appliance design september

September 2015

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

INSIDE14 Switches & Relays

18 Motors

25 Metals

30 Noise & Vibration Control www.applianceDESIGN.com

Slotless vs. Slotted

P. 18Brushless DC Motor Design

1-877-977-5177www.wspackaging.com

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2 applianceDESIGN September 2015 www.applianceDESIGN.com

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2015 volume 63, no. 09

DEPARTMENTS

4 Editorial: Negative Reinforcement 5 Shipments/Forecasts 6 Making It: Extrusions 8 News Watch 34 New Products 38 MUST SEE products & services 40 Association Report: Modern Edge 41 Advertisers’ Index

FEATURES

SWITCHES & RELAYS14 Switches and Encoders in the IoT Age Avoid these redesign issues and optimize

the technology leap.

MOTORS18 Slotless vs. Slotted

Brushless DC Motor Design Learn more about motor options.

22 Developing a Motor Management Plan Can Save Time, Money and Energy

The Copper Development Association outlines a plan of best practices for effective motor management.

METALS25 Shape Memory Alloys: New Ways of

Using Heat for a Technology Advantage Improve appliance design by using heat

generated during normal appliance operation to drive Shape Memory Alloy technology.

NOISE & VIBRATION CONTROL30 An Appliance Noise Tutorial Let’s review the basic concepts of acoustics

and the design of quiet products.

WEB EXTRASOvercoming Thermal Cycling with Distinct AdhesivesBe specific about materials being joined. Adhesives for thermal cycling aim at stress-sensitive devices, ensure joint and bond strength while bonding metal and fiber-reinforced composites.

See photo galleries from the floors of the latest trade shows!

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BLOGS

White Goods in Russia—as depressing as the country itself?

WEB EXTRAS

BLOGS

COVER

Motors. BLDC slotted motors and gear family. Slotted BLDC motors are preferable when the diameter is larger and a higher number of poles are required. Source: Portescap

14 30

18

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I have to admit that it sometimes appears to me that we live in a very negative society. More often than not, we, as

human beings, receive more negative reinforcement than positive reinforcement. We are more likely to concentrate on fixing or avoiding the bad than appreciating the good. In the office, the boss is more inclined to address a mistake than to give an “’attaboy!” for a job well done. It seems we are more likely to concentrate on a bad performance than to celebrate a victory. Just listen to sports talk radio sometime. Is it just a matter of the squeaky wheel getting the oil?

In his documentary, “95 Miles To Go,” Ray Romano notices a sign on the rear of an 18-wheeler and makes this comment:

“How’s my driving? Any complaints or compliments call this number. Now here’s the thing. Complaints I can understand, but compliments? Who’s doin’ that? Who’s life is that boring? Who’s picking up the phone, “Yeah, listen, I saw truck number 42...Oh, he did a U-turn and I wept…I’m tellin’ ya, he backed into that loading dock…He’s a genius. Can I get on the mailing list ‘cause the kids would love to see him.”

Funny, and yes, sarcastic, but is it apathy or lack of excitement in our lives that accounts for our seemingly predisposed attitude to complain but not compliment?

According to Lisa Roundy, an expert in human relations, and her course in psychology, the term negative reinforcement was first described by B.F. Skinner in his theory of operant conditioning when “he noticed that behaviors were reinforced when they prevented, or provided escape from, a

negative outcome. Through experiments, he proved that negative reinforcement would cause an increase in the occurrence of a behavior over time.”

Roundy offers the example, “It’s a beautiful, sunny day and you are going outside to swim some laps in the pool. You change into your bathing suit and head out the door. Suddenly, you remember that you forgot to put on sunscreen. You want to avoid sunburn, so you go back inside, get the bottle of sunscreen, and apply it before returning to the pool.”

The example is the essence of negative reinforcement—strengthening a behavior by taking away a negative outcome as an effect of the behavior.

“When a negative result is avoided by performing a specific action, the preventative behavior becomes more likely to occur again in the future,” said Roundy. “Think about why you went back to put on the sunscreen. You’ve likely learned from experience that sunburn hurts very badly. Applying the sunscreen is a behavior response to avoid the negative outcome of sunburn; and so, avoiding sunburn is a negative reinforcement for putting on sunscreen.”

Not to perpetuate the idea of negative reinforcement, but this month’s appliance DESIGN is set to provide you with some tips for avoiding a “noise problem” in your designs. So check out “An Appliance Noise Tutorial” by Steve Africk.

Enjoy and thanks for reading!...And maybe a “nice job!” to your colleagues now and again.

