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Software

Quality Control for Additive Manufacturing Parts Using Non-Destructive Testing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is growing in importance as a fabrication process for the space industry, enabling weight and cost savings through optimized designs...

Articles

Materials

Developing a Conformal Coating Process for Aerospace Applications

Conformal coatings protect electronic circuits from harsh environments via a chemical film that “conforms” to a circuit board’s topography. These coatings protect...

Articles

Electronics & Computers

Designing With MIL-STD-1553B Components

The interconnected backbone of a MIL-STD-1553B vehicle depends on the electrical and mechanical reliability of the components, the design, and the installation. With the vast array of MIL-STD-1553B...

Articles

Manufacturing & Prototyping

New Products & Services

Metric-Sized Metal Shapes

Parker Steel Company (Maumee, OH) offers metric-sized metals suitable for applications where presized metric parts are needed. Parker Steel’s cold-finished carbon steel, alloyed...

Articles

Photonics/Optics

Identifying and Isolating Signals Using Radio Frequency Photonics

A single antenna can be used for both transmission and reception. To accomplish this, the transmission must be isolated from the reception. In Figure 1, a radio frequency...

Application Briefs

Defense

Joint Effects Targeting System

U.S. Army Operational Test Command
Fort Hood, TX
254-287-9993
www.otc.army.mil

Forward observers, experts in directing artillery and mortar fire onto enemy targets, have been testing a new...

Articles

Aerospace

Using Thermoplastic Composites for Aerospace Applications

Recent advancements in composite production and processing are making thermoplastics a viable option in a wider array of aerospace applications.

Briefs

Aerospace

High Temperature Graphene-Peek Adhesive

Joining of composites can be a challenging issue. If adhesives are used, the joints are permanent and cannot be undone. If they need to be undone, inserts are often used and these inserts increase cost...

Application Briefs

Defense

Gun-Mounted Rangefinder

Optics 1, Inc. (Safran)
Bedford, NH
603-296-0469
www.optics1.com

Optics 1, Inc. (Safran) recently announced that its Integrated Compact Ultralight Gun-mounted Rangefinder (ICUGR) has been selected by...

Briefs

Aerospace

Bioinspired Surface Treatments for Improved Decontamination: Commercial Products

In January 2015, the Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) began an effort to evaluate and develop top-coat...

Products

Motion Control

New Products

Boundary-Scan Test Hardware Interface

JTAG Technologies (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) announced the immediate release of a new JTAG/boundary-scan test hardware interface product compatible with the MAC Panel mass...

Articles

Aerospace

Improving the Surface Finish of Additive Manufactured Parts

South West Metal Finishing has been working on an additive manufacturing surface treatment process for the last three years and believes it could be the future choice of aircraft...

Application Briefs

Defense

Enterprise Imaging System

Fujifilm Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc.
Stamford, CT
1-800-872-3854
www.fujifilmhealthcare.com

Fujifilm Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc., was recently awarded a new 10-year contract with a maximum value...

Briefs

Aerospace

Processing and Characterization of Lightweight Syntactic Materials

Conventional composite materials, in which a matrix material is reinforced by particulates, whiskers, and/or continuous fibers, have long been of interest as potential...

Briefs

Materials

Mechanical Characterization and Finite Element Implementation of the Soft Materials Used in a Novel Anthropometric Test Device for Simulating Underbody Blast Loading

Anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) have been used in automotive safety...

Briefs

Aerospace

Stress-Corrosion Cracking and Corrosion Fatigue Impact of IZ-C17+Zinc-Nickel on 4340 Steel

The protection of cathodic metallic materials used for aircraft components, like 4340, Aermet 100, and PH 13-8 corrosion-resistant steel, is critical...

Articles

Aerospace

High-Reliability Capacitors

Maintaining technological superiority remains critical for national defense forces. Many face informal adversaries that are adept at harnessing today’s sophisticated civilian technologies, like mobiles, M2M...

Articles

Defense

WIAMan

The newest crash test dummy in development is actually a blast test dummy. WIAMan (Warrior Injury Assessment Manikin) is a ground-breaking anthropomorphic test device (ATD) being developed by the U.S. Army. It’s the first...

Application Briefs

Defense

3D Printed Aircraft Parts

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing
Valencia, CA
1-888-311-1017
www.stratasysdirect.com

Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd., was recently chosen by Airbus to produce 3D printed...

News

Transportation

Caterpillar Launches First-Ever UTV

Built from the ground up in response to customer and dealer feedback, Caterpillar’s first-ever utility vehicle (UTV) models will be available in summer 2018 in both a gasoline (Cat CUV82) and...

