Product Design & Development back issues from September 2002:
Sub-miniature brushless motor. (Build A Bot).(Maxon Precision Motors Inc., EC06)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... The electronically commutated EC06 brushless motor boasts extremely long motor life because there are no mechanical brushes to wear out. Its electronic commutation also minimizes electrical noise. Featuring high-energy neodymium magnets and Hall ...
Fiber-optic safety system. (Build A Bot).(Banner Engineering Corp., Pico-Guard)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... A new fiber-optic safety system, called Pico-Guard, directly replaces mechanical safety interlock switches to safeguard potentially dangerous machines. It uses control-reliable photoelectric technology with plastic fiber-optic cable and fast-connect optical components for non-contact ...
Through-hole jack with LED. (Build A Bot).(Kycon Inc.)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... This dc power jack features an LED that can be custom made to show either one or two colors. It's designed for applications where it's necessary to indicate that power is supplied to a device through the power jack. Depending on PC board ...
Microwave test assemblies. (Build A Bot).(W.L. Gore and Associates Inc., PhaseFlex)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... PhaseFlex test assemblies are available in frequency ranges up to 65 Ghz. These internally ruggedized microwave coaxial assemblies promise phase and amplitude stability with flexure. They combine the electrical advantages of an ...
Detection of threads. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... The ThreadChecker sensor system can discriminate between a threaded and an unthreaded hole via inductive technology that measures without touching. Meeting IP67 specifications, it is available in two ...
Available in three sizes. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... These heavy-duty push-button actuators can be used on individual stem-operated valves or in panel-mounting applications. Their design allows complete actuation of the valve with no over-travel or side load to the value. A built-in stainless steel spring, which returns the button to ...
Thin-section devices for less weight. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... New thin-section ball bearings are engineered for applications requiring less weight, less geometric space, and higher stiffness than conventional bearings. A thin-section bearing typically has a bore diameter greater than four times the radial cross-section. These new units have ...
New software solvers. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Femlab v2.3 incorporates new modules for structural mechanics, chemical engineering, and electromagnetics. The structural mechanics module has new applications for shells, beams, and solids. The chemical engineering module enables the study of non-Newtonian fluids, compressible flow, and ...
Capacitors with high-current terminations. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... High-current, broad RMS spectrum 5MPA ac film capacitors are suitable for PWM outputs, handling current spectrums from both line frequency to superimposed ripple on the carrier wave. The UL-approved devices have multiple internal connections and flat copper ...
Checking the temperature. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Model 2901 digital temperature controller is designed for industrial applications with temperatures ranging from 100 to 900[degrees]F such as commercial food equipment. Microprocessor-based technology allows flexibility when programming onboard ...
Web-enabled automation. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... This patented 5100 Series Blue Fusion automation controller provides direct read/write access to industrial data from desktop browsers. It supplies high-performance device control and supports popular IT and Web standards. With a built-in 10/100 Base T Ethernet port, it can be ...
Springing into action. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... T3 Series nitrogen gas springs are engineered with a larger piston rod than other gas springs to provide higher tonnage in a compact design. Five models are available with forces up to 60 percent higher than conventional models in equivalent diameters. With forces from 785 to 9,442 lbs and ...
Harnessing speed and accuracy. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... LMA Series linear motor actuators are designed to be faster than ball screws and more accurate than belt drives. They travel up to 1 m, have a no-load acceleration of 3 g, and boast a top speed of 3 m/s. They are suitable for pick-and-place machines, ...
Pendant arm with omni-directional motion. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Designed to NEMA 12 standards, this vertical motion pendant arm offers the ability to completely lift and swing away from the work area when not needed. It has up, down, and side-to-side motion with anti-glare tilting capabilities and ergonomic comfort. The pendant arm can ...
Non-contacting position transducers. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... TLC Series non-contacting position transducers are based on proprietary Indres technology. With this new technology, output voltage is proportional to the position of a probe moving near, but not touching, two resistive tracks that are inductively coupled. An integrated ASIC provides ...
