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Installation, testing, maintenance and repair VOLUME 84 ISSUE 12 AUGUST 23, 2012 ENERGY EFFICIENCY Even though combustion engines that use pistons and cylinders have been around for almost a century and a half, inventors and engineers are still coming up with new versions that improve efficiency and burn a wider range of fuels Some of these new engines may not be practical or economical, but it’s difficult to know that without building one first Here are several new approaches, or at least variations on earlier efforts, that offer a twist on conventional internalcombustion engines (ICEs) And although it is unlikely they will be embraced by major automotive builders — they have their own engine2 modification programs and efforts — there are rumors of deals with Asian companies making small cars, scooters, and self-powered equipment such as generators and lawn mowers The Cyclone engine FEATURES The Cyclone engine from Cyclone Power Technologies, Pompano Beach, Fla., is an external-combustion steam engine that can be powered by heat from practically any source, including biodiesel and syngas, according to the company It is the basis for a new 10-kW auxiliary power unit being built for the Defense Dept and the U. S Army Tank Command, where it could see service on the M1 Abrams tank, IAV Stryker, and Bradley Fighting Vehicle The engine uses the Rankine Cycle and regenerative external combustion, a combination the company calls a Schoell Cycle engine Four basic processes take place inside the engine: Heat process: Atomized fuel injected into the centrifugal combustion chamber mixes with air and is ignited Thermocouples control combustion duration to keep heat in the chamber at a constant temperature The heat then swirls around the heat coils Water in those coils becomes superheated steam (up to 1,200°F) and gets piped to During operation of the Cyclone engine, fuel is injected and burned in a centrifugal combustion chamber (1) Water in coils becomes superheated (2), then enters an adjustable valve (3), which distributes the steam into six radially configured cylinders The pistons’ motion turns the crankshaft (4) Steam escapes the pistons and is collected in a condenser, where it is turned back into a liquid (5) Blowers send fresh air around the condenser to speed cooling (6) copper tubes make 42 Small a big impact on airconditioner efficiency New developments in copper-tube technology could pave the wave for morecompact condensers and air conditioners Engineers and inventors continue to tweak and refine piston-based combustion engines On target with off-beat engines 38 MACHINE DESIGN.com AUGUST 23, 2012 places with 54 Going long-travel piezomotors Piezomotors offer many advantages in size, speed, vacuum compatibility, and resolution, but haven’t been able to span long distances That’s changing fluid circuits with 60 Protecting edge-welded bellows Compensating for expanding fluid protects equipment and prevents leaks AUGUST 23, 2012 38 lose weight 48 Plastics with glass bubbles Older grades of glass bubbles were only suitable for zero to low-pressure processes New glass bubbles are stronger and small enough to meet OEM Class A surface finish standards Authored by: the cylinders through an adjustable valve Valve timing Stephen J Mraz determines how much steam enters the cylinders, which Staff Editor controls torque and acceleration stephen.mraz@penton.com Mechanical process: Steam enters each of six radiResources: ally configured cylinders under pressures as high as Cyclone Power Technologies, cyclonepower.com 3,200 psi, pushing down each piston in sequence Water acts as the working fluid and lubricant — there is no Doyle Rotary, doylerotary.com engine oil The pistons’ motion drives a spider bearing Grail Engine Technologies, www.grailengine.com to turn the crankshaft According to the manufacturer, Pinnacle Engines, www.pinnacle-engines.com torque is greatest on the first rotation of the shaft, so it To see the Doyle Rotary engine in action, doylerotary.com/ can be connected directly to the drivetrain without a overview.php transmission In fact, a 38-in.3 Cyclone engine develops over 850 lb-ft of starting torque To see the Grail engine in action, Cooling process: Steam exits the cylinders through youtube.com/v/4-H03_wGFB0 exhaust ports and enters a condenser that turns it back to To see the Pinnacle engine in action, a liquid, which collects in a sealed pan at the bottom of the pinnacle-engines.com/technology.html condenser Blowers spin fresh air around the condenser For another feature on innovative to speed cooling Because this is a closed-loop subsystem, engines, scan this code or go to: http:// water need not be replaced machinedesign.com/article/rethinkingRegenerative process: Air heated by the condenser engines-0308 travels to a heat exchanger where it preheats air coming into the combustion chamber A