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Scanning for Ideas: Captive Joiner Fastens Sheet-Metal Panels
Captive-joiner 9.5 Snapline fasteners
from Dirak Inc., Sterling, Va.
(dirak.us), can be installed without
special tools, letting technicians
cut installation time by up to 90%
without the risk of marring the
panel’s finish.
High-Tech Jobs Slowing But Still Growing
The U.S. gained 91,400 high-tech jobs last year, bringing the total to 5.9 million, according to a report by AeA, a high-tech trade association.
Assault and Batteries
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories must hate batteries: They heat them to extreme temperatures, overcharge them, drive nails into them, and generally do whatever they can to destroy them.
Will Hybrids Heat Up the Grid?
The growing number of plug-in hybrid electric cars and trucks may or may not require new electrical plants in the U.S., depending on when they’re charged.
Looking Back
10 YEARS AGO —
MAY 7, 1998
Virtual development for
aircraft: Lockheed Martin
will perfect the Joint Strike
Fighter and other advanced aircraft
with the help of visualization
software from Engineering
Automation Inc.
World Spends Over $100 Billion on Materialhandling Equipment
The global market for materialhandling
equipment will reach
$104 billion by 2010, according to a
report by market researcher Global Industry Analysts Inc.
What’s Hot, What’s Not
Recruiters say many parts of the engineering job market remain steady. But “green” skills are in high demand.
Machine Tools On-the-Fly? Yes, Thanks to Digital Prototypes
Who could have guessed that building machine tools on-the-fly would make for a good business model?
“Hare’s Looking at You, Kid.”
Rabbits wearing electronic contact lenses are helping researchers develop devices that could one day let vision-impaired people see or let those with normal vision surf the Web on the go.
Looking Back
10 YEARS AGO —APRIL 16, 1998
Letters 4/24/08
Ph.D.s don’t make sense
Backtalk - 04/24/2008
Creative Office Engineering
Scanning for Ideas: Rivet Gun Automates Assembly
Manufacturers have long wanted a rivet gun that was fast, light weight, and durable enough for the assembly line.
Scanning for Ideas: A Better Way to Make Ethanol
Turning plant matter into ethanol, a fuel suitable for flex-fuel vehicles, traditionally took a lot of energy.
German Tonic for America’s Manufacturing Doldrums
The latest economic data from the Institute of Supply Management says U.S. manufacturing activity has declined to a five-year low, as slowing demand and rising prices continue to damp manufacturing output.
Unlikely Film Star: Thermic Lance
The recent film, The Bank Job, based on an actual 1971 bank-vault robbery in London, had a costar that really lit up the screen: a fiery thermic lance that sliced through concrete, rebar, and vault steel to get the crooks into the vault.
My Biggest Mistake, and How I Fixed it
James Henderson was just starting his career when he was tasked to design a stepper motor to drive a rotating stand for testing a missile system.
Letters 04/10/2008
Fuzzy data
I couldn’t agree more with your recent editorial (“Why you can’t always believe published research,” Jan. 10).
Backtalk 04/10/2008
Extreme engineering
The nation’s largest and most complex engineering project was Boston’s “Big Dig.”
Letters - 03/20/2008
AUTOMOTIVE WOES
It’s always a pleasure reading your editorials, even (or rather, especially) when they address controversial issues.
Scanning for Ideas: IDCs Go Industrial
Insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) from Balluff Inc., Florence, Ky. (balluff.com), are now rugged enough to withstand industrial environments.
SAE World Congress is All About Change
The SAE World Congress will be held at Cobo Center, Detroit, from April 14 to 17.
Backtalk - 03/20/2008
Last Remaining Dredge
The Bay City Walking Dredge is the last one remaining in the U.S. of some 145 walking machines.
Letters - 2/21/08
One of several issues so astounding about the mpg follies editorial (Nov. 21) is that it never mentioned the technological challenge the increased CAFE standards place at the feet of the automobile industry.
Backtalk - 2/21/08
Help wanted: Astronaut
NASA is accepting applications for next year’s Astronaut Candidate Class. Those selected could spend long-duration stays on the International Space Station or be sent on missions to the moon.