Mechanical/Mechatronics

Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Access the latest news and technical advancements impacting Mechanical and Fluid systems. Explore articles and technical briefs about fastening, joining, mechanical components, fluid handling, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMs).

Stories

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Intelligent Microrobots

Such machines, only a few tens of micrometers across, could be used in the human body to perform small operations.

Articles: Motion Control

Going Beyond the Basics: Innovative Step Motor Designs Give Machine Designers More Options for Motion Control

Machine and system designers now have greater options in choosing a motor to meet motion control requirements.

Briefs: Aerospace

Robots Assemble Large Structures from Little Pieces

Systems of tiny robots could build high-performance structures, from airplanes to space settlements.

Application Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Modified Fittings Enhance Industrial Safety

NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is home to one of the largest buildings in the world — the massive Vehicle Assembly Building — and also hosts a number of one-of-a-kind facilities. The more...

Briefs: Motion Control

Soft, Skin-Like Structures for Robotic Locomotion and Transportation

These soft robots can be rolled up and carried in a pocket.

Briefs: Aerospace

Flexure for Self-Assembly

Conventional fastening mechanisms like nails, bolts, and welds are subject to manufacturing and inspection tolerances, differential thermal growth, and other sources of error that lead to over-constraint, among other...

Articles: Connectivity

Smart Manufacturing Control

Today's advanced smart CNC controls allow manufacturers to optimize the manufacturing process right on the factory floor

Products: Test & Measurement

New Products

Encoder The AI25 hazardous series AI25 encoder from Dynapar (Gurnee, IL) is suited for Class 1 Division 2 applications where a Zone 1 or Division 1 encoder may have previously been specified. It features both BiSS and SSI...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Dynamic Gripper Mimics Adjustable Grip of the Human Hand

Such grippers would be suited for human-robot partnership in assembly lines in the automotive, electronic packaging, and other industries.

Briefs: Defense

Insect-Inspired Motion Sensing

This mechanical gyroscope can advance motion sensing capabilities in consumer-sized applications.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Welding Ceramics with Lasers

This technology could be used to create smartphones that don't scratch or shatter, metal-free pacemakers, and electronics for space and other harsh environments.

Products: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

New on the Market: February 2020

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

Briefs: Materials

Thermally Conductive Polymer Films

These materials may replace metals as lightweight, flexible heat dissipators in cars, computers, cellphones, and refrigerators.

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Products of Tomorrow

Life-saving sensors, soft hearing implants, and a new water-decontamination method

Briefs: Communications

Wraparound Self-Structuring Leaky-Wave Antenna (WSS-LWA)

This system has applications in the smart grid and military.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Portable Sample Preparation for Chemical and Biological Analysis

This system autonomously prepares samples for online automated analysis.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Low-Energy Device Rapidly Reroutes Light in Computer Chips

The switch is a major new step toward building a computer that uses light instead of electricity to process information.

Briefs: Materials

3D Printing Technique Produces “Living” 4D Materials

3D/4D printing is merged with a chemical process to produce “living” resin, which has potential for recycling and biomedicine.

Technology Leaders: Aerospace

Better Solutions for Testing and Measuring Compression and Extension Springs

Learn about the latest measurement technology designed to ensure accurate testing of helical compression and extension springs.

Question of the Week: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Would You Cook with ‘Julia?’

Last week, we highlighted five CES 2020 technologies that are adding intelligence to everyday aspects of the home. One featured “Smart Home” technology included “Julia,” an all-in-one cooker that performs a variety of kitchen tasks: chopping, whisking, steaming, weighing ingredients, and even kneading...

Blog: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

CES 2020: NASA Arrives, Ready to Partner Up

NASA came to CES with a message: We're going back to the Moon, and we'll need help from industry to do it.

Blog: Nanotechnology

A 'DEAnsect' Robot Takes 10 Hits from a Fly Swatter – And Survives

A fun way to show the robustness of a soft robot? Swat it.

Special Reports: Automotive

CONEXPO/IFPE - January 2020

Coming to Las Vegas in March, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE are North America's largest events for the construction/commercial vehicle, fluid power, power transmission, and motion control industries. In this Special...