high-pressure pump traditional gas or diesel engines of comparable power transfers water from the condenser pan to the heat coils The company is currently developing at least five vervia heat exchangers around each cylinder, then to the censions of the Cyclone engine ranging from to 330 hp ter of the coils to begin the heat cycle again This design yields several advantages, including: They can be used for portable or auxiliary power, automoAll-fuel capability: Fuel burns in an external-combustive or marine propulsion, powering heavy-duty equipment, or scavenging waste heat tion chamber under atmospheric conditions to create steam and power the engine This lets the engine burn Grail engine fuels derived from orange peels, palm and cottonseed oils, algae, used motor oil, and fryer grease, as well as propane, The Grail engine looks much like a traditional twobutane, natural gas, gasoline, and even powdered coal In stroke engine, but incorporates some weight-saving refact, the engine can even run on waste heat from ovens or finements that make it less expensive to manufacture And furnaces, as well as solar collectors its inventors at Grail Engine Technologies, Chapman, Environmentally friendly: The engines burn fuel longer than traditional ICEs, This Cyclone engine which means fewer carbon emissions has been adapted At the same time, burn temperatures are for use on relatively lower, below the point at which harmful small equipment, NOx gases are created No oil is used, so such as a lawnmower there is no oil to change, dispose of, or potentially leak And the exhaust is virtually silent, unlike ICEs, which emit supersonic sound waves into the air Efficiency: By keeping heat losses to a minimum, the Cyclone’s fuel efficiencies are on par with top diesel engines It also has a power density of about 2.5 hp/in.3, far more than traditional ICEs, which put out about 1.5 hp/in.3 Low cost: The Cyclone engine doesn’t need a catalytic converter or muffler, nor an oil pump or oil, and requires no transmission With fewer parts, the engines is less expensive to manufacture and assemble And parts can be made of inexpensive, nonexotic materials The company predicts, therefore, that the engine will cost lets than On target with off-beat engines MANUFACTURING & AUTOMATION Made inthe U.S.A Is manufacturing in the U S dead and gone? The answer to this question — not really In fact, here are just a few examples of companies — either entirely based in the U. S or with large manufacturing plants here — that have done well even during the recent downturn They range from high-precision machine shops to carousel builders How to increase positioning accuracy Edited by Leslie Gordon Leslie.Gordon@penton.com, Twitter @Leslie.Gordon Machine shop produces complex, precision parts From simple screw-machine parts to highly precise, intricately detailed parts, this shop’s up-to-date machines let it produce a wide variety of products Currently, the company’s in-house machines include those with up to 12 axes, letting it perform multiple operations at once The shop also has vertical-machining centers and a secondary department that uses processes including thread rolling, knurling, polishing, Swiss Precision Machining slotting, deburring, drilling, and milling The Inc., 7550 N Oak Park Ave., firm can machine many different kinds of Niles, IL 60714, (847) 647-7111, material, from 360 brass to 303 stainless and www.spmswiss.com Nitronic 60 It can also machine different RS# 621 types of plastic Resources: MACHINE DESIGN.com Precision metric ball screws (PMBS) provide a cost-effective, high-precision actuator to aerospace, defense, medical, machine, and tool-making manufacturers To make the screws, the company uses advanced thread-rolling technology, letting it manufacture highquality precision ball screws in a range of sizes, diameters, and leads According to company officials, precision metric ball screws provide a more cost-effective alternative for accuracy-intensive actuation and outperform standard thread-rolled ball screws Fully compliant with ISO 3408-3 and DIN 69051 standards, PMBS such as the MRT and PMT offer fine adjustment, accuracy, and repeatability for tight control positioning The availability of different mounting styles makes PMBS ball screws a good, interchangeable, domestically produced Resources: replacement Nook Industries Inc., 4950 for imported E 49th St., Cleveland, OH 44125, (216) 271-7900, www ground screws AUGUST 23, 2012 64 nookindustries.com RS# 622 Made in the U S A Here are just a few examples of companies — either entirely based in the U. S or with large manufacturing plants here — that have done well even during the recent downturn Access our Reader Service Web site to quickly find and request information on the products and services found in the pages of MACHINE DESIGN www.machinedesign.com/rsc MACHINE DESIGN.com AUGUST 23, 2012 39 Inventors are refining the traditional