December 14, 2006

Embedded viscometers using acoustic-wave-sensing technology give early warnings of oil degradation and contamination in diesel engines that could lead to premature engine failure.

The MCD from maxon motors, a Swiss-based firm with U.S. headquarters in Fall River, Mass. (maxonmotorsusa.com), is a compact positioning drive with a fieldbus connection and a maximum output of 60 W.

Mazda describes the winner of our Best Value award as "a highly styled crossover SUV with the soul of a sports car." Our judges' reaction bears out the claim.

Through legislative and social pressures, public attention is focusing more on the energy used to perform basic domestic functions such as food preparation, cleaning, and climate control. Government-developed energy guidelines now influence consumer preferences.

Solid-state relays are among the switching elements that now use materials allowed under the RoHS mandates.

After three years of work, a team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cambridge University have come up with a concept for a quiet aircraft.

Physical-vapor deposition creates ultrathin, ceramiclike coatings that can significantly improve the performance and durability of precision components.

The factors that give workers the most satisfaction vary between men and women and also between age groups, according to a study by the American Business Collaboration, a consortium of seven corporations.

The A8 packs performance, intelligent safety, and security, plus a decadent amount of comfort, into an elegant but understated sedan.

Do people value the new generation of smart features built into today's autos? The first annual Smart Ride competition attempted to find out.

Transparency and high impact resistance were key factors that led designers at Plano Trio in Brazil to spec Spectar copolyester resin sheets from Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, Tenn., for point-of-purchase displays that showcase Rider shoes.

A new adhesion technology coupled with an alloyed blend of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) lets Corner Smart shelves stick to almost any surface.

A team of engineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have devised two methods of electrically and physically attaching carbon nanotubes to electrically conductive surfaces of just about any size and shape.

The S-Class earned the Safety and Security Award for an array of sophisticated safety features.

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratory have developed a network that gathers information on how windmills are performing.

Engineers at Thermo Electron Co., Waltham, Mass. (thermo.com), have built a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, the Niton XRF, that can reveal the elemental makeup of an object by analyzing the unique characteristic X-rays it emits after being bombarded with X-rays

A buddy of mine once let me take his vintage 1965 Corvair out for a spin.

In less than a decade, sales of manufactured goods incorporating nanotechnology are predicted to reach $2.6 trillion annually.

Honda engineers designed the Acura RL with enough intelligent features to make this car a real "Road Scholar."

HGDS grippers from Festo Corp., Hauppauge, N.Y. (www.festo.com), use a semirotary vane actuator to control a parallel gripper, letting the compact unit grip and turn.

It's estimated that 99% of all business managers are middle management, struggling to manage up while delegating down.

Numerous oil and grease-lubricated bearing designs rely on adequate lubricant film thickness for smooth and trouble-free operation. Engineers must check that films are sufficiently thick so asperities — peaks of surface roughness between mating surfaces — don't touch.