Mechanical Engineering back issues from May 2008:
sky's the limit
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 of ...
letters
May 01, 2008; ... Nuclear Green 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 ...
Federal Group Lists R&D Priorities
May 01, 2008; ... A group working for the National Science and Technology Council 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. According ...
President's Panel Urges More for Math
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 coEege. After two years of assessment, the President's National Mathematics Advisory Panel agrees. It says that American student achievement in ...
Reactor-Safety Teams Study Human Factors
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 perform ...
New Nuclear HQ
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
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 biofuels ...
Jaguar Land Rover to Be Sold
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 brand ...
Holey Concrete
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 will serve a ...
Math for Holes
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 conformai mapping. This is a ...
news & notes: Briefly Noted
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 tooling. Customers can create multiple quotes from multiple processes, view images and ...
Detroit, Dubai Get New Assembly Plants
May 01, 2008; ... Axial Vector Engine Corp. said that two assembly facilities, one in 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 ...
Going Batty
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 Goodman, an ...
Security Code Cracked
May 01, 2008; ... RESEAROCRS RECENTLY CRACKED several widely used security systems used to encrypt computers. The systems include Microsoft's BitLocker, Apple's File Vault, and Linux's dm-crypt. In the process, they discovered several things that computer owners can do to protect their hard drives against ...
Running Cool
May 01, 2008; ... 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 the need for costly overhauls, said William ...
Cheaper Wind Turbines
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
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 toolarge or too-small helmet. But officials at the European Custom Fit project feel that vital head protection should be perfectly sculpted to the ...
computing: Briefly Noted
May 01, 2008; ... IMSI Design of Novato, Calif., has released IDX ToleranceCalc version five, a one- and two-dimensional tolerance analysis solution that works with drawing-exchange-file CAD applications. * MecSoft Corp. of Irvine, Calif., has released VisualMill 6.0 Professional, which introduces three-axis ...
software exchange
May 01, 2008; ... Time-Traveling Engineers 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 ...
Calling Doctor Roboto
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 vision ...
Hot Bolt Powers Sensors
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 between ...
Diamonds Are a Pump's Best Friend
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
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
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 that ...
WIND in a BOTTLE
May 01, 2008; ... 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. texas and oil go together like hound dogs and huntin', but petroleum won't keep the lights on. The state is facing ...
CHANGING THE GAME
May 01, 2008; ... POTENTIALLY RADICAL ADVANCES IN GAS TURBINES CAME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES IN 2007. 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, sitjs squarely with the ...
Power Window: Caps & Costs
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 Friday ...
off shore analysis
May 01, 2008; ... Engineers call upon FEA to design equipment built to withstand the rigors of life in the ocean. 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 ...
energy SQUAD
May 01, 2008; ... THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SLASH POWER CONSUMPTION WITH A SINGLE VISIT, BUT CAN THESE EFFICIENCY EXPERTS DODGE THE BUDGET AX? 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 ...
ASME and IGTI Team Provide Significant Benefits
May 01, 2008; ... So, what's an edition of the the Global Gas Turbine News doing in the Mechanical Engineering magazine? Well, Jyou 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 same ...
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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 IGTI first-of-its-kind, interactive course! JUNE 9-13, 2008 ASME Turbo Expo ...
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 global ...
IGTI Scholarships and Awards are Available... Again
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 attending ...
IGTI Participates in ISROMAC-12
May 01, 2008; ... The Twelfth International Symposium on Transport Phenomena and Dynamics of Rotating Machinery (ISROMAC-12) was held February 17-22, 2008, in the historic Monana Surfrider in Honolulu, Hawaii. ISROMAC is held biannually in Hawaii and has grown in statue over the years and is now one of the ...
Pipeline Compression Using Gas Turbines or Electric Motors - CO2 Footprint
May 01, 2008; ... Local legislation and regulation on CO2 emissions are starting to affect the decision making process for building new natural gas compression stations in North America. To minimize CO2 emissions some pipeline companies have decided to install electric motor drivers rather than the more ...
Hands-on Thermodynamics of Power and Aero Engines
May 01, 2008; ... New State of the An Short Course for the Gas Turbine Industry! 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 ...
Turbo Expo 2008
May 01, 2008; ... Pre-Conference Short Courses Saturday & 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 ...
ASME Turbo Expo 2009 Set for Orlando, Florida
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 Highlights ...
