From manufacturing to maritime, the quest for sustainable solutions has given rise to the development of environmentally friendly lubricants. Among these, Environmentally Considerate Lubricants (ECL) and Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) have gained prominence for their positive impact on both equipment performance and the planet. Let’s delve into the differences and advantages of these lubricant classifications.

The Houston Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia (TPS), still organized by the Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M University, will gather for the 52nd Turbomachinery and 39th Pump Symposium annual event from September 26–28, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

TPS, still organized by the Turbomachinery Laboratory at Texas A&M University, will gather for the 52nd Turbomachinery and 39th Turbo annual event from September 26–28, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Brakes and clutches play a crucial role in various applications, and their importance lies in their ability to control motion and transmit power with precision and accuracy and enhance the safety and protection of personnel and equipment. They also optimize energy consumption and reduce downtime. The ability to integrate these components into OEM applications is essential. Below we focus on the brake and clutch solutions provided by Force Control, Miki Pulley, and Ringfeder.

There is an increasing trend toward integrating evermore compact smart components into larger, more complex motion control systems, and advances in AI, ML, and IIoT are helping with the speed and quality of their adoption.

Wind-turbine drivetrains undergo severe transient loading during start-ups, shut-downs, emergency stops, and during grid connections. Load cases that result in torque reversals may be particularly damaging to bearings, as rollers may be skidding during the sudden relocation of the loaded zone. Seals and lubrication systems must work reliably over a wide temperature variation to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture and perform effectively at all rotational speeds in the gearbox. Many wind-turbine gearboxes have also suffered from fundamental design issues such as ineffective interference fits that result in unintended motion and wear, ineffectiveness of internal lubrication paths and problems with sealing. Improving the resistance of future gearbox designs to all these issues is a key to the future cost of energy generated by wind turbines.

Overall, the Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia saw 3,815 attendees, hosted 94 technical sessions, and had 274 exhibiting companies. Many attendees commented on the value of networking conversation at the show. From 2021 to 2022, TPS saw an increase in international delegates, with just 19 countries represented in 2021, to 44 countries represented in 2022. Below is a taste of the booths we had the chance to visit.

It can’t be easy starting a new car company let alone bringing back an old one that ended almost as soon as it began. The original DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) headed by John DeLorean went spectacularly bankrupt in 1982 due to issues of quality among other things. Yet DeLorean once said, “It’s inevitable that the company come back,” and despite many attempts by various parties to revive the company over the years, DMC is now back to the future of automobiles deep in the heart of Texas.