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Deals with the program developed by oil drilling firm Tidewater on the use of electric motor driven propulsion screws in oil drilling platform-supply vessels. Background on oil drill rigs; Comparison of Tidewater's program with other electric-motor driven propulsion screws; Details on the completed Platform Supply Vessel, Miss Jane Tide.

Evaluates several computer productivity tools released in August 2002. Series 2446 ball screw from Steinmeyer Inc.; RexMover rodless pneumatic cylinder from Bosch Rexroth Corp.; FP Sigma logic controller from Aromat Corp.

Provides information on several engineering products as of May 2002. Introduction of the HFSS 8.5 software from Ansoft Corp.; Features of the 5100 Series Blue Fusion automation controllers from Control Technology; Details on the 1658-F Series thermal circuit breaker from E-T-A Circuit Breakers.

Features several products for engineering design. Single board computer from ADLINK Technology Inc.; Switches from Gems Sensors; Liquid-crystal-display modules from Optrex America Inc.; Controller from MediaQ Inc.

Discusses the design of the Segway Human Transporter (HT), a personal transportation vehicle invented by Dean Kamen. Overview of the dynamic stabilization technology of the Segway HT; Main subsystems of the vehicle; Details on the use of the vehicle. INSET: Ideas, lots of them, are key to success.

Presents news briefs on various technology products as of January 2002. Acoustical foam-barrier-foam composite from TUFCOTE; Melt-Processable Rubber from Alcryn; Epoxy encapsulant from Tra-Con Inc.

Introduces several electrical and electronic products. Line of resistors, terminators and attenuators designed for microwave and radio frequency systems from American Technical Ceramics; Design of the CMS Metal Separators from Eriez Magnetics; Design of the Gotcha Stick safe distance scale from Scientific Technologies Inc.

Reports on the application of an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) technology in the manufacturing of FaroArm, a portable human-assisted three-dimensional measurement system from Faro Technologies. Accuracy of FaroArm; DSP chip from Motorola used in FaroArm; Study conducted by Faro engineers to compare programmable DSP and field programmable gate array. INSETS: From the racetrack...to outer space;DSP reduces system cost..

Describes the components and subsystems underlying robotic movement or electronic motion. Motion controllers; Amplifiers and motors; Feedback transducers.

Provides information on the patented three-axis spindle carrier from DS Technologie GmbH. Technology used in the machine-tool; Functions; Features; Advantages.

Reports on the results of the production evaluation of eight different coatings on a 16-cavity die by Premier Tool and Die Cast Corp. as part of a North American Die Casting Association study. Difference between the roles a coating and a surface treatment play in modifying the substrate's surface characteristics; Only coating that falls under surface treatment; Challenge of preventing the onset of coating failure.

Introduces the post-processing computer software FIELDVIEW from Intelligent Light company. Use of the software by Pratt & Whitney Canada company to facilitate multidisciplinary simulation for aircraft's gas engines; Features of the software; Advantages offered by the software.

Compares two innovations on left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in the United States. Thrombosis problems addressed by the Streamliner, a magnetic bearing LVAD developed at the McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development; Design goal of the HeartMate III, a centrifugal flow magnetic bearing LVAD developed by Vic Poirier of Thermo Cardiosystems Inc.; Electromechanical design and mechanisms of both LVAD.

Presents information on Igniter 2000 model Powerski Jetboard, a product from Powerski International Inc., founded by Bob Montgomery. Igniter 2000's engineering innovations; Award received by Igniter 2000 and its proprietary engine; Information on the first actual jetboard/motorized surfboard appeared in the 1960s.

Looks at some examples of how engineers in different industries use advances in plastics, metals and ceramics to solve design problems. Performance of aluminum when used in the front suspension cradle of DaimlerChrysler's minivans; Advantages of using lightweight materials in the automotive industry; How GE Plastics faced the challenges posed by hard drives.

Details how Ford Motor company designed the Ford Focus automobile. Goal of the company in designing the automobile; Features of the automobile; Discussion on the style and over-all design of the vehicle.

