Design News November 2009 by Praveen Kumar Deepak Velayudhan

» » »

CHINESE KNOCKOFFS

Patent rules favor pirates, p29 AUTOS GO GREEN Six materials innovations, p48 LEDS LIGHT NEW MUSTANG Custom colors available, p52

NOVEMBER 2009 $15.00

ACCELERATING ENGINEERING INNOVATION www.designnews.com

Plus COULD CAR BATTERIES BACK UP OUR ELECTRICAL GRID? p44

Battery Power New chemistries, packaging lead to greener, more diverse applications, p40

2008

formatted print ad goes here.

CFP Compliant Ethernet Connectors and Components: A new ultra high speed pluggable I/O interface supporting 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s Ethernet applications. The integrated system provides the mechanical, EMI and thermal performance necessary to meet the demanding requirements of the CFP Multi Source Agreement (MSA) optical transceivers and OEM host line cards.

AD5292 Digital Potentiometer: In industrial control systems, medical instrumentation, and other devices, the tighter resistor matching provided by the new DigiPots allows engineers to set the range with greater accuracy resulting in more precise system controls.

IHLP® Family of Low-Profile, High-Current Inductors: Features shielded construction, frequency range up to 5.0MHz, lowest DCR/µH, handles high transient current spikes without saturation ultra low buzz noise due to composite construction.

Industry’s First 1% DigiPot

What’s New at

omega.com

Please Call to Receive Your FREE 9th Hardbound Edition, The Complete Pressure, Strain and Force Handbook and Encyclopedia TM

or Visit omega.com/pressure9

HE HOT OFF T

PRESS!

Over 1600 Full Color Pages of State-of-the-Art Pressure, Strain and Force Products! Pressure Instruments Pressure Transducers Vacuum Transducers Barometric Transducers Aerospace Transducers Instrumentation and Accessories Strain Gages Load and Force Measurement Digital Force Gages Torque Sensors Digital and Analog Pressure Gauges Pressure Switches Accelerometers Calibration and Testing Services Displacement Measurement Dynamic Measurement Valves and Regulators Pneumatic Controls Automation/Industrial Control Sanitary Products Temperature Products

FREE! HARDBO

Wireless Products

UND HANDBOOK and Encyclopedia

Handheld Manometers Technical Books and Technical Reference

Shop Online at For Sales and Service, Call TOLL FREE

Cover art: Based on an Original Norman Rockwell illustration © The Curtis Publishing Company

Enter xx at www.edn.com/info

EIGHT YEARS IN PRODUCT DESIGN GRADUATED CUM LAUDE IN ENGINEERING HAS SEEN OPERAS PERFORMED ON THREE CONTINENTS

The things that make you unique may also make you uniquely qualified. That’s why, at Aerotek, we take the time to find the person behind the resume. We dig deeper to discover the very best qualities inside you. Qualities that inspire. Qualities employers look for. Qualities you may not even know you had. Because at Aerotek, we send only one perfect candidate to fill one perfect opportunity. And we want it to be you. People. Fit. Perfectly.®

866.915.3495

Career Placemen

www.aerotek.com/engineering

t Specialists SM

The Truth About Compressed Air! If you think compressed air is too expensive and noisy - read this. The facts will surprise you!

Compare these Blowoffs

Facts about Blowers

There are a variety of ways to blow the water from the bottles shown in the photo below, but which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application using four different blowoff methods: drilled pipe, flat air nozzles, Super Air Knife (each using compressed air as a power source), and a blower supplied air knife (using an electric motor as a power source). Each system consisted of two twelve inch long air knives. The following comparison proves that the EXAIR Super Air Knife is the best choice for your blowoff, cooling or drying application.

Energy conscious plants might think a blower to be a better choice due to its slightly lower electrical consumption compared to a compressor. In reality, a blower is an expensive capital expenditure that requires frequent downtime and costly maintenance of ﬁlters, belts and bearings.

The goal for each of the blowoff choices was to use the least amount of air possible to get the job done (lowest energy and noise level). The compressed air pressure required was 60 PSIG which provided adequate velocity to blow the water off. The blower used had a ten horsepower motor and was a centrifugal type blower at 18,000 RPM. The table at the bottom of the page summarizes the overall performance. Since your actual part may have an odd configuration, holes or sharp edges, we took sound level measurements in free air (no impinging surface).

Here are some important facts: Filters must be replaced every one to three months. Belts must be replaced every three to six months. Typical bearing replacement is at least once a year at a cost near $1000.

Drilled Pipe

Blower Air Knife

This common blowoﬀ is very inexpensive and easy to make. For this test, we used (2) drilled pipes, each with (25) 1/16" diameter holes on 1/2" centers. As shown in the test results below, the drilled pipe performed poorly. The initial cost of the drilled pipe is overshadowed by its high energy use. The holes are easily blocked and the noise level is excessive - both of which violate OSHA requirements. Velocity across the entire length was very inconsistent with spikes of air and numerous dead spots.

The blower proved to be an expensive, noisy option. As noted below, the purchase price is high. Operating cost was considerably lower than the drilled pipe and flat air nozzle, but was comparable to EXAIR’s Super Air Knife. The large blower with its two 3" (8cm) diameter hoses requires significant mounting space compared to the others. Noise level was high at 90 dBA. There was no option for cycling it on and off to conserve energy like the other blowoffs. Costly bearing and filter maintenance along with downtime were also negative factors.

Flat Air Nozzles

EXAIR Super Air Knife

As shown below, this inexpensive air nozzle was the worst performer. It is available in plastic, aluminum and stainless steel from several manufacturers. The flat air nozzle provides some entrainment, but suffers from many of the same problems as the drilled pipe. Operating cost and noise level are both high. Some manufacturers offer flat air nozzles where the holes can be blocked - an OSHA violation. Velocity was inconsistent with spikes of air.

The Super Air Knife did an exceptional job of removing the moisture on one pass due to the uniformity of the laminar airﬂow. The sound level was extremely low. For this application, energy use was slightly higher than the blower but can be less than the blower if cycling on and oﬀ is possible. Safe operation is not an issue since the Super Air Knife can not be dead-ended. Maintenance costs are low since there are no moving parts to wear out.

• Blower bearings wear out quickly due to the high speeds (17-20,000 RPM) required to generate effective airflows. • Poorly designed seals that allow dirt and moisture infiltration and environments above 125°F decrease the one year bearing life. • Many bearings can not be replaced in the field, resulting in downtime to send the assembly back to the manufacturer. Blowers take up a lot of space and often produce sound levels that exceed OSHA noise level exposure requirements. Air volume and velocity are often difficult to control since mechanical adjustments are required. To discuss an application, contact:

EXAIR Corporation

11510 Goldcoast Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45249-1621 (800) 903-9247 Fax: (513) 671-3363 email: techelp@exair.com www.exair.com/14/423.htm

The Super Air Knife is the low cost way to blowoff, dry, clean and cool.

Blowoff Comparison Comp. Air Type of blowoff

PSIG BAR

SCFM

SLPM

Horsepower Sound Purchase Required Level dBA Price

Annual Approx. Annual First Year Electrical Cost Maintenance Cost Cost*

Drilled Pipes

4.1

174

4,924

$50

$4,508

$920

$5,478

Flat Air Nozzles

4.1

257

7,273

102

$168

$6,569

$1,450

$8,187

Blower Air Knife

0.2

N/A

$5,500

$1,288

$1,500

$8,288

Super Air Knife

4.1

1,557

$480

$1,417

$300

$2,197

*Based on national average electricity cost of 8.3 cents per kWh. Annual cost reflects 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

How do we turn more ideas into successful products?

The Siemens answer: PLM Software to build the right product — and build the product right. Escalating costs. Tighter schedules. Increased complexity. The challenge of turning more ideas into successful products has never been greater. You need a product lifecycle management solution that improves everything from design to manufacturing – and beyond. Find out how Siemens PLM Software can help your company stand out, no matter how tough the challenge. www.siemens.com/plm/answers.

Answers for Industry. © 2009 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All rights reserved. Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. All other logos, trademarks or service marks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

NaPiOn Passive Infrared Motion Sensors

s Fully Integrated Package w/ Built-in AmpliďŹ er s Quad Element for Maximum Sensitivity s Low Power Consumption (46ÂľA) s Excellent Noise Immunity s Digital & Analog Output s InfraRed Lens (black or white) s Ultra Compact 14.5mm (h) x 11mm (base diam.)

s Energy Saving s Lighting s Signage s Vending s Security

Approximate Sizes:

Standard AMN31112

Spot AMN33111

Slight Motion AMN32112

10m Detection AMN34111

Panasonic ideas for life Panasonic Electric Works Corporation of America http://pewa.panasonic.com/pcsd 800.276.6289

䊳䊳䊳

Gadget Freak®

Check Out Our New Blogs … Pilot John Loughmiller on the downside of modern instrument panels — and more. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-502

Calling all backyard inventors — check out our Gadget Freak files for profiles of past and present Gadget Freaks, watch videos and submit your own project. www.designnews.com/gadgetfreak

The Gadgeteer

Design News’ 2009 Salary Survey

Steve Ravet explains why MBED is the musthave tool for the non-embedded developer. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-503

Check out the 2009 Salary Survey! How does your annual base salary compare with 2008? How has the number of hours you work each week changed over the past year? What would help engineers get ahead in their profession today? http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-507

Captain Hybrid Why aren’t consumers stampeding EV dealerships? http://designnews.hotims. com/23125-504

$131 2

H20 H2 0

Propeller Head

Design News’ RSS Feeds

The Weird and Wonderful World of Wireless Wireless Guru Joel Young on the best way to connect an iPod into your car’s audio system. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-505

Sign up for Design News’ RSS feeds and get headlines delivered right to your desktop as soon as they’re published. http://www.designnews.com/rss/

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.

Gearo Wolfe The driver of a beat-up cement mixer has big, no huge, problems on the road. http://designnews. hotims.com/23125-506

WEBCASTS BLOGS PODCASTS

ACCELERATING THE DESIGN CYCLE This month designnews.com is launching a community targeted at design engineers interested in exploring the newest generation of rapid prototyping solutions and services to improve their designs and accelerate the development cycle. Check out our lineup of highly useful white papers, case studies and webcasts that will give you a jump start on taking your design cycle to warp speed. http://www.designnews.com/ callout/RAPID_PROTOTYPING FREE WEBCAST: MECHATRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN: HUMAN TRANSPORTER Watch and learn as Dr. Kevin Craig sketches out a model of a human transporter, a compelling example of a modern-day multidisciplinary system. http://designnews.hotims. com/23125-508

Follow Design News on

Supplements Go to www.designnews.com/archive to view our technology-specific supplements.

Online Resource Center The Weird and Wonderful

World of Wireless

Webcast How to Prevent Contamination & Keep Hydraulic Systems Running Efficiently Join Gates Corp.’s Dennis Kemper as he discusses the importance of hydraulic cleanliness, sources of system contamination, recommended cleanliness levels and more. Learn about cleaning methods to help prevent heat, water, chemical, and air and gas contamination. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-509

White Paper Light Matters: It’s Easy to Take Common Household Items for Granted Flashlights are a prime example. For many professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, military personnel and police, these devices are mission-critical. This month, Cary Eskow reviews some of the fundamental concepts used in the HBLED lens design. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-510

Webcast Accelerating Market Entry: the Role of Rapid Prototyping This in-depth case study shows how rapid prototyping gets your design to market faster, reduces manufacturing costs and better meets customer needs. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-511

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 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

What’s Hot? A BSME

Number of BSME Degrees (000)

I WAS ABOUT TO WRITE UP MY PERIODIC

“rant” on the decline of graduates in electrical and mechanical engineering in the U.S. The number of BS degrees in these disciplines peaked at 40,000 in 86/87. Then I pulled data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Apparently I am way behind on my reading, as the number of degrees granted in mechanical engineering in the most recent year data is available (06/07) is up 27 percent since 01/02. Moreover, the total is now almost back to the peak of 16,794 in 84/85. That’s huge!!! While the news was somewhat of a surprise to me, Dr. Ben G. Streetman, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin (UTA), has seen the trend coming for the last decade. “I BSMEs on the Rise Again 18 think that mechaniPercent change: cal engineering has 27.1% 16 become appealing 14 to students because 12 it’s more of a general program that allows 10 them to do a wide 8 variety of things 6 with their career,” says Streetman, 4 who was Dean of 2 Engineering of the 0 school for 12 years before stepping Source: National Center for Education Statistics down last year. School Year Alternative energy, electric vehicles, mechatronics and biomedical engineering are just some of the areas mechanical engineers now work in and students find compelling. Streetman himself formed a new department of biomedical engineering at UTA five years ago. The multidisciplinary degree program, which earns students a BS, MS and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, involves faculty from mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering and faculty from the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. It has been enormously popular with students and attracts highly qualified appli96/97

97/98

98/99

99/00

00/01

01/02

02/03

03/04

04/05

05/06

06/07

cants, says Streetman. Other schools have started up multidisciplinary degree programs, including Purdue University Calumet, which created the first bachelor’s degree program in mechatronic engineering technology this year. Marquette University offers a master’s degree in mechatronics and freshman-level courses in multidisciplinary engineering. Professor Kevin Craig developed an innovative two-course freshman engineering program here called Engineering Discovery, focusing on multidisciplinary engineering systems through human-centered design and modelbased engineering activities. “As I am a ME teaching these courses, and ME viewing electronics, computers, sensors, actuators and controls as just essential elements in mechanical system design, the EEs think I steal students from them as we in ME do all the ‘ordinary’ EE stuff,” says Craig. “We leave the ‘newer’ stuff — communications, microwaves, semiconductors, etc. — to the EEs, but even digital signal processing is becoming mainstream.” With so many factors involved, it’s hard to say whether the rise in mechanical engineering has been at the expense of electrical engineering, though the number of BSEEs has fallen from a high of 24,547 in 86/87 to 13,089 in 06/07. Streetman, however, does say that with more students choosing mechanical engineering, enrollment in computer science has definitely taken a hit in the past decade. “I am not surprised at the trend, because of the versatility of the BSME,” he says. “When I graduated from high school I went into mechanical engineering because I had spent all my time hot rodding cars. But back then it wasn’t nearly so interesting. I took a mechanisms course, and I had to design gears without a computer. I thought ‘I can’t be doing this stuff the whole time,’ so I switched to EE. Now the MEs have better tools and some really cool career opportunities.” Karen Field, Editorial Director kfield@reedbusiness.com

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 9

One

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

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

Made by Monkeys designnews.com/ »madebymonkeys

Do You Want Butter on Those Capacitors? Chuck Maggi, a regular contributor to our Sherlock Ohms blog, recounts a case of a slight misapplication of wet slug capacitors: “A long time ago I worked for a military communications company, which was owned by a large commercial telephone company. The project that I had was to design a large ‘tactical’ telephone switching system which would be deployed in the field in a large shelter. Hundreds of field telephones could be ‘wired’ to this massive switch via field telephone wires. The several hundred line cards, which were needed to interface to the multitude of tactical telephone sets (some were digital), consumed a lot of power — several amps if my memory serves me right. Of course each line card (circuit board) needed decoupling and filtering of the power going to each of these, as well as the computer and switching matrix circuit boards. All tallied up to several hundred amperes of dc power per shelter. My main problem I had at the time was that the chief engineer on the project insisted on using wet slug capacitors throughout the system. His reasoning was that when they failed, they would fail short and we would be able to find the failed part. His argument was that if a capacitor failed open, we would not know it and the problem might surface as hum or noise in the system and we would never be able to locate the offending capacitor. I reluctantly gave in to his demand. The prototype system was put together in large racks with the huge, fault clearing series regulated power supplies mounted on the rear doors of every rack. These power supplies were so heavy that when you opened the rear doors, you had to have extra support to hold the door up, otherwise the entire rack would fall on your head. These supplies had remote sensing attached to the backplanes of each card shelf. The time delay associated with the response to a changing load was a little slow due to the length of the wires and the technology employed in the supplies. The system was designed and debugged with little consequence other than the normal ones. The completed system was finally shipped and reconfigured at the customer’s site for acceptance. The coup de grâce came with a phone call from a fellow engineer who was deployed with the system. It sounded like he was standing inside a popcorn machine. All I could hear was resounding loud pops followed by more pops. He had to leave the shelter to avoid being covered with tantalum material. Apparently, one capacitor decided to fail by shorting. This caused the fault clearing power supply to increase the current, which of course blew the lid off the capacitor. Once this offending short was cleared, the voltage shot up very high and this caused another capacitor to fail due to excessive voltage, and so on. The next week I delivered a large box full of a few hundred damaged circuit boards to the chief engineer and told him that he was correct. We were able to find the bad capacitors without much problem at all.” If you’ve had a run-in with a product that failed to live up to your expectations, we’d like to hear about it. E-mail your examples to kfield@reedbusiness.com.

THEY’RE BECOMING BLACK BELTS IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS.

,1-$ 1(: (3,62'( &$' 1

SolidWorks® presents a new series about three PRODUCT DESIGNERS forced to work in an overﬂow trailer. Starring a USER COMMUNITY OVER ONE MILLION STRONG, a friendly NEIGHBORHOOD SOLIDWORKS RESELLER, and more than 150 USER GROUPS. And featuring ACTIVE ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS, a set of CUSTOMIZED TRAINING CLASSES, and one CROWD-PLEASING RETURN ON INVESTMENT. NR WATCH SEASON ONE AT 3 D U D E S G O N E3 D. C O M NOT RATED

PUBLISHER

Russell E. Pratt 781-734-8417 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Al Schmidt 972-980-8810 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

H20

Karen Auguston Field 781-734-8188 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

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

BY CHARLES J. MURRAY, SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR, ELECTRONICS

Was the Tesla Story ‘a Joke?’ D

esign News reader Murat Okçuoğlu, an automotive engineer in Santa Barbara, CA, recently sent the following e-mail to us about our September cover story on 2009 Engineer of the Year JB Straubel. “I thought your September cover was a joke.Tesla has received over $50 million from customers, over $187 million from investors and over $500 million from the U.S. government including subsidies but delivered just over 500 cars. This comes to significantly more than $1,000,000 per car ... I thought engineering was about reason and feasibility. I am afraid without common sense anywhere on the horizon, the U.S. auto industry is heading rapidly to where the British auto industry went — to oblivion.” Dear Mr. Okçuoğlu, Thanks for your e-mail. I enjoyed reading it, even if you did call my cover story a joke. Before I address your issues, though, I need to say this: If you’re trying to provoke an argument, you’ll have a hard time starting one here. Right now, my e-mail queue is packed with between 800 and 900 angry notes that I’ve received over the past four years, largely because I’ve argued that electric cars aren’t ready for prime time. You see, I still believe that the energy density of today’s electric car batteries is too low, the re-charge times are too long, and vehicle costs are too high to make a big impact on today’s market place. And — based on the comments of battery experts I’ve talked to at MIT, the University of California Berkeley and elsewhere — I don’t believe there’s a magic bullet on the horizon. 12

Getting to Electric Car Paradise is going to require a lot of hard, tedious work. So why would we choose a Tesla engineer for the magazine’s top award? First and foremost, because our readers voted for him. Second, because Straubel did some of that hard, tedious work. In your e-mail, Mr. Okçuoğlu, you mentioned reason, feasibility and common sense. By traditional measures, there would be nothing reasonable or feasible about spending that much per vehicle. But traditional measures aren’t at work here. We’re worried about reliance on undependable sources of oil and something now called climate change. So we need another way to power our vehicles — if not today, at some point in the future. From what I can tell, JB Straubel’s helping us get there. The best battery people I know were shocked that the Tesla Roadster got 244 miles to a charge. Most experts believed Tesla would do good to get half that. Even GM’s Bob Lutz admitted to being impressed. And Tesla’s engineers did that work before the U.S. government laid $465 million on them. So, Mr. Okçuoğlu, I do understand your concerns. I even share many of them. But I’m afraid our old, hardheaded methods of cost-benefit analysis don’t apply here. Straubel won for a good reason: He stretched the state-ofthe-art in a technical arena that’s important to the country. That’s what makes an Engineer of the Year. Now I’ve got to go tend to my e-mail. There’s a cold wind blowing, and I have a feeling the queue’s going to be filling up again. Best regards, Chuck Murray charles.murray@reedbusiness.com

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Software & Hardware: Beth Stackpole Bstack@stackpolepartners.com Electronics: Charles J. Murray charles.murray@reedbusiness.com Motion Control/Automation: Al Presher al.presher@reedbusiness.com Fasteners & Materials: Doug Smock doug.smock@reedbusiness.com Mechatronics: Jon Titus jontitus@comcast.net Fluid Power: John Loughmiller john.loughmiller@reedbusiness.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 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 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

John Poulin PRESIDENT, BUSINESS MEDIA

Jeffrey G. DeBalko VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE

Jane Volland 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

RANT Really Opinionated People RICHARD GLASSON CHIEF ENGINEER CONTROL PRODUCTS INC.

