DesignNews Magazine November 2011

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Accelerating Engineering Innovation

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The Truth About Compressed Air! If you think compressed air is too expensive and noisy - read this. The facts will surprise you!

Compare these Blowoffs

Facts about Blowers

There are a variety of ways to blow the water from the bottles shown in the photo below, but which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application using four different blowoff methods: drilled pipe, flat air nozzles, Super Air Knife (each using compressed air as a power source), and a blower supplied air knife (using an electric motor as a power source). Each system consisted of two twelve inch long air knives. The following comparison proves that the EXAIR Super Air Knife is the best choice for your blowoff, cooling or drying application.

Energy conscious plants might think a blower to be a better choice due to its slightly lower electrical consumption compared to a compressor. In reality, a blower is an expensive capital expenditure that requires frequent downtime and costly maintenance of filters, belts and bearings.

The goal for each of the blowoff choices was to use the least amount of air possible to get the job done (lowest energy and noise level). The compressed air pressure required was 60 PSIG which provided adequate velocity to blow the water off. The blower used had a ten horsepower motor and was a centrifugal type blower at 18,000 RPM. The table at the bottom of the page summarizes the overall performance. Since your actual part may have an odd configuration, holes or sharp edges, we took sound level measurements in free air (no impinging surface).

Here are some important facts: Filters must be replaced every one to three months. Belts must be replaced every three to six months. Typical bearing replacement is at least once a year at a cost near $1000.

Drilled Pipe

Blower Air Knife

This common blowoff is very inexpensive and easy to make. For this test, we used (2) drilled pipes, each with (25) 1/16" diameter holes on 1/2" centers. As shown in the test results below, the drilled pipe performed poorly. The initial cost of the drilled pipe is overshadowed by its high energy use. The holes are easily blocked and the noise level is excessive - both of which violate OSHA requirements. Velocity across the entire length was very inconsistent with spikes of air and numerous dead spots.

The blower proved to be an expensive, noisy option. As noted below, the purchase price is high. Operating cost was considerably lower than the drilled pipe and flat air nozzle, but was comparable to EXAIR’s Super Air Knife. The large blower with its two 3" (8cm) diameter hoses requires significant mounting space compared to the others. Noise level was high at 90 dBA. There was no option for cycling it on and off to conserve energy like the other blowoffs. Costly bearing and filter maintenance along with downtime were also negative factors.

Flat Air Nozzles

EXAIR Super Air Knife

As shown below, this inexpensive air nozzle was the worst performer. It is available in plastic, aluminum and stainless steel from several manufacturers. The flat air nozzle provides some entrainment, but suffers from many of the same problems as the drilled pipe. Operating cost and noise level are both high. Some manufacturers offer flat air nozzles where the holes can be blocked - an OSHA violation. Velocity was inconsistent with spikes of air.

The Super Air Knife did an exceptional job of removing the moisture on one pass due to the uniformity of the laminar airflow. The sound level was extremely low. For this application, energy use was slightly higher than the blower but can be less than the blower if cycling on and off is possible. Safe operation is not an issue since the Super Air Knife can not be dead-ended. Maintenance costs are low since there are no moving parts to wear out.

•

•

•

Blower bearings wear out quickly due to the high speeds (17-20,000 RPM) required to generate effective airflows. Poorly designed seals that allow dirt and moisture infiltration and environments above 125°F decrease the one year bearing life. Many bearings can not be replaced in the field, resulting in downtime to send the assembly back to the manufacturer.

Blowers take up a lot of space and often produce sound levels that exceed OSHA noise level exposure requirements. Air volume and velocity are often difficult to control since mechanical adjustments are required. To discuss an application, contact:

EXAIR Corporation 11510 Goldcoast Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45249-1621 (800) 903-9247 Fax: (513) 671-3363 email: [email protected] www.exair.com/14/423d.htm

The Super Air Knife is the low cost way to blowoff, dry, clean and cool.

Blowoff Comparison Comp. Air Type of blowoff

PSIG BAR

SCFM

SLPM

Horsepower Sound Purchase Required Level dBA Price

Annual Electrical Cost*

Approx. Annual Maintenance Cost

First Year Cost

$5,478

Drilled Pipes

60

4.1

174

4,924

35

91

$50

$4,508

$920

Flat Air Nozzles

60

4.1

257

7,273

51

102

$168

$6,569

$1,450

$8,187

Blower Air Knife

3

0.2

N/A

N/A

10

90

$5,500

$1,288

$1,500

$8,288

Super Air Knife

60

4.1

55

1,557

11

69

$494

$1,417

$300

$2,211

*Based on national average electricity cost of 8.3 cents per kWh. Annual cost reflects 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

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Accelerating Engineering Innovation

Contents

November 2011 vol. 66 no. 11

www.designnews.com

46

42

60

Cover Story 42 Smarter Integrated Actuators Advanced communication options allow position feedback and data to flow more effectively between the actuator and controller. By Al PreSher

Features 46 Infotainment Grows Up The in-car PC is gone, but in-car connectivity is back, better and safer than ever. By ChArleS J. MUrrAy

56 retooling for Compliance Manufacturers are turning to PLM platforms and new supplier management processes to keep pace with the shifting compliance landscape and the need to manage more granular data. By Beth StACkPole

60 Injected Metal Assembly Can outperform Adhesives For small component joining and assembly production, injected metal assembly can outperform most adhesives while reducing manufacturing costs. By CAl CrAIG

Columns

MAde BY MonkeYs

18 lG refrigerator Gets Frozen out Design issues are evident in touchpanel lighting. C A P tA i n h Y B r i d

20 Chevy Volt: A Different kind of luxury TheVolt is smooth, quiet, and powerful, but the price tag is high. By ChArleS J. MUrrAy

Wolfe’s den

12 Digital Factory: Deal or No Deal?

sherloCk ohMs

The digital factory of the future faces challenges of cost, compatibility, and programmability as PLCs and PACs lurch towards an integrated production cycle.

66 the Case of the Mismarked resistor A tiny, nearly insignificant part can mess up a prototype. By MIChAel NeIDICh

By AleXANDer WolFe CAlAMities

P e t ro s k i o n e n g i n e e r i n g

14 A Design engineer’s Alphabet An A to Z guide of principles for good practice. By heNry PetroSkI

70 Fire Safety requires Proper repairs & equipment Design Careless repairs and questionable design result in a major fire loss. By MyroN J. BoyAJIAN

continued > Cover Image: La36 product illustration by Peter meder, Background by Hector Torres

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5

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Contents > continued

7

GADGET FREAK

80 Remote Control Fan Relief This remote is for a propeller fan that doesn’t require line-of-sight, which makes it easier to use in the dark.

Supplements

80

Trend Watch: Automation & Control

Departments 22 Engineering Matters New Technologies Can Extend Traditional Energy Supplies

24 Green Scene Environmental News Engineers Can Use

30 News Trends, Developments, Breakthroughs

64 Social Engineering WouldYou Buy an ElectricVehicle?

68 Design Decisions

26 Mechatronics Visualizing Fundamental Design Principles

28 Data Measurement & Analysis Six-Wire Technique Nulls Stray Resistance

CONEXAG-LS25027P

In-Line Equipment Innovation Ensures Full Cure of Light Cure Adhesives

71 Design Engineering Products Best of the Engineering Marketplace

Find information on the selection of controllers for brushless dc motors, pan and tilt applications with servos, cooling tower HVAC systems, interoperability in manufacturing, RFID automation, a new can seaming machine model, and a smallscale hydroelectric system that generates power from a nearby lake. These stories also appear online at www.designnews.com. DESIGN NEWS® (ISSN 0011-9407) is published monthly by UBM Electronics, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; 516-562-5000. Periodicals postage paid at Manhasset and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS – Free to qualified subscribers as defined on the subscription card. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions, including all issues: U.S.A, $150.00 one year, $250.00 two years, $300.00 three years; Canada, $184.90 one year, $314.90 two years (includes 7% GST, GST# 123397457); Mexico, $172.90 one year, $295.90 two years; Foreign air expedited $323.90 one year, $579.90 two years. Except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are available for $10 U.S.A and $15 foreign. For telephone inquiries regarding subscriptions 763-746-2792. Email: [email protected]. CHANGE OF ADDRESS – Notices should be sent promptly to DESIGN NEWS® P.O. Box 47461, Plymouth, MN 55447 – Please provide old mailing labels as well as new address. Allow two months for change. NOTICE – Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of content; however, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of the information supplied or advertised or for any opinion expressed herein. POSTMASTER – Send address changes to, DESIGN NEWS® P.O. Box 47461, Plymouth, MN 55447, Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement 40685520. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2011 by UBM Electronics. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Piezo Motor Innovations Designed For Your Needs Connect Easily, Control Simply. Since the introduction of its Agilis™ products, Newport has continued to deliver leading advancements in piezo-motor technology. Design and manufacturing innovations have led to a breadth of low-cost, high resolution,

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closed-loop or absolute positioning piezo-motor solutions used in cutting edge research and ideal for OEM applications in the areas of cytometry, ultrafast beam stabilization and genome research. Integrated CONEX™ controllers and our exclusive NSTRUCT™ enhanced instrument management software platform, simplify the setup and allows a single point of control for your entire instrument needs.