Focuses on the angiographic-fluid-delivery system combined with programmable computer and motion-control technology from Acist Medical Systems. Information on how the ACIST Injection System works; Details on traditional injection system. INSET: Rod-type actuator frees physician's hands.

Focuses on the use of fieldbus and personal computer (PC) technologies in designing the fan drive production cell of the Fluid Power Division of Eaton Corp. in Fletcher, North Carolina. Components of the Cell 7 machines of the company; Reasons for using PC and fieldbus technologies; Comparison of improvement between existing cells and the Cell 7.

Discusses the engineering design in Japan. What are critical to Japanese engineers; Characteristics of Japanese design engineering; Comparison of the United States' design engineering to Japan's. INSET: Made in Japan, AMP style, by Karen Auguston.

Presents a listing of engineering design products. Names of some of the products; Cost of the products; Contact information.

Reports on the global competition in the field of engineering design. Identification of the factors associated with the competition; Mention of the challenges faced by engineers in the field of marketing in engineering; Reference to some tips to becoming a successful engineer; Features of some products in the field of engineering marketing; Contact information provided. INSET: How one man made his mark (CE, that is), by Karen Auguston....

Opinion. Discusses the advances made by Combustion Electromagnetics Incorporated based in Arlington, Massachusetts in the development of its Hybrid Inductive Ignition (HBI). Background information on the company; Details on the design of HBI; How the system works; Details on the results of test done on the system; Other information on the ignition system. INSETS: 4 benefits of flow-enhanced spark.;Two regimes of spark discharge.;How flow coupling works..

Focuses on a mechanical gas separation technique which uses tube oscillation. Factors which influenced the development of the technique; Advantages of the technique in interplanetary explorations; How the technique works; Names of the persons who developed the technique; Comments from Doctor Ranga Narayanan, professor of chemical engineering; Contact information. INSET: How oscillatory separation works..

Presents information on Chrysler's hot rod theme automobile which provides its engineers with test beds for new processes. Materials which make up the hot rod; Name of the hot rod automobile; Cost of the car. INSETS: Advanced manufacturing.;How to make aluminum suspension components..

Presents information on the design of assembly systems. Information on systems with learner structures and tooling that integrate with PC and serial I/O technology; Comments from Ken Moore, plant manager at Chrysler Corporation; How maintenance and downtime can be reduced. INSET: 5 rules of PC-based control..

Focuses on VersaCube Inductive proximity sensor designed by engineers at Allen-Bradley Corp. Dimensions of the sensor; Features of the sensor; Electronic design of the sensor.

Discusses technological innovations in the design of machine tools. Options for a standard tool design platform; Hexapod technology; Incremental improvement of machine tools; Impact of self-compensating hydrostatic bearing technology on spindle designs. INSETS: Predictions from the past.;The engineer's role.;Machine tools milestones..

Reports on the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) use of the Teal Rain high-altitude triple-turbocharged reciprocating engine technology to improve performance of advanced, long-endurance remote piloted vehicles (RPV). Declassifications of portions of Teal Rain to incorporate engine into RPV flight hardware; Use of Teal rain program for scientific analysis of the atmosphere. INSET: High-altitude hurdles..

Presents machine tools with state-of-the-art features created using linear motors, servo devices and computer nuclear control (CNC). Includes the HVM 600 from Ingersoll Milling; XHC 240 from EXCELL-O GmbH; CYBERCELL machine tool from Kingsbury Corp.; Features and functions of the tools.

Focuses on the extension of the Standard for the Exchange of Product to numerical control (STEP-NC) for machines. Purpose of STEP-NC; Basis of STEP-NC implementations; Effects on post processors; Benefactors of data exchange. INSET: SoftCNC.

Evaluates several power transmission products. ThinGap TG1500 Series direct current motor from Motion Media Group; 360 Series AAB electric disc brakes from Rexnord Corp.; True Planetary gearheads from Thomson Industries.

Focuses on the benefits of a change from electromechanical to servohydraulic actuators to a glass bending system. Components of hydraulic actuators; Use of curved glass panels; Process of producing glass panels.