Gas Turbine Users Symposium Set for September in Houston
May 01, 2008; ... The Gas Turbine Users Symposium (GTUS) 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
May 01, 2008; ... ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CHANGES THE RULES AND HELPS ENFORCE THEM, TOO. 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. However, it also jump-started a movement by Nascar to recast ...
hydrodynamic DIPLOMACY
May 01, 2008; ... Those fountains were beautiful, but they were also psychological warfare. Throughout history, rulers have felt it necessary to create tangible displays of their wealth because wealth bought the power that impressed allies and intimidated enemies. We know of numerous examples in the ...
DIY patent
May 01, 2008; ... Want to protect your idea with a patent? You can draft it yourself, but be aware of the risks. By Kirk Teska Patent attorneys are expensive, no doubt about it. The price for a patent application drafted by an attorney can range from $6,000 to $20,000. In some cases, expect to pay more ....
The King Bee
May 01, 2008; ... The King Bee. Capt. A.N. Olsen. Trafford Publishers. Available from the Seabee Museum Store, Building No. 99, WOO 23rd Ave., Port Hueneme, CA 93043. 2007. 354 pages. Softcover. $24.95. ISBN 1-4251-1533-0. Hardcover. $35.95. ISBN 978-1-4251-5918-4. email: seabeemuseumstore.org. This ...
A First Course in Continuum Mathematics
May 01, 2008; ... A First Course in Continuum Mathematics. Oscar Gonzalez and Andrew M. Stuart. Cambridge University Press. 32 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10013. 2008. Hardcover. TK pages. $130. ISBN 978-0-521-88680-2. Soficover. 394 pages. $50. ISBN 978-0-521-71424-2. The modeling and simulation ...
Strategic Planning for Design Firms
May 01, 2008; ... Strategic Planning for Design Firms. Raymond Kogan and Cara Bobchek. Kaplan Publishing, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10106. 2007. 214pages. Soficover. $49.95. ISBN 978-1-4195-3954-1. According to the publisher, although design professionals are masters of technical skill, few receive ...
How Round Is Your Circle? Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet
May 01, 2008; ... How Round Is Your Circle? Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet. John Bryant and Chris Sangwin. Princeton University Press, 41 William St., Princeton, NJ 08540-5237. 2008. 352pages. $29.95. ISBN 978-0-691-13118-4. How do you draw a straight line? How do you determine if a circle is ...
Design Matters: The Organisation and Principles of Engineering Design
May 01, 2008; ... Design Matters: The Organisation and Principles of Engineering Design. James Armstrong. Springer Science + Business Media, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013. 2008. 164 pages. $79.95. ISBN 978-1-84628-391-8. According to author James Armstrong, design is the essential component of ...
Computer Methods and Experimental Measurements for Surface Effects and Contact Mechanics VIII
May 01, 2008; ... Computer Methods and Experimental Measurements for Surface Effects and Contact Mechanics VIII. J. T.M. de Hosson, C.A. Brebbia, and S.-I. Nishida, Editors. WIT Press, c/o Computational Mechanics, 25 Bridge St., Billerica, MA 01821. Published in Southampton, U.K. 2007. 352 pages. $225. ISBN ...
ASME publications
May 01, 2008; ... APPLIED MECHANICS REVIEWS ARTICLES Modeling and Analysis of Functionally Graded Materials and Services. V. Birman and L.W. Byrd. Vol. 60, No. 5, September 2007, pp. 195-216. Free-Edge Effects in Composite Laminates. C. Mittelstedt and W. Becker. Vol. 60, No. 5, September 2007, ...
Aircraft Performance
May 01, 2008; ... Aircraft Performance. Maido Saarlas, John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., 4th floor, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774. 2006. 282 pages. $130. ISBN 0-470-04416-0. In this book, the author, a long-time chairman of the aerospace engineering department at the U.S. Naval Academy, sets forth a ...
SOLAR CELLS AT $1 A WATT?
May 01, 2008; ... Solar cells, which convert free sunlight into electricity, are the ultimate green technology. Yet until now, even the most efficient solar cells have been far too expensive to compete with conventional power sources without large tax subsidies. That may be about to change. Over the past ...
Energy Supply and Pipeline Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities
May 01, 2008; ... Energy Supply and Pipeline Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities. M. Mohitpour. ASME Press, Three Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990. 2008. Softcover. 250 pages, ASME members, $55; retail, $69. ISBN 978-0-7918-0272-4. This timely book focuses on the economic and global issues ...