A Nation of Marketers and Burger Flippers? A STRONG MANUFACTURING SECTOR IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE HEALTH OF THE OVERALL U.S. ECONOMY I’LL BET I’M NOT ALONE WHEN I SAY

the problems Boeing is experiencing due to its radical manufacturing outsourcing policies were wholly predictable. (See “What’s Causing Huge Delays for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner,” DN 09.09, http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-513.) That case is noteworthy because it marks a trend toward the almost total outsourcing of a very complex, expensive and highly engineered product. This should be a source of concern for engineers and skilled assembly operators who are currently working in the dwindling U.S. manufacturing base. The outsourcing of an advanced new civilian aerospace project is a signal that no segment of domestic U.S. manufacturing is secure. Aggressive outsourcing policies reveal an attitude that the production and engineering of critical parts and assemblies are commoditized activities that could be done by anyone, anywhere, with no loss of quality to the end users. However, recent high-profile cases indicate that quality problems frequently arise with outsourced products, and that those problems can be legally and financially significant. Outrageous product failures such as poison-laced baby toys and acid-leaching drywall are driving an increasing consumer awareness of the quality problems associated with cheap manufacturing. In fact, manufacturing outsourcing virtually guarantees that product quality and delivery will be adversely impacted. That is because manufacturing operations are where corporations actually create tangible value (i.e., useful things that people want to buy). Disrupting these centers of value creation by moving them to faraway locations destroys the accumulated experience and best prac-

tices of the incumbent staff (to say nothing of ending their source of employment). It also disrupts the clarity and flow of crucial information, restricts the ability to quickly solve problems, and creates logistical barriers. As the nature of the manufacturing activity climbs the technology curve, from the simple to the complex, these problems become amplified. There is no more direct influence on the quality of a product than the people and facilities that design and build that product, and no amount of clever “brand management” can conceal fundamentally bad (or dangerous) products. Despite this, corporations cannot be expected to limit outsourcing on altruistic grounds. The only way manufacturing jobs will remain in the U.S. is if retaining those jobs makes sense from a business perspective. There are signs of progress: Boeing is bringing many critical production processes for the Dreamliner back under its direct control. Also, General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt recently delivered a speech in which he plainly stated that the rush to outsource manufacturing was “flat wrong,” and that we have “lost sight of the core competencies of a successful modern economy.” There will likely always be a place for some rational level of outsourced manufacturing. However, sending away our best jobs and know-how is a bad idea all around. Otherwise, we are on a path to becoming a nation of marketers and burger flippers. We need to re-examine the rush to outsource for the sake of shaving a couple dollars off the register receipt. It might really be costing us. Richard Glasson is the chief engineer of Control Products Inc.

MEASUREMENT DEVICES WITH ROBUST INDUSTRIAL DESIGN. Suitable for an inﬁnite range of applications, TURCK measurement devices feature extended temperature ratings, rugged construction and TURCK's industry-leading connection technologies. Products include: t *ODSFNFOUBM 3PUBSZ &ODPEFST t "CTPMVUF 3PUBSZ &ODPEFST t %SBX 8JSF &ODPEFST t -JOFBS &ODPEFST t -JOFBS %JTQMBDFNFOU 5SBOTEVDFST t *ODMJOPNFUFST

Call us with your next application:

1-800-544-7769 email: turckusa@turck.com

www.turck.com

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

S o l v i n g t he Medical Development

MAZE

Medical product companies can avoid wasted time and costs by tackling manufacturing issues early in development.

A full-service supplier can keep product development on track, especially during critical pilot phases and clinical trials edical engineers know that it’s easy to get lost when guiding a new product from initial design through commercial production. Even minor details can throw you off course, resulting in missed deadlines and wasted resources. Sometimes whole projects can stall, preventing a product from ever reaching the market. Speed-to-market is particularly critical. How efficiently a design goes from concept through the pilot phase and to volume production often means the difference between profit and loss. Yet many projects get hung up by unforeseen issues related not so much to the design itself but to problems in manufacturing the design cost effectively. Clearly, engineers need to focus more on where in the process they begin to consider the manufacturability of initial designs. Answering that question can make a profound difference in the timely launch of products, as well as the cost per manufactured unit. There’s no better way to tackle that challenge than to find a supplier partner that can offer comprehensive, integrated product development and manufacturing services. “Too often, medical companies are dealing with

several different suppliers for design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing and other services,” notes Dave Thoreson, general manager of medical operations for Wisconsin-based Phillips Plastics. “That fragmented approach not only delays time to market but it also robs you of the knowledge you gain at every stage of development when you deal with a full-service supplier.” Stages of product development A full-service supplier can help guide a project through all development stages. If you partner with a supplier with extensive medical program management experience, you’ll avoid many timeconsuming obstacles and gain valuable advice based on your partner’s track record of developing similar products. Those are huge benefits in a development process that encompasses many more steps than many engineers realize. Among the major milestones: Concept Phase. Here you solicit design inputs and product concepts, while assessing risk management and preliminary product spec-

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Engineers in the medical field benefit from partnering with a fullservice supplier with comprehensive development and manufacturing resources.

ifications. You also need to establish a preliminary understanding of the enduser. This is the time to create a preliminary project plan that encompasses scheduling, budgeting, marketing forecasts and resource planning. Phase I: Feasibility. At this stage, you evaluate preliminary end-user needs and fully examine regulatory requirements. It’s also the time to perform risk assessments and to gain a complete understanding of a design’s performance characteristics. Phase II: Design Output and Development. Steps in this phase include: failure mode and effects analyses (FMEAs), development of test methodologies, creation of complete product drawings and specifications, and preliminary specs for packaging and labeling the finished product. Here, too, you develop working product prototypes and begin preclinical testing. You’ll also need to define current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) and initiate preliminary designs for manufacturing (DFM) and designs for automation (DFA) Phase III: Design Verification/Pilot Program. In this phase, you create and test pilot units against design specifications. You also perform final risk analyses and complete the development of production specifications, test methods and protocols for verification and validation. This stage should involve creat-

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

ing concepts for marketing, packaging and distribution, as well as preparations for clinical trials and evaluations. Phase IV: Market Launch and Design Transfer. Here, you complete final specifications for the product and validate the manufacturing process. This work includes development of final device manufacturing requirements (DMR). Finally, it’s time to submit the product for marketing and full-scale production. Don’t soft-pedal the pilot phase Many medical product developers have historically viewed pilot phases as obstacles to “get past.” Yet this period presents key opportunities for enhancing speed-to-market, as well as cost efficiencies. How the end product will be manufactured, assembled and packaged must be considered long before production starts. “More companies are going to clinical trials with designs that closely resemble the final product,” says Jeff Thompson, Phillips Plastics business development manager for medical.

“That approach provides valuable lessons for volume manufacturing.” In contrast, companies that fail to address manufacturing issues early enough often pay a big price. For example— • A medical company finally engages a contract manufacturer during Phase III with a specification that requires molding with 8-cavity tooling. However, the manufacturer flags a requirement for a ±0.001-in tolerance on finished parts, a tolerance almost impossible to hold using an 8-cavity tool and a high shrink resin. Had the manufacturer been consulted earlier, precious time could have been saved by performing tolerance analyses. • A product developer comes to a contract manufacturer with a finished design but wants to trim production costs. Automation featuring a bowl feeder would meet this goal. Unfortunately, the part needs to be redesigned to include features that accommodate a bowl feeder, stalling the project and adding to costs. • In another case, a medical product’s low-volume, pilot assembly meth-

Vital questions for your supplier With so much at stake in medical development, make sure a potential supplier can answer “yes” to all these questions: • Do you offer “seamless” product development ? • Are you committed to understanding not only my company’s needs but those of the patient and end user? • Can you provide a full range of development, clinical evaluation, market launch and high-volume production services, including design verification and clinical builds?

Production and assembly in pilot phases of your project can yield valuable lessons for final highvolume production.

od differs so much from the planned high-volume production process that the FDA views the process modifications as a fundamental design change. Result: FDA required the developer to prove that the changes in design for automation had no effect on the end product’s functionality. Meeting that requirement took six months, and costs mounted as the modified design was prototyped and re-tested. Such examples underscore the importance of involving an experienced engineering and manufacturing partner as early as possible. Moreover, it’s very important to choose a full-service supplier with a comprehensive view of all the steps in development. Finally, treating the pilot phases of your project as a vital part of the design and development processes is the only sound approach to a successful medical launch.

• Can you support my product’s transfer to commercialization? • Do you offer broad development capabilities, including industrial design, rapid prototyping, finite element analysis and product testing? • Do you maintain Class 7 and Class 8 clean rooms, operating under ISO 13485 standards, with flexible space for pilot manufacturing? • Do you offer scalable space to support on-site collaboration? • For drug delivery programs, do you have a long track record of product development, including full understanding of product liability, controlled substance regulations and labeling requirements?

Engineers can download a detailed White Paper on maximizing speed and efficiency in medical product development by visiting the Phillips Plastics Web Site: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-130

• Are you fully committed to confidentiality and protecting a customer’s intellectual property?

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 1 5

E M

S S

IC A

E D L

Control Electronics

Digital Control Systems

mechatronics Electromechanics

Mechanical CAD

Electronic Systems

RI NG

Software

FA U

Mechanical Systems

S T

Sensor Fusion - It’s Hot!

S CT NSU MER PRODU

Complementary filtering to meet demanding performance requirements

very measurement application can be put into some combination of three categories: monitoring of processes and operations, control of processes and operations, and experimental engineering analysis. Control is the most important class in mechatronics. Sensors are used in feedback systems and feedback systems are used in sensors. The text “Measurement Systems: Application and Design” by E. Doebelin is the gold-standard reference. It is from there that I learned to apply sensor fusion in real hardware systems, most notably with a team of senior mechatronics students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2006. They went on that summer to showcase their Segway-like Human Transporter incorporating sensor fusion during the keynote presentation at NI Week. When measuring a particular variable, a single type of sensor may not be able to meet all the required performance specifications. We sometimes combine several sensors into a measurement system that utilizes the best qualities of each individual device. Thus, sensors complement each other, giving rise to the name complementary filtering or sensor fusion. The basic concept is as follows: If a time-varying signal is applied to both a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, and if the two filter output signals are summed, the summed output signal is exactly equal to the input signal. A mechatronics example, used in the Segway-like Human Sensor Fusion of Rate Gyro and Inclinometer Gyro Bias . θrg_b +

Rate Gyro Model . θrg

KgS S2 +

ωn

2ζgS ωn

+ 1

Σ −

Measured Value ϕm

−

1 s ϕ Input Angle

2ζωg +

2 n

Σ −

ϕinc +

Ki τiS +1

Σ +

Inclinometer Noise

ϕinc_n

Inclinometer Noise

Sensor fusion is another important tool for the mechatronics engineer’s toolbox. 16

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

RAPHY ROG XE

M AT E R I ALS PR O

AERO SP AC

Control Systems

FRESH IDEAS ON INTEGRATING MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, ELECTRONICS, CONTROL SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE IN DESIGN

TIVE MO

N FE DE

MECHATRONICS IN DESIGN

Transporter, is absolute angle measurement. The two basic sensors used are a microelectromechanical (MEMS) rate gyro and an inclinometer. The inclinometer measures tilt angle relative to gravity vertical by immersing two circular sector capacitance plates in a dielectric BY KEVIN CRAIG liquid. Angular tilting causes one pair of plates to increase capacitance Kevin C. Craig, Ph.D., and the other to decrease. These caRobert C. Greenheck pacitance changes cause a frequency Chair in Engineering change in an oscillator, which is then Design & Professor of converted to a pulse-width-moduMechanical Engineering, lated (PWM) signal. By low-pass College of Engineering, filtering the PWM signal, a dc voltage Marquette University. proportional to tilt angle is obtained. For more mechatronics A rate gyro gives a dc voltage output news, visit www.mechaproportional to angular velocity, with tronicszone.com. a flat frequency response to about 50 Hz. Op-amp analog integration of the gyro signal would give us angular position, but the bias error quickly gives an unacceptable, ever-increasing drift of the position signal. The inclinometer does not suffer from a drift problem (no integration is involved) and can thus be used to correct for the gyro drift problem. It cannot; however, be used by itself for angle measurements in applications that require a fast response (like measuring vehicle motions) since it is a first-order instrument with low bandwidth, typically 0.5 to 6 Hz, too slow for many applications. The two sensors are thus good candidates for a complementary-filtering application, giving both angular position and angular velocity data over about a 50-Hz bandwidth with negligible drift. While the configuration of the separate high-pass and lowpass filters is most useful for explaining the basic concept of complementary filtering, the practical implementation instead uses a feedback type of configuration that produces identical differential equations and transfer functions. Also, realistic sensor models should be used for analysis and simulation purposes. The inclinometer is modeled as a first-order system and the rate gyro is modeled as a second-order system. Visit the Mechatronics Zone for the latest mechatronics news, trends, technologies and applications: http://designnews. hotims.com/23125-514

FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION

New Class of Linear Motors

Synchronous design reduces costs for travel distances greater than 2m BY AL PRESHER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Linear Motor Design Comparison ew synchronous linear motor technology from Siemens that Traditional Synchronous Linear Motor New 1FN6 Design eliminates the magnets on the Winding Phase V Permanent Magnets Permanent Magnets on Secondary Part on Primary Part secondary track is opening the door to a Winding Phase W Ψ new class of cost-effective, longer travel distance applications. Ideal target applications Winding Phase U are systems with both long travel distances and demanding environments such as Vx transportation systems, material handling, Ψ and laser or water cutting CNC machines. The newly patented 1FN6 design Secondary Part Without Winding Phase U offers the technical advantages of both Any Permanent Magnets Winding Phase V Commutation Algorithms a synchronous linear motor (higher dyUse Steel Teeth to Guide Winding Phase W namics, accuracies and force densities) Magnetic Flow Source: Siemens along with a primary advantage of asynchronous linear motors — a non-mag- By commutating the current going into the primary section, the 1FN6 design creates a magnetic field that can be either strengthened or weakened to guide the magnet flow netic secondary track. so that it is always most concentrated on top of the teeth. Advanced commutation techThe combination of no magnets on the niques move the magnet flow up and down in the primary part, and the field generated secondary track, plus a 30 percent wider by the current in the windings creates a standing magnet field on the secondary part. air gap, creates a robust design that is electrically powered primary section that travels on a secondeffective in dusty and dirty environments. ary magnet track. The secondary part consists of a steel plate But compared to asynchronous motors, the new design also with a series of permanent magnets mounted next to each offers 40-70 percent higher force densities and much higher other (north pole to south pole). The drive system provides dynamic response. current to the phases to generate a magnetic field, and imple“With 1FN6 technology, users can get the advantages of a ments sophisticated commutation algorithms to generate synchronous motor and the advantages of an induction motor forces in either direction. The basic concept of a permanent without the magnets being on the secondary track. So it is magnet motor in a round design is a servomotor or, used in a really a combination of both designs, and combines the linear design, you have a linear motor. advantages of both,” says Ralph Baran, product marketing The key to lowering system costs for the 1FN6 is the limmanager for servo motors and cables for Siemens Industry Inc. ited use of magnet material which is very costly when laid The key design innovation is a synchronous linear motor out in a long magnet track. With secondary sections cut into where the magnets are integrated directly into the lamination lengths of about a foot and the travel distance laid out with of the primary part along with the individual windings for a linear track where each segment has its own individual each phase. The result is that the design of the secondary part magnets, the longer you travel the more expensive the overall is much simpler, and consists of milled steel with teeth that motor design gets. are used to control magnetic flow between the primary and With the 1FN6, because the secondary part is just a milled secondary sections. piece of metal, users can realize very long travel distances By commutating the current going into the primary secwith a cost-optimized design because there are no magnets tion, the permanent magnet’s magnetic field can be either or other expensive materials on the secondary part. Baran strengthened or weakened to effectively guide the magnet flow so that it is always most concentrated on top of the teeth. says that roughly about two meters is the break-even point in terms of cost effectiveness. Advanced commutation techniques are used to move the The design also addresses another critical issue for synchromagnet flow up and down in the primary part, and the field nous linear motors: dirt and dust. With the magnets on the generated by the current in the windings creates, in essence, a secondary part in a traditional system, one disadvantage is standing magnet field on the secondary part. that the permanent magnetic attraction forces created by the The traditional design of a permanent magnet or synchrosecondary part attracts metal dust and/or metal chips, and nous linear motor, such as Siemens’ 1FN3 product, uses an

[ w w w. d es ig n n e ws.c o m]

N O V E M B E R 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 ON F1

FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION generally must be protected from any magnetic contamination. With the 1FN6, only the primary part (which is completely encapsulated) is generating permanent magnet forces and there aren’t magnetic forces coming from the track. Comparing the 1FN6 design to asynchronous linear motors, the two have completely different physical principles. With an asynchronous design, since the magnet field is induced into the secondary part, losses in the secondary part are created by heat and eddy currents, and overall system efficiency is lower. Since the 1FN6 is not inducing current into the secondary part, force density is greater because the design uses both the magnet field generated from the magnets in the primary part and the magnet field generated by the windings. Without the magnets on the secondary part in an asynchronous design, the only magnet field available is generated with current. With the 1FN6 design, commutation algorithms can be used to either weaken or strengthen the magnet field. If it is strengthened, the higher energies in the smaller volume can generate 40-70 percent higher force densities. The 1FN6 design also offers more reliable operation because it can use an air gap that is 30 percent wider than a traditional synchronous linear motor with a nominal air gap for 1.4 mm. Asynchronous motors usually have an even smaller air gap (1-1.1 mm). The air gap, which is the distance between the lower surface of the primary part and the upper surface of the secondary part, is critical because chips or dirt in between the parts could damage the surfaces. Under development is an option for the 1FN6 design that

Fewer Magnets, Lower Cost Cost Per Axis (%)

200% Traditional Linear Motor (1FN3)

150% 100% 50%

1 FN6 0

Source: Siemens

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Travel Distance [m]

Compared to Siemens’ 1FN3 product which uses a traditional synchronous linear motor design, the 1FN6 reduces costs by up to 50 percent depending on travel distance by eliminating magnets from the secondary track.

