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Wireless transmitterOmega has announced the UWXL wire-less transmitter has an IP68-rated in-dustrial enclosure and includes free software that converts a PC into a multi-channel chart recorder or data logger.www.omega.ca

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4006

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Inside: Sensors ■ Power Transmission ■ Enclosures ■ CAD Software

Volume 39 Number 1

DESIGNPRODUCT NEWS

February 2011

Continued on page 6

Touchless angle sensorNovotechnik has introduced the RFA4000 angle sensor that features an IP67 rating, 12-bit resolution, 30 x 30 x 7 mm3 volume, unlimited mechanical lifetime and indepen-dent linearity within ±0.5%. The magnetic fi eld orientation is converted by an embed-ded IC into an angle from 0° to 360°. www.novotechnik.com

Linear dc-servomotorsWith peak force up to 27.6 N, MicroMo has expanded introduced the Faulhaber LM 2070 linear dc-servomotor. The 20 x 28 x 70 mm unit weighs 236 g, provides stroke lengths from 40 to 120 mm and a maximum acceleration of 90 m/s2. Maxi-mum speed is 2.6 m/s.www.micromo.com

dpncanada.com

Horizontal case packers that load newly packaged goods from the conveyor into shipping cartons have a well-earned reputation as ageless workhorses.

Eighty-seven percent of machines built by Edson Packaging Machinery Ltd. (www.edson.com) of Hamilton, ON, in the past half century still are operational, and with good reason: The ubiquitous corrugated carton, a 19th century invention, remains the most efficient and economical means of transporting and ware-

housing all manner of goods. Edson’s customers want greater flexibility in switching the line configuration of a case packer to

handle different products or packaging. Until now, for lack of a cost-effective alternative, this has been a strictly manual process that can take up to 30 minutes.

An employee with a certain level of expertise must consult a product configuration chart for the desired settings, which can include up to 60 points of adjustment. He or she then uses a hand crank or air motor to change each axis. Some companies perform multiple changeovers daily. Depending on the time spent re-setting the line and the value of the goods involved, each changeover can repre-sent $10,000 to $100,000 of lost production – more if mistakes are made.

Recently, Edson began investigating the latest low-cost servo technology as an affordable means

Revitalizing an industrial packhorse

ware

How a servo-based solution breached a crucial automation barrier

Covering the total design engineering function in Canada

See Video Highlights

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DPN _Feb_2011.indd 1DPN _Feb_2011.indd 1 1/27/11 11:12:25 AM1/27/11 11:12:25 AM

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Untitled-9 1 1/26/11 3:19:38 PMDPN _Feb_2011.indd 2DPN _Feb_2011.indd 2 1/27/11 11:12:36 AM1/27/11 11:12:36 AM

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SolidWorks World Blog Alin Vargatu’s day-by-day posts from San Antonio, Texas

Government Funding BlogTSI’s Jason Schwandt & Tracey Wills can help you make your application a success

EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BLOGS

THIS MONTH ON

dpncanada.com November/December 20074 Design Product News dpncanada.com February 20114 Design Product News

DEPARTMENTS:8 By Design

Festo launches Canada-wide distribution network

IMAGINiT and Javelin Technologies present design winners

9 Advisory Board DirectionsIndustrial designer Jonathan

Loudon argues for team-based product development

12 Sensors Product Spotlight The latest in sensing products and technology

17 CAD Chronicle DPN’s look at computer hardware and software releases

18 Power Transmission Replacement actuator improves coolant head positioning accuracy

In this issue

Boots designed for the boundary-free skier

Sensing technology for efficient material handling

Solid Edge ST 3: like Burger King, have it your way

Compressed air car – reality or just so much hot air?

Software from Siemens PLM provides both the freeform modeling capability needed by industrial designers to capture Black Diamond’s design intent and the product design tools necessary for engineers to make a manufacturable product.

Effective bin picking systems with machine vision that can identify a single part in a bin of randomly positioned parts – that frequently change position when parts are removed – are now populating automotive factory floors.

History-based, or parametric, solid modeling has been the standard for mechanical design engineers, with only stand-alone, boutique history-free apps out there. Solid Edge synchronous technology is allowing designers to toggle back and forth to their hearts’ content.

Tata Motor of India has announced a compressed air version of its Nano minicar, but does it have a viable mainstream future in respect to things like driving range, performance and cost? Bill Vance investigates in his Automotive Scene column.

Ace Controls .................................. 17

Amacoil Inc. ..................................... 5

ASCO Numatics .............................. 23

Autodesk .......................................... 7

AutomationDirect............................. 3

Baldor Electric Co. .......................... 13

Bimba Mfg. Co. .............................. 11

Clippard ......................................... 24

Conductix Corp. ............................... 6

Hannover ....................................... 22

Hoffman ........................................... 9

Hydraforce ....................................... 9

Master Bond .................................. 17

Nook Industries .............................. 17

Novotechnik ..................................... 6

Omega ............................................. 2

Seal Master .................................... 17

Siemens.......................................... 15

Smalley Steel Ring ........................... 5

IndexAdvertisers

10 14

16 20

Interactive stuffNotice that as you move your mouse over certain parts of the magazine or over the DPN 3D and video player buttons, in some editorial stories and in some advertisements, a grey box appears. That means you are one click away from a new window opening up that takes you to a website or rich media we’ve linked to.

D I G I TA L E D I T I O NFebruary 2011

Please go online to dpncanada.com to fully explore and enjoy the Digital Edition of Design Product News. This user-friendly new format, with every item linked to other websites, videos and 3D PDFs, will help you get even more invaluable design engineering infor-mation from DPN.

DESIGNPRODUCT NEWS

DPN editorial directorMike Edwards

dpncanada.com

To watch what’s going on in the world of design, visit dpncanada.com

Design Product News magazine stays on top of the latest developments in the fast-moving world of design engineering. Video highlights from trade shows give you access to top executives and product managers, and

clips from technology demos keep you informed and entertained.

Coca-Cola saves 75% energy cost with SEW-Eurodrive

Energy savings and CO2 reductions from SEW-Eurodrive were met on modernized Coca-Cola bottling plant located in Vienna.http://ow.ly/3J9bd

Lunar rover presents wheel design challenge

A team of McGill students and professors are developing and testing a wheel prototype for the new Lunar Exploration Light Rover (LELR).http://ow.ly/3J9oE

CONEC shows off latest connectors at electronica

R&D Manager Jörg Kühle shows of zinc die cast housing connectors during CONEC booth tour at electronica 2010 in Munich.http://ow.ly/3J9xP

DPN _Feb_2011.indd 4DPN _Feb_2011.indd 4 1/27/11 5:08:37 PM1/27/11 5:08:37 PM

Design Product News 5dpncanada.comFebruary 2011 Design Product News 5

By Mike Edwards,Editorial Director

When I look at reports on Can-ada’s manufacturing health these days, I can’t help but feel

a surge of optimism about the near future.

For me, the feeling really started at trade shows I attended last fall: Medical Design & Manufacturing in Chicago; Canadian Manufacturing Week in To-ronto; Motek (motion technology) in Stuttgart; and finally, electronica 2010 in Munich (electronics components). The increased attendance at these shows cer-tainly seemed to point to a net economic recovery.

In Canada, the numbers are in for the year, so it’s not hard to be buoyed by them, discovered Design Product News contributing editor Rob Colman. Ac-cording to a new report from the Ontario

Manufacturing Council, manufacturing employment in Canada, on the whole, has improved over the past 12 months, with over 10,000 jobs created in On-tario, over 5,000 in Alberta, and more than 2,000 in Nova Scotia.

OMC suggests that Ontario’s manu-facturing sector turned the corner in 2010, and will power a disproportion-ate share of new jobs, GDP, and exports for the provincial economy in 2011 and 2012.

Provincial manufacturing shipments grew 14% in, and around 10,000 manufacturing jobs were created in the province. Manufacturing exports from the province grew 15% – powering the fastest growth in exports of any region in Canada.

Colman spoke with Hadis Kozo at Macro Products of Mississauga, ON, who is currently expanding his foot-print into an 18,000 square foot facility that the company is buying rather than leasing. “We do a little work in defense but our biggest customer is the satellite and telecommunications industry,” said Kozo.

While the satellite and telecom side

Renderings

of his business used to be around one third of Macro’s work, it is now about half of it.

Certainly in Ontario, and businesses connected with oil and gas work, busi-ness is clearly picking up. Some prov-inces, like Quebec, are still lagging on the recovery, but indications are that with the revival of the aerospace industry in that province, work will be ramping up through 2011 and into 2012.

However, some provinces have yet to see the market up-tick in quite the same terms. For instance, Quebec still had few-er manufacturing jobs at the end of 2010 as it did at the close of 2009.

However, even in La Belle Province, the mood is upbeat. Gearing up to take advantage of market opportunities out-side the province is this year’s priority for Quebec manufacturing companies, according to a new survey conducted by Ernst & Young, in collaboration with Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Qué-bec (MEQ).

“Despite the slow economic recovery, there are good business opportunities for companies in the manufacturing indus-try,” said François Prud’homme, Partner

at Ernst & Young. “The beginning of the year is the time

to make sound resolutions, and launch-ing strategies to improve innovation, risk management and cost control will enable companies to make aggressive inroads into new markets.”

The survey, conducted with MEQ members, reveals that 48% of respond-ents consider expansion to other Can-adian provinces highly important, and 51% place importance on expansion to the U.S.

Positive signals from across Canadapoint to rebound in manufacturing sector

Ontario leads charge as Quebec wakes up

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Online at www.dpncanada.com/blogs: DPNwelcomes the blogging team of Tracey Wills and Jason Schwandt from TSI (www.techcentiveservices.com). The pair will help guide your business through the minefields of government programs, such as SR&ED tax credits. Their debut blog is about getting your business plan ready for that all-import-ant first impression.