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If you’re looking for a solution – For Motion, Think Newport. Visit www.newport.com/piezo-11 or call 800-222-6440.

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automation & control

Mechatronics Zone

National Instruments has introduced two additions to its reconfigurable I/O (RIO) technology — a reconfigurable Camera Link frame grabber and a motion module for the NI CompactRIO platform.

Picking a right real-time operating system (RTOS) is crucial for medical device manufacturers, which obtain FDA and other regulatory approvals before releasing their devices for sale.

http://bit.ly/uH4gUj

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gadget Freak

Slideshow: Messiest engineering desks

A tree-climbing robot built by a high school senior uses the basic idea of a segmented robot with a front half and a back half, connected by a telescoping spine. The front half grips the tree, and the process repeats, with the robot climbing sort of the way an inchworm does. http://bit.ly/uuviN8

Here’s a slideshow of the messiest engineer’s desks submitted by readers of our sister site EE Times.

A recent study shows that vehicle production, including materials manufacturing, accounts for approximately 25 percent of the lifecycle emissions on a vehicle. The study looks at the embedded emissions that occur before a vehicle hits the road. http://bit.ly/umeRHW

Siemens PLM Software launches the first-ever 45-day free trial of the Solid Edge CAD and Femap simulation software, hoping a test drive will spark user adoption.

After a variety of experimental offerings, Autodesk took the wraps off Autodesk Cloud, a collection of a dozen Web services designed to deliver more flexibility for sharing, viewing, and collaborating on designs.

View now at: http://bit.ly/vAdXiu Automotive marketers have told us that cars are getting “smarter”, more efficient, and safer, but what is happening from a design engineering standpoint? This presentation looks at three areas where sensor and processing technology are helping to drive automotive design.

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OEM style daughter boards, like Maxon’s EPOS2 36/2 drive/controller, offer excellent flexibility in design, but require custom wiring solutions. This process is often too expensive and time consuming for designers who may not have the resources to undertake a complete development. The new EPOS2 36/2 motherboards make product development faster and easier, giving the designer either a standalone multi-axis motor controller or one that can be integrated into the final product as a sub board.

OEM Quick Guide to Surface Finishing

autodesk cloud Makes its official debut

Webcast: test with Better Sensor technology, Make Better cars

http://bit.ly/uZRSko

Product catalog

Maxon’s Multi Axis Motor Control EPOS2 36/2 Motherboard

training guide

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cad/caM corner

RESOURCE CENTER

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This preliminary guide, A Condensed Resource on Die Cast Part Surface Finishing for OEM Design Engineers & Specifiers, will help design engineers evaluate die cast surface finishing alternatives for product appearance, durability, and protection to aid in cost-effective specification of parts produced in aluminum, magnesium, and zinc — and ZA-8 — die casting alloys. http://dn.hotims.com/34948-501 aPPlication note

Top 5 Things You Need to Know When Selecting Directional Valves

Selecting the right valve to control system pressure, direction of flow and rate of flow is crucial when designing fluid power circuitry. This online resource features the top 5 things that must be considered when specifying directional valves for any pneumatic application. http://dn.hotims.com/34948-502

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The best color sensors and soap bubbles have something in common… thin-film technology. Perhaps the most interesting portion of a soap bubble’s life is when swirls of colors dance and move across its surface.

applications, it may not be good enough for precision control of high-brightness LEDs in lighting applications. This is due to their lossy filter characteristics (resulting is less sensitivity), dye stability and aging issues, and less than optimal passband overlaps. Transmission

Interference filter

Absorption filter

Passband

> 95%

60% – 70%

Out-of-band

< 1%

10% - 20%

Table 1 – Typical characteristics of interference and absorption filters

For demanding applications, especially when used in a feedback loop to control lighting, we need miniature color sensors built with interference filters covering the photodiodes. Such a sensor could leverage thin-film manufacturing techniques to deposit sequential stacks of Figure 1 – One of Nature’s interference filters filters directly on the photodiode surfaces. The end-product Recall that white light is composed of many colors, each would have high-sensitivity, precision passband control and corresponding to a particular wavelength. If you “absorb” edge-shaping, with superior long-term stability. certain wavelengths in the visible spectrum, the resultant reflected light is no longer white, as some colors will I recently started working with a company called be absent. One of the most precise tools for selectively MAZeT which is now introducing them. Their line of reflecting and passing colors is an interference filter. color sensors use interference filters deposited onto an array of PIN photodiodes. Particularly interesting in An interference filter is a sandwich of semi-reflective applications involving the human eye, some devices have surfaces separated by a “spacer” of given thickness. The interference filters tuned to mirror the eye’s tri-stimulus internal reflection causes some wavelengths to interfere response, as defined in DIN 5033 Color Measurement (e.g., a wave crest meets a wave trough and cancels out) Standard. It “sees” light the way we do. A complete colorwhile allowing a narrow spectrum to pass through. In controlled (or white light color temperature controlled) practice there are often stacks of these sandwiches placed system involves a color sensor front-end, microcontroller, sequentially to achieve the desired passband edge shapes. PWM-driven color or bi-chromatic LEDs, and an optical Since the refractive index of air (n = 1) differs from that feedback path for the sensor to sample the instantaneous of soapy water (n ≈ 1.3), the film is semi-reflective on mixed color/CCT being emitted. An evaluation board its inner and outer surfaces. Thus the soap film itself includes the sensor in a LCC8 package and USB becomes our “spacer”. Initially, this film might be interface. It’s shown below on my business card. many hundreds of nanometers thick, causing the longer wavelengths (red end of the spectrum) to destructively interfere. Without red reflecting back, the bubble appears greenish. As water evaporates and the film begins to thin, yellow wavelengths destructively interfere, leaving blue. Eventually green then blue wavelengths will no longer be reflected, and the bubble will appear magenta… then yellow… then… pop! Generally, color sensors are built using photodiodes having broad-spectral response. So to distinguish the individual values of red, green and blue light, the photodiodes have red, green and blue filters placed above them. These are absorption filters, made from dyes or pigments. While this is often acceptable for some

Cary Eskow is Global Director of the Solid State Lighting and Advanced LED business unit of Avnet Electronics Marketing. An ardent advocate of energy efficient LED-based illumination, he has worked closely with LED manufacturers, advanced analog IC and secondary optics vendors since his first patent using LEDs was issued two decades ago. Avnet works with customers through their national team of illumination-focused sales engineers who are experienced in thermal, drive stage and optics design. Prior to his LED lighting focus, Cary was Avnet’s technical director and managed Avnet’s North American FAE team. To submit questions or ideas, e-mail Cary at [email protected]

Figure 2 – A MAZeT color sensor (with hexagonal window) mounted to a small PCB

If you’d like more information on MAZeT, visit our website (www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed) or send a note to [email protected]. Your questions and comments are always welcomed

To learn more about designing an LED-based illumination system, go to:

www.em.avnet.com/LightSpeed

12

Wolfe’s Den

Alexander Wolfe, Content Director, [email protected]

Digital Factory: Deal or No Deal? I’ve been thInkIng a lot about the “Digital Factory of the Future,” the term used to telegraph the increasingly hurried-up product to production cycles design engineers need to support via flexible automation setups. PLCs and PACs with higher capabilities for programmability and intercommunications are the cornerstone of this automated factory. The other linchpin is global programming capabilities, with the ability to deploy software out to remote or wirelessly connected production operations. Such tight interconnectedness lets plant engineers route sensor data back to a centralized location and monitor operations more closely than ever before. Whether you call this newfound f lexibility Totally Integrated Automation (Siemens) or Integrated Architecture (Rockwell) matters little; the benefits are the same. (I haven’t mentioned numerous other PLC vendors, nor National Instruments’ LabView graphical programming environment.) Yet there are roadblocks on the path towards a seamlessly integrated engineering tool chain and they’re often hard to articulate. How do engineers say that what they really want is a f lexible setup that can be reprogrammed at a moment’s notice without upsetting ongoing operations? Isn’t this what vendors are in some sense implicitly promising? Add to this the fact that you can’t know whether the f lexible chain you’ve bought into is all it’s cracked up to be until you attempt to implement your first stepfunction change. Yet you can’t get to that point without spending lots of money. That’s often not doable these days, and even when it is, guess who’s putting their job on the line? If you had to pin me down, I’d list the following as impediments we need to D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

overcome on the road to the digital factory of the future: • Cost, cost, cost. Engineers hear an attractive technological message from high cost, high value vendors in one ear, offset by the siren song of bargain online hardware in the other. • Understandability. I still don’t trust software where I can’t “see” the innards. Stuxnet makes that worse, by stoking my fears that gremlins might be permeating my plant. I want transparency, not just programmability. • Open standards and bus compatibility. When we can’t even agree on common terminologies amidst all the competing layers and standards, there’s a lot of work left to be done. • Safety. Strictly speaking, this is part of standards. A rising awareness of certifiable safety, spurring domestically by the need for global vendors to comply with European standards already on the books, is pushing this issue to the forefront. • Enterprisation of the factory. I’ve coined a word here — “enterprisation” — to put a name to another issue I have a hard time describing. What I mean is that the implementation of the integrated digital factory requires many more hands from the world of traditional information technology (IT) than plant people are used to. Do those people get it? Do they know what they don’t know? This is a soft, under-theradar challenge, but it could be the makeor-break issue. What do you think of my list? Send an email with your thoughts to [email protected].