Miniature surface-mount inductors. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Consisting of 18 parts, the SMI-4 Series of inductors for surface-mount applications offers a range of inductance values, meeting high-frequency switchmode and RF applications at various currents. Inductance values range from 10 Hy @ 3.63 A to 820 Hy @ 0.38 A. Tolerance is 20 ...
High-speed data acquisition board. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... This new DAP 5400a/626 is optimized for high-speed simultaneous sampling. The 16-channel board has eight onboard A/D converters. Each can acquire 1250 k 14-bit resolution samples per second simultaneously for an aggregate throughput of 10 million samples per second. ...
Single-pole twin rocker switches. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Each model in the 8800 Series of twin rocker switches contains two independent single-pole on/off switches with 3 mm contact gaps. The switches feature a bezel size of 21 x 15 mm and snap into panel cutouts of 19.8 x 13.5 mm. Their front-panel styling has a textured rocker body ...
Fabric clad EMI shielding gaskets. (What's Hot).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... A new fabric, NiCu C70, has been added to a high-performance line of nickel-copper clad EMI shielding gaskets. The new cladding consists of a layer of nickel on top of a layer of copper plated to a polyester ripstop substrate. New C70 gaskets feature open-celled polyurethane ...
Mold and die software. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Vericut Version 5.2 is NC verification/optimization software that detects mistakes in NC programs and corrects areas of inefficiency. Its mold and die machining program is designed for the machining challenges faced by mold makers. It supports three-axis milling, drilling, and ...
Industrial flowmeters. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Installed directly in the fluid stream, Series 2420 flowmeters present flow values on a large direct-reading dial. The instruments measure flows up to 30 gpm. Unlike fragile glass or plastic rotameters, these flowmeters are constructed with aluminum or stainless steel bodies and operate at ...
Flexible cables for ultrasonic uses. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Micro-Coaxial cables in the 36-48 AWG range are available for ultrasound medical assemblies, laptop computers, high-end workstations, automated test equipment, and other medical and security applications. They promise maximum signal integrity, low skew, low EMI, and virtually no ...
Single-board computer. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The ePCI-100, which meets the new PICMG 1.2 Embedded PCI-X specification, is a half-size Intel 810E chipset-based single-board computer. Featuring an Intel Pentium III processor at 866 MHz, it can be designed into a number of applications requiring high density and high processing power. ...
Pressure control valve. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The DSV-100 I/P converter is a compact, high-performance digital servo pressure control valve. The microprocessor-based converter is designed to deliver high accuracy pressure regulation with a dynamic response time of 180 ms over a 10 to 90 percent range. An LED display ...
High force linear actuators. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Digit-HT Series of compact linear actuators provides the user with up to 440 lbs of force. Available in 2, 4, and 8 in. stroke lengths and moving at up to 14 in./sec, these compact inline units use a 35 Vdc driver at 1.7 to 3.4 A. Repeatability is 1.5 microns. Totally ...
Low-profile ejector headers. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... EHF Series double-row surface-mount ejector headers on 0.5 in. pitch are available in seven pin counts from 10 to 50 pins. These mate with standard pin count FFSD Series assemblies for a low-profile system with a mated height of 0.445 in. above the board. Also available are EJH ...
AC motor controllers for battery-powered vehicles. (What's Hot).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Models 1236 and 1238 (shown) as well as Model 1230 are ac induction motor controllers designed for 24-80 V battery systems with 60-800 Arms two-minute current ratings. They are targeted for a wide range of battery-powered vehicles. Models 1236 and 1238 are full-featured ...
How to keep robots up and running. (New & notable: motion control).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The problem with robots is you can't force them back to work. When these automated workers stop, you have to shut down production and go to work yourself--fixing them. To avoid this scenario, several companies now rely on a resettable crash protection device to virtually eliminate the time ...
