Machine Design

March 18, 2010 A Penton Media Publication Tune in to EngineeringTV.com

HYDRAULICS PLAYS A ROLE IN FRICTION WELDING, page 52

Compact hydraulics

SPECIAL FOCUS: FUTURE TECHNOLOGY The promise of thorium reactors, page 22 Better links between mechanical, electronic CAD, page 38 Supercharged imaging with T-rays, page 44

Doing more with less page 48

in the game u o ye y e r

t?

A

INSIDE THIS ISSUE MACHINE DESIGN’s LitXpress after page 64

www.smartestdesignengineer.com

!*'2'
0

0
(02 2'3352'
42#+/
#/&
02%'
20&5%43

omega.com 0(
0523'

Your single source for process measurement and control products! #$-' '2.+/#4+0/

+%20#%*+/'& +-+%0/
2#/3&5%'23


+/+
 '2.+/#4+0/

!'4!'4
+(('2'/4+#2'3352'
0&'-3 7+4*
--
4#+/-'33
4''!'44'&
#243 "
'2+'3

.  

40

02

40

&% 02

40

.
541543 /++2'%4+0/#-
#/)'3  
+/ 
40
 
13+& MADE IN

Starts at

775

$

USA 7+340%,
'2.+/#4+0/

 #2&$05/& #/&

+3+4
0.')#%0.18 77&+( 02
0.1-'4'
20&5%4
'4#+-3

+3+4
0.')#%0. 40
02&'2
9052  %019
0(
*'
  2'3352'
42#+/
#/& 02%'
'#352'.'/4 #/&$00,
#/& /%9%-01'&+#

/%9%-01'&+#

+/& 4*053#/&3
0( 12'3352'
342#+/ #/&
(02%'
120&5%43 +/
0/'
1-#%'

 /&

 

,# 00




$

Need More DILBERT? Go to: www.omega.com/dilbert for your daily dose of Dilbert!

*01
/-+/'
#4


02
#-'3
#/&
'26+%'
#--




/
 

 
   
 

 
   

&,(
(*
)
&%
%
(!!%#
&($%
&"-##
!##+)*(*!&%
/
 
+(*!)
+#!) !%
&$'%.

RS# 101

>VWZZW^a;SRWQOZ( 3f^S`WS\QSG]c` 1cab][S`a1O\ 2S^S\R=\

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

Download the Ford technical case study at ni.com/336

©2009 National Instruments. All rights reserved. CompactRIO, LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 2009 0836

RS# 112

800 258 7018

LETTERS

ican light-aircraft industry was virtually wiped out by lawsuits. Now all you can buy is a kit or a 40-year-old used aircraft from a defunct manufacturer, each of which tiptoes the line of limited liability. I guarantee if the jurors had to contribute to awards, even 1%, verdicts would be different. Mr. Berke is guaranteed excellent lifetime employment. Once all our manufacturing deep pockets are gone, his industry will switch to lawsuits against American distributors of Chinese equipment. There’s plenty of opportunity there, as any reader of a Chinglish manual can attest. Brian Winter Just as a starter, let me discuss the two examples you presented. 1. In the McDonalds case, the

jury found for the plaintiff against McDonalds because it had a “bottomless-cup program” at its restaurants and instructed these restaurants to heat the coffee to just below boiling so that customers would only drink one cup of coffee. The jury decided this practice was dangerously negligent and decided to send McDonalds a message. On appeal, the courts lowered the dollar amount drastically. 2. A student at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) who was using this “lawnmower as a hedge trimmer” anecdote as part of a Masters Degree thesis couldn’t find any substantiation for this “oldwives tale.” He contacted all manufacturers of lawnmowers, all insurance companies, the National Trial Lawyers Association (the plaintiff lawyers organization), and the Defense Lawyers organization. In

every answer, the response was that they had heard of the case, but knew nothing more about the details. The student finally decided to change the thesis of his masters program. I am sure you are a person who cares about the safety and well being of the working person, and agree with the mandate of OSHA, and yet you throw stones at them for stopping serious safety issues such as stopping the use of extension cords that are possibly repaired improperly and could cause serious injury or death. If manufactured items have flaws that could be detected by a good hazard analysis, and if someone is seriously injured or killed by this defective product, why do you believe the manufacturer should not be held responsible? Strange as it may sound to you,

The resource that’s bonded to business

Custom Converting Solutions • Custom Printed Labels • Specialty Industrial Products Experts in the Fabrication of Flexible Materials • Custom Die-Cut Components - Maximize processes, minimize cost • CAD/Plotter Cutting - Just-in-time production, rapid prototyping • Slitting, Laminating & Sheeting - Unique solutions, custom applications • Custom Printed Labels - Demanding specs, tight tolerances • Quality Systems - Automotive, Aerospace and Medical compliant • Specialty Industrial Distribution - Abrasives, Adhesives, Tapes..and more!

www.thomco.biz

ISO 9001:2008; TS 16949:2009 Registered Contact us: [email protected] 1100 Northbrook Parkway • Suwanee, GA 30024 • 770-339-3900 • 800-798-3902 • Fax 770-339-1730

RS# 113 14

MACHINE Design.com

MARCH 18, 2010

 


   
   

  
 

  
 


   

THE COMPLETE SEASON WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. ALL EPISODES AND EXTRAS ARE ONLINE NOW.

