» » »
SHERLOCK INVESTIGATES The camera-shy computer, p20 XBOX BEATS THE HEAT
Copper pipe is the key, p29 CARBON FIBER & NANOTUBES Teaming up in new apps, p48
JUNE 2009 $15.00
ACCELERATING ENGINEERING INNOVATION www.designnews.com
SLAMMING AMPS HOW ELECTRIC RACERS ARE BEATING MUSCLE CARS AT THE STRIP, p42
2008
Mike Willmon and his electric 1978 “Crazyhorse” Pinto
Plus HANDS-ON REVIEW: MCU SELECTION TOOL SPOTS PIN CONFLICTS, p52
ACCELERATING ENGINEERING INNOVATION www.designnews.com
contents June 2009 volume 64 no. 06
Features COVER STORY
42 HIGH VOLTAGE Street-legal electric drag racers are putting the pedal to the metal, leaving Corvettes, Vipers and other muscle cars in the dust. BY CHARLES J. MURRAY, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics F E AT U R E
48 Get Ready for the Carbon Revolution Design engineers are changing the way they think about stiffness and electrical discharge properties in plastics, due to product development efforts and expansions in carbon. BY DOUG SMOCK, Contributing Editor, Materials and Fastening HANDS-ON REVIEW
52 Software Tool Eliminates MCU I/O-Pin Conflicts Finding the right microcontroller can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. BY JON TITUS, Contributing Editor THE FIELD REPORT
9 New Blog at Design News: White Zombie to the Newswire New blogs are popping up at designnews.com, but don’t mistake them simply for an online stream of consciousness. BY KAREN AUGUSTON FIELD, Editor-in-Chief
COVER IMAGE: BRYAN ADAMS, GETTY IMAGES
CALAMITIES
Departments
62 The Case of the Fatal Fusion
MADE BY MONKEYS
12 Noisy CF Bulb Jams Remote Control Why did a CF bulb jam a man’s automatic garage door opener? BY KAREN AUGUSTON FIELD, Editor-in-Chief C A P TA I N H Y B R I D
14 Even for Electric Drag Racers, It’s All about the Battery Electric cars are beating gasoline-powered Corvettes and Vipers off the line. BY CHARLES J. MURRAY, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics
Was it confusion over a cold fusion experiment, or was a death row inmate behind two fatal pipe bombs? BY KENNETH RUSSELL, Contributing Editor GADGET FREAK
64 GameCube Cop Keeps the Peace Jeremy Willden’s children no longer fight over the Nintendo GameCube, thanks to his electronic Time Turner.
18 FLASH New and Noteworthy Products
24 TIPS FROM TITUS
RANT
17 Green Engineering, a Better Environment and Economy Better designs, products and processes are a result of green engineering, which is helping engineers solve many of the problems facing today’s society. BY DR. JAMES TRUCHARD, President and Co-founder, National Instruments SHERLOCK OHMS
20 The Adventure of the Camera-Shy Computer What caused a fast-food chain’s cash registers to shut down every time a camera flash went off in the restaurant? BY MARC R. MANN, Contributing Writer AT S TA K E
26 ‘Engineering the Peace’ Army Reservist Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Talley is credited with cleaning up a Shiite slum, by building safe schools and functioning sanitary systems. BY GEOFFREY C. ORSAK, Dean of Engineering, Southern Methodist University
Unbelievably Useful Information from a Test Expert
29 NEWS Trends, Developments, Breakthroughs
56 TREND WATCH Stuff You Need to Know FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION Look for this special section between pages 16 and 17. If your copy of Design News does not include this section, you can view it at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-500. DESIGN NEWS SUPPLEMENTS A E R O S PA C E / D E F E N S E
As MAVs are poised for consideration in domestic applications, aerospace engineers are benefitting from Model-Based Design. Learn more about these technologies and more in our Aerospace/Defense supplement between pages 32 and 33. If your copy of Design News does not include this section, you can view it at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-590. MECHATRONICS
Read about a “beatless” heart that uses a clever control strategy to emulate the natural heart’s function, as well as the implementation of a sensorless BLDC motor-control technique in a simple, basic form. Look for these stories and more between pages 32 and 33. If your copy of Design News does not include this section, you can view it at http://designnews. hotims.com/23107-591.
DESIGN NEWS® (ISSN 0011-9407), (GST Reg. #123397457, C.P.C. Int’l. Pub Mail #0360120) is published monthly by Reed Business Information, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010. Tad Smith, CEO; Mark Finkelstein, President, Boston Div.; John Poulin, CFO. Periodicals postage paid at Littleton, CO 80126 and at additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at Reed Business Information, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345. Phone: (303) 470-4445. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DESIGN NEWS,® P.O. Box 7500, Highlands Ranch, CO 80163-7500. DESIGN NEWS® copyright 2008 by Reed Elsevier Inc. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions including all issues: U.S., $125.90 one year, $214.90 two years, Canada, $184.90 one year, $314.90 two years (includes 7% GST, GST #123397457); Mexico, $172.90 one year, $295.90 two years; Foreign surface $227.90 one year, $387.90 two years; Foreign air expedited surcharge add $323.90 one year, $579.90 two years. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $10.00 U.S. and $15.00 foreign. Please address all subscription mail to DESIGN NEWS® 8878 S. Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345. DESIGN NEWS® is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used under license. Reed Business Information, a unit of Reed Elsevier Inc., is the publisher of more than 85 specialized business and professional publications as well as CD-ROM and online services. RBI, headquartered in New York, NY, serves the vital information needs of over 5.6 million business managers and professionals around the world. In addition to its publications, RBI also provides publication and industry-based research, economic forecasting, reprints, direct mail services, database marketing plus custom publishing projects in all its served markets. Reprints of articles are available on a custom printing basis at reasonable prices in quantities of 500 or more. For a specific quotation, contact Reprint Management Services; phone 800-290-5460; e-mail: designnews@reprintbuyer. com. (PRINTED IN U.S.A.) Publications Mail Agreement No. 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS International, Box 697 STN A, Windsor Ontario N9A 6N4. E-mail: subsmail@reedbusiness.com.
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 5
䊳 䊳 䊳
From the Newswire
Check Out Our New Blogs …
See what DN’s newest blogger Joel Young has to say, as he takes a look at the world of wireless — electronics on airplanes, microwave ovens, Wi-Fi and many other topics. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-501
Join Senior Technical Editor Chuck Murray as he launches DN’s newest CH online discussion with the latest news in electric vehicles, batteries and hybrid cars. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-502 The Weird and Wonderful World of Wireless H20 H2 0
LOG IN
The Weird and Wonderful World of Wireless
Captain Hybrid
Mechatronics Zone Join the conversation as you follow resident mechatronics expert Jon Titus as he interprets trends, analyzes tools and techniques, and explores cross-discipline skills for electronic, mechanical and system designers. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-503
WEBCASTS BLOGS PODCASTS
Updated daily with press releases, product announcements and industry news, this blog augments our popular Trend Watch and Expo sections of the print publication. We now get the most news to you with no delay. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-504
Gadget Freak® Calling all backyard inventors — check out our Gadget Freak files for profiles of past and present Gadget Freaks, watch videos and give up your opinion on our Gadget Freak blog. www.designnews.com/gadgetfreak
New Metal-Forming Technology Creates Design Freedom MQast uses additive fabrication to form intricate, bending channels and very tight tolerances from fully dense aluminum or stainless steel for use in the microfluidic tips of channels manufactured for surgical instruments. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-505
E-mail Newsletters Go to www.designnews.com/subscribe.asp to get the latest technology news and trends delivered right to your e-mail inbox.
Supplements Go to www.designnews.com/archive to view our technology-specific supplements.
FREE WEBCAST: THE WORLD IS FLAT — EXCEPT IN DYNAMICS Listen to Kevin C. Craig, Ph.D., Robert C. Greenheck Chair in Engineering Design and professor of Mechanical Engineering at Marquette University, discuss why 3-D dynamics is important in mechatronic system design and how tools like ADAMS make it easier to understand and explain difficult dynamic concepts. http://designnews.hotims. com/23107-509 UPCOMING WEBCAST: DESIGN TOOLS JOIN FORCES TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY You can save money and gain time when you use design and simulation tools that cross boundaries between engineering disciplines. You no longer need one tool for electronic circuits, one for mechanical designs and yet a third for embedded software.
Online Resource Center
»
Design Guide Fluid & Air Flow Pressure Drop Calculator from Gates This program allows the user to enter in the specified data and calculate both pressure loss and basic fluid flow problems involving hose. The equations used for this program are based on assumptions and average conditions. This should only be used as a guide. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-506
Case Study Listen Up — Phillips Plastics’ Hearing Aid Has Flair Most people don’t associate wearing hearing aids with making a fashion statement, but a Minnesota medical company created a new line which is changing that. Find out how Phillips Plastics partnered with Starkey Labs. to decorate parts for a new series of hearing aids. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-507
White Paper Actel’s High-Volume Nano FPGAs, Going Where No FPGA Has Gone Before Industrial, medical and military markets, which have previously been low volume, are shifting to the consumer-based model: higher volume production of smaller systems that perform better and cost less. This white paper explains the benefits of these low-power, high-volume nano FPGAs. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-508
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 7
THE
F IELD
R EPORT
New Blogs at Design News:
White Zombie to the Newswire H2 H 0 20
I AM DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE
CH
Check out Chuck Murray’s new “Captain Hybrid” blog on electric vehicles, hybrid technology and more at http://designnews. hotims.com/23107-557. Check out our new “From the Newswire” blog, featuring press releases, product announcements and industry news at http://designnews. hotims.com/23107-558. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail elizabeth. taurasi@reedbusiness.com. Download a complete description of all the editorial opportunities on Design News and contact information in a PDF at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-559.
launch of two new blogs on www.designnews. com, although I am almost embarrassed to promote them as blogs. That’s because blogs often get a bad rap for being little more than an online stream of consciousness. But while some blogs may deserve that reputation, I am confident you will find all of our blogs are less about gossip and more about substance. In the most basic sense, a blog is nothing more than a really good content management system that allows you to organize content on a related topic, collect and aggregate feedback, and is searchable. It’s especially useful for upping the frequency of reporting on a particular topic beyond what appears in print. And so, needless to say, I am a big fan of blogs and in particular a fan of Captain Hybrid, our new blog on hybrids and electric vehicles. Not only is advanced vehicle technology a hot topic, but it’s written by Chuck Murray, one of the most knowledgeable, technically savvy reporters to cover the subject and also one of the most experienced. A former mechanical engineer, Chuck has been personally following the beat for over 20 years — much of that time for Design News. His ability to distinguish marketing hype from reality, not get snowed by the PR flacks and his dogged persistence to get down to the true technical issues became apparent more than a decade ago. That’s when he proposed writing an article for Design News on the immediate coming of an electric-car revolution. His article, which ultimately turned out to be way more controversial than we had anticipated, challenged the standard view of politicians and environmentalists, many of whom discounted the diabolical engineering challenges.
Chuck’s story, “Out of Juice” (http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-510) received the most letters of any article in the history of Design News and went on to become a finalist for a prestigious Neal Award — the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize in the world of business-to-business publications. But, more significantly — and what I am most in awe of — is that his article dug deep into the nuances of an extraordinarily complex technology. As one recognized battery expert put it: “It’s (battery development) the scientific equivalent of quicksand, deceptively simple, yet enormously complex.” Chuck once again puts battery technology into perspective this month with his cover story, page 42, on how drag racers like Mike Willmon (aka Plasma Boy) and his electric 1972 electric Datsun 1200 (aka White Zombie) is beating out gasoline-powered Chevy Corvettes and Dodge Vipers at drag strips. The trick? Hurling huge amounts of current (2,000A) into the dc motors. But just like the automotive engineers Chuck talked to back in 1998, they are all desperate for better batteries — which is, in a very real sense, the story Chuck’s been covering for two decades. Our second new blog, called “From the Newswire” (http://designnews.hotims. com/23107-556) features press releases, product announcements and industry news. Updated daily, this blog augments our popular “Trend Watch” and “Expo” sections of the print publication and provides an opportunity for companies to get their news out with no delay. If you have submissions for this blog, please e-mail Liz Taurasi at elizabeth. taurasi@reedbusiness.com. Karen Field, Editor-in-Chief kfield@reedbusiness.com
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 9
The Linear Shaft Motor The innovative Linear Shaft Motor replaces and improves on traditional linear systems: Linear Servo Linear Piezo Ball Screw
Made by Monkeys designnews.com/ »madebymonkeys
Noisy CF Bulb Jams Remote Control This tale from reader Steve Coan, about an unintended consequence of “going green” by switching to CF bulbs in a remote control unit for a garage door, makes me feel better about sneaking my recyclable bottles into the bottom of the trash barrel. “My son-in-law called the other day to ask why his garage door opener would work only once every five minutes or so. I asked all the usual questions about replacing the batteries, etc. and said I would think about it. He called back the next day to say that he had solved the problem: Being energy conscious, he had replaced the unit’s incandescent bulbs with fluorescent lamp bulbs. That’s when the trouble started. But when he tried putting the standard bulbs back in, the problem was gone. Apparently, the CF bulbs were generating enough EMI to desensitize the receiver in the overhead door opener.”
EfÀcient EfÀ cient High Thrust High Precision Zero Cogging Large Air Gap Enclosed Magnets Non-Contact and Quiet Compact and Lightweight
540-633-1677 www.nipponpulse.com info@nipponpulse.com Nippon Pulse America, Inc.
A subsidiary of Nippon Pulse Motor Company, Ltd.
Daryl Gerke, an expert in EMC issues and owner of the consulting firm Kimmel Gerke Assoc. Ltd., isn’t fazed. “A CF bulb or any fluorescent bulb is a discharge device, which means you get arcing inside the light and that is going to create EMI. In fact, this characteristic of CF bulbs has been known for years, which is one reason that they are not used inside of EMI test chambers. When these bulbs first came out, there were concerns that they would wreak havoc on the world, but the manufacturers have taken steps to quiet the bulbs down quite a bit. But in the case of this particular garage door opener, the bulb itself was located just a couple of inches from the antenna. With the lamp practically on top of the receiver, even RF emissions well below the FCC limits could easily cause the problem.” Gerke ran into another garage door opener problem a few years ago — only in this case the culprit was an expansion board with a 4-bit microprocessor. It was, he says, the worst possible layout. “The processor had a clock trace that was routed around the edge of this little one-inch-square board,” he recalls. “The emissions were enough to jam the remote.” Could shielding help? A Faraday cage would only block direct radiation from the bulb, says Gerke, but would not affect radiation from noise currents coupled on the power wiring. Some 0.01 µF caps might help with that. Also, any Faraday cage would need to pass light — such as window screening. Nevertheless, a screened Faraday cage might be worth a try. Sometimes these problems are due to radiation, sometimes to conduction, and sometimes both modes are involved. EMI problems often exhibit this “dual nature.” Read dozens of reader comments and post your own response to this blog post at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-560. Sign up for the RSS for this blog and get the posts delivered directly to your desktop at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-561. If you’ve had a run-in with a product that failed to live up to your expectations, we’d love to hear about it! Photos of the offending product with an amusing caption are appropriate fodder, and we will give extra credit for a brief analysis of what went wrong and what could have been done to avoid the problem. E-mail your examples to Karen Field at kfield@reedbusiness.com and we’ll feature the best of them in our Made by Monkeys blog and here in print.
PUBLISHER
Russell E. Pratt 781-734-8417 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Al Schmidt 972-980-8810 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Karen Auguston Field 781-734-8188 H20
Elizabeth M. Taurasi, Executive Editor Chuck Mackey, Senior Art Director Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor Regina M. Lynch, Web Editor Jennifer Roy, Production Editor
CH
T E C H N I C A L S P E C I A LT I E S
» designnews.com/blog/Captain_Hybrid/index.php STORY_CHARLES J. MURRAY, SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR, ELECTRONICS
Even for Electric Drag Racers, It’s All about the Battery
T
ime was when drag racers were drag racers, and environmentalists were, well … not drag racers. Now, though, that’s changing. A few drivers of eco-friendly, zero-emission electric cars are showing up at drag strips and beating gasoline-powered Chevy Corvettes and Dodge Vipers. Mike Willmon, pictured on Design News’ cover this month, has done a 12.4-second quarter-mile in — incredibly — an electric 1978 Ford Pinto. Another top electric drag racer, John “Plasma Boy” Wayland, has pushed his street-legal electric Datsun to a time of 11.4 seconds in the quarter-mile. And Bill Dubé, founder of the so-called KillaCycle team, has reached speeds of 168 mph on his electric motorcycle while doing a quarter-mile in 7.82 seconds. If all that sounds unbelievable, then we encourage you to see for yourself: Watch Wayland’s Datsun beat a Corvette: http://designnews.hotims. com/23107-511 See Dubé’s KillaCycle: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-585 More KillaCycle: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107586 Electric Pinto on the dynamometer: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107587 To be sure, Willmon, Wayland and Dubé don’t describe themselves as environmentalists. They are, first and foremost, drag racers. Willmon, an engineer, squeezes every ounce of performance out of his ’78 Pinto by employing 848 lb of batteries. His battery pack creates 360V and 1,600A of current, theoretically generating more than half a megawatt of power. The trick for this new breed of drag racers seems to be “slamming” huge 14
amounts of electrical current into their dc motors. At times, they reach current levels of 2,000A. “The more amps you can pack into these motors before they melt, the more awesome torque you have for launching your car,” Wayland said. That technique, of course, isn’t likely to be adopted by manufacturers of electric vehicles. But these drag racers are proving a point about electric cars: It still comes down to the battery. While researching the cover story for our June issue, we talked to numerous electric drag racers. All had two things in common: They love racing, and they’re all desperate for better batteries. “It’s all about the battery,” Dubé told us. “The technology in the rest of the machine is interesting, but the battery is the key.” Battery experts we contacted during our research said that the drag racers’ high battery power doesn’t immediately translate to 400-mile ranges in electric vehicles. David Swan of DHS Engineering, a battery consultant for the 245-mph White Lightning Racer that held the EV land speed record a decade ago, said a good battery can produce high power or high energy, but not both simultaneously. EV engineers, he said, will have to aim for one or the other, or some mix of the two. Still, Swan indicated that the tremendous power demonstrated by the drag racers provides a ray of hope for future EVs. “The fact that we are seeing batteries with this kind of power bodes well for energy density,” he said. Join DN’s latest discussion on the latest news in electric vehicles, batteries and hybrid cars at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-588. Sign up for the RSS feed for this blog and get the posts delivered directly to your desktop at http://designnews.hotims. com/23107-589.
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
CAE Software & Hardware: Beth Stackpole Bstack@stackpolepartners.com Electronics: Charles J. Murray charles.murray@reedbusiness.com Embedded Systems: Warren Webb warren.webb@reedbusiness.com Motion Control/Automation: Karen Field kfield@reedbusiness.com Fasteners & Materials: Doug Smock doug.smock@reedbusiness.com Mechatronics: Jon Titus jontitus@comcast.net Fluid Power: Al Presher apresher@statejus.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
CALAMITIES Myron J. Boyajian, mboyajian@sbcglobal.net Ken Russell, kenruss@mit.edu GREEN SCENE Robert Spiegel, robspiegel@comcast.net TIPS FROM TITUS Jon Titus, jontitus@comcast.net Terry Costlow, tcostlow@comcast.net GRAPHICS
Norman Graf, Director of Creative Services Daniel Guidera, Illustrator PRODUCTION
John Blanchard, VP/Manufacturing Dorothy Buchholz, Group Production Director Linda A. Lepordo, Print Production Manager Adam Odoardi, CMS Business Analyst Shirley Surles, Graphic Production Manager BUSINESS OFFICE
Karen Norris, Strategic Marketing Manager Cara Barrett, Project Manager, Integrated Marketing Colleen Heckman, Senior Sales Associate David Perrotti, Online Client Service Manager Kaitlyn Neff, Client Services Associate DESIGNNEWS.COM
Brian McAvoy, Internet Sales Director 781-734-8191 Regina M. Lynch, Web Editor U . S . S A L E S R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S
IL/IN/MI/MO/ON Nicole Dalesandro 630-288-8636 FL/GA Jim Leahey 262-656-1064 NH/ME/VT Kathy McNamara 781-734-8421 IA/ND/MN/WI Doug Robertson 781-734-8182 CT/MA/NY/RI Julie Simoneau 781-734-8536 NC/NJ/OH/PA/SC/VA Dave Stanley 610-933-9186 AR/AZ/CA/CO/NV/OR/UT/WA
Todd Tidmore 512-477-3806 REGIONAL/SALES MANAGERS
CUSTOM PUBLISHING Mike Paul 781-734-8179 I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S
UK Stephen Waddell 011 44 1322 437091 GERMANY Erhardt Eisenacher 011 49 2 28 65 0013 FRANCE Alain Faure 011 33 1 53 21 88 03 JAPAN Toshiyuki Uematsu 011 81 3 5775 6056 R E E D B U S I N E S S I N F O R M AT I O N
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Tad Smith PRESIDENT, BOSTON DIVISION
Mark Finkelstein CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
John Poulin VP-EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Karen Auguston Field Design News® is a member of the Reed Elsevier Group 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451 781-734-8000 Fax: 303-470-4280 dn@reedbusiness.com www.designnews.com Design News is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc. used under license SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: www.getFREEmag.com/DN REPRINTS: The YGS Group
800-290-5460, ext. 110 designnews@theygsgroup.com LIST RENTAL INFORMATION:
Courtney Michaels 630-288-8354
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
Hydraulic-Aided
Simulations
BY AL PRESHER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Construction industry performance testing lab simulates earthquakes, hurricanes
I
magine testing key design and performance issues and how well structural building components will stand up against an earthquake or hurricane without devastating loss and damage. That’s the basic capability of a new Structural Building Components Research Institute (SBCRI) testing center that can replicate real-world performance of construction products and systems, using hydraulic actuators and monitoring sensors to collect force and position measurements. This innovative facility is 5,730 sq ft, with a testing area large enough to build a 30 x 90 ft two-story house inside the facility for testing purposes. The lab structure is a series of steel columns and beams that enable hydraulic actuators to be precisely arranged around the component or structure being tested. The actuators provide exact loads, individually or simultaneously, to simulate any lateral or gravity combination and examine the integrity and cost efficiency of buildings. The facility has the capability to test the complete structural framework with applied loads and pressure to simulate wind or seismic scenarios, snow and wind uplift. During tests, the hydraulic actuators apply loads simultaneously in vertical (gravity, uplift and cyclical) and horizontal (lateral and cyclic) planes that are parallel with or perpendicular to the roof framing components being tested. For applications that require high force capability and precision control, hydraulic systems provide a viable alternative. Keith Hershey, director of research and development for SBCRI, turned to Ritter Technology LLC, a Parker Hannifin distributor, to help design a hydraulic system capable of applying force in three axes simultaneously to simulate both construction and environmental loads. The initial design called for 52 Parker 2HX actuators mounted vertically to generate forces ranging from 8 to 15,000 LBF with 20-inch stroke lengths and precise position control down to 0.001 of an inch. Because the facility is pioneering new ways for testing building components and assemblies, control of these actuators needed to be easily modified and configured to meet unknown specifications. [ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
A series of hydraulic actuators mounted to the structure being tested applies forces simultaneously in three axes to simulate construction and environmental loads.