Discusses the development of an automobile ignition system based on the 42V electrical engine technology. Principle behind the ignition system; Purpose and advantages of the system; Challenges to its implementation.

Focuses on the unveiling of a digital readout system and linear measurement technology called Interactive Personal Readout (iPRO) from Newall Electronics Incorporated. Systems comprising iPRO; Benefits of using iPRO; Potential applications of the wearable human-machine interface in a machine tool setting.

Reports on the Little Benthic Vehicle, a remote operated vehicle (ROV) submersible from SeaBotix. Design of the ROV; Features of the ROV; Cost of the ROV.

Offers a look at the electronic lockout system for mountain bike suspension system developed by Cannondale. Advantages of using the electronic lockout mechanism; Design of the system; Technical challenges encountered by the designers.

Covers information on products for power transmission and motion control as of January 22, 2001. Features of the rotary voice coil actuator from BEI Kimco Magnetics; Introduction of self-lubricated bearings from Peer; Description of the flexible couplings from Stock Drive.

Details the advantages offered by the computer software SEER-DFM from Galorath Inc. to perform cost estimates for airframe components. Savings of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. by using the software; Features of the software.

Provides information on land grid array connectors developed by Samtec company which uses personal computer-based nonlinear analysis. Description of the design; Configuration; How the technology operates; Advantages; Software used in the design of the connectors.

Offers a look at the integrated circuits released by members of SERCOS for motion-control. Introduction of the SERCON816 application specific integrated circuits (ASIC); Features of the ASIC; Difference between SERCOS and other serial fieldbus technologies.

Presents updates on several integrated motor products from manufacturing companies in the United States as of August 7, 2000. SmartMotor from Animatics Corp.; SiverMax 34HC from QuickSilver Controls Inc.; 3564-BC from MicroMo Electronics Inc.

Discusses the decision of Evergreen Packaging Equipment to switch to investment casting to produce oven heads that heat the carton tops on its gable-top carton filling and sealing equipment. Details of the oven size; Fabrication complications; Benefit of the move to the company.

Highlights open-die forging, an approach for flanged keel-fin design pioneered by engineers on the Young America yacht racing team for America's Cup 2000. Two advantages of the integral flanges and bolt-on feature in the keel design; Process for forging; Testing of the keel fin at Scot Forge.

Features Contour Hardening Inc.'s vertical crankshaft-hardening machine called the Micropulse machine. Contribution of Mannesmann-Rexroth's orbiting control solution to CHI's system; Marketing of the Micropulse machine.

Reports on the revolutionary concept in universal machining called Eclipse from Sena Technologies of Seoul, South Korea. Design of the mechanism; Key difference of the machine with the prototype; Diameter of the circular guide.

Reports on the use of ceramics in hip-replacement surgery in the United States. Components of hip joint replacement; Details on Pro Ostein 500 Porous Hydroxyapatite Bone Graft Substitute, a hydroxyapatite from Interpore Cross International Co.; Cancer treatment that uses radioactive glass microspheres.

Focuses on all-electric injection-molding machines. Advantage of electric injection-molding machines over hydraulic presses; Information on Ferromatik Milacron's two-stage injection unit; Total sale of Milacron's electric molding units in February 1998; Details on the electric machine units of UBE Machinery Inc.

Presents information on the design of interchangeable blocks and rails from Star Linear Systems. History of the company; Key elements to the success of the company; Profile of the company's rail; Details on the Compact Module, a sealed unit with circulating seal strips.

Focuses on the availability of `round-the-clock' communications as the Internet and global commerce industry expands while highlighting the design of a stainless steel security handle with double-locking capability by A.L. Hansen Manufacturing. Reasons for the design of the security handle; Features of the handle; Listing of recommended production changes by Northern Precision Casting Company (NPC). INSET: Seven steps to quality metal parts.

Focuses on new array of precision inspection devices which increased manufacturing yields for active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs). Dover Instrument Corp.'s large-travel positioning stage; Permanent-magnet, brushless, dc liner motors; Dover's new servo control algorithm; Teletrac Inc.'s LA-9 edge and area prober; View Engineering's Model 8100; Features and capabilities.