EDITORIAL

Negative ReinforcementFear conditioning.

volume 63, no. 09

by Darryl Seland, Editorial Director


publishing staffDarrell Dal Pozzo (847) 405-4044Group Publisher [email protected]

Darryl Seland (610) 436-4220 x8532Editorial Director [email protected]

Michelle Bangert (630) 849-0740Managing Editor [email protected]

Ed McMenamin (773) 931-0772Associate Editor [email protected]

Leah Pickett (248) 244-8255Associate Editor [email protected]

Daryl Delano (508) 746-7986Economics Editor [email protected]

Paul Roggema & Kevin HenryNew Media Contributors [email protected]

John Talan (248) 244-8253Production Manager [email protected]

MaTT Britcher (480) 334-0286Art Director [email protected]

circulationCassandra Kerby (248) 244-6487Audience Development [email protected] Manager

Alison Illes (248) 244-1730Multimedia Specialist [email protected]

Catherine M. Ronan (248) 244-8259Corporate Audience Audit Manager [email protected]

Kevin Collopy (402) 836-6265Sr. Account Manager [email protected]

Michael Costantino (402) 836-6266Senior Account Manager [email protected]

Ann Kalb (248) 244-6499Single Copy Sales [email protected]

marketingJennesa Kreiner (248) 786-1694 Marketing Manager [email protected]

Steve Wassel (248) 786-1210 Trade Show Coordinator [email protected]

Editorial Advisory Board 2014-2015Joe McGuire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AHAMPresident

Jill Notini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AHAMVice President, Communications & Marketing

Francis Dietz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AHRIVice President, Public Affairs

Bob Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Branson UltrasonicsVP Marketing & Sales North America

Bill Romick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DNA Group, Inc.VP, Business Development

Richard Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Essential-Design

Steven J. Vaccaro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Henkel CorporationFocus Segment Marketing Manager Derek Silva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IntertekDirector, Marketing Communications

Pat Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lydall

John Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traulsen

Brian Ferriol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ULGlobal HVAC/R Business Development Manager

®

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www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN September 2015 5

Product June-15 June-14 %Chg YTD 2015 YTD 2014 %ChgMAJOR APPLIANCES (Thousand of Units)All Major Appliances 7,556.30 7,134.60 5.90% 37,979.30 35,897.70 5.80%Cooking-Total 2,003.50 1,649.20 21.50% 10,116.70 8,596.00 17.70%Electric Cooking - Total 506.5 487.6 3.90% 2,604.20 2,431.30 7.10% Electric Ranges 406.7 386.3 5.30% 2,070.90 1,918.10 8.00% Electric Ovens 65.7 69.8 -6.00% 359.9 348.8 3.20% Surface Cooking Units 34.2 31.5 8.50% 173.4 164.3 5.50%Gas Cooking - Total 302.8 285.4 6.10% 1,511.90 1,430.00 5.70% Gas Ranges 261.9 246 6.50% 1,293.40 1,225.30 5.60% Gas Ovens 1.8 2.3 -24.80% 12.2 14.4 -14.80% Surface Cooking Units 39.1 37.1 5.50% 206.3 190.4 8.40% Microwave Ovens 1,194.20 876.2 36.30% 6,000.60 4,734.80 26.70%Home Laundry - Total 1,622.70 1,608.70 0.90% 7,835.20 7,696.90 1.80% Automatic Washers 911.7 908.1 0.40% 4,382.20 4,316.80 1.50% Dryers - Total 711 700.7 1.50% 3,453.00 3,380.10 2.20% Electric 585.4 563.8 3.80% 2,840.10 2,756.80 3.00% Gas 125.6 136.8 -8.20% 612.9 623.3 -1.70%Kitchen Clean Up - Total 1,430.40 1,323.30 8.10% 7,199.40 6,936.90 3.80% Disposers 670.5 666.2 0.60% 3,619.00 3,544.00 2.10% Dishwashers - Total 756.6 653.9 15.70% 3,562.90 3,375.00 5.60% Built-In 751.2 650.3 15.50% 3,534.90 3,350.90 5.50% Portable 5.3 3.6 48.70% 28 24.1 16.00% Compactors 3.4 3.2 6.00% 17.5 18 -2.90%Food Preservation - Total 1,296.00 1,280.20 1.20% 5,657.50 5,536.80 2.20% Refrigerators 6.5 & Over 1,095.00 1,068.20 2.50% 4,742.40 4,616.70 2.70% Freezers - Total 201 212 -5.20% 915 920.1 -0.50% Chest 125.3 135 -7.20% 586.8 587.2 -0.10% Upright 75.7 77 -1.70% 328.2 332.9 -1.40%Home Comfort - Total 1,203.80 1,273.20 -5.40% 7,170.60 7,131.10 0.60% Room Air Conditioners 848.9 859.2 -1.20% 5,851.50 5,780.20 1.20% Dehumidifiers 354.9 413.9 -14.30% 1,319.10 1,350.90 -2.40%

SHIPMENTS

HVAC - Shipment figures for unitary air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and water heaters can be found at www.ahrinet.org.

Note: Figures (in units) include shipments for the U.S. market whether imported or domestically produced. Export shipments are not included.

Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).

INSIDE14 Displays & Interfaces

19 Motors

22 Insulation

29 Heating Technology

April 2015

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDEwww.applianceDESIGN.com

p. 26

THE STATE OF

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page 2

6.TPEs

Cover.indd 1 3/19/15 8:49 AM

Prepainted TechnologyPrepainted TechnologyContinues to Advance

INSIDE11 Smart Appliances

14 Internet of Things

17 Fans & Blowers

24 Connected Technology

May 2015



Cover.indd 1 4/17/15 8:29 AM

June 2015


INSIDE20 Connectors & Cords

24 Quality & Standards

27 Prototyping

32 Excellence In Design

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FORECASTSMAJOR HOME APPLIANCES – Shipments