Eight horizontal actuators control the applied load function in sinusoidal motion to simulate standardized earthquake loads as defined in ASTME 2126-05 Load Testing for Shear Resistance of Walls for Buildings. The engineering team also designed the hydraulic system with the capability to add up to 206 additional actuators, so the system can evolve as new testing configurations are developed. A Delta Computer Systems’ RMC75E motion controller
JU N E 2 0 0 9 F LUID P O WE R / P O WE R TR ANS MIS S IO N / A S P E CIAL E DIT O R IAL S E CTI O N F1
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
was selected because of the unit’s processing power and ease of integration with the hydraulic system. The team also developed a computer architecture and software package for test setup Hydraulic actuators precisely arranged on (calibration and the structure simulate lateral or gravitaactuator placement tional forces that affect the integrity and before tests), runcost efficiency of buildings. ning specified tests, data collection and reporting, maintenance and alarms. Parker worked with controls integrator Adamation to develop the software. A distributed control system provides test parameter set-up, synchronous control of the actuators and collects all of the load distributions and deflections of the item being tested. Data is collected 100 times per second and stored on redundant hard
drives for analysis. The actuators are controlled by a panel on the rail system for easy movement throughout the testing facility. Currently, there are five control panels in total and 60 axes of position and force control, with room for growth if necessary. The testing system’s motion controllers can be moved along the test lab’s rail system to be near the actuators. Twelve cylinders are connected to each motion control enclosure. Actuators, cable harnesses and controllers have barcode labels enabling operators to scan in location, tuning and scaling parameters for each actuator, a process that can be performed at a PC workstation or wirelessly with a handheld pocket PC. For More
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
information
Structural Building Components Research Institute (SBCRI): http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-512 Parker Hannifin’s 2HX actuators: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-513 Delta Computer Systems’ RMC75E motion controller: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-514 For more fluid power/power transmission news, visit http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-515.
F2 FL UI D POWER / P O W E R T R A N S M I S S I O N / A S P E C I A L E D IT O R IAL S E CTIO N J UNE 2 0 0 9
[www.designnews.com]
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
Hybrids in Motion Electric, hydraulic hybrids boost efficiency in different types of vehicles BY AL PRESHER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Battery
G
reen, hybridized motion Hybrid Drive Unit technology using electric and Inverter/Controls hydraulic solutions is poised to deliver increasing levels of immediate impact in commercial vehicles. What remains to be seen is Motor/ Auto Engine Transmission Generator Clutch how hybrid production ramps up in the next 12 months, and how effectively engineering Brakes investments pay off on targets of 30-50 percent (ABS) fuel savings. Hybrid Control With programs for hybrid-electric power Module systems, along with both parallel and series hybrid hydraulic systems, Eaton Corp. is matchSoftware Application for Each Engine MFR & Truck OEM ing the technical advantages of differing hybrid technologies with the needs and specific duty cycles of buses, delivery and refuse trucks. Partners Eaton The hybrid electric vehicle program (HEV) has taken the lead in terms of deployment, accuIn a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the diesel engine is coupled with an electric motor, generator and batteries to create more mulating a total of 10 million miles of operation, most notably among customers such as FedEx, UPS and Coca-Cola. Accord- than one source of power. The hybrid control module customizes engine operation for specific vehicle types. ing to Kevin Beaty, business unit manager of Hybrid Power Systems for Eaton, total usage is ramping up with the program quickly, within 6 to 8 sec, almost 100 percent of energy recovnow accumulating 600-700,000 miles per month, and projecered can be reused. The technology is well-suited for heavy tions of a possible million miles a month by the end of the year. “stop and go” driving such as refuse trucks. The strength of hybrid electric systems is much higher enIf a 60-ton refuse truck is decelerating from 15 to 0 mph in ergy storage capacity and generally low-to-moderate power 18 sec, 800 to 1,000 times a day, a lot of energy is flowing into capability. The Eaton HEV is a parallel configuration providing the brakes. Instead of that energy going into the brake pads, torque to the road wheels either through an electric motor, dithe HLA System engages a clutch and links directly to a pump rectly to a diesel engine or a blend of both. The hybrid drive unit that rotates and pushes the flow into a high-pressure accumuis packaged in the same place as the transmission and bolts to the lator with a nitrogen bladder at pressures up to 5,000 psi. back of the engine. Key components include a high torque, per“The efficiency of the accumulator is in the high-70s, low manent magnet motor capable of approximately 420 Nm (310 80 percent range and provides a big advantage compared to ft-lb) and a six-speed, automated mechanical transmission. Separating the motor torque from the engine is an automat- an electric hybrid,” says Robert Golin, product manager for Eaton’s parallel Hydraulic Launch Assist™ program. “An eleced clutch that allows the system to be coupled or de-coupled tric hybrid cannot recover more than 55 to 60 percent of the from the engine. The electric motor acts as a generator durenergy it recovers from braking because there is no mechanical ing regenerative braking, providing ac power that goes to an link and the battery is limited in its ability to store energy in a inverter and is used for the motor controls. On the other side short amount of time.” of the inverter is dc power and connections to the battery for Along with the payback and efficiency of the hydraulic energy storage. During braking, negative torque commanded system, the energy in the accumulator can be used to pick up on the motor acts as a generator to slow the vehicle down and bins and accelerate the vehicle. As a refuse truck takes off at charge the batteries for future use. Eaton’s parallel Hydraulic Launch Assist™ (HLA®) System, full throttle, it requires 325-350 hp to accelerate up to 12-13 mph. During acceleration, the HLA system can engage and scheduled for production in September 2009, offers more efprovide 175 hp for 6 to 8 sec. ficient regeneration of braking energy and is targeting higher The trucks are heavy, and use the most power going from power applications. With an ability to recover energy very F4 FL UI D POWER / P O W E R T R A N S M I S S I O N / A S P E C I A L E D IT O R IAL S E CTIO N J UNE 2 0 0 9
[www.de signnews.com]
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION Parallel Hydraulic Hybrid Low-Pressure Reservoir Pump/Motor 0 to 6 mph, that’s when the HLA System comes in and saves on fuel. In performance mode, all of the horsepower from the engine and HLA® are utilized simultaneously for maximum acceleration. For a company like Waste Management doing 800-1,000 stops per day, the hydraulic hybrid allows the truck to service 80-100 more bins a day. With a $1.50 to $2 profit per bin and more than 22,000 trucks operating 260 days a year, potential productivity improvements are substantial. Eaton’s Series Hydraulic Hybrid technolHigh-Pressure Accumulator Source: Eaton Corp. ogy adds an infinitely variable transmission (IVT) to a vehicle, potentially offering During braking, Eaton’s HLA® system uses the vehicle’s kinetic both the 20 percent fuels savings on regenerative braking and energy to drive the pump/motor as a pump, transferring hyanother 30 percent with more efficient engine management. draulic fluid from the low-pressure reservoir to the high-pressure In a geared transmission, there are a fixed number of ratios accumulator. The fluid compresses nitrogen gas in the accumulator and pressurizes the system. During acceleration, fluid in the of engine speed and vehicle speed (four ratios in a four-speed accumulator is metered out to drive the pump/motor as a motor transmission, for example). In an IVT, there are an infinite and propel the vehicle by transmitting torque to the driveshaft. number of gear ratios, so engine speed is decoupled from the vehicle’s speed. This allows the engine to operate at or near the The concept of operating an engine using this approach is speed at which it achieves best fuel economy and/or exhaust illustrated in the engine efficiency graph, below left. The Series emissions at any given power requirement. Hybrid Hydraulic System allows the engine to operate at speeds “The addition of hydraulic accumulators and electronic independent of vehicle speed, allowing the engine to run at or controls enables hybrid functionality in the vehicle,” says near the rpm of best efficiency for any given operating condition. Brad Bohlmann, business development manager for Eaton’s The power requirement of the vehicle determines the speed Series Hydraulic Hybrids. This hybridization facilitates fuel of the engine and it adjusts to operate with the best efficiency. In economy and emissions reductions by allowing the engine to addition, the energy available from the high-pressure accumularun at “pseudo steady state” conditions in a “sweet spot” of tor can be used to “load level” and meet the power demand of the best fuel economy and exhaust emissions. vehicle. Unlike a non-hybrid vehicle, the engine itself does not need to meet the instantaneous power demand of the driver. The Energy Efficiency engine operates in a “pseudo steady state” manner where changes in power output can be done gradually without the rapid tran225 sients that adversely affect fuel efficiency and exhaust emission. 200 With the Series Hydraulic Hybrid set for introduction at 110 kW 175 the end of 2009 or early 2010, it will join the HLA® system in Best Efficiency 150 targeting specific vehicle types and applications to extend the 125 OK Efficiency “green” benefits of hybridized vehicles. 70 kW 100 Hybrid power trains and the various competing technolPoor Efficiency 75 ogies are on the verge of delivering substantial increases in 50 30 kW fuel economy. With $1.3 billion for green vehicle technolo25 gies included in President Obama’s final stimulus package, 10 kW 0 many companies in the green energy space will be compet500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000 ing for the funds, but it will likely be a positive for hybrid RPM technology development. Torque (Nm)
®
Areas of Primary Operation Full Series Hybrid Conventional Vehicle
For More Source: U.S. EPA
A full series hybrid hydraulic allows the engine to continually operate at peak efficiency. Because a geared transmission must operate at one of several fixed ratios, it causes the engine to operate at speeds and loads that are less than optimal.
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
information
Eaton Corp.’s parallel Hydraulic Launch Assist™: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-516 For more fluid power/power transmission news, visit http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-515.
F6 FL UI D POWER / P O W E R T R A N S M I S S I O N / A S P E C I A L E D IT O R IAL S E CTIO N J UNE 2 0 0 9
[www.de signnews.com]
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
Servo Motor Sizing
Concepts
BY MATT PELLETIER, YASKAWA ELECTRIC AMERICA
Understanding key parameters helps overcome misconceptions when sizing servos
Servo motor sizing is the process of selecting Figure 1 the best motor for a servo application. Misconceptions engineers can fall into when selecting a motor include: sizing based on the horsepower rating of the presently installed motor JM or sizing based exclusively on the application’s torque requirements. Another common misconception is that the inertia ratio must be 1:1. However, the goal of sizing is not to achieve a specific inertia ratio, but rather to select the best motor for the application. It’s not important to rely on a hard rule for inertia, but rather to consider each application separately. Many secondary factors are important for servo motor sizing including: cost, encoder resolution, environmental ratings, power requirements or space limitations. But the most critical factors in the core process of servo motor sizing can be narrowed down to just four: inertia ratio, speed, max torque @ speed and RMS torque @ speed. Understanding these four critical factors is a vital step for the design engineer to select the best servo motor for the application. INERTIA RATIO
The first key sizing factor is the Moment of Inertia Ratio. Any rotating object has a moment of inertia. The moment of inertia is a measurement of how difficult it is to change the rotating velocity of that object. The entire moment of inertia of a servo system can be divided into two parts: motor inertia and load inertia. Motor inertia, JM, is part of the design of the servo motor and is typically listed in the manufacturer’s catalog. However, the load inertia, JL, often consists of many components. Each component that is moved by the motor contributes to the total load inertia which is determined by using proper equations for each component. These calculations can be handled well using a manufacturer’s sizing software. Inertia ratios around 5:1 are typical for many applications. Performance tends to go up as the inertia ratio is lowered, often down to 2:1, 1:1 or lower. But when high performance isn’t as critical, ratios of 10:1, 100:1 or even higher are not
JL
Motor inertia, JM, is specified by the supplier, while load inertia, JL, must be calculated based on the components in a specific system.
uncommon. In general, ease of control loop tuning and machine performance goes up as the inertia ratio goes down. So if all other factors are equal, a lower inertia ratio is better. An excessively low inertia ratio can indicate an excessively large, expensive and bulky motor with little performance increase. If inertia ratio is the limiting sizing factor, it’s important to fully understand the application’s performance requirements before ruling out a higher inertia ratio. SPEED – TORQUE CURVE
Several motors that provide a suitable inertia ratio may be available. So the task is to find the smallest, most cost-effective motor that has the ability to produce the speed and torque required for the application. A motor’s speed and torque capability is described in the company’s catalog using an individual speed-torque curve for each motor. The speed-torque curve displays several points of interest. Rated torque is the maximum torque the motor can produce continuously at rated speed and lower, and is limited by motor heating. This rated torque is given the value of 100 percent torque. Likewise, rated speed is the highest speed at which rated torque is available. The motor can continuously run faster than rated speed, but the torque available drops significantly the faster the motor runs. The motor’s maximum attainable speed
F8 FL UI D POWER / P O W E R T R A N S M I S S I O N / A S P E C I A L E D IT O R IAL S E CTIO N J UNE 2 0 0 9
[www.de signnews.com]
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
is listed at the top of the speed torque curve, and the motor’s maximum 4,000 torque is at the far right (see Figure 2, left). Continuous The speed-torque 3,000 curve has two regions, continuous and inter2,000 mittent. If the combination of torque and speed Intermittent required by the motor is 1,000 found in the continuous region, the motor can 0 produce that torque and 0 2 4 6 8 speed forever without Torque (N-m) any chance of overheating the motor. If the The Speed-Torque curve shows the combination of torque relationship between motor speed and speed produced and motor torque. falls in the intermittent region, the motor can only produce that speed and torque for a limited amount of time. If that time is exceeded, the motor will begin to overheat. To prevent damage due to overheating, modern amplifiers automatically disable the motor and enter an alarm state if the time limit is exceeded. But when short bursts of high torque are required such as during acceleration and deceleration, the motor can run in the intermittent region safely. The amount of torque the motor can produce above rated torque, and the duration for which this torque can be produced, varies between manufacturers. The application’s RMS torque, however, must lie within the continuous region. If any combination of speed and torque required lies outside both the continuous and intermittent region, the motor is not capable of producing that combination of speed and torque. When selecting a motor, it is imperative to ensure that the speed-torque curve is used effectively. Figure 2
Typical Speed and Torque Profile Torque
MOTION PROFILE
While a motor’s capability is described by the speed-torque curve, the application requirements are best illustrated using a speed profile and torque profile (see Figure 3, above right). The speed profile is a graphical representation of the motor speed versus time, and the torque profile illustrates the motor torque required for the machine to follow the speed profile during that same time. MAX TORQUE
The torque at the beginning of the trapezoidal move is highest because mechanical friction must be overcome and the load must be accelerated from rest. This point of highest torque is called the Max Torque. Once the traverse speed is reached, a nominal level of torque must be applied to overcome friction and maintain speed. To decelerate the load, often a reverse torque is required. The reverse torque during deceleration is not as high as the forward torque during acceleration, since friction also helps decelerate the load. [ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
Max Torque Application Speed
Speed (RPM)
5,000
RMS Torque
Figure 3 Speed increases at the beginning of the move, accelerating to a traverse speed and then decreases, decelerating to a stop. Due to its shape, this is referred to as a trapezoidal speed profile or trapezoidal move.
When friction torque is high, a forward torque may be required during deceleration so the motor doesn’t slow down too quickly. It is important to ensure that the motor can produce the required Max Torque at the application speed. The Max Torque at application speed ideally falls within the intermittent region of the motor’s speed-torque curve. It may also fall within the continuous region, but this may be an indication that the motor is oversized. 5,000
Figure 4
RMS TORQUE
4,000 Another torque calculation critical for sizing is RMS torque, Application 3,000 Speed the time-weighted average of the torque 2,000 during a complete machine cycle or 1,000 the equivalent of a steady-state torque 0 0 2 4 6 8 level. For example, a servo motor with 1.2 T T N-m RMS torque RMS torque at application speed should will experience the fall within the continuous region of the speed-torque curve. same heat rise if it produces 1.2 N-m constant torque. So it is also important to ensure that the RMS torque at application speed falls within the continuous region of the speed-torque curve. The RMS torque calculation is easily calculated using sizing software. RMS
Max
Matt Pelletier is a product training engineer for Yaskawa Electric America. For More
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
information
Yaskawa Electric America: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-518 For more fluid power/power transmission news, visit http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-515.
JU N E 2 0 0 9 F LUID P O WE R / P O WE R TR ANS MIS S IO N / A S P E CIAL E DIT O R IAL S E CTI O N F9
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
IN THE MARKETPLACE XPENINSULAR’S METRIC IMH AIR CYLINDER CONFIGURATOR 2-D flat line drawings are now available within minutes Peninsular’s Metric IMH Air Cylinder Configurator now provides 2-D flat line drawings with dimensions along with 3-D cylinder downloadable models, within minutes. It allows customers to configure cylinders by answering questions from drop-down menus, eliminating the need for catalog and complex engineering data. The Cylinder Configurator provides fast, simplified cylinder ordering, as well as Solid Model CAD drawings that can be immediately downloaded. The cylinder part number, mounting style, cylinder bore, piston rod diameter, rod threads, accessory and seal kit part numbers, and port and cushion locations are also presented in the title block of every configured 2-D drawing. All metric accessories and cylinder repair kits are included Peninsular Cylinder Co. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-519
W R+W AMERICA’S HIGH-TORQUE SERVO COUPLINGS Handles rapidly indexing, reversing servo applications Manufactured with double-walled, stainless-steel bellows to absorb parallel, angular and axial shaft misalignment, R+W America’s BK3 coupling has an extremely high torsional stiffness to complement its relatively very low moment of inertia, allowing it to handle rapidly indexing and reversing servo applications. The couplings are manufactured with a tapered conical clamping element, which results in the highest shaft clamping forces, without keys, compared to any other hub design. The BK3 coupling also incorporates unique disassembly screws to aid the mechanic in tight spaces. The clamping sleeves are custom-bored on each side for shaft diameters from 10 to 80 mm ( 0.39 to 3.13 inch). Sizes are available for torque capacities ranging from 15 to 10,000 Nm (133 to 88,500 inch lb). R+W America L.P. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-520
X ZERO-MAX’S CD® COUPLINGS Handle high stresses, fit into smaller envelope New CD Couplings® from Zero-Max can be used in heavy-duty dynamometers for transmission output testing, and provide the ideal combination of high dynamic load capacity and high torsional stiffness to ensure reliable system operation. CD Couplings® can be designed to fit in a much smaller envelope, enabling the dynamometer to be built with a much smaller footprint. CD Couplings® are designed so the working part is made of a composite material and are available in single and double flex models with or without keyways. The single flex models have a torque capacity range from 40 to 1,436 Nm and beyond with speed ratings from 4,400 to 17,000 rpm. Zero-Max will design and build custom CD Couplings® to handle virtually any application. Zero-Max Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-521
F12 FL UI D PO WER/ P O W E R T R A N S M I S S I O N / A S P E C I A L E D IT O R IAL S E CTIO N J UNE 2 0 0 9
[www.de signnews .com]
FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION
SAPPLE RUBBER’S FILTERSEAL® Available in a variety of shapes, sizes Apple Rubber’s FilterSeal® is a customdesigned combination of elastomer and fabric or nylon mesh that works as both a seal and filter in one part. The company created several FilterSeal® designs in a wide variety of sizes and shapes to deliver sealing solutions from automotive to medical applications. Its choice of elastomers and filter materials results in a more flexible component, unlike rigid plastic seals, which often break during the assembly process and cause delays on the assembly line. Materials available include silicone and Viton® with PTFE membrane, nylon, Dacron®, etc. Apple Rubber Products Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-522
TSTEINMEYER’S DIRECT DRIVE ROTARY STAGE Built-in temperature control ensures motor won’t overheat Steinmeyer’s new high-speed precision rotary positioning stage — model DT 170-TLM — is powered by a direct drive motor and manufactured from high-strength anodized aluminum. It offers a positioning accuracy of 0.005 degrees, repeatability of ±0.001 degrees and speeds up to 10 rps. The stage has a 200-mm wide, 170-mm long and 115-mm high footprint, with a 170-mm diameter rotating plate. Dynamic load capacity is 15 kg. A built-in temperature control ensures the motor won’t overheat.
ECOLOC® Locking Assemblies™ are competitively priced, quality locking devices for keyless shaft & hub connections. They provide higher torques, excellent selfcentering ability and are backlash-free. Available from stock inch & metric up to 180mm. Other sizes available upon request.
For information on ECOLOC® and RINGFEDER® Locking Assemblies™ or other power transmission components, call us today at 800-245-2580.
Partner for Performance
www.ringfeder.com
Steinmeyer Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-523
[ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
JU N E 2 0 0 9 F LUID P O WE R / P O WE R TR ANS MIS S IO N / A S P E CIAL E DIT O R IAL S E CTI O N F13
Model 4400 Side Mount Level Sensor 1/2" - 13 bulk head at point of indication. FDA Polysulfone • UL recognized
Model 4400 also available in 1/2" NPT or 5/8" - 11 bulk head
Model 3900 Side Mounted all SST
UL Recognized. Uses include contaminated fluids, particulates, viscus, ferrous chips etc.
Model 4200 Tank Top Or Bottom Mounting 3/8"-16 bulk head or 1/8" NPT FDA Polysulfone • UL recognized
Model 5100
3/4"NPT - 2" NPT non electrical indicator with easily seen red and green flag.
www.thomasprod.com
SSAUER-DANFOSS’ NEW FAN DRIVE GEAR MOTORS Can tackle upcoming emission challenges for off-road vehicles Sauer-Danfoss’ Group 2 and Group 3 Series fan drive gear motors meet the machine-cooling needs of off-highway applications. The new SGM2Y and SGM3Y motors offer a number of enhancements, including a cast iron rear cover on the aluminum housing to handle higher pressure and durability requirements. A new electrohydraulic proportional relief valve, integrated into the cast iron rear cover, provides consistent machine performance over the entire operating temperature range, with more uniform performance over the lifetime of the product. The variable speed, proportional fan control results in more efficient cooling on demand and better fuel economy. The fan drive gear motors are available in two frame sizes with the following displacements: SGM2Y — 8.4 to 25.2 cc (0.51 to 1.54 cm3/rev), SGM3Y — 22.1 to 44.1 cc (1.34 to 2.69 cm3/rev). Rated pressure is up to 250 bar (3,625 psi) with peak pressure up to 270 bar (3,915 psi). Sauer-Danfoss Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-524
APPLE RUBBER’S EXPRESSEAL® Delivers off-the-shelf solutions in 24 to 48 hours Apple Rubber’s ExpresSeal® can replace an existing hydraulic or pneumatic seal with near replicas or replacements of the original manufacturer seal in 24 to 48 hours. Popular materials include: Polyurethane, Buna, EPDM, Viton, HNBR, Teflon, filledTeflon, Silicone and engineered plastics (special compounds are available). ExpresSeal® delivers off-the-shelf solutions from an extensive inventory of standard seal profiles or instant prototypes. Seals for emergency replacement can be produced and quickly shipped in virtually any standard profile. Apple Rubber Products Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-525
Designers & Manufacturers Of Quality Level & Flow Sensors
860.621.9101 • 800.666.9101
[www.designnews .com]
Sometimes it’s good to be blue.
