Latest Stories

Technology Report

Energy

EV Battery Safety: Advanced Coatings, Composite Solutions for Fire and Blast Protection

Thermal runaway in electric vehicle batteries is rare, but it can happen, producing smoke, fire, and explosions. This uncontrollable, self-heating state can transfer intense heat to adjacent cells and cause pressure buildups that exceed the mechanical limits of cell casings. Read on to learn how to avoid it.

Articles

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Driving down the High Cost of Overspray in Automotive Paint Processes

When painting automotive exteriors, automotive paint robot arms quickly move around the body to deliver paint. As the arm constantly changes position, the angle of...

Briefs

Aerospace

Towards Sustainable Recycling of Epoxy-Based Polymers: Approaches and Challenges of Epoxy Biodegradation

Epoxy polymers are widely used in various industries. However, the disposal of epoxy polymers and composites thereof has become a significant concern due to their recalcitrant nature and the adverse environmental effects caused by traditional recycling methods.

News

Manned Systems

Cummins Spools up New Turbo Tech

Cummins Inc. and Holset Turbocharger announced several technical revisions to their Series 850 turbocharger. The Series 850 turbo is intended for customers with high-horsepower engines ranging from 15-L to...

Briefs

Photonics/Optics

Determining Optical Material Parameters With Motion in Structured Illumination

Ellipsometry measures the amplitude ratio and the phase difference between polarized light reflected from the surface of a film and determines the refractive index or thickness by fitting the experimental data to an optical model that represents an approximated sample structure.

Briefs

Materials

New Polymer Coating Could Boost EV Batteries

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a conductive polymer coating – called HOS-PFM – that could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

Briefs

Communications

Automated Atmospheric Correction of Nanosatellites Using Coincident Ocean Color Radiometer Data

Researchers present a machine-learning-based method for utilizing traditional ocean-viewing satellites to perform automated atmospheric correction of nanosatellite data.

News

Materials

The Olfactory Factor in AV Interiors

Whether they’re riding in an autonomous shuttle, a transit bus, a train or a rental car, passengers often face cabin air full of “mal odors” — bad smells — including cigarette and vape smoke,...

Articles

Imaging

Removing Aircraft Paint Using Laser-Equipped Robots

Hexavalent chromium is not a term frequently associated with engineers. Residents of Hinkley, California, however, know all about it. So do workers tasked with the labor-intensive process...

News

Materials

3DEO Launches New Metal 3D-Printing Platform

California-based 3DEO unveiled in February its new metal 3D printing platform and patented technology, Saffron. The proprietary platform has been in development for the past five years. “Until...

Briefs

Aerospace

Fatigue Behavior of an Advanced Melt-Infiltrated SIC/SIC Composite with Environmental Barrier Coating at 1200°C in Air and in Steam

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are being evaluated for aircraft engine hot-section components.

Briefs

Electronics & Computers

Novel Whisker Mitigating Composite Conformal Coat Assessment

DoD electronics have an increased failure risk due to tin whisker short circuits, unless properly mitigated by design.

Briefs

Materials

Cold Sprayed Coatings with Dual Nanoparticle Reinforcements for Wear and Corrosion Protection

The use of cold spray has made significant strides since different-sized particles were explored in the process.

Briefs

Materials

Bio-Based Polyurethane Containing Isosorbide for Use in Composites and Coatings

Polyurethane can be easily molded or cast into a film at ambient conditions.

Articles

Aerospace

Model-Based Analysis of E-Motor Designs

In the auto industry’s shift toward electric vehicles (EV), permanent magnet motors (PMMs) are increasingly serving a variety of roles, including the vehicle’s traction motor and various...

Articles

Materials

Metamaterials R&D Targets NVH Abatement

Acoustics engineers have a broad variety of materials from which to choose for reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in vehicles. But their selection often comes with a measurable downside:...

Technology Report

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Inkjet Innovation for the Automotive Paint Shop

Robotics specialist ABB has developed painting robots that use an inkjet-type printer head with over 1,000 individually controllable nozzles, enabling higher accuracy and transfer efficiency...

Articles

Photonics/Optics

New Diamond Super-Material Enhances Aircraft Survivability

A diamond composite is the ultimate optics and semiconducting super-material.

News

Manned Systems

Carbon Fiber Research Eyes Roof Frames, Doors

It’s not just for exotic “supercars” and motorcycles anymore. The performance-enhancing attributes of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics continue to be explored by global automakers as they seek...

Articles

Test & Measurement

Does Your Coating Thickness Meet Spec?

Coatings play a critical role in preventing the corrosion or wear of metal substrates. Make sure they meet specifications.

Articles

Software

Digital Twins: How The Digital Replica Concept Is Used By Robotic Systems

Learn how digital twins improve the use and performance of robotic systems.

News

Materials

Tata Steel Europe Innovates to Retain the Automotive Materials Lead

In the constantly evolving world of automaking, Dr. Karl Haider, Chief Commercial Officer of Tata Steel Europe (TSE) is certain of one thing: that steel will continue to...

News

Internet of Things

Moving Metal AM Forward

The global 3D-printing metals market was estimated to be US $774 million in 2019, according to a recent research report by MarketsandMarkets. The research company projects the market to reach more than US $3.1...

News

Manufacturing & Prototyping

2019’s Best Automotive Plastics Innovations

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) annual Automotive Innovation Awards Competition, now in its 49th year, is considered the “Oscars” for those developing polymer and...

Articles

Electronics & Computers

Outsourcing Plasma Treatments for Surface Modification

For many manufacturers, plasma-applied coatings and surface treatments can play a significant role in new product development.

News

Test & Measurement

ZwickRoell Rallies for EV Battery Testing

A lightweight, higher-capacity lithium-ion or Li-blended battery could fast-track the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) by increasing the driving range, but progress could be easily sidetracked...

News

Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Getting a Grip on EV Fasteners

It may not get much R&D fanfare, but fastenings and their coatings will play an essential engineering role in electrified vehicles (EVs). There is an increasing demand from the auto industry for...

Articles

Test & Measurement

Streamlining Post-Processing in Additive Manufacturing

By focusing just on the AM build process, a fundamental part of the production process chain is often overlooked: post-processing.

Briefs

Materials

Hybrid Ultra-Low VOC and Non-HAP Rain Erosion Coatings

Numerous military aircraft and shipboard surfaces, such as radomes, antennas, gun shields, wing leading edges, and helicopter blade leading edges, are coated with a specialized...