Cover Story

Servo-based system automates case-packing solution

to automate these set-ups. While pneu-matics remain the most economical way to exert the greatest force, the price of electronics has fallen to the point where there is no huge delta, according to Mark Hoyland of Mississauga, ON-based auto-mation solutions developer Festo Canada. “It’s possible to take a hybrid approach in machine design: standard pneumatic, air-driven devices for the heavy push/pull, and where accuracy is paramount, servo or stepper technology.”

The solution Edson’s customers wanted would have to be available on new models and as an uncomplicated retrofit on older case packers – a bolt-on replacement for hand cranks and air mo-tors. It would provide a quick return on investment for users who make frequent changeovers – or those who would begin doing so with such an upgrade.

As a courtesy, Bob Krouse, Edson’s en-gineering operations manager, began by approaching one of Edson’s largest tech-nology vendors, a U.S.-based multina-

tional, to co-develop a solution. “I knew going in what the answer would be: ‘We don’t do it and we won’t do it’.” So he ap-proached Festo Canada. Krouse thought partnering with Festo would encourage competition in the electrical motion sec-tor. Festo saw a potential niche market and chance to help a Canadian OEM become a bigger player worldwide, said Hoyland, Festo’s industry segment man-ager, Americas.

Edson’s design criteria envisioned low-voltage servomotors to move each axis, linked to the case packer’s Allan Bradley PLC by a DeviceNet network and em-ploying absolute encoders for positional feedback. Festo didn’t have exactly the

right servo, said Krouse, “and it had to be exactly what we wanted. So Festo went away and came back with exactly what we wanted.”

Festo engineers in Canada and at global headquarters in Germany took a stock 24 V, dual power CANbus MTR-DCI servo (at 242 x 71 x 53 mm, about the size of a three-quarter submarine sandwich) that had been introduced two years earlier and modified it by adding an absolute encoder and DeviceNet chip.

Switching from CANbus to DeviceNet eliminates the need for a hardware inter-face between the network and PLC. The low voltage rating avoids the need for heavy duty wiring and a wire way, lim-iting the cost and giving the installation – usually 16 or 20 servos on large case packers – a compact footprint suitable for brand new machines or retrofits – or for that matter, any type of production line where machine set up and centerlining is done manually.

The package, marketed as the Ed-son (SA) Servo Adjust, delivers complete changeovers including installation of ma-chine replacement parts in 10 to 15 min-utes and is 100% repeatable and accurate to 1 mm. Each changeover is initiated on an HMI touchscreen, with no opera-tor experience required. Optional RFID change part tracking can ensure the right change parts are used.

Festo Canada absorbed the hardware R&D cost. Edson developed the software and is marketing the solution, which was launched commercially at Pack Expo in Chicago 2010 last fall.

“The last nine machines we’ve sold have all been ordered with it,” explained Krouse.

“It’s almost table stakes now, which raises us a notch above and gives us a very strong competitive advantage.”

There is significant customer interest in the retrofit. For Festo, which built its global reputation as a leader in pneumat-ics, co-developing the (SA) Servo Adjust underscores how it has re-positioned it-self as an automation solutions provider using diverse technologies.

This article was contributed by Festo Inc.www.festo.ca

dpncanada.com November/December 20076 Design Product News dpncanada.com February 20116 Design Product News

From Front Page

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Conductix_DPN_SeptOct10.indd 1 8/26/10 2:32:15 PM

Conductix_setup file.pdf 1 1/26/11 9:51:47 AM

Novotechnik’s TX2 Series’ pivot-head mounting can handle up to ±12.5° ofoffset from misalignment without affecting performance. The TX2 isdesigned for mobile and other tough environments with heavy-duty construction featuring a stainless steel rod and metal housing. It is sealed against ingress ofdust and liquids.

Specifications• Stroke lengths from 25 to 300 mm• Very long life to 50 million movements• Resolution better than 0.01 mm• Repeatability to 0.01 mm• Linearity up to ±0.05%

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For complete TX2 information, visit www.novotechnik.com/tx2

Novotechnik U.S., Inc.155 Northboro Road • Southborough, MA 01772Telephone: 508-485-2244 Fax: 508-485-2430

Positioned for Tough,Compact Applications

Untitled-5 1 1/26/11 9:57:27 AM

Horizontal case packer from Edson.

Mark Hoyland (Festo, left) and Bob Krouse (Edson).

Customers wanted to have an Edson solution

available for new models or retrofits


Image courtesy of ADEPT Airmotive (Pty) Ltd.

Autodesk, AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

Autodesk® Inventor® software creates a single digital model that enables you to design, visualize, and simulate your products. Inventor helps you to reduce product costs and get innovative designs to market faster. Learn how Inventor can take your designs beyond 3D at autodesk.com/beyond3d.

AUTODESK INVENTOR

AUTODESK INVENTOR TAKES YOU BEYOND 3D TO DIGITAL PROTOTYPING

Untitled-1 1 10/28/10 9:23:22 AMDPN _Feb_2011.indd 7DPN _Feb_2011.indd 7 1/27/11 11:13:12 AM1/27/11 11:13:12 AM

dpncanada.com February 20118 Design Product News

By Design

Festo Inc. has announced distribution partnerships with E.B. Horsman & Son in British Columbia, with Atlantic Com-pressed Air for the Maritimes and with Kinecor LP for Canada.

E.B.Horsman (http://ebhorsman.com/) of Cloverdale, BC, will be the ex-clusive electrical distributor for Festo products and will carry local stock of Festo cylinders, valves, air preparation products, fi ttings and tubing.

“We realized that a sustained future

Sovello of Germany, an integrated manufacturer of solar modules, has announced its Project Pro Module will be made in Ontario with partner AS Solar Inc. of Mt. Albert (www.assolarinc.com). Production in Q1 of 2011 will be up to 2 MW/month. AS Solar is a distributor of complete residential and commercial solar PV systems. “We identifi ed Ontario as one of most dynamic renew-able energy markets in North America, and we are

pleased to participate with our value proposition, creation of jobs and contribution to Ontario’s green economy,” said Jan Dressel, managing director of Sovello Canada (www.sovello.ca).

Solar modules to be made in Ontario

Michael Bryant’s winning “Racing Museum” rendering was a frame from an animation he created for the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) at Watkins Glen.

Allied to distribute PentairFort Worth, TX – Allied Electron-ics (www.alliedelec.com) has signed a distribution agreement with Pen-tair Technical Products (www.pen-tairtechnicalproducts.com). Allied will carry Pentair’s Hoffman, Schroff and McLean Cooling Technology en-closure brands.

Tube & steel web toolTORONTO – Atlantic Tube & Steel (www.atlantictube.com), a maker of automotive and structural steel tub-ing, has introduced the Customer Inventory Portal, an interactive tool allows users to monitor the status of a job in the production process, track remaining product quantities in inven-tory and shop for warehouse stock.

ODG on lunar rover teamNEW HAMBURG, ON – Ontario Drive & Gear has won a Canadian Space Agency contract as part of the Neptec Rover Team (www.argoutv.com/lunarrover) to develop the new $11.5 million Lunar Exploration Light Rover project.

April 4-8, 2011. Hannover, Germany. Hannover Messe 2011 trade fair has pavilions dedicated to Industrial automation, motion and drives, energy and mobile technologies (www.hannovermesse.de).

June 21-23, 2011. Toronto. PackEx Torontotrade show and conference for designers

and suppliers to the packaging industry (www.canontradeshows.com/expo/packex11/). Co-located with Automation Technology Expo Canada, Plast-Ex, and Design & Manufacturing Canada shows.

October 17-20, 2011. Toronto. Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show 2011includes live demonstrations of automation technologies and machine tools (www.sme.org/cmts).

News in Brief

Connie Sonsogno rejoins Lafert NA sales team

IMAGINiT competition helps “Render Us Speechless”

Endress+Hauser invests in Saskatchewan

Rand Worldwide has announced the winners of the IMAGINiT Technolo-gies division (www.imaginit.rand.com) “Render Us Speechless” contest.

First place, second place and third place prizes were awarded in each of the three categories: Manufacturing/Mechanical, Architecture/Building and Civil/Mapping/GIS. Winning render-ings in each category may be viewed online at http://ow.ly/3I0Wk.

The fi rst place winners in each of the three categories are: • Manufacturing/Mechanical: Michael Bryant (SWBR Architects)• Architecture/Building: Elitsa Chobanova (student work)• Civil/Mapping/GIS: Claudio Branch (Freese and Nichols)

Michael Bryant’s winning “Rac-ing Museum” rendering (shown) was a frame from an animation he created

for the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) at Watkins Glen. “This close up of a Ford Lotus re-ally shows the beauty of the car and the space it is displayed. The ability of the 3D Max is amazing, I am able to create lifelike images that often surpass the fi -nal building’s beauty,” said Bryant.

A team of judges from IMAGINiT Technologies selected the winners from entries submitted by designers who use Autodesk 2D and 3D design, en-gineering and entertainment software. Submissions came from 13 countries including Canada, Australia, Bangla-desh, Bulgaria, Belarus, China, Egypt, United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Uruguay and the U.S. The $6,750 in prizes was awarded based on the realism of the image, the general composition of the rendering, and over-all communication of design intent.

Lafert NA (www.lafertna.com) has announced the return of Connie Sonsogno to its sales team after an absence of 20 years. Sonsogno, with over 30 years experience in the electric motor industry, has been tasked with enhancing the company’s sales and distribution network. Lafert NA is the sole North Ameri-can representative for the Italian manufacturerd, Lafert IEC metric motors, Sacemi coolent pumps and SITI line of metric gearboxes, with extensive inventories to cover all of the conti-nent, the company says.

growth for the Canadian operation of Festo is only possible with excellent part-ners,” Thomas Lichtenberger, president of Festo Inc. (www.festo.ca), explained.

Atlantic Compressed Air (www.at-lanticcompressedair.ca) of Moncton, NB, will be the stocking distributor for Festo products in the Maritimes at its locations in Moncton and Dartmouth. The prod-uct range is comprised of Festo cylinders, valves, air preparation products, fi ttings and tubing.