Crash protection device selection. (New & notable: motion control).(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... In order to successfully match a crash protection device to a specific application, it's critical to consider the loads produced by the static weight of the tooling, the inertial, loads imposed by robot motion, and the loads produced by the end-effector when performing its intended task. ...
Heavy-duty delivery. (In focus: valves & pumps).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Ismatec Flowmaster FMT300 tubing pump is designed for processes with large flow rates in dusty, humid, or corrosive environments. It carries an IP65 protection rating and is suitable for dispensing and tilting applications in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage ...
Versatile porting. (In focus: valves & pumps).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Nereus Model HK5 valve is a compact, single-solenoid, diaphragm-poppet valve with no sliding seals and no metal-to-metal contact. The lightweight unit features multiple porting configurations, allowing it to be used as a two-or three-way, normally open or ...
Taking the pressure off: high-pressure air has long been a thorn in the side of engineers, but a new air valve design aims to get rid of the woes associated with 40 bar and higher specs. (In focus: valves & pumps).
Sep 01, 2002; ... Controlling high-pressure compressed air--40 bar and higher--has always been a nemesis for machine builders and valve manufacturers. That's because high-pressure air valves are usually available only as large, expensive designs in 2/2 functions with short life expectancies. But a new air ...
Tips for selecting the right linear actuator. (Tech update: mechanical & power transmission).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Electromechanical linear actuators can be found in countless applications from commercial kitchen equipment to train and bus doors. They provide the safety, compactness, low noise, and comfort needed for medical beds, patient lifters, wheelchairs, and adjustable tables and also offer ...
Miniature stepping motor and driver.
Sep 01, 2002 ... Miniature PMC Series five-phase hybrid stepping motors include a printed circuit driver board and a miniature harmonic drive. Basic step angle performance reaches 0.0072 degrees (0.43 arc-minutes) for a high ratio (100:1). The PMC33A1-HG50 produces 160 oz-in, at 25 rpm using the ...
Electronic brake for ac induction motors.
Sep 01, 2002 ... Dyna-Stop II is an electronic dc injection brake that senses the rotation of an ac induction motor up to 30 hp and automatically applies current until the motor stops completely, regardless of load. It features a zero speed circuit to make certain the braking current is removed from the ...
Liquid-to-air copper heat exchangers. (Design ideas: heating & cooling).
Sep 01, 2002 ... New 720 Series heat exchangers are designed for cooling semiconductor manufacturing equipment, test equipment, electronics, industrial furnaces and ovens, and medical and industrial lasers. The tubing and all manifold circuitry are constructed of copper, which is mechanically bonded to ...
Preventing excessive heat rise. (Design ideas: heating & cooling).
Sep 01, 2002 ... ProAir heat exchangers are now available in seven models in 115 or 230 V and 50/60 Hz configurations. Efficiencies range from 4 to 84 W/[degrees]F. The models range in size from the ProAir XR20 with dimensions of 20 x 7.5 x 3 in. to the ProAir XR60 with dimensions of 59.9 x 15 x 9.92 in ....
Playing it cool: design engineers are relying on new air filter ideas to prevent enclosures from heating up and causing havoc. Here are some rules to live by when addressing critical thermal management. (Design ideas: heating & cooling).
Sep 01, 2002 ... New thermal management and EMI shielding air filter technologies can help OEM designers prevent premature equipment failures that can cause costly redesigns and retrofits. So says Mike Miano, mechanical engineering manager at Universal Air Filter Co. "OEM design ...
Front-end mounted stepper/servo brakes. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... FEB front-end mounted stepper/servo motor brakes are available in NEMA 23 and 24 sizes for use in office and factory automation, material handling, robotics, CNC tools and systems, medical equipment, computer chip manufacturing equipment, clean room manufacturing equipment, and electronic ...
Hydrostatic level transducer. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Series 510 smart KPSI hydrostatic level transducers feature a Modbus-RYU framing format, allowing compatibility with a variety of Modbus devices using this format. Applications for these submersible devices include inventory tank gauging, level monitoring, ground and surface ...