SR+W AMERICA’S HIGH-TORQUE OVERLOAD SAFETY COUPLING Offers versatility in a compact design R+W America’s new ST1 torque limiter is made to protect gearboxes and pumps from failure due to torque overload. Its compact design allows for a complete breakaway at widely adjustable torque levels — anywhere from 740 to 118,000 lb-ft, across four body sizes. Individual torque-limiting elements are available separately for retrofit and for integration into customer-designed coupling systems. Torque adjustment and clutch re-engagement can be performed through the use of screws instead of hammers. R+W America L.P. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-526
TZERO-MAX’S ROH’LIX® LINEAR ACTUATORS Provide new design option for medical diagnostic systems Zero-Max’s Roh’lix® Linear Actuators consist of three specially designed precision bearings at each end of a two-piece aluminum carrier block. Mounted at an angle to the drive axis, the bearings convert drive shaft rotation into proportional linear travel. Roh’lix® Linear Actuators are designed to handle motion thrust rated between 5 and 200 lb, depending on model and size, and thrust capacity is adjustable so the positioning system will disengage if the preset thrust is exceeded, providing overload protection if excessive travel pressure or an obstruction is encountered in the system. Roh’lix® Linear Actuators are quiet, compact and require no maintenance other than an occasional routine cleaning. Five standard sizes are available for ⅜- to 2-inch diameter shafts or metric sizes from 8- to 50-mm diameter shafts. Zero-Max Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-527 [ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
Manufacturers and Licensees Wanted Actuator and Compressor Manufacturers: Complement your current offering with a compressed air motor that offers a mechanical torque advantage.
Small Engine and Mobile Electric Motor Producers: Offer a zero emissions, ecologically friendly alternative to your products for your customers’ requirements.
Original Equipment Manufacturers: Specify Blue Earth Technology air motors to upgrade your equipment to the highest efficiencies.
Investors: Impact the large profitable global market for rotary actuators with the Blue Earth Technology compressed air motor. Contact us with your ideas and we’ll tell you how you can make our innovative design work for you. Visit us at:
www.BlueEarthTechnology.com
RANT Really Opinionated People DR. JAMES TRUCHARD, PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
Green Engineering, a Better Environment and Economy GOOD MEASUREMENTS, CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES ARE THE KEY FOR BETTER DESIGNS, PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS’ GOAL FOR
Green Engineering (http://designnews. hotims.com/23107-528) is to provide measurements and control technologies for scientists and engineers so they can better design, develop and improve products, technologies and processes that result in both environmental and economic benefits. We see this being applied in almost every industry or, as we like to say, from windmills to steel mills. Another saying we like to use is, “Measure It - Fix It.” Good measurements help us understand our impact on the environment and identify problems; and control technologies fix many of these problems by adding intelligence to the products and processes being worked on. Renewable power generation is becoming very important and key political figures are endorsing its use, specifically wind and solar energy (http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-529). Power monitoring and power quality analysis applications let us understand how much power is used. One area for improvement is industrial production, where machines and processes created in the last industrial revolution can be optimized by applying advanced technologies to reduce power consumption and operating efficiencies. While these applications and industries have shown great improvements in the recent past, much innovation and ingenuity is still needed to make them more economically viable. There are many ideas being researched and worked on, including large carbon sequestration devices, wave harvesting buoys, kite power generation and the potential for fusion as an almost unlimited source of energy. Some of National Instruments’ advanced multi-core technolo-
gies are being applied to this area and we hope they can help provide an almost inexhaustible supply of fuel from sea water. This has been a challenge, but we must try to figure it out and create a long-term solution to supply energy while having minimum environmental impact. The NI vision is to enable this next generation of technologies through our Graphical System Design platform, where we bring in state-of-the-art measurement capabilities and expand them into embedded systems. This unique capability to add high-performance measurements to control systems provides an ideal platform to design, prototype and deploy products and technologies. By tightly integrating design with prototyping, engineers and scientist can perform rapid iterations on their design, substantially improving the performance and capability of products and technologies they’re developing. Green Engineering can help engineers and scientists identify and solve many challenging problems our society faces today. Measurements help to quantify usage and identify problems, while more intelligent devices, through control and embedded system technologies, will provide new solutions that fix many of the problems that desperately need fixing. Learn more at ni.com/greenengineering. Dr. James Truchard, National Instruments president and CEO, co-founded the company in 1976. For More
information
To learn more, view the Green Engineering Virtual Event Series from Design News and National Instruments at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-530.
FLASH
NEW AND NOTABLE PRODUCT DESIGN
By Terry Costlow, contributing editor
Connectors, cables and enclosures can often seem mundane, but the products they enable are anything but. These often-overlooked components let systems fly in space, help automakers trim manufacturing costs and assist police by providing nonstop surveillance. NAVIGATING THE FINAL FRONTIER The final frontier is becoming easier to navigate. The Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, now circling the moon, is carrying a state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer that will provide the first map to provide high spatial and spectral resolution of the entire lunar surface. The craft, launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), ties this equipment together using high-reliability Micro-D connectors from ITT Interconnect Solutions. Those connectors may fly in a lot more spacecraft. ISRO plans to launch 40 satellites, many of them carrying satellites and other equipment from different countries. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-531
HELPING ROBOTS DO THE TWIST Automakers competing in a down market are striving to increase automation, particularly in jobs that are hazardous to humans. Painting, one of the first areas to be automated, is once again coming into the spotlight, seeing upgrades even in a downturn. Germany’s Dürr Group is streamlining its painting robots so they can twist and turn to uniformly cover larger areas that have complex curves. A key to this enhanced flexibility is more flexible cabling. The Lapp Group addresses this demand with nine custom robot cables that link bus lines, sensor leads and servo motors. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-532
SLICING SURVEILLANCE COSTS Surveillance systems are becoming less expensive to install, but sending the nonstop flow of images to observation posts can be a large recurring expense. Nail-and-Go™, a cellular pole camera system, and Outdoor View™, a covert pole camera system, both from Boundless Security Systems Inc., reduce bandwidth, letting agencies stay within their cellular carriers’ bandwidth usage limits. A ruggedized AirLink/Sierra Wireless cellular data modem provides enough bandwidth to support two cameras, one for close-ups and an ultra-wide-angle camera for global viewing. The parts are protected by non-metallic housings from Stahlin Enclosures. They resist denting from impact while retarding degradation caused by UV radiation. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-533 18
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
PARTS. REAL. FAST. CNC Machining. Down to a Science. CNC is now as quick, easy, and automated as SLA and FDM. With our proprietary compute cluster technology and automated manufacturing process, you can now get real CNC machined parts in your choice of over 25 engineering resins in as little as one business day. Upload your 3D CAD model and experience an interactive, web-based 3D automated FirstQuote® today.
firstcut.com
Processes Prototyptheinbesgt process for your project Choosing
Free Prototyping White Paper
RSVP: Proto Labs, Inc. Dr. Creek 5540 Pioneer 55359 Maple Plain, MN P: (763) 479 7474 F: (763) 479 7188 m www.protolabs.co
Whether you are new to the field or an expert, we’ve created a prototyping primer you shouldn’t miss. Download today at www.protolabs.com/parts and enter source code DN209. Protomold and First Cut are services of Proto Labs, Inc. 877-479-3680
Injection Molding. Down to a Science. With our proprietary computing technologies and automated manufacturing systems, Protomold gives you real injection-molded parts in as little as one business day. Upload your 3D CAD model and experience an interactive, web-based 3D ProtoQuote® today.
protomold.com
©2009 Proto Labs, Inc.
» designnews.com/sherlock
The Adventure of the Camera-Shy Computer
BY MARC R. MANN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER Have you applied your deductive reasoning and technical prowess to troubleshoot and solve an engineering mystery that even the fictional Sherlock would find most perplexing? Tell us about it in 600 words and we’ll pay you $100 if we publish your case. E-mail Karen Field at: kfield@reedbusiness.com
At designnews.com: The Adventure of the Singing Chassis A chassis screeching away like Tiny Tim surpasses the pain threshold when equipment failures multiply. And EEs learn the value of checking the ME’s work. http://designnews. hotims.com/23107-583
20
In the mid 80s I provided technical support to the R&D division of a large fast food chain. I tested new appliances and just about anything else that went into the stores to insure reliability and overall compatibility. While planning to install a new appliance for testing, I found we didn’t have a blueprint of the test location. I asked one of the architects if the department had a camera so I could take some pictures of the installation. Tony replied “You CAN’T take flash pictures in the store!” Asked why he said, “Because the computer cash registers will shut down!” By the tone of his voice, I knew he wasn’t kidding, but his answer made no sense. I asked several other individuals and one even told me to consult the Operations Manual. In the section pertaining to the “Operation of the Computer Cash Register and Order Taking System,” a prominent warning was displayed: “Do Not Allow ANY Flash Pictures in the Register & Kitchen Area. Doing so will cause the System to Fail and will require a minimum of 15 minutes to Re-Set & Re-Boot.” In other words, the store would effectively be put out of business until the system was up and running. I approached our department director and asked permission to investigate and he agreed. Before going further, I called the manufacturer and he told me that they heard reports of this happening only sporadically, and they theorized that the high voltage coil of the camera’s flash was being picked up by the cabling which was acting as an antenna. Their solution: “Don’t use a camera flash in the stores.” With that information, I ordered a complete register system from the warehouse which was comprised of three registers, four kitchen/ drive-through monitors with keypads, office computer and interconnecting cables. I set these up in my lab and booted it all on. I brought in a stand-alone camera flash from home and skeptically fired off a shot. Immediately all the monitors sounded a
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
deep screeching noise (each monitor had a keypad and tone alert to delete completed orders) and the CRT went blank except for a thin white vertical line. Everything was unusable. I rebooted the system and it did the same thing. I then covered the strobes window and fired. The system didn’t fail! I then wrapped 3 ft of cabling around the strobe and again it didn’t fail. It was the light! But how? I then physically isolated each device and “lit it up.” Everything worked until I got to the monitors. These monitors typically hung from the ceiling and had a louvered housing. When flashed from any angle the system failed. I then disassembled a monitor and found a separate internal motherboard that communicated with the operators order keypad and registers. I then placed the flash in a cardboard tube and drilled a single ¼-inch hole to limit the flash to a tiny area. I flashed every inch until I got to one component and voila. It was an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). Its quartz window was covered by a white adhesive label with its date of programming. It should have been a light-tight foil label. Evidently one of the wavelengths of the flash contained sufficient UV Light (normally used to erase EPROMs) that disrupted its operation. Subsequent research found those paper labels laying inside the cabinets. The adhesive failed due to the heat of the kitchen, increasing its susceptibility to “flash” failure. The fix was to apply foil labels. Simple as that. Sign up for the RSS feed for this blog and get the posts delivered directly to your desktop at http://designnews.hotims. com/23107-600. Marc Mann lives in San Diego and is a 30-year veteran of the Commercial Food Equipment Field. He’s held positions in R&D, Service and Operations, and is currently a consultant. You can reach him via our Sherlock Ohms blog comments at www.designnews.com/Sherlock.
>VWZZW^a 2SaWU\( 1`SObWdWbg G]c` 1cab][S`a 1O\ 2S^S\R =\
<RXU FXVWRPHUV ZDQW PHGLFDO GHYLFHV WKDW DUH GHVLJQHG WR EH VDIH XVHU IULHQGO\ DQG DHVWKHWLFDOO\ DSSHDOLQJ :H XQGHUVWDQG WKDW 7DNLQJ DOO RI WKHVH H[SHFWDWLRQV LQWR DFFRXQW DW WKH FRQFHSW SKDVH LV ZKDW 3KLOOLSV 3ODVWLFV LV NQRZQ IRU DQG ZK\ ZH DUH UHSHDWHGO\ FKRVHQ WR SDUWQHU ZLWK WKH PRVW UHVSHFWHG PHGLFDO 2(0 V LQ WKH ZRUOG 2XU LQGXVWULDO GHVLJQ WHDP DSSURDFKHV HYHU\ SURJUDP ZLWK WKH HQG XVHU LQ PLQG SURYLGLQJ LGHD FUHDWLRQ FRQFHSW GHYHORSPHQW DQG IHDVLELOLW\ VWXGLHV WKDW FUHDWH PHGLFDO GHYLFHV RI XQFRPSURPLVHG GLVWLQFWLRQxGHYLFHV WKDW FDQ RQO\ EH GHYHORSHG ZKHQ \RX WHDP ZLWK WKH PRVW FUHDWLYH VXSSOLHU LQ WKH PDUNHWSODFH ZKRVH XOWLPDWH JRDO LV WR GHOLYHU SURGXFWV \RXU FXVWRPHUV FDQ GHSHQG RQ
1`SObWdWbg ?cOZWbg 3f^S`WS\QS Â&#x2014; ZZZ SKLOOLSVSODVWLFV FRP LQIR#SKLOOLSVSODVWLFV FRP Real life case studies are a click away: www.phillipsplastics.com/case_studies
The U.S. Government is offering a $10 million prize for the best LED-based replacement of a common incandescent bulb. The contest is called the “Bright Tomorrow Lighting Competition”, aka “L Prize”, and authorized in Subtitle E, Section 655 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
Specifically, the L Prize competition is intended to accelerate development and deployment of energy efficient solid-state lighting products which can directly replace 60 Watt A19 (medium-sized screw-in base) bulbs and PAR38 halogen floods/spots. The first viable 60 Watt replacement is eligible for $10 million; the first viable PAR38 replacement is eligible for $5 million. The 60 Watt A19 and PAR38 style lamps were chosen because these are the most popular bulbs in service today. Of course the bar is set high. In order to qualify, the winning products must use LEDs, and “… perform similarly to the incandescent lamps they are intended to replace in terms of color appearance, light output, light distribution, lamp shape, size, form factor, appearance and operating environment. They must be reliable, available through normal market channels, and competitively priced.” 1
heat radiates outward in the form of infrared (IR). The remaining heat is isolated from the lamp enclosure through a plastic or ceramic socket…exactly opposite of what you need for an LED. High-brightness white LEDs get very hot, but cannot shed their heat by radiating IR – it’s not part of their output spectra.2 Nor is ultraviolet. The LED’s heat must be conducted away in order for it to function for any reasonable amount of time. So those competing in the L Prize contest must tackle the problem of maintaining LED die temperature in a relatively closed system. Here, the thermal insulation characteristics of traditional lamp sockets work against us.
the solid state lighting and
Market demand for the winning bulb will be intense. Last month, the twentieth annual LIGHTFAIR® International4 was held at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. LIGHTFAIR is the world’s largest architectural and commercial lighting conference and trade show; about 20,000 people were in attendance. Avnet LightSpeed was one of the exhibitors. We noted that almost a third of the enormous show floor featured new LED-based lighting products. No doubt, the emergence of energy efficient, direct replacements for 60 Watt A19s and PAR38 bulbs will put the LED lighting revolution into overdrive.
efficient LED-based illumination,
L Prize Competition Requirements, US DoE. L Prize is a trademark of the US Dept of Energy
LED business unit of Avnet Electronics Marketing. An ardent advocate of energy he has worked closely with LED manufacturers, advanced analog IC and secondary optics vendors since his first patent using LEDs was issued two decades ago. LightSpeed works with customers through their national team of illuminationfocused engineers called “Illumineers,” experienced in thermal, drive stage and optics design. Prior to LightSpeed, Cary was Avnet’s technical director and managed
Avnet LightSpeed’s pavilion at LIGHTFAIR in New York
As always, comments and questions are welcomed and can be sent to me at LightSpeed@Avnet.com 2 3
1
is director of LightSpeed,
Dimming is another requirement; submitted LED bulbs must prove to be dimmable using at least three widely-available commercial residential (phase-angle) dimmers. New ICs have been introduced from National Semiconductor, Maxim, ST Microelectronics, NXP and others which will make this easier.3
In addition to the fit/form/function requirements, the US Department of Energy details performance criteria. For example, the 60 Watt bulb replacement must deliver 900 lumens or more of light, using 10 Watts or less of power. That light must radiate evenly along the bulb’s axis, from 0° to 150°. The bulb’s Correlated Color Temperature must be between 2700 K and 3000 K. For the complete eligibility requirements, download the Competition Requirements document from our website, www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed. Winning the award will require a “systems-level” understanding of high-brightness LEDs. This extends beyond any LED manufacturer’s stated efficiency claims in terms of lumens per Watt. You must take into consideration the energy loss of the AC to DC converter circuitry, optical efficiency and uniformity, and especially thermal management. A traditional bulb converts most of its input energy into heat; about three quarters of that
Cary Eskow
4
See LM23 at www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed See LM34 at www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed LIGHTFAIR is a registered trademark of the Illuminating Engineering Society and the International Association of Lighting Designers
Avnet’s North American FAE team. To submit questions or ideas, e-mail Cary at LightSpeed@Avnet.com
To learn more about designing an LED-based illumination system, go to:
www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed
T I Pfrom S
TITUS
Unbelievably useful info on data measurement, collection and analysis from the test expert
JON TITUS CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jon Titus, a former designer and chief editor of EDN and Test & Measurement World magazines, remembers when “fast” signals operated at 10 MHz and programs came on paper tape.
24
Connect Sensors with Care MANY ACCELEROMETERS RELY ON A PIEZOELECTRIC
element, such as a quartz crystal, that develops a small charge on its surfaces in direct proportion to an applied force. Attaching one side of the crystal to a small known mass (m) and the other side to a device under test (DUT) lets us use the basic physics equation f = m*a to relate acceleration (a) to force (f), and thus directly to the charge on the crystal. Piezoelectric sensors typically require circuits that amplify small signals and provide a low-impedance output for data-acquisition instruments. These circuits and external connections can add noise to acceleration signals and distort measurements. That noise can come from ambient electrical conditions, ground loops and triboelectric effects. To reduce the latter, secure output wires to the sensor and the DUT to prevent charge from accumulating due to friction, or cable whip, between wires and surfaces. If you use shielded cables to help remove ambient noise, ground them at the instrument end only. Grounding at both ends can produce a ground loop, as shown in the diagram, top right. If a ground loop exists because of a common ground between your instruments and the DUT, look for an electrically isolated mounting stud for your accelerometers. Never use a shield as a current-return path! The capability of an accelerometer to provide useful information also depends on its mechanical connection with a DUT. Mounting often involves an adhesive, such as an epoxy, wax or cyanoacrylate, or a mechanical component such as a bolt or mounting stud. The references, right, provide detailed mounting information and helpful diagrams. A rigid mechanical mount offers the best frequency response, while silicone-rubber glue, a slightly flexible mounting pad or double-sided tape can act like a mechanical low-pass filter and reduce the sensor’s high-frequency response. Mechanical mounting usually involves drilling into the DUT and using a threaded
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
a
Shielded Twisted-Pair Wire
Instrument
Potential Ground Loop
Sensor
b
Instrument
Sensor Insulated Mount
A ground loop caused by a slight difference in ground voltages (a) can add noise to a sensor’s signal. The arrangement in (b) eliminates the loop, isolates the sensor and connects the shield to ground at only one point.
stud or cap screw. A thread-lock liquid such as Loctite 271 will guard against loosening. You must ensure a smooth mounting surface and, during attachment, do not exceed the manufacturer’s torque spec. For temporary attachments, consider magnetic mounts. Manufacturers provide accelerometers in many configurations that use shear, flexure and compression to cause a mass to distort a piezoelectric material. Each sensor type has its own characteristics that best suit specific environments and measurement types. In the next Tips column, I’ll examine accelerometers that use a micro electromechanical sensor (MEMS). For More
REFERENCES
information
1. Construction and mounting of accelerometers: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-534 2. Accelerometer mounting: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-535 3. Standards that govern vibration measurements: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-536
‘Engineering the Peace’ Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Talley turned a Shiite slum into a peaceful place to live
H
Gen. David Petraeus, second from left, and Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Talley, second from right, tour Baghdad to view infrastructure projects.
26
ere’s the harsh reality of modern warfare — it peace.” It was an extraordinarily simple idea, but takes a great deal of complex and demanding a huge and dangerous job — combine his soldiers and engineers with Iraqi contractors to bring back engineering to design weapons systems that seek the basic services of water, sewage and electricity, out and destroy our enemies. And frankly, techand restore the schools and hospitals. Do that, and nology tends to advance fastest in times of war, but that’s a rather sobering achievement when you people will begin to turn away from the militias, he thought. consider the cost. What Talley was doing was showing the resiBut what if wartime technology could deliver dents of Sadr City what life could look like. He immediate, life-changing benefits to people in was giving them hope, even as he was giving them war zones who may not support our vision of the flushing toilets and a functioning marketplace world? Would we have a new “weapon” in our arwhere they could safely buy food. If they senal to create a durable peace? could choose to start a business and imThere’s a remarkable human interprove their communities, he thought, est story playing out in Iraq, thanks to they could choose to support the governan engineering professor who is also a ment of Iraq and a different way of life to brigadier general in the Army Reserves. the alternative of supporting the militias. Jeffrey Talley just came back to civilian The strategy turned him into an inlife as an educator and researcher after a stant target with a price on his head, betour of duty in Iraq as engineer for MultiNational Division - Baghdad. He’s being Geoffrey C. Orsak cause militia leaders knew Talley’s success would mean their failure to reclaim credited with making Sadr City — a the area. But eventually, the residents of Shiite slum and one of the most dangerous sections of the city — a more peaceful place to Sadr City began to buy in to Talley’s approach, because their lives were actually getting better. In live. He didn’t do it with laser-guided automatic fact, the number of acts of terrorism and violence weapons or smart bombs. He did it with a funcdropped precipitously in this most dangerous tioning sanitary system and safe, clean buildings region of Iraq. for school children. “People who historically were neutral or In May 2008, much anti-coalition forces started to see that maybe of Sadr City had been this way ahead is a positive one,” Talley said in reduced to rubble, December. “They all started saying ‘no’ to the miroadside bombs and litia, and ‘yes’ to progress and to peace.” raw sewage after long So, yes, engineering does play a vital and months of intense fighting between Iraqi necessary role in defending our nation against security forces and the those who would do us harm. However, with the foresight and boldness of Jeffrey Talley, we have militia of extremist learned that engineering can also be a powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada Source: Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Talley weapon for creating peace out of despair — a hard al-Sadr. That’s when lesson that each generation must relearn for itself. Talley set up Task Force Gold, a military unit designed to take on the job of cleaning up the deGeoffrey C. Orsak is dean of the Southern Methodbris of war and the physical decay that had piled ist University Lyle School of Engineering. He can be up over three decades of neglect. reached at dean@lyle.smu.edu. In Talley’s mind, his job was to “engineer the
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
INSIDE NEWS TRENDS
» ELECTRONICS MIRASOL™ DISPLAY MAKES ITS MARK
BREAKTHROUGHS DEVELOPMENTS
Mirasol™, a new low-power display technology from Qualcomm, is quickly finding a home in portable electronic devices. Page 33
NEWS
» MATERIALS NEW MATERIAL BLANKS OUT NOISE Tailor-welded blanks are increasingly being used to cut weight and noise in automobiles, making them stronger in the process. Page 34
A second heat sink, above, was added in a recent revision to the Xbox 360 to help avert crashes to the system caused by thermal management problems.
