July 23, 2009

Leland Teschler's Editorial: Good News/Bad News: A Labor Shortage, but Not for Engineers

With the unemployment rate at a 26-year-high point, it may seem odd to be talking about a looming labor shortage.

Letters 7/23/2009

One MACHINE DESIGN reader took issue with another letter writer and wanted to set us straight on defibrillators, a product his company makes.

2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8

"What kind of a super car is this?” That’s the kind of comments I got for a solid week driving the Chrysler Challenger that came our way this spring.

Warnings Are Not Enough to Ensure User Safety from Generator Fires, Shocks, and Carbon Monoxide

2

Underwriters Laboratories' portable-generator standard, UL 2201, doesn’t go far enough to protect users from carbon monoxide, fire, and shock hazards.

Backtalk 7/23/2009

The lighter side of motion control

200 mph, and powered by steam

6

The British Steam Car Team is developing a 200+ mph vehicle that could set a record for steam-powered cars.

Modular Air Bearings for Motion Control

2

As speed and economy become more important in motion applications, air-bearing technologies are getting another look.

Cables for Clean Rooms

Moving cables generate particles, but only recently has this phenomenon been quantified

New Algorithm Thwarts Velocity Disturbances in Motion-Control Schemes

1

A new control methods cuts velocity disturbances to keep motion profiles smooth and precise.

Servomotors Stabilize and Position Sensor Turrets on UAVs

1

Lightweight, high-efficiency servomotors stabilize and position sensor turrets on ultralight unmanned aerial vehicles.

Techniques to Build Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Machines

Some simple motion-control best practices leverage energy efficiency and sustainability.

Recycled Packing Material Keeps Freight Safe and Secure

Recycled packing material keeps freight safe and secure.

Rigid Chain Gives Muscle to Linear Actuator

The LinearBeam rodless linear actuator from Serapid Inc., Sterling Heights, Mich., uses a rigid chain to move loads at up to 2 m/sec with up to 16 kN (35,000 lb) of thrust.

Robotic Experts to Talk About Education, Sustainability, and Engineering at National Instruments NIWeek 2009 Robotics Summit

NIWeek 2009, National Instruments 15th annual customer and technology conference, runs from Aug. 4 to 6 at the Austin Convention Center, Austin, Tex.

Sensor Technology SAW Sensor is Key to Nonlinear Testbed for Actuators and Motors

Sensor Technology SAW sensor is key to Nonlinear Testbed for Actuators and motors.

High-Speed Camera Illuminates Stamping Stacker Problems

Engineers at Baldor Electric Co. used a portable high-speed video camera to help them noodle out difficulties on a super-fast stacker for metal stampings.

Analyst say Revenues for Stepper-Motor Sales will Fall then Start Climbing in 2010

Analyst say revenues for stepper-motor sales will fall then start climbing in 2010.

Miniature Motors Help “Paint” Tumors With Radiation

Motors from Maxon Precision Motors move the slats of a multileaf collimator for radiosurgery, creating an adjustable aperture through which radiation travels to the tumor.

PTC Users’ Group Meeting Includes Big Advice for Small Companies

Presenter John Abele, co-founder of Boston Scientific Corp., advises startups and small companies on how to succeed.

Small Servocontrollers to Support “Friendlier” Industrial Robots

A standalone version of a miniature servomotor controller will generate lots of new robotic applications.

Global Market for Motors Slips Due to Economic Downturn

Global market for motors slips due to economic downturn.

Looking Back 7/23/2009

E-stop switch failures can cost lives: Sunnyvalebased IDEC Corp. designed a tamperproof emergency-stop switch with all components solidly molded into the body so the contacts cannot be removed or vibrate out

New Products: Variable-Frequency Drives

The VLT micro variable-frequency drives now come in an M4 frame size covering the three-phase 380 to 480 Vac, 15 to 20-hp range.

New Products: Variable-displacement Hydraulic Motor

MV-A variable-displacement hydraulic motors are adjustable displacement ball-piston motors designed for applications requiring durability, smooth low-running speed, and minimum leakage.

New Products: Inductive Rotary Encoders

Exl 1100 Series rotary encoders now come in versions whose mating dimensions are the same as those of common resolvers

New Products: Programmable Motion Cards

The Prodigy/CME PCI motion cards now have board-level C-Motion programming, expanded design flexibility, and extended connectivity options.

New Products: Magnetoresistive Encoder

MR2 magnetoresistive encoder delivers accurate positioning at a controlled speed with factory-programmable resolution from 4 to 512 lines in discrete steps

New Products: Photoelectric Sensors

The Series 3130 photoelectric analog sensors feature a 10 to 100-mm sensing range, temperature stability between –25 and 55°C, and outstanding repeat accuracy.

New Products: Motion Components and Peripherals

A new 145 page catalog covers motion systems products and peripherals

New Products: Motion Programming Script

Motion Programming Script (MPS) is an easy-to-use, network-enabled implementation of a Basic-like programming language with commands added specifically for motion control.

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