Design World

Wednesday, December 12, 2018 2 pm ET / 11 am PT Reliable motion is often difficult to obtain when the operating environment is heavily contaminated with debris or contains extreme conditions such as a wide temperature range. The use of machinery for operations such as cutting, welding, and material processing often generates a substantial amount…

Rethink Robotics, the Boston, Mass.-based maker of collaborative robots Baxter and Sawyer, shut down on October 3. The Robot Report first reported the story, confirming the news with former Rethink CEO Scott Eckert. Founded in 2008 by former iRobot co-founder Rodney Brooks and Ann Whitaker, Rethink raised $149.5 million in funding, with its last round,…

The new Xpedition printed circuit board (PCB) design platform focuses on multi-dimensional verification. Mentor tools enable engineers to integrate a broad range of easy-to-use verification tools into a PCB design platform within a singular authoring environment to identify problems at the schematic or layout phases. This new Xpedition platform for nonspecialist PCB engineers delivers accurate…

A new architectural wall called the Breakfast Brixel is making some installations more dynamic. The system is built from dozens of digitally controlled rotating bricks that act as pixels to create waves, stripes, and undulating shapes on the moving walls. Brixel installations can even run customizable artwork and facades to evolve in response to real-time […]

When it comes to linear motion, the challenge is rarely easy. Machine designers push progress despite harsh environments, tackle problems with rigorous application requirements, and require expertly designed, reliable components at every step. With high-quality actuators, resilient guide wheel technology, and the knowledge and guidance needed to deploy these tools in the most demanding situations,…

Robotic devices for clinical rehabilitation of patients with neurological impairments come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and employ different kinds of actuators. The design process for rehabilitation robots is driven by the intention that the technical system will be paired with a human being; it is of paramount importance that safety and…

The new Xpedition printed circuit board (PCB) design platform focuses on multi-dimensional verification. Mentor tools enable engineers to integrate a broad range of easy-to-use verification tools into a PCB design platform within a singular authoring environment to identify problems at the schematic or layout phases. This new Xpedition platform for nonspecialist PCB engineers delivers accurate…

Jumpstarting the social robotics market 2018 has been a tough year for social robots for the home. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. The failures of Jibo and Mayfield Robotics, maker of Kuri, have been well-documented by The Robot Report. However, there are a couple companies that are not so eager to turn the…

Mating screw applications that require secure attachments can rely on self-clinching locknuts, which self-lock threads to reduce loosening and can be removed repeatedly without affecting performance. By Michael J. Rossi, Marketing Services Supervisor, PennEngineering By all measures, the hardware specified to attach components is expected to perform reliably in service. But sometimes application-related factors —…

In a recent Design World webinar (now available on demand) three IoT experts answered several questions about how manufacturers and machine builders can benefit from IIoT with more efficient, productive, and sustainable industrial enterprises … and best practices for approaching cybersecurity, ramping up a digital workforce, and appropriately scaling the digital transformation. Here’s what they…