Source: Siemens

Targeted applications for the 1FN6 are systems with long travel distances and demanding environments such as transportation systems, material handling, and laser or water cutting CNC machines.

features a basic encoder integrated into the motor which would utilize the secondary teeth to measure position. Usually with a linear motor, there is a high-resolution encoder system mounted next to it. But for most 1FN6 applications there is only a need to travel within an accuracy of 1-2 mm, so it’s enough to have a small, cost-effective feedback system to communicate with the drive system unless the specific application would benefit from the higher resolution linear feedback. The 1FN6 offers a natural cooled design which helps reduce costs, but a water cooling option is also in the works. Because no water needs to be traveling with the motor, natural cooling helps increase the robustness and rigidity of the system while keeping costs low. Water cooling is an advantage when an application requires very high force densities because any motor losses can be handled in the most efficient way. Higher forces generated using a very lightweight design and system provides the highest dynamic values. With a lighter motor, the overall mechanical system that is moving is also lighter. And with the ability to generate higher forces, system response is more dynamic when accelerating and decelerating. These capabilities are very important for 1FN3 motors used in CNC applications. “We don’t see 1FN6 replacing the 1FN3 because, especially when we integrate the magnets into the primary section, the overall design of the primary section is heavier than with the 1FN3,” says Baran. He says that many traditional 1FN3 users have applications where dynamic performance and weight are key. Customers specifically want the water-cooled, light design because it offers the most power dense and lightest design solution. And even when water cooling is available with the 1FN6, its primary section will always be heavier. “Since the primary section is usually the one which is traveling, you are losing dynamics because you might have the same force but more weight to accelerate and decelerate,” Baran says. “It is a different design for a different market.” For more information on Siemens’ 1FN6 technology, go to http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-515.

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 NO V E MBE R 2 0 0 9

[www.de signnews .com]

Choose Your Sealing App Countless sealing solutions to suit your needs.

Standard O-Rings

Miniature Seals

Engineering

Housing (Face) Seals

Medical Seals

Silicone Parts

Custom Shapes

FilterSealsÂŽ

Composite Seals

From engineering to manufacturing and inspection, Apple Rubber Products supplies high performance seals and parts directly from their USA plant. Pick the sealing category thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for you.

applerubber.com/products

FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION

Low Pressure Wafer Handling N BY AL PRESHER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

ew pneumatic wafer gripping technology that uses a vacuum level of only 3-5 percent (30-50 millibars) compared to 80 percent for suction cup systems provides fast, reliable handling of photovoltaic wafers and cells. Using a large contact area instead of higher pressure levels to grab wafers, the system also offers extremely fast handling capabilities for one-wafer-per-second applications. “The new SWG wafer gripper applies completely new gripping technology by combining a very low vacuum level with a large effective vacuum area, and full contact gripping of the wafer surface,” says Dr. Mathias Kunz, business manager, Solar/Electronics for Schmalz Inc., a leading supplier of vacuum and gripping technology. The key to the technology is the very large effective vacuum area, and several hundred vacuum openings in the bottom of the gripper which are all exposed to the low vacuum. Since force is pressure differential multiplied by the total area, the design achieves even higher holding forces than other technologies which operate at much higher vacuum levels. The low vacuum is achieved by using a series of tubes in the bottom of the gripper where, once around the circumference, the circular opening uses a high-velocity, pressured air stream to suck the air from the vacuum chamber. Typically 0.6-1.0 bars of pressurized air (8-15 psi) are sufficient to power the ejector and generate the vacuum needed to safely grab the wafer. Kunz says next-generation cell manufacturing lines are Source: Schmalz Inc. specified to produce more Unique wafer handler translates low vacuum levels into high holding force. than 3,600 wafers or cells per hour, translating into one wafer per second. He says a Bernoulli gripper cannot achieve this level of performance, and two or four Bernoulli grippers are often used in parallel to handle the amount of oncoming wafers in the production line. The SWG wafer gripper typically requires only 20 msec to safely grab the wafer. The large-area coverage provides an ability to specify a very wide range of acceleration or veloc-

Flange/Robot Interface

Compressed Air for Blowoff Function

Expansion or Sensor Modules

Exhaust Duct

Compressed Air for Vacuum Generation

Contact Surface Provides Hundreds of Vacuum Openings Source: Schmalz Inc.

New vacuum-based wafer gripping technology uses a large contact area and low pressure to effectively transport photovoltaic wafers or cells.

ity in any direction. Kunz says they tested wafer slippage by running repetitively into an e-stop using parallel kinematics and a camera to record position measurements. After more than 400 attempts to shake the wafer from the grippers, they stopped the experiment because there was no measurable, compounded slippage detected by the camera. Along with holding force, another concern with pneumatic grippers is the ability to reliably accelerate and move items in any XY direction without slippage. With a large contact surface that is basically the wafer size minus 5 mm of margin, the SWG gripper’s area is an advantage because it is approximately 25 percent openings and 75 percent gripping area. The contact area is made of a material called PEEK (polyetheretherketone) which Kunz says is well-known and established in the micro and semiconductor industry as a method for markless handling of silicon products in high-acidic or high-temperature environments. Kunz says Bernoulli grippers are marketed as contactless grippers, but moving the wafers requires touching them. Grabbing the edges is a challenge because the edges are the most critical point for any wafer, and transmitting forces using rubber or foam pads on the surface can create impurities and stress in the Z direction. Bernoulli grippers also blow high-pressured air onto the wafer surface and into the working area of the handling unit, compared to the SWG approach that sucks a very high-volume stream (150 to 200ℓ/min) out of the working area.

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 NO V E MBE R 2 0 0 9

[www.de signnews .com]

In addition to tube ﬁttings, we also make valves, regulators, ﬁlters, and happier customers.

Contrary to what you may think, we’re much more than a tube ﬁtting company. And we have our obsession with Customer Focus to thank for that. Yes, we’re known throughout the world for our tube ﬁttings. And yes, we’ve been at it for over 60 years. But when companies are looking harder than ever for greater value, it’s our broad range of products, including orbital welders, modular systems, and a complete line of hose, that helps us offer more than you expect. See for yourself at swagelok.com/moreproducts.

ADVERTORIAL

Select Wire-Reinforced Hoses Based on Working Pressure Requirements Hydraulic hose reinforcement varies with its rated working pressure. Hoses with low working pressures normally use fabric reinforcement, while those handling higher pressures use high-strength steel wire. Steel wire reinforced hoses come in two types: wire braid and spiral wire. Wire braid hoses can handle working pressures up to 6,000 psi, depending on size. These “two-wire” braid hoses are frequently found in high-pressure hydraulic applications on construction equipment. Operating pressures range from 6,000 psi for 3/16” I.D. to 1,825 psi for 2” I.D. hoses. By contrast, spiral wire hoses generally handle up to 5,000 psi in larger diameter sizes, up to 2” I.D. Typically, "four-wire" and "six-wire" spiral hoses are used where extremely highimpulse pressure surges are encountered.

Gates newest advancement is its M-XP™ hydraulic hose, which combines the flexibility of wire-braid construction with the strength and performance of spiral-wire reinforcement. M-XP hose has been tested at an industryleading 1,000,000 impulse cycles – five times the SAE standard. This capability increases service life and makes Gates M-XP hose ideal for out-of-sight and hard-to-reach applications like boom arms and scissor lifts. Gates M-XP hose is engineered with onehalf the SAE bend radius requirement, which reduces hose length requirements and allows for greater flexibility and easier installation in confined spaces. Visit www.gates.com/mxp-dn

FLUID POWER/POWER TRANSMISSION

Designing

for IP66

Implementing dust-tight, washdown motor protection requires attention to detail BY AL PRESHER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

ngoing refinements in motor technology are making it simpler to deploy dust-tight, washdown motors, the basics covered by IP66 protection, in new designs. But avoiding problems, especially in higher-volume applications, requires careful engineering, understanding how manufacturers are protecting the motors and the issues that could become problems for specific applications. IP66 provides “ingress protection” in two areas: motors that are totally protected against dust and protection against strong jets of water. The IP67 standards move a step further to motors that are being submerged in water. “I tell customers that if you want washdown capabilities you want IP66,” says Seth Hulst, engineering manager for Groschopp. “Even though the word ‘washdown’ is not in the standard, that is what people think of it as.” Hulst says standard off-the-shelf catalog motors are commonly IP44, and it is a big step to move to IP66 since there are many joints and mating parts where water and dust can get inside the motor. The obvious areas that need to be addressed are the shaft and the electrical connections for the motor. To make a motor design rated for IP66, selecting the sealed bearings and the type of seals for the shaft is probably the most important area. Motor manufacturers look at the joints between the bearing and the housing, and the bearing and the shaft. If there is a good press fit, that’s acceptable; but typically both races of the bearings can’t be press fit so there’s a need to seal one of those surfaces. Some manufacturers use sealants but Groschopp specifies O-rings because they Special power cord options include water, oil, and abrasion resistance plus outdoor use

Careful review of the IP66 motor design with the manufacturer, especially options for the shaft and electrical connections, increases the application success rate.

O-rings deal effectively with thermal expansion of critical seals

A caustic chemical environment requires a review of materials used in an IP66 motor

Sealed bearings and shaft seals are critical

Source: Groschopp

M-XP™ hose brings together the best of spiral-wire and wire-braid. Introducing a revolution in hose performance and economy. Gates new M-XP hydraulic hose combines the flexibility and economy of wirebraid construction with the strength and performance of spiral-wire reinforcement. There are a million reasons to spec this hose. Tested at 1,000,000 impulse cycles (five times the SAE standard) at 212°F, M-XP hose can handle 4,000 psi high-impulse applications in all sizes. It is ideal for out-of-sight and hard-toreach applications like boom arms and scissor lifts used in mobile equipment, construction and other industrial markets. And the benefits don’t stop there. M-XP hose is engineered with one-half the SAE bend radius requirement for greater flexibility, easier handling and reduced hose length. Plus, it can be fitted with economical one-piece MegaCrimp® couplings rather than more expensive spiral-wire fittings.

Strength and flexibility. One unique combination.

It all adds up to a hose assembly that delivers high performance and low cost. See what M-XP hose will do for your next hydraulic application. For more information, visit www.gates.com/mxp-dn

Mission: Immersion.

FLUID POWER/ POWER TRANSMISSION

Immersion Engineering™™ goes deep to solve your heat transfer problems.

Source: Groschopp

Groschopp supports IP66 for its ac, dc and brushless motors, as well as gear reducers and gear drives.

Even though you may call us on the phone miles away, we're so deep into your stuff--your fluid, your equipment, your system--we can virtually touch it, see it. Immersion Engineering is a bundle of very specialized services that you can cherry pick. Some are free, some you pay for. We’re the only company offering them all. One thing is for sure; when you need HTF help you need it now. Nobody knows more about the chemistry, performance and applications of heat transfer fluids than we do. So pick a service and call one of our technical specialists. Or, check out our web site for case histories, data sheets, comparisons, user’s guide, tip sheets and technical reports. It’s all there, it’s deep, it’s Immersion Engineering. Eyeball this selection of services. ■ Fluid Analysis ■ Fluid Maintenance ■ Training

■ Troubleshooting ■ System Layout 4 Portland Road West Conshohocken PA 19428 USA

800-222-3611 610-941-4900 • Fax: 610-941-9191 HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS

info@paratherm.com

make the motor more serviceable, easier to upgrade and provide more control over the amount of sealing material. “One of the things we look at is the thermal expansion and what the motor does when it heats up,” says Jared Birk, senior electrical engineer for Groschopp. “All of the components expand at different rates, but with an O-ring you know exactly how much rubber there is and you know exactly what the diameter is. You also know what your O-ring groove is, and you can verify that the motor is going to seal both when it is cold and when it is hot.” The single biggest application issue for IP66 motors is a caustic chemical environment, which usually requires a careful review of materials. “The standard IP66 that we offer and that everyone else offers is designed more for water,” says Hulst. If the customer has a caustic chemical environment, the motor has to be designed into the application because there are so many different types of chemicals. The customer might know what types of materials work well, and the motor designer has to figure out how to incorporate those materials into the motor. Hulst says some engineers don’t think a fan-cooled motor can be IP66, but that’s really not true. With the Groschopp IP66 fan-cooled design, the motor has an extruding housing with cooling channels incorporated into it which have been defined by the motor testers as being outside of the motor. The design basically allows the water and dust to go through the cooling channels. A final important area is testing. Groschopp IP66 permanent magnet dc series motors have been subjected to rigorous hot/cold tests where the motor is heated to 250F and then immediately submerged into an iced water bath at 33F. But even with these temperature extremes and submersion, post-test evaluations of the seals revealed no water ingress or performance issues. For OEM Reference Data on Ingress Protection (IP) for motors go to http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-516.

Solar-Powered LED illumination is a logical synthesis of two “green” technologies—low cost photovoltaic modules and high-efficiency HBLEDs (high-brightness LEDs). There are many variations on this theme however, based on design complexity, form factor and cost. The simplest systems are nothing more than a battery charged by an array of PV cells in series with a Schottky diode. The diode prevents battery current from flowing back into the array in the evenings. Simple…but hardly efficient. This is because PV cells have a non-linear current-voltage characteristic. A typical power curve is represented in Figure 1. The power output (I • V ) increases as the current draw increases because their output voltage stays relatively constant, but only up to a certain point. Beyond that point (known as the maximum power point, MPP), any additional current results in a rapid decrease of voltage, and the array’s output power is reduced dramatically.

Although there is tremendous interest in renewable energy today, PV manufacturing costs remain relatively high. This has accelerated research and commercialization of many interesting structures and chemistries. A particularly novel PV module is produced by PowerFilm Solar. Their amorphous silicon cells are flat, completely flexible and lightweight. Now the solarpowered LED light can have curves, contours and a little “form”. A roll-to-roll manufacturing process makes them comparatively inexpensive, in sheets 13” wide and up to 2,400 feet long. We recently started providing OEMs with pre-cut modules for LED lighting and many embedded applications.

Cary Eskow is director of LightSpeed, the solid state lighting and LED business unit of Avnet Electronics Marketing. An ardent advocate of energy efficient LED-based illumination, he has worked closely with

Figure 2 – A thin, lightweight and flexible PV array

LED manufacturers, advanced

Figure 1 – Typical power characteristic of a PV module

More advanced systems employ a circuit called a maximum power point tracker (MPPT), which dynamically adjusts the PV module’s load to keep it operating near MPP. At least 200 published papers describe different MPPT schemes and dozens of patents cover various techniques—a clear indication of the critical role MPPT has in optimizing PV efficiency. Implementations range from low-cost analog circuitry to DSPs and fuzzy logic controllers. One of the most prevalent MPPT techniques is called “perturb and observe” (P&O). In a basic P&O system, the load current applied to the module is constantly varied (perturbed) by a small amount. Each time a change is made, voltage and current sensors determine the PV module’s power. If it has decreased, the load is decreased (MPP was exceeded); if it has increased, the load is increased (MPP was not reached). In operation the perturbation will oscillate around IMPP , near the knee of the curve in Figure 1.

Another critical component is the HBLED and lens combination. In most outdoor applications, the projected light pattern is very important. A sidewalk lamp should illuminate the sidewalk and not the nearby walls. Beyond the issue of glare and light intrusion, light spilled unnecessarily is energy wasted—a precious commodity for solar-powered luminaires. Oblong patterns are common requirements for sidewalk, pathway and street lights, but hard to accomplish in an evenlylit manner. The LED lens company Ledil now has an acrylic lens for that purpose called Strada. They mount on top of an OSRAM Golden Dragon Plus HBLED, to yield the shape below.

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’s North American FAE team.

Figure 3 –Light pattern of a Strada lens on an OSRAM Golden Dragon Plus

I’ve placed data sheets on PowerFilm modules, OSRAM HBLEDs and the Ledil Strada lens on our website. As always, feel free to send me your questions, comments or inquiries at LightSpeed@Avnet.com

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

FLASH

NEW AND NOTABLE PRODUCT DESIGN

By Terry Costlow, contributing editor

No matter where you are, wireless technology can bring peace of mind. Homeowners and truckers who think they left a door open can easily tap networks to see if locks are set, and shoppers can learn which items are on sale without searching for price tags or shelf labels.

IS THE DOOR LOCKED?

SALE IN AISLE 6 Food marketers who want to focus their pitches are rolling out a highly precise tool, a shopping cart that shows different deals in every aisle. The Giving Cart™ System from Klever Marketing® Inc. continuously alerts shoppers about promotions as they wind through the store. It’s now being tested at The Market in Park City, UT. Previous attempts at target marketing flopped because ads showed up in the wrong place. The Giving Cart uses Time Domain Corp.’s Precision Location Ultra Wideband System, which is precise down to 12 inches. USB also offers longer battery life than some other wireless networks. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-517

CHECKING TRUCK

DOORS AT 60 MPH As large trucks use more electronics, it’s becoming easier to monitor things like tires, door latches, temperature sensors and cargo sensors. Digi International’s ConnectPort™ X5 provides an array of connectivity options, supporting cellular, Wi-Fi, GPS, vehicle area networks and satellites. Digi’s XBee® 802.15.4/ZigBee or point-to-multi-point 2.4GHz radio technology lets drivers deploy low-power sensor networks throughout the vehicle, giving them real-time information about critical elements on their trucks. The system also lets drivers use Wi-Fi-enabled devices like vehicle displays and handheld devices. Fleet managers can use satellite or cellular links to monitor vehicle locations, even employing GPS to fence vehicles into certain areas. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-519

Digi

Satellite, Cellular, GPS

Fleet Management Applications

Server

Wi-Fi and XBee® Network

ConnectPort X5 In-Cab Display

Vehicle Bus Interface Heavy Equipment

Those who drive off and wonder whether they locked the front door can rest easy. Kwikset® is now shipping its SmartCode® keyless entry electronic locks, which let homeowners lock or unlock doors via remote control, cell phone, security system touch panel and/or a secure Internet connection. Kwikset’s Home Connect™ Technology uses ZigBee, Z-Wave and other RF protocols to communicate with home security and automation platforms. The battery-powered lock, which fits in any existing deadbolt, secures wireless transmissions by employing 128-bit encryption. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-518

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Construction Site

Real parts. Really fast. Simply upload your 3D CAD model, and choose the best option for your needs.