Directional control plug-in air valves. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Compact Cube Line 10 pneumatic directional control valves come factory pre-wired and tested to reduce design and installation time. Because the valves plug in to the manifold, making electrical and air connection simultaneously, maintenance is simplified. Valves have flows up to ...
Butterfly valves. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... A new technology featuring rotary solenoids and dc brushless motors to provide isolation and throttling actuation is being used to reduce the size of two- and three-way butterfly valves. Exhibiting tight sealing and minimal pressure drop, the new valves are designed to each customer's ...
Communications cords. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... These connectorized communication cords are manufactured with a polyurethane jacket and come pre-assembled with contacts and connectors for assembly into communication devices. Applications include radio telephone handsets, vehicle intercom systems, and mobile radio systems. ...
Ceramic heat sinks made from aluminum nitride. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... Heat sinks manufactured from aluminium nitride are available for passively cooled, high-powered laser diode modules. With a thermal conductivity of 180 W/m.K, aluminium nitride is said to have more than seven times the heat dissipation efficiency of alumina at 25 W/m.K. Heat ...
Actuators for positioning applications. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Care 33 Series of actuator systems is designed to enable safe and reliable power-driven positioning of equipment used in healthcare and ergonomic applications. The actuators are available in three basic models: Care 33A, Care 33M, and Care 33H. Depending on the type, these actuators ...
High-performance clutch/brakes. (New Products).(Force Control Industries Inc., Posidyne clutch/brakes)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Posidyne clutch/brakes feature a heat-dissipating oil-shear design, offering 70 to 150 more cycles per minute when driving heavy loads than conventional models. They transmit torque by shearing automatic transmission fluid between multiple friction discs, reducing wear contact ...
Lithium coin-type primary cells. (New Products).(Generation Electronics Inc.)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... These lithium coin-type primary cells can be used in medical devices, computer memory backup, and a variety of other electronic equipment. They are designed to feature 3 V energy density in small packages that exhibit uniform discharge voltages and retain 90 percent of their capacity after ...
Dc-dc converters with half-brick footprints. (New Products).(Lambda Electronics Inc., PAH200H Series power modules )(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002; ... High-current, high-efficiency PAH200H Series power modules provide up to 70 A in an industry standard half-brick footprint. These dc-dc converters boast a power density of over 105 W/[in.sup.3] and are available with efficiencies of up to 90 percent for a 3.3 V output unit. The ...
Thin, light, rugged displays for portable devices. (New Products).(E Ink Corp., active-matrix display panels )(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Billed as the thinnest active-matrix display available, this paper-like device is targeted at ultra-portable and rugged information appliances. Two display sizes have been developed. At less than half the thickness of a credit card, these prototypes have a total display ...
Optical encoders. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The RHS15, RS15, RCH20, and RCH25 are self-contained optical encoders with integral bearings. The RHS15 hollow-shaft unit features a 1.6 in. OD package, a frequency response of up to 200 KHz, and resolution up to 1,250 pulses per revolution. The RS 15 has the same package size ...
Gauging sensor. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... The SLS6000 Series is a heavy-duty, high-speed, single-point industrial gauging sensor with a long standoff distance and measurement range. It can be used in such high-speed applications as coil wind-up and take-off. Its built-in air purge system enhances flexibility for ...
Build a bot: readers are invited to submit designs for the Build A Bot Contest. If your design is selected, Product Design and Development will build the robot and send you to see it compete in a BattleBots competition. (Real-World Engineering).
Sep 01, 2002; ... You now have the chance to inflict massive damage on today's leading BattleBots. Product Design and Development is sponsoring a contest for readers that will allow them to design the ultimate robotic tool of destruction for the BattleBots arena. The magazine will select the ...
Guards for rotating couplings and shafts. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... These rotating shaft guards are available for a wide range of rotating coupling and shaft requirements. Applications include pumps, fans, gear drives, and machinery. They are available in four types and eight sizes. They can accommodate close-coupled, spacer, fluid, ...
