Briefs: Information Technology
CFD Utility Software Library
Originating as the Aerodynamics Division Software Library of the 1980s and -90s, this software is a collection of more than 100 software applications, many of them for manipulating the grids and flow solutions associated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Underlying these applications are about 30 libraries...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Improved Detection of Kidney Stones Using S-mode Ultrasound
Ultrasound has been a useful tool in the detection of kidney stones. It is a low-cost solution that does not require ionizing radiation that would be harmful to vulnerable populations such as children and recurrent stone formers. However, it suffers from a broad range of sensitivity (78...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Vector Network Analyzer Calibration for Quasi-Optical Dual Ports
It is desirable to measure the electromagnetic properties of devices and materials in the millimeter part of the spectrum. For guided wave-based devices and materials (waveguides, coaxial devices), a vector network analyzer (VNA) is an excellent tool for this purpose since it...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Measurement of the Mechanical Properties of Thin Film Polymers at Cryogenic Temperatures
The measurement of structural properties of materials at cryogenic temperatures is a daunting task. The measurement of thin films at low temperatures...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Estimation of Algae Growth Stage, Growth Rate, and Lipid Content
This invention provides a method using light of different wavelengths to estimate freshwater and marine algae growth stage and algae growth rates as well as lipid content in standard media. Light absorption by the algae is measured for a specified light intensity in each of two or...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Isotopic Biomarkers for Rapid Assessment of Bone Mineral Balance in Biomedical Applications
Development of new treatments for metabolic bone disease, and evaluation of the effectiveness of existing therapies in individual patients, are severely hampered by the lack of any reliable tool for quickly measuring changes in bone mineral balance in...
Briefs: Test & Measurement
Optically Modulated Miniature Magnetometer
The optically modulated miniature magnetometer (OMMM) is intended to replace two separate instruments (each with their respective mass and power allotments) that are commonly needed together for scientific studies of magnetic fields — a triaxial fluxgate vector magnetometer and an optically pumped...
Articles: Aerospace
Products of Tomorrow: August 2015
The technologies NASA develops don’t just blast off into space. They also improve our lives here on Earth. Life-saving search-and-rescue tools, implantable medical devices, advances in commercial aircraft...
Articles: Aerospace
Connectivity in Aircraft Interior Electronic Systems
The civil aviation market comprises commercial passenger planes, cargo planes, private planes, private jets, and helicopters. Design engineers strive to reduce aircraft weight and costs,...
Application Briefs: Aerospace
Servo Motors Help Launch Vehicles Optimize Fuel
MICROMO (the FAULHABER Group)
Clearwater, FL
800-807-9166
www.micromo.com
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) builds economical launch vehicles like...
Application Briefs: Aerospace
Electrical Connectors Provide Signal Integrity for Orion
Smiths Connectors
Costa Mesa, CA
714-371-1100
www.smithsconnectors.com
Development of NASA’s Orion...
Articles: Aerospace
Custom 3D Printers Revolutionize the Space Supply Chain
Like a desert caravan, a space flight crew has to bring with it everything it will need over the course of its journey into an utterly barren environment. This has...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Product of the Month: August 2015
Microchip Technology, Chandler, AZ, offers the PAC1921 high-side current/power sensor with both a digital output and a configurable analog output that can present power, current, or voltage over a...
Articles: Motion Control
What Engineers and Customers Need from a Motion Control System
In the automation industry, engineers strive every day to advance their process and products. Engineers have to select components, learn and use many tools to construct their...
Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Increasing Use of Electrical Actuators in the Aerospace and Defense Industry
Hydraulic and pneumatic systems have traditionally been the market leader in providing power in the aerospace and defense industry because of their low cost and...
Articles: Test & Measurement
Every Measurement Starts with a Trigger
One important requirement for instruments like oscilloscopes is the ability to detect and trigger on an event of interest within a stream of unsuspicious signals fast and reliably. The quicker a...
Articles: Test & Measurement
Using Hardware Handshaking to Reduce ATE Test Times
With advances in technology, ATE systems are becoming more widely used across a range of industries including manufacturing, avionics, aerospace, military, and defense. ATE systems are...
Application Briefs: Test & Measurement
Motion Controller Automates Hydrostatic Pressure Testing
A flexible hydrostatic test system for the oil and gas industry must precisely measure a wide range of pressures. Because the items tested vary widely, most testing is done manually. A...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Surface Measurement
AMETEK Taylor Hobson (Leicester, UK) offers the Surtronic Duo surface measurement system, which consists of the Surtronic R-Series roundness and form tester (for bearing parts) and the Surtronic S-100 portable roughness...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Carbon Monoxide Monitors
The AQM-103 series of carbon monoxide monitors from OMEGA Engineering (Stamford, CT) are designed to measure CO concentration, humidity, and air temperature. The CE-compliant devices feature a large LCD display that...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Electronic Micrometer
Paul N. Gardner Co. (Pompano Beach FL) introduced the Fowler Xtra-Value II electronic micrometer with a choice of measuring range, and an LCD with an inch/metric switchable resolution. A switchable resolution of...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Source Measure Unit
Yokogawa Corporation of America (Sugar Land, TX) introduced the GS820 multi-channel source measure unit (SMU) that features isolated 2-channel source and measurement functions. The unit sources up to 50 Volts and 0.6 Amps...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Digital Transceiver
The V616 digital transceiver from Innovative Integration (Camarillo, CA) supports one or two plug-in modules, each featuring four independent channels of DDC, two DUC, and one spectrum analyzer embedded in the Xilinx...
Products: Test & Measurement
Vector Network Analyzer
Keysight Technologies (Santa Rosa, CA) announced a new capability that adds a high-performance spectrum analyzer to the PNA and PNA-X Series of microwave vector network analyzers (VNAs). This capability reduces test...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Gas Monitor
The GSM-60 from ENMET, LLC (Ann Arbor, MI) is a microprocessor-based gas monitor designed for use in industrial process, aerospace, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor applications. The system incorporates an internal sample draw...
Products: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Moisture Analyzer
The MS-70 400-Watt halogen moisture balance from Tovatech (Maplewood, NJ) is designed for quality control when testing materials such as plastic resins, where moisture content specifications are tight. The thermogravimetric...
Products: Test & Measurement
Laser Micrometer
Micro-Epsilon (Raleigh, NC) offers the optoCONTROL 2520 compact laser micrometer with integrated controller and a Web interface that runs on HTML5 instead of Java. It features a 46-mm measuring range and a maximum...
Products: Test & Measurement
Portable Analyzer
The Thermo Scientific Gemini analyzer from Thermo Fisher Scientific (Tewksbury, MA) provides FTIR and Raman spectroscopy in a single, handheld instrument. The analyzer is designed for chemical response personnel, explosive...
Products: Test & Measurement
Dynamic Signal Analyzer
Data Translation (Marlboro, MA) announced the DT7837 ARM-based dynamic signal analyzer module for noise and vibration measurement. The computer portion of the module uses a ruggedized BeagleBone Black ARM processor....
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