“Atlantic Compressed Air is a great fi t for our Distribution Strategy because of their specialty services that includes Air Audits, Air Distribution System De-sign and Installation as well as Preven-tive Maintenance,” explained Andreas Sobotta, national distribution manager of Festo Inc.

Kinecor LP (www.kinecor.com) of Montreal will be the stocking distributor for Festo products throughout Canada, with selected locations in Ontario and Quebec. “Kinecor is a great fi t ... because of their proximity to our mutual custom-ers in their 60 branches across Canada,” added Sobotta.

BURLINGTON, ON – Endress+Hauser Canada Ltd. (www.ca.endress.com) has expanded into Saskatchewan. The process automation company, Canada’s second largest, has appointed Derek Unger as its fi rst employee and account manager, based in the Saskatoon area. Said SK-raised Richard Lewandowski (right), general manager for Endress+Hauser Canada, “As a local, I know the process industries in Saskatchewan will welcome an experi-enced and local contact from Endress+Hauser.”

Calendar

Tim Horsman (left), EVP, EB Horsman, Thomas Lichtenberger, president, Festo Inc., Andreas Sobotta, national distribution manager, Festo Inc., and Tom Muldoon, president, EB Horsman

OAKVILLE, ON – Javelin Technolo-gies (www.javelin-tech.com) has an-nounced the winners of the 2010 SolidWorks ‘Cool’ Design Contest (view at http://ow.ly/3HUF7). The design software reseller, services and training company’s contest winning project was the Premier Calendar Ki-osk from Calendar Club of Canada. Runners-up included: the 11 cubic yard load haul dump truck from Mining Technologies International (shown above); military lightweight headset, Aequus Global Solutions Inc.; loft kitchen environment, Grif-fi th In-store and Umbrella Cabinetry; “visor” step can, Umbra LLC; and, remotely operated submersible exca-vator, ASI Group.

Festo launches Canadian distribution network

The Mining Technologies LT-1650 LHD (load haul dump) truck is an 11 cubic yard LHD, 42 ft long and 10-1/2 ft wide with a lifting capacity of 36000 lb.

Javelin SolidWorks ‘Cool’ Design Contest winners


Design Product News 9dpncanada.comFebruary 2011

Get more out of it by getting more into it.

The new scalable enclosure solution.FUSION G7™ is the global enclosure platform that offers scalable, multi-surface component mounting via a versatile internal grid system. FUSION G7 maximizes configuration flexibility while maintaining global IP66 and UL/CSA Type 4/12 ratings. Includes standard back panel and gland plate(s) for easy cable entry configuration. It’s the one enclosure that won’t box you in. hoffmanonline.com

A ) Full & half-height side/back panelsB ) Front/rear vertical mounting railsC ) Side mounting & DIN railsD ) Wall-mount provisionsE ) Easily reversible hinges and doorF ) Gland plate(s) standardG ) Floor-mount plinth base option

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Untitled-6 1 5/18/10 9:57:21 AM

Untitled-3 1 1/25/11 11:05:31 AM

Advisory Board Directions

Industrial designers can help any product development and design team answer difficult questions.Here are the key approaches to facili-

tate effective collaboration between sales, marketing, engineering, manufacturing and, of course, customers (roughly in chronological order).

Team Alignment: At the outset of the project the team comes together to understand the scope and define the specific goals of the project. The project may be to develop a new product line or solve a particular challenge that the organization has. Proper alignment at the start of the project is critical to build-ing the team and facilitating great team interaction.

Customer Research Together: One of the best ways to develop new ideas and define new product lines to understand your customer’s needs and desires more intimately. Get the project team out into the field and spend time with your customer. This is most effectively done when working with trained ethnogra-phers who understand people and indus-trial designers who translate these needs into tangible outcomes.

Analyze Research Together: Because each team member has different expertise and experience it can be highly advantageous to leverage this brain power in translat-ing project research into project direc-tion. Proper facilitation of this process is important so that there is balanced input and it is most important to be mindful of the key project drivers. This facilitation process should be guided by a profes-sional who can balance big picture strat-egy with the details that drive the project (often this is the design lead, but it could be someone else on the team).

Charrette/Brainstorm Together: Once the project requirements have been clearly articulated (as much as they can be at this stage) the team can come together to explore and generate possible solu-tions or concepts. “Concepting” with a team is often called brainstorming, but another term is charrette, which consists of an intense period of design activity).

A charrette often has a main group divide into teams to develop ideas to solve a problem. Again with this process proper facilitation is very important to both get the best out of the team and drive the ses-sion towards a tangible outcome.

Concept Detailing: A typical output of any team session is usually a very loose description of an idea. The design detail-ing team needs to both work indepen-dently and come together at critical points to detail the right approach and design the right solution. Often a new project involves many unknowns and at this stage developing more than one solution can be very effective.

Testing New Ideas: Assuming more than one approach has been taken in gener-ating a new idea/product/solution they can then be tested. The team can give input but it is most effective to get these concepts in front of customers and learn about what the love, like, dislike, or sim-ply don’t understand.

Refinement: There may be disagreements as to the details of the final approach, but because the team has taken this jour-ney together they are enrolled in getting this project to the finish line. Getting the

By Jonathan Loudon

Industrial design and effective team collaboration

team to work through trade-offs is very important here. There will be strong pres-sure to hit price points and manufactur-ing quality requirements. Compromises are made but effectively leveraging team expertise helps optimize a solution.

Product launch: Now that the team has completed the project all of this embod-ied knowledge can help launch and sell product. The team can come together to help marketing perform their function of connecting the product to the customers.

The biggest challenges in working on

new projects are moving the project for-ward and getting the best out of the organi-zation’s brain trust. Working with industrial designers can help this process along and build great connections within the team.

Jonathan Loudon has a background in Industrial Design, is co-founder of Swave Studios, a Toronto based product development and innovation consultancy, and is President of ACIDO (Association of Chartered Industrial Designers in Ontario). Reach him at [email protected].



Feature: MCAD

go from one original conceptual model to three different product families with 10 sizes each.”

The tight integration between the NX conceptual design and product design environments was key to optimizing the performance of the boot, a task that involved a lot of actual skiing and hiking in prototypes. “If someone came back and complained of pressure here or a pinch there, we could grab those surface points in Shape Studio and easily make a change,” Narajowski noted. “But those changes are not made in a vacuum. It’s not like we throw the design over the wall from industrial design (ID) to engi-neering and hope the design intent isn’t lost. We’re also using NX tools and the same geometry we create in NX Shape Studio to analyze the boot’s performance and to design injection molded parts. That is the real strength of NX for us.”

Engineers at the Black Diamond headquarters in Utah worked with their colleagues at the Black Diamond offi ce in China on the design of the boot. The abil-ity to share the workload in an effi cient

Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. makes equipment for climbing and skiing. Black Diamond’s equipment

regularly wins awards for its innovation and quality.

Several years ago, Black Diamond decided to apply its expertise to a new area – freeride ski boots. These boots are used in a certain niche of skiing known as “boundary free” skiing. Boundary free skiers strap their skis to a backpack, hike up a mountain (far from a conventional ski resort), and then ski down private, pristine slopes. Boundary free skiers need the comfort and functionality of hiking boots for the climb up as well as the fi t and performance of alpine ski boots for the ride down. The boots available at the time were so unsatisfactory that some ski-ers opted to use two pairs, carrying one pair in their pack so they’d have the right boot available when they needed it.

Black Diamond’s goal was to com-bine the two sets of performance criteria in one great looking boot. “The other freeride boots out there are made by European competitors with 50+ years of boot making experience,” explained David Narajowski, director of advanced projects at Black Diamond. “Our chal-lenge was not just to catch up to where they were, but to go beyond and create something much better.”

Black Diamond is a long time user of CAD and has used its original design soft-ware, I deas, from Siemens PLM Software, to develop many of its successful prod-ucts. At the time the boot project started, however, the company had decided to standardize on the NX digital product development system, also from Siemens, an advanced design solution that still allows the company to leverage its legacy I deas data.“Black Diamond’s design engi-neering centers worldwide have moved from I deas and other CAD systems to standardize on NX,” Narajowski says. He notes, “Between I deas and NX, there was a period of time when we tried a mid range CAD program. But there is no way we could have developed a freeride boot in a mid range system.”

One of NX’s main advantages, accord-ing to Narajowski, is that it provides both the freeform modeling capability needed to capture the company’s design expertise (through the NX Shape Studio applica-tion, offered as part of the NX Mach III industrial design solution) as well as the powerful product design tools needed to turn an idea into a manufacturable prod-uct. “This is a perfect combination for BD’s hands on, chopshop inspired, fail fast-to succeed sooner approach to design,” said Narajowski. “Working with NX Shape Studio, we can directly manipulate sur-face geometry to do things like capture anatomical nuances of the foot. And this functionality is integrated with NX prod-uct design tools such as WAVE that let us

Boots designed for the boundary- free skier

and accurate manner is another important benefi t of NX on a project such as the fre-eride boot, according to Narajowski.

“NX allowed us to break up the model and have more than one person working on it at a time,” he explained.

“There would be an ID person work-ing on outside surfaces, for example,

Any business makes dozens, hun-dreds, even thousands of deci-sions every day. Some are routine,

but many are not. As the pace of business increases, more and more decisions have an increasing level of impact on the prof-itability of the business.

If made correctly, then the business becomes more competitive. Made incor-rectly, however, and they can quickly add up to a catastrophe. The goal therefore should be to make “high-quality” deci-sions – ones which are the best decision possible, rapidly made, based on all cur-rently available information authored anywhere along the extended enterprise.

In the manufacturing world, the abil-ity to use the product definition in its full 3D form, along with the 2D drawings generated from that 3D form, need to be as accessible as the simplest piece of

metadata and usable in the same envi-ronment. Activating a $20,000 design station or a $5,000 PLM seat to gain access to that information is, for almost any manufacturer, more than undesirable – it is unthinkable.