(Thousands of Units)Qtr: 2014 2015 20161 15986.6 17572.2 18292.72 18763.5 20407.1 21162.23 16531.8 17160.0 18206.84 16199.3 17009.3 18165.9For 2014, a 5.5% increase to 67.481 million unitsFor 2015, a 6.9% increase to 72.149 million units For 2016, a 5.1% increase to 75.827 million unitsData Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

DIGITAL TELEVISIONS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2014 2015 20161 5796.8 5692.5 5720.92 5912.7 5859.5 5759.93 5634.1 5256.6 5104.24 20243.4 18806.1 17959.8For 2014, a 4.1% decline to 37.587 million unitsFor 2015, a 5.2% decline to 35.615 million unitsFor 2016, a 3.0% decline to 34.545 million unitsData Source: CEA Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

MICROWAVE OVENS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2014 2015 20161 2118.4 2683.8 2616.72 2432.6 3316.8 3300.23 2673.1 2849.5 2949.34 2658.6 2746.3 2897.4For 2014, an 8.0% increase to 9.883 million unitsFor 2015, a 17.3% increase to 11.496 million units For 2016, a 1.4% increase to 11.764 million unitsData Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2014 2015 20161 1097.7 1290.1 1309.42 1063.0 1047.0 1116.13 970.0 1009.8 1060.34 1146.7 1184.5 1233.1For 2014, a 6.7% increase to 4.277 million unitsFor 2015, a 5.9% increase to 4.531 million units For 2016, a 4.1% increase to 4.719 million unitsData Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

DISHWASHERS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2014 2015 20161 1511.1 1649.9 1714.22 1757.3 1913.0 2002.93 1819.7 1921.6 2035.04 1877.2 1959.8 2087.2For 2014, a 9.6% increase to 6.965 million unitsFor 2015, a 6.9% increase to 7.444 million units For 2016, a 5.3% increase to 7.839 million unitsData Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2014 2015 20161 2924.9 2895.9 3023.32 2793.3 2955.6 3103.43 228.4 276.6 284.94 66.1 76.0 80.6For 2014, an 11.2% decline to 6.013 million unitsFor 2015, a 3.2% increase to 6.204 million units For 2016, a 4.6% increase to 6.492 million unitsData Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

Note: Forecasts begin in Q3/2015 for all data series except for ‘Residential Electric Water Heaters’ which begin in Q2/2015.

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MAKING IT

Extrusion occurs in a variety of forms, from the low-tech squeeze of a toothpaste tube and the mak-

ing of foods such as long-stranded pasta, to aluminum window frames and the con-tinuous lengths of hard-boiled egg that McDonald’s slices into its salads.

In the simplest terms, extrusion is about squeezing a material through a hole in a die and producing continuous lengths of material at whatever profile that hole has.

This bench, or chair depending on the length you cut it, designed by Thomas

Heatherwick shows a very large-scale example of extrusion.

The project follows the simple premise of how can you make a seat, legs, and back rest from a single shape in a single mate-rial and eliminate any connectors or addi-tional components.

Heatherwick sought the largest extru-sion machine in the world in order pro-duce his vision. The piece also required a lot of polishing in order to transform the dull aluminum into a mirror-bright sur-face.

The piece captures the essence of the continuous nature of the production process, showing the unfinished tail that

twists into space. <

by chris lefteri

POSITIVES:The best way to make long strips with the same

profile.

Can be used for a range of materials.

Extensive production base.

NEGATIVES:Parts often need to be cut to length, assembled,

or drilled..

QUICK GUIDEVolume of productionDifferent manufacturers have different minimum lengths, but extrusion can be a cost-effective process for both batch and large-scale runs. It is definitely not for one-offs—unless your one-off is 150 feet long.

Unit price vs. capital investmentConventional extrusion requires a low investment in tooling when compared with injection molding, for example.

SpeedUp to 65 feet per hour.

SurfaceExcellent.

Types/complexity of shapeNo problems in making complex shapes with varying wall thicknesses, just as long as the shape is the same along the whole length. Flat sheet can also be produced.

ScaleDepends on the type of extrusion. Most manufacturers have an average maximum size of 10 inches in cross-section. The length is limited by the size of the factory.

TolerancesDifficult to maintain high tolerances due to a wearing of the die.

Relevant materialsExtrusion is a versatile process and can be used for materials including wood-based plastic composites, aluminum (shown in this example), magnesium, copper, and a wide variety of plastics and ceramics.

Typical productsEverything from architectural and furniture components, lighting, and accessories, to pasta, and sticks of English rock candy with place names written through them.

Similar methodsPultrusion, calendering, coextrusion (multiple layers of extruded material in the same component), laminating (two, or more, materials bonded together), roll forming, and impact extrusion.

Sustainability issuesThere are multiple forms of extrusion, but both hot and cold extrusion require either high temperatures or pressure, which can be energy intensive. Extrusions can crack internally during forming when too much heat or pressure is applied, so parts must be monitored closely to prevent waste of materials. The nature of the long lengths of extrusions also means parts need post-cutting in order to convert them into usable shapes.

Further informationwww.heatherwick.comwww.aec.org

This bi-monthly series features entries from the well-known designer’s handbook, Making It: Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design, 2nd Edition, published by Laurence King Publishing at www.laurenceking.com. Each column describes a material used in design and/or the processes for its use.

EXTRUSIONAND ALL ITS FORMS.

Chris Lefteri is an internationally recognized authority on materials and their application in design.