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Sometimes you don’t know what you’re looking for until you find it. We might just have that solution for you. If your current design challenge involves access, positioning, or some kind of movement solution, talk to us—we’re the experts. From the discovery discussion to setting up the manufacturing line, we’ll be there with you, to help move your market forward.

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PETROSKI ON ENGINEERING An Engineer’s Alphabet of Thoughts on Design THERE ARE NO HARD and fast rules for achiev-

ing success in design, but there are principles of good practice. Here are some of my feelings on the subject, some thoughts and observations ranging from A to Z: Aesthetics. How something looks is always important. This does not mean that it has to be a work of art, just that it should Henry Petroski look appropriate to its function. Bugs. It is always better to assume that a design contains a bug than to believe that it does not. A designer should never check a design without having a supply of insecticide handy. Constraints. There should always be strings attached to a design idea; they keep it from f loating off into irrelevance. Design. This is the most creative and most fundamental aspect of engineering. Other engineering activities, including that called engineering science, should be in service to design. Economics. The self-made American engineer Arthur M. Wellington (1847-1895), in his book on the economic theory of the location of railways, defined engineering as “the art of doing well with one dollar, which any bungler can do with two after a fashion.” Failure. This thing that designers want most to avoid should always be first and foremost in their mind. Otherwise, how could they design against it? Glass Part Full. It has been said that engineers view a partly filled glass neither as optimists nor as pessimists: They simply see the glass as improperly designed.

Harmony. The members of any good design team should fit together like fingers in a glove: They need not lose their individual identities to work well together. Inventiveness. Engineers are as creative as inventors. Engineers just call their inventions designs. Judgment. Not all aspects of engineering can be quantified, and among those that cannot is judgment. This comes with experience, and it enables an engineer to make the right choice when there are no easy numbers to serve as guides. Know-How. Technical skill, also known as know-how, is a wonder to behold, whether in analysis or design.

Design without vision is like eyeglass frames without lenses. Lessons Learned. The old saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me,” applies to things made by people as well as to the people themselves. Mind’s Eye. This term has been used frequently by engineers to refer to their nonverbal visualization of concepts and designs. James Nasmyth (18081890), the Scottish engineer who invented the steam hammer, wrote at the time of its conception, when he sketched it out in his notebook, of “having it all clearly before me in my mind’s eye.” Neatness. Neatness always counts. A cluttered design, like a messy desk, can give an impression of

Henry Petroski is the Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor of Civil Engineering and a professor of history at Duke University. His latest book, An Engineer’s Alphabet: Gleanings from the Softer Side of a Profession, has just been published. He can be reached at [email protected]. D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

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Petroski on Engineering disorganization. It may be a false accusation, but why risk it? Overdesign. What overeating does to a person, overdesigning does to a product. Prototype. Nothing can be more beautiful to a designer than an ugly prototype that works. Quality. There is nothing more satisfying than a device that boasts quality of concept, quality of design, quality of components, quality of assembly, quality of appearance, and quality of operation. Redesign. If designing from scratch is akin to art, is redesigning akin to art criticism? Sketch. At the conceptual design stage, a sketch can be worth a thousand sentences. Theory. Throughout the history of technology, there has been the desire to make devices, like the steam engine and airplane, for which there was

insufficient theory on which to base design decisions. Sometimes engineering accomplishment has to precede scientific understanding.

accidents and worry which prevents them.” X. Embarking on a radical new design is like striking out into the unknown. While the letter x is associated with the unknown, it also marks the spot. Yes. Confronted with a design challenge, it is scientists — who think they know Nature’s secrets — who are likely to say, “No, it can’t be done.” Engineers are more likely to say, “Yes, we can do it.” Zen. In 1974, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by the American writer Robert Persig, was published; it has been assigned reading in many an engineering design course since. The book is a meditation on the nature of design and the idea of quality, good things for any designer to ref lect upon. DN

There should always be strings attached to a design idea; they keep it from floating off into irrelevance. Unknown Unknowns. Designing something that goes beyond the envelope of experience necessarily involves venturing out into unknown territory, where the “unk-unks” hide. Vision. Design without vision is like eyeglass frames without lenses. Worry. According the British aeronautical engineer James E. Gordon (1913-1998), writing of innovative designs, “It is confidence that causes

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LG Refrigerator Gets Frozen Out If the new deluxe LG fridge was not designed by monkeys, then it was surely designed by folks who never had to actually live with it and use it.The problem is design, not reliability. There are a number of areas where poor design is evident, starting with the lighting on the touch panel. There is no problem during the day, but at night there should be a photocell-controlled nightlight. There isn’t. Other companies have utilized lighting for years, but not LG. Does the sun never set in Japan? You can turn on the nightlight manually. That is, if you can f ind the switch in the dark. Good luck. Yet even with the nightlight on in a dark room, it’s still impossible to read the button nomenclature. Why not just leave the nightlight on permanently? It’s LED, so it should use minimal power. There is another design faux pas. My fridge is a “Frenchdoor” model, so the icemaker is necessarily in the refrigerator, not freezer, door. The tiny amount of additional heat from the extra illumination when you turn on the light causes the ice in the bin to melt just enough to jam. If you leave the light on overnight, your f irst job in the morning will be to empty a block of stucktogether ice from the bin. Looking further down, there are two freezer drawers. The two-drawer model costs extra, so it must be better than the one-drawer model, right? Not so fast. This is actually a capacity-decreasing option. Rather than using the same mechanism between the drawers that they use to seal the area between the refrigerator doors, the horizontal “ joint” between the freezer drawers is done the old-fashioned way, by adding a horizontal bar. This bar effectively casts a shadow across the freezer space. That means that nothing stacked above that line can ride back into the freezer when the drawers slide closed. In each of these design snafus, just a bit more thought could have resulted in a better design. Mine is a deluxe model with far-from-deluxe design.

There are a number of areas where poor design is evident, starting with the lighting on the touch panel.

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Made by Monkeys highlights products that somehow slipped by the QC cops. E-mail your examples to Rob Spiegel at [email protected]. D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes. ©2011 Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved.

LOOKING FOR DESIGNERS TO PUSH THIS BABY PROJECT 3: HOT ROD BABY BUGGY Help host Jeremy Luchini design the first hardcore baby buggy using SolidWorks®. You’ll share ideas, comment on designs and vote on key decisions throughout the project. If you think you’re ready, let’s go design. Watch. Share. Vote. LetsGoDesign.tv

20

Captain Hybrid designnews.com/blog/Captain_Hybrid

Chevy Volt: A Different Kind of Luxury The Volt is smooth, quiet, and powerful, but the price tag is high. By CHARLES J. MURRAY, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test

Reviewing a Chevy volt is a lot like assessing a low-end BMW, Mercedes, or Lexus. Although the Volt has a Chevy nameplate, it’s still a luxury car — albeit a car for those with an untraditional sense of luxury. The reason for saying that is simple: The Volt that I recently drove has a sticker price of $44,680. Most buyers will also need to add a 240V charging station to their homes or garages at about $1,500 to $2,000 a pop, installed. So the bottom line is that it’s going to be a tough sell for a young engineer with a family and an $80,000-a-year salary. That said, the Volt is a triumph of energy-efficient engineering. The 16kW battery and the 149hp electric drive unit provide a lot of oomph, making it accelerate in a way that few production vehicles can today. Moreover, the Volt’s launch is smooth and quiet — so quiet, in fact, that riders in our car universally felt that they were experiencing a new automotive phenomenon. The Volt, they said, really is different. The real question, of course, is whether the Volt uses energy as wisely as everyone hoped. I took the car on drives through stop-and-go traffic, as well as on 70mph expressways. During a 37.7 mile city drive, the Volt performed flawlessly, returning home with one mile remaining on its battery charge. For that drive, the vehicle estimated its fuel efficiency at 250+mpg. On an expressway drive, it burned through its battery charge in 33 miles and averaged 52.6mpg. Luckily, owners who are curious about their energy usage will have an

easy method of monitoring it. The Volt’s center console display offers a multitude of ways to look at energy consumption, using figures and pie charts. The display also incorporates a power flow diagram, which unmistakably shows where power is coming from in real time. It provides information for all modes: engine power, battery power, and even battery regeneration. That’s an important feature, given the fact that many prospective Volt owners are highly energy conscious. Most owners will want to recharge the Volt at 240V, which means that the extra home rewiring charge is almost inevitable. Our recharge time was 10 hours for 120V, 3.5 hours at 240V. As mentioned, our Volt sticker price was $44,680, which is about $4,700 more than the Volt’s published price of $39,995. The reason for the extra cost lies in its options: leather seating, premium door trim, heated seats, rear camera, park assist, and forged polished alloy wheels. Cost conscious consumers should also know that the 435 pound T-shaped battery will eventually need replacement. And if you like to keep your vehicles for 10 or 12 years, the cost could be substantial. GM is not saying what the replacement cost will be, however. The bottom line, though, is that the Volt is not just a vehicle for those who study their carbon footprint. It’s an astonishing vehicle — a lot of fun to drive, yet stingy in its use of energy. Whether or not you want to pay more than $40,000 for it depends on your definition of luxury. Read more about our Volt test drive at http://dn.hotims.com/34948-503. DN

