Matthew Jaster, Senior Editor                 SPS IPC Drives 2016 took place November 22-24 in Nuremberg, G...

Often I get asked the generic question — “Which motor should I use?” But the answer is not quick or easy. The proper choice of the motor may ...

News from around the industry

The U.S. Space Shuttle fleet was originally intended to have a life of 100 flights for each vehicle, lasting over a 10-year period, with minimal scheduled maintenance or inspection. The first space shuttle flight was that of the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102), launched April 12, 1981. The disaster that destroyed Columbia occurred on its 28th flight, February 1, 2003, nearly 22 years after its first launch.

Albert Einstein, it is said, defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.”

Tooth contact analysis (TCA) is an important tool directed to the determination of contact patterns, contact paths, and transmission errors in gear drives. In this work, a new general approach that is applicable to any kind of gear geometry is proposed.

How would you compare the efficiency and capabilities of hybrid stepper motor actuators vs. can stack stepper motor actuators?

The complete Industry News section from the April 2014 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.

Seems simple enough doesn't it? It is most decidedly not. Indeed, one can make the case that--aside from uppermost management (or ownership)-- no one else in a heavy/high-tech manufacturing concern has more ownership of the company's everyday needs and necessities than the purchasing department.

Recently I had a disturbing conversation with a colleague here at the office. During the conversation, it became clear to me that my co-worker -- a really intelligent guy whom I respect a lot -- had no idea how even the most simple electric motor works.