Actify developed DesignShare for the purposes of integrating product defini-tion data (2D and 3D CAD data) into the SharePoint environment. Building on this, we have added a number of capabilities that deliver an extremely effective, high-performance, high-quality visual decision support system called DesignShareVDS.

The goal of DesignShareVDS is to allow one to ask questions or perform actions such as: • Which parts in this assembly are

behind schedule? Show them to me colored in red.

• Show only the parts in this assembly that are at or below both their cost and weight targets. Here is an example of the kind of analy-

sis that is possible with DesignShareVDS. There are a number of elements at work in the diagram shown: A. The page is a dynamic SharePoint

page which has a number of different components, or “webparts” running on it.

B. In this case the SharePoint instance running has been connected to a Dassault Systemes Enovia PLM solution via Business Connectivity Services.

C. On this particular page the main web-part is the SpinFireSL viewer webpart, an element of the Actify DesignShare

product. It is a small web component that has been built with Silverlight technology and sports an intuitive ribbon-like user interface, consistent with Office 2007 and 2010 applica-tions, as well as SharePoint 2010.

D. To the right of the main viewer panel showing the actual assembly, there is an assembly tree that shows both the name of the individual components and provides visual cues related to metadata presented elsewhere on the page.

E. Below the main visual pane is a table that presents product metadata from two different sources: the Enovia design database, and an ERP data-base.

F. In the upper right is the control panel that allows the user to select what is to be examined; the cost percentage status is showing, but underneath the pull down in the control area the other attributes which can be exam-ined, such as weight.

G. Selecting a different characteristic will cause all the elements – graph-ics window, assembly tree, table, and control panel – to update according to the users request; in addition, easy controls are available to show or remove only the data desired or show the results of a combination of data. All the capabilities above are part

of the Actify DesignShareVDS solu-tion, which includes patented technol-ogy. Based on SharePoint and using the Silverlight platform, DesignShareVDS provides an intuitive, interactive visu-al decision support system for making high-quality decisions.

This article was excerpted from the white paper (www.actify.com/downloads/white-papers/) by Actify CEO Dave Opsahl. www.actify.com

The art of making better decisions faster By Dave Opsahl

Actify developed DesignShare for the purposes of integrating product definition data (2D and 3D CAD data) into the SharePoint environment.

Software from Siemens provides both the freeform modeling capability needed to capture the company’s design expertise (through the NX Shape Studio application, offered as part of the NX Mach III industrial design solution) as well as the powerful product design tools needed to turn an idea into a manufacturable product.

“Our challenge was not just to catch up... but to go beyond and create

something much better”

while someone else was working on the foot shape or on the cutter for the buck-les. People could work on their own parts, and then we could pull them in and auto-matically update the ‘superpart.’”

Nearly all of the freeride boot project was done using Siemens software. The inte-grated nature of the NX solution made it possible for the design team to go through the many iterations they needed to catch up to and surpass the competition.

This article was contributed by Siemens PLM Software (www.siemens.com/plm). www.designfusion.ca



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Spotlight Sensors

Level switchesGems Sensors & Controls has intro-duced the LS-3 series plastic liquid level switches. The series is said to offer broad water-based, chemical, oil and food grade compatibility. Models are available to withstand temperatures ranging from -40° to 121°C, and pressures to 150 psi (10.3 bar). Diameters are as little as 0.75 in. and unit lengths are <2 in. the mounting.www.gemssensors.com

Miniature accelerometersKistler North America has announced the Type 8766A line of miniature triaxial PiezoStar accelerometers. The sensing ele-ments are housed within a 0.43 in. weld-ed, hermetically sealed, titanium housing weighing <4.3 g, with choice of 4-pin, ¼-28 style connector for automotive ap-plications and a M4.5 mini 4-pin connec-tor for aviation and space applications.www.kistler.com

Dual axis inclinometerThe Fredericks Company has announced a dual axis inclinometer with 0 to 5 V analog outputs (x & y axis) for PWM and tempera-ture. The inclinometer offers an angle range of ±60° over x and y axis, 0.2 arc min resolu-tion (.003°), and ±0.1 degrees repeatability. The inclinometer’s plastic housing encloses microprocessor-based electronics are said to provide long term repeatability and environ-mental durability (-40° to 85°C operating temperature range).www.frederickscom.com

Rotary position sensorPiher International Corp. has an-nounced the non-contacting MTS 360 SMD rotary position sensor. The de-vice offers electrical angles up to 360° with no dead band and linearity as low as ±0.5%. Rated at -40° to 150°C, the sensor can operate up to 300 rpm and programmed with full scale output with angles shorter than 360°. Output is selectable between analog, PWM 12 bits or serial protocol (SPI) at 14 bits.www.piher.net

Pressure transducerAmerican Sensor Technologies has announced the AST5100 Wet/Wet dif-ferential pressure sensor for measure-ment ranges as low as 0 to 5 in. of water column (0 to 0.18 psi) and up to 0 to 15 psid. The sensor is compen-sated from 0° to 55°C using the same electronics as the AST20HA pressure transducer. The AST5100 is available with 1/8 in. NPT female pressure ports and two mounting holes.www.astsensors.com

Near-infrared camerasTXG14NIR cameras from Baumerfeature enhanced sensitivity in the near infrared (NIR), and are quali-fi ed for automatic inspection of wa-fers for solar cells, the company says. Measuring electroluminescence (EL) using NIR imaging cameras permits the detection of fractures as well as failures in the crystal structure. The units are said to provide a signifi cant-ly higher sensitivity at the required wavelengths and, simultaneously, provides high resolution images with 1392 x 1040 pixels.www.baumer.ca

Remote charge converterMeggitt Sensing Systems has an-nounced the re-launch of Endevco model 2771C-XX remote charge con-verter. With fi xed gains of 0.1 mV/pC, 1.0 mV/pC and 10 mV/pC, the model offers a two-wire (IEPE), single-ended design operating from constant current power (4 to 20 mA), with a broadband noise range down to 5 μVrms and frequency response of 0.4 to 50 kHz. www.meggittsensingsystems.com

Solar positioningThe WAGO Solar Positioning Function Block (SPFB) is said to increase concentrated solar arrangement effi cacy. SPFB achieves this by enabling dynamic so-lar mirrors to track the sun’s arc within ±0.02° via the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM. Multiple variables and inputs include atmospheric pressure, site elevation, azimuth, latitude, longitude, date and local time. Calculations are then paired with the internal clock of a WAGO PLC, optimizing mirror position.www.wago.us

Universal transmitterIMI Sensors has announced the model 682A16 universal transmitter for vibra-tion monitoring. The transmitter is a DIN rail mounted, relay module with optional detachable front panel LCD display and programmer. The unit pro-vides loop power for 2-wire, 4 to 20 mA sensors and ICP excitation for analog 8 to 120 mV/g accelerometers.www.imi-sensors.com

Heat-sink analysis systemThe Tactilus heat-sink analysis system from Sensor Products is fl exible and 0.015 in. thick, allowing it to be placed between the CPU and heat sink without affecting the assembly. The sensor pad has 625 resistive sensing points arrayed on a 25 × 25 grid. The sensing area is 2 × 2 in. Scan speed is up to 1000 Hz, and the operating pressure range is 0 to 100 psi (0 to 7 kg/cm2).www.sensorprod.com

Thermocouple and RTD thermometersOmega has announced a line of hand-held meters that function as thermo-couple, RTD or combined input data logging thermometers. There are 3 dis-play locations on the LCD that displays the temperatures and differences of the two inputs, as well as the specifi c func-tion when in use. The front of the device features MAX/MIN/AVG/REL/HOLD functions. The HH100 model logs data in real time PC monitoring and each channel is capable of storing up to 9999 data records per channel in the data log-ging mode. www.omega.ca



Full Range of Motion

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Baldor’s full range of motion control products provide unmatched quality, high performance, ease of use and superior reliability. From controls, drives and motors, to our Mint® programming language and Ethernet capability, Baldor products install and operate seamlessly with each other.

Simple applications or the most complex, available from stock or custom made, Baldor is your one source for a full range of motion products.

baldor.com 479-646-4711

©2010 Baldor Electric Company

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Feature: Sensors

not recognized, a message is immediately sent to the controller to facilitate opera-tor intervention. Because of the accuracy requirement, a solution using a magnetic gripper could not be considered.

A laser-scanning-based vision system is especially useful in depalletizing a variety of unsorted tire rims with a robot and facilitating their fl ow to the next

Machine vision systems have gained a strong foothold in the automotive industry. Vision

systems can be found in virtually every segment of the automotive assembly pro-cess: error-proofi ng, process control, part tracking and inspection, assembly opera-tions, and guiding robots to perform welding assemblies, inspections, painting, and part handling.

Effective bin picking systems that can identify a single part in a bin of randomly positioned parts – that frequently change position when parts are removed – are now providing solutions on factory fl oors.

Unlike autoracking where parts are presented to the robot one at a time, bin picking untreated brake disks, for example, is much more complex. The vision system must fi nd each single disc in a bin of randomly grouped parts that constantly shift and realign each time the bin is jostled or a disc is removed from the bin. The number of part orientations makes it diffi cult for the robot to “see” the features of a part in order to grasp it. Additional challenges include:• The bins are often shaped differently due to damage• The bins may also be different colors • Fill level of the bins varies• The appearance of each disk varies (varying amounts of dirt and rust) • Undefi ned objects in the bin that must be recognized to avoid collision.

The solution is a laser-scanning-based vision system that enables different sen-sors (triangulation or light runtime) to be combined to generate an extremely accu-rate 3D surface map of the brake discs for robot guidance. The laser profi les are then digitized and used to generate a 3D map of the part.

To remove the brake discs, a 3D evalu-ation using laser sensor systems provides information to control the robotic arm. A height image is generated by measur-ing the runtime of the light to control the robot grippers.

