Mechanical Engineering-CIME back issues from May 2008:
Only on M.E. magazine online @ www.memagazine.org.(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Question of the Month: Wind power has been criticized for its variability, which can create instabilities in the electrical grid. Some companies will couple large wind farms with energy storage systems. If this proves practical, should utilities begin to expand their wind power ...
Sky's the limit.(editorial)(Arthur C. Clarke)(Editorial)(Biography)
May 01, 2008; ... We've got a group of curious writers and editors at Mechanical Engineering--none more so than Alan Brown. Last month, Brown said, "We've got to write something on Clarke!" He was referring to the passing of Arthur C. Clarke, the British science fiction novelist who died in March at the age ...
Nuclear green.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... To the Editor: Thank you for publishing the "Recycling Fuel" letter (December 2007). I wish every issue would contain some mention that points out the availability and advantages of this cleanest and safest of all "green" energy sources. Publicity is the next best thing to ...
Personal arguments.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... To the Editor: I read with concern the letter by Dan Pangburn (January 2008) concerning the veracity of global warming. It doesn't concern me that he questions the contribution of humans to global warming, as there is scientific evidence used by both sides of the issue to ...
In the cards.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... To the Editor: One point requires clarification in the very interesting summary of the origins of the digital computer ("Oh, What a Web We Punch," Input/Output, December 2007). As described in a Wikipedia online encyclopedia article, Herman Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Co. in ...
Home fires.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... To the Editor: I disagree with outsourcing (January cover feature) and believe we should rebuild manufacturing in the U.S.A. Outsourcing has compromised our quality and reduced ...
Jury's out.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... To the Editor: A letter from Michael A. Chaszeyka (February) refers to an article by Arthur B. Robinson, et al., of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which supposedly provides evidence that global warming is not tied to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. I, and I ...
Lightning strike.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2008; ... To the Editor: I suppose you have received a sack full of mail concerning the error in "The New Point of View" in the February 2008 issue, where either Tom White noted or author Alan S. Brown wrote about the 50th anniversary of Lockheed's P-38 "Mustang." That ...
Federal group lists R&D priorities.(news & notes)(research and development )
May 01, 2008; ... A group working for the National Science and Technology has issued a report recommending that federal research and development programs give priority to three manufacturing areas--hydrogen energy technologies, nanotechnology, and intelligent and integrated manufacturing. ...
President's panel urges more for math.(news & notes)(President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel)
May 01, 2008; ... For years, engineers and scientists have worried that American students didn't learn enough mathematics to pursue their disciplines once they got to college. After two years of assessment, the President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel agrees. It says that American student achievement ...
Reactor-safety teams study human factors.(news & notes)
May 01, 2008; ... Seeking to reduce the number of accidents at nuclear materials facilities in their country, Russian researchers have teamed up with several human factors and cognition experts from Sandia National Laboratories to figure out ways to determine, on any given day, if workers are ready to ...
New nuclear HQ.(news & notes)
May 01, 2008; ... An international engineering company, URS Corp., has opened a facility in South Carolina that will be the new headquarters for its commercial nuclear power operations. The facility, called the URS Nuclear Center, is in Fort Mill. URS's commercial nuclear business is handled through its ...
Teaming up for biogasoline.(news & notes)(Shell and Virent Energy Systems Inc. partnerd)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... TWO companies, Shell and Virent Energy Systems Inc. of Madison, Wis., have announced a joint research and development effort to convert plant sugars directly into gasoline and gasoline blend components, rather than ethanol. The collaboration could herald the availability of new ...
Jaguar Land Rover to be sold.(news & notes)(Ford Motor Co. sold its jaguar land rover operations to Tata Motors Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Ford Motor Co. has agreed to sell its Jaguar Land Rover operations to India-based Tata Motors. The transaction is the culmination of Ford's decision last August to explore strategic options for the Jaguar Land Rover business, as the company accelerates its focus on its core Ford ...
Holey concrete.(news & notes)
May 01, 2008; ... One early spring day in the middle of March, city leaders, residents, and newspaper reporters gathered in a seven-acre parking lot outside a still-vacant shopping center in Williamsburg, Va. Why the fuss? Williamsburg city planners have billed the parking lot, which ...
Math for holes.(news & notes)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... A researcher at Imperial College London has updated a nearly 140-year-old math problem to make it applicable to modern engineering use. Darren Crowdy, chair in applied mathematics, said he's extended the formula used for an area of mathematics known as conformal mapping. This ...
