Boeing announced a distributor agreement with Ontic to support the Staverton product line. The agreement identifies Boeing Distribution (formerly Aviall) as the exclusive distributor of approximately 600 actuation and control products on a range of civil and military aircraft platforms. “We are excited to reach an agreement with Ontic to once again offer these products…
How real-time data can increase uptime
Today in automation, predictive and preventive maintenance are constantly in the conversation. While the ideas may be clear, the implementation and advantages are not. Is this a fad that will fizzle out soon? By Gerry Paci, Marketing Manager — Material Handling ⋅ Pepperl+Fuchs For many years in the material handling industry, warehouse operators have strived…
The latest technologies for agriculture and off-highway automation
With the rise of smart farming in agriculture, equipment manufacturers face the challenge of maximizing machine uptime in harsh and extreme environments. Companies are leveraging different types of motion systems to improve reliability in their designs, with technology evolving alongside farming practices. Such systems take advantage of advancements across automation more generally, which includes robotics,…
Keeping pace with growing industry, Pack Expo ’23 show will be most comprehensive
In keeping with industry growth, Pack Expo Las Vegas 2023 (Sept. 11-13; Las Vegas Convention Center) is on pace to be the largest, most comprehensive edition of this trade show since its inception. As the premier destination to explore cutting-edge packaging and processing solutions, Pack Expo Las Vegas will include more than 2,000 suppliers, as…
Plug product and press help manufacturer reduce scrap and warranty claims
An automobile’s automatic transmission case is a very complex casting that includes a sophisticated valve body with many channels and passages. These features must be precisely connected to perform the necessary control functions. However, it’s not always possible to cast all interconnections. Some case features necessitate drilling through the casting’s outer shell (and one or…
Moog and Komatsu to demonstrate fully electric wheel loader at Bauma
Moog Inc. announced that it has collaborated with Komatsu to build a fully electric compact wheel loader machine. The companies will demonstrate the connected and automation-ready, zero-emission, battery-powered machine at bauma 2022 from October 24 – 30 in the Komatsu demo area (FM.713/1). Moog’s intelligent machine electrification system includes an electric traction motor, lift, tilt…
Bosch Rexroth to demonstrate streamlined assembly automation at the Assembly Show
In booth #505, experience how Bosch Rexroth takes your assembly operations from start to finish with its complete portfolio of automation solutions. Start your journey towards a streamlined factory automation experience with Bosch Rexroth’s linear technology eTools portfolio, which makes it easier for users to plan, design and order Bosch Rexroth Linear Motion systems required…
Mars helicopter receives Collier Trophy
The Mars helicopter team is awarded the Collier Trophy for being the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet. NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter flies with electric motors from the Swiss company maxon, a provider of precision drives. This prestigious award was presented on June 9th in Washington DC by the National Aeronautic Association…
Flexible rotary shafts to power Delta Airlines’ engines powering their first Airbus A321neo aircraft
Provider of flexible shaft products, S.S. White Technologies is supplying flexible shafts that transmit power to the hydraulic-activated Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems (TRAS) on Delta Airlines’ Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofan engines to power their first Airbus A321neo aircraft. Delta is committed to purchase a total of 155 Airbus A321neo platforms through 2027. S. S.…
Ontic acquires Servotek and Westcon product lines from Marsh Bellofram
Ontic, aerospace industry provider of ‘Extended Life Solutions’ for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) legacy and non-core products, has acquired electromechanical product lines from Marsh Bellofram. The products include Servotek TachSyn brushless DC tachometer and commutators, instrument-grade DC tachometers and rotary encoders. The products are on a variety of industrial and aerospace applications. Westcon AC/DC tachometers…
Flexible rotary shafts support thrust reverser on 150 LEAP 1-A turbofan engines
S.S. White Technologies is supplying the flexible shafts that transmit power to activate and synchronize the deployment of the Thrust Reverser Actuation Systems (TRAS) on 150 CFM International LEAP-1A turbofan engines that have been selected to power UK based Jet2’s latest order for up to 75 Airbus A321neo aircraft. The CFM LEAP-1A turbofan engines incorporate…
Drone-mounted inspection breaks barriers for F-35
By Dr. David Rizzo The F-35 Lightning II is an all-weather stealth combat aircraft built to perform warfare strike missions and electronic surveillance capabilities at speeds up to 1.6 Mach. Composites comprise 35% of the airframe weight, with the majority being bismaleimide, as well as some carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy — which has a tensile strength…
Interesting tech at SAE’s WCX 2022 exhibits