Once a bin is set in a cell, a time-of-fl ight laser sweeps across the parts. After the initial scan, the system gathers the data from the laser, and in a matter of seconds, forms an “image” of the top layer of the parts in the bin. The image information is sent to the control unit, which allows the robot to pick the centre of the part that is closest to the top of the bin based on algo-rithms. The robot is now able to precisely select the product from the bin and trans-fer it to the next stage of production.

During removal of the part it is possible for the remaining disks to slip around. As a result, the laser measurement is repeated after every cycle. The laser in this applica-tion also provides data to the robot on the shape of the bin and if there are objects that do not belong in the bin. Objects that do not belong in the bin are also acquired in 3D during these measurements. If something is

Efficient material handling in automotive manufacturing applications

stage of production. Different types of tire rims, present on a pallet in several layers, are recognized using the same process described in the preceding application. Position corrections are then determined for the robot or the handling unit.

This kind of sensor technology not only provides signifi cant freedom from harsh external light interference for the

Demand for OEM automotive sen-sors in Canada, according to the market research firm Freedonia,

will increase over 17% annually to US$650 million in 2014, accounting for nearly 17% of total regional consumption.

As with the U.S., Canada’s light vehicle production levels fell significantly during the 2008-2009 financial crisis and the expected rapid growth going forward will be the result of the rebound from that downturn. Like the U.S., Canada is becom-ing an increasingly mature market for the older electronic systems and sensors.

In large part this is because virtually all Canadian light vehicle production is owned by U.S. companies and the bulk of the vehicles produced in Canada are shipped back to the U.S.

On a sensor dollars per vehicle basis, Canada is on par with most developed nations, although somewhat below the level registered in the U.S. This divergence is caused by vehicles produced for the local market, which typically are more basic vehicles featuring less optional content than do vehicles sold in the U.S. market.

Overall, gains in demand will accelerate on a per-vehicle basis through 2014, the result of rebounding light vehicle produc-tion and the continued introduction of new electronics-based technologies. The latter reason will be particularly important, with most new product introductions coming in the areas of entertainment, communica-tions and safety equipment.

Demand for engine and drive train automotive sensors in Canada will increase nearly 15% per year to US$230 million in 2014, in line with the U.S. market, due to the smaller vehicles sold in the local

market. Safety and security system sensor demand will grow the quickest, expanding almost 20% per year to US$220 million in 2014, on the strength of continued intro-ductions of new and more sophisticated airbag and other passive safety systems, as well as on the continued introduction of advanced active safety systems.

Demand for emission control sensors will grow over 17% annually to US$145 million in 2014, an accelerated recovery-driven growth spurt.

Entertainment, communication and navigation sensor demand will jump nearly

17% per year to US$45 million on the strength of new audio, multimedia and navigation system sensor introductions. Demand for other sensors will grow at a strong at over 20% annually to US$10 million in 2014 as new climate control and convenience features continue to be added to light vehicles.

Manufacturers of OEM automo-tive sensors with operations in Canada include ArvinMeritor, BorgWarner, BREED Technologies, Delphi, DENSO, Siemens, Tenneco, TRW and Visteon.www.freedoniagroup.com

Demand for automotive sensors on rebound in Canada

By Todd Belt

Removing untreated brake disks with a laser-

based vision system

testing process, it also supplies the req-uisite speed and fulfi lls the requirements for accuracy. Additional information is also available for determining the stack height and presence of foreign objects, for example. This is often not available when using traditional image processing.

VMT, part of the Pepperl+Fuchs Group, delivers a multi-functional pro-gram package with varied image process-ing algorithms for the execution of a wide range of tasks. The system provides a complete documentation of all evalua-tions, an online log for fast checking of all the results of the previous measurements, and a visualization and archiving of the error images that occur.

System operation and setup is achieved entirely without programming with the graphical interface. The interface is com-pletely uniform for all applications includ-ing robot visual guidance, completeness testing, and plain text reading.

Todd Belt is Systems Sales Manager at Pepperl+Fuchs ([email protected]).www.pepperl-fuchs.us

CANADA: OEM AUTOMOTIVE SENSOR DEMAND(million US dollars)

Item 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019

Light Vehicle (000) Production 3005 2665 1475 2510 2730

$ sensors/vehicle 127 165 200 259 311

OEM Auto Sensor Demand 381 440 295 650 850

Engine & Drivetrain 170 175 115 230 305

Safety & Security 95 130 90 220 290

Emission Control 93 105 65 145 175

Entertainment/ Communication /Navigation 19 25 21 45 65

Other 4 5 4 10 15

% Canada 16.5 15.8 16.9 16.7 16.8

NA OEM Auto Sensor Demand 2316 2780 1750 3900 5050

Source: The Freedonia Group, Inc.

Once a bin is set in a cell, a time-of-flight laser sweeps across the parts.



Get it solved. Get NX for simulation.NX™ for simulation from Siemens PLM Software speeds engineering with powerful technology for modeling, analysis, automation and test correlation. With NX, you can reduce CAE modeling time by up to 70%, and integrated solvers deliver results for large simulation models up to twice as fast. The bottom line: NX for simulation helps you do more design-analysis iterations, make better engineering decisions and deliver better products faster. Find out more at www.siemens.com/plm/nxcae.

Answers for industry.

© 2010 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All rights reserved. Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. NX is a trademark or registered trademarks of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other logos, trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks used herein are the property of their respective holders.

CAE results in half the time?

2011_NX_simulation_DPN.indd 1 12/24/10 11:22:15 AMUntitled-9 1 1/26/11 3:24:57 PMDPN _Feb_2011.indd 15DPN _Feb_2011.indd 15 1/27/11 11:14:00 AM1/27/11 11:14:00 AM


the dimensions of the bearing housing will update to match. On the other hand, history-free is usually best when dealing with free-form shapes as often found in the styling of things like hair dryers and video game consoles.

Several software vendors from both camps are beginning to incorporate func-tionality from the other side, but from what I have seen so far Siemens PLM Software’s Solid Edge ST3 (www.solid-edge.com) seems to be leading the way with the third release of its “Synchronous Technology.”

If you are already comfortable with working in a history-based modeler then Solid Edge ST3 will look very familiar.

lump. An advantage to this method is that there are no parent-child relation-ships to contend with and so editing can be performed by direct manipulation of individual faces. A usual disadvantage is that details within specific features are not linked parametrically. History-free has been described as a smart program working on a dumb model.

Not surprisingly, each method has its proponents and opponents, often with a religious-like zeal. The bottom line, how-ever, is that either method can be “best,” depending on your application.

History-based is usually best when working with precise “mechanical” parts; change the diameter of the shaft and all

By Bill Fane

T oday’s leading question is “Is Solid Edge ST3 a history-based or a history-free solid modeler?”

Traditionally, there have been two fundamental approaches to 3D solid modeling (You have to love an industry where “traditions” go back five years). A great many words, phrases, trade marks and trade names have been used to identify these approaches, but they all boil down to two fundamental phrases: “history-based” and “history-free.”

In history-based modeling a solid model is built from a number of separate features. Each feature is defined and com-bined with the current state of the part in a sequential, step-by-step process.

An advantage to this method is that the underlying definitions of the individ-ual features can be accessed and edited, typically through parametrics which can include relationships with other param-eters. A disadvantage is that normally individual features can only be edited by accessing the underlying definition. History-based has been described as a dumb program working on a smart model.

On the other hand, history-free mod-els are also produced one feature at a time in a sequential process. The differ-ence is that the underlying definitions are lost when new features are combined with the current state of the part. We end up with a single, “homogeneous”

CAD Industry Watch

Have It Your Way (with apologies to Burger King)The same basic operations are all there: you sketch, constrain and dimension the sketch, and then extrude/cut extrude/revolve/cut revolve and so on to build up your part, feature by feature. Solid Edge ST3 refers to these as “ordered” features, and they appear in the structure tree as expected.

On the other hand, “synchronous” features seem to be built in much the same way, so much so that at first there seems to be negligible differences between the two types. The big difference comes when it is time to edit them.

As indicated earlier, there are advan-tages and disadvantages to both methods, so Solid Edge ST3 has come up with a very powerful solution. It happily lets you mix and match ordered and synchronous features in the same part model. You can also convert ordered features into syn-chronous ones, but not the reverse.

Now that we have seen the basic principles, let’s move on to investigate some of the unique functionality in Solid Edge ST3.

One of the first to catch my eye is that it can open and edit files from most of the 3D solid modelers and generic 3D for-mats such as CATIA, ProE, SolidWorks, IGES, STEP, ACIS, and ParaSolid, as well as 2D AutoCAD .DWG. Conspicuously absent from the list is Inventor, but this isn’t a real problem because Inventor can Save As to ACIS, IGES, ProE, CATIA, and so on.

A complete version of this review, including a step-by-step modeling fea-ture demo is available online at http://ow.ly/3A7yR.

Bill Fane ([email protected]) is a software reviewer and retired mechanical engineer-ing instructor at BCIT in Burnaby, BC.

Okay, I know that you’re asking your-self “Hey, there are several 2D CAD programs out there that are free!

What could be lower cost than that?”

Answer: AutoCAD WS. It’s such a low-cost program that you don’t need a pro-gram or even a computer. All you need is any Internet-enabled device (iPhone, iPad, etc) or almost any Web browser. You don’t even need a plug-in for your browser.

You have probably heard the recent buzz phrase: “cloud com-puting.” That is exact-ly what AutoCAD WS is. The software itself and your drawing files live on an Autodesk web server (hence AutoCAD “WS”). Try it yourself. Simply go to www.autocadws.com, create an account, and log in. You will then find several sample drawings to play with.

Here’s a typical scenario. Suppose you are a consultant, or are trying to buy a part from or sell a part to someone, or your company has another operation

somewhere else, and you need to discuss the drawing with them.

