The Leading Source for Design Engineering News & Insight
Researchers Forward Quest for Quantum Computing
May 23, 2013 1:24 pm | by Caron Lett, University of York | News | CommentsResearch teams from UW-Milwaukee and the University of York investigating the properties of ultra-thin films of new materials are helping bring quantum computing one step closer to reality. An on-going collaboration between physicists from York and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA, is focusing on understanding, tailoring, and tuning the electronic properties of topological insulators at the nanoscale.
Tesla Uses Stock, Note Sale to Repay Government
May 23, 2013 1:21 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsTesla Motors, which makes a highly acclaimed $70,000 electric car, has paid off a startup loan from the U.S. government nine years early. The Palo Alto, Calif., company said it wired in a $451.8 million payment to the government on Wednesday. The money, coupled with two prior payments, paid off a $465 million loan Tesla got from the Department of Energy loan in 2010 to foster development of advanced-technology vehicles.
Photos of the Day: Triton UAV Takes Maiden Flight
May 23, 2013 1:18 pm | by U.S. Navy | News | CommentsThe Navy's newest unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft platform, the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), completed its first flight from Palmdale, Calif. May 22, marking the start of tests which will validate the Northrop Grumman-built system for future fleet operations.
Small Brushless Dual-Shaft Motor
May 23, 2013 12:44 pm | by PD&D Staff | Product Releases | CommentsAllied Motion (Netherlands) has announced the KinetiMax 32EB-DS, an extremely compact brushless DC motor with a dual output shaft. This KinetiMax is an outer rotor motor and has two identical shafts and two identical bearings capable of handling high side loads on both sides of the motor.
Precision Positioning Systems Go Nano
May 23, 2013 12:37 pm | by PD&D Staff | Pi (Physik Instrumente) L.P. | Product Releases | CommentsPhysik Instrumente (PI) (Germany) has introduced a new series of miniaturized, piezo-motor-driven linear positioners. The small dimensions make these new positioners the ideal choice for high precision motion in confined spaces.
Boosting Small Controller Performance
May 23, 2013 12:34 pm | by PD&D Staff | Beckhoff Automation Llc | Product Releases | CommentsIn order to increase controller scalability while enhancing user functionality and flexibility, Beckhoff Automation (Savage, MN) has introduced the new CX9020 Embedded PC. The CX9020 is suitable for a wide range of PLC and motion control applications in small and medium sized machines, systems or buildings.
36 V Digital Potentiometers
May 23, 2013 12:28 pm | by PD&D Staff | Microchip Technology Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsMicrochip Technology (Chandler, AZ) has announced two new volatile, SPI digital potentiometers (digipots)—the MCP41HV31 and MCP41HV51 (MCP41HVXX)—its first to operate at 10, 12, 18, 24, and particularly 36 volts, for systems requiring wide signal swing or high power-supply voltages.
Weidlinger Launches PZFlexCloud Using CliQr Technologies to Set New Standard for Finite Element Software-as-a-Service
May 23, 2013 10:48 am | by Weidlinger Associates, Inc. | News | CommentsWeidlinger Associates, Inc., the developer of PZFlex, the popular 3D virtual-prototyping and wave-propagation analysis software, and CliQr Technologies, a leader in cloud application management software, announced the launch of PZFlexCloud on CliQr’s CloudCenter platform.
EWI Expands Additive Manufacturing Capabilities via Direct Metal Laser-Sintering Technology
May 23, 2013 10:33 am | by EWI | News | CommentsWith the recent addition of a high-performance EOS direct metal laser-sintering DMLS system at its technology facility, EWI now offers manufacturers a unique package of 3D metal printing services supported by the company’s technical expertise in materials joining.
Manufacturers Gather to Share Knowledge, Discuss Efforts
May 23, 2013 10:09 am | by Society of Manufacturing Engineers | Society Of Manufacturing Engineers | News | CommentsSharing information, driving innovation in manufacturing and preparing an advanced manufacturing workforce will be the focus of the 2013 Society of Manufacturing Engineers Annual Conference to be held June 2-4, 2013, at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Md.
Maple Global Optimization Toolbox Offers Greater Problem-Solving Capabilities
May 23, 2013 10:01 am | by Maplesoft | Maplesoft | News | CommentsMaplesoft has announced a major new release of the Maple Global Optimization Toolbox for solving a wide variety of optimization problems in mathematics, engineering, and the sciences. For this new release, Maplesoft has partnered with Noesis Solutions to develop a new version of the Maple Global Optimization Toolbox that is powered by Optimus technology.
Electricity-Generating Shoes
May 23, 2013 9:31 am | by Rice University | News | CommentsA group of Rice University mechanical engineering students are getting a charge out of having the coolest new shoes on campus. As their capstone project that is required for graduation, four seniors created a way to extract and store energy with every step. Their PediPower shoes turn motion into juice for portable electronics and, perhaps someday, for life-preserving medical devices.
Hack a Banana, Make a Keyboard!
May 23, 2013 9:22 am | by TED | Videos | CommentsWhy can't two slices of pizza be used as a slide clicker? Why shouldn't you make music with ketchup? In this charming talk, inventor Jay Silver talks about the urge to play with the world around you. He shares some of his messiest inventions, and demos MaKey MaKey, a kit for hacking everyday objects.
Shoe-Mounted Generator
May 23, 2013 9:12 am | by Rice University | Videos | CommentsThe PediPower hits the ground before any other part of the prototype shoe. A lever arm strikes first. It is attached to a gearbox that replaces much of the shoe’s sole and turns the gears a little with each step. The gears drive a motor mounted on the outside of the shoe that generates electricity to send up to the battery.
Herb the Robot
May 23, 2013 9:07 am | by Slightly Overdone | Videos | CommentsWho said Robots shouldn't dress cool. Herb was created out of the desire to create a more natural neckjoint for a Robot, and a more efficient eye-rig. And beside the technical parts, also to explore the possibilities to add even more character to the Robot's appearance.