CNC Machining in 1–3 days. Best for 1-10 parts. Priced from $95.

Injection Molding in 1–15 days. Best for 10-10,000+ parts. Priced from $1495. Choose from hundreds of engineeringgrade resins, including HDPE, Polypropylene, ABS/PC, Acetal, PBT, Polycarbonate, Nylon 66, Polyamide and LPDE.

Choose from 30 different materials including ABS, Nylon, PC, Delrin, PEEK, ULTEM, and aluminum.

It’s easy to work with Proto Labs. Choose CNC machining or injection molding, whichever is best for your project. Upload your CAD model and receive an automated, interactive quote in hours. Once approved, our cluster computing technology and automated manufacturing systems will deliver real parts using real materials in as little as one day. And that’s the real story. ©2009 Proto Labs, Inc. ISO 9001:2008 Certiﬁed

Visit www.protolabs.com/parts today to receive your FREE copy of our comprehensive comparison of rapid prototyping technologies. Enter source code DN409.

Call 877.479.3680 or visit protolabs.com

» designnews.com/sherlock

The Adventure of the Perp That Played Possum

BY MIKE SEIBEL, 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. Photos a plus! E-mail Karen Field at: kfield@reedbusiness.com

At designnews.com: The Instance of the Recalcitrant Religious Instrument Divine intervention or clever engineering work? You decide! http://designnews. hotims.com/23125-520

Sign up for the newsletter for this blog and get every Sherlock adventure delivered directly to your desktop at http://reg.designnews.com/newsletter/ subscribe.

Having run out of obvious things to check while troubleshooting a faulty test system, an engineer postulates a far-fetched theory and it turns out he’s right. Many years ago I worked on automated test systems for RF integrated circuits. These were mixed-signal test systems, with dc, digital and RF measurements performed at a high rate of speed on packaged RFICs. The stimulus and measurement signals were delivered to the IC testing site via a 3- x 4-ft test head that contained the testing socket. One of our customers was having intermittent fallout due to a dc stimulus, reporting current limiting during testing. (A dc stimulus is just a programmable, direct-current power supply; in this case many of these were used to test the IC under test.) Several of our engineers visited the customer site to evaluate this, and replaced wiring and dc stimulus hardware in an attempt to fix this problem. Despite our best efforts, the customer still had the same intermittent problem. As the senior engineer, I was called in once this problem festered into a full-fledged enigma and the customer was seriously miffed. Lucky me! I reviewed all the previous repair attempts and found nothing lacking in the process. Everything obvious that had a chance of being bad had already been replaced. Based on the symptoms, I hypothesized that the one remaining fault could be some conductive contaminate lodged internal to the test head, which could conceivably be intermittently shorting the dc stimulus lines. I went so far as to point out to my co-workers that I expected to find a piece of small, conductive debris “right below here,” pointing dramatically to a crack in the test head. In truth, it was a far-fetched and bold prediction since I had absolutely no other fallback theory. When I arrived at the customer site, I was greeted by the seriously miffed engineering staff, who quickly escorted me to the offending test system. Along with the help of one of

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

their technicians, I methodically removed the huge cover of the test head to gain access to the crack. The entire time I was frantically thinking to myself, “If this is not the problem, I have no clue what else to try, and these guys will lynch me.” With the cover removed, the technician and I began our inspection. I told him to “Look closely for any conductive debris — it might be very small.” After several tense seconds, which seemed like an eternity to me, he said with a straight face, “You mean like this Allen wrench right here?” Sure enough, a 2-inch-long Allen wrench had somehow fallen into the crack in the test head, lodging near some exposed connector terminals. Random vibrations would cause the wrench to move, such that it would sometimes short out the dc stimulus lines. But most of the time (like while we were troubleshooting), the wrench would lie in wait, only to pounce once again after we left. Fortunately, since it was the customer’s wrench, there was blame to share all around. The customer was happy, I got out of there in one piece, and back to the airport. We redesigned the cover to eliminate the crack, and I brought my trophy back to share with my amazed co-workers. That wrench was awarded a premium position at work between my patent plaques and my “thank you coach” Little League trophies. Unfortunately it did not survive a career move to my present company. Most likely, it disappeared into another crack. Mike Seibel graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in the late 70s, and worked for more than 20 years at HP/ Agilent on RF and Microwave test equipment and systems. Eight years ago he joined Turin Networks, which is now Force 10 Networks, where he is the director of manufacturing test engineering. He lives in Santa Rosa, CA. 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 =\

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xGHYLFHV 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

green

Scene

Environmental news engineers can use

BY ROB SPIEGEL, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Zero Motorcycles Launches Electric Bike

LEAD-FREE

Zone Come to the Lead-Free Zone blog for answers and updates and to exchange ideas with RoHS expert Rob Spiegel at www.design news.com/Lead FreeZoneBlog

Zero Motorcycle’s 2009 Zero DS Electric Dual Sport is emissions-free, non-toxic and its parts are recyclable.

Insulation and Air Sealing Saves Energy at Home

Owens Corning of Toledo, OH has introduced EnergyComplete™, a home insulation and air sealing system designed to combine savings, safety and affordability. “Buildings are the number one user of energy in the United States, consuming 40 percent of the country’s energy resources — more energy than industry, more energy than transportation,” says Karel Czanderna, group president of Owens Corning Building Materials. EnergyComplete is designed to meet this challenge by providing consistent room-to-room temperature. The sealing aspects of the system are also designed to reduce ™ Owens Corning’s EnergyComplete insuthe conditions that lation and air sealing system is designed for savings, safety and affordability. can lead to mold

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Here’s a bike that runs entirely on electricity. Zero Motorcycles of Santa Cruz, CA has introduced the Zero DS, a fully electric, dual-sport motorcycle built for both the city street and the dirt trail. The Zero DS was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle. Each component on the bike — such as aircraft-grade aluminum with lightweight strength — was designed to minimize weight and maximize energy density. The Zero DS is emissions free, and its parts are non-toxic and almost entirely recyclable. The bike’s power pack consists of lithium-ion cells that are landfill-approved. growth and provide a first line of defense against pests and insects. For existing homes, the EnergyComplete system can be installed in attics, basements, crawl spaces, or during a home addition or remodeling project. Homeowners are also eligible for a 30-percent tax credit on the cost of the system for a maximum credit of $1,500 under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Flexible, Eco-Friendly DVD Here’s a new DVD that’s eco-friendly. CD Digital Card of Rancho Cucamonga, CA has produced a new optical disc, the Flex DVD, that is lightweight, flexible and uses only half the polycarbonate chemicals of a standard DVD-5. While the Flex DVD has the standard capacity and playability features as a traditional DVD-5, it is light enough and flexible enough to drive down postal costs, while reducing damage through the postal process. The company also notes that the thin, flexible construction makes printing, binding and publishing less expensive.

The Newest

Renewable Energy Harvesting New Products from:

Random Vibration JouleThief™ Module www.mouser.com/ adaptivenergy_joule-thief

EnerChip™ EH CBC5300 Module www.mouser.com/cymbet_ cbc5300

Energy Harvesting Modules www.mouser.com/ald/a

The ONLY New Catalog Every 90 Days

Experience Mouser’s time-to-market Solar Energy Harvesting Development Tool: eZ430-RF2500-SEH www.mouser.com/ti_ez430_rf2500_seh/

advantage with no minimums and same-day shipping of the newest products from more than 390 leading suppliers.

The Newest Products For Your Newest Designs

www.mouser.com Over A Million Products Online

(800) 346-6873

T I Pfrom S

TITUS

Unbelievably useful info on data measurement, collection and analysis from the test expert

JON TITUS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

An Update on Shielding WHEN YOU MEASURE A SENSOR’S SIGNAL, YOU DON’T

want ambient electromagnetic noise added to it. So you rely on shielded twisted-pair wires to Jon Titus, a former protect the sensor’s signal. The shield provides designer and chief a path to ground for ambient electrical noise. editor of EDN and (A shield also reflects some of the ambient Test & Measurement noise and in some cases lets noise through to World magazines, the signal wires.) remembers when The quality of the shield greatly affects how “fast” signals opermuch noise gets to your signal wires. The ated at 10 MHz and photo below shows examples of shielded programs came on wires. The twisted-pair cable, A, has a 100 paper tape. percent aluminum-foil shield and separate “drain” wires that connect to the shield and simplify a ground connection. These separate wires have a lower resistance than the foil alone. The inexpensive RG-58/U coaxial patch cable, B, has a foil shield and about 20 small-gauge shield wires. The RG-58C/U coaxial cable, C, provides a stranded center conductor and a woven copper shield. The shield still has small openings A that very-high-frequency signals could penetrate. High-quality coax cable can provide up to about B 95 percent woven-shield coverage. (Go with a 100 percent shield if you can.) Now that you have a C shielded cable, where do you ground it? I have recommended grounding it at the measurement end. Grounding at both ends Several cable options: A — foil-shielded can cause ground loops twisted pair with shield-connection wire; that compound problems B — cheap coaxial cable with a foil shield and can add powerline and fragile shield wires; and C — highnoise to sensor signals. quality coaxial cable with a braided In some cases, you shield. The solid-center conductor in B can ground one shield decreases cable flexibility.

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

end and run the other shield end to ground through a small-value capacitor. But recently I read this rule of thumb: When a length of cable shield exceeds 1/20th of the wavelength of the highestfrequency noise signal, you should ground both ends of the shield. But what’s the source of the 1/20th rule? David Ballo, an application development engineer in the Component Test Div. at Agilent Technologies uncovered a reference I paraphrase below. (See References.) The key assumption in single-point grounding is that the wavelength of the highest noise frequency is long relative to the physical dimensions involved, so you assume everything electrical occurs simultaneously and uses lumped-circuit analysis. But when wavelengths are short enough that the physical dimensions become significant, you need to use distributed circuit analysis. Then, a singlepoint grounded shield starts to look like an antenna. You have an optimum “antenna” when the shield length equals one-quarter wavelength of the noise signal. Then you must ground both ends. The author’s rule of thumb is that you need multipoint grounding when the shield length exceeds 1/20th wavelength of the highest frequency of interest. I’ll have more to report on the 1/20th rule of thumb and shielding in my next Tips column. In the meantime, I welcome comments that practically or theoretically explain the 1/20th wavelength figure at jontitus@comcast.net. For More

REFERENCES

information

1. “Cable Shield Grounding,” Electromagnetic News Report, Jan/Feb 2003: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-521 2. “Unreal-Wheel Deal,” EDN, Sept. 3, 2009: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-522

160 Megawatts of Green Engineering MEASURE IT – FIX IT

Since 2001, engineers at Siliken Renewable Energy have used the National Instruments graphical system design platform to produce solar panels generating 160 MW of renewable solar energy.

MEASURE IT

FIX IT

Acquire

Analyze

Present

Design

Prototype

Deploy

Acquire and measure data from any sensor or signal

Analyze and extract information with signal processing

Present data with HMIs, Web interfaces, and reports

Design optimized control algorithms and systems

Prototype designs on ready-to-run hardware

Deploy to the hardware platform you choose

Siliken Renewable Energy, one of the world’s fastest-growing manufacturers of solar panels, trusts NI LabVIEW software for applications ranging from research and development to automated test. Like Siliken, companies around the world implement the NI graphical system design platform to create environmentally friendly products, technologies, and processes. Using modular hardware and flexible software, they are not only testing and measuring existing systems but also creating innovative ways to fix the problems they find.

Download the solar power resource kits at ni.com/160

©2009 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 2009-11109-821-101-D

888 293 3091

Where’s the Off Switch? The U.S. Dept. of Energy says 75 percent of energy is used by “off ” appliances

unning out of gas just plain stinks. economies. Even “clean coal” is dirty, but it is 20 Grab four of your buddies and try times cheaper than gasoline and doesn’t involve to push the car to the closest station. the complexities of the Middle East. Concerned You are going to be worn out, sweaty, about the proliferation of coal plants in China? and down a few bucks for the pizza and beer you How can we demand global environmental citipromised your friends. zenship when engineers have not produced realThere are many reasons why we love our gaso- istic options for growing economies? We are, in a line, and some have nothing to do with Ameriword, culpable. can mythology. Consider that a car can travel But before we get too sophisticated with our almost two miles in under two minutes solutions, let’s not neglect the obvious: on one little cup of gasoline costing less Using less energy is a choice for most than 20 cents. It would take about an Americans that can have an immediate hour for the four guys and me to push impact. We don’t talk much about this the car two miles. So, one small cup of because we love our big-screen TVs, gasoline is 30 times more useful than climate-controlled homes, performance 1,000 pounds of guy power. automobiles — I am no different. But And we wonder why it is so hard to Geoffrey C. Orsak doing smart, little things can provide big move away from a petroleum-based econsavings right now. omy. MacArthur fellow Richard Muller’s book, A 2006 study from the Energy Saving Trust in “Physics for Future Presidents,” helps explain Great Britain estimated that so-called “standby the science: Gasoline provides 15 times as much power” consumed by household appliances and energy as an equivalent amount of TNT and 100 computer equipment accounted for 8 percent of times as much energy as an equivalent weight of all domestic power consumption. And the U.S. computer batteries. Liquid hydrogen — one of Dept. of Energy recently estimated that 75 perthe darlings of alternative fuel — has only 22 cent of energy used by appliances is burned off percent as much energy per gallon as gasoline. when we believe the appliance is actually “off.” Simply put, gasoline is jam-packed with energy. Clever designers have already begun marketing But the CO2 released by oxidizing gasoline in solutions as complicated as a device that senses our internal combustion engines might literally what appliances can be turned off when not in use change the trajectory of life on our planet forever. and as simple as a multi-port power strip with one Best alternative? The electrical car, natural gas, true on/off switch. solar and nuclear power all must jump signifiSo, while we swing for the home run, let’s not cant scientific, engineering and/or sustainability forget the power of singles. Quite frankly, what we hurdles to work on a global scale, even if we can all really need right now is a good “off ” switch. get past the politics. Remember that the most soGeoffrey C. Orsak is dean of the Southern Methodphisticated country on the planet still can’t decide where to store spent nuclear fuel decades after use. ist University Lyle School of Engineering. He can be reached at dean@lyle.smu.edu. This is an even bigger challenge for emerging

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Miniature Solutions for Today’s Packaging Challenges

Air Cylinders • Solenoid Valves • FRLs • Control Valves • Fittings • Tubing

A leader in miniature pneumatics, Clippard provides quality products

877-245-6247

and complete design solutions

www.clippard.com Cincinnati, OH 45239

for the packaging industry!

INSIDE NEWS

» ELECTRONICS SENSORS GET MORE TOUCHY

TRENDS BREAKTHROUGHS DEVELOPMENTS

Freescale’s new capacitive touch sensor — the MPR121 — brings touch-pad interfaces to cell phones, GPS systems and garage door openers. Page 34

NEWS Gemata’s roller coating machine, left ...

» MATERIALS HEATED EXCHANGE A high-performance, thin plastic film is replacing titanium in a new type of heat exchanger. The cost savings are significant. Page 35

» MOTION CONTROL FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

... was copied by a Chinese company, right.

Suppliers at Pack Expo showcased their new product innovations, hoping to turn a recent flurry of quotes into more sales. Page 36

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

» DESIGN TOOLS GOLD UPGRADE Invention Machine’s Goldfire 5.5 upgrade and new Insight tool aims to make sustainable innovation and development practices accessible to a broader audience. Page 38

» AUTOMOTIVE A BOOST FROM LAMBORGHINI A collaboration between the University of Washington and Lamborghini is helping push the research and development effort behind the growing use of carbon fiber composites in cars. Page 39

Knockoffs Move beyond Gucci Bags Now some Chinese companies are copying entire high-end Italian machines. Given current Chinese patent rules, the options to fight back may be limited. By Karen Auguston Field, Editorial Director

Notorious for copying products like handbags, videos, software and bearings, some Chinese manufacturers are getting even more audacious. Several high-end Italian machinery makers say Chinese companies are copying their entire designs and selling them in China at low prices, made possible by using cheaper components and avoiding import fees. In one recent case, a company in China brazenly attempted to register the original Italian manufacturer’s brand name. “At a recent exhibition in Shanghai, for example the ACLE Leather Fair in September, we have seen several copies of our small (1,800 mm) roller coating machines. We have taken pictures, and it is clear that the designs are copied. Even the color is the same,” says Giulio Tandura, president of Linta URL, an Italian manufacturer of roller coating and finishing machines for leather goods marketed under the brand names Linta and Gemata. The company is known for its innovative engineering efforts, including a patented, reverse roller technology it developed that deposits more ink on the hides for a better finish. Though it has been able to protect its brand name (despite efforts by one company to register it in China), that is not the case for its patents. “The cost to protect them in China is high, and the possibility of success is scarce,” says Tandura. “So copies are easy.” D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 2 9

The

Exact

Lens you need for

Your Project comes with

Expert Support to help you make it

work with your design.

www.UKAoptics.com 1-516-624-2444 1000s of Lens Sizes in Stock. Most Lenses Ship Same Day. Custom Lens Manufacturer for all Applications.

Phone: (516) 328-3662 Fax: (516) 328-3365

THE NEW V110 CATALOG • Air Springs • Circular Cable Isolators • Constant Natural Frequency Mounts • Seismic Mounts • Thermal Conductive Silicone Products • Wedge Levelers • Foot Mounts

...adds hundreds of new items to our extensive product line available in the V100 catalog

www.vibrationmounts.com 30

N EWS I NT ELLEC T UAL PR OPERTY, C o ntinued

Though the machines may look similar, Tandura says the quality of the construction and components is quite different. “Sometimes they buy special coating rollers in Italy from traders, but for the most part they use Chinese components. The overall quality of the machine is not at our level, so good tanneries there with quality standards prefer to import our machines,” he says. Linta sells about 10 percent of its Gemata-brand machines in China, though the company does not source any parts or assembly here. Tandura says that although it is difficult to give exact figures, his company could probably at least double sales here if it did not have to compete with copies of its own products. Italian manufacturers Marchesini, a maker of packaging equipment, and Ronchi, which specializes in high-speed filling machines, say they too have seen copies of their equipment popping up. In Ronchi’s case, Michele Falsini, export manager, says the copies weren’t hard to spot. “They meticulously reproduced some mistakes in the machine that we have since re-engineered out,” he says wryly. “For the time being, we have only seen exact copies of our machines in India alone and, seeing as they are identical copies of our products, it was quite easy to prove this,” says Piero Tomasi, commercial director of the Marchesini Group. “There are on the other hand many machines on the international market, from the so-called up-and-coming countries such as China, India and Korea, where the machines are not exact copies of European

machines but combinations of concepts taken all over the place among various solutions already available in Europe.” Pietro says his company’s products are also protected by patents, which are not valid in China. He says he believes the copies have harmed potential sales in China, pointing out that European-made blister-pack machines make up only about 1 percent of volume sold in China. That small market share is likely due to the fact that domestically manufactured machines sell for as much as 50 percent less, he says, depending on the quality of the material and finished product. So what recourse do companies have? Thomas Babel, an attorney specializing in litigation and intellectual property with the law firm Ward and Smith P.A., says it is difficult to prove that an innovation was stolen by a Chinese company. “In China, it’s fairly easy for an interloper to file for and be granted a patent on an innovation, even if it is patented elsewhere,” he says. Babel learned firsthand how the Chinese patent system works while employed at a U.S. consumer products company. The problems began when the company started working with new suppliers in China after ending a long-term relationship with a Taiwanese supplier. “The Taiwanese supplier was obviously upset and went and filed lawsuits in China against our new suppliers, contending that it owned the intellectual property related to our products being manufactured,” he says. “Unbeknownst to us,

Simplify your field device wiring ZIPport™ multi-port interconnection junction blocks provide a simple and effective way to organize machine wiring for a variety of control systems, such as machinery, packaging equipment and conveying systems. Wire multiple sensors to a single block with one exit cable connecting to the control panel.