INSIDER

Aerospace

Expert INSIDER: How Mehdi Khorrami Uses Simulation to Address Aircraft Noise

NASA’s Mehdi Khorrami explains how he uses high-performance computing to handle one of the FAA’s biggest complaints: aircraft noise.

Articles

Manned Systems

Making the Case for Battery-Electric Fleet Power

Battery-electric power is drawing more and more applications to commercial and heavy-duty fleets as the zero emission technology edges closer to a tipping point.

News

Transportation

Mack Hits the Highway with Style and Technology

Mack Trucks is making a major play to increase its market share in long-haul commercial trucking with Anthem, which combines aerodynamics and modern technical features with Mack’s...

News

Energy

Electrified Forklifts Go Big

Early in 2018, Hoist Liftruck Manufacturing will begin delivery of what it terms the “Next Generation of Hoist Electric Vehicles.” These include its TE-Series, PE-Series, Neptune Electric Series and FR-E...

Technical Innovation

Electronics & Computers

ZED Connect Brings Mobile-Based ELD to Improve Safety and Service

One of the most-pressing topics for the trucking industry this year has been the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) rule requiring the use of...

News

Test & Measurement

Nikola Tags Bosch, PowerCell for Fuel-Cell System Development

Nikola Motor Company named Bosch and PowerCell Sweden AB as primary suppliers in the development of the fuel-cell system for the Nikola Two day-cab Class 8 hydrogen-electric...

Technology Report

2019 Corvette ZR1 Aims to Stay Cool

In developing the last, highest-performance version of the current C7-generation Chevrolet Corvette, airflow management was the primary overriding concern for the car’s engineering team.

News

Power

Prodrive Helps Fast-Track Ford’s New PHEV Van Program

Motorsport engineering and design consultancy Prodrive Advanced Technology has three decades of experience helping OEM customers get the most out of their...

News

Electronics & Computers

Insurers Define What They Want from an Automated Vehicle

When automotive designers and engineers consider the safety and repair aspects of new model designs, regard must also be given to potential insurance costs. NCAP (New Car...

News

Electronics & Computers

Polestar CEO Aims to “Democratize” Performance EVs

As construction starts in Chengdu, China of the new production center for Volvo's Polestar high-performance EV brand (see Volvo’s Polestar Unveils 600-Hp Performance Hybrid), AE's...

Product Briefs

Electronics & Computers

LiDAR Sensor

The VLS-128 LiDAR sensor from Velodyne (San Jose, CA) is designed for the rapidly-expanding autonomous-vehicle market. It provides three advances for autonomous driving: reduction in vision system compute complexity, highway...

News

RF & Microwave Electronics

Vehicle Radar Test System

Engineers can use NI’s (Austin, TX) vehicle radar test system (VRTS) to test 76-81 GHz radar technology from the R&D lab through high-volume production test and from individual radar...

INSIDER

Photonics/Optics

Army Developing Lasers That Pierce Fog, Dust to Destroy Targets

A lot of people think that high-energy lasers, or HELs, can't penetrate fog, rain and dust, said Thomas Webber, director of the Directed Energy Division's Technical Center,...

INSIDER

Robotics, Automation & Control

New Unmanned Air System Tested on USS Coronado

Researchers from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) successfully tested their Nomad flight vehicle off of USS Coronado (LCS 4) recently. This test demonstrated the Nomad’s upgraded...

INSIDER

Imaging

New Invention Could Lead to Novel Terahertz Light Sources

A new device could open new avenues for the generation of high-frequency radiation with applications in science, radar, communications, security and medical imaging.

News

Electronics & Computers

Sounds like Holistic Audio System Development

Whether they’re driving cars or someday relaxing in autonomous vehicles, people are seeking better sound quality for their infotainment options. Automakers are responding by adding more...

Technology Report

Software

Thermal Management Plucks CAFE's Low-Hanging Fruit

Thermal management systems may offer the most 'bang for the buck' in the quest to improve vehicle efficiency and thus meet stringent U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards....

INSIDER

Aerospace

NASA Data Aids California Wildfire Response

NASA’s Earth resources aircraft, as well as multiple satellites, are providing critical data to aid various agencies responding to the wildfires damaging vast areas of southern California....

INSIDER

Aerospace

Drones More Damaging to Aircraft than Birds

An FAA study concluded that drone collisions with aircraft cause more structural damage than birds of the same weight for given impact speed. Even small unmanned aircraft systems can do...

