The Leading Source for Design Engineering News & Insight
US Auto Factories Cutting Back on Summer Downtime
May 22, 2013 12:01 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsDetroit auto factories are forgoing their traditional two-week summer break and speeding up production to meet buyers' growing demand for new cars and trucks. Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that 21 of its North American factories will shut for only one week this summer.
Ex-Ford Execs Charged in Argentine Torture Cases
May 21, 2013 3:21 pm | by Almudena Calatrava, Associated Press | News | CommentsThree former Ford Motor Co. executives have been charged with crimes against humanity in Argentina for allegedly targeting union workers for kidnapping and torture after the country's 1976 military coup. All three men are in their 80s now.
New Energy Secretary Sworn In
May 21, 2013 3:07 pm | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsEnergy Secretary Ernest Moniz said Tuesday he will put on hold about 20 applications to export liquefied natural gas until he reviews studies by the Energy Department and others on what impact the exports would have on domestic natural gas supplies and prices.
Orion's Vane Axial Fans
May 21, 2013 2:08 pm | by Eric Sorensen, Coordinator of Multimedia Development | Orion Fans | Videos | CommentsSince 1995, Orion Fans, a division of Knight Electronics, has been designing, developing, and manufacturing a broad line of AC fans, DC fans, fan trays, fan accessories and blowers to meet the continuing thermal management needs of OEMs worldwide.
RapidFire: 3D Printer Builds Your Thoughts
May 21, 2013 1:48 pm | by Eric Sorensen, Multimedia Coordinator | Videos | CommentsOn today’s episode of RapidFire, brought to you by 3D Creation Systems, your number one source for 3D printing services and technology, we’re learning to model and 3D print using only our minds.
Mouser Electronics’ President & CEO Glenn Smith Celebrates 40 Years of Service
May 21, 2013 1:30 pm | by Mouser Electronics, Inc. | Mouser Electronics | News | CommentsMouser Electronics, Inc. has announced the 40th company anniversary milestone of Glenn Smith, Mouser’s President and Chief Executive Officer. With strategic vision, Smith has built the company into a global corporation that today - four decades later - has 1,200 employees, 400,000 customers, more than $600 million in annual revenue, and 19 offices on three continents.
Rice Unveils Method for Tailoring Optical Processors
May 21, 2013 1:30 pm | by Jade Boyd, Rice University | News | CommentsRice University researchers have unveiled a robust new method for arranging metal nanoparticles in geometric patterns that can act as optical processors that transform incoming light signals into output of a different color. The breakthrough by a team of theoretical and applied physicists and engineers at Rice's Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP) is described this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Opening Doors to Foldable Electronics with Inkjet-Printed Graphene
May 21, 2013 1:26 pm | by Sarah Ostman, Northwestern University | News | CommentsImagine a bendable tablet computer or an electronic newspaper that could fold to fit in a pocket. The technology for these devices may not be so far off. Northwestern University researchers have recently developed a graphene-based ink that is highly conductive and tolerant to bending, and they have used it to inkjet-print graphene patterns that could be used for extremely detailed, conductive electrodes.
Industry Leading Cloud & Mobile CAD Apps Reach New Heights
May 21, 2013 1:24 pm | by Autodesk, Inc. | Autodesk Inc | News | CommentsAutodesk, Inc. is expanding AutoCAD 360 (formerly AutoCAD WS), a line of easy-to-use web and mobile drafting and documentation applications that let users view, create, edit and share drawings—anytime, anywhere.
Making Quantum Encryption Practical
May 21, 2013 1:23 pm | by Larry Hardesty, MIT | News | CommentsOne of the many promising applications of quantum mechanics in the information sciences is quantum key distribution (QKD), in which the counterintuitive behavior of quantum particles guarantees that no one can eavesdrop on a private exchange of data without detection.
Infrared Vision Sensor
May 21, 2013 1:19 pm | by PD&D Staff | Balluff, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsInspection, bar code, and text reading processes for vision sensors can be significantly impaired by changing ambient lighting conditions. Simultaneously, employees and technicians are often bothered by the pulsing red light of normal vision sensors. Balluff’s (Florence, KY) new BVS vision sensor with built-in infrared lighting and integrated daylight filter eliminates both of these problems.
Wide-Temperature Range VRLA Batteries
May 21, 2013 1:16 pm | by PD&D Staff | Phoenix Contact | Product Releases | CommentsPhoenix Contact (Middletown, PA) has added a new battery to the QUINT UPS-IQ line. The valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery can operate under extreme temperature shifts. This new feature allows the battery to operate effectively in much harsher climates, without the concerns of frequent replacement and maintenance.
Thermistor Probes with M12 Connections
May 21, 2013 1:15 pm | by PD&D Staff | Omega Engineering, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsThe TH-21 Series thermistor probes from Omega (Stamford, CT) are constructed with the 55000 Series glass encapsulated thermistor elements which provide excellent stability and accuracy. These thermistor sensors can be used in applications previously out of reach of epoxy coated thermistor sensors.
IEC Appliance Inlet GSP4
May 21, 2013 1:11 pm | by PD&D Staff | Schurter, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsSCHURTER (Santa Rosa, CA) has developed a new IEC C20 appliance inlet for efficient printed circuit board mounting. The GSP4 appliance inlet can be easily sandwiched between split enclosures and tested before it is installed in the equipment. Stabilizing posts provide quick snap-in assembly to the PCB.
Kohler Ordered to Pay $9.6M in Patent Suit
May 21, 2013 1:06 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Kohler Co. has been ordered to pay $9.6 million to a marine engine and generator manufacturer in Massachusetts for infringing on two of its patents. A jury in U.S. District Court in Boston found Kohler willfully infringed on patents owned by the Westerbeke Corp. which cover components that reduce exhaust emissions in its generators.