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ENGINEERING MATTERS Focus on the Future of Engineering

New Technologies Can Extend Traditional Energy Supplies WITH THE WELL deserved celebration of new green

technologies and renewable energy sources, one might think that good old oil and gas were rapidly becoming a thing of past. However, the just released study, “Prudent Development: Realizing the Potential of North America’s Abundant Natural Gas and Oil Resources1,” produced at the request of Energy Secretary Stephen Geoffrey C. Orsak Chu by the federally appointed National Petroleum Council (NPC), makes the strong case that natural gas and oil will continue to be the dominant source of U.S. energy for many decades to come, and this might not be a bad thing. Today, we understand better than ever that access to energy is not only an economic necessity, but also drives our domestic and foreign policy leading to often polarizing debates around issues including the environment and national security. Because of this, the application of smart engineering to reduce the consumption of energy should be one of our field’s top technical priorities. While significant progress is being made along this path, there is still a great deal of efficiency yet to be wrung out of our transportation systems, buildings, and appliances, just to name a few. This hard work, today and into the future, will indeed have a major impact on our domestic energy needs. But with various projections of the global demand for energy dramatically increasing as a consequence of development and population growth, it would be wise for our nation (and others as well) to develop domestic resources that can ultimately lead us from our current energy position, through

a state of energy security, to a national goal of energy independence. The formula for doing this will certainly include energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear, coal, and hopefully others as well, but the 400 plus experts who contributed to this NPC report (more than half of whom came from industries other than the oil and gas sector) make the strong case that with proper federal oversight and regulation, oil and gas can be the dominant energy player well into the future. Some obvious questions emerge from these strong conclusions: Can we develop these resources in an environmentally responsible manner, and can we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while utilizing these carbon-based energy supplies? Fortunately, recent technologies developed over the last two decades, such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, have reduced the environmental impact of exploration, while the potential of new carbon capture and sequestration technologies are beginning to look promising. However, the study also wisely recommends intelligent federal regulations that protect our environment while also allowing for the development of these energy resources to remain economically competitive. In accepting this report, Secretary Chu commented on the folly of long-term predictions by pointing out one recent estimate that turned out to be grossly in error. Before the turn of the century, it was predicted that vehicle growth in China would increase by a staggering six fold in the decade 2000-2010. Now that the date has past, we know that it actually increased by 20 fold. So, we should all be pleased to find that North American energy reserves are here to power our nation for decades to come. DN

1 www.npc.org/Prudent_Development.html. In full disclosure, I serve the secretary of energy as a member of the National Petroleum Council. I did not participate in this study.

Geoffrey C. Orsak is Dean of the SMU Lyle School of Engineering. He can be reached at [email protected]. D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

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GreenScene Environmental news engineers can use \\\ By Rob Spiegel, Senior Editor

P&W Engine Delivers Fuel Savings A new jet engine created by three aircraft suppliers has rethought engine design. Pratt & Whitney has teamed up with Japan Aero Engines Corp. and Aero Engines to create the PurePower PW1000G-JM engine for Airbus. The PurePower PW1100G engine series uses an advanced gear system that allows the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed from the low-pressure compressor and turbine. According to Pratt & Whitney, the combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core deliver double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency as well as driving down emissions and noise.

Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower Aircraft Engine.

Federal-Mogul Ignition Offers 10 Percent Fuel Efficiency Gain

Major Savings from Fuel Standards

Turns out an advanced ignition system can signifi cantly cut fuel consumption. Federal-Mogul has announced an Advanced Corona Ignition System (ACIS) designed to outperform conventional spark-ignition systems in fuel efficiency. ACIS is currently undergoing development with several customers. The company reports that so far, custom- Federal-Mogul’s advanced ignition system. ers are seeing a 10 percent fuel efficiency spike over spark ignition. thorough combustion and enables adThe Corona ignition creates a larger, vanced combustion strategies such as high-intensity plasma ignition source lean burn, highly diluted mixtures, and that is spread throughout the combus- very high exhaust gas recirculation, to tion chamber. This provides a more further increase fuel efficiency.

Increases in automotive fuel standards could deliver some surprising savings, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Union of Concerned Scientists. The groups conducted a study on the impact of requirements that would force automakers to produce vehicles that would average 54.5 miles per gallon and emit 163 grams of CO2 per mile. They found that Americans would save $44.3 billion at the gas pump each year. U.S. dependence on oil would be slashed by 23.7 billion gallons per year, and heat-trapping carbon pollution would be reduced by 280 million metric tons — the equivalent of having 40 million fewer vehicles on the road each year.

GREEN UPDATES

For regular updates on sustainable engineering news, follow Content Director Alexander Wolfe at http://twitter.com/awolfe58.

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Visualizing Fundamental Design Principles With practice, these principles become transparent in a design. WHEN I WAS WORKING with him, I observed, listened, and

always learned. His understanding and insight brought fundamental design principles to light in both what existed and what was yet to be. For me, that person was Vittorio Castelli, Columbia University Professor and Xerox Senior Research Fellow. For over 30 years, Rino, as he was known to all, guided and inspired me and others as a mentor, educator, and inventor with unbounded energy and passion. Mentoring is a key element in fostering innovation. Each one of us can be that mentor for a young engineer or student. What are these fundamental design principles and how can they become ingrained in an individual? When viewing an existing design or creating a concept to solve a need, fundamental principles as images will guide the designer to achieve what was thought impossible. As breadth of knowledge has been continuously traded for depth of knowledge, awareness of these principles has diminished. Here is a top ten list with brief explanations, many from the works of A. Slocum and J. Skakoon. 1. Laws of Nature: Predict before you build! Understanding the basic laws of nature is essential to know the fundamental limitations of a design, to predict how a design will perform, and to know how to improve an existing machine. 2. Simplicity vs. Complexity: Create designs that are explicitly simple. Keep complexity intrinsic, buried, and invisible. The less thought and less knowledge a device requires for production, testing, and use, the simpler it is. 3. Exact-Constraint vs. Elastically Averaged Design: Use exact constraint when designing precision structures and mechanisms, i.e., apply just enough constraints to define a position or motion, no more, no less. Controlled compliance can make an overconstrained design more stable, however, e.g., a five-caster chair to improve load bearing, a multiple ball bearing to compensate for geometric errors. 4. Load Paths: Plan load paths in parts, structures, and assemblies. Keep them short, direct, symmetric, locally closed, and easily analyzed, e.g., the bicycle handbrake, which is squeezed rather than pulled or pushed. D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

5. Self-Help: Forces applied to a structure or mechanism are used to great advantage when they create new, useful forces, transform or redirect themselves, balance themselves or existing loads, and help to distribute loads. Examples are the tubeless tire, left- and right-handed scissors, and a balanced door with an articuKevin C. Craig, Ph.D., lated hinge. Robert C. Greenheck 6. Independent Functions: Keep the Chair in Engineering functions of a design independent from Design & Professor of one another. Of course, everything in Mechanical Engineerdesign is a compromise. Combining ing, College of Engineering, Marquette functionality might have benefits. University. 7. Accuracy, Precision, and Resolution: Accuracy, precision, and resolution of a machine’s components and the manner in which they are combined are the most important factors affecting the quality of a machine. Always identify the directions in which accuracy and precision are most important, i.e., the sensitive directions. 8. Stability: Before performance, there must be stability. Marginally stable designs work only on paper. Designs must have adequate stability margins. Beware of buckling of compression members. 9. Saint-Venant’s Principle: Several characteristic dimensions away from an effect, the effect is essentially dissipated. And if an effect is to dominate a system, it must be applied over several characteristic dimensions of the system. 10. Manage Friction: Friction is always present, that is certain. How much friction, and its consequences, are uncertain. Manage it! Avoid sliding friction and use rolling element bearings whenever possible. DN

designnews.com Visit the Mechatronics Zone for the latest mechatronics news, trends, technologies and applications: http://mechzone. designnews.com

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DATA MEASUREMENT & ANALYSIS

Unbelievably useful info on data measurement, collection and analysis from the test expert

Six-Wire Technique Nulls Stray Resistance Insulator

Test Probes

Ra

THE BOSS PICKED YOU to design

equipment to measure in-circuit resistances on circuit boards as they reach the end of a production line, and a colleague suggested you investigate 6-wire measurements. But why would you need six wires to measure Jon Titus an in-circuit resistance? A four-wire ohmmeter, usually part of a digital multimeter (DMM), connects the DMM’s current source to a resistor via a pair of leads. A second set of leads connects the DMM’s voltmeter to the resistor. Resistances in the current leads do not matter because the DMM measures the voltage at the resistance. And the resistances in the voltmeter leads have little effect because the DMM draws a very small current. That technique works for a standalone resistor, but when you have a network of resistors and must measure the resistance of only one, things get complicated. The figure shows a typical circuit in which you must measure resistance Rx in the presence of two other resistances. In this case, resistances Ra and Rb will affect a 2- or 4-wire measurement because current from the DMM source will f low through them, as well as through resistor Rx. By using an