)&$)+%,2
*+ , (-,
(
)(&$(
, +$ ,
).-
-#+
  
 
!)+ 
-)
0)+%
$(
(
)/ +3)0
-+$& +
-++$("






 


!+$ (&1
  
 

(
')+
-#(



(
()0
,#)0$("

 



 

(
/ (

  NR WATCH SEASON ONE AT 3 D U D E S G O N E3 D. C O M 


RS# 114

LETTERS

an industry that turns out one of the safest products available and which has one of the best owner’s manual that all industries should follow is the automobile industry. Automakers continually do hazard analysis and safety testing, and their manuals are well thought out. The one problem they have is when one of their products show a defect after it is introduced to the public. On rare occasions, they do not admit the problem. But in most cases, they are responsible and have recalls to correct the problem. The main reason this is not recognized is that the rare lawsuits that become public are big-dollar lawsuits. In most cases, plaintiff attorneys are afraid to sue the auto industry because it keeps records that prove the safety of its vehicles and the attorneys know they will probably lose. I

have found that when automakers manufacture other products, such as ATVs, lawnmowers, or water vehicles, some are not as demanding with these products as they are with automobiles. There are other manufacturers that are recognized as poor targets by plaintiff attorneys, also. That is because they approach safety properly and have the records to prove it to juries. In closing, it is not the lawyers that are the problem, it is irresponsible manufacturers who cannot spell safety, much less put out safe products. Especially in this economy, they are being thinned out. — Lanny Berke Lanny Burke’s suggestion that, “designers should have foreseen it ( a platform) was a bad place to stand,” is akin to installing land-

mines to prevent people from slipping in the mud (“Lack of foresight concrete factor in fall,” Dec. 9). Blocking equipment from unauthorized entry during normal operation is one thing, but purposefully making it unfriendly for maintenance tasks is bad design. The platform in question is obviously there to protect the hydraulic lines when somebody does tr y to stand there. Most likely the original design also included a handle to provide some stability to the poor guy who has to go up there in the rain. After a “safety” review indicated it would h ave to b e m o d i f i e d i n to a n OSHA approved work platform, the handle was removed and the “platform” was renamed to “pipe cover.” This is not safety it is aversion to liability. Eric Hutchenreuther




 
 

  
 

 


#$ $ %# $
# 

%

$ (%
#%)

!%%) '
!#%&#
*%

%&#


#$ $

"$
 "

 $" 


$#$
%
#"&
&&#
$%$ "#
'"%
'"#
"  $#
#$"%$%"
 $ "

&#
$



 


  



  


       

              

       

 !"""##$% &'
      





  RS# 115 "
!
$ 
#
%#

%"


#!$

 $'
"#%"# 16

MACHINE Design.com

MARCH 18, 2010


    

RS# 116


      

Hazardous Locations Product Testing and Certification

Start it Up! Choose the testing and certification organization that delivers the support you require. Today the CSA C/US mark is found on millions of electrical products used in hazardous locations and on other electrical devices that must provide spark-free performance. The CSA C/US mark signifies these products meet U.S. and Canadian standards for safety or performance. CSA International can help you streamline product evaluation and reduce time to market. And when supply chain or market opportunities expand your focus, we also deliver local service in Asia and Europe. Electrical products used in hazardous locations must inspire total confidence. For total confidence in your testing laboratory, choose CSA International.

www.csa-international.org

1-866-797-4272

Building Confidence in Products Worldwide.

(+(
##& "/
*!
+.0+.&"/

0(*0

7
%.(+00"

7
%& $+

7
("2"(*!

7
((/

7
+/
*$"("/
 /%2&(("

7
!)+*0+*

7
+*0."(

7
+.+*0+

7
* +12".

7
.*%")
0%"
"0%".(*!/
7
*$(+."
*!& 1)&
*!&
7
+*$
+*$
%&*
7
1*$6%+1
%&*
7
%*$%&
%&*
7
"+1(
",1(&
+#
+."
7
+'5+
,*

RS# 117

SCANNING FOR IDEAS Edited by Stephen J. Mraz

Robot simplifies fastener installation Gearbox

Torque-angle control-screw driver

The Viper MBC robot from Visumatic Industrial Products, Lexington, Ky. (www.visumatic.com), delivers and installs a wide range of fasteners, including screws, nuts, bolts, pins, clips, brass rings, and barbed darts. Conventional screw-installing robots use a pick-and-place approach that send screws to an intermediate location where they sit until the robot picks one up. This means the robot must return from the work area to the pick-up point for each screw. The Viper, by feeding screws directly to the tooling tip, eliminates travel time and cuts assembly times in half.

Four-axis Scara robot

Quick detach for maintenance Mount

Zero-offset quill mounting

Independent “Z” stroke and bit stroke

Screw-holding tooling tip

Request free information via our Reader Service Web site at

The new installer also has a zero-offset design, an improvement over conventional methods of mounting the installation tool at the extreme end of the robot arm, which gives an exaggerated cantilever effect. Screw-tightening torque is transferred directly to the extended joints, and bulk of the tooling payload is magnified and applied to them as well. On the Viper, tooling is located at the end of the second Scara joint. Joints 3 and 4 are never subjected to tightening forces, and loads on these joints are reduced to roughly one-third of the tooling mass. This results in fast motion, extended robot life, and lets users size their robot for the work envelope. The robot can exert up to 150 lb-in. of tightening torque. RS# 401

www.machinedesign.com/rsc

18

MACHINE Design.com

MARCH 18, 2010

:
#
,
*;>7?@-@5;:
C5@4
'
5>1#>;H

;21??5;:-8
3>-1
@41EJB1
:1B1>
.11:
.12;>1 1@
>1-0E
2;>
-
=A-:@A9
81-7
;>
;61/@?
@4-@
3;
2>;9
501-?
@4;A34@?
-:0
B5?5;:?
@;
@-:35.81
01?53:? I 2-?@1>
-:0
9;>1
12K/51:@8E
@4-:
1B1>
1@
>1-0E
2;>
@41

;2
-:
#
,
*;>7?@-@5;:
C5@4
'
5>1#>;

;21??5;:-8
3>-627>6

It’s easy to work with Proto Labs. 188