Choose from a variety of configurations • • • •

www.automationdirect.com/junction-blocks

Four, six and eight-pole port configurations Choice of one or two I/O per port Standard M12-style cable connections IP 67, UL, RoHS

• Reduces wiring errors • Saves time and space • Reduces installation cost

Component interface without opening enclosure doors! ZIPport™ panel interface connectors (PICs) are pass-through units that mount to the outside of electrical control panels containing PLCs or other programmable devices. Using PICs allow access to those devices without the the risks of working with an open electrical panel. • Aluminum housing with gasket • Over 30 configurations • Single, duplex, or GFCI power outlets plus communication ports • Communication connectors available include D-sub, RJ45, RJ12, Ethernet and Allen-Bradley Data Highway • NEMA and UL rated; RoHS compliant

www.automationdirect.com/panel-interface-connectors www.automationdirect.com Go online or call to get complete information, request your free catalog, or place an order.

1-800-633-0405

POWER TRANSMISSION-PART CONVEYING

® PYRATHANE BELTS With Lifetime Warranty Against Manufacturing Defects Very Clean in Operation

I NT ELLEC T UAL PR OPERTY, C o ntinued

COLORS AVAILABLE

Eliminates Tensioning Devices Exceptional Abrasion Resistance

CUSTOM MADE IN INCH, METRIC & O-RING SIZES Round, Flat and Connectable Polyurethane Belts Samples available at little or no cost.

DIAMETAPE BELT MEASURING TOOL Measure the inside diameter (I.D.) or the inside circumference (I.C.) of an o-ring or endless belt without destroying the belt. AN ISO 9001:2000 CERTIFIED COMPANY

www.pyramidbelts.com (P) 641.792.2405 • E-mail: sales@pyramidbelts.com 522 North Ninth Avenue East, Newton, IA 50208

N EWS

the Taiwanese supplier had periodically filed patents for our products in China under its own name during the duration of our relationship.” The supplier was able to do that, Babel explains, because China, unlike the U.S., has a first-to-file system, which means that the first company to file for a utility or design patent on an innovation will be granted the patent. In addition, the Chinese Intellectual Property Office does not conduct an investigation into a party’s patent claims, like the USPTO does here in the U.S. “The holder of the Chinese patent can then use that patent to prevent others, including the original inventor, from producing products in China that incorporate that innovation,” he says. Babel says he believes that the limited, pre-issuance investigation conducted by the Chinese SIPO gives an unfair advantage to copiers, since once the patent is issued the burden of proof is now on the rightful owner of the innovation. Compounding the problem is the Chinese court system. It does not follow the western rules of evidence, often allowing only original documents as evidence. Babel’s company hired counsel in China and countersued. “Being a lawyer, I believed that we had ample evidence to show our designs had been stolen,” he says. “But I was told that despite the fact that the evidence we had supporting our position would be sufficient for a case in the U.S., that evidence would not be sufficient for a case in China. And that’s pretty much what happened.” Despite the difficulties in China, the company ultimately was able to reach a beneficial resolution of the

dispute by filing a breach of contract suit against the Taiwanese supplier — here in the U.S. As for the Italians, they are finding other ways to fight back. “The Chinese are learning quickly and the only possibility to compete price-wise in their market is to make production in China. We also are trying to stay one or two steps ahead with our technology developments, although the gap is increasingly easy to fill,” says Tandura. Tomasi says his company has elected to pursue the same strategy it has pursued elsewhere in the world: “We firmly believe that Marchesini Group is able to maintain its competitiveness on the international market by investing in technology, in order to offer cutting-edge machines and complete lines featuring innovative solutions for packaging pharmaceuticals and cosmetics and to provide the best possible customer service with a product that fulfills all the specific requirements.” Whether companies should do a preemptive strike and file for patents in China themselves even if they don’t currently do business there, Babel says companies should do a risk assessment, weighing the costs versus the benefits. He is also a big proponent of contracts when doing business with suppliers, an area of the law that he says the courts in China recognize. Editor’s Note: Design News received several letters and comments regarding this story, which originally appeared in our Made by Monkeys blog. Read the comments and submit your own at http://designnews. hotims.com/23125-523.

www.contitech-online.com/zs

Experience the future. Doing what others dream of...Creating. Innovating. Changing up the status quo... At ContiTech, we bring the newest, most innovative technology to production readiness by using our systematic knowledge. Through technology, we create change; like our 3 mm-thin-flat-belt that holds a weight corresponding to three compact cars. These flat-belt applications move elevators through the tallest buildings in the world. Our belts run more quietly than steel cablesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and have a much longer service life. In addition, these flat-belts offer the ability to design a more space-saving elevator for the future. Experience ContiTech: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re built for the future.

C o n t i Te c h . G e t m o r e w i t h e l a s t i c t e c h n o l o g y.

MILLIONS

OPTIONS

WASHERS

» ELECTRONICS Drawing just 29 µA, the MPR121 offers lower-power capacitive touch sensing for electronic products, such as cell phones and MP3 players.

24,000 flat washer sizes with no tooling charges Over 2,000 material choices

Most orders shipped in 2 weeks or less!

FREE

CATALOG

Source: Freescale Semiconductor

New Touch Sensor Draws Less Current CALL 1-888-WASHERS 1-888-927-4377 • sales@bokers.com 612-729-9365 • FAX 612-729-8910

WWW.BOKERS.COM/DN 679 METRIC KNOBS for a cleaner environment

RoHS

COMPLIANT

Request your free catalog

All Metric Small Parts

T. 516.302.0152 F. 516.302.0153

www.amsp.biz 34

Brings touch-pad interfaces to cell phones, GPS systems and garage door openers

By Charles J. Murray, senior technical editor, electronics A new low-power capacitive sensor could make it easier for engineers to employ touch-pad interfaces on products ranging from cell phones to garage door openers. Known as the MPR121 ultralow-power capacitive sensor, it brings touch panel interfaces to a host of new electronic devices, largely because it offers a dramatic reduction in power consumption. As a result, it could serve as a replacement for some mechanical on-off switches, which draw no power, but don’t easily allow for the creation of smart interfaces. “The advantage of this sensor is it allows you to drop in an advanced interface,” says Bryce Osoinach, touch sensor systems and applications engineer for Freescale Semiconductor, maker of the sensor. “But you don’t lose much in terms of power consumption.” Freescale engineers say the new 12-electrode sensor consumes far less current than its predecessors. In contrast to similar 12-electrode capacitive sensors, which typically draw between 50 and 200 µA, the MPR121 consumes only 29 µA of current, Osoinach says. Freescale predicts the new sensor will be employed in

lighting controls, low-resolution touch screens, photo frames and GPS systems, as well as large- and small-appliance touch panel interfaces. Along with the new sensor, Freescale has also rolled out a touch sensing software suite compatible with more than 300 of the company’s 8-bit microcontrollers (MCUs). For customers who already use Freescale 8-bit MCUs, the software suite provides an alternate solution by enabling them to manipulate the MCU to act as a touch sensor. Freescale engineers expect the new sensor to be of particular interest to makers of cell phone handsets. There, the sensor could enable the phone to “know” when it is and isn’t being used. As a result, the phone could more easily determine when to shut off its backlighting, and therefore save on power consumption. “We’re definitely seeing a trend toward reducing power consumption of (electronic) devices,” Osoinach says. “In that respect, the MPR121 can help.” For more information on Freescale Semiconductor’s MPR121 sensor controller, go to http://designnews.hotims. com/23125-524.

» MATERIALS

New Heat Exchanger Concept Features PPSU Plates Thermoformed film offers considerable cost savings compared to titanium

By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials and fastening A very thin, high-performance plastic film is used as a plate in a new type of heat exchanger instead of titanium, at a very significant cost savings. Radel® R polyphenylsulfone film is thermoformed to produce plates used in an interchanger for heat-driven, liquid-desiccant air conditioners developed by AIL Research of Princeton, NJ. “We had to develop something that would withstand temperatures up to 350F and high chloride salt solutions, yet not be too high priced,” says Thomas Tonon, a senior research engineer at AIL. “Stainless steel would not work for us. We would have had to go to titanium and one sheet is more than $100. So we had to design our own.” The comparable price for the PPSU sheet is about $2. About 40 sheets are required to make 20 plates. In his research of high-heat, chemically resistant materials, Tonon discovered Radel PPSU, a high-performance plastic made by Solvay Advanced Polymers of Alpharetta, GA. He also discovered the polymer is available in very thin gauges from Ajedium Films, a 7-year-old company in Newark, DE. Ajedium was formed to develop markets for films made from high-performance plastics, such as PPSU, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyimides, fluropolymers and various specialty resins and alloys. “We had decided when we started Ajedium that the hallmark of a great highperformance film is flatness, roll conformance and gauge consistency,” says Kathie Cerchio, sales development manager. Control of molecular weight and impurities is also very important, says Shari

Axelrad, global market manger for ultra polymers at Solvay Advanced Polymers. AIL is seeking partners for various forms

of air conditioning that use the PPSU plate technology, including Liquid Desiccant Direct Expansion and air/liquid and liquid/liquid plastic film heat exchangers used for carbon dioxide scrubbing from power plant emissions.

Technology to provide the perfect fit

IEC DC

Ex NEMA

ABB – the global leader in low voltage motors ABB offers a platform of low voltage motors second to none, combining quality, reliability and performance for years of trouble-free operation, even in the most critical applications.

Source: AIL Research

Our experience and understanding of industrial environments makes us the market leader in technology and design. ABB motors are suitable in every application and industry, achieving or exceeding general industry standards and requirements around the world. For the best available performance – every day, all day, call 800-752-0696 or visit www.lvmotoranswers.com/2. Run With the Leader. New heat exchanger technology developed by AIL Research provides air conditioning and gas scrubbing with reduced energy costs. The top shows an air/liquid heat/mass exchanger. The bottom is a liquid/liquid heat exchanger.

» MOTION CONTROL

New Technology Focuses on Price, Performance Suppliers at Pack Expo hope to turn recent flurry of quotes into more sales

By Karen Field, Editorial Director Automation and technology suppliers looking to convert what some say has been a sharp uptick in RFQs (request for quotations) over the past year into more design wins, showcased their new product innovations at this year’s Pack Expo, held in Las Vegas in October. “Design engineers are busy redesigning their next-generation machines, and we’re seeing a tremendous amount of quoting activity right now,” says Graham Harris, president, Beckhoff Automation. “But although we’re finding new customers all the time, there is still some nervousness out there.” Where they are buying, he says engineers are very focused on price and performance, and that is particularly true in the pricesensitive packaging industry. So it’s no surprise that is precisely the message at Beckhoff ’s booth, which featured a number of displays designed to show engineers how the company’s EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) products — including PCs, I/O terminals and servo drives — can deliver speed, flexibility and new capabilities at a low cost. Marketing Communications Manager Shane Novacek, for example, described how the use of quad-core processor technology enables new capabilities for the design engineer to exploit, such as scientific measurement and condition monitoring. “The processor

Beckhoff Automation’s booth at Pack Expo featured several displays designed to showcase how the company’s EtherCAT can deliver capabilities, such as flexibility and speed, at a low cost.

has enough resources to allow the integration of high-precision, PC-based measurements and condition monitoring into the automation solution. By using standard I/O, design engineers can avoid the need for specialized (and costly) local controllers and measurement technology interfaces for current/voltage, energy, tempera-

Stimpson Eyelets... Over 3,800 Different Sizes & Styles

ISO 9001:2008 Certified • RoHs • REACH • DFARS Compliant 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

Âť MOTION CONTROL ture and other parameters,â&#x20AC;? he says. Jim Watkins, sales director at Festo for the San Francisco Bay Area, says the recent downturn has turned into an opportunity for his company, which makes pneumatic and electrical automation technologies, to get in front of more engineers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of engineers are involved in redesign efforts today, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a chance for us to talk to them about our solutions.â&#x20AC;? Festoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electrical solutions have grown significantly over the past five years, as evidenced by the number of new products showcased at its booth, including a servo-driven, multi-axis pick-and-place robot. At the show, Festoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electro-mechanical servo technology could be seen in action on a customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s product. Wexxar engineers have applied the technology on the WF30 case forming machine, where it helps to maintain a consistent speed and is energy efficient. Bosch Rexrothâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electric Drives and Controls Technology Group featured in its booth several customer applications that use the new IndraDrive Mi integrated motor and drive and the IndraMotion MLC motion logic platform. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the benefits of our integrated motor and drive solution is you only have a single cable leaving the cabinet,â&#x20AC;? says Dan Throne, giving the lone cable a quick jiggle for emphasis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The thing that plagues motors and drives is the noise from the encoder feedback cables,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not a problem here.â&#x20AC;? Ray Buchko Jr., vice president of operations for CP Packaging, whose machine was featured in the Bosch booth, says heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s saved costs by integrating everything into one master platform, including the servo drives, control platform and pneumatics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yet I have the flexibility of three different protocols â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sercos, ProfiBus and Ethernet,â&#x20AC;? he says. All in all, exhibitors seemed pleased with the amount of traffic and quality of leads at the show. As to whether all those quotes will turn into sales overnight, no one can really say. But there may be one silver lining to this economic downturn: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going 110 miles an hour, nobody has time to think about anything,â&#x20AC;? says Beckhoff â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Harris. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now engineers actually have the time to think and make improvements to their designs.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;˘ Beckhoff Automationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EtherCAT: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-549 â&#x20AC;˘ Festoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s servo-driven, multi-axis pick-and-place robot:

http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-550 â&#x20AC;˘ Wexxarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WF30 case forming machine: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-551 â&#x20AC;˘ Bosch Rexrothâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IndraDrive Mi and IndraDrive MLC: http://designnews.hotims. com/23125-552, http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-553

Integrated automation for a competitive edge.

A complete solution from B&R is not only based on perfectly coordinated products for all areas of DXWRPDWLRQ ,W DOVR SURYLGHV WKH DGYDQWDJHV RI DQ HIĂ&#x20AC;FLHQW LQWHJUDWHG PDFKLQH FRQWUROOHU ZLWK D XQLIRUP VRIWZDUH DUFKLWHFWXUH ZKLFK FRQVLGHUDEO\ LQFUHDVHV SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG GUDVWLFDOO\ UHGXFHV FRVWV

Perfection in Automation www.br-automation.com

» DESIGN TOOLS

Invention Machine Puts Sustainable Innovation in Sight Goldfire 5.5 upgrade and Insight release opens up the innovation platform to a broader audience

By Beth Stackpole, contributing editor, design tools With innovation a priority for companies, even amidst a global recession, Invention Machine is making its Goldfire platform LP-100-A.ai 1 6/2/2009 8:08:26 AM accessible to a wider audience, while add-

ing new capabilities that make it easier to find and transform critical information into actionable knowledge. The goal of the Goldfire 5.5 upgrade and

Invention Machine Goldfire 5.5’s research guide visually reconstructs an innovator’s past thinking and research process.

Insight, which is the latest member of the Invention Machine family, is to create what the company dubs an “Innovation Intelligence Ecosystem.” This ecosystem, Invention Machine officials say, will equip companies with a toolset and methodology for making innovation a sustainable process, which in turn will promote more effective product development and business decisions and increase corporate productivity. “What we’re seeing and hearing from customers is that knowledge is critical for innovation,” says Jeff Boehm, Invention Machine’s vice president of marketing and strategy. “In order to make innovation a sustainable and repeatable process, they need sustainable access to knowledge.” Three new capabilities in the Goldfire 5.5 release are designed to do just that. The upgrade’s new question and answer technology delivers enhanced semantic capabilities, making the research process easier and more effective, according to Boehm. The new Knowledge Navigator function fosters innovation collaboration by reconstructing a user’s past thinking and research process. Rather than delivering a list of results, the technology classifies the research and documents related to the subject area. The third major new capability in Goldfire 5.5 is the Research Guide, essentially a road map of past searches. Accompanying the Goldfire 5.5 release is Insight, which focuses on problem analysis and research work for a broad community of users, not just engineers and scientists. For more information and a data sheet on Invention Machine’s Goldfire platform, go to http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-525. 38

» AUTOMOTIVE

Lamborghini Gives Auto Composites A Huge Boost Seattle area emerges as major center for carbon composites research, development

By Doug Smock, contributing editor, materials and fastening Potential expanded use of carbon fiber composites in cars is taking another step forward with the creation of an advanced composites testing laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle. The official name of the facility is the Automobili Lamborghini Advanced Composite Structures Lab. “This partnership is a win-win situation,” says Matthew O’Donnell, dean of UW’s College of Engineering. “It further establishes the Pacific Northwest as a leader in composites research; it funds equipment for a UW engineering lab and it provides students with valuable research experience that’s directly tied to real-world applications.” The Seattle area is rapidly becoming an American and global center for carbon composites research and development because of the groundbreaking use of the material in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The University of Washington already operates an engineering certificate program in aircraft composite structural analysis and design. The program was jointly developed by the University of Washington Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Boeing Learning, Training and Development group. Instructors include leading

professionals from the aircraft industry. The collaboration between UW and Lamborghini goes back two years. UW hosted Lamborghini engineers while UW faculty traveled to Italy to conduct small classes on the fundamentals of composites design and certification. “Lamborghini remains committed to investing in its future, and advancing carbon fiber composite technologies is the key to achieving many of our goals,” says Lamborghini President Stephan Winkelmann. The new composites lab is headed by Paolo Feraboli, who joined the university’s Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2005 as Assistant Professor in Aerospace Structures and Materials. Feraboli has also conducted research for Boeing and Toray, the primary composite supplier to the Dreamliner. “Composites are no longer the future, they are the present of structural materials for anything that’s high performance, whether it’s aerospace or golf clubs or sports cars,” says Feraboli. “Monolithic materials like aluminum just won’t cut it anymore.” Equipment for the new lab includes a lightning-strike generator for simulating lightning strikes up to 100,000A; a drop tower for inflicting damage from foreign

Source: Lamborghini

Several carbon composite parts are used to reduce the weight of the Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.

objects; a pneumatic crash sled capable of crushing full-size vehicle prototypes; and a high-speed video camera that can take 82,000 frames per second. Lamborghini plans to boost powerto-weight ratios of its cars by using composites to decrease the vehicle’s overall mass, while also lowering carbon dioxide emissions. Lamborghini also hopes the lab will help it reduce development time for prototype parts. One of the big tests for the lab will be its ability to improve the economics of composite parts production for automobiles. Lamborghini is one of the few auto companies to use composites for production parts. In the U.S., design engineers usually only specify composite parts for showy parts on sports cars, such as the adjustable rear wing in the 2008 Chrysler LLC Viper ACR. Another leading player in developing carbon composites for cars is Plasan Carbon Composites of Bennington, VT.