Rx

A B

Conductor Lead Resistance

6-Wire DMM Rb operational amC A plifier — essentially a buffer Ra – I amplifier — you V B Rx + drive point B Rb in the circuit C to the same potential as that A DMM that offers 6-wire measurements lets you guard an unknown found at point A. resistance with another resistance path that conducts current. The Thus, no current drawing on the left shows an equivalent test fixture that might include f lows through resistive paths. Ra. This technique goes by the name sulator, as shown in the figure. Nylon, “guarding.” When the op amp drives for example, will absorb moisture in a point B to the same potential as point A, humid atmosphere and thus its insulatcurrent will f low through resistor Rb, ing properties will change. You might hear of other 6-wire meahowever. That current can reach tens of milliamps, but it will not affect the volt- surement techniques, but they involve age measured across the unknown resis- shielding, or separate wires to drive a detance. You can buy 6-wire measurement vice, correct the drive signal, and measure a sensor output. They do not use equipment. Even if you won’t measure resis- guarding to null unwanted resistance. tance in a network, this type of guarding comes in handy in other accurate A Reed Relay Reference resistance measurements, such as those Several recent columns discussed the on a test fixture. Unseen dirt, absorbed use of reed relays in measurement moisture, and thin oil films on the insu- equipment. Pickering Electronics has lating portion of a fixture will provide published an informative 32 page refera high-resistance path in parallel with a ence, “Reed RelayMate,” that you can resistance you must measure. But split obtain for free.To receive or download a the fixture and insert a conductor be- copy, visit: www.pickeringrelay.com/ tween the two contacts, and you have relaymate.html. DN the equivalent of the resistances Rx, Ra, and Rb described earlier. A 6-wire For More Information: DMM can drive the conductor and pre- 1. “Obtain More Accurate Resistance vent current f low through or on the in- Measurements Using the 6-Wire Ohms

Jon Titus, a former designer and chief editor of EDN and Test & Measurement World magazines, remembers when “fast” signals operated at 10 MHz and programs came on paper tape. D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Measurement Technique,” http://dn.hotims.com/34948-504 2. “Improve Resistance Measurement Accuracy with 6-Wire Technique,” http://dn.hotims.com/34948-505

Name Dr. Christian Altenbach, Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer Job Title Research Ophthalmologist Area of Expertise Biophysics LabVIEW Helped Me Analyze and visualize data interactively using custom algorithms Latest Project Mapping molecular structure changes during activation of the light receptor, rhodopsin

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PROGRAM the way I think

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GM’s New All Electric Car 32 Machines Fabricated from MEMS 34 Smart Grid’s Tech Challenge 37

Trends \\\ Breakthroughs \\\ Developments

The SlapShot XT robot can execute a slap shot like a professional hockey player at speeds of up to 110mph.

Hockey Robot Stresses Sticks With Slap Shots Hockey Robotics’ testing robot takes professionalgrade slap shots, helping stick manufacturers more effectively evaluate design tradeoffs around performance and durability. changed the game of hockey, delivering lighter and more flexible sticks that promise to boost player performance. But all this muscular shot power comes at a price: Composite hockey sticks, particularly the two-piece designs, are notorious for breaking, often at inopportune moments that can cost teams the game. John McPhee, a mechanical engineering professor in the Systems Design Engineering Department at the University of Waterloo and an avid hockey player, saw

Composites have

an opportunity to improve those odds. Based on his experience using robots to evaluate the technical claims of golf club manufacturers, McPhee saw an opening to apply similar robotics testing to hockey stick designs, helping manufacturers develop high-performance sticks with lasting durability. Traditionally, hockey sticks — be it the old wooden kind or the more modern composite models — are put through their paces with player testing, which McPhee maintains is highly subjective. Robot testing, on the other hand, alleviates any potential guesswork. “Player feedback is great, but it’s not always trustworthy,” he told us. “Put a stick on a robot and you can take the same shot over and over again and compare one design against the other. You can have confidence that the design is better or not as good. It delivers very repeatable test results.”

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McPhee says the testing can encompass anywhere from 10 shots up to a few hundred with the robot. But it’s never around 1,000 shots, despite the fact the sticks being tested are scar- and nick-free, unlike sticks used in the rink, which are typically marked with gouges or chips that facilitate breakage. While the hockey stick testing application seemed like a no-brainer, the robot design was not. Unlike the golf robots that McPhee was familiar with, the hockey stick robot needed to have at least two arms, and the arms had to be synchronized so they could work in tandem to perform a slap shot. The fact that the design called for both mechanical and electrical control systems presented a second challenge. Undeterred, McPhee and his team opted to move forward. Their first step in creating the robot was to understand the motion of the hockey stick during a

Name Dr. Dave Barrett Job Title Professor, Mechanical Engineering Area of Expertise Robotics LabVIEW Helped Me Bridge the gap between teaching theory and realworld design experience Latest Project Building a robotic tuna to swim across the Atlantic Ocean

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slap shot. To do so, the team deployed advanced motion-tracking devices and high-speed cameras, harnessing real, live hockey players to capture the trajectory of the stick at different locations. Once the behavior was well understood, Siemens PLM Software’s NX 6 CAD tool was engaged to do the detailed geometry and finite element analysis work. Because NX’s focus is more on mechanical aspects, the team brought in a tool that enabled it to create a unified virtual model that addressed the mechatronics aspects of robot — specifically, both the mechanics and the electrical motor and control system, McPhee said. The physical modeling and simulation tool, Maplesoft’s MapleSim, let McPhee’s team, now formally incorporated and staffed as Hockey Robotics, do a number of things. Most significantly, MapleSim let Hockey Robotics efficiently simulate the coupled dynamic electrical and mechanical behavior of the equipment, while also letting the team quickly prototype the designs and investigate the motion of the mechanisms. With MapleSim, the team was also able to concurrently study the flexible body deformation and rigid body motion of the robot — a task, McPhee said, that would have been extremely time-consuming and error-prone if done by hand. “The beauty of having a unified model is that you avoid going back and forth between two separate models,” said McPhee, who serves as chief scientist at Hockey Robotics in addition to his professorial duties. “You avoid doing the electrical stuff independently of the mechanical stuff and then going to the mechanical side to see how the electrical side is turning out and vice versa.” Based on the MapleSim model, the Hockey Robotics team was able to complete its final prototype of the hockey stick robot last March. Called the SlapShot XT, the robot employs a four-bar mechanism to match the hockey player’s motion, and a flywheel maintains the stick’s momentum dur-

ing contact with the ice. There are also robotic hands that allow the stick to bend about two axes — a movement that stores and releases strain energy throughout the shot. The result of this design is a robot that can execute just like a hockey professional — in fact, the robot can take a slap shot at speeds of up to 110mph. Hockey Robotics is currently using the SlapShot XT robot in-house to deliver hockey stick testing services to customers. One customer recently used the robot to evaluate two possible designs, and as a result found that one stick could perform six miles an hour faster than the other, McPhee said. Do that a few times, and we’ll call that a hat trick. — Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor, Design Hardware & Software

For More Information: Hockey Robotics: http://hockeyrobotics.com To watch a video, go to: http://dn.hotims.com/34948-506

Electronics & Test

GM to Build First AllElectric Car Since EV1

General Motors quietly resumed its commitment to electric cars last week, officially announcing that it will produce and sell a new vehicle called the Spark EV in 2013. Without a trace of the fanfare

that accompanied the announcement of the Chevy Volt in 2007, GM said its new car will be sold in limited quantities in select US and global markets, and will be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack from A123 Systems. The Spark EV will be the first all-electric vehicle built by GM since it scrapped its infamous EV1 program a decade ago.

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Chevy’s Spark EV will be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack from A123 Systems.

“This car will not be aimed at the mainstream buyer, as the Volt was,” noted Dave Hurst, senior analyst for Pike Research, in a Design News interview. “It’s just too small.” Indeed, a GM press release refers to the Spark as a mini-car, about “three feet longer than the Smart Fortwo and four inches longer than the Fiat 500.” GM is believed to be targeting the vehicle toward Asia. “The Voltec technology in the Volt certainly has a place in the US, China, and Europe,” Randy Fox of GM told us. “But there are other markets that will be best served by these vehicles.” Hurst said he expects India to be a key area of concentration for the Spark EV. There, he said, mini-car-sized vehicles are considered much more acceptable, and government agencies don’t require the same safety features that have become common in the US. The biggest factor, however, could be cost, he said. “You’ve got lower incomes there,” Hurst said. “In India, mainstream buyers are looking at two-wheel vehicles and much cheaper cars.” GM says the smaller vehicle is also better suited to Asia’s high population density. “When you get into the mega-cities and the shorter driving commutes that they have in those regions, the Spark EV might be a better fit than a vehicle like the Volt,” Fox said. GM will power the Spark EV with A123 Systems’ nanophosphate lithiumion battery technology. In August, the giant automaker said it would partner with A123 on the development of battery technology “at both the cell and system

Source: Chevrolet

32 News

Name Hector Guajardo Betancourt, Certified LabVIEW Architect Job Title Automated Test an d Control Engineer Area of Expertise Manufacturing Test LabVIEW Helped Me Reduce test time by more than 10X Latest Project Building a vision-based inspection system for washing machine drums

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34 News level” for vehicles in global markets. At the time, GM also announced that it was teaming with LG Group, a South Korean electronics and battery manufacturer, to jointly design and engineer future electric vehicles. The automaker has not yet announced any specific vehicle programs involving LG, however. Hurst said he expects the Spark EV battery to be smaller and less costly than the batteries seen in earlier EVs: “This vehicle is not going to need the same speed or the same range as other electric vehicles, such as the Leaf. There’s not going to be the same concern about going 50 miles per hour in India.” — Charles Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test

For More Information: A123 Systems: www.a123systems.com Pike Research: www.pikeresearch.com

Materials & Assembly

Is There a Diamond Machine in Your Future?