He has published eight books on design and material innovation, and his design firm has worked with Fortune 100 companies and major design studios across the Northern Hemisphere. Visit www.chrislefteri.com

Detail from extrusion emerging from die (above).

Close-up of extrusion die.

PRODUCTS EXTRUSIONSDesigner Thomas Heatherwick Materials aluminumManufacturer Haunch of VenisonCountry UKDate 2009

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Transforming the design process to compete in the era of the Internet of Things is critical to long term success. Speed is key. Collecting and analyzing data from reviews, blogs, and crowd sources and leveraging that information to transform the enterprise requires fast information and breaking down silos.

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Moderator:Darryl SelandEditorial DirectorApplianceDESIGN


NEWS WATCH

CEA, LonMark Announce New Home and Building Automation Standards

U.S. CUTTING TOOL CONSUMPTION DOWN 7 PERCENT IN MAY

MCLEAN, VA — May U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $172.8 million, accord-ing to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute the As-sociation For Manufacturing Technology.

This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration, was down 6 percent from April’s total and down 7 percent from May 2014.

These numbers and all data in this re-port are based on the totals actually re-

ported by the companies participating in the CTMR program. The totals here rep-resent the majority of the U.S. market for cutting tools.

“The decline in May cutting tool ship-ments data is not surprising given the changing market, seasonal shutdowns and economic environment faced by our industry,” said Brad Lawton, chairman of AMT’s Cutting Tool Product Group. “The monthly swings in shipments are consis-tent with expectations for a flat year rela-tive to 2014.”

The Cutting Tool Market Report is jointly compiled by AMT and USCTI, two trade associations representing the de-velopment, production and distribution of cutting tool technology and products. It provides a monthly statement on U.S. manufacturers’ consumption of the pri-mary consumable in the manufacturing process – the cutting tool. Analysis of cut-ting tool consumption is a leading indica-tor of both upturns and downturns in U.S. manufacturing activity, as it is a true mea-sure of actual production levels.

ARLINGTON, VA — The Consumer Electronics Association and LonMark International announced two new standards available for home and building automation.

These standards provide multiple parties – including users, developers, vendors, integrators and specifiers of open building control systems – a mechanism to develop and deliver a higher level of device-to-device interoperability using any open control networking communication platform.

“Our intent is to offer to the market a very proven, well adopted approach to solving the Internet of Things (IoT) interoperability issue,” said Ron Bernstein, chief ambassador for LonMark International. “These profiles can be de-coupled from the core ANSI/CEA-709.1 control network protocol and be implemented on any transport, providing a unique opportunity for other standards development bodies to jumpstart their interoperability efforts.”

Added Bernstein, “The process of taking the LonMark documents through the CEA standards process proved to be exceptionally efficient. With the help of key CEA staff and committee members, we are very pleased with the process and with the initial outpour of interest.”

CEA-709.5 Implementation Guidelines defines the application layer requirements for interoperable devices and how they share key information, status and data across an open control network. Typically deployed on an ANSI/CEA-709.1 LonWorks protocol network, these application elements define how to interact with disparate devices from multiple vendors in the same system. This significantly improves the system installation time and integration of typical home and building systems by defining units, range and resolution, configuration, and enumeration requirements along with device self-documentation information within the standard. The new standard now enables other transports the option of adopting

a common application layer element description library.CEA-709.6 Application Elements built upon the .5

Implementation Guidelines by providing a catalog of more than 100 common device profiles, with more than 380 specific implementation options. These profiles define the mandatory and optional design requirements for standard data variables, standard configuration properties, enumeration types and standard interface file requirements. This extensive library of device profiles includes definitions for a broad collection of devices for HVAC, lighting, security, access, metering, energy management, fire and smoke control, gateways, commercial and industrial I/O, gas detection, generators, room automation, renewable energy, utility, automated food service, semiconductor fabrication, transportation, home appliances and others.

“LonMark’s member community has helped build standards over the last 22 years,” said Dave Wilson, vice president, technology & standards, CEA. “Given that level of dedication and contribution to the sector, we wanted to ensure that taking the LonMark documents through the CEA standards process would be exceptionally efficient. As the initial outpouring of interest indicates, the process worked quite well.”

The new standards were developed in task groups with topic experts contributing to a final consensus for each device profile. A complete testing and certification program offered by LonMark International ensures compliance to the standards. CEA is the natural home of these standards for the U.S. market, with many new profiles and standards updates planned for the future.

CEA’s standards committees produce standards, guidelines and technical reports that help grow the consumer technology industry. All are welcome and encouraged to join any of CEA’s technology activities.


NEWS WATCH

BUSINESS NEWSGraphene 3D Lab Inc. accepted deliv-ery of additional extrusion equipment that will double the potential produc-tion capacity of their functional fila-ments. This equipment will also be used to manufacture the company’s specialty filaments including the recently intro-duced conductive filament sold through the company’s online store.

Graphene 3D CEO Daniel Stolyarov commented, “This new extrusion equip-ment will help us to meet the increasing demand for our conductive filament. The extra manufacturing capacity will also allow us to move forward with pro-duction of new specialty materials. We anticipate releasing at least three new materials in 2015.”

