Tucked away in the southwest quadrant of the state of Georgia, amid stately pine stands, pecan farms and cotton fields, sits Oak Crest Lumber.

It seems preposterous in the whimsical, wireless world of today, but in 1977 cinema’s greatest visioneers came together and decided the pinnacle of robotic technology in the future would be a motorized trash can.

The scene is serene and picturesque. Sunshine reflects off the light chop of the Ohio River, as a barge winds its way into view. While those driving along Louisville’s River Road may be inclined to reach for a camera to capture this idyllic scene, the mood at Nugent Sand Company is anything but tranquil.

The complete Industry News section from the December 2013 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.

Novatorque energy efficient motors, Portescap smaller-size brushless DC motors, Pittman customized motors, Kollmorgen stainless steel motors, Crouzet expanded motor series, and a report from IHS on rare earth mineral supply.

Highlights from our e-mail newsletter and online videos section.

In the past decade, electrohydraulic braking systems--including ABS and traction control--have grown increasingly popular, due largely to the vehicle design flexibility and performance advantages they offer. The industry has seen several other instances of intelligent machine controls, unrelated to braking, over the years as well. But what all of these technologies have typically had in common is that they’ve existed as standalone, point-to-point functions that have not been integrated together. The present and future of braking is all about taking the next logical step--getting fully connected and finding ways to embed intelligence throughout a machine.

Our April 2012 launch of this column highlighted several key themes; we will re-state each and highlight developments, relying on our monitoring of 75 key global industrial companies and ongoing fieldwork.

Reading Rock manufactures concrete blocks - the kind that were probably used to build the schools that you attended. With employees working three shifts six to seven days a week, they make plenty of them.

a custom hydraulic brake system from Mico Inc. aid in the development of specialized material handling equipment.