conference and Exhibition
National Instruments invites you to join our community of
engineers, scientists, and educators from all over the world. NIWeek
2009 features three full days of interactive technical sessions,
targeted summits, hands-on workshops, and exhibitions on the latest
developments for design, control, automation, manufacturing, and
test.
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Global conference targets mid-career
engineers
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The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) announces the
Global Engineering Management Conference, a new gathering aimed
at mid-career engineers. The meeting is set for Sept. 13 to 16 at the
Fairmont Dallas in Dallas, Tex. The conference will explore the
challenges that the global work environment is exerting on the
engineering profession and includes four tracks: Managing New
Technology; Managing and Developing Engineers; Supply Chain Management
within the Global Market; and Managing Your Ecological Footprint in the
Energy and Environmental Era. To read the story in its entirety, click here.
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Machined springs incorporate many
features into
a single piece of material
 In Helical machined
springs, desired features such as special attachments, precise spring
rates, multiple integral coils, and other characteristics can be made
part of the spring. Machined springs also support multiple design
objectives such as reliability, repeatability, and integration of
multiple parts, which result in a reduction of assembly complexity. The
HELI-CAL® Flexure, a flexible helix beam concept utilized in the
manufacture of Helical machined springs, provides versatility and can be
integrated into one piece with customer specified end attachments such
as tangs, clamps, flanges, or threaded ends.
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Plastic bearings offer
advantages
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Have you been wondering about how plastic bearings stand up to other
bearing types such as metallic versions? If so, a new brochure from igus
Inc., East Providence, R.I., shows how plastic plain bearings, spherical
bearings, and linear bearings and slides are used in real-world
applications. The literature highlights application examples from a wide
range of industries to inform design engineers about the advantages of
using plastic bearings. To read the story in its entirety, click here.
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Vision system connectivity
tool
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Cognex Connect enables out-of-the-box connectivity between Cognex
In-Sight vision systems and virtually any major PLC, robot, HMI, and
Fieldbus system commonly used in factory automation. A simple point and
click configuration interface makes it easy to control multiple vision
systems from any network PC, and lets users easily transfer data and
images to an enterprise file server or display them in the user’s own
operator interface. The standard suite of communication capabilities
includes pre-configured drivers, ready-to-use templates, and sample code
to accelerate system set-up and ensure smooth communication with factory
automation robots and controllers. The tool also provides an array of
visualization options for integrating inspection images from In-Sight
into a central operator interface. Visit Cognex for more
information.
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Epoxy simplifies installation of
bearing protection ring
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The AEGIS SGR Bearing Protection Ring can now be easily installed
with conductive epoxy, eliminating the need to drill bracket holes in
the motor’s end bell. For motors controlled by variable frequency
drives (VFDs), the SGR channels harmful motor-shaft currents away from
bearings and safely to ground, protecting them and extending their
lives. Installation of the SGR, whether by the motor manufacturer or
end-user, takes just minutes. While VFDs deliver impressive energy
savings (up to 30% or more), they also induce harmful currents on the
shafts of the motors they control. These currents too often damage motor
bearings and lead to costly downtime and premature motor failures.
Without an effective means of shaft grounding, the currents will
discharge through the bearings, causing pitting and fluting damage to
the bearing race walls. Over time, this can lead to noise, vibration,
and bearing failure, severely reducing the reliability of the entire
system and wiping out any savings from using the VFD. Visit Electro Static
Technology for more information.
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Join the Elite Group of Engineering Professionals Qualified to
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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,
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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.
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Machine Design Video Spotlight
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CAE Flow Simulation
Software |
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Jim Lindauer from CD-Adapco discusses
fluid flow simulation software and modeling with Bob Repas from 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
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Here for a list of archived Machine Design webcasts.
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SmartActuator series saves time, space, money
Tolomatic's SmartActuator – servo motor, drive, controller and
actuator in one compact package -- gives you 100% duty-cycle performance
at half the price of traditional electric actuator systems. See
the video!
Exlar's patented actuator technology offers many times the
life of ball screw actuators and provides an efficient
electro-mechanical replacement for hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders.
These digitally controlled products
offer several advantages over other technologies.
www.exlar.com
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