Stories
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Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A buoyant rover has been developed to traverse the underside of ice-covered lakes and seas. The rover operates at the ice/water interface and permits direct observation and measurement of processes...
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
International Space Station- Based Electromagnetic Launcher for Space Science Payloads
A method was developed of lowering the cost of planetary exploration missions by using an electromagnetic propulsion/launcher, rather than a chemical-fueled rocket for propulsion. An electromagnetic launcher (EML) based at the International Space Station (ISS)...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
A Kinematic Calibration Process for Flight Robotic Arms
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) robotic arm is ten times more massive than any Mars robotic arm before it, yet with similar accuracy and repeatability positioning requirements. In order to assess and validate these requirements, a higher-fidelity model and calibration processes were needed.
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Magnetostrictive Alternator
This innovation replaces the linear alternator presently used in Stirling engines with a continuous-gradient, impedance-matched, oscillating magnetostrictive transducer that eliminates all moving parts via compression, maintains high efficiency, costs less to manufacture, reduces mass, and eliminates the need for a...
Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
High-precision encoders are used by earth observation instruments and in mechanisms for laser communication terminals (LCTs). A micro-radian resolution encoder for the LCT was designed for...
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
Fuel Flexible, Ultra-Portable Microturbine Generator
Erik Herold, Jason Ethier, and Ivan Wang Dynamo Micropower, Boston, MA
A large unmet need in the oil and gas industry is...
Articles: Electronics & Computers
2013 Create the Future Design Contest
The 2013 Create the Future Design Contest — sponsored by COMSOL, SAE International, and Tech Briefs Media Group (publishers of NASA Tech Briefs) — recognized innovation in product design in eight categories: Aerospace & Defense (new this year), Consumer Products, Electronics, Machinery & Equipment,...
Articles: Motion Control
Fundamentally, a servo system can perform no more accurately than the accuracy of the feedback device controlling it. In addition, errors in speed or position can be introduced into the system by the...
Products: Motion Control
Applimotion (Loomis, CA) has introduced custom gearmotors for high-torque, low-speed, and low-profile applications. The assemblies combine gearing and direct drive frameless motor kits. The ULT, UTH, and UTS low-profile frameless...
Application Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Special care needs to be taken when handling delicate materials used in medical applications. Small diameters provide increased flexibility needed for long-flex-life applications such as cardiac catheter wires. Many...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The i-series planetary gearboxes from Groschopp (Sioux Center, IA) are available with AC, PMDC, and brushless motors, and are made of cast aluminum. They are offered with up to three stages of steel cut or optional plastic gears,...
Products: Motion Control
CD-adapco (Melville, NY) offers two connected simulation programs, SPEED and STAR-CCM+, for machine design. The SPEED tool is used to design motors, generators, and alternators; STAR-CCM+ is a heat transfer and thermal...
Products: Motion Control
Warner Linear (Belvidere, IL) has announced the ITrack linear actuators for light- and medium-duty applications where parallel motor type actuators won’t fit in limited space requirements. The actuators feature a release...
Products: Motion Control
Reell Precision Manufacturing (St. Paul, MN) offers the TI-100 and TI-200 Series torque control hinges that provide pivoting capabilities without the standard appearance of conventional hinges. Depending on model, the...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Lin Engineering (Morgan Hill, CA) offers the R1025 stepper motor driver that can be used with stepper motors ranging from NEMA 8 to NEMA 42. The driver is capable of output currents ranging from 0.8 to 10 amps peak while...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Designed for air seats, light-duty air suspension, and other mobile applications, the Thomas 135 Series DC WOB-L® compressor from Thomas Division, a Gardner Denver Company (Sheboygan, WI), is a compact, lightweight...
Products: Motion Control
Measurement Specialties (Hampton, VA) has introduced a rugged, triaxial DC accelerometer for steady-state, low-g vibration measurements and high-g transient shock measurements. The piezoresistive, MEMSbased Model 3803A provides...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Heidenhain Corp. (Schaumburg, IL) offers the Leine & Linde DRIVE-CLiQ encoder platform for operation in harsh drive environments where they are exposed to vibration, shock, and mechanical loads. The encoder can be installed to the...
Products: Motion Control
HBM (Marlborough, MA) offers the T40B and T40FM torque transducers that include an integrated speed measurement system. They are designed to work in harsh environments such as those that contain humidity, condensation, dust,...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Zero-Max (Plymouth, MN) offers Roh’lix® linear actuators made from stainless steel for use where cleanliness is a priority. Used to convert rotary motion to linear travel, the actuators carry loads at speeds up to 70 inches...
Products: Motion Control
The PlanarDL-series stages from Aerotech (Pittsburgh, PA) are available in nine different travel and performance configuration applications ranging from high-accuracy surface profilometry to high-speed semiconductor and LED...
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
As early as 25 years ago, industrial system integrators saw the great potential that the Windows operating system brought to PCs. They saw the possibility of using the advanced...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
The RE 30 EB precious metal brushed motor from maxon precision motors (Fall River, MA) features a low startup voltage and a rated torque of 53 mNm. Other features include minimal highfrequency interference, ironless windings,...
Products: Motion Control
Dynapar (Gurnee, IL) has announced the SLIM Tach ST56 encoder, a magnetic digital tachometer that provides position and velocity feedback from electric motors in both industrial and harshduty environments. The encoder also comes with a...
Products: Motion Control
Clippard Instrument Laboratory (Cincinnati, OH) has introduced the Analytical Series electronic valves available in 2-way or 3-way, normally closed or fully ported. The “A-E” Series pneumatic valves utilize a patented...
Products: Motion Control
Brennan Industries (Cleveland, OH) offers a line of compression-end instrumentation valves available with single or double ferrule-style tube fittings. The NVB Series ball valves range in size from 1/8" to 3⁄4 " and are...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Exlar, a business group of Curtiss-Wright Controls (Chanhassen, MN), offers the K Series™ linear actuators with a 75-mm frame size. They combine roller screw technology in varying performance levels, and allow the use of...
Application Briefs: Motion Control
Pines Technology’s (Westlake, OH) Model 250 Heavy Duty CNC bender is a powerful automatic precision system for fast, repeatable bending of tube and pipe up to 10" in diameter. Providing fast...
Products: Robotics, Automation & Control
Fairchild Semiconductor (San Jose, CA) has released the FCM8531 analog and digital integrated motor controller. The 3-phase, hybrid BLDC/PMSM controller offers two parallel processors — an advanced motor controller (AMC) and...
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Webcasts
Webinars: Electronics & Computers
Why Your Motor Behaves Badly: See BLDC Control Signals, Power,...
Webinars: Test & Measurement
From Spec to Scale: High-Precision Grinding Strategies for...
Editorial Webinars: Photonics/Optics
High-Speed Connectivity for Next Generation Aerospace & Defense...
Webinars: Software
Electronics Digital Twins: From Concept to Scalable Platform
Webinars: Software
Architecting the Future: Why Systems Engineering is the Backbone...
Webinars: Transportation
Engineering Fluid Conveyance Systems for Alternative Fuel...