The company’s conductive filament is ideally suited for 3D print projects that require electrical connections, includ-

ing conductive traces (such as electrical connections found in circuit boards) or touch sensors (as found in trackpads, controllers or switches). Graphene 3D introduced the conductive filament for sale in March of this year. The filament is available in 1.75 mm diameter, 100-gram spools and achieves a volume resistivity of 0.6 Ohm-cm.

Graphene 3D Lab Inc. is in the busi-ness of developing, manufacturing, and marketing proprietary graphene-based nanocomposite materials for various types of 3D printing, including fused filament fabrication. Graphene 3D is also involved in the design, manufacture, and marketing of 3D printers and related products for domestic and international customers.

The Graphene 3D facility is located in Calverton, NY, and is equipped with ma-

terial processing and analytical equip-ment. The company has four US patent applications pending for its technology.

Lightspeed Design, Inc. and LC-Tec Displays AB signed a new multi-year exclusive distribution agreement ensuring that the patented PolarSpeed technology manufactured by LC-Tec will continue to be solely used in DepthQ 3D Passive Polarization products for Digital Cinema.

The DepthQ Polarization Modulator and DepthQ CineBright high-brightness 3D Light Recycler allow Digital Cinema projectors to display stereoscopic 3D films and meet Hollywood’s demanding image quality standards. With powered, symmetrical 50 microseconds switch-ing time between the eyes, both DepthQ


NEWS WATCH

products enable the world’s shortest dark times - thus easily ensuring bright, low-crosstalk operation.

Further details of the agreement are not disclosed.

Chris Ward, president, Lightspeed Design, Inc. / DepthQ: “The high-speed liquid crystal polarization modulation technology manufactured by LC-Tec is a market proven best-in-class product. We are very pleased with the co-developed 3D Digital Cinema technology, with over 1,800 operational screens worldwide. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with the talented people at LC-Tec.”

Jesper Osterman, managing director, LC-Tec: “We are delighted to sign a new agreement with Lightspeed Design. The outstanding progress made during the recent years in terms of product devel-opment is a direct result of the unique combination of expertise between our two companies. The unmatched experi-ence in 3D that Lightspeed possesses is a perfect match with our skills in LC-device research and manufacturing.”

FlexTech Alliance concluded its large-area roll-to-roll in-line surface me-trology program with 4D Technology Corporation of Tucson, AZ.

The product, the FlexCamTM Defect and Roughness Metrology Module, was launched in February at 2015FLEX in Monterey and will be featured in several upcoming events. This project was started in 2012 with the intent of developing high-speed inspection and measurement — two important measures of success in roll-to-roll manufacturing of electronics.

The project started with a request from FlexTech members for an inspection sys-tem which could provide insight into the characteristics of a web in motion. 4D Technology proposed, and was accepted to complete, the project. Important char-acteristics included: freedom from vibra-tion of the rest of the system, detection of surface roughness in the 1 nanometer range, web speeds up to 1 meter per min-ute, and a field of view of 4 millimeters. The company’s final product has exceed-ed several of the original technical targets

and has demonstrated the expectation for further improvement. Originally intend-ed for barrier film manufacturers, the FlexCam is also gaining interest for char-acterizing substrates and intermediate layers. Interest has also been seen in other market areas, including non-roll-to-roll applications, precision optics manu-facturing, and in place measurement of roughness on polished metal parts in pre-cision machining centers.

“The quick entrance to the industry and commercial interest in this unit is in-dicative of a successful FlexTech project,” states Malcolm Thompson, chief tech-nology officer at FlexTech Alliance. “4D Technology is delivering an advanced and easily-customizable tool to an industry that is re-writing the way electronics are built. It is supply chain advancements like this one that will enable a fully-realized Internet of Everything.”

Dr. Erik Novak, director of business development for 4D Technology, said, “The product has been well received by the flexible electronics industry and we are actively negotiating with many com-panies for purchase of modules for in-line inspection. We are very pleased and express our appreciation to FlexTech, the Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing (CAMM), Vitriflex, and DuPont Teijin for their support in fund-ing, testing and materials. FlexTech’s Technical Council, and the broad range of expertise on the Council, was ex-tremely helpful in creating useful speci-fications and interim feedback.”

Precision Polymer Engineering, a manufacturer of molded elastomer seals and O-rings, unveiled new data showing its perfluoroelastomer sealing materi-als are contain the lowest levels of trace metal elements in the industry.

A total of 22 elastomer material sam-ples, from several manufacturers, were tested for levels of 30 metal elements by an independent laboratory.

The company showcased its compre-hensive offerings on its booth #1639 at Semicon West 2015, July 14-16.

Device manufacturers in the semi-conductor industry face numerous chal-lenges on a day-to-day basis including particle and metallic ion contamina-

tion. As device dimensions shrink, there is a much greater potential for damage, which therefore requires lower levels of contamination. Even a small amount of metallic ion contaminant can change electrical characteristics and impact per-formance, or lead to reliability problems that could potentially go undetected un-til after the chips have been shipped and built into an electrical system.

As device manufacturers make con-tinuous efforts to avoid contamination, PPE is able to provide materials that support these challenges and offer elas-tomers with extremely low levels of trace metals. PPE has a long heritage of sup-plying optimized sealing solutions to the semiconductor manufacturing market.