Detroit, Dubai get new assembly plants.(news & notes)(Axial Vector Engine Corp.)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Axial Vector Engine Corp. said that two assembly facilities, one Detroit and the other in Dubai, are scheduled to come online to meet the demand for AVEC products. The Detroit facility is an 18,000-square-foot plant currently housing Adaptive Propulsion Systems, which is being ...
Quickparts Inc.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Quickparts Inc. of Atlanta, which provides custom manufactured plastic and metal parts, has launched its QuickQuote Online storefront from which customers can order prototypes and production parts and ...
Optimal Solutions Software LLC.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Optimal Solutions Software LLC of Provo, Utah, has released SculptorPLUS, design ...
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. of Irvine, Calif., announced that its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, has won a $20 million contract from Krannich Solar.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. of Irvine, Calif., announced that its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, has won a $20 million contract from ...
Distributed Energy Systems Corp.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Distributed Energy Systems Corp. of Barre, Vt., a leader in wind power technology, received an order for its advanced Northwind 100 gearless wind turbines from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, the fourth largest utility company in Canada. Three Northwind 100 turbines ...
Water Remediation Technology LLC.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Water Remediation Technology LLC of Wheat Ridge, Colo., has installed and put into operation two new Z-88 radium removal systems in the village of ...
Going batty.(computing)(engineers at the University of Arizona are looking to bats as role models)
May 01, 2008; ... ENGINEERS AT THE University of Arizona are looking to bats as role models. They specifically want to study the flying mammals' navigation systems as the base for the advanced radar systems they're looking to create. "Bats do exactly what we're trying to do," said Nathan ...
Security code cracked.(computing)
May 01, 2008; ... RESEARCHERS RECENTLY CRACKED several widely used security systems used to encrypt computers. The systems include Microsoft's BitLocker, Apple's FileVault, and Linux's dm-crypt. In the process, they discovered several things that computer owners can do to protect their hard ...
Running cool.(computing)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED AT Purdue University's new hydrogen facility aim to help NASA develop rockets faster and less expensively for future missions to Mars and the moon. A more efficient cooling mechanism could improve performance and reduce ...
Cheaper wind turbines.(computing)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... NORDIC WINDPOWER LTD. of San Francisco has implemented a product lifecycle management system to help roll out its two-blade, utility-scale wind turbines The company recently installed Arena PLM, from Arena Solutions Inc. of Foster City, Calif., to track product launch goals and ...
Your own helmet.(computing)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... WHEN IT COMES TO motorcycle helmets, one size doesn't fit all and no size fits everyone. Many riders resign themselves to buying a slightly too-large or too-small helmet. But officials at the European Custom Fit project feel that vital head protection should be perfectly ...
IMSI Design.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... IMSI Design of Novato, Calif., has released IDX ToleranceCalc version five, a one- and ...
MecSoft Corp.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... MecSoft Corp. of Irvine, Calif., has released VisualMill 6.0 Professional, which ...
Atalasoft Inc.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Atalasoft Inc. of Boston, which makes imaging components for Microsoft.NET ...
ESI Group.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... A maker of physics-based simulation software, ESI Group of Chicago, has released an upgrade to its PAM-CEM ...
Mechdyne Corp.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Mechdyne Corp. of Marshalltown, Iowa, has released an upgrade to its professional application programmer interface and library for development of ...
Granta Design.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Granta Design of Cambridge, England, is shipping Granta MI version 2.0, for materials information management ...
Spicer Corp.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Spicer Corp. of Kitchener, Ontario, which makes viewing, redaction, and scanning ...
Dynasim.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Dynasim of Bielefeld, Germany, has released Dymola 7.0, the latest ...
Creaform.(Briefly Noted)
May 01, 2008 ... Creaform of Levis, Quebec, is now shipping the second version of VxScan, ...
Robert McNeel & Associates of Seattle, which makes surfacing software, and SpaceClaim of Concord, Mass., which makes 3-D design software, announced an integration between Rhinoceros and SpaceClaim LTX.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Robert McNeel & Associates of Seattle, which makes surfacing software, and SpaceClaim of Concord, Mass., which makes 3-D design software, announced an ...
Siemens PLM Software of Plano, Texas, and IT service provider Wipro Technologies of Bangalore, India, have announced a global consulting and systems integrator alliance.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Siemens PLM Software of Plano, Texas, and IT service provider Wipro Technologies of Bangalore, India, have ...