» MOTION CONTROL ABB ROBOTICS HITS HOLLYWOOD ABB Robotics machines were on the set of Warner Brother’s “Terminator Salvation.” Page 36
» DESIGN TOOLS ANSYS’ NEWEST WORKBENCH The company’s latest platform allows users to easily set up, visualize, connect and manage simulations. Page 38
THERMAL MANAGEMENT
Microsoft Takes Heat from Xbox 360 Vacuum-sealed copper pipe is key to mitigating thermal overheating and reliability problems By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials and fastening
» AUTOMOTIVE FOR YOUR IN-CAR INFOTAINMENT More automakers are moving toward the use of copper, using it for the next-generation networking of signals from DVDs to GPS displays and camera-based safety systems. Page 40
Microsoft recently adjusted its warranty policy on the Xbox 360 to cover general hardware failure signaled by the E74 error message. The Xbox 360 has been a huge success since its launch in 2005, notching sales of more than 28 million worldwide, but there have been thermal management problems with the high-tech gaming device. In the course of developing new technology to dissipate heat from microprocessors, Microsoft was awarded two U.S. patents. The power in the Xbox 360 was more than doubled from the original Xbox, going from under 100 to more than 200W, and several other important features were added, including an online capability. The box is smaller, and had to be cost competitive. The Xbox mechanical engineering team took steps to deal with thermal management, but overheating and reliability problems dogged some of the models. The original engineering of the Xbox 360 was coordinated by Jeff Reents, the lead mechanical engineer. In an interview called “Xbox 360: The Guts,” posted on www.xbox.com, D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 2 9
N EWS THE RMAL M AN AGE M E NT, C o n t i n u e d
Reents provides insight into how thermal issues were attacked. “We originally wanted to put in a single 80-mm fan. But we couldn’t fit it in the final form factor chassis,” says Reents. “We couldn’t just go with one 60-mm fan because it would not provide the required cooling — as the diameter of the fan increases the air flow performance per revolution increases exponentially. So we ended up putting in two 60-mm fans and we came up with a water-cooled heat sink, as well, for the CPU.” The heat sink includes a copper base, aluminum-stamped fins and a copper heat pipe, which contains water. A vacuum is pulled on the pipe prior to sealing. Water boils faster under a vacuum. The steam rises and moves the heat higher into the fins where the air flow from the fans can extract the heat more efficiently. The steam condenses and flows back to the copper base of the heat sink,
which is attached to the processor. Copper and other conductive materials have replaced aluminum as the material of choice for heat sinks. The required cooling capacity of the Xbox 360 is determined by system electronics. Fans cool the unit, but can be noisy. “We use thermal sensing diodes in the main ICs (GPU and CPU) and thermal algorithm firmware that reads the diode temperatures and adjust the fan RPMs by altering the fan voltage to a predetermined minimum requirement that minimizes the fan speed (minimizes the acoustics) while providing the required cooling capacity for the system,” says Reents. There have been significant revisions to the Xbox 360 since its release. They include the mundane, such as surrounding the CPU and GPU with epoxy to prevent board movement during heat expansion. More importantly, a second heat sink was added.
Two Patents Issued
Microsoft and Reents have been issued two patents on new thermal management concepts for electronics’ devices since engineering work began on the Xbox 360. A patent was awarded last December for an integrated heat sink that provides efficient transfer of heat from a nonplanar surface. In an example, one of the heat sinks is compressively coupled to an integrated circuit via an integral spring assembly. The spring assembly pushes one of the heat sinks against one of the integrated circuits while allowing the other heat sink to remain positioned against the other integrated circuit. For More
information
Microsoft’s Xbox 360: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-537 More on the Xbox 360: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-538 http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-539
Our innovative electric systems are being used to upgrade gas spring and manual operations, and due to their simplicity and state of the art designs, are rapidly replacing hydraulic and pneumatic systems. LINAK has a selection of reliable actuators to provide your application the movement you desire.
Visit our website for our complete product range: www.linak.com
LINAK U.S. IInc. n • North and Sou nc. South outh American Headqu Headquarters • 2200 Stanley Gault Parkway Louisville, KY 40223 • P. 502 253 5595 • F. 502 253 5596 • info@linak-us.com
3 0 ad_designnews_fall08.indd 1
8/28/2008 2:36:09 PM
Aerospace/Defense
Surveillance Relies on Unmanned Flying Vehicles Flight, payload technologies in pilotless MAVs drive their capabilities BY RANDY FRANK, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
[ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
SOURCE: AEROVIRONMENT INC.
M
icro Air Vehicles or MAVs have proven themselves in military situations and are now poised for consideration in domestic applications. Going beyond MAVs, the U.S. Dept. of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is pursuing the next generation of even smaller craft dubbed Nano Air Vehicles (NAVs). Creating ever smaller, pilotless and even autonomous flying vehicles requires a shopping list of sophisticated technologies. Continued improvement of existing technologies or technology breakthroughs are among the issues confronting developers of these crafts. Surprisingly, many of the same systems found on the largest airplanes are also found on some of the smallest, including the infamous black box. The interaction among the flight systems is even more critical in the smaller aircraft adding to the complexity of the design problem. “We are really looking at a very interdisciplinary type of activity, especially the control theory is completely redefined,” says George Huang, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Wright State University, Dayton, OH. Huang and other university researchers are striving to take MAVs to an even smaller scale. (See Q&A, page A16, for more details on WSU’s MAV activities). In partnership with Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Huang is working to solve the flight problems of lightweight MAVs, which weigh only grams. A few
Weighing less than a pound, AeroVironment’s hand-launchable, fixed-wing WASP III has a payload of either two high-resolution cameras or an infrared camera.
manufacturers have solved these issues on larger MAVs currently used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army and other defense organizations in a variety of missions. FIXED-WING MAVS
AeroVironment Inc., a California company that develops unmanned aircraft systems, shrunk its highly successful 4-lb Raven Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) to a 1-lb MAV called the WASP III. “It had to be small and to be packaged in a very, very small area and volume such that it could be carried into the field by the operators who have to carry not just a UAV system, but also all the other things that they need to do their job,” says Gabriel Torres, project manager and technical lead for the development of
AeroVironment’s WASP Project. The propulsion system for the WASP III is heavily optimized for efficiency enabling it to carry a rather heavy infrared (IR) night vision camera (approximately 2-lb payload) for 45 minutes. “You can increase the endurance of an airplane by doing two things, decreasing its weight or increasing its efficiency,” says Torres. “Obviously, when you have a fixed payload that you have to carry, you can’t do much about the first one.” As a result, the engineering development involved an extensive amount of testing and optimization of the propulsion and battery systems for the electrically powered airplane. “The battery is the latest technology in lithium polymer cells,” says Torres. The propulsion system and propeller are
JU N E 2009 AE R O S PACE / DE F E NS E / A S UP P LE ME NT TO DE S I GN NE WS A1
Aerospace/Defense A D V E R T O R I A L Communication
High Energy TLM Military Grade Batteries Save Space and Weight in UAV Applications Like most military systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are becoming increasingly feature-rich and power hungry, thus requiring more advanced power management solutions. Recognizing that limitations in battery performance could lead to bottlenecks that hinder the advancement of emerging military technologies, the U.S. DoD recently identified a “critical need” to develop a new generation of high-power, long-life batteries. Tadiran engineers responded by introducing high-power TLM Military Grade batteries that feature an open circuit voltage of 4V, with a discharge capacity of 500 mAh (20 mA @ 2.8V RT), capable of handling 5A continuous pulses and 15A maximum high current pulses. TLM Military Grade batteries utilize COTS technology to be far less expensive than reserve/thermal batteries. These batteries also feature low annual self-discharge for longer storage life, a wide operating temperature range of -40 to 85C and a safe, hermetically sealed design that complies with MIL-STD 810G specs for vibration, shock, temperature shock, salt fog and altitude. These rugged batteries also deliver high survivability, are able to withstand 50,000 gn acceleration and 30,000 RPM spinning, and conform to UN 1642 and IEC 60086 standards for crush, impact, nail penetration, heat, overcharge and short circuit. As a result, TLM Military Grade batteries can be shipped as non-hazardous goods. TLM Military Grade batteries are now being employed in a variety of demanding applications, including avionics, navigation systems, ordinance fuses, missile systems, telemetry, electronic warfare systems, GPS tracking and emergency/safety devices. These batteries come in a variety of cylindrical configurations, and can be easily assembled into custom battery packs to meet virtually any requirement. For example, UAVs currently being utilized by U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan for unmanned air reconnaissance employ weight- and space-saving TLM lithium battery packs to power the aircraft’s emergency recovery system. Shown above is a 32V/480W battery pack for a UAV application consisting of 96 AA-size TLM batteries, capable of delivering up to 120 W-hr at -30C and weighing approximately 2 kg including the metal enclosure. By employing highly flexible and economical COTS technology, this battery pack can be easily reconfigured to other UAV applications.
Tadiran Batteries Ltd. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-100
Wide-Band High-Frequency Band (up to 12 GHz)
Propulsion and Power 20-150 W-hr/kg 200 minutes
Airframe and Structures
MAV
Aerodynamics Rey83x105, M*0.1 Dynamic Lift
Navigation Collision Avoidance GPS 3-D Visualization
Feedback and Control
Sensors and Actuators Materials
Autonomous Stability Machine Leaning Algorithm
S O U R C E : G E O R G E H U A N G AT W R I G H T S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Several interdisciplinary areas contribute to the overall success of a Micro Air Vehicle. Specific details of Wright State University’s MAV project include a 20-150 W-hr/kg propulsion system, a Reynolds number less than 3x105 and more.
optimized for performance, while generating a minimum amount of heat. One design issue AeroVironment engineers confronted was field serviceability. “For all of our systems, and WASP is no exception, we make a very careful, deliberate decision in the design process to make sure that the system is completely repairable in the field for the things that are going to be possibly damaged,” says Torres. “We have parts in every one of our airplanes that are considered frangible — they’re meant to break to relieve stress so that the expensive parts don’t break.” For the fixed wing WASP III, the plastic propeller provides stress relief and may break to prevent damage to
the engine. AeroVironment engineers developed an innovative method to quickly replace a propeller in less than five seconds, without using tools. “A custom-designed hub for the propeller allows you take it in and out very, very quickly,” says Torres. DUCTED FAN MAVS
Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft using a ducted fan design avoid the propeller problem of a fixed-wing airplane but, at this point, is a much heavier aircraft. A ducted fan system draws air into the duct creating a region of low pressure around the duct that causes aerodynamic lift. DARPA has
COPING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT Working under non-laboratory conditions brings even greater challenges to MAVs. Weather not only impacts the flight of a MAV, it can destroy the communications. Radio communications can be disabled by lightning or electrostatic discharge (ESD) similar to any other RF system. In the case of an unmanned radio-controlled MAV, the loss of communication means lack of control and certainly the loss of transmitted data. To protect the radio components in guided missiles and other critical RF equipment, the military is turning to a surge protection scheme initially developed for amateur radio applications. “A lightning strike is one thing, but actually the electrostatic discharge from a cloud-to-cloud event also can generate a 3,000 to 5,000V short duration pulse that is coupled into antennas,” says Don Tyrrell, president of Alpha Delta Communications, a company that designs and manufactures surge suppressors, including the Model TT3G50 ARC-PLUG module. Instead of a traditional LC suppression design, Alpha Delta Communications’ solution is a constant impedance microwave-type thru line with a replaceable gas tube ARC-PLUG cartridge that bypasses high voltages to ground. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) qualified 50⍀ surge suppressor (Cage Code 389A5) has been protecting ground receiving antennas for Raytheon in the Patriot missile program and recently added UAVs to its list of applications. The need for suppression demonstrates one of many subtle design aspects that can be overlooked and forgotten in a sophisticated design project such as a MAV.
A2 AEROSPA C E/ DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S I G N N E WS JU N E 2009
[www.d esignnews .com]
Aerospace/Defense
ducted fan data dating back to at least the 1950s, but a viable vehicle eluded reality until this decade. “The ducted fan system itself is just a completely unstable system, so it takes a very sophisticated flight control system and very fast processing rates to close the loop on those flight controls to keep it stable enough to employ a sensor,” says Vaughn Fulton, senior unmanned aerial systems program manager, Honeywell’s Defense and Space Electronics Systems. For Honeywell’s T-Hawk MAV, the solution employs its microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. “Micro but very capable flight mission computers and inertial sensors together in a very small package,” says Fulton. “Prior to that, the ducted fan vehicles had trouble because the size of the mission computers necessary to run these very complex flight controls was 20, 30 pounds worth of avionics and LRUs (line replaceable units),” he says. In addition, Honeywell leveraged its design capability in engines, the nacelles that go around engines and the airflow associated with the turbojet engine components to improve a ducted fan aircraft performance. “We drove a several fold magnitude increase in the efficiency of a ducted fan system,” says Fulton. Cameras are another system area Honeywell engineers address in the development process. Initially, the cameras
Wright State University’s George Huang plans to reduce the size of the current dragonfly MAV, left and above, more than 50 percent using laser micromachining technology for gears and other components.
S O U R C E : C T L W R I G H T S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
chosen for the MAV did not provide acceptable situational awareness. “We changed the field of view to match better the experimentation at the infantry level, how they want to employ the vehicle, at what range they were employing it, what altitude, their standoff ranges,” says Fulton. “All of that drove additional specifications on the camera.” VTOL WITH A TWIST
Aurora Flight Sciences initiated its GoldenEye 50 program as a technology validation aircraft. The project allowed Aurora to investigate various system and subsystems details of a ducted fan VTOL aircraft with two movable wings. “The key figure of merit, the thing
that you are interested in, is the ability to lift payload and fuel,” says Tom Clancy, chief technical officer and vice-president of engineering, Aurora Flight Sciences. A rather complex set of trade-offs involve the duct sizing associated with the thrust loading of the lift fan and the power to weight of the engine. Networking plays an important role in GoldenEye 50’s control. Aurora Flight Sciences uses a network architecture for communications both inside and outside of the MAV. Because of the networked architecture, the one operator and one aircraft with a point to point link between them of a typical radio-controlled UAV changes dramatically. Clancy explains,
Engine Electric Control Unit Radio Pod RF Communications Suite
Gimbal • Interchangable EO or IR
Avionics Pod • Flight Management Unit • Air Data Sensors • Inertial System Ducted Fan Nacelle
SOURCE: HONEYWELL
S O U R C E : A U R O R A F L I G H T S C I E N C E S C O R P.
JP-8 or Gasoline Engine
Ducted fan design MAVs, such as Honeywell’s T-Hawk, above, and Aurora’s GoldenEye 50, left, have the ability to hover and stare, and include a variety of flight and payload systems. A4 AEROSPA C E/ DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S I G N N E WS JU N E 2009
[www.d esignnews .com]
Aerospace/Defense Antenna
Process Sensors
Carbon fiber reinforced wing
FOR MORE Ocelli
SOURCE: QUAN GAN, UC BERKELEY
Imager
Battery
AE RO S PACE
information
An artist’s conception of the insect-size robot 25-mm (wing tip-to-wing tip) length and 100-mg weight Mechanical Flapping Insect (MFI) project of Dr. Ron Fearing (UC Berkeley Millisystems Lab).
“It’s a whole different paradigm, where you have multiple users doing different things and information being exchanged with different nodes of the UAV system all seemingly simultaneously.”
Miami-Dade Police Dept. to Test MAVs: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-500 DARPA Nano Air Vehicle (NAV): http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-501 Wright State University’s Micro Air Vehicle Research Center of Excellence: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-502 UC Berkeley, Ron Fearing’s Micromechanical Flying Insect (MFI) Project: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-503 AeroVironment’s WASP Project: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-504 Honeywell’s T-Hawk: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-505 Video of Honeywell’s T-Hawk: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-506 Aurora Flight Sciences’ GoldenEye 50: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-507 Alpha Delta Communications’ Model TT3G50 ARC-PLUG Module: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-508 Comparison of Flight Specifications for Micro Air Vehicles Including Nano Air Vehicle Requirements: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-509
It's Surprising How Many Goniometers We Have to Fit Your Application All Aerotech goniometers are available for 10-6 torr operation (shown for ALAG series)
Nano-level applications are best served by our ANT series with microradian resolution
The industry’s only direct-drive models offer zero backlash and hysteresis
Need to position a 680 kg load? Our ALAG series can do the job.
Excellent accuracy and repeatability are provided by our AGC series
Aerotech offers goniometers in all sizes for almost any application. The ANT series direct-drive goniometers employ noncontact drives and feedback elements for long-life, 24/7 operation and are specially suited for nanomotion systems with microradian resolution. Our AGC gear-drive goniometers provide large travel and arc-second accuracy. Our newest goniometers, the ALAG series, are designed to position 135-680 kg in air or 10-6 torr vacuum environments, and are capable of sub-arc-second motion and several arc-second accuracy.
Aerotech's award-winning single- and multi-axis motion controllers are the perfect complement to our goniometers.
Dedicated to the Science of Motion Aerotech, Inc., 101 Zeta Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 Ph: 412-963-7470 • Fax: 412-963-7459 • Email: sales@aerotech.com
www.aerotech.com Aerotech Worldwide United States • Germany • United Kingdom • Japan • China AH0409A
A6 AEROSPA C E/ DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S I G N N E WS JU N E 2009
[www.d esignnews .com]
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N
New Marching Orders for Defense
Design Engineers will need to harness new design and manufacturing approaches to address the DoD’s tough new guidelines for ground soldier equipment f your company targets the defense market, it’s time to rethink traditional approaches to design. Heavy, cumbersome, unimaginative are out. Lightweight, flexible,
I
Precision molding technologies hold the key to creating a ground soldier ensemble that is lightweight, ergonomic and dependable.
user-friendly are in. With the military moving increasingly toward a fast-moving, quickstrike strategy, the Department of Defense is taking direct aim at the 80 lbs of gear that the average soldier takes into battle. Today’s desert and urban warfare places tremendous physical demands on troops. All that extra weight not only detracts from the soldier’s performance, but is also potentially life-threatening. To ease the burden, the DoD has challenged the EDGE Network, a consortium of leading defense industry suppliers, to find fresh approaches to trim 20 lbs of weight from the ground soldier’s equipment ensemble (GSE).
Designs for the modern soldier Meeting that goal requires design breakthroughs in virtually every part of a soldier’s gear: body armor, weaponry, communications equipment and more. With Defense officials calling Magnesium injection molding allows for equipment that is rugged, more production of very complex designs with little or no secondary operations. compact and more ergonomic, it will [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
take new approaches to realize a 25% reduction in GSE weight. “Engineers need to change their mindset on designing for the military,” says mechanical engineer Tom Rothgery, Defense Market Director for Wisconsin-based Phillips Plastics. “Methods that worked in the ‘70s aren’t sufficient for today’s needs.” Rothgery adds that the most effective way of meeting the DoD’s GSE goals is to replace conventional materials with new technologies. For example, redesigned equipment cases, housings, and internal components can provide significant weight savings, while offering superior water proofing, impact resistance, and overall durability. In addition, new manufacturing methods can reduce parts count in military assemblies, further trimming weight. Component miniaturization offers perhaps the single greatest opportunity for shedding equipment weight. Properly designed and manufactured molded parts can also outperform conventional components, while accelerat-
J U N E 2 0 0 9 A E R O S PA C E / D E F E N S E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S I G N N E W S A 7
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N
A Wealth of Challenging Applications There’s no shortage of new opportunities in defense design for engineers who take advantage of the latest production processes. Among the many applications that DoD has identified: • Wearable antennas. Military radios for ground troops typically operate on the UHF band, with transmit power between 5 and 25 watts. Wearable antennas are needed in many configurations, including integrated helmet and fabric antennas. Radiation patterns and gain should be comparable to a whip antenna. Avoid designs that require wiring to the helmet. • Mobile battery recharging devices. Longer missions require soldiers to carry recharging systems for lithium ion batteries used on communication gear. Such duty requires lightweight designs durable enough to withstand combat environments. To date, vehicle-based recharging systems have been used, but longer missions require portability. Potential technologies include: solar power, fuel cells, power scavenging from available sources, and energy harvesting from human motion. • Soldier-worn information displays. These must be compact, lightweight, rugged and energy efficient. Designs should offer a color screen capable of displaying camera images, video, maps and GPS data. • Wireless PAN (Personal Area Network). Computer systems worn on the body require wireless networking technology with a range of 1-2 meters. Systems should be safe from hackers, difficult to jam, and have a low probability of intercept. Also preferred: transceiver power of less than 1 watt and an external power source of 10 to 18 volts DC. • Wired and wireless input devices. Focus for these devices should be on small size, minimum weight and ergonomic design. Functions include: cursor control devic-
es, such as joysticks and force buttons; discrete buttons and switches; mini keyboards; and system access control device readers. An advanced user input device should feature mouse-like cursor functions, talk group selection, activation of radio push-to-talk controls, data purging for security, texting and power activation/deactivation. • Soldier-worn computing. Both headless computers and computers with integrated flat panel displays are needed in configurations that can be worn by soldiers. Besides processing and memory requirements (Windows and Linux), these units must be lightweight, rugged, compact, passively cooled and externally powered from standard Land Warrior batteries. • Soldier video receiver. These units must receive four channels of analog video, allow the soldier to select one of interest, then output the chosen channel in analog or digital video via USB. Such devices let dismounted soldiers view signals from robots and unmanned aerial and ground vehicles. • Integrated Targeting Device. Used for close air support, these units should also be compact, lightweight and consume minimal power. The goal: Provide an integrated system that includes all functionality in a single portable device with its own power source. • Battery recharger. The Battery Renewable Integrated Tactical Energy System (BRITES) collects, stores and distributes energy, including an ability to recharge in harsh environments over long periods. This system would allow soldiers and airmen to recharge common batteries, such as AA, AAA, and Surefire™ type, using 15 volt DC power. Designs should occupy a volume only slightly larger than the batteries being recharged.
