Metrology

Engineers at alpha gear drives Inc., Bartlett, Ill. (alphagear.com), have applied an old principle, feedback control, to a traditional piece of hardware, the gearbox, to come up with the alphaIQ gearbox.

Researchers at Purdue University working with the U.S. Air Force have developed wireless sensors strong enough to survive inside operating jet engines where temperatures can climb to 572°F.

A new gear tester from Promess Inc., Brighton, Mich. (promessinc.com), measures tooth-to-tooth contact variations in both directions at each degree of rotation, and can take 10,000 samples/sec.

Joining the Modulo WM weighing module line is the intrinsically safe WM-Ex for use in hazardous environments.

Short of a complete tear down, vibration analysis is one of the best ways for assessing the condition of rotating machinery.

Structural components such as a steering knuckle might be strong enough to withstand a single applied load.

The Laser Microgage dual-axis alignment kit includes a laser-squaring attachment called the 90-Line for checking machine beds, vertical cutting machinery, and roll parallelism, for squaring slides and gantries, and measuring geometric parameters.

ASTM International now has a digital version of its library of technical publications.

Q: I've been told that motor and load inertias should match as closely as possible.

A medical-grade flow regulator provides up to 250 ml/hr.

Cam-action indexing plungers made from steel now come in metric and inch sizes.

A new test system from Sakor Technologies Inc., Okemos, Mich., targets small two and four-cycle engines in equipment such as small outboard motors, lawn-care tools, and generators.

Micro EP palm-sized universal testing machines determine the mechanical properties of miniature specimens in tension, compression, or flexure.

A brass variable-area flowmeter performs as a flow-rate indicator by monitoring process applications under pressures to 3,500 psi, temperatures to 240°F, and other conditions.

A new low-shear-rate version of the ViSmart viscosity sensor instantaneously measures samples of low-to mid-range viscosity fluid.