Time-traveling engineers.(software exchange)
May 01, 2008 ... Capability: The engineering computer game Time Engineers helps students in sixth to ninth grade learn how mechanical engineering principles have helped people through the ages. By playing the game, students travel in a time machine to three different eras and encounter typical engineering ...
Scripting and numerical computing.(software exchange)
May 01, 2008 ... Capability: Ch 6.0 is a cross platform C/C++ interpreter for scripting two-dimensional and three-dimensional plots, numerical computing, shell programming, and embedded scripting. This new release adds more plotting functions. Ch also offers an interactive environment for teaching and ...
Sketching and calculating.(software exchange)
May 01, 2008 ... Capability: GrafiCalc Expert 2008 digital prototyping software combines sketching with calculation, motion simulation, and tolerance analysis in a CAD-neutral application. With it, engineers can evaluate new product concepts, validate design parameters, and identify cost-effective ...
No-cost modeling.(software exchange)
May 01, 2008 ... Capability: The personal-use version of the MEDUSA4 personal design application includes much of the functionality available in the developer's regular modeling application, including basic 3-D modeling and drafting tools and new sheet-metal design functions. The personal edition is ...
Composite failure.(software exchange)
May 01, 2008 ... Capability: Sublam analysis software examines interlaminar stress and failure in composite laminates. Users can compare continuous distributions of interlaminar tractions at the interfaces between sublaminates. The resulting differential equations for the plates are solved using ...
Calling doctor roboto.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)(Adept Technology Inc.)(Prosurgics Ltd.)
May 01, 2008; ... Robot developer Adept Technology Inc., of Livermore, Calif., will collaborate with the United Kingdom's Prosurgics Ltd. to develop robots to perform image-guided and navigated neurological and soft tissue surgery. This unusual combination marries Adept's knowledge of industrial robots and ...
Hot bolt powers sensors.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)
May 01, 2008; ... A German company, Micropelt GmbH, has developed a prototype bolt that screws into a hot machine and harvests the waste heat as electricity. Based on thermoelectric thin films, the TE-Power-Bolt generates 0.2 to 15 milliwatts of power and uses an integrated dc-dc converter to set voltage ...
Diamonds are a pump's best friend.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)
May 01, 2008; ... Diamonds are not just beautiful, but also rank with the best engineering materials. They are the hardest of all natural substances, more slippery than Teflon, and conduct heat better than copper. Diamond would make an outstanding wear surface, and someone has finally figured out how to do ...
Sleep on a nanotube sheet.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)
May 01, 2008; ... A three-year-old New Hampshire start-up, Nanocomp Technologies Inc., has produced the largest cohesive nanotube structures ever, a series of 3-foot-by-6-foot sheets made entirely of carbon nanotubes. Not only is the structure big, but the way Nanocomp made it opens the door to new types of ...
Stainless tools take on corrosion.(MATERIALS AND ASSEMBLY)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008; ... Anyone who works with stainless-steel screws eventually finds out that, yes, they do rust. Corrosion may occur after a single season on boats that sail the salty seas, or after several years on window and door frames. The reason, according to Wera Tools of Wuppertal, Germany, is ...
Wind in a bottle: like everything else, wind power is bigger in Texas. But plans to erect thousands of large turbines have utilities scrambling to build a new energy infrastructure.(POWER & energy)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Texas and oil go together like hound dogs and huntin', but petroleum won't keep the lights on. The state is facing a possible shortfall in electrical power generation capacity as early as 2009, when its reserve margins could drop below the minimum 12.5 ...
Changing the game: potentially radical advances in gas turbines came in all shapes and sizes in 2007.(POWER & energy)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Air travel has traditionally been a symbol of freedom and limitless potential. But in recent years its image has changed for the worse. Part of the blame for that, to be sure, sits squarely with the experience of modern airports and airlines--from the ...
Power window: caps & costs.(POWER & energy)
May 01, 2008; ... Government reports bearing bad news are often released on Fridays. The hope is that the details get buried in the little-read Saturday newspaper. It's odd, then, that an assessment of a pending Congressional bill by the Environmental Protection Agency was released with little fanfare on a ...