A8 A E R O S PA C E / D E F E N S E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9
ing time to market. Four methods in particular are emerging as standouts for meeting the new DoD objectives: Magnesium Injection Molding (MAG). Magnesium demonstrates excellent performance, especially in communications gear. As durable as aluminum, magnesium offers superior EMI/RFI shielding, even in thin-wall designs. Bottom line: A magnesium housing performs better than one made from aluminum — at a 30% weight savings. MAG combines the best qualities of plastic injection molding with die casting to produce lightweight, highdensity, net-shape parts. Components demonstrate excellent properties for stiffness and strength-to-weight. Moreover, you can design MAG parts in sizes ranging in weight from 4 grams to 1800 grams. You can also specify plastic overmolding on magnesium components, as well as special coatings to prevent corrosion. And MAG won’t harm the environment. The material is recyclable, and no ozone-depleting gases are used in molding operations. Metal Injection Molding (MIM). Ideal for weapon components and other intricate assemblies, metal injection molding can produce high-volume parts with complex geometries, superior strength and excellent surface finish. Using MIM, you can typically produce precision-shaped parts for 50% less than comparable CNC machining or investment casting. Yet finished parts offer the same mechanical properties as those produced by machining. MIM really stands out for parts weighing 30 grams or less. The process can create tiny metal parts with total volume of as little as 0.0001 to 0.003 cubic inches, with tolerances as tight as +/- 0.001 of an inch. Density and mechanical properties are approximately 98% of wrought. Among the many material choices: stainless steels, titanium, Kovar®, nickel steels, tool steels, tungsten, super alloys, and soft-magnetic alloys. [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N
Micro Molding. This manufacturing technique answers the call for miniaturization in soldier equipment, yielding intricate finished parts as small as a pinhead. Parts measuring just 0.020 inch per side can be molded, and you can specify details such as undercuts, threads, and thin wall sections down to 0.002 inch. Micro molding also yields a larger proportion of finished part to molding runner versus conventional molding, and the investment necessary to produce a part is generally several times lower. In addition, prototype tooling can typically be used in final production. Materials options include: engineering-grade plastics, stainless steel, iron nickel, titanium and ceramics. Multi-Shot Liquid Silicone Rubber Molding (MS LSR). With this innovative process, a designer can get a molded part that combines traditional thermoplastics with liquid silicone rubber. MS LSR is ideal for parts, such as seals, that demand superior biocompatibility, chemical resistance, clarity, and the ability to withstand harsh environments. Among other advantages, the process can accept a wide range of colorants, while offering temperature resistance up to 410 deg F (210 C). It can also provide bacteria resistance, gas permeability, and excellent light illumination. Plus, you get excellent end-user ergonomics, including parts with a soft feel to the skin, such as goggles, head phones and ear pieces for communications.
Micro molding can produce high-precision parts as small as 0.020 inch per side, helping to answer the military’s demand for miniaturization. [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
Looking for a defense design ally? In Phillips Plastics, engineers will find a supplier with broad capabilities in the new technologies required to tackle the DoD’s ambitious weightreduction goals. A member of the Edge Network, a consortium of leading-edge defense suppliers, Phillips stays abreast of the new design objectives and performance specs that the military is seeking in next-generation equipment for ground soldiers. The company also offers extensive production facilities for magnesium injection molding, metMicro molding can produce high-precision parts al injection molding, micro molding, and multias small as 0.020 inch per shot liquid silicon rubber. In addition, you can side, helping to answer the harness Phillips’ engineering expertise at every military’s demand for miniastage of your development effort: design, prototurization. typing, testing, tooling and final manufacturing and assembly. For the special needs of defense designs, Phillips offers secure facilities, class 100,000 clean room production, ITAR registration (International Traffic in Arms Regulation), and ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 13485:2003 quality certification.
Imagine the Possibilities For design engineers, such groundbreaking technologies vastly expand the opportunities for developing lightweight, high-performance soldier gear. Think about what changes you could make to any number of applications, including: mobile battery chargers, compact targeting devices for air support, as well as joysticks, keyboards and other input devices for communications. Also high on the military’s wish list: devices that soldiers can wear, such as antennas, computers, displays and video receivers. No matter what the application, you’ll need to pay more attention to factors such as ergonomics and ease of use. In communication gear, for example, a traditional rectangular metal box with buttons on the top doesn’t appeal to young soldiers who grew up with clever video game controllers in all sorts of shapes. If you want to be on the DoD’s preferred supplier list, don’t be limited by the design solutions that have dominated military products in the past,
such as machined or stamped metal parts. Instead, find a supplier who not only offers design, styling and prototyping assistance, but also provides the latest production methods, such as MAG, MIM, micro molding, and multi-shot LSR. With the right partner, you’ll not only get the help you need to create cutting-edge designs, but you’ll also save manufacturing costs, get products to market faster, and meet the military’s challenging tough new quality and durability standards. Engineers can download a detailed White Paper on new technologies and target applications for improving ground soldier equipment by visiting the Phillips Plastics Web Site: http:// designnews.hotims.com/23106-130
J U N E 2 0 0 9 A E R O S PA C E / D E F E N S E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S I G N N E W S A 9
Aerospace/Defense
Model-Based Design Helps
Aerospace Engineers Implementation improves design quality, reduces time and saves cost BY JON FRIEDMAN, THE MATHWORKS INC.
process. The executable specification can also include inputs and expected outputs, the application environment and clear communication of the design goals to enable feasibility analysis of the requirements. By using the links in the executable specification to the original requirements, engineers can monitor whether the design conforms to the requirements throughout the process and quickly assess the impact of a proposed change on original requirements. With automatic code-generation technology and hardware-in-the-loop testing, engineers can eliminate errors
introduced during manual implementation and shorten the path to product delivery by generating code for testing, verification and final production use. For example, a large American helicopter manufacturer used Model-Based Design to develop the flight controls for a tiltrotor aircraft and realized a 40 percent savings in software development time compared to previous programs. These savings came from being able to detect and correct design and requirement flaws early in the design process. Additional design efficiency can be realized through the reuse of models
Simulink® and Aerospace Blockset™ software are used to model and simulate the vehicle dynamics of NASA’s HL-20 lifting body, below. The system is visualized with FlightGear simulator, right.
A10 AERO SPA C E/DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S IG N N E WS JU N E 2009
S O U R C E : T H E M AT H W O R K S I N C .
T
oday’s aerospace companies must reduce development time and improve quality, while accommodating demands for greater system complexity from customers and the government. To meet these challenges, industry-leading companies have adopted Model-Based Design. In a traditional line-replaceable unit (LRU) design process, engineers gather requirements from several sources, which are combined to create a paper specification. A distributed design team works with the specification to produce a detailed design by iterating through a series of potential design concepts that are prototyped in simulation and/or hardware, checked against the requirements and then modified. Once an acceptable design is achieved, it is handed off for implementation to another team that performs verification and validation testing and, if the product needs to conform to DO-178B or other standards, compliance demonstration. Because testing occurs at the end of this multi-team, multistage process, errors that are introduced throughout the design process are often found late, making them expensive to fix and forcing management to make difficult budget decisions. Model-Based Design begins with the creation of an executable specification that can be linked to the original requirements, providing two-way traceability between the design and the requirements. At the heart of the executable specification is an executable model, used and elaborated on throughout the
[www.d esignnews .com]
Aerospace/Defense
across various phases of the design process. Engineers at a multi-national aerospace manufacturer working on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program developed three variants of the JSF using a common set of system models to simulate avionics, propulsion and other systems, and to automatically generate final flight code. This resulted in fewer engineering tasks when compared with traditional methods that rely on hand coding. Using a model, engineers can test and verify their design much earlier in the process than with traditional development, where some physical instantiation of the design is required to begin testing. The model can then be elaborated on throughout the design process, allowing engineers to continuously test and verify design. Before committing resources and money to a physical implementation, design or test, engineers can analyze the design via model coverage analysis using criteria such as MC/DC to ensure design defects are uncovered early. At this stage, if the tests do not exercise the design completely, the team can determine if additional tests are needed or if parts of the design are not necessary to satisfy the requirements. The use of models in testing is not constrained to a digital environment; the same models can be used in tests incorporating components of the physical system. Two such examples are the pilot-in-theloop simulators developed by a large jet aircraft manufacturer to test the real-time interaction of actual pilots with updated control algorithms and the hardware-in-the-loop tests used by a large aircraft company to investigate intermittent braking failures on a production LRU. Having determined their algorithm design is correct, engineers can consider the effects of running this same algorithm in an embedded environment. Implementation details can be added to the model, such as signal conditioning or fixed-point arithmetic. Then, the model can be used to automatically create the implementation. For example, C code and HDL code can be generated for either a software application or digital hardware implementation, respectively. Generating the implementation automatically from the model removes errors introduced by the manual process. As the target for the implementation is not specified until later in the process, much of the design work can be reused when a new target is selected. Also, because the implementation process is automated, it is repeatable and not dependent on the availability of specific individuals. Finally, the test cases developed earlier in the design process can be reused to test the final implementation. Hence, testing and verification of the design against requirements happens throughout the process instead of at the end. For example, engineers at a British defense and aerospace company working on a software-defined radio (SDR) system were able to reduce their rework and overall development time by a factor of 10 using Model-Based Design. It typically took 645 hours for an engineer with years of VHDL coding experience to hand code a fully functional SDR waveform using the traditional design flow, whereas a second engineer, with limited experience, com[ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
JU N E 2009 AE R O S PACE / DE F E NS E / A S UP P LE ME NT TO DE S I GN NE WS A11
Untitle -1 1
9/3/2008 10:15:37 A
Aerospace/Defense
pleted the same project using ModelBased Design in fewer than 46 hours. This dramatic improvement was achieved because the model, in which the developer could include all satellite communications waveform details, was directly connected to the resulting code. With a complete executable model, engineers were able to discover and remove bugs early in the design flow instead of at the VHDL behavioral test stage. With Model-Based Design, engineers no longer test and verify
requirements are met only at the end of the design process. Rather, they test and verify throughout the process, which saves time and money. This approach means engineers can cycle through design iterations in a safe and less expensive modeling environment, resulting in an implementation that works the first time under a shortened development cycle and with improved quality. Jon Friedman is the aerospace industry marketing manager at The MathWorks Inc., where he leads the marketing effort to foster industry adoption of The MathWorksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tools and ModelBased Design. He holds a B.S.E., M.S.E. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, as well as a Masters in Business Administration, all from the University of Michigan. FOR MORE
Leading aerospace companies have adopted Model-Based Design to reduce development time and improve quality. Model-Based Design leverages system models throughout the development process, from requirements capture and design to implementation and verification.
A E R OS PA C E
information
The MathWorks Inc.: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-510
Has your company recently been featured in an article?
CARTRIDGE HEATERS
SMART MARKETING
Designed for maximum: Watt density, temperature, heat transfer, and heater life.
ALWAYS includes positive editorial about you or your company
Maximum surface temperatures up to 1400°F. Basic designs are readily adaptable to a wide variety of applications, special requirements, sizes, and ratings. HotWatt Inc. 128 Maple St. Danvers, MA 01923-2096 Tel:978-777-0070; Fax:978-774-2409 email: sales@hotwatt.com www.hotwatt.com A12 AERO SPA C E/DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S IG N N E WS JU N E 2009
The YGS Group 800.290.5460 x100 rbi@theYGSgroup.com The YGS Group is the authorized provider of custom reprints and content licensing from Reed Business Information.
[www.d esignnews .com]
Aerospace/Defense
Aircraft Delays Slow Carbon Fiber Expansion Mitsubishi subsidiary postpones start of production at new plant BY DOUG SMOCK, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, MATERIALS AND FASTENING
A
massive expansion in global carbon fiber capacity that began three years ago is slowing down just a bit due to economic weakness and delays in major aircraft programs, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Mitsubishi Rayon Co. announced it will postpone, for approximately one year, the start of production at its new carbon fiber plant in the Otake Production Center in Japan. A huge buildup in carbon fiber capacity began in 2006 when it became apparent that Boeing and Airbus planned to use carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composites as a major structural material in new commercial aircraft. Meanwhile, demand also rose from other applications, ranging from wind turbine blades to pressure vessels. The Dreamliner became the fastest-selling wide body airliner in history with close to 600 orders soon after it was announced. The plane was originally scheduled to enter service in May 2008, but is currently scheduled to enter into service in 2010. Original delays were caused by shortages of fasteners and other production-related issues. More recently, orders slowed due to weakness in the global economy. “Due to the recent worldwide economic downturn, demand for carbon fiber in several market sectors is expected to remain stagnant and the development of new applications are being delayed,” says Hiroyuki Kinoshita, [ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
The A350 will be the first Airbus with fuselage and wing structures made primarily of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. The aircraft is scheduled to enter into service in 2013, at least two years behind schedule.
president of Grafil Inc., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Rayon. Here’s a look at the planned expansions in carbon fiber: Toray Industries — The biggest global supplier of carbon fiber, and the prime carbon fiber supplier to Boeing, Toray will reach a capacity of 42 million lb of carbon fiber this year, up from 21 million lb in 2007. Toray’s proposal to further expand capacity in 2010 and 2011 could be slowed by the economic downturn. Toho Tenax — Carbon fiber capacity will reach 25 million lb this year, up from 12 million lb two to three years ago. Mitsubishi Rayon — A 5.9-millionlb expansion set to come online late this year is delayed 12 months. That will bring the total production capacity of
Mitsubishi Rayon to 23.9 million lb, up from 9 million lb in 2007. Hexcel — Based in Stamford, CT, Hexcel Corp. announced a three-year expansion program in 2005 that boosted its capacity 40 percent. Hexcel did not disclose its capacity. Cytec Industries — This New Jerseybased company announced plans to double its carbon fiber production capacity with a $150 million expansion of a plant in Greenville, SC. FOR MORE
AE R OS PA C E
information
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-511 Airbus: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-512 Mitsubishi Rayon Co.: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-513
JU N E 2009 AE R O S PACE / DE F E NS E / A S UP P LE ME NT TO DE S I GN NE WS A13
Aerospace/Defense ADVERTORIAL
IN THE MARKETPLACE AIRBORN’S NEW HIGH-RELIABILIT Y, MICROMINIATURE SEALED CONNECTORS Provide superior environmental protection AirBorn’s new M-Series .050 inch Sealed Connectors are rated to 30 psi and meet the performance standards of MIL-DTL-83513. They target I/O applications in which protection against extreme temperature swings, moisture and humidity is required. The M-Series features two levels of sealing. The connectors are sealed at the flange to panel with a fluorosilicone EMI gasket. In addition, a seal through the interface made of EPDM provides flexibility superior to the standard epoxy-based seals that can become brittle and deteriorate from thermal cycling. The sealed connectors are available in sizes 9 to 37 contacts, are custom-built to order, supplied pre-wired and can be ordered with factory- or customerdefined wire/cable. AirBorn Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-514 TADIRAN’S TLM MILITARY GRADE LITHIUM BATTERIES Feature low self-discharge, wide operating temperature range Tadiran’s TLM family of Military Grade Batteries is developed specifically for military and aerospace applications. These rugged, high-energy lithium metal oxide batteries feature an open circuit voltage of 4V, with a discharge capacity of 500 mAh (20 mA at 2.8V RT), capable of handling 5A continuous pulses and 15A maximum high-current pulses. TLM Military Grade Batteries are constructed with a carbonbased anode, multi metal oxide cathode, organic electrolyte and shut-down separator for enhanced safety. They also feature low self-discharge and a wide operating temperature range of -40 to 85C. These batteries comply with MIL-STD 810G specifications for vibration, shock, temperature shock, salt fog, altitude, acceleration (50,000 gn) and spinning (30,000 rpm), and conform to UN 1642 and IEC 60086 standards for crush, impact, nail penetration, heat, over-charge and short circuit. Tadiran Batteries Ltd. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-515 THE LEE CO.’S IMH INSERT ORIFICES Available in a range of flow rates
EAGLE’S STAINLESS-STEEL DATA SHEET Explains benefits, grades of stainless steel Eagle Stainless Tube & Fabrication Inc. is offering a twopage data sheet explaining what stainless steel is, its benefits, the grades of stainless steel and a full-page chart depicting chemical compositions and major characteristics. Eagle Stainless Tube & Fabrication Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-516
The Lee Co.’s new miniature, calibrated IMH Insert Orifices for both liquids and gases are available in 2.5 and 5.5 mm diameters. These new cartridge-style orifices are the smallest, self-retained flow restrictors available and are designed to provide far more accuracy than an ordinary drilled hole. Accuracy is confirmed by 100 percent flow testing to ensure every orifice is within ±5 percent of its nominal flow rate. Constructed entirely of stainless steel, the new IMH Insert Orifices are available in a range of flow rates, with orifice sizes as small as 0.002 inch (.05 mm). Certain models are offered with an integral safety screen. Installation is simple using Lee’s proven controlled expansion principle, which provides retention and creates a leaktight seal that prevents bypass leakage. The Lee Co. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-517
A14 AERO SPA C E/DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S IG N N E WS JU N E 2009
[www.d esignnews .com]
Aerospace/Defense CONTINUED, IN THE MARKETPLACE
ADVERTORIAL
MASTER BONDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MASTERSIL 151 OPTICAL ADHESIVE Penetrates into complex formations Master Bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new MS151 optical adhesive is a two-part silicone adhesive with siliconeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inherent temperature resistance and flexibility, a refractive index of 1.43 and optical clarity. Its low viscosity assures complete fill-in around complicated contours even in very complex configurations. Master Bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MS151 cures at room temperature to an optically clear silicone rubber, providing electrical insulation, as well as resistance to vibration, impact, shock and thermal cycling. Shrinkage upon cure is less than 0.1 percent. The optical adhesive is designed to optimize optical bonding to glass, metals, ceramics and fiberglass, as well as coating solar cells and fiber-optic assemblies. The transparent adhesive has a dielectric strength of 460V/mil and a volume resistivity of 1x10E15-cm. Bonds exhibit an elongation-at-break of 160 percent and are tough, yet flexible. Operating temperature range is from 65 to 400F ( 64 to 205C). Master Bond Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-518 AERO GEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOUGH TOOTH ÂŽ TECHNOLOGY For aerospace drive systems Aero Gear Inc., a leading provider of design engineering, manufacturing, repair and overhaul services for aerospace drive systems, now offers TOUGH TOOTHÂŽ technology. TOUGH TOOTHÂŽ consists of a suite of technologies, from superfinishing to tooth contact analysis, combining engineering expertise with the tools needed to fully optimize power transmissions. Aero Gear Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-519
ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE For more info. visit these links
Page
Advertiser
A-11
Aero Gear Inc.
www.aerogear.com
A-6
Aerotech Inc.
www.aerotech.com
A-11
AirBorn Inc.
A-15
Bokers Inc.
A-12
HOTWATT Inc.
A-5
Lee Co., the
A-7-A-9
Phillips Plastics Corp.
A-3
Tadiran Electronic Industries
[ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]
www.airborn.com
www.bokers.com/dn
www.hotwatt.com
Washers NINETY YEARS OF
Experience
t 23,000 ďŹ&#x201A;at washer sizes with no tooling charges t Over 2,000 material choices t Most orders shipped in 2 weeks or less!
FREE 2009 CATALOG t t8"4)&34 t t t
www.theleeco.com
www.phillipsplastics.com
www.tadiranbat.com
888 #0,&34 $0. %/ TBMFT!CPLFST DPN t 'BY
JU N E 2009 AE R O S PACE / DE F E NS E / A S UP P LE ME NT TO DE S I GN NE WS A15
Aerospace/Defense
Q&A
Taking Small Micro Air Vehicles to the Next Level Wright State University researchers apply their expertise and stake their claim in MAV research and design
S O U R C E : C T L W R I G H T S TAT E U N I V.
BY RANDY FRANK, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Winner of the SAE Aero Design competition in 2006, 2007 and 2008 for Micro class #1 in the east region, Wright State University has staked its claim as a key university in Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) research and design. Led by George Huang, Wright State University’s newly formed Micro Air Vehicle Research Center of Excellence has partnered with Wright Patterson Air Field Base to tackle the tough problems associated with George Huang MAVs that mimic the flight of insects and weigh only several grams. With their existing dragonfly-based MAV, Huang has an excellent starting point. What is the main difference between the MAV you are pursuing and a fixed-wing airplane? For a fixed-wing aircraft, the eddy (the airflow moving counter to the main airflow) is small compared to the airplane itself. There is significant interaction in the dragonfly MAV, (so) you have to look at the whole body in designing the aerodynamics. You cannot look at one section of it because they all interact with each other. Because of the eddy, the flow is disturbed by the body itself. That’s probably the most significant difference. With a MAV, you cannot only look at the wing or a simplified form because any part is going to be important. That makes the design significantly more difficult. What is the biggest challenge you are investigating? We can fly this airplane about 15 minutes, continuously. Remember that 15 minutes means this Micro Air Vehicle just continues flapping. In reality, insects don’t really flap all the time. If you look at butterflies, they fly from Canada to Mexico. If they keep flapping, they will run out of energy in just one or two miles. The way they do it is, they have sensors on the body. This is what we want to have on our airplane — sensors that can detect the wind.
If the MAVs are used inside buildings, how does the wind come into consideration? Even in a room, you will find that the air is circulating; it is not going to be steady. This airplane will sense the air blast, the wind coming up, and it will ride the upstroke of the gust wind. If the airplane can rise up, then it has more distance to travel. It can also detect a temperature gradient and it will rise by taking the temperature gradient. Does any aircraft do that now? No. Not yet. The reason is right now, this kind of situation can only apply to small airplanes. The gust wind can only help smaller aircraft. For big aircraft, if you have gust wind, it really doesn’t do very much because it is so heavy. How does a university help solve this problem? Control theory can be used. I am writing an SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) proposal with one of the local companies to come up with the control theory to do this. If you look at the airplane moving, first you need to have a sensor. The sensor will be able to sense the flow direction and will be able to sense the temperature gradient. Then you will try to adjust the cell to take this ride. The feedback control will look at the air coming in and make adjustments. It is an optimization problem where I want to keep my height constant and convert minimum energy. George Huang, Ph.D., is a professor and chair of the Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Wright State University, Dayton, OH. FOR MORE
information
AE R OS PA C E
Wright State University’s Micro Air Vehicle Research Center of Excellence: http://designnews.hotims.com/23106-520
A16 AERO SPA C E/DE F E NS E / A S U P P L E M E N T T O D E S IG N N E WS JU N E 2009
[www.d esignnews .com]
Goodbye Design Constraints
» ELECTRONICS
MEMS Display Consumes Less Than 1 mW of Power Low-power technology is gaining momentum in portable electronics
By Charles J. Murray, senior technical editor, electronics A new low-power MEMS-based display technology is making its mark in a variety of portable applications ranging from candy-bar-style mobile phones to smartphones to GPS-based golf range finders. Known as a “mirasol™ display,” the new technology is said to draw just a tiny fraction of the power of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) while offering greater viewability in sunlight. Since January, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc. — maker of the mirasol™ display — has announced that Inventec Corp., Cal-Comp Electronics, LG Electronics Inc. and G-Core Co. Ltd. will use the display on their portable products. “Anything that is portable, needs a display and runs on batteries is a candidate for this technology,” says Jim Cathey, vice president of business development for Qualcomm MEMS Technologies. The mirasol™ display technology, which hit the market about a year-and-ahalf ago, is considered significant because it draws less than 1 mW of power, whereas conventional LCDs can use 200-250 mW. It works by using MEMS-based (microelectromechanical systems) Interferometric Modules (IMOD) that open and close, allowing light into an optical cavity whenever the appropriate voltage is applied by a driver chip. The key to the process is that the IMOD reflects ambient light into the display and, therefore, needs no backlight. As a result, its power requirements are far lower than those of conventional displays. Moreover, it’s more usable in bright daylight.
