Features

Products: Robotics, Automation & Control

New Products: February 2021 Motion Design

Industrial robots, motor disconnect switches, position sensors, and more.

Products: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Product of the Month: February 2021 Tech Briefs

The Agile Engineering Design System® is an integrated suite of software modules for CAE/CAM of turbomachinery.

Articles: Transportation

Greater Precision for EV Battery Leak Testing

Inficon’s lithium-ion battery cell test can detect a leak many times smaller than current methods identify.

Articles: Energy

New SAE Wireless Charging Standard is EV Game-Changer

SAE J2954 paves the way for electric vehicle charging without a plug and enables alignment for manual/autonomous parking.

Articles: Transportation

Modeling & Simulation for Battery Development

When it comes to the research and development of batteries, modeling and simulation (M&S) provide an efficient and low-cost approach.

Articles: Electronics & Computers

Multipurpose Batteries Make it Easier to Get Around on Mars

NASA-funded research by Clemson University scientists could lead to the creation of lighter, faster-charging batteries suitable for powering a spacesuit or even a Mars rover.

Articles: Automotive

Nano Diamond Battery Provides Universal Applicability

Energy is absorbed in the diamond through a process called inelastic scattering, which is used to generate electricity.

Articles: Test & Measurement

Integrating QC Measurement Data into Manufacturing Systems

Learn about the kinds of wireless meters that can provide precise test data.

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Executive Roundtable: Facility & Network Security

Tech Briefs asks industry experts about cybersecurity, the cloud, wireless devices, and securing a remote workforce.

Articles: Test & Measurement

Modern HMI Software Propels Industry 4.0

Once confined to the role of machine visualization, modern unified HMI software now delivers better user interfaces, containerization, and remote device management.

Articles: Motion Control

Direct Drive Servo Motors: Key Terms and Trends

When specifying servo motors for applications like a new machine or CNC retrofit, there are many considerations regarding servo motor performance and sizing.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Electronic Device Manufacturers Shouldn’t Fear Custom Connector Solutions — They Should Embrace Them

As 5G arrives, devices will need to expand I/O counts at the controller, as well as overall networking capabilities.

Articles: Packaging & Sterilization

Products of Tomorrow: February 2021

Next-generation solar panels, 3D-printed composites from NASA, and a new way to sterilize medical devices.

Application Briefs: Materials

Innovation on a Larger Scale: Robotic Fiber Placement and 3D Printing

“The disruption promised by Industry 4.0 has already begun,” says Jason Melcher from the aerospace manufacturing company Ingersoll.

Application Briefs: Software

Online Tools Reduce Time and Expense in Selecting, Configuring, and Ordering Motion Control Components

New online tools — coupled with online libraries of pre-selected and tested component specifications — simplify machine design.

Application Briefs: Motion Control

Improving Performance of Supercritical CO2 in Next-Generation Energy Applications with 3D Metal Printing

See why Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc. is excited for the potential of additive manufacturing.

NASA Spinoff: Aerospace

NASA Brain-Training Technology Makes Smart Glasses

With a technique first used at NASA, researchers are making glasses that can improve your concentration.

5 Ws: Manufacturing & Prototyping

5 Ws of the Screen-Printed Battery

The battery can be used in flexible, stretchable electronics for wearables as well as soft robotics.

Q&A: Energy

Q&A: Oil and Gas Wells for Energy Storage

USC researchers found a way to use idle oil and gas wells for energy storage.

Facility Focus: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Facility Focus: University of Texas Cockrell School of Engineering

Some of the technologies coming from the UT labs include COVID antibody tests, self-watering soil, and the "DRACO" robot.

Products: Imaging

New on the Market: January 2021

Radar sensors, cameras, RF processing systems, and more.

Products: RF & Microwave Electronics

Product of the Month: January 2021 Tech Briefs

Modules from Pickering Interfaces simulate industrial control transceivers.

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Products of Tomorrow: January 2021

A malaria-test "bandage"; underwater navigation via sound; and a biodegrading, implantable sensor.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Software-Connected Wafer Level Reliability Test

As ICs continue to become smaller and chip complexity increases, manufacturers still need to ensure reliability to their customers.

Application Briefs: Imaging

Cameras Capture Asteroid Debris Retrieval

See how Space Dynamics Laboratory built the electronics for a three-camera suite onboard OSIRIS-REx.

NASA Spinoff: Propulsion

Water-Powered Engines Offer Satellite Mobility

The technology could allow deep-space exploration without running out of propellant.

5 Ws: Sensors/Data Acquisition

5 Ws of the SoundWatch

The smartwatch app identifies sounds that a user is interested in and sends a friendly buzz and information about the sound.

Q&A: Materials

Q&A: 3D-Printed Polymer Lattice Strengthens Concrete

Brian Salazar and his UC Berkeley team have developed a new way to reinforce concrete with a polymer lattice, an advance that could rival other polymer-based enhancements and improve...

Technology Leaders: Electronics & Computers

Processor Power and Energy Efficiency

Just like smartphones, the same trend of combining separate components into one device is also apparent in industrial automation.