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Leland Teschler's Editorial: One Less Conspiracy
Readers of a certain age will probably recall hearing tales of a supposed conspiracy among oil companies and automakers.
Military Develops Electric Slingshot
The Navy’s goal of replacing gunpowder with electricity got one step closer when it successfully test-fired its latest rail gun.
Intellectual Property: Should you patent globally?
It is long past the time when inventors only needed to worry about protecting their ideas in the U.S. Global patent protection is a must.
How to Apply Direct-Drive Linear Servomotors
A novel direct-drive linear servomotor with only one moving part needs special design considerations.
Materials Engineering: Little-known facts about precious metals
The melting points and densities of the so-called Noble Metals, coupled with their resistance to chemical attack, sets them apart from most other materials.
Basics of Design Engineering: Thinking Cables
Cables with embedded electronics make linking two devices as simple as plugging in a lamp.
Leland Teschler's Editorial: The Engineering “Extremist” Mindset
Do engineers have a “mindset” that makes them prone to become Islamic terrorists?
At the Top of Their Game
Engineers aspire to change the world with their work. Here are some who did.
Dream Jobs - Who’s Got Them and How to Get One
As part of our annual salary survey, readers tell us what the ideal career looks like.
Materials: Controversy Brewing Over PVC in Toys
Toy designers find themselves trying to get ahead of public opinion despite an ongoing scientific discussion of PVC toy safety issues.
Berke on Safety: The Case of the Flaming Hair Dryer
Hair-dryer users have reported fire shooting out of the handle or the snout end of their hair dryers.
How Hybrid Modeling Improves Reverse Engineering
Hybrid modeling combines CAD with digital shape sampling and processing to speed the parametric and reverse engineering of complex parts.
Flying Underwater
The same principles that keep aircraft aloft are being used to let submersibles travel underwater.
Sizing up Hinges
Real-world analysis prevents premature failure, overdesign, and seal compromise.
Foolproof Connectors Hit the Road
High-precision 36-way sectioning connectors made from a 30% glass-fiber-reinforced polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) go in front/rear harnesses for Renault cars.
Glass-Reinforced Polymers OK For Hot Water
NSF International has certified two glass-reinforced polphthalamide (PPA) resins for use in potable hot water.
Leland Teschler's Editorial: How Not to Make Engineering Appeal to Kids
Programs that introduce engineering to school children make headlines today.
Concept Cars of a Different Color …Green
Not all of the latest concepts are packing lithium-ion, but there’s a definite drive toward more environmentally benign vehicles.
The Bonded-On Bearing
They are good enough for NASCAR engines. Bonded bearing surfaces are coatings made from high-performance polymers reinforced with hard nanosized particles.
Motors Move Toward More Efficiency
The next generation of motor-powered appliances and industrial machines will be energy misers thanks to new electronics and speed controls.
Cut the Lights
Not religious about shutting off room lights? A new breed of wall switch will do it for you.
Avoiding Stick-Slip Chatter in Low-Speed Bearings
Flexible rotors and thin lubricant films lead to noise and vibration.
Eccentric Loading Shouldn’t Mean Shorter Life
Take off-center forces into account when estimating the life of linear-motion systems.
Quantifying Comfort
Cushions, backrests, headrests, armrests, and other foam parts that make up car seats are designed according to four main criteria: comfort, safety, aesthetics, and fit within the vehicle.