The NiZn cells from PowerGenix offer a safe alternative for hybrid and electric vehicles. The cells are replacing lead-acid batteries in the Veloteq electric scooter.

RECHARGEABLE

BATTERIES

EXTEND THEIR REACH New battery chemistries, recipes and packaging are powering a wide range of new applications, from miniature electronics to industrial vehicles. Selecting the right battery for the design is key. STORY_MAURY WRIGHT, CONTRIBUTING WRITER 40

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

echargeable batteries have become a dominant power source in our everyday lives. Indeed, batteries have moved way beyond the laptop PC and mobile phone to power garden tools and even transit buses and industrial cranes. Batteries can bring many benefits to a system design — think convenience in tools or fuel efficiency in hybrid cars. So it’s important to make sure you at least contemplate the role a battery might play in your next project, even if the application isn’t typically battery powered. The array of different chemistries and packages offered by battery makers today just might allow you to add a product differentiator in the form of convenience, low noise, energy cost or environmental impact.

Battery Apps Go Green

To get an idea of the breadth of battery applications today, consider a couple of unusual

Wh/L

COVER STORY

can instantaneously deliver. Applications examples. Battery maker Gold such as battery-powered tools generally Peak Industries has provided batneed maximum power density. tery subsystems for more than 100 Of course price matters, and the latest rubber-tired gantry cranes installed lithium-based cells typically have the highest at the Port of Hong Kong, accordabsolute cost. Engineers must also consider ing to business development manager Patrick Huberty. The batteries PowerGenix is making its rechargeable cost relative to useful cycle life and power or cells in form factors similar to those energy density. Rick Chamberlain, vice presserve in a hybrid-drive system to used in primary (disposable) batteries. ident of engineering at Boston Power, states, reduce fuel use and the associated “The key factor is the sustained capacity.” emissions of the typically dieselBoston Power is a startup that is targeting the laptop PC space powered cranes. The cranes charge the battery pack during the down-cycle of a hoist operation using regen- and has just begun shipping battery packs for select HP laptops. erative braking similar to the way hybrid autos operate. In fact, consumers can buy the packs on the HP website. The company touts its Sonata battery pack as usable for the life of a At the other end of the spectrum, consider a surging PC, whereas many users replace their laptop battery packs mulapplication for Li-ion (lithium ion) batteries in the tiple times over the PC life. Boston Power hasn’t revealed much computing space — and we’re not talking laptop PCs. Rather, engineers are designing mission-critical servers Comparison of Energy Densities for Various Chemistries that use batteries to directly protect volatile semiconductor memory — both main memory and cache — to Smaller Al/Air augment traditional UPS systems. Chris Turner, direcLi/Air Li-P, Li-ion 800 tor of battery technology at Nexergy, claims that the New Systems 700 typical server design specifies batteries that can protect Ref: Zn/Air 18650s; 2.6Ah critical memory for 72 hours. 600 Ref: Li-ion Nexergy specializes in making custom battery packs AA Alkaline Li-Polymer Established Technologies 500 using cells from major battery makers. The sever apEmerging Technologies 400 plication requires a pack that can be mounted and Ni-MH Li-Metal charged within the server. Turner estimates that such 300 server applications account for as much as 20 percent 200 Ni-Cd 5 mm Prismatic Cells <1,300 mAh of the company’s business. Moreover, battery cell makers 100 Panasonic and Gold Peak also identified the server as a Lead-Acid Lighter growing market for Li-ion cells. 0 0

Battery Selection Criteria

Regardless of the application at hand, engineers face a lengthy comparison of technical and logistical characteristics when choosing batteries. Power density and energy density are two key technical characteristics. Energy density is measured in W-hr/kg (watt-hour per kilogram) and generally is a figure of merit in terms of run time from a charge. Devices such as mobile phones and laptops need high energy density. Power density is measured in W/kg (watt per kilogram) and generally is a figure of merit in terms of the maximum power that a battery

Five Things to Consider When Selecting a Battery Technology Is energy density (battery life) or power density (instantaneous power) more important in your application? ●

Does energy or power density trump cost in your application, allowing you to select from a state-of-the-art lithium-based chemistry? ●

Does your application have safety or environmental concerns that might guide you to a nickel-based chemistry? ●

How long do you expect to need to buy the selected battery and can you run the risk that a battery originally designed for a consumer product might be discontinued? ●

Do you have the expertise to buy OEM battery cells and design charging circuits, or do you need to engage with a battery pack manufacturer to provide a pack and charging design? ●

100

200

300

400 500 Wh/kg

600

700

800

The most advanced battery chemistries offer an advantage in power relative to both size and weight, and generally cost escalates with those benefits. Source: Nexergy

about its secret sauce although Chamberlain states, “We haven’t developed a new material.” The company claims its cells retain 80 percent or more of the rated capacity for more than 1,000 charges — generally more than three years of use. Chemistry Options

Getting back to the basics, chemistry is one of the first questions engineers face in a battery-based system design. The above graph provides a quick look at a energy density relative to weight on the X axis, and relative to size on the Y axis. Generally speaking, the lower cost options are found in the lower left quadrant and the higher cost options are found in the upper right quadrant. Not surprisingly, more energy relative to size or weight costs more. Starting at the lower left, the lead acid battery will likely be around a long time for automotive applications. Lead acid has been the battery of choice in UPS applications where size and weight was originally of little concern. But NiMH (nickelmetal hydride) is moving into the UPS role. Gold Peak’s Huberty claims the company refitted a telecommunications switching center with NiMH batteries and reduced the footprint of the batteries from a 51- x 2.5-ft row with lead acid to a 15.3- x 2.6-ft row with NiMH. That is significant, as today’s D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 4 1

COVER STORY data centers are rapidly running out of space. Indeed most system designs today will use either a Ni or Li chemistry — and it’s a fair question to ask if engineers should consider anything other than Li batteries. The battery manufacturers don’t like to provide precise numbers for their battery shipments or design wins by chemistry. But off-therecord comments suggest Li batteries make up about 50 percent of all batteries shipped today. In terms of new projects, Li wins 90 percent of the time or more often. Nexergy’s Turner states, “Li-ion is spreading into other (non-laptop and mobile phone) applications. Every market it has entered it has won.” He adds that it can take five to six years for Li-ion to displace another chemistry and notes the ongoing transition to Li-ion in the handheld power tool space. The Li-ion tools do carry a heavy price premium and may be overkill for some consumers. “The 36V DeWalt tools have more power than if you had the same tool plugged into the wall,” Turner says. Li-ion offers other advantages, as well. A charged Li-ion battery pack in a tool will stay usable a month or more. A charged pack sitting outside the tool will stay charged a year. Engineers with Ni-based tools at home know that those batteries don’t offer such resilience. Safety and the Environment

Despite the success of Li-ion, the chemistry is far from perfect. It still costs significantly more than Ni-based batteries. And there is the well-publicized fires and explosions attributed to Li-ion-based notebook batteries, leading to safety concerns (See “Environmental and Safety Concerns” at http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-526.) And Li-ion isn’t a completely environmentally friendly choice. Indeed, there’s sufficient opportunity for Ni chemistries that PowerGenix has based its company on a NiZn (nickelzinc) chemistry. It’s tough to call PowerGenix a startup since it has been around almost a decade, but it is a startup in the sense that it now plans to play in the high-volume battery market. The range of applications for rechargeable battery applications is astounding today, as demonstrated by this trash truck equipped with a hybrid engine supplied by ISE Corp.

Except for the alkaline cells on the right, all the Panasonic batteries pictured here are rechargeable and range from lead-acid cells to both cylindrical and prismatic (rectangular) Li-ion cells.

The NiZn chemistry has a long history. “Thomas Edison developed NiZn for cars,” says Joe Carcone, vice president of business development at PowerGenix. Carcone claims that NiZn batteries offer a 30 percent weight and size advantage relative to NiMH, as well as lower internal resistance and better performance at low temperatures. But NiZn has been long associated with dendrite formation and shape change of the zinc electrode. The former leads to cell failure while the latter degrades performance over the life of a cell. PowerGenix claims to have solved the problem with a new electrolyte formulation and new electrode composition. PowerGenix is now producing NiZn cells in both the AAand D-cell sizes that are common to primary or disposable batteries. The company has signed a deal to supply battery packs based on the D cell to electric scooter maker Veloteq. Two 15-cell packs will replace three lead-acid batteries at equivalent performance but half the size and weight. Carcone admits the NiZn packs triple the battery cost but points to a two to three times advantage in cycle life. Relative to Li-ion, Carcone claims the NiZn alternative offers half the cost and an advantage in safety and environmental concerns. Li Cells and Logistics

Design teams will find that buying Li-ion cells isn’t as simple as phoning in an order. For safety’s sake, the technology requires precise charging circuits and temperature control. So the cell manufactures carefully vet customers, according to Dennis Malec, senior applications engineer at Panasonic’s OEM battery division. In fact, outside of large customers such as laptop or phone makers, most customers buy Panasonic batteries from a roster of 12 prequalified battery-pack makers, including Nexergy. Gold Peak takes similar precautions with Li-ion sales. “With Li-ion we also like to design the charger,” says Dane Russell, Gold Peak general sales manager. Design teams ready to select a rechargeable battery also face the problem of choosing a cell size — and the form factor that’s ultimately determined by both the chosen cell and the way the pack is assembled. In rechargeable batteries, you don’t have a short list of standard products the way you do in primary batteries. For more information on form factors, check out “Rechargeable battery form factors” at http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-526. Other useful links: • Boston Power Li-On Batteries and Sonata Battery Pack: www.boston-power.com • Gold Peak Li-On Batteries: www.gpbatteries.com • Nexergy Custom Battery Packs: www.nexergy.com • PowerGenix NiZn Battery Cells: www.powergenix.com

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

AUTODESK INVENTOR TAKES YOU BEYOND 3D TO DIGITAL PROTOTYPING.

Autodesk® Inventor® software creates a single digital model that enables you to design, visualize, and simulate your products. Inventor helps you to reduce product costs and get innovative designs to market faster. Learn how Inventor can take your designs beyond 3D at autodesk.com/inventor.

AUTODESK INVENTOR

Model was designed using Inventor Image is courtesy of ADEPT Airmotive, Durban, South Africa (\[VKLZR (\[VKLZR 0U]LU[VY HUK 0U]LU[VY HYL YLNPZ[LYLK [YHKLTHYRZ VY [YHKLTHYRZ VM (\[VKLZR 0UJ HUK VY P[Z Z\IZPKPHYPLZ HUK VY HMÄ SPH[LZ PU [OL <:( HUK VY V[OLY JV\U[YPLZ (SS V[OLY IYHUK UHTLZ WYVK\J[ UHTLZ VY [YHKLTHYRZ ILSVUN [V [OLPY YLZWLJ[P]L OVSKLYZ (\[VKLZR YLZLY]LZ [OL YPNO[ [V HS[LY WYVK\J[ VMMLYPUNZ HUK ZWLJPÄ JH[PVUZ H[ HU` [PTL ^P[OV\[ UV[PJL HUK PZ UV[ YLZWVUZPISL MVY [`WV NYHWOPJHS VY NYHWOPJHS LYYVYZ [OH[ TH` HWWLHY PU [OPZ KVJ\TLU[ (\[VKLZR 0UJ (SS YPNO[Z YLZLY]LK

STORY_CHARLES J. MURRAY, SENIOR TECHNICAL EDITOR, ELECTRONICS

Could Car Batteries Back up

Our Electrical Grid? The University of Delaware’s experimental V2G plug-in hybrid can send electricity back to the grid.

By sending current back to the grid, electric cars could serve as a backup to wind and solar

Source: University of Delaware

N THE QUEST TO SUPPLY ELECTRICITY FOR MILLIONS OF FUTURE ELECTRIC CARS, ENGINEERS HAVE STUMBLED

upon the most unlikely of energy prospects — the car itself. If that sounds like a bit of tangled logic to you, then you’re not alone. The very idea leaves most intelligent people scratching their heads. Still, the concept is being examined by auto companies, utilities, universities and industry consultants. And many believe the electric car battery could turn out to be one of the most important sources of current for … well, the electric car battery. “This is very doable,” says David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research and one of the industry’s most respected consultants. “We’re still in the early stages because we don’t have highvolume battery production yet. But when that occurs, everything will change.” Indeed, if it happens, it could be a game-changer. Proponents of the idea foresee it happening a little bit at a time. In the beginning, they say, electric cars will “talk” to the grid and determine the best times for charging. That way, they’ll grab the energy when the utilities have surpluses. Later on, though, monumental changes will kick in. Car batteries will dump energy back onto the grid when utilities need help. People who need energy — possibly even for their electric cars — will draw it through the grid, from cars that don’t need it. Ultimately, experts even foresee a day when retired electric car batteries, connected in long strings inside giant warehouses, will supply energy back to the grid when renewable sources aren’t producing. To be sure, not everyone believes in the vision. Some automakers and utility engineers describe the concept as “interesting,” but aren’t willing to pencil it into their plans. Those engineers want to know if the concept poses a risk to consumers, or to electrical linemen working nearby. They want to know if

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

repeated, two-way cycling would damage the battery and, if it did, who would be responsible for the damage. “The business case looks good,” says Mark Duvall, director of electric transportation for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). “But it’s not clear whether we can provide that service from millions of vehicles intended for transportation. This is not a simple problem.”

A Question of Storage When does our electrical grid need a backup? Utility engineers say that the grid needs to be balanced by some form of storage when renewables — wind and solar energy — compose between 10 and 20 percent of the overall capacity. Backup storage includes so-called “pumped hydro,” compressed air energy, battery farms and electricity from electric car batteries. To be sure, not all engineers agree with the 10 to 20 percent figure. Some argue that Denmark has run its grid at levels in excess of 30 percent renewable, and that the U.S. could do the same. U.S. power experts aren’t convinced that Denmark’s approach would work here, however. “What we do know is that for every percent of wind energy you add, you create a demand for additional peaking capacity and additional storage,” says Mark Duvall, director of electric transportation for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). “To buffer 10 hours of a 500-mW wind farm, you need big, big storage.”

Talking to the Grid

Source: Ford Motor Co.

Simple or not, the idea has trickled into the technological mainstream, and it appears to be gaining momentum. Searching the term “vehicle-to-grid” on Google yields about 20 million hits, an extraordinary number by any measure. Moreover, automakers such as Ford Motor Co. are considering the lowest levels of the concept. And utilities have begun to take on vehicle-to-grid investigations, too. The concept has built favor over the past few years as several market forces have coalesced. The stampede to electric vehicles and hybrids has highlighted the need for more electrical capacity, while a separate move toward renewable energy has left some utility engineers wondering where the power will come from. The crux of the problem is simple but unappreciated: Wind turbines make energy only when the wind blows; solar cells generate current only when the sun shines brightly. Moreover, the electrical current created by those sources must be used immediately. With only a few minor exceptions, utilities don’t have a way of storing that energy for later use. “It’s a problem,” says Cole of CAR. “You have to figure out what you’re going to do if the wind isn’t blowing and the sun’s not shining.” That’s where the electric car battery comes in. One simple solution involves charging electric cars and plug-in hybrids at a time of day when demand is low. Utilities want to “incentivize” such consumer behavior by dropping the price-per-kilowatthour at night, and then working with automakers to enable vehicles to make such decisions on their own. The vehicles would do that by incorporating an ability to “talk” to the electrical grid, via a wireless or wired connection. Doing so, a vehicle

An electrical grid interface on a prototype Ford Escape plug-in hybrid allows users to control the time of re-charging and check the costs of electricity on the grid at any given moment.

could decide to re-charge at 3 a.m., when rates are lower. Ford has already demonstrated the concept on a 20-vehicle fleet, using the cars’ navigation screens as an interface to communicate with a smart electrical meter. The automaker accomplished that in wireless and wired fashions, using a ZigBee communications protocol for wireless and a SAE J1772 connector for the hard-wired version. “The idea is to acquire information from the vehicle and transmit it outside,” says Greg Frenette, manager of Ford’s battery electric vehicle applications. “For example, if you want to communicate the battery’s state of charge, there are a number of ways to transmit that signal to the charging source. But to do that, we need an open-architecture solution that crosses all the industries involved. We have to develop common codes, standards and protocols that ensure the customer in Maine has the same seamless experience as the customer in California.” The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has already formed a committee to create such codes and standards. SAE J2293 is establishing requirements for transfer of electrical energy to EVs, Frenette says. For automakers, the hardware for such transfers is likely to look like the HomePlug, a well-known product designed for standards-based home powerline networks. A digital signal will be piggybacked onto the powerline of a charging cable, enabling the exchange of information in a “smart energy profile.” That way, the car communicates its needs to the grid, and the grid understands them. “The car will want answers to some basic questions,” says Duvall of EPRI. “For example, it might want to know, ‘What’s the price of electricity over the next 24 hours?’” Technology companies are already springing up with new products to meet such needs. GridPoint Inc., for example, has rolled out smart charging software that manages the flow of electricity to plug-in vehicles and charging stations, enabling the utilities to balance the grid conditions against the needs of drivers. What’s more, automakers and utilities are envisioning other ways of empowering vehicles. Hybrids with electrical architectures supporting 300V, 400V, 500V and even 600V have sprung up, enabling cars to power a home during an outage or handle the electrical loads temporarily when electricity prices run high. D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 4 5