With manufacturing operations in the UK and USA, PPE supports its equip-ment manufacturer clients through the entire product lifecycle, from design stages all the way through to aftercare. Its tailored design capability integrated with expert knowledge of material properties, provides equipment manufacturers with access to application-specific custom-ized sealing products and solutions. The main benefit is in allowing clients’ design engineers to focus on meeting targets and reducing the risk of product failure.

Commenting on this, Knut Beek-mann, market manager for Semicon, PPE, said: “PPE is not just a provider of sealing materials, but can deliver cus-tomized engineered solutions for critical sealing applications in order to maxi-mize seal integrity and longevity, helping semicon equipment manufacturers to reduce the cost of consumables and sup-port the efforts against contamination. This data reflects that we still remain at the forefront of technology and are able to provide our customers with industry leading levels of cleanliness.”

Carrier signed a strategic agreement with Microf to provide an alternative to traditional financing for qualified Car-rier heating and air conditioning cus-tomers.

Microf now offers its rent-to-own so-lution through Carrier’s extensive dis-tributor and dealer network, enabling an

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NEWS WATCH

The Additive Manufacturing Users

Group named new directors and officers.

The expansion of the leadership team is

in response to the year-over-year growth

in the group’s annual conference and the

projected growth for coming years.

Mark Barfoot, AMUG president, said,

“We are coming off of a very successful

AMUG Conference, thanks in part to

the tireless efforts of the board and offi-

cers. To grow AMUG while maintaining

the characteristics that makes it unique,

namely being an educational and infor-

mative association that emphasizes col-

laboration and networking, the users

PEOPLE NEWS

The Consumer Electronics Associa-tion announced that an independent au-dit confirms that attendance at the 2015 CES reached a record 176,676 industry professionals (a 10 percent increase from the 2014 CES) from 153 countries, with 48,833 attendees coming from outside the U.S. (a 19.6 percent increase from the 2014 CES).

Additionally, 6,952 media attended the show to report on the latest consumer technologies and trends, resulting in more than 950 million media impres-sions. CES also had a solid presence on social media with more than 750,000 mentions of #CES2015 during the four days of the show and 7.51 billion total potential Twitter impressions, which is nearly the world’s population.

The independent audit, performed by Veris Consulting, LLC, confirms CES’ sta-tus as the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. CEA confirmed that CES also featured more than 3,600 exhibiting companies across more than 2.23 million net square feet of exhibit space.

As CES and the consumer technology industry continue to grow, CEA is imple-

menting stricter credential requirements aimed to keep CES 2016 attendance at 176,000 or close to a level comparable to the 2015 CES, to ensure the highest qual-ity experience for all in attendance. Regis-tration for CES 2016 opens July 8.

CES Unveiled Paris will feature a CES press conference with announce-ments from CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro and a consumer technology trends presentation from CEA’s market research team. The half-day, industry-on-ly event also will feature ground-breaking innovations from budding startups and established international brands.

“The decision to return CES Unveiled to Paris was easy. The innovation com-ing from France is ground-breaking and is putting the country on the map as a digital power broker in the global economy,” said Shapiro. “Last year’s CES hosted 70 French startup companies in our Eureka Park Mar-ketplace, a designated area on the show floor for startup technologies and services. We look forward to seeing France’s leading innovators at this year’s CES in Las Vegas and CES Unveiled Paris will provide a sneak

peek into their latest breakthroughs.”CEA will partner with La Poste,

France’s mail service provider, committed to bringing innovative technology solu-tions to legacy industries. La Poste has recently launched its “French IoT” pro-gram in support of connected innovation throughout startups, large companies and competitive clusters in France.

“We were very proud, last January, to be the first French group to reveal an IoT platform at CES,” says Phillippe Wahl, La Poste Group CEO. “Our ambition is to become a leader in developing new digital services combining disruptive technology and human services. We consider IoT as a key element of our strategy, backed with strong values of proximity and confi-dence that La Poste carries forever. Thus, we actively support and promote local and national innovative projects, from both startup and large companies. Our partnership with CEA for CES Unveiled is a strong asset in achieving this goal.”

CES Unveiled Paris highlights the dy-namism of the consumer technology industry, leading up to CES 2016 and is designated for the press, CE industry ana-lysts, investors and tech executives.

CONVENTION NEWS

additional option for homeowners to ob-tain quality products. Carrier, a provider of high-technology heating, ventilating and air-conditioning solutions, is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

“Carrier is pleased to work with Mi-crof to provide a rent-to-own HVAC option to our customers,” said Matthew Pine, vice president, marketing, Carrier residential HVAC. “This strategic busi-ness relationship benefits customers

and dealers by giving them the broadest range of options to meet their heating and cooling needs.”

Microf will support dealers and their customers with a quick and user-friendly application process, a flexible product offering and specialized HVAC expertise. The rent-to-own option will be available for customers who meet minimum fi-nancial standards.

Microf ’s alternative to traditional fi-nancing enables more customers to en-

joy improved comfort and air quality

with an affordable monthly payment.

“We at Microf are excited about

working with Carrier and the oppor-

tunity to expand our dealer network

and customer base,” said Jay Kimbro,

Microf co-founder. “Our unique rent-

to-own concept will ensure more con-

sumers are able to meet their heating

and cooling needs with an affordable

monthly payment.”


NEWS WATCH

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group’s leadership needs more additive manufacturing professionals that are pas-sionate about the its success.”