The SAE’s WCX World Congress Experience was billed as where the engineering community convenes on mobility’s biggest hurdles from mass deployment of electric vehicles to developmental timelines for autonomous vehicles to understanding of global supply chain constraints impacting the automotive industry. We had a chance to peruse the WCX exhibits and kick the tires on…
TriStar, a misunderstood failure of design
By Charles Tschaggeny, Tschaggeny Design In 1984, Lockheed ceased production of the L1011 TriStar airplane and exited the world of commercial aircraft for good. For Lockheed, its latest passenger jet had been heralded as a technological marvel but was, in fact, a business disaster. The TriStar is a fascinating story that clearly illustrates fundamental concepts…
The physics of failure
Failure models and estimates of useful product life have grown increasingly more accurate thanks to a better understanding of how devices and materials degrade under stress. Leland Teschler • Executive Editor Back in the early 1970s, a college classmate of mine told an interesting story about his summer job running production-line tests for a manufacturer…
3D printings effects on sustainability
Among the many benefits of using 3D printing is how it effects sustainable efforts in design and production. Recently I had a chance to speak with Nadav Goshen, president and CEO at MakerBot on 3D printing developments in this area. Here are highlights from our conversation. Design World · 3D printings effects on sustainability Sustainability […]
How drones are advancing metrology for fighter jets
The F-35 Lightning II is an all-weather stealth combat aircraft intended to perform warfare strike missions and electronic surveillance capabilities at speeds up to 1.6 Mach. Composites comprise 35% of the airframe weight, with the majority being bismaleimide, and some carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy — which has a tensile strength of approximately 100 times greater than…
Nye Lubricants’ Pennzane Oil to launch on James Webb Space Telescope
Nye Lubricants will take part in its second high-profile NASA mission in 2021 with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled to launch on December 24 from French Guiana. This infrared telescope, developed in conjunction with the European Canadian space agencies, will be used to study and compare the evolution of exoplanets to planets in…
Vibration tests boost NASA’s electric aircraft project
To ensure NASA’s new X-57 “Maxwell” electric aircraft would be energy efficient and safe for use, NASA carried out extensive ground vibration tests, simulating the stresses it would experience during a real flight. With the increasing demand for electric-powered ground transportation, NASA wanted to prove that an aircraft could also be electrically powered. The result…
AstroAccess completes ZERO-G Parabolic flight with crew of 12 disability ambassadors
AstroAccess, an initiative dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in space exploration, and Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G) successfully completed a parabolic flight with a crew of 12 ambassadors with mobility, vision and hearing disabilities on Sunday, October 17. On Sunday, the ZERO-G aircraft ascended to an altitude of 32,000 feet, at which point the vehicle commenced…
Ruggidized modular computers come in small form factor
The DAGRX and SAYBRX small form factor (SFF) line replaceable unit (LRU) computers featuring Intel processors and flexible I/O deliver high performance in a compact package. The modular I/O approach in both rugged and lab variants empower users to select what is necessary for the application, optimizing size, weight and power (SWaP). The DAGRX and…
Custom hose design helps aerospace test facility
By Michael Hoffman, of Dragos and the SANS Technology Institute Few industries require more product validation and qualification than the military and aerospace sectors. Before any new technology is approved by the military’s regulatory agencies, they must undergo many levels of technology development, often in a simulated environment. This test environment is designed to push…
Right sized packaging to boost sustainability
E-commerce has recently experienced an enormous rise in acceptance and success. At the same time, consumers increasingly value sustainability and avoiding the use of unnecessary packaging material. To address these trends Quadient, in Drachten, the Netherlands, developed a new packaging machine for the flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective production of customized corrugated cardboard packaging. This system…
Creating a greener package design
To make sealing applications greener, ultrasonic welding offers many advantages compared to traditional heat sealing. Its precise, reliable capabilities and efficiency allow end-users to reduce energy consumption, confidently use biodegradable packaging, minimize product and packaging waste, and improve packaging recyclability and compostability. This sustainable technology can ultimately save energy by up to 25% and reduce…
The top ten free engineering math software packages
Numerous open-source software packages now provide engineering math capabilities and go easy on the pocketbook. Leland Teschler • Executive Editor The Mars Climate Orbiter made headlines back in 1999 when it approached Mars on a trajectory bringing it too close to the planet and wound up either destroyed in the Mars atmosphere or orbiting the…