Historically this would have involved snail-mailing or couriering prints, or more recently e-mailing the files, and then phoning the other party. So far so good, but what if the recipient doesn’t own AutoCAD, or may not even be CAD literate? Here is where AutoCAD WS really shines.

No problem. Simply upload the file to your AutoCAD WS account and click

on the Share button. You are then invited to specify one or more e-mail address. Each recipient receives an e-mail containing a link to the specified file. When they click on the link it signs

them into your account on AutoCAD WS and opens that one file, even if they don’t have an AutoCAD WS account. If more than one person is logged in to the same drawing at the same time then all participants see each other’s cursors and anyone can make changes. There is also a text chat box available.

Better yet, AutoCAD WS keeps a his-tory of all changes so you can always go back to an earlier version.

File rights can be specified in your invi-tation so that recipients can be prevented from editing and/or downloading your file and you can specify a “cropped” region so

the recipients can only see part of your file. You can also “un-share” a file.

All in all, AutoCAD WS is an amazing service, and is revolutionizing how we share and collaborate on our drawings.A complete version of this review is available at http://ow.ly/3A8pq.

AutoCAD WS from Autodesk runs on the Web, not your computer.

History-based is best with precise mechanical parts; history-free best

on “dumb” models

The Solid Edge ST3 interface. Synchronous technology, now in its third release, allows designers to toggle between history-based and history-free environments.

AutoCAD WS; the lowest-cost CAD ever!

Cloud computing for design on the cheap from any Internet-

enabled device


Design Product News 17

Untitled-2 1 1/27/11 9:36:26 AM

dpncanada.comFebruary 2011

Synchronous-enabled freeform design in NX

NX product design software from Siemens PLM Software now sup-ports synchronous-enabled freeform design (http://ow.ly/3zllw). With these tools, users can create and modify complex freeform geom-etry – even imported models. Simple push and pull shaping techniques, says the company, mean users don’t have to be a surface design expert to create complex freeform models. Users can begin with solid or sur-face, analytic or B-rep geometry.www.plm.automation.siemens.com

Delcam awarded SolidWorks Gold Product status

The 2011 version of Delcam for SolidWorks, an integrated CAM system, was awarded recently Cer-tifi ed Gold Product status by DS SolidWorks Corp. The release in-cludes options for the programming of turning and mill-turn equipment, alongside the company’s technol-ogy for drilling and two- through fi ve-axis milling. Users can program lathes to mill-turn equipment. www.delcam.tv/cpd

File translators in library form Actify, Inc. and Tech Soft 3D (TS3D) have an-

nounced SpinFire 9.0 (http://ow.ly/3zkDa), the fi rst application to feature the new HOOPS 3D Exchange (3DX) technology (http://ow.ly/3zkzw).

TS3D has repackaged OEM translators into pure library form. HOOPS 3DX is said to guarantee optimum

translation speed and precision within Actify’s 3D visualization fl agship product SpinFire, which distills native 2D/3D CAD fi les from

proprietary applications into the compact and lightweight .3D format. www.actify.com

CAD Chronicle

Mechatronics machine design

Siemens PLM Software has announced integrated machine design software aimed for machine tools and production ma-chines. Mechatronics Concept Designer (http://ow.ly/3yYPB) is based on NX soft-ware and works in conjunction with its Teamcenter software to enable mechani-cal, electrical and software/automation disciplines to work in parallel. It also in-cludes modeling and simulation capability based on NVIDIA PhysX technology. www.siemens.com/plm

Zuken adds microelectronics components to libraryComponents from ST Microelectron-ics are now available as part of Zuken’s CADSTAR parts library. CADSTAR, desktop schematic and PCB design soft-ware, provides access to a library of over 250,000 different parts. Data stored in each component includes the schematic symbol, footprint, and part information, including specifi c data such as value, tol-erance, wattage, voltage, manufacturer part numbers and website links.www.zuken.com/cadstar

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Autodesk SketchBook Mobile for Android

Autodesk, Inc. has announced that its SketchBook Mobile app is now available for use on Android devices. SketchBook Mobile is a digital paint and drawing app that offers a full set of sketching tools that uses the same engine as Autodesk SketchBook Pro desktop software. The mobile app combines digital pencils, pens, mark-ers and airbrushes.www.autodesk.com/sketchbookmobile

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Feature: Power Transmission

“The most important factors in choosing the Tolomatic brand actuator were its overall torque and its compact design,” said Chamberlain. Most rod-style actuators have a screw that is driven by a motor connected inline. Tolomatic’s RSM actuators feature a reverse-parallel motor drive where the motor is mounted along side the actuator and drives the screw through a toothed belt and pul-ley assembly. “Every other actuator we looked at had the motor bolted to the backside of the actuator, making the units too long to fi t into our design win-dow,” Chamberlain added.

The Tolomatic RSM rod-style actua-tor series is designed with thrust capabil-ity ranging from 70 to 7000 lb, so even the smallest 12-in. model had enough power for Gleason’s application. Black anodized extrusions provide rigidity and strength, ball screw, roller screw or acme screw options and internal guide bearings to support the screw assembly throughout its entire stroke.

While the RSM rod-style actuator is a standard product for Tolomatic, the company also has the in-house design capability to modify standard products to meet the special needs of its customer. In Gleason’s case, a number of modifi ca-tions were made to the RSM actuator: • Sealed actuator – The mating surfaces

of the motor mount, drive belt hous-ing and inspection lid had to be fully gasketed to prevent spraying coolant from getting into the actuator.

As the company that pioneered the development of the bevel gear used in vehicle differentials,

Gleason Corp. demands that its latest automated gear grinding machines be in the forefront of effi cient and high-quality gear production.

One key to quality is making sure that the work piece is well lubricated and does not become overheated during the grinding process. That’s why when Gleason needed a replacement actuator to position a heavy coolant head on its Phoenix II 275G gear grinding machine, the company turned to Tolomatic, Inc. of Hamel, MN, for a solution.

“The Phoenix II 275G gear grind-ing machine is designed to create a fi ne fi nish on the mating surfaces of bevel gears that have already been rough cut,” said George Chamberlain, a Gleason design engineer. “Once the mating sur-faces are properly ground, the gears are interchangeable in gearing systems and run effi ciently and quietly. Grinding is becoming the preferred bevel gear fi nish-ing method, as opposed to the traditional gear lapping process, in which mating gears are lapped together with an abra-sive slurry to create a matched pair.”

To insure that the gear grinding pro-cess produces the best fi nish on the gear surfaces, a fl ow of lubricating coolant needs to be precisely directed at the grind-ing wheel’s point of contact with the gear at all times. “Positional accuracy of the coolant heads is necessary because you have to fl ood the point of contact with coolant so you don’t burn the part,” says Chamberlain. “The coolant also provides lubrication and fl ushes away the grinding debris created from the process.”

In the original design of the machine, an electric actuator was responsible for moving a 50-pound manifold of coolant jets in small increments as the grind-ing wheel was consumed and changed dimensions. However, the original motor/actuator used in the machine sometimes lacked the necessary torque to move the heavy coolant manifold. It was found that when the actuator was overloaded due to increased friction in the system, it would stop and sometimes lose its position.

“This would cause the machine to send a message to the operator to inves-tigate the situation before the start of the next cycle.” said Chamberlain. “The machine would indicate a positional error and then you would have to re-reference the position of the coolant.”

One solution would have been to replace the original actuator’s stepper motor with a more powerful servo motor, but the actuator Gleason was using didn’t allow such a replacement. And, even if it had, there was insuffi cient space inside the machine’s grinding chamber to accommo-date a motor that was physically larger or more powerful. That’s when Chamberlain consulted with Brian Mulholland of Hughes Hi-Tech in Clarence, NY, a dis-tributor for Tolomatic, and learned that Tolomatic actuators could accept a more powerful servo motor.

“Drop-in” actuator improves position accuracy

• Optional motor mounts – The actua-tor was supplied with two motor mounting fl anges to accommodate different brands of servo motors.

• Secondary lead screw bearing – The end of the actuator was fi tted with a secondary support bearing to accom-modate the high radial loads due to drive belt tensioning.

• Custom front fl ange – The end of the rod was fi tted with a custom mount-ing fl ange to mate with Gleason’s

Canada comprised a US$3.2 billion market for turbines and related products in 2009, according to

the market research firm Freedonia, the eighth largest national market in the world.

In large part, the size of the Canadian market reflects the importance of the country’s commercial aerospace industry, which is led by locally based Bombardier, one of the world’s largest regional jet-liner manufacturers. As a result, unlike most countries where the power genera-tion sector dominates, Canadian turbine demand is centered on aircraft engines.

While aircraft engines are particu-larly important to the Canadian market, power generation has grown extreme-ly rapidly since 2004, particularly the wind segment. Just like in the U.S., Canada installed a record amount of new wind power in 2009 (although the total amount installed at about one giga-watt was one-tenth the amount installed in the U.S.).

Shipments of turbines from facili-ties located in Canada were valued at US$3.5 billion in 2009, representing the seventh largest national manufacturing industry in the world, and providing the country with a trade surplus in these products. Similar to the situation in the U.S., the presence of a large domestic market has facilitated development of an

indigenous turbine manufacturing indus-try – with production of aircraft engines, particularly lower power models and turboprops, especially important.

However, production of non-aircraft gas turbines rose rapidly during the early 2000s, with much output exported to the surging U.S. market of that time. While production of gas turbines moder-ated with the U.S. market, they remain an important segment of the Canadian industry. In addition, Canada is an impor-tant manufacturer of hydraulic turbines, given the country’s traditional reliance

on hydropower and long-established domestic market for hydraulic turbines used in these facilities.