combustion engine in search of more power and efficiency from lost-cost alternatives 64 MACHINE DESIGN.com P3-HSO 2-channel High-speed Output $ 349 P3-HSI 2-channel High-speed Input Pulse/Direction, Quadrature X1 and Quadrature X4 329 $ Pulse/Direction, Step Up/Step Down and Quadrature With the Productivity3000 controller, you get the power you need for advanced applications Simple Instructions Start with the $599 CPU - 50Mb of memory supports large programs, with tagname database and program documentation stored onboard The huge (100,000+) I/O capacity gives you plenty of room to plan and expand And the CPU’s seven built-in communication ports make integrating a large system easier than you can imagine Our standard instructions were designed to make your everyday motion applications simpler The Find Home, Set Position, Simple Move and the Velocity Move instructions (to name a few) were created to get you up and running sooner Capabilities such as Registration, Jerk Control and Channel Scaling were included to give you the flexibility to accomplish those jobs Now with High-speed Motion Control Application Example These new 2-channel modules add high-speed and motion control applications capability to the Productivity3000 controller, and they’re easy to use! Add up to 22 P3-HSO or P3-HSI modules in any combination to any P3-550 CPU and P3-RS base group That gives you up to 44 axes of motion or high-speed counting capability in a single base group These modules are supported and fully functional in the CPU base, local and remote expansion bases High-speed outputs synchronize the speed of the servo drive controlling the fill conveyor The conveyor is synchronized with the rotational speed of the turntable based on the signal(s) from the table encoder feedback via the high-speed input module P3-HSI P3-HSO Drop-in Hardware Configuration Install a high-speed module into the system hardware configuration and define each channel’s behavior, status bits, limits and scaling … without the need for an external configuration utility or software A Download the free programming software and check it out! B VELOCITY MOVE Module Name: Feed Conveyor Channel: Channel Name: CHAN-2-0.1.1 Move Setup Machine Process Start Enable Direction Positive Velocity Fill Index Speed 500 Ramp Rate Conveyor Ramp Rate 1000 Stop Setup Immediate Stop In Progress ConveyorMove In Progress Complete Conveyor Move Complete Move Status Conveyor Move Status http://bit.ly/p3000 RS# 103 ON THE COVER DEPARTMENTS MicroGroove tubes courtesy of the International Copper Association EDITORIAL Bad math for fixing bad math scores 10 EDITORIAL STAFF 12 LETTERS 16 SCANNING FOR IDEAS Machine inserts different-sized pins in the same assembly Pneumatic actuator handles linear and swiveling motion 20 REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK 30 LOOKING BACK 37 COMMENTARY The attack of the CAD jockey? 73 ORR ON ENGINEERING Be more productive 74 SOFTWARE REVIEW Software simulates mechanical systems with chains, gears, and belts 76 SOFTWARE PRODUCTS 78 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Gears & gearmotors 82 90 92 93 94 94 95 PRODUCTS DATA FILES AD INDEX BUSINESS INDEX CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS STAFF BACKTALK For customized article reprints and permissions please contact: Penton Reprints, 1-888-858-8851, e-mail at reprints@pentonreprints.com or visit pentonreprints.com Editorial content is indexed in the Applied Science Technology Index, the Engineering Index, SciSearch and Research Alert Microfilm copies available from National Archive Publishing Company (NAPC), 300 N Zeeb Rd., P.O Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998, Ph: 734-302-6500 or 800-420-NAPC (6272), extension 6578 Permission to photocopy is granted for users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Inc to photocopy any article, with the exception of those for which separate ownership is indicated on the first page of the article, provided that the base fee of $1.25 per copy of the article, plus $.60 per page is paid to CCC, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923 (Code No 0024-9114/12 $1.25 + 60) Subscription Policy: MACHINE DESIGN is circulated to research, development, and design engineers primarily engaged in the design and manufacture of machinery, electrical/electronic equipment, and mechanical equipment To obtain a complimentary subscription see our Web page at submag.com/sub/ mn For change of address fill out a new qualification form at submag.com/sub/mn Printed in U.S.A., Copyright © 2012 Penton Media, Inc All rights reserved MACHINE DESIGN (ISSN 0024-9114) is published semimonthly except for a single issue in January, February, June, July, and December by Penton Media, Inc., 9800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66212 Paid subscriptions include issues 1-18 Issue No 19 (OEM Handbook and Supplier Directory) is available