Researchers at the Sandia Corp. have created complete machines with gears and microscopic transmissions fabricated from microelectromechanical systems. ScientiStS and engineers have created and used microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) since they mastered the fabrication techniques used to transform lab curiosities into sensors, microphones, security devices, engines, and even electromechanical switches for smartphones. Researchers at the Sandia Corp. have created machines complete with gears

and microscopic transmissions. But like all mechanical components, MEMS devices suffer from a variety of failure mechanisms. The US National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) recently publicized a new direction for MEMS devices by “machining” diamonds — the hardest substance known. According to NIST, semiconductor makers hope the diamond-etching techniques will let them develop components for long-lasting micro-machines. In the abstract for a research paper, authors Craig McGray, et al., note:

Etching of monocrystalline diamond in oxygen and water vapor at 1100C through small pores in a silicon nitride film produced smooth-walled rectangular cavities. The observed cavities ranged in size from approximately 1μm up to 72μm wide, in each case exhibiting smooth, vertical sidewalls,

Don’t slip up with ball screw actuators.

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Choose the all-in-one actuator solution with roller screw technology. Tritex™ is the compact, low maintenance motion solution with an integrated controller, amplifier, motor and advanced roller screw actuator, all in one efficient, sealed package. Eliminate complexity and get the most performance in the smallest footprint. Compare and learn more at www.exlarcorp.com Exlar’s patented roller screw actuators outperform ball screw actuators in life, load, speed and acceleration.

Controller Amplifier Motor Actuator

News 35

So far, the NIST researchers have created virtually indestructible nanorulers, but the etching technology might lead to improvements in MEMS devices because moving parts made of diamond should last much longer than those fabricated from silicon. The inherent cubic-crystal structure of diamonds should also help researchers — and later, engineers — create precision structures. According to NIST, the speed of the etching process depends on the orientation of the diamond crystal. Etching occurs more slowly in the direction of the crystal faces or planes, which can serve

Source: NIST

a flat bottom, and a depth equal to half its width. Cavity boundaries were determined to lie along slow-etching (100) crystallographic planes, suggesting the possibility of a powerful class of techniques for micromachining of diamond.

The NIST team etched a box-like shape of a pit into a diamond surface. The pit has smooth vertical sidewalls and a flat bottom.

as a boundary of sorts where etching would cease as desired. “We’d like to figure out how to optimize control of this process next,” said McGray, “but some of the ways diamond behaved under the conditions we used were unexpected. We plan to

explore some of these mysteries while we develop a prototype diamond MEMS device.” I don’t relish the idea of having to develop a diamond-etching process with 1100C water vapor formed from hydrogen and oxygen in a reaction chamber, but additional research might uncover other etching and manipulation techniques that lead to diamond-based MEMS. The NIST paper and announcement made no mention of creating structures on the diamond surface, but perhaps deposition of diamond or diamond-like materials could lead to layers of complicated mechanical movements. And even a diamond substrate might improve reliability of present MEMS structures. — Jon Titus, Contributing Technical Editor

For More Information: Craig McGray, et al. Research Paper: http://dn.hotims.com/34948-507

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Note: Pricing based on 100 units purchased at an industrial distributor. Loctite® pricing based on 50 ml bottle price and number of drops required per application.

Except as otherwise noted, all marks used in 7434 are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Henkel and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere. ® = registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. © Henkel Corporation, 2011. All rights reserved. 7434 (8/11)

RESHAPE THE FUTURE OF PLASTICS From the plastics of today to the engineered materials of tomorrow, our industry unites in 2012 to Break the Mold at The International Plastics Showcase. For the first time ever, professionals from around the world will gather in Orlando to uncover the latest tools and techniques needed to reshape the industry itself — and continue our impressive evolution. Make plans now to participate in NPE2012 and see the latest in bio-renewable thermoplastics, injection molding, polymer nanocomposites, nanofibers and the green technologies that are changing the way we do business. Join tens of thousands of like-minded professionals to share success stories and explore solutions to the exciting challenges we face today and tomorrow. The must-attend NPE2012 promises to deliver everything plastics — and your greatest opportunity to reshape your organization for maximum productivity. Visit us online at www.npe.org.

The International Plastics Showcase April 1– 5, 2012 | www.npe.org Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Florida USA

News 37 Automation & Control

Source: US Energy Information Administration

Smart Grid’s Massive, Multidisciplinary Tech Challenge

Communications integration; advanced control, sensing, metering, and metrics; and a human interface methodology are still on the smart grid architects’ to-do list. The buildouT of the smart grid is a monumental task that will take decades to accomplish. The to-do list for its designers includes integrating communications across the grid, developing advanced control methods, and tackling advanced sensing,

systems, we should anticipate that new power technologies will give rise to innovative systems that may leapfrog our familiar lineup of power plants, wires, and meters,” Theodore F. Craver, Jr., chairman of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), stated in EPRI’s State of the Technology 2011 report. Meanwhile, as renewable energy sources are developed and Between 2009 and 2010, renewable energy consumption rose by 6 percent, to more than 8 quadril- deployed, industry participants lion BTUs. must find ways to connect those metering, and measurement issues. sources to the current, aging national They’ll also have to design advanced electric grid. At its most basic level, grid components that incorporate the task involves converting solar superconductive materials, power and wind energy sources to the US electronics, and microelectronics, and 60Hz ac standard, using power conhammer out a support and human verter technology such as an inverter interface methodology. to transform distributed energy into “Just as we saw cellphone tech- grid-compatible ac power. The search nology leapfrog the old wire-based is on for inverters that are smarter,

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Spec in reliability. Specify Loctite® Anaerobic Threadlockers. TO REQUEST A SAMPLE, visit www.useloctite.com/DA22. For technical assistance, call 1.800.LOCTITE (562.8483).

Except as otherwise noted, all marks used in 7434 are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Henkel and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere. ® = registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. © Henkel Corporation, 2011. All rights reserved. 7434 (8/11)

THE ABILITY TO WITHSTAND PUNISHMENT IS GOOD...BUT AVOIDING IT IS EVEN BETTER

Miniature Sensors Broaden the Pepperl+Fuchs Portfolio

 

Bigger isn’t always better Durability vs Distance – It’s No Longer a Decision When selecting the best proximity sensor for abusive environments, the decision has always carried a difficult tradeoff – durability vs sensing distance. The 100% stainless steel X-series Pile Driver is the first sensor to deliver both. How durable? Impact withstandability is 20X beyond traditional plastic-face products. How far? Sensing ranges exceed industry standards by up to 2.5X. So what does this 1-2 combination mean to you? ■ Fewer sensor-target impacts ■ Increased machine uptime ■ Reduced maintenance and

troubleshooting ■ Fewer rejects and increased quality ■ Lower spare parts inventory

www.sensing.net/xpd Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc. • Twinsburg, Ohio • 330.486.0001

Inductive proximity sensors are indispensable in factory automation. They are very accurate compared to other technologies, have high switching rates, withstand high shock and vibration, and work in harsh environments. However, installation space for sensors is often limited on tooling and machinery.

Downsizing can be a good thing Pepperl+Fuchs’ miniature sensors open up new ways to fully utilize previously inaccessible areas. Don’t let the word miniature fool you. These industrial proximity sensors are more than capable of meeting the demanding requirements of the factory floor. They have all of the great features you would

expect to find in larger, more costly sensors, yet they come in 3 mm and 4 mm diameter housings that provide greater mounting flexibility for a variety of markets and applications. They come in a smooth or threaded IP67 stainless steel housing; they have a clearly visible LED for function display; and they are available in quick disconnect or cabled versions.

Size matters In a world where downsizing is the current trend, size really does matter. This holds true in automation technology on manufacturing floors around the world. Pepperl+Fuchs’ miniature inductive sensors are raising the bar and offering designers and planners greater freedom and a wider range of options in machine and plant design.

 

EVERY PLANT NEEDS A PARTNER TO KEEP THINGS BUZZING We’ll work hard to keep your plant buzzing using the most advanced sensing technology…all from a single-source partner. We’ve stayed busy as a bee for over half a century developing innovative products that take the sting out of applying sensors. Our sensors are crafted using state-ofthe-art components and the latest technologies to ensure precision, reliability, and functionality. In addition, we offer a wide selection of accessories to meet all your application needs. Go to www.sensing.net/buzz-i, or give us a buzz at 330.486.0001 and we’ll devote a swarm of technical experts to go to work for you.

Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc. Twinsburg, Ohio 330.486.0001 www.sensing.net/buzz

40 News more flexible, and much cheaper than those used today. EPRI has developed a solid-state “intelligent universal transformer” (IUT) prototype for voltage conversion. Combined with communications technology, the solid-state transformer becomes a smart node within the smart grid that can detect metering problems, track asset loading, and serve as a data source for real-time condition monitoring and load modeling. It will also help integrate distributed resources such as energy storage, photovoltaics, and plugin electric vehicles. The IUT converts ac power at various distribution-level voltages to dc and ac power appropriate for residential and commercial use. Unlike conventional, copper-and-iron transformers, the IUT deploys solid-state, high-frequency switching and fast-computing digital control

technologies to control and shape its output characteristics. For future smart grid applications, the IUT can be used to connect distributed renewable generation capabilities to the distribution grid without the distribution-voltage swings allowed by conventional transformers. EPRI has been working on the IUT’s solid-state technology for a number of years and has completed a proof-of-concept and various prototype designs that are ready for field demonstrations and early deployment. The institute successfully demonstrated a working IUT in December 2010 at its laboratory in Knoxville, Tenn. Earlier this year, a field prototype 2.4kV, 25kVA model with enclosure, packaging, and high- and low-voltage bushings was deployed for evaluation. IUT field demonstration projects at multiple host sites are scheduled through 2012 to finalize the

CH T A W DEO VI OW N

design, specifications, and manufacturing requirements. Separately, the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with industrial partner Semikron, has developed a prototype 50kW inverter using National Instruments tools. The inverter contains a 50kW modular power block that’s roughly the size of a microwave oven. NREL predicts the design, when produced in volume, will come in at one-third the cost of other integrated power electronics of the same rating and foresees its use in such applications as photovoltaics, wind turbines, and batteries. DN — Nicolas Mokhoff, Editor in Chief, EE Times Digital

For More Information: To read more about developments impacting the smart grid, go to http:// dn.hotims.com/34948-508 for the complete version of this story.

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Smarter

Integrated Actuators Advanced communication options allow position feedback and data to flow more effectively between the actuator and controller. By Al Presher, Contributing Writer

The LA36 family of smart actuator products from Linak is used in agricultural equipment like combine harvesters, solar tracking, and building ventilation systems. Customized PCB modules in the actuators make it possible to implement specialized features required in specific industries.

Source: Linak

42

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Automation & Control 43

I

ntegrated actuators incorporating more advanced controls and broader network connectivity options are finding their niche in applications where the simplicity of an all-inone, actuator-motor-control package fits cleanly into new machine designs. The key is a single mechanical actuator-motor with onboard electronics that can provide both a broader set of controls and the simplicity of an integrated solution. “The sweet spot for integrated solutions is where distributed power and control offers a significant advantage,” says John Walker, vice president for Exlar Corp. “Mobile equipment is an example of applications where typically there are no traditional control panels to house the drives and controls for electric actuation on a vehicle. Actuators on mobile equipment are often powered from the vehicle’s batteries, and having a compact controller and power device right on the motor and actuator is a big benefit.” A typical packaging machine isn’t always the best fit for the integrated actuators. Packaging machines often use a traditional control panel with PLCs and drives and don’t have long distances from the drives and controls to the actuators. Integrated technology provides a larger benefit when there are longer travel distances between the central controller and the actuator or in applications that don’t traditionally have control panels at all. Control of independent, single-axis machine functions is an ideal candidate for distributed motion. Traditional hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder applications are inherently standalone, single axis, and provide point-to-point motion. In replacing f luid power solutions with electric linear actuators, coordinated motion is typically less common. These types of standalone, point-to-point applications are well suited for, and often solved with, integrated actuators. Walker says that developing additional network communication solu-

tions is an important factor for distributed motion products. One of the big advantages of the integrated solutions, compared to traditional servo systems with separate amplifiers, is the elimination of the expensive motor power and feedback cables. Traditional ac or dc power is still required for the distributed solution, and some applications require a multi-conductor I/O cable, which is far less expensive. Additionally, many applications can be controlled solely via network communications and can use simple communication cables. This network is often already distributed throughout the plant and the user just runs a drop to the integrated motion product. Because the networks are bidirectional, users can send commands to the unit and receive

Control of independent, single-axis machine functions is an ideal candidate for distributed motion. monitoring, status, and diagnostic information over the same connection. “The application of integrated power and control electronics on motors and actuators is slightly different than traditional plant-based industrial automation,” says Walker. “Distributed control and power becomes a bigger advantage for large scale production facilities with more expansive production lines compared to applications on discrete machines.” Automotive production is one example where integrated solutions are effectively applied for functions such as gripping parts and clamping fixtures throughout the assembly process. These axes of motion are widely distributed throughout the plant and often not conveniently located near an electrical panel containing motion controllers and servo amplifiers. Examples

in automotive assembly are clamping for sheet metal welding and frame fixturing. Electric clamps and fixturing throughout an automotive assembly facility are often done using distributed motion products. These solutions do not require discrete panels for servo drives and controls that would consume valuable space in an automotive assembly facility. Off-highway vehicles, such as agriculture, turf, and construction, are a growing market for smart electric actuation. As these pieces of equipment are becoming more sophisticated, using satellite navigation for example, more sophisticated and smarter operation is required throughout the vehicle, even down to the mechanical actuators and cylinders. “Being able to use bus communications creates an advantage for these mobile vehicle manufacturers because they can implement a single ECU [engine control unit] instead of multiple single function controllers,” says Håkan Persson, product line manager for Thomson Linear Actuators. “Commands can be sent to the actuators for execution and the actuator can provide status information in return, such as position and speed. It can also report on potential safety problems such as an overloaded unit or high temperature conditions.” Persson says that this approach also makes it possible for the vehicle manufacturer to optimize the vehicle cable harness. Larger gauge wires connect directly to the power source and a smaller gauge control cable connects the actuator to the vehicle bus. This reduces the number (and costs) of wires and cables. Using smart actuators simplifies the control in some ways but, more importantly, it can standardize controls, so that the same control could be used for headlights, fans, or the valves and actuators used on the vehicle. Persson says customers are also standardizing their control systems and using a standard ECU between different types of off-road vehicles, including excavators,

w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 D e s i g n N e w s

Automation & Control loaders, and tractors, reducing costs box,” says Aaron Dietrich, marketing for outdoor operation or other non-facacross different platforms. manager for Tolomatic. “An integrated tory environments where there are spe“The biggest advantage smart actua- solution alleviates these problems, and cial requirements that make it challengtors offer mobile off-highway equip- eliminates wiring and cables because you ing for onboard designs. ment is the ability to piggyback off what don’t need a motor power and an encoder “Integrated product solutions are a the automotive market has already per- cable from the drive to the motor.” growth area for us, and our ERD [prodfected,” says Anthony Smith, an electriHe says that integrated products are uct line] is a very low-cost, electric rod cal engineer for Thomson. “CANbus, also starting to incorporate more net- style actuator family,” says Dietrich. “It LINbus, and those types of commu- working options from RS-485 to Eth- looks like a throwaway pneumatic cylnication technologies were originally ernet protocols, which also helps elimi- inder except that a motor is mounted to designed for the automotive market. nate cabling and wiring and makes the unit.” These technologies facilitate reduced solutions a lot cleaner. Tolomatic has launched a drive and assembly times using simplified con“The two big trends are replacing stepper motor solution to provide highnection interfaces while improving the pneumatics and automating manual er levels of motion performance. The ability for all pieces of the vehicle to run processes,” says Dietrich. “But the focus with its new configurable drive in unison. Mobile off-highway vehicle price-cost pressures and expectations has been on how to make it easy to use manufacturers are starting to folwith “canned” modes, such as an low that trend because they can index-move mode where the drive achieve the same benefits.” is commanded via digital I/O and “Other smart technology used in an analog position, allowing the these vehicles, such as GPS steering user to provide an analog signal and speed automation, requires evfrom a PLC. Ethernet connectiverything to be more synchronized. ity options include Ethernet/IP With centralized communication, and Modbus TCP, along with imvehicle motion can be driven at the mediate plans to offer a pneumatic same time measurements are being mode that allows the drive to retaken, ensuring that safe and preplace a pneumatic valve without cise commanded movements are the need to rewire the system. made,” he adds. “While there will always be deIf you look at the past and how The Tritex IITM Series actuators from Exlar now include mand for electric actuators with mechanical actuators have been a dc linear unit that incorporates a servo drive, digital simple in and out movements, in used, standard industrial linear position controller, brushless motor, and linear actuator applications with more advanced actuators offered just a motor and in one compact, sealed package. control systems we definitely see no controls. As time went on and a trend towards motion solutions the technology improved, customers in these applications are typically very with additional positioning feedback started to add position feedback, limit aggressive, so any electric actuator solu- and communication capabilities built switches to stop at the ends of stroke, tion has to be very cost effective.” directly into the actuator,” says Randy and an H-bridge to control the speed or In replacing the pneumatic actuator, Bowman, Techline market manager at measure the current. valve, f low control, and other functions Linak U.S. “Our latest smart actuators Persson says that with intelligent ac- in a pneumatic system, Dietrich says are built with a printed circuit board tuators, all of those pieces are handled those axes are typically in the $100-$200 [PCB] inside the actuators and these inside the actuator itself. So instead of range. And while engineers are willing PCBs can be customized to meet spethe customer needing to design a sepa- to pay more, cost is still a major concern. cific customer requirements.” rate control to handle each one of these The types of manual processes being auIn advanced control systems, like add-on features, a single actuator with tomated include hand cranks, slides with larger off-highway equipment and soonboard electronics can provide speed, locks, or simple hand operations. lar trackers, it is becoming more and current, and position sensing, as well as One challenge for integrated prod- more common to use actuators that oftemperature and voltage compensation. uct application solutions is harsh envi- fer different types of bus communica“With integrated actuators, because ronments, such as the food and bever- tion. Modbus, for example, is typically you are often not replacing an existing age industry, where equipment may used in the solar industry, and CANbus motion solution, there may not be an ex- be sprayed with water or caustic wash- and LINbus are both commonplace in isting electrical cabinet for the drive and down. Other specialty or general auto- the larger mobile vehicle markets. The the desire to add a cabinet or junction mation applications have requirements HVAC and marine industries are also D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

Source: Exlar Corp.

