Stories
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A streamliner motorcycle designed and built by Sierra Design Engineering and BUB Enterprises achieved a new world-record speed of 350.884 miles per hour last year at the Bonneville Salt...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Plumbing Fixture for a Microfluidic Cartridge
A fixture has been devised for making the plumbing connections between a microfluidic device in a replaceable cartridge and an external fluidic system. The fixture includes a 0.25-in. (6.35-mm) thick steel plate, to which the cartridge is fastened by two 10-32 thumb screws. The plate holds one plumbing...
Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
In the USA and other developed countries, cancer is responsible for 25% of all deaths. In spite of the most recent advances in cancer research, by far the best curative treatment for the disease is...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
A double-vacuum-bag process has been devised as a superior alternative to a single-vacuum-bag process used heretofore in making laminated fiber-reinforced resin-matrix...
Briefs: Photonics/Optics
Coherent, Inc., Santa Clara, California
Q-switched, diode-pumped solid-state lasers with an end-pumped cavity design are now widely used in micromachining, materials processing,...
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
The task of choosing the correct mix of motion control components for a successful servo positioning system involves a combination of art, science, and experience. It also includes a little luck, but luck is...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Robust lithium/solid electrolyte/iodine electrochemical cells that offer significant advantages over commercial lithium/ iodine cells have been developed. At room temperature, these cells...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Tool for Torquing Circular Electrical-Connector Collars
An improved tool has been devised for applying torque to lock and unlock knurled collars on circular electrical connectors. The tool was originally designed for, and used by, astronauts working in outer space on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The tool is readily adaptable to terrestrial...
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
The age-old tradition of using shaft keys in mechanical drives has served the power transmission industry well for many years. When appropriately sized, it guarantees that virtually no relative motion...
Articles: Motion Control
All moving objects possess six degrees of freedom — three linear and three rotary. The task of a linear motion guideway is to eliminate, as closely as possible, five of these degrees of...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Two simple, effective techniques for attaching thermocouples to metal substrates have been devised for high- temperature applications in which attachment by such conventional means as welding,...
Briefs: Software
Madsen Giersing, an Australian consulting engineering firm that specializes in marine engineering and construction solutions, was commissioned to design a new bulk liquids berth...
Briefs: Materials
A corrosion-inhibiting mixture of compounds has been developed for addition to the water used to rinse metal parts that have been cleaned with aqueous solutions in preparation for...
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Thermal components for military, aerospace, and medical applications are continually getting smaller, more accurate, and more robust. To match these...
Briefs: Materials
Comparative tests have been performed to evaluate the corrosion-prevention capabilities of an experimental paint of the type described in "Water-Borne,...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
No matter how sophisticated or advanced, electronic components must be attached reliably and securely if they are to deliver optimum performance. Beyond this universal requirement, particular...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
An ultrasonic/sonic jackhammer (USJ) is the latest in a series of related devices, the first of which were reported in “Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corers With Integrated Sensors” (NPO-20856), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol....
Briefs: Physical Sciences
Atom skimmers are devices that act as low-pass velocity filters for atoms in thermal atomic beams. An atom skimmer operating in conjunction with a suitable thermal atomic-beam source (e.g., an oven...
Briefs: Materials
Brazing SiC/SiC Composites to Metals
Experiments have shown that active brazing alloys (ABAs) can be used to join SiC/SiC composite materials to metals, with bond strengths sufficient for some structural applications. The SiC/SiC composite coupons used in the experiments were made from polymer-based SiC fiber preforms that were chemical-vapor-...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Maximizing the natural corrosion resistance of parts and components machined from stainless steels. It can make the difference between satisfactory performance and premature failure. Incorrectly performed,...
Briefs: Communications
Orbiter Interface Unit and Early Communication System
A report describes the Orbiter Interface Unit (OIU) and the Early Communication System (ECOMM), which are systems of electronic hardware and software that serve as the primary communication links for the International Space Station (ISS). When a space shuttle is at or near the ISS during...
Briefs: Motion Control
A proposed design for an electromagnetic brake would increase the reliability while reducing the number of parts and the weight, relative to a prior commercially available electromagnetic brake. The reductions of...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A control valve that can throttle high-pressure cryogenic fluid embodies several design features that distinguish it over conventional valves designed for...
Briefs: Materials
Liquid Coatings for Reducing Corrosion of Steel in Concrete
Inorganic coating materials are being developed to slow or stop corrosion of reinforcing steel members inside concrete structures. It is much simpler and easier to use these coating materials than it is to use conventional corrosion-inhibiting systems based on impressed electric currents....
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
An apparatus that is extremely effective in dispensing a wide range of droplets has been developed. This droplet dispenser is unique in that it utilizes a droplet bias voltage, as well as an ionization pulse, to...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Shields for Enhanced Protection Against High-Speed Debris
A report describes improvements over the conventional Whipple shield (two thin, spaced aluminum walls) for protecting spacecraft against high-speed impacts of orbiting debris. The debris in question arise mainly from breakup of older spacecraft. The improved shields include exterior "bumper"...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Small, Untethered, Mobile Robots for Inspecting Gas Pipes
Small, untethered mobile robots denoted gas-pipe explorers (GPEXs) have been proposed for inspecting the interiors of pipes used in the local distribution natural gas. The United States has network of gas- distribution pipes with a total length of approximately 109 m. These pipes are often...
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
Rotary electrical couplings based on induction (transformer action) rather than conduction between rotating and stationary circuitry have been invented. These couplings provide an alternative to slip...
Briefs: Software
Software Optimizes Piping System for Sewage Treatment Plant
A $90 million AUS (Australian dollar) upgrade ($49 million USD) to the Cronulla Sewage Treatment Plant in Southern Sydney, Australia, was undertaken to meet the requirements of a growing population and to add advanced sewage treatment processes including ultraviolet disinfection. During...
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INSIDER: Software
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INSIDER: Software
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Blog: Manned Systems
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Quiz: Propulsion
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From Grid to GPU: Validating Next-Gen AI Data Center Power...
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Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels Summit 2026
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Engineering Extended-Range Hybrid Systems
Editorial Webinars: Medical
Design for Miniaturization: Meeting the Demand for Smaller,...
Webinars: AR/AI
