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Robotics, Automation & Control

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

Energy

Enhancing the Performance of All-Solid-State Batteries

A research team from Pohang University has successfully enhanced the performance and durability of all-solid-state batteries. This breakthrough was made possible through the implementation of a novel approach known as bottom electrodeposition. Read on to learn more.

Briefs

Aerospace

On the Pulsed Laser Ablation of Metals and Semiconductors

The fundamental goal of this research is to build from a broad set of experimental and theoretical data to a narrower set of scaling relations, heuristics, and trends that provide a roadmap for understanding laser ablation across relevant regimes.

Articles

Materials

Remanufacturing Reimagined: How Selective Electroplating Extends Service Life and Reduces the Cost of Aerospace Components

Selective brush plating has dramatically evolved from its origins of touching up existing plating jobs.

Articles

Materials

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.

Application Briefs

Defense

Metal-Plated, High-Temperature Plastics

Imagine a material that lightens fuel loads and cuts costs every time a rocket blasts off from the launch pad.

Articles

Mechanical & Fluid Systems

The Challenge of Replacing Hard Chrome

Replacing hard chrome requires aerospace companies to critically evaluate why they used it in the first place.

News

Materials

Aerospace Manufacturers Turn to Non-Hazardous PVD Coatings as Regulations Tighten on Toxic Hard Chrome Plating

The search for a suitable replacement to hard chrome plating on aerospace components has been a key supply chain priority for...

News

Regulations/Standards

Fokker Uses ZwickRoell Creep Testing Machines to Test for Hydrogen Embrittlement on Landing Gear Components

Aerospace manufacturers walk a metaphorical balance beam to continually develop and produce stronger, more efficient materials and...

Articles

Materials

Improving Component Life in Abrasive, Corrosive Aerospace Environments

In industries such as aerospace, characterized by extreme operating environments that push materials and components to the edge of their design capabilities, companies are...

Articles

Aerospace

Nett Warrior

Nett Warrior is the US Army's next generation US integrated soldier system that replaces Land Warrior. It is designed to be an integrated dismounted situational awareness and mission command system for use during combat operations...

Articles

Materials

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...

Briefs

Materials

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 to...

Articles

Aerospace

Finding Alternatives to Cadmium in Aerospace Applications

It is both an exciting and a difficult time for the aerospace industry. While the sector is at its most buoyant with demand soaring in the commercial market, this is placing a strain on...

Articles

Sensors/Data Acquisition

Small Form Factor Embedded Systems

As sensor processing hardware like data converters, FPGAs and CPUs evolve to handle more channels with higher signal bandwidths, designers can develop powerful distributed signal acquisition and pre-processing...

Technology Update

Defense

Lightweighting Focus for TE's Connectivity Solutions

TE Connectivity recently announced two new aerospace connectivity solutions that offer substantial weight savings: its COPALUM Lite sealed terminals and splices, and its Raychem INSTALITE...

Briefs

Test & Measurement

Measuring Impact Damage to Toughened CFRP Laminates with Time Domain Reflectometry

Laminated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites are very effective in weight saving in aeronautical structural components. For these laminated CFRP...

Briefs

Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Reactive Structure and Smart Armor for Future Ground Vehicles

AReactive Structure Technology (RST) is a new class of smart structure that can react to external excitations (such as blast or ballistic impacts) in a carefully designed way using...

Articles

Aerospace

Active Thermal Management for Cooler Body Armor

The military places greater demands on its equipment — electronic and otherwise — than any other market segment. It is also true that it places its greatest thermal demands on the men and...

Briefs

Physical Sciences

Measuring Corrosion-Related Properties of Coupled Metals

Amethod and apparatus have been conceived for using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for determining rates of corrosion of coupled metals. EIS has been used heretofore for...

Briefs

Electronics & Computers

Microstrip Patch Antennas Containing Multi-PBG Structures

Microstrip patch antennas of a proposed type would contain photonic- bandgap (PBG) structures characterized by multiple bandgaps. In a given antenna, the PBG structure(s) could be one or...

Briefs

Materials

Plasma-Spray Coating as an Alternative to Chromium Plating

Plasma-spray application of coating materials that include tungsten carbide has been investigated as an alternative to electroplating of hard chromium onto internal metal surfaces that...

Briefs

Materials

Nonchromated Treatment for Aluminum Surfaces

AFRL scientists and engineers recently completed development of a nonchromated treatment for aluminum aircraft surfaces and structures. The new treatment method is the result of a collaborative...