Plastics

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

Flexible, Sturdy Robot “Grows” Like a Plant

The robot’s extendable appendage can wind through tight spaces and then lift heavy loads.

On-Demand Webinars: Automotive

Achieving Dimensional Stability of Lightweight Thermoplastic Automotive Parts

Use of thermoplastics can contribute to weight savings for exterior components such as body panels, spoilers, and exterior trim. Some applications present...

Blog: Materials

Bacteria-Fighting RepelWrap Wins 'Create the Future' Design Contest

The RepelWrap inventors explain why their product is especially valuable as the world confronts a pandemic like COVID-19.

INSIDER: Energy

Turning Streetwear into Solar Concentrators

Researchers at Empa and ETH Zurich succeeded in developing a material that works like a luminescent solar concentrator and can even be applied to textiles. This opens up numerous possibilities...

Briefs: Green Design & Manufacturing

Faster-Degrading Plastic for Marine Uses

This material could reduce persistent plastic accumulation in the environment.

Briefs: Energy

Sunlight Converts Emissions into Useful Materials

An environmentally friendly method upcycles carbon dioxide emissions into polymers and other materials.

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Cost-Effective Printed Sensors for the IoT/IIoT

With accelerated time from design to production, specialized foil sensor arrays will be expanding to many new areas.

Briefs: Imaging

Acoustic Monitoring of Laser Welds

Empa researchers were able to demonstrate real-time acoustic monitoring of laser weld seams.

Briefs: Imaging

T-Ray Camera Speed Boosted a Hundred Times Over

Real-time terahertz imaging with a single-pixel detector.

Products: RF & Microwave Electronics

Product of the Month: September 2020 Tech Briefs

InnoSenT introduced the IMD-3000 radar system as an alternative to pushbutton switches.

Application Briefs: Materials

Traverse System Enables Vertical Farming

See how a system feeds plants, delivering about 5,417 gallons of water per hour.

Briefs: Unmanned Systems

Wireless Aquatic Robot Cleans Water

Inspired by a coral polyp, this plastic mini robot moves by magnetism and light.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Wraparound Sensors

These sensors monitor electrical loads from household appliances to support grid operations.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Multi-Polymer Filament Increases Production from Low-Cost Printers

The new filament allows low-cost printers to produce parts with mechanical properties competitive with injection molded plastics.

Briefs: Energy

Method Turns Trash Into Graphene

This green process produces pristine graphene in bulk using waste food, plastic, and other materials.

Technology Leaders: Materials

Using Lasers in the Automotive Manufacturing Industry

Ever since Henry Ford introduced the first moving production line to the industry in 1913, automotive manufacturers have been constantly striving to streamline their processes,...

Products: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

New Products: April 2020 Motion Design

Motor drivers, position sensors, offset couplings, and more.

Briefs: Materials

Double-Sided Tape Rapidly Seals Tissues Together

The adhesive that binds wet surfaces within seconds could be used to heal wounds or implant medical devices.

Briefs: Materials

Model Predicts Breaking Point of Conducting Material

This work could accelerate the development of flexible electronics.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Terahertz Imaging System Uses Small, Efficient Lasers

The lasers are small and efficient enough to fit on a microchip.

Q&A: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Q&A: Solid Silk - A Biocompatible, Sustainable, Degradable Building Block

David Kaplan is solidifying silk to make products like rods and plates for medical implants.

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Electrically Non-Conductive Ladder Fall Protection

This system protects workers on lightning and telecommunications towers, and on oil and gas platforms.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

3D Printing of Plastics with Electrical Circuits

This innovation could lead to better drones, satellites, and biomedical devices.

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

3D-Printed Structures Morph from Flat Layers into Predetermined Shapes

The flat structure morphs into another shape when temperature changes, enabling self-deploying tents or adaptive robotic fins.

5 Ws: Materials

5 Ws of Microlattice Pads for Improved Helmets

With the new microlattice pads, players will have greater protection from both single hits and a series of impacts.

Briefs: Materials

Technique Creates Transparent Polythene Films as Strong as Aluminum

The films could be used in impact-resistant glazing, windscreens, and displays.

Products: Materials

New on the Market: February 2020

Low-viscosity plastic; coin cell holders; oxidation-resistant coatings; and more.