at additional cost Rates: U.S.: one year, $139; two years, $199; Canada/Mexico: one year, $159; two years, $239; All other countries: one year, $199; two years, $299 Cost for back issues are U.S $10.00 per copy plus tax, Canada $15.00 per issue plus tax, and Int’l $20.00 per issue Product Locator, $50.00 plus tax Prepaid subscription: Penton Media (MACHINE DESIGN), P.O Box 2100, Skokie IL 60076-7800 Periodicals Postage Paid at Shawnee Mission, Kans., and at additional mailing offices Can GST #R126431964 Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No.40612608 Canada return address: Pitney Bowes, P.O Box 25542, London, Ont., N6C 6B2 Digital subscription rates: U.S.: one year, $69; two years, $99; Canada/Mexico: one year, $79; two years, $119; All other countries: one year, $99; two years, $149 MACHINE DESIGN.com AUGUST 23, 2012 POSTMASTER: Send change of address notice to Customer Service, MACHINE DESIGN, P.O Box 2100, Skokie, IL 60076-7800 How To Keep Your Electronics Cool When hot weather causes the electronics inside a control cabinet to fail, there is a panic to get the machinery up and running again There are several cooling options out there and it’s important to know the facts line up of coolers that are prone to bad behavior $$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$$ $$$$ $$$ $$ $ ¢ Opening the panel door and aiming a fan at the circuit boards is a bad idea -
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EXAIR Cabinet Cooler ® Systems EXAIR has a complete line of Cabinet Cooler Systems to dependably cool and purge your electrical enclosures They convert an ordinary supply of compressed air into ntoo clean, cold 20 ºF air They mount in minutes through h an ordinary d electrical l l knockout and have no moving parts to wear out The compressed air filtration that is provided keeps water, oil and other contaminants out of the enclosure Cabinet C a b iin net C Cooler oooo l eerr Sizing S iizz i n g G Guide uid ui u iid dee d w w w.exair.com /4 These have serious limitations On hot summer days when the temperatures of the room and inside of the enclosure are about equal, there’s not enough difference for effective heat exchange -
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VVÕÀ>VÞ UÊ>ÃÌÊ+՜̈˜}ÊEÊ-…ˆ«“i˜Ì EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Denise Greco Editorial Production Manager Randall L Rubenking Art Director 1300 E 9th St Cleveland, OH 44114-1503 10 MACHINE DESIGN.com RS# 109 AUGUST 23, 2012 Let Intertek clear a path ™ Get to market with greater speed and simplicity for your next innovation When launching a new product for use in hazardous locations, two questions often... automatize and oversimplify every task LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please include your name, address, and daytime phone number Letters may be edited for brevity and to focus on essential points Mail: Letters, MACHINE DESIGN, 1300 E 9th St., Cleveland, OH 441141503, Fax: 216-621-8469 E-mail, Editorial: mdeditor@penton.com RS# 111 G I V E YOU R B I G I DE A A LI T T LE M O J O Introducing A World-Class 3D Printer... for a paper), how can one expect to create an organized paper? The example of NASA’s exces-  

 

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... said he found it “amusing.” One wonders if, after spending close to $2 billion on a misguided idea, Bill and Melinda Gates are as amused by it as Kahneman — Leland Teschler, Editor RS# 106 AUGUST 23, 2012 RS# 107 OUR ANGLE IS…YOUR GEAR SHIPPED IN 24 HOURS OR IT’S FREE.* EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR Leland E Teschler leland.teschler@penton.com MITRPAK right angle, three-way, and counterrotating spiral bevel... equally inspiring model Find out more at www.Mojo3Dprinting.com/macd 3D PRIN T ER Leasing available only in the United States Additional options, shipping, applicable taxes and/or duties not included 2012 Stratasys, Inc LETTERS It seems our motto these days is, “The less thinking, the better.” Carlos Gutierrez As a frequent (and hopefully effective) user of bullet points, I want to dispel the notion... kW 33.1% 8.4 kW Costs,” contained an incorrect 5,000 graphic related to energy con- 1,000 Variable- Constant- Variable- Constantsumption on inspeed speed speed speed pump pump pump pump jection-molding machines The 1.3 kW 5.6 kW correct version, 0 0 50-ton, 160-ton, shown here, 30-sec cycle time 15-sec cycle time i n d i c a te s t h at replacing constant-speed, electrohydraulic variable-displacement... Model-Based Engineering Make Sense?” June 14) She wrote: “Design is merely creating the geometry Any CAD jockey can do ‘design.’ Engineering, on the other hand, uses physics-based rules to develop functional machines and mechanisms.” I believe she is confusing the issue It is certainly not true that any CAD jockey can do “design.” It might be true that any CAD jockey can do drafting, which might be classified