Gary Rabinovitz, manager of the Ad-ditive Manufacturing Lab at Reebok In-ternational Ltd. and a past president of AMUG, has been appointed as the chair-man of the board. Rabinovitz was selected for the position based on his past leader-ship and contributions that have made AMUG successful. Rabinovitz oversaw the development of the 2015 conference agenda, which had nearly 200 presenta-tions, and led the users group during its transition from a technology focus to an industry-wide organization. Mark Bar-foot, president and former chairman, will retain a director position on the board.

The AMUG Board also created four deputy vice president positions, which will be filled by appointment. Paul Bates, lead additive manufacturing de-velopment engineer at UL, and Derek Ellis, senior applications engineer for Computer Aided Technology, Inc., have been appointed to fill two of the deputy

vice president positions. Both men will assist the elected vice presidents, Steve Deak and Dana Foster, in developing sponsorships, promoting the user group and overseeing the AMUGexpo.

Paul Bates has volunteered his services, in many capacities, to assist AMUG over the past five years. With the support of UL, Bates offered to become more in-volved in the organization as one of its officers. Derek Ellis, a past AMUG vice president and advisor, will focus his ef-forts on new AMUG members and first-time conference attendees.

The AMUG Board also reappointed Mark Abshire, an application engineer at Computer Aided Technology, Inc., as an advisor to the organization. Abshire, a past AMUG vice president, has served as an advisor for the past two years, and his primary responsibility will continue to be overseeing registration for the annual AMUG Conference.

Barfoot stated, “With the men and women that we now have as directors and officers, AMUG has a leadership team that

I look forward to leading; a team that will

ensure continued growth and success.”

Schurter Inc. founder Bruno H. Sch-urter retired. Schurter was founded in

1982 in Petaluma, CA.

Bruno H. Schurter, president & CEO

will retire after 33 years of heading up the

privately-held company, which is a sub-

sidiary of Schurter Holding AG, founded

in 1933 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Diane Cupples, vice president of mar-

keting, will assume the position of chair-

woman of the board, and Leonard Over-holser, vice president of sales, will take

over as president and CEO. Ms. Cupples

has been with the company since 1983.

Overholser has been with the company

for nearly 20 years.

The company is an eight time recipient

of Sonoma County’s Best Places to Work.

The average employee tenure is 15 years.

The company has contributed to the local

Sonoma County economy and the elec-

tronics industry for over 30 years.


SWITCHES & RELAYS

The man/machine interface evolution continues to morph and adapt to the technology around it and the

expectations of the user. The humble but ubiquitous switch continues to rise to the challenges that appliances and devices face in an ever increasingly connected world. What are the trends and how can the changes be used to provide advantages in cost, performance and reliability? The following are observations and conclusions that provide insight to strategies and tactics for improved designs and more profitable and reliable products.

Technology innovations continue their ever expanding spiral at exponential rates. Improvements in materials, processes, intellectual property, componentry, etc., move at a dizzying pace. No more so than the electronics that have crept into almost everything we use. There are

breakthroughs in technology on how to cool a space, but the basic mechanical motions of a blender or dryer have not changed appreciably in a century. The technology revolution and Moore’s law are not at play. But the controls and interface technologies on these machines, if approached correctly can certainly benefit in performance, quality and cost improvement when the advances of the electronics industry are employed.

What has driven this electronic evolution into almost everything we use is the relentless pursuit of ever more powerful and less costly microprocessors (MCU). What exists on a watch today (Apple Watch not included) has as much power as the computing power that took man to the moon. Where that will be in five years or ten years from now is almost unimaginable. Converging with

Avoid these redesign

issues and optimize the

technology leap.

by tim sweet

Tim Sweet is a solutions manager at DNA Group Inc. For more information, call (919)

788-7253, email [email protected] or visit www.dnagroup.com.

Switches and EncodersIN THE IOT AGE

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SWITCHES & RELAYS

that is the communications capabilities of the latest technologies that provide connectivity at a cost that can justify remote control features through a smartphone or any internet connection. What drives that technology revolution is the same microprocessor technologies that are employed in the appliance controls. In fact, the shift to embedded microprocessor controls within a device can provide wireless communication technology with little or no extra cost. It is already embedded in the chip.

This is not just a point of arrival. This is a path or journey. The cost and technology today, yes it will be obsolete in less than 18 months, will be replaced by something faster, cheaper, more reliable, more powerful… The conversion to the MCU controlled device may be a one-time development cost but once the base technology has shifted from an analogue based technology (switching power) to a digital based system with an MCU and power transistors and/or triacs, the new path reaps the rewards of the technology evolution that is driven by a host of industries that rely on that technology innovation. It is like riding the Gulf Stream or Pacific Current: enjoy the ride and reap the benefits.

Making that transition has its do’s and don’ts. The device control remains a marriage between the operator controls and the functional controller: the man/machine interface, HMI, and the MCU. The more sophisticated the device and controls, the more attention to a simple HMI control is required. A good example of an over complex control system was the first generation of hybrid vehicles that put the controls of almost every device in the vehicle through the touch display but adjusting the heater fan speed up or down required paging through three or four pages on the screen. Distractions like these while driving 60 miles an hour on a busy freeway was not only annoying, it was dangerous. The next generation of product had dual controls: the display and a rotary switch. The human machine interface was and still is a very important factor in the design of any machine.