The U.S. is by far the largest external market for Canadian suppliers, absorb-ing over three-quarters of the coun-try’s turbine exports, with the U.K. and Germany among other important cus-tomers. Again similar to the US, Canada also imports turbine products in sizable quantities, primarily from the US, with UK and other West European suppliers represented as well.www.freedoniagroup.com

Aerospace dominates Canada’s turbine production and consumption

The heavy, C-shaped coolant manifold on the Phoenix II 275G gear grinding machine is moved incrementally by a Tolomatic RSM actuator as the circular grinding wheel wears away. This keeps the coolant flow precisely directed at the point of contact with the gear face.

Gear-grinding machine retrofit meets precise requirements

coolant head assembly, allowing drop-in compatibility during manu-facture or in the fi eld.

• Additional sensor – In the unlikely event the drive belt broke, the sensor reports the position of the screw with-in 0.1 mm and signals the machine if a belt failure occurs.

This article was contributed by Tolomatic.www.tolomatic.com

Canada – Turbine Product Supply & Demand(million US dollars)

Item 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019

Turbine Product 1465 1920 3155 4325 5905Demand by Type

Turbines: 155 280 1075 1675 2585

Wind 15 90 860 1390 2250

Gas Combustion 105 150 170 230 270

Steam & Hydraulic 35 40 45 55 65

Turbine Engines 1150 1420 1830 2320 2920 & Generator Sets

Turbine Generators 160 220 250 330 400

Net exports 365 400 295 325 345

Turbine Product 1830 2320 3450 4650 6250Shipments

Source: The Freedonia Group, Inc



Spotlight Power Transmission

Stainless linear actuatorsJ.W. Winco has introduced series GN 291-NI linear actuators with left or right hand thread. The metric-sized, RoHS compliant linear actuators have a guide tube made of stainless steel. The trapezoidal threaded shaft and thrust ball bearings are made of stainless steel, the follower nut is steel with a gun metal fi nish, and the end cap is plastic. www.jwwinco.com

Brush-commutated dc motorThe Pittman series 8690 brush-commu-tated dc motor features include 7-slot skewed armatures, resin-impregnated windings and diamond-turned commuta-tors. The motors are available in 1.798, 1.923 and 2.173 in. lengths and can pro-vide continuous torque output up to 3.17 oz in., peak torque up to 20 oz in., and speeds up to 9000 rpm.www.ametektechnicalproducts.com

Gearhead improves torque by 65%Bodine Electric Company has launched its WX gearhead in conjunction with its 33A-frame permanent magnet dc motors. The gearhead features all-steel helical

gearing, and provides up to 65% more torque than previous mod-els. Type 33A-WX gearmotors are available with a 90/130

Vdc winding, or a new 12/24 Vdc winding. The gearmotors are de-signed to drive a variety of ap-plications including conveyor

systems, packaging equipment and metering pumps.www.bodine-electric.com

C1D2 linear actuatorsGSX and GSM linear actuators from Exlar offer Class I, Division 2 Certi-fi cation and include a roller screw mechanism for effi ciently convert-ing electric motor power into linear motion. The actuators can be used in locations where fl ammable gases, vapors or dusts occur. Suitable for process control valve and damper ap-plications, the linear actuators provide continuous hold on the position of the valve stem or shaft.www.exlar.com

Roller screw actuatorNook Industries has recently intro-duced the ∞Infi nity 1 roller screw actuator said to offer a cost-effective alternative to hydraulics. The electro-mechanical actuator is also said to offer long life with high dynamic and static load capacity. The product is IP64+ rated through a possible IP68 (motor dependent). IP rating design elements include a hermetically sealed case and enclosed integrated position transducer, and integrated load and torque sensor.www.rollerscrewactuator.com

Ultra light shaftingThomson has introduced Ultra Light Aluminum LinearRace Shafting. The shafting is constructed of 6061-T6 aluminum with an HRC 70 hard an-odized fi nish, and is available in sizes ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 in. and in lengths up to 120 in. Metric sizes are available upon request, as are special machining options.www.thomsonlinear.com

Integrated motion systemsMDrive Ethernet systems from Intelli-gent Motion feature integrated motor, drive and programmable controller. Units feature a standardized IP address-ing system which allows up to 255 de-vices on a network while eliminating the complicated wiring and software confi guring of traditional multi-drop systems using RS-422/485 communi-cations. The systems use RJ45 connec-tors and CAT5/6 cabling, and support the industrial standard MODBUS/TCP as well as MCode/TCP.www.imshome.com

High power soft startsCarlo Gavazzi has launched its RSQK series high power intelligent soft starts, which are designed to decrease the “wear and tear” on mechanical transmission components (such as belts) and assure the reduction of high starting currents and of mechanical stress on gears, shafts and pulleys. Units are suit-able for controlling large pumps, fans and mixers in 200 to 500 hp range.www.carlogavazzi.com

p y gy33A-frame permanent magnet dc motors. The ge

gearing, and provides up to 65% moels. Type 33A-WX gearmot

Vdwsip

Diaphragm vacuum pumpsN920 series diaphragm vacuum pumps from KNF are offered in three-head OEM installation models. Units feature a 90 to 264 Vac, 50 to 60 Htz ac input or brush-commutated dc or BLDC motor and are designed to run quietly, effi ciently, and reli-ably over time with minimal maintenance. Pumps operate oil-free to retain the purity of the pumped medium.www.knf.com/oembacking.htm

Brushless dc motorsDurA-Tek has introduced 12 V/24 V BLDC motors that can achieve continu-ous torque from 19.7 to 55 oz in. and speeds from 2927 to 4400 rpm. The motors have been designed to resist wa-ter spray, rain, humidity, salt, fog, shock, and vibration associated with harsh en-vironments. The motors integrate drive electronics said to deliver a wide range of key features.www.ametektechnicalproducts.com

Synchronous belt drive systemBaldor Electric Company has introduced a synchro-nous belt drive system using Dodge HTR and HTRC Tracker belts. The belts have a rein-forced parabolic profi le (RPP) tooth design that is said to allow the belt teeth to sit deeper in the sprocket compared to stan-dard belts. The neoprene rubber belts are manufactured with a fi breglass cord that provides tension stability and prevents moisture from being absorbed. The belt construction is also said to help reduce the belt in-stallation tension, increasing the life of the other mechanical components.www.baldor.com

BrDuBLouspmoteranvireleof ww



ment of the compressed air piston motor for many years. Some applications used two pistons, one for compression and one for power. Others use a layout similar to a four cycle piston engine with compressed air replacing the traditional burning of an air-fuel mixture. Using expanding air to extract power is also somewhat akin to a steam engine using expanding steam. The MDI car can also be designed to switch to fossil fuel for highway use. And compressed air motors can be “stacked” to create more powerful units.

The Tata’s air supply is carried in car-bon fibre tanks compressed to 300 bar (4350 psi). Although expensive, carbon fibre is strong and light and in the event of rupture due to severe impact would split harmlessly without flying shards. And of course air is non-flammable, unlike gasoline or hydrogen. While esti-mates vary widely, a driving range of 100 to 150 km per charge is talked about. Tank recharge from a home elec-

T he recent announcement from Tata Motor Corp. of India that it would be producing a compressed

air powered version of its Nano minicar brought the usual excitement from envi-ronmental enthusiasts about a new pollu-tion free transportation method.

Here was a car powered by just the air around us and emitting only fresh air exhaust that is so cool it can be used to air condition the car. The question is, as it is with other energy storage systems like batteries, hydraulic accumulators and fly-wheels, does the compressed air car have a viable mainstream future in things like driving range, performance and cost.

Compressed air motors can come in various forms such as turbines, recipro-cating pistons and offset rotors with slid-ing vanes. At the heart of the system is an on-board supply of highly compressed air. Power is produced by the expansion of this air as it is released into the lower pressure environment of the motor. The sudden expansion could be equated to the pressure rise in an internal combus-tion engine at the ignition point.

Compressed air motors are far from new, having been used in such appli-cations as locomotives and stationary power as early as the nineteenth cen-tury. It is, in effect, the opposite of an air compressor: a compressor creates compressed air using an outside power source whereas an air motor uses com-pressed air to create power. An air motor can become a compressor to recharge its

The compressed air car – is it a real possibility or just hot air?By Bill Vance

Automotive Scene

own air supply. A well known applica-tion of compressed air motors is hand-held power tools using an integrated or remote compressor with an outside power source.

The new Tata Air Car has some strong credentials behind it, principally ex-French Formula One racing engi-neer Guy Negre, inventor of the Tata system and founder of a Luxembourg-incorporated French company, Motor Development International (www.mdi.lu/english/index.php), from whom Tata bought a licence to manufacture and sell Tata branded air cars in India. Nicaraguan engineer Armando Regusci also made a significant contribution to the compressed air car, and other inven-tors are pursuing the concept.

Negre has been working on develop-

To have a mainstream future, the compressed

air car must address things like driving

range, performance and cost

trical outlet using the on-board compres-sor would take up to four hours, or a few minutes from a commercial high-pressure compressor.

The fibreglass-bodied Tata will use a tubular chassis glued together rather than welded, and can be made in several con-figurations such as four or six passenger models. Because compressed air is an inef-ficient energy storage medium – a litre of compressed air contains only a fraction of the energy of a litre of gasoline – the car would need to be quite light. This would make European or North American crash safety standards a problem, likely render-ing it unsalable in those markets. In spite of this, Zero Pollution Motors of New Paltz, NY, plans to market car building rights to U.S. companies.

Although the compressed air motor emits clean air only, the power to com-press the car’s air supply is generated by an outside power source, often fossil fuelled, in which case the air pollution has just been transferred somewhere else.

In spite of enthusiasm by environmen-talists the future of the compressed air car looks hazy. Tata says it will have a com-pressed air car ready by 2011 but many engineers remain highly sceptical.

Bill Vance is an automotive journalist & author (www.billvanceautohistory.ca).

Tata Motor of India has licensed France-Luxembourg compressed air powertrain technology, with different models on the boards for release in 2011 and beyond.

The standard version of the AirPod is designed to convey passengers, but has some space for luggage. The AirPod Cargo version, with one seat for a driver, can be used for deliveries.