“As ambient light increases, an LCD does not increase in brightness,” Cathey says. “It can’t get any brighter and the light washes out the display. Whereas with mirasol™, as ambient light increases, so does the light of the display.” Cathey says Qualcomm recently began marketing color mirasol™ displays, after initially launching monochrome versions. Portable product manufacturers are using both kinds of technology, he says. Cathey adds that the Qualcomm has had “nine design wins” of late. In February, LG Electronics said it will begin incorporating color mirasol™ displays in its handsets. At the same time, Inventec announced its V112 Smartphone will feature a bichrome mirasol™ display as a “secondary screen,” which will enable the unit to save power by redirecting content from the higherpower main display. Similarly, Cal-Comp Electronics has said it will use the new displays to reduce power consumption on its iT-810 mobile phones and G-Core announced it will employ the mirasol™ technology in its Mini Caddy GPS golf range finder. “We’ve had design wins with monochrome,” Cathey says. “Now we’re starting to take the next step and move to color.” For More
• • • •
Oil dependent Cumbersome, bulky design Costly maintenance Limited design options
Hello DryLin® Linear Guide Systems
• • • • • •
No oil: self-lubricating Maintenance free Compact, multiple rail options Simple to install Available from stock Predictable lifespan and wear rates
ELECTRONICS
information
Qualcomm’s mirasol™ display technology: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-540 Improving displays using LED technology: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-541
Inventec’s V112 Smartphone will reduce power consumption by using the mirasol™ display as a secondary screen (at bottom of handset). The secondary screen will post such information as incoming calls, MP3 song titles and e-mails.
Expert System Online Predictability Calculator
Call for a free design consultation and samples.
Plastics for longer life
(800) 521-2747 sales@igus.com ISO 9001:2000 Certified
www.igus.com 33
» MATERIALS
Tailor-Welded Blanks Cut Noise, Weight in Autos Engineers can avoid expensive damping sheet treatments typically applied to reduce the amplitude of vibrations
By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials and fastening Both weight and NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) in cars can be reduced through design changes and the use of specific steel processing technologies, such as tailor-welded blanks (TWB). The TWB allows for greater thicknesses in weaker areas as opposed to using an over-designed beam. According to a study commissioned by WorldAutoSteel, bead designs were implemented on a firewall that showed potential to bypass expensive damping sheet treatments, commonly applied to reduce the amplitude of vibrations. The noise contribution of the firewall was improved by 0.9 dB, Benefits of Tailored Steel Products: • Fewer parts in assembly its mass reduced • Fewer tools/fixtures by 5.1 percent • Less welding/assembly equipment and the structure • Mass reduction • Improved crashworthiness/safety maintained the • Improved stiffness same level of crashworthiness. • Reduced NVH Improved dimensional control “This is a good •• More efficient corrosion resistance management result considerSource: Tailored Steel Product Alliance ing that we only had access to the firewall and were testing a front-end design that is already quite advanced,” says Juliette Florentin of LMS International, who helped conduct the study on behalf of WorldAutoSteel. “If this approach were applied early on in the design process, we might be able to achieve additional weight reduction.” The study was presented at the SAE 2009 World Congress by Florentin and Toyoki Yamamoto of Nippon Steel, who provided steel technical expertise to the project. The new approach was applied to a BMW 1-Series firewall with integrated cross beam and the study was done with a virtual firewall structure with a test-based body model. The vibro-acoustic model includes the firewall structure, trim elements, full vehicle boundary conditions and an acoustic model of the passenger cabin. It can predict structure-borne engine noise in the 40- to 400-Hz range. The short calculation time of this setup allows a wide range optimization, where multiple design iterations can be completed quickly. A significant number of modifications to the firewall and associated transverse beam were modeled to determine the impact on weight and NVH. “We focused on a firewall, as it is a dominant panel for noise and vibration concerning the structure-borne engine noise,” says Yamamoto. “And we chose the BMW 1-Series firewall because it is already a superior design that would be difficult to improve upon, therefore creating a proper challenge for this new approach.” MATERIALS For More WorldAutoSteel is information the automotive group The SAE World Congress: of worldsteel Assn., a http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-542 trade organization that worldsteel Assn.: includes 15 major steel http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-543 New steels cut weight: producers, including http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-544 Nucor and U.S. Steel. 34
» MOTION CONTROL
ABB Robots Featured in New ‘Terminator’ Movie Visibility of industrial robotics will reach an entirely new level; company’s robots are very visible and instrumental in final scene
By Alex Miller, Control Engineering The visibility of industrial robotics reached an entirely new level in May, when Warner Brothers Studios released the new “Terminator Salvation” movie to North American audiences. In addition to Christian Bale and the army of rival Terminators, 18 Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) robots shared starring roles in the fourth of the popular “Terminator” films. Appropriately cast in a versatile manufacturing role, 12 ABB IRB 6620s and six ABB IRB 1600s spent the summer of 2008 on the movie set in a converted power plant in Albuquerque, NM. Through special effects, the robots are arranged in an almost endless manufacturing line, mass producing a growing army of the Terminators. Jaffe Entertainment, a product placement firm, had initially contacted ABB and other robotic manufacturers to investigate the possibility of using their robots and to
review their individual product lines. Academy Award-winning set director Victor Zolfo and production designer Martin Laing were most intrigued by ABB’s product offering, and began working with Ted Wodoslawsky, ABB Robotics’ vice president of marketing, to work out the details and select the robot models that would best fit the role. “We looked at a variety of different robot manufacturers, but were most struck by the presence of ABB’s robots, especially the larger units,” says Zolfo. “They had the right lines and they provided the feel that they could actually be making Terminators.” ABB Field Service Engineer, Erik Ryskamp, with periodic support from additional ABB technicians, spent 10 weeks last summer on set, installing, programming and operating the robots. “Erik and
ABB’s six-axis IRB 6620 industrial robots play an instrumental role in the climax scene of “Terminator Salvation.”
his team worked with us very closely creating an incredible ballet with the robots, actors, stunt men and Christian Bale,” says Zolfo. “What the ABB programming system was able to get the robots to do was better than we ever expected. The robots are very visible and instrumental in the final, climactic scene of the movie.” For More
MOTION
CONTROL
information
ABB Robotics: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-546 View the movie trailer: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-547 Read more about the use of ABB’s robots in the movie “Terminator Salvation” at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-548.
Stimpson Eyelets... Over 3,800 Different Sizes & Styles
ISO 9001:2000 Certified Made In The USA...Manufactured With Pride... Shipped Worldwide
1515 SW 13th Court, Pompano Beach, FL 33069 • Phone: (877) 765-0748 • Fax: (954) 545-7440 E-Mail: customer_service@stimpson.com • Website: www.stimpson.com 36
WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE. Kepco's Series KLP is programmable in many languages, using many common interfaces: GPIB and isolated analog control are standard and an LXI-approved LAN (Ethernet, RJ-45) connector is also available.
Kepco's exclusive technology replaces the need for multiple power supplies by delivering a full 1200 Watts over an expanded operating range, not just a single point. NEW
Lower Prices
Call us to TALK about the Series KLP Power Supplies or visit
www.kepcopower.com/ klp.htm AN ISO 9001 COMPANY
KEPCO, INC. 131-38 Sanford Avenue, Flushing, NY 11355 USA Tel: (718) 461-7000 • Fax: (718) 767-1102 Email: hq@kepcopower.com www.kepcopower.com
» DESIGN TOOLS
ANSYS Tackles Multi-Physics Simulation in a Holistic Manner The new Workbench 2.0 framework automates and establishes enhanced workflow between the different simulation disciplines
By Beth Stackpole, contributing editor, design tools Along with the smorgasbord of advanced capabilities in each of its multi-physics disciplines, ANSYS 12.0 ushers in a new Workbench paradigm designed to seamlessly integrate the individual applications, while establishing enhanced workflow that addresses multi-physics simulation in a more holistic manner. As the centerpiece of the At the heart of ANSYS 12.0 is the ANSYS Workbench upgrade, ANSYS’ Workbench 2.0 platform, a flexible simulation environment that allows engineers to easily set up, visualize and manage 2.0 introduces the concept of simulations. a project schematic to easily set up, visualize, connect and form parametric analyses across all physics manage simulations. Engineers work with available, including structural (both imthe schematic metaphor to link multiple plicit and explicit), fluid flow and multidisciplines, and the simulation platform physics. “This helps reduce the number of automatically establishes the relationships simulation runs by smartly searching for and performs the requisite data exchanges an optimum set of parameters that satisfy a without intervention. “Rather than have to range of constraints an engineer is looking shed the blood, sweat and tears to link all for,” Choudhury adds. the codes together, the workbench environTo help engineers better manage workment takes care of all of the steps,” says Diflow and data between the multi-physics pankar Choudhury, ANSYS’ vice president modules, ANSYS has also enhanced its of corporate strategy. Engineering Knowledge Manager, the Another time-saving feature within the simulation software’s process and data revamped workbench is the Parameter management component. ANSYS EKM, Manager. With this capability, engineers now offered in a desktop, workgroup set up geometry parameters using a familor enterprise version, helps engineering iar spreadsheet-like interface and ANSYS teams better manage, share and reuse 12.0 automatically launches the simulasimulation data via its data search, retrieval tion runs, as well as handles the postand reporting capabilities. processing results analysis. In the past, ANSYS also integrated its ANSYS Fluengineers would manually have to create ent fluid flow solver into the workbench parameters and subsequently run dozens environment, allowing computational of simulations to test out possible designs. fluid dynamics (CFD) practitioners to le“The application has typically been brute verage a parametric and persistent modelforce — there was a lot of effort, including ing environment while taking advantage human time, to make those runs,” Choudof such capabilities as bi-directional CAD hury says. “(With ANSYS 12.0), instead integration, advanced meshing and powof manually saying go run, A, B, C, users erful post-processing functions. simply specify a range and the software DESIGN TOOLS will automatically handle it.” For More The new DesignXplorer feature, which information ANSYS’ Workbench 2.0: was previously not part of the main packhttp://designnews.hotims.com/23107-549 age, builds on the automation capabilities Read more about ANSYS’ Engineering of the Parameter Manager. Using built-in Knowledge Manager (EKM): design optimization tools, engineers can http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-550 search for and establish parameters to per-
» AUTOMOTIVE
Auto Infotainment Moves toward Copper IEEE 1394 gains momentum in automotive DVD and GPS systems
By Charles J. Murray, senior technical editor, electronics
The move toward copper-based automotive infotainment networks accelerLP-033-C outlines.ai 5/16/2008 ated recently, as one supplier rolled out
a new chip for it and industry proponents met in Detroit to discuss the 1:50:51 PM technology’s adoption.
Sou
rce: Fujit s
u Mic
roele
ctro
nics
Ame
rica
Fujitsu’s 1394 automotive controller is believed to be the first designed for high-definition video in the vehicle.
Copper-based IEEE 1394 network cabling, which made its name in applications ranging from computer peripherals to handheld cameras, appears to be gaining momentum in the worldwide auto industry and is reportedly drawing interest from Ford, Nissan, Honda, Renault, Peugeot and Daimler. Although none of the companies are yet talking about their plans for it, all are believed to be considering it for next-generation networking of signals from DVDs, GPS displays and camera-based safety systems. “We’ve been working on it for nine years,” says Max Bassler, chairman of the 1394 Trade Assn. and author of the 1394 automotive specification. “And we’re hearing from the automakers, especially in Japan, that they are looking to put copper in their cars.” If the technology does reach broad adoption, it would represent a major change for the auto industry. Up to now, high-end European automakers have been huge supporters of plastic optical fiber (POF), rather than copper, as the medium-of-choice for infotainment applications. The pioneering technology in the field, Media-Ori40
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
ented Systems Transport (MOST), uses the optical fiber to send signals and has been employed heavily by BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Volvo and Audi. Members of the 1394 Trade Assn. say; however, their so-called “FireWire” technology is gaining momentum in the automotive world because it is faster and more flexible than plastic optical fiber. At a 1394 Auto Technology Seminar in Dearborn, MI recently, association members presented the technology to tier-one suppliers and automakers. “We’ve come up with all the building blocks and with a complete eco-system of components for 1394 automotive networks,” Bassler told them. “And we’ve started to benchmark these networks against other possibilities, such as MOST and Ethernet.” Some of the technical discussions, they say, have revolved around the issue of electromagnetic interference (EMI), which was initially believed to be a problem with copper and was one of the big reasons plastic optical fiber initially flourished. “With the advancement of differential signaling in 1394b, we’ve been able to prove that we could go up to eight meters or more, running at gigabit-speeds, with no EMI problems in the copper,” says Richard Mourn, a board member of the 1394 Trade Assn. and founder of Quantum Parametrics, a provider of 1394 tools and testing services. Electronic components for such networks are also said to be growing in number. In April, Fujitsu Microelectronics America Inc. rolled out For More
the world’s first 1394 automotive controller for high-definition video in vehicle networks. Known as the MB88395, the new controller can simultaneously transmit multiple data streams from Blu-Ray DVDs, digital TV and car navigation systems around a vehicle using a high-speed
800 Mbps physical layer. “Video content requires high bandwidth,” says Akio Nezu, senior marketing manager for Fujitsu Microelectronics Automotive Business Group. “In our minds, you need that bandwidth to support navigation images, DVDs, movies and digital TV.”
Standard Or Custom Parts From A Single Source 100,000 Drive and Automation Components Ready-to-Deliver 3D CAD | eSTORE available at www.sdp-si.com < A comprehensive selection of pitches: MXL, 40DP, XL, L, HDT®-3 & 5 mm, T2.5, T5, T10 and GT®2-2, 3 & 5 mm < Pulleys in Steel, Aluminum, Acetal, Nylon & Polycarbonate, Fiberglass Reinforced; many featuring the Fairloc® Hub. In stock, modified or made to your specifications. < Belts: Single-Sided, DoubleSided & Belt Stock available in Fiberglass Reinforced Neoprene & Polyurethane with Kevlar or Steel Cord. < Tension Meters & Belt Clamps for all pitches
Our experienced team of engineering and manufacturing < Inch & Metric, RoHS Compliant experts are ready to work for you.
AUTOMOTIVE
information
Fujitsu’s MB88395: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-551 Media-Oriented Systems Transport (MOST): http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-552 The 1394 Trade Assn.: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-553 Read about the auto industry’s search for a suitable multimedia network at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-554. For more automotive news, go to http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-555.
FREE Belts & Pulleys Catalog
Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument
ISO 9001:2000 Registered Tel. (516) 328-3300 | Fax (516) 326-8827 | www.sdp-si.com
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 4 1
COVER STORY
HIGH
R
VOLTAGE Mike Willmon of Anchorage, Alaska is one of more than 100 electric vehicle drag racers. Source: Brian Adams, Getty Images
ODERICK WILDE’S CARS ARE SO POWERFUL, THEY’VE DONE WHEEL STANDS. THEY’VE SNAPPED AXLES. AND, IN DRAG races, they’ve “blown the doors off ” 450-HP Dodge Vipers. “If we went much faster, we would’ve made those Vipers look like they weren’t moving,” brags Wilde, a longtime racing enthusiast. “Those drivers might as well have thrown open their doors and walked.” If Wilde were just another speed-obsessed racer, his exploits might be little more than local legend. But Wilde isn’t just another speed-obsessed racer. He’s a speed-obsessed electric racer. And in the world of drag racing, as well as in the greater automotive universe, that makes his achievements special. To be sure, Wilde’s newsworthy exploits aren’t unique. The National Electric Drag Racing Assn. (NEDRA) now counts about 100 members who’ve raced in Oregon, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, Washington DC and even England. Among them, there’s much fashionably muscular talk of blowing doors off, putting hammers down, sucking amps and slamming electrical current into motors. The racers have cars with names like Maniac Mazda, Crazyhorse Pinto and White Zombie. But amidst all the loud, zealous banter, there’s also speed. Lots of it. “You get these guys who are driving their gasoline-powered Corvettes, Mustangs and Audis, and they’re losing on the drag strip to electric cars,” says Mike Willmon, an engineer who also serves as the president of NEDRA. “It’s opening up some eyes.” Indeed, heads are turning. A racer named John “Plasma Boy” Wayland, designer of the White Zombie, has pushed his street- To drive the rear wheels, the Crazyhorse electric legal electric Datsun to an extraordinary 11.4-second quarterPinto uses two nine-inch diameter brush-type dc mile. Willmon, meanwhile, has covered a quarter-mile in 12.4 motors coupled back to back. seconds in his electric 1978 “Crazyhorse” Pinto. And Bill Dubé,
42
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
Source: Mike WIllmon
By using hundreds of pounds of batteries and “slamming” massive amounts of electrical current into their drive motors, drag racers are enabling small electric vehicles to beat gasoline-powered Corvettes and Vipers
STORY_CHARLES J. MURRAY, SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR, ELECTRONICS
Oregon Public Broadcasting and the Discovery Channel have immortalized the electric sport — at least within the tight drag racing community — reportedly drawing as many as a million viewers to their websites to watch the videos. No one who knows racing, it seems, is unaware of the sudden advancement of electrics. When Wayland drives his White Zombie onto a drag strip, crowds form. “The car is like a magnet,” he says. “People are shocked when they hear we’ve done this with a Datsun.”
A New Image
Electric Torque
It wasn’t always so, however. A little more than a decade ago, virtually all racers considered electric vehicles to be glorified golf carts. That began changing in 1994, however, when the Oregon Electric Vehicle Assn. decided to stage an electric drag race to show the public that environmentally acceptable EVs could be “fun and exciting.” The organization cordoned off a little street in downtown Portland, grabbed a few stop watches and laid chalk lines on the cobblestone surface. Wayland, however, was not about to stand for the idea of a genteel, 30-mph drag race. He found the concept offensive; it was as if someone had tried to paint a smiley face on his soul. “I thought about the 72-Volt cars that could barely get out of their own way, lumbering and wheezing uphill at 30 miles per hour,” Wayland recalls. “And I said, ‘we can’t show this to the public.’” He didn’t. Wayland used a helicopter battery and transyear, Wilmon’s electric formed his Datsun 1200 into a Last Pinto covered a quarter-mile in 175-V race car. “They weren’t 12.47 seconds. expecting cars like mine,” he says now. “Here I came with my Datsun, burning rubber in all five gears and smoking the tires. Women and children were running for cover.” Then Wilde showed up. Wilde, who now runs a Washington-based electric vehicle parts company (evparts.com), unloaded his electric Mazda from the back of a trailer, smoked his tires for 200 ft and did a “wheel stand” (in which the vehicle rears up on its hind wheels like a horse). From that moment forward, the image of electric vehicles forever changed. And the ensuing years have reinforced the new image. The ultimate proof of this lies on the Internet. Dubé points out that an advanced Google search for his Killacycle yields hits in virtually any imaginable language — Icelandic, Latvian, Norwegian and even Esperanto. Moreover, specials by
Indeed, the vehicles of the electric drag racing world are shocking, in more ways than one. Starting in the early 1990s, backyard mechanics began converting their gas-powered cars to pure electrics, ripping out the gas tanks and rear seats, replacing them with batteries and then re-configuring the power trains. (Go to Wilde’s company website for conversion directions). When the drag racers burst onto the scene, however, the number of batteries and the associated voltage skyrocketed. “Back in the ‘90s, the typical EV that someone built in their backyard was 72 Volts or 96 Volts,” Wayland says. “That was the norm, and 120 Volts was the new high-voltage standard.” It didn’t take long for the racers to realize, though, that those voltages were just too low. Over time, the numbers soared to 336V, 360V and 380V. Willmon, for example, employs two parallel strings of 30 batteries in his electric 1978
Source: Suckamps.com
founder of the so-called KillaCycle team, owns an electric motorcycle that covers a quarter-mile in a stunning 7.82 seconds, reaching speeds of 168 mph. What’s more, the engineering behind the vehicles is impressive, not only in terms of power development, but in the way the owners have created technologies on shoestring budgets. Thanks to the efforts of the electric racing community, there’s now a motor controller capable of parsing out huge voltages and currents to the vehicles’ drive motors. There’s also a battery controller that enables them to charge their huge battery packs without damaging them. Racers say such new technologies are enabling them to do amazing things. “Rod raced against a GM EV1 awhile back and beat it with his backyard-built Mazda,” says Wayland of his one-time competitor, Roderick Wilde. “The guys from GM were shocked. Here they had a million-dollar prototype with ac drives, and along comes this long-haired guy from Washington who blows their doors off.”
Crazyhorse Pinto Dyno Results
»
Actual Wheel Horsepower from HalesTechnical.com Dyno Results 6 Aug 08 RPM Captures from Zilla DAQ4 Output and Correlated to Dyno Speed Results Torque Calculated = Horsepower x 5,252/rpm 1,300 1,200 1,100 1,000 900 800
HP
700
Torque
600
Speed x10
500 400 300 200 100 0 0
500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 RPM
Torque Calculations Performed by Mike Willmon, P.E.
On the dynamometer, the Pinto’s electric motors produce prodigious amounts of torque as soon as current is applied.
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 4 3
Source: Mike Willmon
Wheel HP, Motor Torque and Speed
Source: Mike Willmon
Wilde’s Maniac Mazda has so much power it has done “wheel stands” on launch.
Current = Torque Drag racers know that they can get faster times by “slamming” more amps into the motors How do you make an old Datsun do an 11.4-second quarter mile? The answer is simple: Lots of electrical current. Drag racers know that more amps translate to more torque. The key, they say, is to use that torque for a fast launch, which is why some racers are “slamming” as much as 2,000A into their motors when they nail it at the starting line. “The more amps you can pack into these motors before they melt,” says racer John “Plasma Boy” Wayland, “the more awesome torque you have for launching your car.”
