February 2009

Power With Precision

Can direct drive technology improve your bottom line? Manufacturers relying upon drive systems in their production process have long sought ways to improve gearbox efficiency. While a gearbox-driven system has been the mainstay for manufacturers, it has also been, among other things, the source of frequent breakdowns, expensive line stoppages and increasingly costly maintenance.

Bellows Couplings: Proper Selection for Optimal Performance

For many years bellows couplings have been near the top of the list of flexible coupling choices for high-performance motion systems. Their high torsional stiffness, low moment of inertia and minimal restoring forces under misalignment make them a preferred choice for maintaining tight control over the load.

With Electric Motors, Size Indeed Matters

In this paper, Edward Hage, founder of specAmotor.com, an online motor calculation and selection tool, focuses on the overheating of electric motors. Presented here is a calculation method with which the temperature and heat development of a direct current (DC) motor and a brushless motor can be predicted accurately.

How Green is Your Gearbox

Rising energy costs and concerns about global warming are at the forefront of today’s news. Turn to local or national TV programming, browse the internet or read the paper and one can find numerous stories about the seemingly irreversible energy costs and the subsequent impact that these costs have on simply doing business. As a result, we as individuals are becoming increasingly aware of the cost of energy and we are being introduced to a variety of methods and/or products that will minimize the impact of these costs.

Six Keys to Sustainable Manufacturing

The federal government estimates that manufacturing uses about one third of the energy consumed in the U.S., so manufacturing companies can play an important role in building a sustainable future.

The Green Revolution - A Global Win-Win

Green technology is more than changing a couple of light bulbs or reducing waste. In 2009, the concept is relevant in every facet of manufacturing as companies make a greater push towards energy efficiency and sustainability. In the power transmission and motion control fields, this technology has been integrated into the daily routine, both as an environmentally friendly business venture and a way to offer green products to customers. It’s apparent that the revitalization of manufacturing, both here and abroad, will center on energy technology.

Going Green 101

Perhaps you don’t need convincing that sustainability is the wave of the future. But where to start? Resources of all types—from websites to trade shows to white papers—are waiting to help green your operation. Most areas are home to regional business alliances devoted to helping local manufacturing outlets contribute in an environmentally sound manner. Here are a few go-to resources for going green.

Who Needs a Social Life When You Can Mine the Moon

Dust, soil broken rock and other related materials that blanket planetary surfaces—known as regolith—have great potential to contribute to space observation research, but the physical properties of lunar regolith are unique and very difficult to excavate from a technical perspective. A group of students at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, dubbed the Lunar Miners, decided to step up to the plate—that is, by entering the 2008 NASA Regolith Excavation Challenge.

Product News

The complete Product News section from the February 2009 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.

Industry News

The complete Industry News section from the February 2009 issue of Power Transmission Engineering.

Events

Advance coverage of the AM Expo/ATX South show at the Charlotte Convention Center, plut our complete technical calendar from February 2009.