| Power Transmission Engineering Magazine

IANA and the Increasing Relevance of IMTS

August 1, 2012

Many of you probably think of IMTS as just a machine tool show. Of course, it’s hard not to. With the majority of the show focused on metalworking equipment, tooling and supplies, there’s no doubt that IMTS is a machine tool show. But this year, the show has partnered with Hannover Messe to include IANA—Industrial Automation North America.

Industrial Reality Check for Chicken Little: The Sky is NOT Falling

August 1, 2012

Columnist Brian K. Langenberg surveys the industrial economic landscape to let you know what is up, what is down, and what is coming next.

Braking Toward the Future

August 1, 2012

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.

Electromagnetic Know-How

August 1, 2012

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software can be used for a variety of mechanical engineering tasks, including injection molding simulation of plastic parts, analysis of aerospace components, impact and crash analysis of automobiles and the electromagnetic analysis of motors, actuators, transformers and sensors.

Sorting Out Flexible Couplings

August 1, 2012

In most cases, industrial power transmission calls for flexible rather than rigid couplings in order to forgive minor shaft misalignment. For that reason, this article will focus solely on the selection of flexible couplings.

IMTS 2012 Product Preview

August 1, 2012

A look at the IMTS 2012 show from a power transmission component perspective.

Robots Go Where Even Heroes Fear to Tread

August 1, 2012

The DARPA Robotics Challenge is creating first-response robots capable of going where the danger is.

Sleeve Bearings or Tilting Pad Bearings - Ask the Expert

August 1, 2012

A reader asks whether sleeve bearings can take the place of more expensive tilting pad bearings in a high-speed compressor application.

Wear-Resistant Bearings

August 1, 2012

More than a decade of intensive research and development has resulted in two new technologies that, when used in combination, expand the performance of rolling element bearings well beyond previous limits.

Bearing Protection Needed if Inverter-Duty Motors Are to Live up to their Name

August 1, 2012

All major manufacturers of 3-phase AC induction motors offer "inverter-duty" or "inverter-ready” models, but while these motors have inverter-rated insulation to protect the windings, the bearings--their most vulnerable parts--are too often ignored.