Source: John Wayland
COVER STORY
Café Electric’s product, known as the Zilla (named for Godzilla), is a favorite among racers because it’s programmable. Programmability enables Zilla to vary the input and output — essentially trading current for voltage and vice versa. It can, for example, take in a large voltage and small current from the battery, and then produce the opposite at the motor. Racers are enamored with the Zilla because it’s all about power. In a green box (it’s the same color as Godzilla) a little bigger than a loaf of bread, the Zilla can control upwards of a half-megawatt of power, they say. “You can program the Zilla for ungodly motor current,” says Wayland. “So you can nail it off the line and protect your battery and only pull, say, 800 amps or 900 amps out of your battery. But then you can slam 2,000 amps into the motor.” To reach really high speeds; however, all of the racers know they are at the mercy of battery manufacturers. In that respect, electric drag racing development is no different than conventional electric car development. That’s why elite racers hold hopes of securing lithium-ion batteries for their vehicles. Lithium-ion, which has already established itself in the development of GM’s Chevy Volt, is already being used in Dubé’s Killacycle and could see more widespread use by this summer. Dubé says his ability to obtain the highly powerful and expensive lithium-ion batteries has hinged on his knowledge of the emerging technology. He currently uses 550 lithium-ion cells from A123 Systems, a well-known manufacturer of batteries for the electric vehicle market. The cells, arranged in five strings of 110 batteries each, provide far more power density than standard lead-acid batteries, but neither Dubé nor A123 will say how much more. To date, A123 has been careful about providing the costly lithium-ion cells to racing teams, but Dubé has been successful because of his team’s development of a battery management system that helps keep the voltages of the individual cells within prescribed boundaries. Dubé’s battery pack, which produces about 375V, uses hundreds of the controllers. “We said to A123, ‘We won’t damage your cells,’” Dubé explains. “We know how to care for batteries.” The technology developed by Dubé’s team is unassuming: a tiny circuit board, about the size of two postage stamps, containing a shunt regulator and a light-emitting diode (LED). The shunt regulator serves as a sensor. When the battery is charged near capacity, the system senses it and lights a green
None of that can happen, however, if the current from the battery isn’t used properly, and that’s where the electronic control comes in. Many racers now use a product developed by Café Electric LLC, a firm that specializes in making EV motor controllers. 44
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
Source: Mike Willmon
Pinto. The batteries, lead-acid Hawker Odyssey units from Enersys Inc., reside in the backseat, as well as in the vacated spot where the Pinto’s infamous gas tank used to be. They amount to 848 lb of mass, equally distributed across the rear (drive) axle. With the two strings, Willmon’s system creates about 360V and 1,600A of current, theoretically generating about 576,000W (0.576 MW) of power. “It’s all about the battery,” says Dubé. “The technology in the rest of the machine is interesting, but the battery is the key.” Still, the racing vehicles can’t accelerate quickly without a drive motor that produces prodigious amounts of torque for low cost. In the world of electric drag racing, most owners favor brush-type dc motors, combined with healthy amounts of innovation. WillHow to Make a Golf Cart mon, for example, uses two 9-inch Do a Wheel Stand diameter brush-type More batteries, more dcs mounted back- voltage, more amps to-back. In essence, “We took a stock golf cart motor rated at 3.5 horsepower, which was made to run at the motors are the 36 Volts,” says drag racer Roderick Wilde. same type used for “We put 120 Volts of batteries in the cart electric forklifts, along with a 900 amp controller. As a rewith modifications. sult, we got 56 horsepower out of the 3.5 He ordered them horsepower motor. With two 200-pound from NetGain Mo- people in it, it pulls wheel stands when you tors Inc., an EV take off.” motor distributor that worked with the manufacturer, Warfield Electric Co., to beef up the shaft, bearings and brush materials, thus preparing the motors for the demanding environment of the drag strip. Once he had the motors, Willmon hard-coupled them together with a stock gear coupler and joined them to the driveshaft through a splined output and a yoke assembly. The result of this arrangement is surprisingly practical for a racer, since there’s no need to install a heavy and costly transmission. On a dynamometer, the Pinto’s power train typically generates 314 HP across the full-range from 0 to 5,000 rpm, and yields an astounding 1,500 ft-lb of torque at 0 rpm. “A gas engine has to ramp up to reach peak torque and power,” Willmon says. “But with an electric motor, when you put current through it, it generates torque immediately.” Monster Power
John “Plasmaboy” Wayland’s White Zombie has covered a quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds.
Installed in the rear seat and in the vacated spot where the Pinto’s infamous gas tank used to be, Willmon’s Crazyhorse uses 848 lb of batteries.
"EWFSUJTFNFOU
COVER STORY LED. When it reaches full capacity, a red light turns on. To stop the flow of current, Dubé manually turns a knob. He facetiously refers to the system as an opto-biomechanical technology, in which the LED is the “opto,” the knob is the “mechanical,” and Dubé himself is the “bio.” Hope Springs Eternal
Other race teams are hoping to use A123’s lithium-ion technology, too, largely because it provides more power density than lead-acid batteries. Moreover, a new generation of A123’s technology is expected to offer more horsepower at less than half the weight, enabling Dubé to cut as much as 100 lb from his motorcycle and — hopefully — enabling bigger vehicles to cut even more weight. Most race teams; however, aren’t expecting to receive demonstration batteries from A123, nor can they afford to buy the costly new batteries themselves. Still, there’s hope. “If I get the lithium pack that I want, the White Zombie will turn a 10.85-second quarter-mile, and you can take that to the bank,” Wayland predicts. Whatever happens, Wayland is ready. Last year, he had the dubious distinction of being thrown off a track for breaking 11.5 seconds in the quarter-mile without a roll cage or fire suit, and it has buoyed his spirits since. “It’s a badge of honor,” he explains. “Everybody wants that mo-
ment where you get kicked off the track.” Having been successfully dismissed, Wayland and others are planning to lower their times this summer — with or without the “hot shot” new lithiumion batteries. At the Wayland Invitational at Portland International Raceway on July 24-25, they’re expecting eight new Tesla electric vehicles, along with Dubé’s Killacycle, Willmon’s Crazyhorse Pinto, and Wayland’s own White Zombie. “I would be happy with a 10.999,” Wayland says hopefully. “I just want to have the first street-legal electric car to make it to the 10’s.” For More
information
National Electric Drag Racing Assn. (NEDRA): http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-592 “Plasma Boy” Wayland: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-593 Killacycle: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-562 Roderick Wilde: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-563 Oregon Electric Vehicle Assn.: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-564 Wilde’s company website: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-565 Hawker Odyssey units: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-566 Cafe Electric’s Zilla: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-567 White Lightning Racer: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-568
Power Density vs. Energy Density Higher power doesn’t necessarily translate to greater range When electric drag racers turn in scorching quarter-mile times, it doesn’t necessarily mean the same battery can be used to achieve 300-mile driving ranges for EVs. Why? Because higher battery power doesn’t always translate to higher energy. In some cases, one is realized at the expense of the other. By boosting a battery’s current collector and reducing its amount of active material, engineers can provide the amps they need for high torque and fast launch. But when they do that, they diminish the battery’s energy density and, therefore, its ability to provide longer driving ranges. “If I want longer range and I have a two-kilogram battery, I might put 1.5 kilograms of active material in it,” says David Swan of DHS Engineering, a noted industry engineer who served as a battery consultant for the 245-mph White Lightning racer that held the EV landspeed record a decade ago. “But if I’m designing a battery for a race car, I’ll do it the other way around. I might only have two-thirds of a kilogram of active material and more than a kilogram of current collector.” By altering the design, Swan says, engineers can boost range right now. Still, that range may not yet be close the goals of 200 W-hr/kg and 300 W-hr/kg the auto industry has long targeted for pure electric vehicles (not hybrids). The surprising performance of electric dragsters does provide a ray of hope, however. “The fact that we are seeing batteries with this kind of power bodes well for energy density,” Swan says. “It doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to get 300 W-hr/kg tomorrow. But you still might squeeze 10 percent, 20 percent or even 30 percent more out of the battery if you understand the trade-offs.”
-PHJD Siemens provides a clear advantage in performance. Logic control is expected of an automation controller. However, when performance is critical to the success of your application, SIMATIC S7 Controllers deliver:
• Built-in Diagnostics • Scalability • Speed • Flexibility
Compare your controller to SIMATIC S7 Controllers. www.sea.siemens.com/S7logic
Source: Baytubes
GET READY FOR THE CARBON REVOLUTION STORY_ D O U G S M O C K , C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I T O R , M AT E R I A L S A N D FA S T E N I N G
Look for major new design applications for carbon reinforcements at the National Plastics Exposition
48
N
EW REINFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, FEATURING CARBON FIBER AND NANOTUBES,
promise tremendous opportunities in plastic component design. New applications highlighting stiffness and electrical properties will be on display at the International Plastics Design Competition at the National Plastics Exposition June 22-26 in Chicago. Sponsored by Design News, the first-ever design competition at the NPE drew 41 entries in categories ranging from appliance and automotive to medical and bioprocessing. One of the biggest game-changers over the next five years in plastic component design will be the industrial-scale arrival of carbon nanotubes as multi-purpose compound enhancers. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one-fifth as dense as steel and some 30 times stronger, making them an excellent reinforcement. They create compounds with very low densities, and Young’s modulus (stiffness) superior to carbon fibers. They also exhibit unique electrical properties, and are efficient conductors of heat — two notable weaknesses of neat plastics. One of the first applications is a fuel filter produced by Bosch for the Audi A4 and A5. Made from Ultraform N2320 C polyacetal reinforced with CNTs, the filter has a high level of electric conductivity without much of a decrease in toughness. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommends a maximum specific volume resistance of 106 Ω-cm for materials that will be used in fuel-carrying components. The new carbon
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
"EWFSUJTFNFOU
Engineers will have a very tiny new arrow in their design quiver — carbon nanotubes. Shown at left is Bayer researcher Martin Schmid with an oversized model of carbon nanotubes.
nanotube compound has a value of just 30 Ω-cm, making it 30,000 times more conductive than required by SAE standard J1645. This eliminates the risk of sparking as fuel flows through the filter. Until now, multiwall carbon nanotubes have only been available on pilot scale and have been extremely pricey. But several major players are building commercial levels of capacity and bringing prices down significantly. “There will be three important applications for multiwall carbon nanotubes,” says Page McAndrew, senior research scientist at Arkema, one of the leading developers of the new reinforcement technology. “One is imparting electrical conductivity, primarily for ESD applications. Two is for improving mechanical performance and three is for flame retardancy.” Arkema for instance, inaugurated a 20 metric ton per year pilot plant in Lacq, France in 2006 and is planning an increase to 550 metric tons based on announcements. Bayer is boosting output from 80 metric tons to 260 metric tons this year and to 3,000 metric tons in the next few years. Other big players are Showa Denko, which is boosting capacity to 650 metric tons and Nanocyl, which is going up to 150 metric tons. Prices have dropped to a range of $30 to $70 per pound and probably will drop lower as companies jockey for market position. Considering that loadings in many applications are only 1 to 3 percent, the economics of multiwall carbon nanotubes are becoming attractive. Nanocyl offers compounded grades for various plastic masterbatches, including polycarbonate, nylon, polyesters, polypropylene and polyethylene. PLASTICYL compounds typically contain 15 to 20 percent carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes will be competing with carbon black for automotive fuel applications, one of the key target areas for the new material. Loadings of 10 to 20 percent of carbon black are often needed to meet electrical static discharge standards. That much carbon black can adversely affect the mechanical properties of a plastic compound, particularly impact resistance or permeability. “You can preserve those properties if you use carbon nanotubes instead because you can get the same ESD performance at loadings of just 1 to 2 percent,” says McAndrew. Learn about carbon nanotube developments at the BASF booth W127020. Carbon Fiber Escalates
New developments in carbon fiber compounds will also be in evidence at the NPE, most likely at the design display in the new West Hall of McCormick Place in Chicago. Parts entered into the design competition by Plasan Carbon Composites, such as air splitters and rear wings for pricey cars like the Viper, are not indicative of
»
4BGFUZ Siemens is the safe and responsible choice. Accommodating both standard automation and safety, SIMATIC S7 Controllers eliminate the need for two controllers, saving significant cost while reducing complexity. S7 Controllers provide:
• Certified Compliance • Easy Integration • Common Platform • No Extra Engineering
New processing technology will create opportunities to use carbon fiber compounds for structural applications, not just sporty flourishes, such as on this Chrysler Viper rear wing. Source: SPE
Compare your controller to SIMATIC S7 Controllers. www.sea.siemens.com/S7safety
"EWFSUJTFNFOU
Source: Baytubes
what’s coming in carbon fiber composite applications. “The target of our research is to take us from 7,000 vehicle sets a year to 50,000 or 60,000 a year,” says Gary Lownsdale, engineering manager for Plasan Carbon Composites of Bennington, VT. The company, this year, opened a new R&D center aimed at significant improvements in both process and materials technology. “We’re getting down and really trying to understand what happens in
Magnification shows the purity of carbon nanotubes, a key factor in their reliability.
the curing process so that individual resins can be tailored for the process,” says Lownsdale. The goals are to boost productivity, a chronic problem, for any type of thermoset curing process, and to improve surface quality. The Plasan unit is the global leader in Class A surface carbon fiber parts. Lownsdale says Plasan is trying to develop a new process that could make carbon fiber composites for automotive with thermoplastic resins. That would be an industry first, and require a new low-pressure process technology. Injection molding would not work. Composites are loaded with more than 50 percent levels of carbon fiber and their exact orientation is critical. Big developments are coming in structural car parts made with carbon fiber composites, says Lownsdale. Examples include: energy management systems, load floors, battery compartments and chassis components. New automated assembly processes now being tested by Plasan are expected to yield better economics for carbon fiber composite components. One of the big areas of development is in computer simulation. “We’ve found you can’t go to one place and buy an off-the-shelf design guide for carbon components,” says Lownsdale. “All of the pieces are out there. It’s just that they haven’t been pulled together and put in one place.” Plasan is working
Source: BASF
CARBON REVOLUTION
Engineers can now achieve ESD standards without compromising mechanicals. Fuelcarrying components are major opportunity applications for carbon nanotube compounds.
with other companies actively developing carbon fiber composites, including those that make aircraft and wind turbine components. The money for Plasan’s development is coming from its parent company, also named Plasan, in Israel, which produces military components made of carbon fiber. A special grade of carbon fiber is made for automotive applications. For one, the resins are faster curing, allowing higher throughputs. “Also, you have to pay attention to dynamic conditions, as well as crush and energy absorption,” says Lownsdale. “Often in aerospace, they’re happy if they can do two parts a day. We need to do 200 sets a week.” Of course, you’ll have to look a bit to find the most spectacular new engineering innovations for plastics applications at the National Plastics Exposition. It’s a show dominated by the producers of primary and secondary machinery, and you’ll be overwhelmed by displays of granulators, dryers and resin handling gear. But there will be plenty of important plastics technology there from major players such as DuPont, Dow, Eastman, BASF, Sabic Innovative Plastics and PolyOne. And as Design News has reported, bioplastics will be an interesting area of emphasis at this year’s show. For More
.PUJPO Siemens is the right choice to keep your operation moving forward. The reality of machine control is that both motion control and automation must work in tandem. SIMATIC S7 Controllers approach automation and motion as a single control task, providing:
• Libraries • Wizards • Flexibility • Simplicity
information
International Plastics Design Competition: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-569 National Plastics Exposition: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-570 Bioplastics is expected to be an interesting area of emphasis at the show: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-571
Compare your controller to SIMATIC S7 Controllers. www.sea.siemens.com/S7motion
HANDS - ON SOF T WARE REVIEW STORY_ J O N T I T U S , C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I T O R
Software Tool Eliminates
MCU I/O-Pin Conflicts An MCU selection tool spots pin conflicts and homes in on the critical functions you need he hunt for a microcontroller (MCU) can take a tortuous path because although you find the “right” MCU along T the way, you discover its UARTs share I/O pins with the I2C ports and ADC inputs you need. Engineers often encounter this shared-pin problem far down the selection trail, which means a lot of backtracking. If this hike sounds familiar, take heart, the GOPHER™ software from GruntWare simplifies the selection process. At the start of an MCU search it identifies pin conflicts and helps engineers avoid them. It also lets users narrow a search by choosing from among 130 criteria such as MCU clock frequency, quantities of memory, temperature range, ADC resolution and so on. Richard Hully, the president of GruntWare, has pulled together a massive amount of information for more than 14,000 MCUs from 21 vendors. The version of the software I used included: Analog Devices, Atmel, Freescale, Luminary Micro, Texas Instruments, Silicon Labs, Renesas and other companies. Hully has “normalized” all of the in-
formation to provide consistency. Temperature ranges, for example, are all in degrees Celsius. I found the software easy to use, and recommend it to anyone who must wrestle with MCU choices, particularly those that involve potential I/O pin conflicts. Today, that includes almost every MCU chip. The GOPHER™ software costs $300 (download) or $340 ( CD-ROM and printed manual). GruntWare provides a 48-page manual for GOPHER™ that you can download from the company’s website to learn more about how the program works. When you need to choose an MCU that meets many requirements, the GOPHER™ software will quickly pay for itself in saved time and fewer tears. I highly recommend it. When you start GOPHER™, you’ll see a screen that lets you select the vendor or vendors you want to include in your search. I ran tests on one vendor, several vendors and all vendors. If you choose a single vendor, you can opt to search within one of that vendor’s MCU product lines or within all
dors and then on the Pre-Conditions display, I chose four ADC-input pins and six general-purpose I/O (GPIO) pins, exclusive of the four pins already assigned to the ADC. Hully recommends users begin with as few pin-sharing conditions as possible. Later they can go back and test other shared-pin configurations. When I first tried the software and used five pin-sharing settings, the GOPHER™ search came up empty. It found no MCUs that met my overly restrictive needs. After I set the ADC and GPIO pin-sharing preconditions noted above, the software produced a screen that let me set any of the 130 parameters in GOPHER™’s database. This screen shows the previously set pin-sharing conditions in gray, which means you cannot change them here, but you can easily go back to the previous screen to do so. GOPHER™ will not lose information as you move between data-entry and search-results information, and it will save search criteria and results for later use. I didn’t enter any additional parameter data, so GOPHER™found more than 9,000 MCUs that met my ADC and GPIO pin requirements. The results noted I should refine my search to fewer than 1,500 parts. Good idea. I entered parameters for an 8-bit CPU (=8) and a maximum operating temperature of 125C (=125), which produced more than 600 MCUs. Next, I asked for a real-time clock (=Y) and at least two timers (>=2). The results listed 206 Figure 1 parts, a more manageable list that included Freescale and STMicroelectronics MCUs. I noticed some GOPHER™’s Pre-Condition screen lets users select the functions and numbers of pins they require so the MCUs listed as Future or software can search its extensive database of MCUs for devices that avoid pin conflicts. Upgraded, but I wanted
its product lines. When I selected Renesas, I could search for MCUs only in the M16C family, for example. After you select the vendors to use in searches, you move to the “Pre-Conditions” screen that lets you select pin-sharing conditions that could cause problems. The GOPHER™ software uses this information in an attempt to eliminate the assignment of an MCU’s I/O pins to more than one function. Hully explained that some MCU vendors assign more than two functions to an I/O pin and the GOPHER™ software might not catch a conflict with this type of assignment. Also, GOPHER™ assumes if you assign a pin to a UART, it will remain a UART pin throughout your application. Reassigning pin functions in firmware isn’t a good idea anyway. The GruntWare website lists the manufacturers in the GOPHER™ database and notes whether or not the shared-pin analysis is available. (Go to Product Status on the GruntWare website). To start my test of the software, I selected all MCU ven-
»
HANDS-ON SOFTWARE REVIEW Figure 2
only devices in production. Inserting [Prod in the Status box dropped the list to 198 MCUs. When I specified onchip debug capabilities, GOPHER™ listed 24 MCUs, all ST7 CPUs from STMicroelectronics. Very helpful. The parameter-entry format allows for many conditions that greatly improve search results and reduce wasted time. Specifying exactly two timers (=2) rather than two or more timers (>=2) can unnecessarily constrain preliminary searches that look for only those MCUs with two timers, even though an MCU with, say, three or four timers would work just as well. I found it The GOPHER™ search results include all 130 device parameters for the 24 parts that met my better to start with broad search design requirements. Users can hide columns, search for information within the results and criteria and then narrow my print the results. Or they can go back and change search criteria. search by reducing the criteria to fewer conditions or possibilities. Keep in mind the database has brown-out reset function and you can choose Y, N or leave some “empty” cells because manufacturers don’t always provide this parameter blank. And if you highlight the text-entry information for every one of the 130 search criteria. box for a parameter and click on “Show Existing Data,” Parameter searches let users specify =, >=, <=, > and < condiGOPHER™ lists all values present in the MCU database for tions. In addition, users can search a parameter field’s contents that parameter. For UART_Nbrs (number of UARTs), GOfor information. The [Prod notation searches the Status field for PHER™ reports zero through nine and Y. So, don’t expect to the occurrence of “Prod,” as in Production. Gopher also profind an MCU with 13 UARTs in the database. vides a NOT operator, ‘, so the search criterion ‘[BGA means, “Find parts that do not include BGA in the Package field.” For More Don’t worry if you don’t understand what a parameter information means. Put the cursor on the parameter name and GOGruntWare Inc.’s GOPHER™ Software: ™ PHER spells out the full name and allowable options. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-572 Mouse over BOR, for example, and GOPHER™ notes it’s the
LINEAR BEARINGS AND ACTUATORS
Industrial Drawer Slides • Looks like a drawer slide, acts like a linear bearing • Made from hardened cold-drawn steel • Handle over 9000 lb/pair • Zero deflection Visit www.rolloncorp.com or call 1.877.976.5566 for CAD drawings & detailed technical specs.
TREND WATCH
TABLE OF CONTENTS 56
Electronics
57
Motion Control
Latest Trends in Electronics, Materials & Motion Control TREND WATCH
ELECTRONICS
Power Management ICs Target Efficiency Devices control power in battery charges, LEDs, etc. More than ever, power management has become critical in new product design. “Green” design is ubiquitous, and even if it weren’t, design engineers would be calling for greater power efficiency so they could pack more features into their products. That’s why products ranging from cell phones to media players and battery chargers to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) need smart, stingy power management systems.
“Efficiency is king,” says Keith Pazul, marketing manager for analog and interface products at Microchip Technology Inc. “Everyone wants to save power.” Moreover, as products continue to shrink, engineers are looking for those power-stingy characteristics in smaller packages. Smaller phones, PDAs, iPods and a wide variety of other tiny products are making the small power management chip a necessity. “LED lighting is a classic case,” Pazul says. “They need intelligence. They need thermal management. They need heat-sinking. All of those things have to be supplied by the electronics in order for the LEDs to work.” Here is a glimpse of some of the most recent products in the power management arena.
WMICROCHIP’S MCP73871 CONTROLLER Microchip Technology’s MCP73871 is a lithium-ion/lithiumpolymer charger with an intelligent management feature that enables simultaneous ac-dc adapter or USB-port charging of devices. The single-chip charger features an integrated pass transistor and numerous battery- and termination-voltage options, making it a candidate for complex, space-constrained portable applications. With voltage regulation of 0.5 percent, the new charger extends battery life by allowing a battery to be charged closer to its optimal limit. The unit’s integrated pass transistor also eliminates the need for an external FET, with only a few passive components being necessary. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-574
XTI’S LED POWER MANAGEMENT Texas Instruments’ three new power management chips are said to increase efficiency, voltage and output current in LED-related applications. The TPS61500 high-power dc/dc boost LED driver, TPS61175 high-voltage dc/dc boost converter, and the TPS62110 step-down dc/dc converter series were all introduced by TI in January. The devices can support input voltages up to 18V, and feature smaller voltage references for improved LED circuit design. The energy-efficient products work in a variety of LED applications, including signage, ambient light, office light, general illumination, military, medical and sensors. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-575
TREND WATCH
ELECTRONICS TON SEMI’S POWER FACTOR CONTROLLER ON Semiconductor’s NCP1901 combines power factor correction with a resonant half-bridge controller in a single package. The device’s high level of integration permits off-line adaptors to be designed in a minimal form factor while meeting such efficiency standards as ENERGY STAR v2.0 for external power supplies, California Energy Commission, European Code of Conduct and China Standard Certification Center. ON says the product’s integration level translates directly to a smaller form factor. When combined with the higher efficiency of a resonant controller, the NCP1901 is said to save size and cost through the reduction of components and heat sinks. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-576 — CHARLES J. MURRAY
TREND WATCH
MOTION CONTROL
Compact Integrated Automation
network interfaces can provide connectivity and a method for coordinating I/O systems, servo drives and distributed HMIs. Software tasks can be more easily developed allowing variables from various devices to be directly integrated into operator interface screens. XPC IN AN INDUSTRIALIZED DRIVE PACKAGE The APC820 from B&R Automation provides high-performance Core™2 Duo processors and a unique approach to automation and visualization systems. With this architecture, Windows XP and the real-time operating system run parallel to each other on separate processor cores, and users can reserve a processor core exclusively for real-time tasks or release it for Windows so the available computing power from both cores is optimally used. The APC820 offers a built-in Ethernet Powerlink interface, providing support for ACOPOS servo drives and I/O bus couplers, plus a CAN interface. Using the integrated Smart Display Link, up to four automation panels can be connected over a distance of up to 160m. Motion, logic and operator interface tasks can be coordinated from a single processor and runtime system. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-577
size
does not fit all.