Passengers disembarking from a 4-seater AirPod after a demonstration ride at the French Port of Nice.

The AirPod vehicle has been extensively field tested in city traffic like that in Paris.



TechnicalLiterature

MIL, aerospace connectors. ITT Interconnect Solutions has developed a new Military & Aerospace Sourcebook that contains more than 700 pages of detailed information on hundreds of products. Content is targeted at customers involved in military and aerospace application design and purchasing.www.itt.com

Data acquisition. Omega catalog version No. 28 contains over 150 pages of products separated into 7 sections: Automation, Sanitary, Temperature, Electric Heaters, Wireless/Data Acquisition, Pressure/Strain/Force, and Flow/Level/Environmental. The index is available for simplifying product searches, providing economical choices and accessories.www.omega.ca

High pressure air. The 164-page Catalog 24 from Exair includes an new product line along with hundreds of photos, drawings, test data and illustrations.www.exair.com

Switches. C&K Components has launched a catalog that contains more than 20,000,000 possible part numbers of standard switch products including pushbutton, tactile, detect, toggle, rocker, DIP, slide, snap, rotary, switch locks and thumbwheels.www.ck-components.com

Magnet wire specification. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has published ANSI/NEMA MW 1000-2008 Revision 2-2010 Magnet Wire. MW 1000, produced by NEMA’s Magnet Wire Section, covers general requirements, product specifications, and test procedures for magnet wire.www.nema.org

Linear motion. Exlar has announced its 2011 Product Catalog and Engineering Guide is available by download or in print by request. The catalog details a broad selection of linear and motion control products, including linear actuators, rotary motors and gearmotors, as well as new and updated products now rated for use in hazardous locations.www.exlar.com

LED lighting. Wilbrecht LEDCO has announced its 24-page catalog features panel mount LED, neon and incandescent indicators for front and rear mounting, as well as right angle and vertical LED bars for board mounting. www.wilbrechtledco.com

Process control. Parker Fluid Control Division has released a catalog for the Sinclair Collins K series process control valves. The valve line is said to offer durable, long-lasting construction in reduced- and full-flow models. The catalog lists specs and dimensions for bronze and stainless steel body versions of the valve. www.parker.com

Mechanical components. The 2011 MISUMI Metric Catalog of mechanical components for machine building and assembly automation features over 690 new pages, more than 1600 new products, and 12 new and expanded product sections.http://us.misumi-ec.com

Switches. The 14th edition Switch Guide from NKK Switches is available online and in print. The company’s SmartSwitch products have been added as well as five new product series.www.nkkswitches.com

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Tim Poupore, Ove Industrial Design (oveid.com) and ACID-O (acido.info)

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Design Product News is published six times a year for the specifiers of materials and components in product engineering (OEM); in-plant (systems); and design/production engineering (the crucial stage between finished blueprint/CAD drawing and routine mass production).

The contents of Design Product News are copyright by ©2011 Annex Publishing & Printing and may not be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

Annex Publishing & Printing disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication.

VOLUME 39 NUMBER 1 February 2011

Dr. Wayne Brodland, a professor of civil and environmental engineer-ing at The University of Waterloo

(www.uwaterloo.ca), is leading an inter-national research team into what forces are at work in the embryonic cells and tissues that ultimately form the eyes, ears,

nose, limbs and other features crucial to embryos and newborns.

Brodland could see that the cells and tissues were engaging in a sort of tug of war for dominance, and the belief is widely held that aberrations in these driving forces are the reason that tissues sometimes don’t move in a normal way and a malformation – i.e. a birth defect arises. Common examples of such irregu-larities in humans include spina bifida, cleft lip and palate and cardiac septum defects. The forces are produced by the movements of microscopic-sized tissues early in development.

For more than two years Dr. Brodland and his team observed and studied the activity of cells and tissues with the dream of using time-lapse images to determine the forces that drive their motion. One day he ran a test with a computer pro-gram that he had developed for collecting some other data and, bingo, it worked. With that success under the belt, it was easier to go back to some of the other time-lapse sets and figure out how to process the forces: “We now knew that it could be done and that our dream was not just in our imaginations.”

The technique has enabled a view of how human cells and tissues evolve and

grow in the embryo and to ‘see’ how hard each member of each team is pulling at any given moment.”

Video force microscopy (VFM), as the technique is known, represents a major breakthrough in medical science because for the first time, the forces at work in embryonic cells and tissues can be visual-ized and quantified.

“VFM allows us to learn the degree to which the driving forces are in error in cases where defects arise,” Brodland said. “Our studies have shown that certain defects can be produced by irregularities in which the magnitudes of the driving forces are changed by as little as 20% and for periods as short as a few hours. This knowledge is vitally important in designing clinical strategies to prevent birth defects.”

Brodland said that during early embryo development, sheets of tissue move in precise ways in order to form organs and other critical structures. “Although much is known about the genes expressed in many of these tissues, the mechani-cal forces that drive the motions has remained largely a mystery.”

VFM makes it possible to determine

these forces from time-lapse movies. When applied to multi-photon images of Drosophila embryos, it can reveal exactly how, when and where the mechanical forces at work in normal and defective embryos differ.

Drosophila melanogaster, although it is only a tiny fruit fly, has been the favored model system for geneticists and the study of embryogenesis for almost a century. It qualifies well for the role – the volumes of data extant and its importance for human health are already recognized. It is small with a short life cycle of just two weeks and it is also cheap and easy to keep in large numbers. Mutant flies, with defects in any of several thousand genes are available, and the entire genome has recently been sequenced.

Research at Waterloo was funded by the Human Frontiers Research Program (HFSP), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Canada (NSERC) and international agencies.

Mark Sunderland is President of Ottawa-based BioMedical Industry Group ([email protected]).

A time and motion study of embryosBy Mark Sunderland

Medical Engineering

Members of

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

A new technique called video force microscopy (VFM) allows the forces that drive cell and tissue motions to be determined from time images. On the left, is a multi-photon cross-section showing ventral furrow formation in a normal Drosophila embryo. On the right are VFM results. Green edges in the image on the right represent small equivalent edge tensions, orange modest tensions and red strong tensions.

Video force microscopy represents a major

breakthrough in medical science



Wall mounted IP67 sealed enclosures

The 1555F range from Hammond Manufacturing is a line of IP67 sealed enclosures designed for wall mounting PCB-based or DIN rail based equipment such as security components, control equipment and radio repeaters. The initial six sizes range from 4.7 x 2.60 x 1.65 in. (120 x 66 x 42 mm) to 6.30 x 3.60 x2.44 in. (159 x 91 x 62 mm).

Environmental sealing is achieved through a tongue and groove design and a moulded silicon rubber gasket; all fi xings are outside the gasket seal.www.hammondmfg.com

LED work light strip

Banner Engineering Corp. has introduced the WLS28 Work Light Strip, a solid-state LED work light intended to provide bright, long-lasting illumination inside en-closures and other areas with poor lighting conditions. Models are available in various lengths from 145 to 1130 mm, all of which share the same width of 28 mm. Typical

lifetime of the LEDs is 50,000 h of continuous operation with minimal degradation of intensity.www.bannerengineering.com

Self-clinching cable tie-mounts

PEM self-clinching cable tie-mounts and hooks provide secure attachment points for mounting wires and cables to electronic chassis or enclosures. All PEM TY-D hard-ware is said to install quickly and permanently without screws or adhesives. The hardware line includes Type TD cable tie-mounts and patented Type TDO hooks offered in several sizes for installation in metal sheets as thin as .040 in./1.02 mm and thick as .125 in./3.18 mm.www.pemnet.com

Retainers prevent board damage

Pentair Technical Products has announced Calmark brand Card-Lok Retainers, designed to secure board module as-semblies to the cold wall in cold plate heat exchanger appli-cations with no torque wrench required. They are available in 5.72 x 6.60 mm and 5.33 x 6.99 mm profi les.www.calmark.com

s u p e r i o r quality and

service, Elma was able to pro-

vide a versatile modu-lar solution that will continue to help Luna adapt their products to market conditions. With an effi cient time-saving design and value-added services, Luna was able to reduce costs and focus on what it does best.

This article was contributed by ELMA Electronic Inc.www.elma.com

Feature: Enclosures

The modular design comes stan-dard in the 2U and 4U sizes that Luna required. For redesigns or smaller revi-sions of product, the modular design makes it easy to customize to other heights, widths, and depths. Luna also uses Elma for its optical backscatter refl ectometer products.

Companies like Luna are also able to re-use the same modular enclosures for the expensive certifi cation process. Utilizing the same base enclosure plat-form, design characteristics and results can be predicted, helping to ensure suc-cess up-front. With basic to advanced shielding options, Luna was able to pick the EMI shielding level that suited their application.

Luna also takes advantage of Elma’s contract assembly services. With Elma assembling many of the components inside the sub-rack frame and enclo-

Luna Technologies, a division of Luna Innovations Inc, is a pro-vider of photonic measurement

and sensing systems that uses modular enclosures for many of its products from Elma Electronic Inc.

Luna’s Optical Vector Analyzers are used to fully characterize the signals of opti-cal components. It has various sized instru-ments, so Elma’s modular Type 32 enclo-sure was found to be a suitable product.

Luna Technologies uses modular enclosures for design flexibility

sure, the company is able to focus on their opti-cal network “slots”.

This helps it remain effi cient and focus more on their core competencies. Another value-add service that Luna capitalizes on is Elma’s custom painting. Whether its powder coating, painting, or Elma’s new digital printing for pan-els, the company can make each of the customers’ products look unique and attractive.

Overall, Luna chose Elma for a wide range of factors. With a reputation for

s u pquality

service, was able to

eny isfocus on their opti-

work “slots”

Optical backscatter reflectometer products benefited from a base

enclosure platform design

Products: Enclosures

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In Canada, for further information call 1-800-727-4183 or mail: [email protected] or visit: hannovermesse.de



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