VEHICLE-TO-GRID Kempton argues that new batteries, capable of multiple thousands of cycles, are already on the horizon. Altair Nanotechnologies Inc., for example, has produced a lithium-titanate battery that connects directly to the electrical grid and stands up Source: Electric Power Research Institute to 5,000 cycles. A nickel-cadmium battery farm Still, the auto industry is withholding in Fairbanks, AK, is capable of producing 27 MW of electricity judgment for now. “There’s been an awful Two-Way Power Flow for 15 minutes. lot of hype around this topic for the past Such concepts, however, pale by comparison several years,” says Frenette of Ford. “But to the true vehicle-to-grid vision. That vision, often credited to Willett Kempton, an associate professor and we really need detailed, data-driven information that government and industry can build a consensus around.” senior policy scientist at the University of Delaware, calls for vehicles to dump power back onto the grid at key times. Kempton, who published peer-reviewed papers on the Battery Backup topic as far back as 1997, says he believes the two-way flow of Even if vehicle-to-grid fails to capture industry support, many electrical current offers far more potential than the one-way experts say they believe EV batteries will still provide storage scenario. “What we are doing has 10 times more economic for the electrical grid. In a separate scenario, engineers say value,” he says. utilities could link long strings of used lithium-ion batteries in Kempton’s vision involves a connection between the electri- vast battery farms that would provide balance for the grid at a cal grid and a centralized server, which would track all the cars moment’s notice. under its jurisdiction. “After the battery is done with its life in the car, it still has a lot “In a business, you would have cars that subscribe to the serof years remaining,” says Cole. “It may not have quite the capavice,” he explains. “And when the cars are plugged in, the server bility you’d like in a car, but it can do fine in a battery farm.” would know where they are. It knows their state of charge and Utilities are already employing such battery farms. Golden Valthe size of their plug. And when the grid says, ‘I have too much ley Electric Authority in Fairbanks, AK uses a nickel-cadmium electricity or not enough electricity,’ the server meets its needs.” Battery Energy Storage System capable of producing 27 MW of In essence, Kempton says, the server would initiate flow of electricity for 15 minutes. Similarly, a lead-acid battery farm in current from parked cars back to the grid, where the additional Sabano Llana, Puerto Rico provides 20 MW for 15 minutes. current would relieve the utility’s temporary load imbalance. Ultimately, the use of such storage could depend on the Kempton’s idea of vehicle-to-grid might use a wireless spread of renewable energy. As wind and solar gain momenInternet connection or an SAE-approved hardware link, such tum, utilities are likely to reach for alternative means, and the as the J1772 plug. Either way, he says, the key would be the most thoroughly understood solutions are likely to appear server’s ability to instantaneously allocate electrical current first. That’s why most industry engineers believe simple grid from thousands, or even millions, of vehicles back to the grid communication and one-way current flow are likely. In a few in a momentary time of need. years, they say, vehicles with grid-ready interfaces could start Although automakers and utilities won’t openly commit to to reach production. the concept, they agree with Kempton on one critical point: Whether two-way, vehicle-to-grid energy transfer will be The technology’s success depends largely on its ability to adopted in the next few years is another matter. “There are still motivate automotive owners to unload their battery charge a lot of open questions,” Frenette says. “People will consider it back onto the grid. Such motivation, they believe, would have more seriously when we understand the implications from a to come in the form of cash. vehicle standpoint and from a consumer standpoint.” “If you’re going to put equipment on a car that allows Still, automotive experts say they’re optimistic over the bi-directional power transfer, then you need to offer the conlong term. sumer an almost-daily return,” Duvall says. “Vehicle owners “The technology is here; no invention is necessary,” Cole will be interested in something that pays them a non-trivial says. “Don’t bet against it.” amount of money. If we can convince the owners that they’d For a list of vehicle-to-grid technology peer-reviewed V2G net $500 a year, then they’d be very interested.” articles, go to http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-527. Designed correctly, Kempton says he believes the concept Ford has demonstrated grid commuwould have a “negative cost” — in other words, a gross monenication concepts on a 20-vehicle tary gain for the consumer of between $1,000 and $5,000 a year. fleet, using a ZigBee commuAutomakers and utilities are still unsure whether the idea is nications protocol for workable, however. They point to a multitude of potential prob- wireless and a lems: Can the vehicle transmit energy back onto the grid in a SAE J1772 safe manner? Is there risk to the consumer? If a $20,000 lithium- connecion battery is damaged, who’s responsible? The utility? The auto- tor for the hard-wired maker? Most important: Will electric vehicle batteries stand up version. to the repeated cycling? “Let’s say it’s really hot out and electrical prices are high,” Duvall explains. “You could use a vehicle-to-home arrangement. Instead of pulling power off the grid at 30 cents per kilowatt-hour, you pull it out of your vehicle. Then you recharge it at 3 a.m., when electricity prices drop to 5 cents per kilowatt-hour.”

Source: Ford Motor Co.

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Power to perform on or off the road

Motorcycle gearbox solutions with SKF Explorer high-performance bearings allow higher power output with the same design.

Designing grinding mills and motorcycles both raise similar challenges of providing maximum power output. With SKF Explorerâ&#x201E;˘ bearings, these demands can easily be met. In many industrial applications, power output can be increased by up to 25% in the same type of design, with the same dimensions. In industrial applications, maintenance and uptime can be improved with SKF lubrication and sealing solutions, condition monitoring, and service programmes. SKF Explorer is a performance class of bearings that has redefined the limits for rolling bearings. Service life and reliability are increased. Noise and vibration levels, friction and heat generation are substantially reduced and wear-resistance improved. With its higher dynamic load carrying capacity, SKF Explorer bearings also help reduce environmental impact by allowing downsizing which results in lowering both lubricant and fuel consumption. To find out more, please visit www.skfusa.com.

The Power of Knowledge Engineering

www.skfusa.com

WHAT MAKES A

CAR GREEN? Electric cars are

STORY_ D O U G S M O C K , CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, M AT E R I A L S A N D FA S T E N I N G

getting a lot of buzz, but there’s much more to a green car than the power train. Here are

MOLDED BIOPLASTIC PARTS Toyota is the leader in the use of plantderived plastics in cars. Thirty percent of the combined interior and trunk of the 2010 HS 250h Lexus is made of what Toyota calls “Ecological Plastics™,” that is plastic based on polylactic acid derived from corn, sugarcane or some other plant. By 2014 Toyota wants 20 percent of the plastics used in cars to be derived from plants or recycled from some other source.

some areas with great potential.

CASTOR OIL RADIATOR TANK A new plastic developed jointly by Denso and DuPont contains 40-percent renewable content by weight derived from the castor bean plant, and meets requirements for heat resistance, durability and road salt resistance — attributes that were difficult to deliver with many resins containing a high percentage of plant-derived ingredients. Caster oil polyamides were developed in the 1940s, but are surging in use now as OEMs look for replacements for hydrocarbon-based materials. 48

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

e’ve all heard about the Chevy Volt. It’s a plug-in electric vehicle that gets 230 mpg. But there’s another green story taking place in automotive design that gets little attention. Researchers at companies such as Ford are investing lots of time and W money into making a “sustainable” car. That is, a car that uses as many sustainable materials as possible. Big progress has already been made on the use of soy-based materials to replace hydrocarbons in seat foams. Castor oil is also being used now (on a very limited basis) to make plastic components for automotive radiators. A few models from Japan use natural fibers such as kenaf to reinforce plastics, reducing the demand for glass reinforcements, which are heavy and energy-intensive to produce. Ford researchers even hope to develop plastic components that are compostable when the car is trashed. Here are highlights of activities that will make cars greener. SOY FOAM FOR SEATS Ford pioneered the replacement of hydrocarbon polyols with soybased polyols used in flexible foams for seats and other interior applications. Soy foam will be used in more than 1 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles this year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 5 million lb.

RECYCLED PLASTICS OEMS are looking for ways to reuse plastics. The side door window retainers in the 2009 Chevy Traverse use recycled material. More than 23,000 lb of recycled material can be used annually for this part. A trunk sill plate in the Cadillac STS uses more than 8,300. More than 4,595 tons of polymeric parts in the model are now marked for recycling.

PLANT-BASED FABRICS Honda introduced PTT (polytrimethylene terephthalate) seat fabrics in the FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle, which is now available in California. Mass production is still many years away. New Sorona fibers from DuPont are derived from a corn feedstock and have significant potential for fabric use.

Read More about Green Auto Materials at designnews.com

KENAF-FIBER REINFORCEMENT Several natural fibers, such as kenaf, could be used to reinforce plastics in several potential automotive applications, such as door trim. The big payoff is a 30-percent weight reduction compared to glass fiber, which adds stiffness and strength to engineering plastic composites. Another payoff is reduced energy requirements to produce natural fibers versus glass.

Natural Materials Are the New Job One at Ford: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-528 New Chemistries Emerge for Flame-Retardant Applications: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-529 New Steels Make Play for Hybrid, Fuel Cell Vehicles: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-530 Magnesium, Aluminum Will Play Big Role in Auto Weight Reduction: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-531 Plasan Launches Drive to Put Carbon Composites in Cars: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-532 DuPont Launches Fully Commercial Bioplastic Slate: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-533 3M’s Glass Bubbles Boost Flow, Reduce Warpage: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-534 PolyOne Rolls Out Bio Compound Portfolio: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-535 D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 4 9

Q&A

STORY_ K A R E N AU G U S T O N F I E L D, E D I T O R I A L D I R E C T O R

When Marketing Throws Engineering a Curve Ball In

the world of consumer products, shelf appeal isbecoming increasingly important and packaging has become a major product differentiator. But sometimes the marketing geeks come up with a packaging geometry that is not compatible with automated equipment, which sets up some interesting design challenges, says Michele Falsini, export sales manager for RONCHI Mario, a manufacturer of flexible packaging machinery in Gessate, Italy. DN: How important is packaging to today’s consumer product companies? Falsini: As a huge element of brand awareness and promotion, packaging can literally be the key to the success or failure of a product. So companies are now focusing their efforts on redesigning the container, color, labeling, closure and shape in order to improve shelf appeal and convenience of use of the product. A clearly recognizable package profile is most important. DN: What are some of the specific qualities of successful product packaging? Falsini: Several attributes together create a successful packaging solution; shelf appeal, added convenience and a clearly recognizable package profile. These attributes require the development of more and more sophisticated container and closure shapes. Containers with profile lines that are traditionally regular and straight, for example, can become curved and round. DN: Yikes! How do you cope with that when your automated machines have been happily handling containers with, say, a straight profile?

the package or by proposing modifications to the container or closure that would enable the use of traditional lines.

DN: I suppose you can’t just up and fire the marketing geek who came up with the new package design? Falsini: No. Collaboration by both marketing and manufacturing is paramount in order to develop the most practical and cost-effective way to handle the new packaging design. At this stage our end users will provide us with conceptual drawings and samples if available. The OEM’s expertise helps to determine the limits of the equipment and what improvements can be applied. In most cases, the most practical solution is to modify the challenging features of the new package to better suit the existing machine limits. DN: Do you have any good war stories? Falsini: A famous example is the inverted hair conditioner bottle that stands on the cap. This new, and at the time highly unusual, design required equipment capable of handling and filling bottles that could not stand on their own or be transported without some form of added support. This required the bottle be inserted into a transport “puck,” which essentially is a carrier dedicated to the profile for each bottle format that travels with the bottle to the end of the line. After the cap is placed on the bottle, the bottle is removed from the puck and inverted to the cap-down attitude for downstream transport. DN: Does marketing ever back down?

RONCHI Mario’s transport Falsini: We had a project involving a new “puck” allows bottles that Falsini: Conflicts with existing packaging spray-pump trigger with virtually no flat cannot stand on their own to machine lines immediately emerge, triggering be transported through an edges to guide and control its position while a sequence of new manufacturing problems applying it to the container, making it imposautomated packaging line. to resolve, beginning with the analysis of the sible to run it on any of our customer’s maimpact of the new container on any existing equipment. chines. This forced marketing to reconsider and redesign the There’s also the issue that the new package designs requested pump to fit the equipment capabilities. But it’s not about by marketing present features that cannot be handled on the who wins or loses. The most successful projects involve a current automated lines. The dilemma may be resolved by high degree of collaboration between marketing, manufacdeveloping new machinery technology capable of producing turing and engineering. 50

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Avoid Accidents!

Carr Lane’s New Toggle Clamps Provide Safety Locks

Knobs, Handles, Hand Wheels. Need to take hold? A variety of industrial knobs, handles and hand wheels, in metal or plastic, are available from Carr Lane. Many new items in our online catalog. Carr Lane Mfg. Co., www.carrlane.com

Quick Release Pins. Carr Lane pins come with L, T, button or ring handles. Choose from ball lock pins, lifting pins, detent pins, or the ball lock mounting clamp. Many sizes available. Carr Lane Mfg. Co., www.carrlane.com

Vertical-Handle Toggle Clamps 500 to 750 lbs holding capacity CL-450-LVTC CL-650-LVTC

Latch-Action Toggle Clamps 360 to 7500 lbs holding capacity CL-100-LPA CL-200-LPA CL-300-LPA CL-400-LPA CL-500-LPA

Horizontal-Handle Toggle Clamps 500 to 750 lbs holding capacity CL-450-LHTC CL-550-LHTC

Push / Pull Toggle Clamps 2500 lbs holding capacity CL-350-LSPC

More sizes coming soon.

Get added safety in your shop! New toggle clamps with safety locks come in four types: latch-action, vertical-handle, horizontal-handle, and push/pull toggle clamps. The safety lock automatically engages when the clamp is closed, then remains locked until manually disengaged by pressing the lever before opening. This prevents the clamp from being accidentally opened by bumping the handle.

Hoist Rings. What an assortment! Pivoting, swivel, and side-pull swivel hoist rings, along with lifting eyes. Choose from low profile versions to heavy-duty, extra large hoist rings with load capacities up to 250,000 lbs. Carr Lane Mfg. Co., www.carrlane.com

Carr Lane provides dozens of different types of toggle clamps, all with a comfortable handle grip, and made of durable high-grade steel (many also available in stainless steel). Find out more about locking versions. Click on the “New Items” tab in the online catalog at www.carrlane.com.

MANUFACTURING CO. 4200 Carr Lane Ct., P.O. Box 191970 St. Louis, Missouri 63119-7970 Phone: 314-647-6200, FAX: 314-647-5736 R Web Site: www.carrlane.com ISO 9001-2008 CERTIFIED R

STORY_ C H A R L E S J . M U R R AY, S E N I O R T E C H N I C A L E D I T O R , E L E C T R O N I C S

LEDs Brighten New Mustang Drivers can change colors of LED-based instrument panel and vehicle interior

Ford’s 2010 Mustang uses LEDs in the cup holders, map pockets, rear seats, footwells, sill plates and instrument cluster.

ith light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the cup holders, map pockets, dashboard and footwells, Ford’s 2010 Mustang may be taking the auto industry’s boldest step yet into the world of LED lighting. The new Mustang, introduced earlier this year, is consistent with the growing desire of automakers to use LEDs, instead of incandescent bulbs, to boost the image of their vehicles. In the Mustang, Ford designers created an aura inside the car, and then enhanced that aura by enabling owners to change the color of the LED lighting. Using a feature called “MyColor,” the new Mustang provides 125 color possibilities for the instrument cluster, while allowing seven color options for the footwells, map pockets, cup holders and door sill plates. Drivers can change the interior colors to their liking merely by flicking a switch. “It made a lot of sense to people in our product planning committee,” says Rob Gelardi, a senior designer for the 2010 Mustang. “Mustang is the perfect vehicle to 52

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

Source: Ford Motor Co.

launch a technology like this.” To be sure, Ford isn’t alone in its use of LEDs for interior lighting. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen and General Motors have made significant use of LEDs to brighten their interiors. More than half of all automakers also employ LEDs in center high-mount stop lamps (CHMSLs), as well as in daytime running lamps and parking lamps. Approximately 2 percent of new vehicles also use LEDs for high- and low-beam headlights. Consistency Is Key

To date, however, the real impact of automotive LEDs has been in the interior. Ford launched MyColor in 2006 and added ambient LED lighting in 2008. Then it improved and broadened its use of the technology in the 2010 Mustang. “In 2010, we added an even better execution of footwells and cup holders,” Gelardi says. “Then we did the rear-seat area, map pockets, and the coolest part: the sill plates.”

Source: Ford Motor Co.

Indeed, the Mustang sill plate is likely to be popular among Mustang owners and enthusiasts. The feature borrows from the iconic, embossed aluminum sill plates long used in Mustangs, then adds LED lighting to illuminate the sill’s Mustang logo, so it can be seen at night. “When I got my 2010 Mustang, I’d change the color and say, ‘Check this out,’ and I’d open the door,” Gelardi says. “Then I’d close the door, change the color and open the door again.” The sill plate, along with the rest of the ambient lighting, appears in Ford’s brand color, called “Ice-Blue,” as well as in red, green, blue, orange, purple and white. Ford worked with Osram Opto Semiconductors Inc., which makes LEDs and associated electronics and optics, to develop the Mustang’s illumination. Osram supplied LED components for the interior, including the company’s MULTILED, which contains red, green and blue chips in one LED package, as well as its TOPLED and Mini TOPLED products. The semiconductor maker worked with Ford to develop the custom Ice Blue version of the TOPLED and Mini TOPLED, both created by employing a proprietary phosphor chemistry to get the exact color Ford wanted. Osram engineers said the key to pleasing Ford was to provide consistent LED lighting quality. That way, vehicle owners wouldn’t see differences between the lighting in the footwells, dashboard and doors. “Ford wanted consistency throughout the vehicle — consistency in the brightness and consistency in the color,” says Mike Godwin, director of the Visible LED Business Unit for Osram. “That was always their target.” By carefully controlling electrical, optical and thermal parameters of the products, Osram was able to provide the desired consistency. The company then worked with suppliers — including makers of cup holders, map pockets and other vehicle components — on the performance of the LEDs within the finished products. “By having a consistent LED, Ford is able to rely on their (electronic) controls, and not steer too far from the original target colors,” Godwin says. Customizable Future

Gelardi says Ford couldn’t have reached its goals with incan-

Ford employed LEDs in the Mustang’s sill plate. Customers can choose between seven different colors to light the sill plate logo.

Mustang’s instrument cluster gauges combine LED lights to create the company’s characteristic red-Ice Blue.

descent lighting. “Packaging would have been a big problem,” he says. “Imagine putting an incandescent bulb in a door sill plate or a cup holder. I wouldn’t have been able to put it where I wanted it within the interior of the car.” Color variation would have been an issue, too, Gelardi says. The use of so-called RGB (red-green-blue) LEDs enabled Ford to quickly change colors in a way that wouldn’t have been possible with incandescent bulbs. Experts say the plummeting costs of LEDs, along with the rise in brightness, are the reasons behind choices like Ford’s. Newer, brighter designs are said to be about 10-20 times more powerful than the products of five years ago. A few LED products now offer in excess of 50 lm/W — in some cases as much as 100 — whereas many products a few years ago offered less than five. At the same time, costs have dropped dramatically. Designers of LED-based signage, who often use millions of the devices on a single project, say LEDs emerged as a solution between 1999 and 2008, when prices dropped by about two-thirds. At the same time, LEDs are said to be enabling automotive designers to enhance their brand images. During the Mustang project, designers built a so-called “half buck” to demonstrate the technology internally, then ended up showing and re-showing it to hundreds of engineers and executives throughout the company. “Everybody wanted to see it,” Gelardi says. “I ended up presenting it to (Ford Executive Vice President) Mark Fields and (Ford CEO) Alan Mulally. It went all the way to the highest echelons of the company.” The technology was an immediate hit internally, Gelardi says, because it enables Mustang owners to customize their cars without going the aftermarket route. “You always want to make it your Mustang,” Gelardi says. “It’s always been one of the most cusSource: Osram Opto Semiconductors Inc. tomizable cars. With this, Osram’s TOPLED LEDs provided you can customize your car Mustang’s customized Ice-Blue different every day.” color.