Offshore analysis: engineers call upon FEA to design equipment built to withstand the rigors of life in the ocean.(POWER & energy)(finite element analysis)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Say you're designing a huge piece of machinery. Now, imagine that you're creating the machine from scratch; it's never existed before. The expected lifespan is around 40 years. If this thing doesn't function properly, your company will lose vital ...
Energy squad: they might be able to slash power consumption with a single visit, but can these efficiency experts dodge the budget ax?(POWER & energy)
May 01, 2008; ... The Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C., isn't a normal work site. For one thing, if you need to carry something from place to place, you must use a clear plastic bag; that way, no one can hide a bundle of freshly printed bills. The other thing that stands out, ...
ASME and IGTI team provide significant benefits.(International Gas Turbine Institute)(American Society Of Mechanical Engineers)
May 01, 2008; ... So, what's an edition of the the Global Gas Turbine News doing in the Mechanical Engineering magazine? Well, you can t beat a two-for-one offer, especially when the return on the initial investment is so fantastic. At least that's what my wife tells me when she drags me out shopping. The ...
Register today for Turbo Expo 2008 in Berlin: the most important conference for gas turbine professionals!(Conference news)
May 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's not too late to join more than 2500 gas turbine professionals from over 50 countries for Turbo Expo 2008--a premier FIVE-day Technical Congress and a three-day, premium exhibition of gas turbine products and services supported by leading companies in ...
Calender of events.(Calendar)
May 01, 2008 ... MAY 28-30, 2008 Hands-on Thermodynamics of Power and Aero Engines Short Course Penn Stater Conference Center University Park, PA Come and share your questions and knowledge in this IGT1 first-of-its-kind, interactive course! JUNE 9-13, 2008 ...
The link between climate change and turbomachines.
May 01, 2008; ... A lot has changed in the last 10 years. The global climate change due to green house emissions, as predicted by a number of scientists and engineers, is evident by receding glaciers and the melting of the polar cap. The recent UN sponsored conference in Bali created a major shift in the ...
IGTI scholarships and awards are available ... again.(The International Gas Turbine Institute)
May 01, 2008; ... The International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI) is once again providing scholarships and young engineer awards to undergraduate and graduate students studying gas turbines. Travel awards are also available to students and young engineers in the gas turbine industry for the purpose of ...
Pipeline compression using gas turbines or electric motors--C[O.sub.2], footprint.
May 01, 2008; ... Local legislation and regulation on C[O.sub.2] emissions are starting to affect the decision making process for building new natural gas compression stations in North America. To minimize C[O.sub.2] emissions some pipeline companies have decided to install electric motor drivers rather ...
Hands-on thermodynamics of power and aero engines: new state of the art short course for the gas turbine industry!(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
May 01, 2008 ... May 28-30, 2008 * Penn Stater Conference Center * University Park, PA Come and share your questions and knowledge in this IGTI first-of-its-kind, interactive course!! This course will allow engineers throughout the world to acquire ready familiarity as to how the gas turbine ...
Turbo expo 2008: pre-conference short courses.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)(Brief article)
May 01, 2008 ... Saturday g Sunday, June 7-8: Three comprehensive short courses will be held at the Estrel Convention Center on the weekend prior to Turbo Expo. * Gas Turbine Aerothermodynamics and Performance Modeling is an interactive two-day course that includes tutorial sessions in which ...
ASME Turbo Expo 2009 set for Orlando, Florida.(American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
May 01, 2008 ... Connect and reconnect with your gas turbine colleagues from around the world at TURBO EXPO, ASME s premier gas turbine technical congress and exposition, from June 8-12, 2009, in Orlando, Florida, at the World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center. Turbo Expo 2009 ...
IGTI names 2009 executive conference chair.(Conference news)
May 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Barry Nicholls, Vice President of Siemens Power Systems Sales, Siemens Power Generation, Inc., has accepted the position of Executive Conference Chair for ASME Turbo Expo 2009. In this role, he will provide strategic input and support for the event's ...
Gas turbine users symposium set for September in Houston.
May 01, 2008 ... The Gas Turbine Users Symposium (GTHS) will be co-located with the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Symposium, September 8-11, 2008, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Organized by users, for users, GTUS is for all turbomachinery users. For potential registrants familiar with ...
Portable inspection for race cars: advanced technology changes the rules and helps enforce them, too.(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc.)
May 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This story was written by staff writers with the assistance of outside contributors. When Nascar driving legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a final-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, it stunned his legions of fans in the auto racing world ....