Flame-retardant, heavy-duty jacketing. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... DVH-20 jacketing is constructed from medium-weight, flame-retardant PVC, laminated to both sides of a polyester cloth. This reinforced construction provides wear, tear, and abrasion resistance. With operating temperatures from -40[degrees] to +85[degrees]C, the jacketing is ...
Compact chip resistor. (New Products).(Caddock Electronics Inc., Model CC1512FC)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Model CC1512FC is a compact low-value chip resistor for current-sensing applications. It offers non-inductive performance and is available in standard values from 0.01 to 10 ohms. The unit has low thermal resistance from the resistance film to the terminations, which lets ...
High-current power inductors. (New Products).(Cooper Electronic Technologies, HC2LP power inductor)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... Boasting the lowest DCR in its size, the compact HC2LP power inductor offers a compact footprint for high-density, high-current, and low-voltage applications. The inductor is less than a quarter the size of an iron powder toroid. In addition, it has a ferrite core for low ac ...
Space-saving displays. (Show Stoppers).(American Bright Optoelectronics Corp., LED displays )(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... LED displays with built-in IC drivers can help designers reduce the number of components on PC boards. Available in dual and three-digit configurations, these new "smart" displays are suitable for digital indicators, household appliances, and exercise equipment. Designed in industry ...
Watertight and splash-proof. (Show Stoppers).(Bivar Inc., IP67 Series panel-mount flexible light pipes)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... The IP67 Series of panel-mount flexible light pipes features an IP67 certified watertight and splash-proof lens and bezel assembly for installations exposed to harsh environments. The light pipes provide advanced focusing technology via a micro-frensel lens and a 160-degree viewing angle ....
High-density interconnects. (Show Stoppers).(Samtec Inc., FourRay headers and sockets)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... FourRay headers and sockets provide up to 200 I/Os in less than one square inch. These high-density, four-row, surface-mount devices have board stack heights of ...
Threaded access. (Show Stoppers).(PEM Fastening Systems, captive screw design )(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... A line of threaded access hardware products has been designed to attach metal panels or other thin-material components in an assembly where subsequent access is necessary. Their captive screw design keeps hardware to a minimum and eliminates risks associated ...
High-current connection. (Show Stoppers).(Phoenix Contact Inc., Power Combicon PC 6)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Power Combicon PC 6, which has pin spacing of 10.16 mm, is UL recognized at 41 A, 600 V. The high-power, pluggable PC board terminal block combines a highly conductive copper alloy with dual-socket connections. Available in 2 through 8 positions, it accepts #20-8 AWG wires ...
One-way digital dc controls. (New Products).(Baldor Electric Co., Series 29, Series 30 )(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... The Series 29 one-way digital dc SCR controls and the Series 30 line regenerative digital dc SCR controls can be used in applications where constant torque is needed. They feature protected chassis enclosures, auto-tune, and application programs and are available from 5 through 300 hp, ...
Miniature LVDT position sensors. (New Products).(Macro Sensors, CD 375 Series)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... CD 375 Series miniature LVDTs are designed for linear position measurement in OEM and end-user applications with tight space restrictions. A 3/8 in. diameter design makes these ac-operated LVDTs suitable as an integral part of such devices as hydraulic actuators, servo valves, medical ...
Load cell and panel meter. (New Products).(Transducer Techniques Inc.)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
Sep 01, 2002 ... A system made up of a low-profile universal load cell and a panel mount meter is available for a variety of industrial and OEM force measurement and weighing applications. The universal load cell is the LPU tension or compression unit, which is offered in 14 ranges from 100 to ...
Conductive foam gaskets. (New Products).
Sep 01, 2002 ... A UL94VO-rated line of conductive foam gaskets is designed for low-cycling, non-shear applications such as input/output shielding. The X-Y and Z axis conductivity of the gaskets provides the enhanced EMI shielding effectiveness required by the microprocessor speeds of today's computer and ...