Source: Ford Motor Co.

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ] 5 3

Want to save time and money on INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT?

Let BuyerZone do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to. Save time and money on industrial equipment purchases. Get free advice and pricing articles on everything from forklifts, to pallet racks to floor cleaning equipment and more. BuyerZone is here to do the heavy lifting of finding all the suppliers. You just need to make the final decision. At BuyerZone, you’re in control. We’re just here to make your work easier. Join the millions who’ve already saved time and money on many of their Industrial Equipment purchases by taking advantage of BuyerZone’s FREE, no obligation services like: • Quotes from multiple suppliers • Pricing articles • Buyer’s guides • Supplier ratings • Supplier comparisons

REQUEST FREE QUOTES NOW! Call (866) 623-5565 or visit BuyerZoneIndustrial.com

Where Smart Businesses Buy and Sell

A division of

BEST OF THE ENGINEERING MARKETPLACE 55 56 56 56

E l e c t ro n i c s Fluid Power Materials/Fastening M o t i o n C o n t ro l

Compiled by Jennifer Roy and Elizabeth M. Taurasi

ELECTRONICS

SOMEGA ENGINEERING’S HANDHELD ROTATING VANE THERMO-ANEMOMETER HHF143 CE-compliant, features NIST calibration OMEGA ENGINEERING’s high-quality HHF143 provides accurate air velocity and temperature measurements in harsh environments. It features a wide temperature range, minimum and maximum recall, analog voltage output and communication option and low-speed sensitivity. This CE-compliant product also features NIST calibration. Applications include indoor air quality, process control, flow hood monitoring, and many other applications where precise air flow and temperature measurement is required.

saves board space. The component’s construction essentially wraps a VCO around a PLL in a package that’s only marginally larger than a VCO on its own, and significantly smaller than separate VCO/PLL modules. The CPLL58-4240-4240 is a complete PLL/Synthesizer needing only an external frequency reference and supply voltages for the internal PLL (phase lock loop) and VCO (voltage controlled oscillator). It is programmed using a standard three line interface (Data, Clock and Load Enable). Typical phase noise is -95 dBc/Hz at 10 KHz offset with minimum output power of 3 dBm. VCO voltage is 5V dc; PLL voltage is 3V dc. Second harmonic suppression is -15 dBc typical.

Leading Edge

Clutches & Brakes

Standard or Custom Designs for Virtually Any Application Torque Ratings From 1 oz.in. to 3,000 lb.ft. Single or Multiple Disc Designs Power On or Spring-Set Cost Effective and Value Engineered Electric, Mechanical, Air or Hydraulic Actuation

Crystek Corp. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-538

OMEGA ENGINEERING Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-537

TCRYSTEK CORP.’S NEW 4240 MHZ PLL/SYNTHESIZER

SMELEXIS’ LOW-VOLTAGE

Small housing saves board space Crystek’s CPLL58-42404240 PLL/ Synthesizer operates at 4,240 MHz with a typical step size of 2,500 KHz. Engineered and manufactured in the U.S., it is housed in a compact 0.582x 0.8- x 0.15-inch SMD package, which

Enables power saving for contact-less magnetic scrolling applications Melexis’ MLX92213 is a newly designed low-voltage Hall-effect latch sensor that integrates advanced power management, providing micropower-efficient solutions for battery or handheld applications. The MLX92213’s magnetic design offers a breakthrough contact-less and reliable solid-state solution for incremental rotary encoders. The device enhances

HALL-EFFECT LATCH SENSOR

888-629-4867 www.cjmco.com Enter xx at www.edn.com/info

the efficiency and power consumption of all scrolling or trackball-type applications found in computer peripherals, mobile phones or other handheld consumer electronics. It features an ultra-sensitive Hall-effect latch operating from 1.6 to 3.6V. The output is a “push-pull” type so that an external pull-up resistor is not needed for proper operation, hence reducing PCB component count. The device primarily targets battery-operated applications. The MLX92213 employs an awake/sleep strategy to reduce its power consumption versus a standard Hall-effect latch sensor. It is ideally suited for use in speed and direction detection applications based on multi-pole magnets. Melexis Microelectronic Systems http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-539

FLUID POWER

TEXAIR’S NEW CATALOG 23 Featuring blowoff and cooling products EXAIR’s new Catalog 23 is a full-color technical guide offering solutions to common industrial cooling, drying, conveying, blowoff, cleaning and static electricity problems. The expanded 160-page catalog features products that can help companies conserve compressed air and reduce dangerous noise levels. New E-Vac® Vacuum Generators, efficient Super Air Knives, Super Air Nozzles, Super Air Wipes, Vortex Tubes and Cold Gun tool coolers are also featured. EXAIR Corp. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-540

pling connection between the stainlesssteel bellows and aluminum clamping hub that is hidden within the fit-length of the hub itself. This allows for the same axial shaft engagement as standard bellows couplings, but with an overall length approximately 15 percent shorter than in the past. The shaft hubs are custom bored on each side for shaft sizes from 8 to 75 mm (5/16 to 2.95 inch) with or without keyways. Sizes are available for torque capacities ranging from 15 to 500 Nm (1,133 to 4,425 inch-lb). R+W America LP http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-541

TPNEUMADYNE’S STATIC BULKHEAD CONNECTORS Accommodates four to 12 tubing lines Pneumadyne Inc.’s new Static Bulkhead Connectors are a fast, convenient method of connecting multiple tubing lines in a control panel or on a machine. The onepiece design features ¼ and 5/32 push-in connectors or ¼-28 UNF threads and accommodates four to 12 tubing lines. Choose from push-in, push-in to threaded and threaded body styles. To ease line installation and identification, the port numbers are etched into both sides of the Bulkhead Connector. A Buna-N O-ring provides a tight seal when mounted against a control panel or machine. The Static Bulkhead Connectors are black anodized for corrosion and wear resistance. Pneumadyne Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-542

M AT E R I A L S / FA S T E N I N G

operators to lift and position hinged components with less effort. Ease-of-movement and no-slip positioning allow intuitive operation of display screens, doors, access panels and other movable components in consumer, medical equipment, transportation and industrial machinery applications. The ST-12C constant-torque design — specified to stay within ±20 percent of rated torque for 20,000 cycles of operation — provides consistent longterm performance, without the need for maintenance or adjustment. Southco® http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-543

SBAYER’S RADIATION-STABILIZED MEDICAL-GRADE POLYCARBONATE Meets U.S. FDA requirements Building upon the proven efficacy of Makrolon® Rx2530, Bayer MaterialScience LLC has developed Makrolon Rx2435 polycarbonate resin, a new medical grade that addresses the increasing demand for a material that can be sterilized through radiation for thin-wall medical applications. Like Makrolon Rx2530 polycarbonate, Makrolon Rx2435 resin exhibits a good balance of mechanical strength and toughness. Potential thin-wall applications for Makrolon Rx2435 include dialysis components, catheter connectors, surgical instruments and drug delivery devices. Bayer MaterialScience LLC http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-544

MOTION CONTROL

TELECTRO STATIC’S AEGIS SGR BEARING PROTECTION RING™

SSOUTHCO®’S ST-12C COUNTERBALANCED HINGES

SCOMPACT BELLOWS COUPLING BKC Available for torque capacities ranging from 15-500 Nm R+W America’s new compact bellows couplings — model BKC — has a cou56

Consistent, high-torque performance in a compact package A new line of standard Southco® ST12C counterbalanced hinges provides consistent, high-torque performance in a compact package, enabling equipment

Maintenance-free, works with virtually no friction Electro Static Technology™’s AEGIS SGR Bearing Protection Ring™ can now be installed

quickly and easily with conductive epoxy, eliminating the need to drill bracket holes in the motor’s end bell. For motors controlled by variable frequency drives (VFDs), the SGR channels harmful motor-shaft currents away from bearings and safely to ground, protecting them and extending their lives for a sustainable “green” solution. Installation of the SGR, whether by the motor manufacturer or end user, takes just minutes. Unlike conventional grounding brushes, the ring is maintenance-free and works with virtually no friction or wear for the service life of the motor. Electro Static Technology™ http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-545

TBALLUFF’S IP69K LINEAR POSITION TRANSDUCER Ideal for hydropower and other wet applications Balluff’s new Micropulse® ProCompact linear position transducer is rugged, accurate and protected against environmental hazards. The rod-style transducer incorporates fieldproven, non-contact magnetostrictive technology into a welded, hermetically sealed, stainless-steel housing that provides longterm reliability and service life compared to competing contact-based sensors. The ProCompact is ideal for hydropower and other wet applications, railroad maintenance equipment, steel production, sawmill applications, or any other application involving high humidity, ambient temperature variations and high-pressure washdown. It comes in standard ¾ inch-16 UNF (optional M18 x 1.5) mounting threads, allowing the transducer to be installed into hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. It is environmentally protected to IP68. Balluff Inc. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-546

From the Newswire Blog Updated daily with press releases and product announcements, this blog augments our popular Expo section. http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-547 Send your press releases and product announcements to Executive Editor Liz Taurasi: elizabeth.taurasi@reedbusiness.com

United States Postal Service

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Requester Publications Only)

1. Publication Title: Design News 2. Publication Number: USPS 076-070 3. Filing Date: October 1, 2009 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly 5. No. of issues Published Annually: 12 6. Annual Subscription Price: US $169.99; Canada $210.99; Mexico $199.99; For $356 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: Reed Business Information, 8878 Barrons Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: Reed Business Information, Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Executive Editor: Publisher: Russ Pratt, Editor: Karen Field, Executive Editor, Elizabeth M. Taurasi, Reed Business Information, 225 Wyman St., Waltham, MA 02451 10. Owner: Reed Business Information, Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. (Must be completed if the publication title shown in item 1 is a publication published and owned by a non-profit organization). The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 13. Publication: Design News 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: September 1, 2009 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation:

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

a. Total Number of Copies (Net Press Run) 140,715 117,100 b. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution (by Mail or Outside the Mail) 1. Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from the recipient, telemarketing and internet request from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies) 137,815 115,001 2. In County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 0 0 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street vendors, Counter Sales and Other Paid or Requested Distributuion Outside USPS 138 72 4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS (eg First-Class Mail) 0 0 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3) and (4)) 137,953 115,073 d. Nonrequested Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail) Free 1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 1,586 1,432 2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 0 0 3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail (eg First-Class Mail, Nonrequestor copies mailed in excess of 10% Limit mailed at Standard Mail or Package Service Rates) 0 0 4. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (include Pickup Stands, Trade Shows, Showrooms and Other Source) 111 300 e. Total Nonrequested Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2) and (3)) 1,697 1,732 f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and e) 139,650 116,805 g. Copies Not Distributed (see Instructions to Publishers #4 (page 3)) 1,065 295 h. Total (Sum of 15f and g) 140,715 117,100 i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c divided by f times 100) 98.78% 98.52% 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November, 2009 issue of this publication. 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Simon Young, Group Audience Marketing Director, September 24, 2009 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including ﬁnes and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

Reed Business Information Statement of Digital Circulation 1. Publication Title: Design News 12-Month Average Printed Circulation as reported on PS Form 3526, line 15a Digital Circulation Total Circulation

140,715 27,334 168,049

September 117,100 30,509 147,609

Simon Young, Group Audience Marketing Director, September 24, 2009

DNX091101_Owner.indd 1

11/3/2009 3:06:04 PM

CALAMITIES

Tr u e S t o r i e s

The Case of the Errant Electrons What caused a crane operator to become a high-voltage conductor? A CHILLY AND WET FALL DAY SAW A CREW OF WORKERS

unloading roofing shingles at a luxury home on a wooded job site by using a truck-mounted, articulated-boom (knuckle-boom) crane. The crane was mounted on a large flatbed truck between the cab and the flat cargo deck that held the bundles of shingles. In use, this crane looked like a Transformer. As it moved from its transverse storage position, the articulated arm unfolded and extended while its forks turned and rotated to a horizontal position to facilitate lifting loads. The hydraulically powered crane had a set of control levers near the truck cab and a remote control connected to solenoid valves that duplicated the manual valve functions. While unloading, the crane operator stood away from the truck and used the remote control, which hung from his neck by a nylon strap to permit two-handed operation. As the last of the roofing was being moved, the workers heard a loud crackle and saw a brilliant electric flash. The crane operator then fell to the ground, his clothes on fire as he writhed in pain. His fellow workers saw that the crane arm was lowered and ran to smother the flames. His overalls were burned from his body, leaving him now shivering from cold and the onset of physical shock. First responders administered aid for electric shock and serious burns. They brought the man to a trauma center, 58

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

MYRON J. BOYAJIAN PRESIDENT ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS

and he later recovered and brought suit against a host of defendants, including the utility company, the crane and the flatbed truck manufacturer, and the supplier of the remote control, whose attorney retained me to investigate the incident. My task was to investigate the plaintiff ’s claim that the control console was “not properly grounded.” Several issues made this a murky case. The power company argued its 13,000V power lines were not at fault as the rainy weather resulted in lightning strikes. The utility proposed that lightning hit the crane and the operator did not stand sufficiently far away to prevent being struck. They also argued that the truck chassis was negligently designed by not being grounded and was electrically live during the strike. The plaintiff’s employer, normally isolated by workers’ compensation laws, was brought in as a third party for failure to properly train the operator to avoid power line contact. At the accident site, power lines running through a tree line that paralleled the access road should have been visible. However, I later learned that the wires were invisible at the time of the accident because the utility company failed to trim the tree line on schedule. The knuckle-boom/truck inspection was attended by a platoon of lawyers and engineers. Among the findings we could see a burn mark on the crane arm, the result of electrical contact. For my part, I was able to carefully lay out the control cable and open the remote control box. In the cable, several control wires were enclosed by a woven metallic shield that was wrapped by a protective and flexible insulated sleeve. The woven metallic cover shielded the control wires from electromagnetic interference. This shield was charred from end to end, and most of the exterior cable insulation was burned off. The switches and potentiometers in the console were destroyed with only stubs of wire and some metallic components remaining. In my opinion report and deposition, I stated that the remote control and cable were correctly grounded. The shielding prevented electromagnetic interference, not electrical fault currents. The crane arm hit the concealed power lines, but because the truck’s rubber tires were insulators, the high voltage forced current through the control cable, console, and the operator. My client was dismissed from the case. 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.

Myron J. Boyajian, P.E., (mboyajian@ sbcglobal.net) is president of Engineering Consultants, a consulting service for forensic and design activities. Cases presented here are from his actual files. Illustration: Daniel Guidera

PRODUCTMART

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Page

Page

ABB Low Voltage Motors

EXAIR Corp.

Advanced Antivibration Components

Mouser Electronics Inc.

Aero Tec Labs. Inc.

National Instruments Corp.

Aerotek

Numatics Inc.

Airpot Corp.

OMEGA ENGINEERING Inc.

All Metric Small Parts

Panasonic Electric Works

C-3

Allied Electronics Inc.

14-15, 21, 32-A-B

Arrow Gear Co.

Proto Labs Inc.

Autodesk Inc.

Pyramid Inc.

Automationdirect.com

Quality Bearings & Components

Phillips Plastics Corp.

R&D Bladder Prototypes Pneumatic Bellows

Avnet Electronics Marketing Inc.

Sealeze Corp.

B&R Industrial Automation

Siemens PLM Software Accumulator

Press Bladder

Pipe Plug

Specialists In Bladder Tanks And Inflatables

Condensate Collector

Bird Precision Inc.

SKF Group

BOKERS INC.

Smalley Steel Ring Co.

BuyerZone

SolidWorks Corp.

Carlyle Johnson Machine LLC

Stimpson Co. Inc.

Carr Lane Mfg. Inc.

TURCK Inc.

Clippard Instrument Lab. Inc.

Universe Kogaku

ContiTech AG

Devcon

F-3

Apple Rubber Products Inc.

Threadlocker

C-2

Digi-Key Corp.

F-6-7

Gates Corp.

Won’t run, drip, spill, or glob Available in Blue or Red Liquid reliability without the mess

Dimension

F-8

Paratherm Corp.

C-4

ebm-papst inc.

F-5

Swagelok Co.

Bio-Fuel Bladder

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

w w w.atlinc.com

Fluid Power Section

Publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions in this index.

Gel Squeeze

For technical information, or the name of your local Devcon® /Permatex® Industrial Distributor, call 1-800-933-8266 or visit www.devcon.com

GADGET FREAK ONLINE

THE GADGET FREAK® FILES CASE #151

Check Out Gadget Freak Case #150: Hotrod Your Billy Bass Reprogram your circa 2001 singing fish to serenade you: http://designnews.hotims.com/23125-548.

Benson Warms up to Remote Energy Monitoring

ADVERTISEMENT “THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT” Amt

Part Description SNAP-PAC-R2 Programmable Automation Controller

Allied Part #

SNAP-AIPM-3 Three-Phase Power Monitoring Module

691-0378

SNAP-PAC-RCK4 Four-Module Mounting Rack

691-0378

SNAP Power Supply, 110V ac to 5V dc

691-1011

oes Apple’s iPhone really have “an application for everything?” Benson Hougland thinks so. He built his own energy monitor for use in his home. A programmable automation controller, a power-monitoring I/O module and two current transformers let him measure current and voltage to provide poweruse data in real time. And Benson can tap into his system to collect power-consumption data from anywhere and view it on his Apple iPhone. The result? An interactive, real-time awareness of energy use that helped him save $200 a month on his power bill.

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 jontitus@comcast.net, along with a description of how it works, a parts list, schematic, photos and video. If your project is featured, you’ll receive a $500 check from Design News and will be featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine or at designnews.com with your invention.

D E S I G N N E W S N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 [ w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m ]

691-0357

Additional Parts Required For a complete list of parts, schematics and build instructions go to www.designnews.com/GadgetFreak

Get Gadget Freak delivered to your desktop: • Newsletter: http://reg.designnews. com/newsletter/subscribe • RSS: http://www.designnews.com/rss/ For parts information, call (800) 433-5700 or go to www.alliedelec.com/gadgetfreak SPONSORED BY »

Photo: Stephanie Diani

10% off all Hammond product solutions @ alliedelec.com.*

For All Your Hammond Enclosure Solutions

THINK ALLIED

1.800.433.5700 © Allied Electronics, Inc 2009. ‘Allied Electronics’ and the Allied Electronics logo are trademarks of Allied Electronics, Inc.

An Electrocomponents Company. * Online only through December 31, 2009.

Unlock the Power!

Imagine that in the future, we suddenly offered one of our best compact fans with five times the motor output and nearly double the nominal speed. This fan would offer by far the highest air flow and the highest pressure of all products available in its size. At operating points with high counterpressure, it would provide outstanding cooling air flow and – as is typical for ebm-papst – exemplary motor efficiency and long service life. Now imagine that we have already done it. With an entire series. Unleash the beast and experience the S-Force, the new premium class of high-performance compact fans. www.ebmpapst.us/sforce

The engineer’s choice