That’s why CoolBalance™ offers brush seals to fit nearly any size opening. Ideal for retrofitting existing data centers or new installations, Sealeze’s CoolBalance floor seals economically seal cable access holes, facilitating control and regulation of critical air flow that cools computer room equipment.
• Dyna-Seal™ strip brush technology provides an effective seal* • Seal around cable openings in walls or floors • Variety of sizes; 5x5 inch to 10x24 inch and 4 & 6 inch circle seals
SAVE THE SERVERS! TM
Standard interfaces create smaller products, lower cost solutions The trend toward ultra-compact, integrated automation is driven by supplier efforts to reduce the size of the controls package and deliver lower costs. The key to these products is highly engineered interfaces and software tools that combine to offer elegant, lower cost solutions for interfacing servo drives, I/O, operator interfaces and other networked devices. Using an integrated approach allows motion, logic and visualization tasks to run from a single processor and runtime system. And since many larger machines today utilize decentralized I/O points distributed throughout the machine,
One
SMICRO PLCS OFFER SMALL-SCALE SOLUTION OMRON’s new CP1E CPU units are in response to demand for advanced functionality in micro PLCs with 10 to 200 I/O points for small-scale control applications use. These units offer minimal functionality and target price reduction. Features include a USB port on all models, I/O indicators to check ON/OFF status at a glance and smart inputs for the CP1E programming device. N-type units incorporate a serial port for connection with programmable terminals, and a pulse I/O function for position control. They provide six high-speed counters and two 100-kHz pulse outputs. http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-578
CB CoolBalance • Easy to install • Economical • Quick and easy on-site installation
www.coolbalance.biz * For more information about Dyna-Seal Technology, visit www.coolbalance.biz
800.787.7325 e-mail: industrial@sealeze.com www.coolbalance.biz
RETROFIT BEFORE IT QUITS 1EOI I\MWXMRK QEGLMRIV] HS [LEX RI[ IUYMTQIRX HSIW +IX SYV JVII 6IXVS/MX -RGVIEWI TVSHYGXMZMX] UYEPMX] ERH YTXMQI EX XLI PS[IWX GSWX 3YV QSXMSR GSRXVSPPIVW WUYII^I QSVI 63- JVSQ SPHIV QEGLMRIW &IJSVI MX UYMXW KS XS SYV [IFWMXI
©2009 Delta Computer Systems, Inc.
ERH VIUYIWX SYV F R E E RetroKit!
TREND WATCH
MOTION CONTROL XSIMPLIFIED NETWORKING FOR SMALL APPLICATIONS The new ILC 170 ETH 2TX controller from Phoenix Contact features two Ethernet ports, allowing easier networking for small applications. The Ethernet ports come with a built-in Ethernet switch that can eliminate the need for a separate Ethernet switch, and make it easier to daisy-chain multiple controllers. Eight digital inputs and four digital outputs (500 mA) are integrated on-board and can be expanded directly by adding inline I/O modules. The controllers are programmed with PC WorX Express, a free programming tool that supports up to 4,096 I/O points, and support Modbus TCP for data exchange to any Modbus TCP-capable device. Optional SD card memory simplifies program transfer between controllers, and coordinates with onboard data and program memory (512 KB), plus retentive memory (48 KB). http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-579 — AL PRESHER
For More
information
(IPXE 1SXMSR 'SRXVSPPIVW
6IXVS/MX
1SXMSR GSRXVSP ERH QSVI HIPXEQSXMSR GSQ
For more new products visit Design News’ From the Newswire Blog: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-580. For more Trend Watch, go to: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-581.
Flexible Cable with Unsurpassed Performance. Choose EnduroFLEX® XM and CRXM for your automated systems. Repetitive motion destroys conventional cable. EnduroFLEX XM and CRXM cables are test-proven to exceed 20 million bending and torsional flex cycles. EnduroFLEX XM is an economically priced option designed for reliability in tough environments without sacrificing quality. EnduroFLEX CRXM has a TPE elastomer outer jacket, and it withstands abuse in severe environments. • Temperature rating: XM –40°C to +105°C, CRXM –40°C to +90°C • 300V and 600V dual-rated • 3 to 25 conductors • UL and CSA approved Custom versions, • Water resistant, indoor or outdoor use
no minimum length, ships in 15 days or less. FREE SAMPLE!
1-800-468-1516 www.northwire.com/dnef © 2009 Northwire, Inc. All rights reserved.
58
PRODUCTS
L i t e r a t u r e
p l u s
Get the latest in design guides, catalogs and other product information from every part of the OEM.
Please enter reader service number at www.designnews.com/info for additional information from manufacturers. To advertise call 800-387-3469
CABLE SOLUTIONS! Call SAVA Industries to request our comprehensive 36-page Design Guide featuring miniature & small steel cable from .006- 3⁄ 8”, push pull varieties, high fatigue drive & low stretch cables, plastic & steel idler pulleys from 3⁄8” to 6”, a huge selection of end terminals for steel cables & much more. Visit: www.savacable.com
Carl Stahl Sava Ind Inc.
Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH OH 45215 45215 T: T: 513-772-1242 513-772-1242 •• F: F: 513-772-9080 513-772-9080 Web: Web: www.astromet.com www.astromet.com
Precision Cable Assemblies Miniature & Small Cables Small MIL-SPEC Wire Rope Push-Pull Controls Plastic & Steel Idler Pulleys Wire Rope Terminals Fittings & Hardware Ferrous & Nonferrous Alloys
Design Guide for Cable Solutions ™
www.savacable.com DG0508
C
SO
Astro Astro Met, Met, Inc. Inc.
MINIATURE & SMALL MECHANICAL CABLES, CABLE ASSEMBLIES, & PULLEYS
ABLE
S
Astro Astro Met’s Met’s unique unique advanced advanced ceramics ceramics provide provide cost cost effective effective solutions solutions to to material material performance performance problems problems in in aa wide wide range range of of demanding demanding applications. applications. “Amalox “Amalox 68” 68” aa 99.8% 99.8% alumina alumina ceramic ceramic and and “Amzirox “Amzirox 86” 86” aa yttria yttria stabilized stabilized zirconia zirconia provide provide superior superior wear wear resistance, resistance, corrosion corrosion resistance, resistance, high high temperature temperature stability, stability, low low thermal thermal exexpansion, pansion, high high stiffness stiffness to to weight weight ratio, ratio, biobiocompatability compatability and and high high dielectric dielectric strength. strength.
N
ADVANCED ADVANCED CERAMIC CERAMIC SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS
LU IO T
®
ISO 9001 Certified
4 North Corp. Dr. • Riverdale, NJ 07457 T: 973-835-0882 • F: 973-835-0877 Untitled 1 1
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6000
ELECTRIC ELECTRIC CYLINDERS ACTUATORS
position transducers
RACO Ball Electric Linear with & ACME screwCylinders Electric Actuaballscrews acmerange screws environtors cover aorbroad of are applications, mentally safe and low maintenance cylinare environmentally friendly, robust & low ders. Thrusts replacements to 200,000 lbs., to maintenance for speeds hydraulic/ 30"/second, and strokes 20 ft. Modular pneumatic cylinders. Thetomodular system system built units using the design allows custom for Straight/Right-Angle/Cspecial torque Thrust RACO actuator motor Design high variations. up to 225,000 or and up stepper motors.and strokes up lbs,servo speeds to 30”/sec, to 20 feet. For fast linear Raco International, Inc.movements up to 400”/sec RACO produces a belt driven T: 888-BUY-RACO or 412-835-5744 LM-Actuator. F: 412-835-0338
16-page Engineering Guide describes how to select and use Inductosyn® and Electrosyn® position transducers for demanding applications. Rotary Inductosyn® and Electrosyn® transducers provide absolute and incremental position information accurate to ±0.5 arc seconds or better. Resolution to 26 bits. Linear transducers are accurate to ±40µ inches or better, with sub-µ inch resolution.
RACO International, L.P. Web: www.racointernational.com T: 1-800-BUY-RACO Web: www.racointernational.com
Farrand Controls Valhalla, NY USA T: 914-761-2600 • F: 914-761-0405 E-mail: sales@ruhle.com Web: www.ruhle.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6002
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6003
Boker’s free 2009 Washer Catalog
precision aluminum extrusions
Boker’s FREE 2009 Washer Catalog has over 23,000 non-standard sizes available with no tooling charges. Outside diameters of 0.080” to 5.140”, a wide range of IDs and thicknesses, and 2,000 material variations provide millions of possibilities. Materials include low-carbon sheet steel, five types of spring steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, nickel silver and non-metallics. ISO 9001:2000 Registered
NEW! An informative brochure from MINALEX, the leader in precision shapes to 3½” circle size with tolerances to ±.001” and walls down to .008”. Brochure illustrates a wide variety of typical applications and describes capabilities including short and prototype runs. MINALEX, the quality leader of the industry, delivers on time, every time.
Boker’s, Inc.
Web: www.minalex.com
T: 888-927-4377 • F: 800-321-3462 Email: sales@bokers.com Web: www.bokers.com/dnlw http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6004
9/30/2008 9:37:04 AM
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6001
MINALEX
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6005
LP1
L i t e r at u r e P l u s
Save up to 50% on Quality Products AutomationDirect’s volume 12 catalog offers 6,500 industrial automation products for a wide range of applications. The latest volume, with over 2,000 pages, features product descriptions, technical data, photos, and price lists for PLCs, touch screen monitors, AC drives/motors, general purpose motors, text panels, sensors, encoders, pushbuttons, switches, and more. For a free copy or more information, visit www.automationdirect.com or call 800-633-0405.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT LITERATURE FOR THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY Taylor Devices offers a four-page, full-color brochure featuring energy management components and systems for the aerospace industry. It includes product information on devices used for energy absorption and control, weapons effects isolation, nuclear weapons effects, seismic energy dissipation, aircraft arrestment, umbilical handling, stores and payload deployment, control damping/delay and cargo transport/handling.
AutomationDirect
Taylor Devices Inc.
T: 800-633-0405 • F: 770-889-7876 Web: www.automationdirect.com
T: 716-694-0800 • F: 716-695-6015 Web: taylordevices.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6006
SORBOTHANE®…SHOCK AND VIBRATION SOLUTIONS New 8-page brochure describes the damping and isolation properties of Sorbothane®. This brochure features images and information on standard and custom molded components. Test data details Sorbothane’s performance compared to other elastomers. No other material can dissipate energy as effectively. Sorbothane® is specified worldwide for engineering applications requiring shock absorption, vibration isolation and acoustic damping.
Sorbothane, Inc. T: 800-838-3906 • F: 330-678-1303 E-mail: sales@sorbothane.com Web: www.sorbothane.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6007
Digital Manufacturing Made Easy RedEye delivers your entire digital manufacturing experience - from functional prototypes to fixture and assembly tools to low volume production. Online, on your schedule. Just upload your CAD file and go. Save Time. Get delivery the next business day with Overnight Build. Cut Costs. No need to purchase capital equipment. Get More Materials & Options. Get access to a large selection of engineering grade thermoplastics and additive fabrication systems.
RedEye On Demand Web: www.redeyeondemand.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6008
new electric heater catalog Hotwatt manufactures electric heaters including cartridge, air process, immersion, strip and finned strip, tubular and finned tubular, band, crankcase, foil, flexible glasrope and ceramic heaters. We have been manufacturing resistance heating elements since 1952 and offer a wide variety of heaters for OEM, industrial, commercial, medical and military applications.
Hotwatt, Inc. T: 978-777-0070 • F: 978-774-2409 E-mail: sales@hotwatt.com Web: www.hotwatt.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6010
Alumacast Prototyping Procurement Guide Designed for purchasers of cast metal prototypes. For seasoned designers it serves as a checklist to simply remind you of things you may have forgotten. Consider it an insurance policy against unwanted surprises in the production process. Download Alumacast’s Prototyping Procurement Guide free from www.alumacast.com/dnguide. Email us for a quote. To send a file, go to our web site and click “Submit Files.”
Alumacast P: 920-596-1988 • F: 920-596-2345 Email: sales@alumacast.com Website: www.alumacast.com L4 P 42
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6012
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6009
electrical or optic seals Standard and custom hermetic designs. Low or high pressures or vacuums. Any cable type or pin connector may be specified. Circular or rectangular seals including micro D-sub. Design flexibility, low cost, compact sizes, high corrosion resistance, easy installation. Small or large quantity pricing. Fuel pumps, semi-conductor, moisture-proof, defense applications, etc. Website in-stock price list, catalog, quote request form.
PAVE Technology T: 937-890-1100 Web: PAVEtechnologyCo.com http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6011
UPDATED 12-WAYS TO CUT DIE CAST PART COSTS— ONE OF OVER 70 DESIGN GUIDES Updated design guide points OEM product designers and engineers to 12 key strategies for applicaton in the product design stage to reduce the final production cost of custom Al, Mg & Zn die cast components. One of over 70 PDF design aids downloadable 24/7 from CWM’s OEM web Resource Center. For details on this Design Guide and the entire Resource Center, go to: www.cwm-lit.info/cc11
Chicago White Metal Casting For Co. Profile: www.cwmdiecast.com http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6013
Give Your Metal Components a Longer Life
LabPower is a dual adjustable benchtop power supply designed for powering small digital and analog circuits. Both supplies are independent allowing +/- configurations as well as dual supply logic circuits. The supplies are capable of supplying 0 to 12 VDC @ 1A and >12 to 15 VDC @ .3A.The supply operates from a 115 or 230 VAC power source.
The technology behind Swagelok® SAT12® services is a patented method of heat treating austenitic stainless steels. This surface-hardening process enables ordinary stainless steel to adopt certain performance characteristics of expensive alloys. Benefits: increased surface hardness with ductility and improved resistance to corrosion in certain media, fatigue, and wear.
Control Resources, Inc.
Swagelok Technology Services Company
P: 978-486-4160 • F: 978-486-4772 Email: sales@controlres.com Website: www.controlres.com
P: 440-649-5614 Email: SAT12service@swagelok.com Website: www.swagelok.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6014
rotary dampers Minimize noise, shock, and safety hazards. Soft and smooth motion enhances functionality and provides that touch of quality. Use on computer hardware, flip top phones, lids, access panels and more. 19 new series introduced.
ACE Controls Inc.
T: 800-521-3320 or 248-476-0213 F: 248-476-2470 E-mail: shocks@acecontrols.com Web: www.acecontrols.com
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6015
free literature – pyrathane POWER TRANSMISSION STRETCH power BELTS transmission stretch This brochurebelts provides information as to the possible uses of the powerBrochure describes thePYRATHANE physical properties and characteristic power transmission stretch of beltPYRATHANE as well as physical transmission stretch belts Advantages and offers properties and characteristics. application Advantageshigh are are excellentsuggestions. abrasion resistance, excellent abrasion resistance, tensile tensile strength, cleanliness of high operation, strength, cleanliness of operation, resistance to oils, grease and ozone.resisThe tance to oils, greases andand ozone and the ability eliminate idlers tensioning ability to eliminate idlers and tensioning devices is also discussed. devices. Metric, Pyramid Inc. O-ring and fractional equivalents are offered. PO Box 200 • Newton, IA 50208-0200 Inc. • F: 641-792-2478 T:Pyramid 641-792-2405 T: 641-792-2405 • F: 641-792-2478 E-mail: sales@pyramidbelts.com Web:www.pyramidbelts.com www.pyramidbelts.com Web:
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6016
http://designnews.hotims.com/23109-6017
Literature plus ADVERTISERS INDEX
ACE CONTROLS INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP3 ALUMACAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp2 ASTRO MET, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP1 AUTOMATION DIRECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP2
product m a rt The advertising showcase for d e s i g n e n g i n ee r s To advertise call 800-387-3469
Bokers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP1 carl stahl sava ind inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp1 chicago white metal casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp2 control resources, inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp3 farrand controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp1 HOTWATT, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP2
R&D Bladder Prototypes
Minalex Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP1 pave technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp2
Pneumatic Bellows
Pyramid Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP3 RACO International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP1 REDEYE ON DEMAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP2 SORBOTHANE, INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LP2 swagelok technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp3 taylor devices inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lp2 Publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions in this index.
Accumulator
Press Bladder
Pipe Plug
Specialists In Bladder Tanks And Inflatables Bio-Fuel Bladder
Condensate Collector
Compensator Diaphragm
Aero Tec Laboratories Inc.
Ramsey, New Jersey 07446-1251 USA Toll Free 800–526–5330 Fax 201–825–1962 e-Mail: atl@atlinc.com
www.atlinc.com
L i t e r at u r e P l u s
LabPower 15 Volt Dual Power Supply
CALAMITIES
The Case of the Fatal Fusion Confusion over cold fusion lands man on death row in Alabama THE RETURN ADDRESS WAS BIRMINGHAM, AL. THE
writer was serving a life term in Birmingham prison for sending pipe bombs that killed a federal judge and a civil rights leader. The carefully hand-written letter explained in grammatical prose how the writer had been wrongfully convicted in a federal court and sentenced to life in prison. Now he was to be re-tried in a state court for the same murders in the hopes of electrocuting him. The writer did not care to be electrocuted. THE INVESTIGATION
So what do pipe bombs have to do with a trained tin kicker such as this Calamities writer? Prosecution witnesses testified to explosion-like sounds coming from the defendant’s home. The prosecution claimed these noises were gunpowder explosions from testing explosives for the pipe bombs. The defendant countered with the claim that he was an amateur scientist doing experiments in hydrogen fusion. The prosecution ridiculed this assertion with the claim that the simplest fusion experiment is beyond the dreams of any amateur. Most hydrogen fusion research is based on Tokomak reactors, toroidal steel shells that contain superhot plasmas confined by powerful magnetic fields. The proposed doughnut-shaped reactors cover half a football field and even an experiment takes up an entire research building. Such research is utterly beyond any rational amateur scientist. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to 62
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
KENNETH RUSSELL PROFESSOR EMERITUS, MIT CAMBRIDGE, MA
Tr u e S t o r i e s
“life imprisonment.” The defendant’s claim was actually reasonable. The killings occurred not long after Utah scientists named Pons and Fleischman claimed to have produced nuclear fusion in a simple electrolytic cell involving palladium electrodes and heavy water, also known as deuterium oxide. Palladium dissolves large amounts of hydrogen, in this case deuterium. Supposedly, the voltage impressed on the palladium lattice squeezes the deuterium atoms so tightly together that they “fuse” to give off new nuclei and a huge energy burst. The experiment is really quite simple and even the needed heavy water and palladium wire could be obtained for about $1,000. Running an electric current through water tends to produce hydrogen bubbles. The presence of hydrogen is usually verified by catching a little of the vapor and touching a match to it. A hydrogen-air mixture burns explosively in almost all proportions, producing a sharp “pop.” The defendant claimed that the noises from his home were caused by ignition of the explosive air — a hydrogen mixture rather than the gunpowder used in the pipe bomb. The inmate got my name from a directory of forensic scientists and contacted me in the hopes I could distinguish between hot fusion and cold fusion in terms a judge and jury could understand. Between teaching MIT freshmen and court appearances, I have much experience in putting complex things in simple terms, so I agreed to take the job. I also have an interest in cold fusion, which I consider “Pathological Science,” which Scientist Irving Langmuir defined as “The science of things that aren’t so.” Pathological or real, cold fusion inspired a huge amount of activity. THE SMOKING GUN
I wrote back and forth to the inmate and his attorney and was preparing to appear at the second murder trial. Unfortunately for him, the defendant had a sea of troubles with potential legal representation and appeared at the trial without counsel. I was not called as a witness. The defendant was convicted of murder, sentenced to be executed and is currently on death row. I look the man’s name up on the Web from time to time to see how he is doing. He has appealed and claims all sorts of chicanery in his conviction. Would my appearance in court have made a difference? I do not know, but it would have been a very interesting experience. Calamities is picked up regularly in our Sherlock Ohms blog. Go to www.designnews.com/Sherlock to comment on this article and read more cases.
Ken Russell (kenruss@mit.edu) is professor emeritus of Metallurgy and Nuclear Engineering at MIT. He specializes in physical metallurgy, forensic metallurgy and failure analysis. Cases presented here are drawn from his actual forensic files. Illustration: Daniel Guidera
GADGET FREAK ONLINE
THE GADGET FREAK® FILES CASE #142
Check Out Gadget Freak Case #141: Motorized Mountainboard Conquers Hills This juiced-up skateboard doesn’t rely on push-off power: http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-582.
GameCube Cop Keeps the Peace
䊳
For complete schematics and build instructions, go to www. designnews.com/GadgetFreak. 䊳 To view the Gadget Freak archives, go to www. designnews.com/gfarchives.
ADVERTISEMENT “GAMECUBE REFEREE” Amt
hree siblings and one GameCube is a recipe for territorial skirmishes. Many games only support two users. Jeremy Willden bought his three kids a GameCube for Christmas and quickly discovered parental intervention was critical. He initially used a kitchen timer, but soon opted for a more technologydriven solution. He created an electronic Time Turner. The gadget uses a Microchip microcontroller connected to three LEDs and a small speaker. Every 15 minutes, the LEDs change (each labeled with a child’s name) to indiCheck out the Time Turner in action at www.designnews.com/GadgetFreak cate whose turn it is.
T
ARE YOU A GADGET FREAK?
Design News and Allied Electronics would like to send you a check for $500 to spend on Allied’s website at www.alliedelec.com/gadgetfreak or anywhere you please. And don’t forget to supply us with a video file of your gadget in action. E-mail Design News your proposed project (must incorporate electronic components and involve sensing, motion, timing and/or networking elements) to elizabeth.taurasi@reedbusiness.com, along with a description of how it works and a parts’ list. If your project is selected, you’ll receive a $500 check from Design News and will be featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine with your invention.
Part Description
Allied Part #
1
PIC 12F629 Microcontroller
653-0248
1
Piezo Speaker
623-2038
2
Switches
676-3000
3
470Ω Resistors
296-4768
3
LEDs
405-0011
1
Enclosure
272-0008
1
Power Adapter
653-0248
1
U.S. Prongs for Power Adapter
653-0248
To get Gadget Freak delivered directly to your inbox, along with more Gadget Freaks, sign up here: www.designnews. com/GadgetFreak.
Sign up for the Gadget Freak RSS feed and get the posts delivered directly to your desktop at http://designnews.hotims.com/23107-584. For parts’ information, call (800) 433-5700 or go to www.alliedelec.com/gadgetfreak SPONSORED BY »
64
D E S I G N N E W S J U N E 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]
Photo: Lance Clayton