44

Source: Thomson Linear

45 developing standard communication protocols for devices that could include smart actuators. “Positioning feedback and communication options are really separate items,” says Bowman. “With the newer trends towards more advanced communication options, like the various bus languages, smart actuators can allow positioning feedback and other information to f low even more effectively between the actuator to the controller.” Smart actuators enable control system designers to have information available, such as counting how many times the actuator has cycled in and out, the temperature of the microprocessor at any point in time, or even a signal to confirm that a command from the controller was executed. Another potential area of interest is preventative maintenance. If the amperage, for example, is starting to rise over historical values, it may indicate that the application needs to be

The new Thomson Electrak smart actuator is a single actuator with onboard electronics that can provide speed, current, and position sensing, as well as temperature and voltage compensation.

maintained, which can be important for remote installations. “Communication of various types of information via bus is a key benefit with other drivers, including lower materials and labor costs,” says Bowman. “When you can run one wire that transmits communications over multiple nodes and actuators and there is no pointto-point connection required for each

actuator, the amount of wiring and labor that is needed to install that wiring is reduced.” DN

For More Information Tolomatic: www.tolomatic.com Exlar: www.exlar.com Linak U.S.: www.linak.com/techline Thompson Linear: www.thomsonlinear.com

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46

Electronics & Test

Infotainment

Grows Up The in-car PC is gone, but in-car connectivity is back, better and safer than ever. By Charles J. Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test

R

Nokia’s Car Mode simplifies access to voice-guided car navigation, traffic updates, music, and voice calls through the company’s smartphones.

phones, with the touch gestures that have become familiar to users of iPads. At the same time, manufacturers of cars, trucks, and even buses have installed router-like devices to deliver Internet connectivity to contractors, salespeople, and students. “Manufacturers now know they have to deliver apps and services to their vehicles,” says Sterling Pratz, CEO of Autonet Mobile, a maker of vehicle-based Internet routers. “Not only do these technologies support the consumer, they also drive sales.” smartphone in the Car That hasn’t always been the case, however. On the road to in-vehicle nirvana, automakers and suppliers have occasionally misread the signals. In 2000, for ex-

D e s i g n N e w s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1 w w w. d e s i g n n e w s . c o m

ample, Cadillac rolled out an in-car PC that intertwined such services as email, Internet browsing, navigation assistance, and cellphone capabilities. By late 2001, however, the luxury car manufacturer had pulled the plug on the technology. Several other manufacturers considered such efforts, and one supplier even rolled out an aftermarket in-car PC, but the demand for such systems was tepid at best. Today, however, the demand has clearly changed. Many smartphone owners want to bring their devices into the vehicle and access it through their center console, or even through steering wheel controls. They say they don’t want an in-car PC, but they do want connectivity.

Source: Car Connectivity Consortium

eady or not, the Internet is creeping back into the vehicle. This time, we’re not talking in-car PCs. Drivers won’t be Googling as they tool down the road. But the Internet is coming, just the same. This time, it has a lot to do with smartphones, low-cost navigation, fleet operations, and vehicle tracking, as well as an office-in-the-car, Facebook-inthe-backseat kind of mentality. Nothing’s more chic than mobile Internet connectivity, and the auto industry isn’t about to let that opportunity pass unfulfilled. “These days, along with computing, wireless communication seems to be the center of the innovation universe,” notes Don Butler, vice president of marketing for Cadillac. “This is the place where the cool stuff is happening.” Indeed, automakers know what’s cool, and they want to offer cool to their customers. In September, a powerful consortium of auto companies, cellphone makers, and electronics manufacturers unveiled an open standard to make it easier for a car’s head unit to communicate with Internet-enabled smartphones. Days after that announcement, Cadillac rolled out an infotainment system that enables users to control in-car devices, such as smart-

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“People get scared of the Internet-in-the-car idea,” Pratz says. “They think about texting and driver distractions and crashes.” In truth, the auto industry wants connectivity in the car; they just want to do it responsibly. The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) — which includes such giants as Volkswagen,Toyota, General Motors, Daimler, Honda, Hyundai, Delphi, Alpine, Clarion, Denso, Garmin, LG Electronics, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola Mobility, Nokia, Panasonic, Renesas, Samsung, Sony, and many others — recently took a step in that direction, rolling out an open standard that enables the majority of automotive head units and smartphones to communicate. Known as MirrorLink, the standard ensures that users will be able to link their phones to the dashboard in all of their vehicles, so they don’t need to buy separate handsets for separate vehicles. MirrorLink will also help deliver infotainment to entry-level vehicles in the United States, as well as to low-cost cars in such locales as China, India, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. For developers, MirrorLink is a powerful step forward. Now, they need only create their app once, instead of writing different strains of software for different manufacturers. Moreover, they needn’t worry that certified apps will create a driving hazard. “There’s a mechanism that allows the automaker to control the content that’s seen on the (center stack) screen,” says Alfred M IL LIONS

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48 Electronics & Test

An in-car router enables multiple users to connect to the Internet from as far as 150 feet away from the vehicle.

Tom, investment analyst for General Motors Ventures. “The developer needs to create an interface that’s different than the one that is seen on the phone.” “Certain responsibilities belong to the players,” adds Floris van de Klashorst, head of Nokia’s automotive mobile solutions. “The OEM gets to filter out the applications that aren’t certified.” In essence, MirrorLink enables the car’s head unit to mirror what’s seen on the smartphone display. That means that a smartphone’s car navigation software gets channeled into the vehicle’s head unit. It also means that a wealth of Internetbased information — such as restaurant sites, movie data, or even newspaper articles — could find their way onto the car’s center console stack if the phone app is tested and certified. (CCC members say a MirrorLink Google app hasn’t yet been built or certified.) “The idea is to use the driver’s smartphone as an affordable way to connect to the cloud while a person is in the car,” Tom says. In-Car Routers The Internet-in-the-car phenomenon doesn’t end with smartphones, however. Autonet Mobile has taken the concept a step further, enabling vehicles to incorporate Internet protocol (IP) based routers. The routers provide an opportunity for nearby users to logon, whether they’re sitting in a passenger seat, a nearby office, or even a local café. In August, Chevy announced it would offer the router as an option in its Silverado truck. The device, which slides into a mounting bracket under the dashboard, enables kids in the back seat to connect to YouTube or Facebook. More importantly, it plays an important role for contractors and others who need an Internet connection at job sites. “If you’re a contractor and you want to write an estimate, you can pull into a driveway, take out your laptop, and check on parts availability and prices,” says Dan Tigges, fullsize truck product

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manager for Chevy. “Anything you can do on the Internet can now be done on the road with this system.” Tigges adds that multiple workers can linkup to the unit from as far away as 150 feet. Such in-car routers are considered a niche product for the moment, but Autonet Mobile’s unit has seen adaption in a wide variety of vehicles and applications. The technology was offered in the 2011 Subaru Outback and in the 2009 Cadillac CTS, as well as in Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge products. Prior to that, Novatel Wireless, Delphi, and Avis Rent-A-Car announced agreements with Autonet. The company’s technology has also been employed in school buses. Making such technologies work as reliably as a desktop computer, however, has been tricky. Using a scheme called TRU Technology, Autonet Mobile’s router is reported to deliver useful connectivity, no matter how fast a vehicle is traveling between cell towers. It works by combining

cellular network technology with the traditional IP suite (commonly called TCP/ IP). The key is the company’s patented “session proxy” technique, which enables the router to remember its TCP session, even during temporary service dropoffs. To accomplish that, the iPod-sized router incorporates a substantial bill of hardware materials, including Power PC-based processors from Freescale Semiconductor and four radios — a 1xRTT (single-carrier radio transmission technology), EVDO rev 0 (evolution data optimized), EVDO rev A, and Bluetooth — along with 2 GB of flash memory, two Ethernet ports, two USB ports, and a CompactFlash slot. Onboard software, which runs atop an embedded Linux operating system, handles movement between the radios. The software searches for available networks, enabling users to get the best one as they speed down the highway. Autonet Mobile executives say that such technologies can also move beyond

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