Product Briefs

Electronics & Computers

Thick Film Chip Resistors

Bourns, Inc.’s (Riverside, CA) two new series of thick film chip resistors offer enhanced power ratings up to 2 W at 70°C (158°F). The Bourns Models CRMxxxxA and CRSxxxxA are sulfur-resistant and AEC-Q200...

News

Software

Lockheed Martin Brings Fury Closer to Mission Readiness

Lockheed Martin’s Fury, the expeditionary, runway-independent, unmanned air vehicle (UAV), now has engine updates that will further increase its flight endurance.

News

Automotive

2018 Stinger: Kia's Track-Capable Family Hauler

Hyundai's Kia brand has done an excellent job of expanding its product portfolio in recent years, especially in styling and quality. But has anyone looked to Kia for world-class...

News

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Lockheed Looks to Improve Efficiency with Ubisense IIoT Solution

As Lockheed Martin Aeronautics ramps up production of its fifth-generation F-35 fighter program, it is also looking to improve manufacturing efficiency. To address that...

News

Electronics & Computers

Solving the 'Grand Challenge' of Battery Research

Research universities are playing an increasingly vital role in advanced automotive battery R&D and manufacturing capability. Among several new partnerships in Europe is the British...

News

RF & Microwave Electronics

Android, CarPlay Alter Taiwanese Companies' Strategies

The expanding role of smart phones in automotive environments is altering aftermarket and OEM strategies throughout Taiwan, forcing vendors of diverse products to expand their...

Product Briefs

RF & Microwave Electronics

Photodiode Chips

Osram Opto Semiconductors (Sunnyvale, CA) offers what they claim is the world's first surface-mount technology (SMT) package for large-area photodiode chips. Suitable for use in rain sensors, the new SFH 2200 A01 and SFH...

News

Aerospace

S Series Connectors

LEMO (Rohnert Park, CA) recently redesigned the outer shell for its S series connectors with LEMO’s chocolate block design (shown). Using the half-moon insert configuration, the S series is fully compatible with the...

Product Briefs

RF & Microwave Electronics

1.0 Megapixel Imaging SOCs

Two highly integrated 1.0 megapixel CMOS image-sensing products from ON Semiconductor (Phoenix, AZ) provide a complete solution with the image sensor and processing functionality integrated within a low power SoC...

What We’re Driving

Volkswagen T-Roc

Karsten Schebsdat’s surname may be difficult to pronounce, but the ace Volkswagen chassis engineer's contribution to the T-Roc was evident the moment I entered the first corner in the new crossover.

What We’re Driving

Transportation

2018 Ram ProMaster 2500

Pickup or van? When it’s critical that cargo and tools stay dry and secure, only a van will do. My dad was a residential carpenter who owned various Dodge and Chevy panel trucks and B-vans during his career, but...

Articles

Transportation

Level Zero Hero

Okay, maybe the 2018 Jeep Wrangler could be considered SAE autonomy Level 0.5—after all, the all-new version of Jeep’s icon does offer a couple of automated driver-assist features. If you must. But apart from that...

News

Transportation

What We’re Driving: 2018 Lexus LC500

I don’t think anybody’s going to argue that Lexus designers walked the walk when transitioning the LC500 from the sharkish LF-LC concept car to the production LC coupe. I found it tough to take...

News

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Innovate, Collaborate, Adapt—find a Way to Space

Large, traditional satellites require complex systems and often a dedicated launch vehicle to place them in orbit. The immense costs associated with these endeavors have led to growing...

News

Power

Ford Plans to Move Self-Driving and Electric Vehicle Teams to Detroit

Ford is returning to its roots as the company looks to its future with the move of its key autonomous vehicle and electric vehicle business and strategy teams to...

News

Transportation

Acura Teases RDX Replacement for Detroit Auto Show

Acura confirmed it will join what’s certain to be a number of other automakers revealing new or revised SUVs at January’s Detroit auto show, releasing before the holidays a teaser...

News

Propulsion

GE, Lockheed Martin Commit to Aerion's Supersonic Bizjet

“Conditions are ripe for a supersonic renaissance,” said Brian Barents, Executive Chairman, Aerion. “We believe that speed is the next frontier in civil aviation, and we will...

News

Defense

Disruptive Flight Control Technology on Trial

A joint project between Manchester University in the U.K. and BAE Systems has seen the successful completion of the first phase of flight trials with a small unmanned air vehicle, Magma, that...

News

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Spain’s Indaero Cuts Cost, Time with 3D Printed Tooling

Spanish aerospace engineering and production specialist, Indaero, recently invested in a Stratasys Fortus 450mc Production 3D Printer to complement its existing manufacturing...