Hopefully none of the appliance migrations from the analogue to the digital control will put lives at risk but fingers, eyes, etc. are all injury targets

when an appliance re-design was not intuitive, reliable, simple and accessible. The following are some re-design issues to avoid and some strategies to optimize the technology leap.

Mis-Matched Switching Technologies:

The interface design of the old product, its layout, graphics, sound and touch may be optimized for the product and features, but the underlying technology of analogue switches are not compatible with digital signals. Power contacts rely on current flow to keep the contacts clean which gives the switch its full potential life. Just like over current situations, under current usage degrades the life of the switch. Without the required power being transmitted by the switch, the contacts will oxidize and the low voltages used in a digital control system will result in a switch failure; the switch will fail to close. Perhaps even more annoying, it may become intermittent.

Incorporating switches designed for digital technology, a change of state switch inherently is more reliable because it has fewer moving parts and the contact surfaces are not exposed to high voltages or currents. Technologies such as tact switches, snap domes and carbon pills have typical actuations in the millions. Encoders using resistive film and wiper blades have life cycles four or five times longer than equivalent rotary switches with power contacts. Linear switches such as trigger switches that use similar digital technologies outperform their analogue counterparts. Newer technologies that are designed for the digital world including capacitive touch, hall effect and optical sensor devices have near infinite life. Choosing the right technology to create a new and more powerful user interface is the key step in the transition from analogue to digital.

Features versus Controls: Many product redesigns will take

advantage of the new features available with a microprocessor, but the HMI must remain simple and intuitive. With more features and choices, the tendency is to add more buttons, switches, displays and/or indicator LEDs. Not only does this take up

more real estate but it also becomes more confusing to the operator. Cramming all of this onto the existing appliance front panel will not only confuse but often make the actuation of switches near impossible without activating an adjacent switch or control.

Matching new or different switch technologies to take advantage of the more powerful, feature rich microprocessor is a critical step in creating more powerful and more user-friendly appliance applications. To avoid the confusion of more inputs using more switches replace these switches with a rotary or linear encoder. Combined with feedback mechanisms such as detents, indicators, or displays, the user interface becomes more informative and intuitive. The user experiences of the digital world have embraced the thumb wheel of the iPOD to the touch scroll displays of the Android adding thousands of choices at the fingertips. Most appliance applications do not require the sophistication of these types of solutions but utilizing simpler rotary or linear encoders to take advantage of multiple settings in a very limited space takes advantage of the microprocessor’s power without sacrificing space, cost or the great HMI experience the product has relied on for customer satisfaction.

Maintaining Sensory Feedback:

Converting to new switch technologies can sometimes miss the important sensory feedback techniques used in conventional switches. Customers that have used products for many years rely on sensory feedback including audible, visual and tactile cues. Without these, the operator may become confused when double or triple actuations are made without sensory feedback creating undesired or even dangerous conditions.

Attention to the haptics and other sensory feedback is an absolute must. Analogue switches have a built-in snap action. Many digital technologies lack this snap or their snap ratios are too low to be perceived in the applications. Enhancements in the switch design can be employed to replicate the desired feel. Visual aids such as the positional indicator of the rocker or paddle of the conventional switch can and should be replicated when


SWITCHES & RELAYS

visual cues are required for safety or other performance characteristics. Other visual, audio or Haptic cues can easily be added into the base digital switch technology without adding significant cost or space. Detents, torque adjustments, linear force curves etc. in rotary and trigger encoders, can easily replicate the feel of existing analogue switches. The use of snap domes and tack switches enhanced with paddles or rocker actuators can magnify the snap action providing the feel or Haptics of the older analogue switch. Caution must be taken to not over complicate the technology. Using a digital rotary switch versus a rotary encoder can carry extra cost and a more complex solution without any net benefit. Upgrading to a touch display requires the development of a new GUI (Graphical User Interface) that may take months to perfect the user experience versus retaining a toggle switch type interface that has been converted to low power contacts.

Human vs. Machine Speed: Failing to account or compensate for the

speed at which a microprocessor operates can provide undesired conditions. Switch bounce, vibration, static electricity and other ‘noise’ conditions in the control circuit can be misinterpreted by the microprocessor. Analogue devices either operated at a speed that this did not matter or the force created to close the contacts completely eliminated any false opens.

Optimizing the new switch technology with the speed of the microprocessor can eliminate some inherent causes of failure but also add to the user experience. Desensitizing the system feedback to account for switch bounce or ambient noise can also provide extra protection against intermittent loss of main power, power surges, and other external interruptions. Simple programming techniques and routines can cancel out unwanted ‘false’ signals but also detect worn components, motors, etc.,

and provide early warning of unsafe conditions. (Precision vs cost, encoder vs rotary switch)

The leap from the analogue world to the digital world does not need to be complicated and the user interface can remain near identical. But once on the new digital platform, literally the world is at your doorstep. Adding smart features that connect the appliance to the Internet, the IOT, becomes one more new selling point that creates a new user experience. Part of that transition does require careful attention to the switch technologies applied. Often, switch manufacturers provide digital versions of a switch in the same form factor. Working with an experienced switch manufacturer that understands the technologies, the human factors: visual, auditory and Haptics, and has the experience of working with customers through the digital transition including ‘Smart’ and IOT applications is essential.


MOTORS

by madhavan ramanujam

and cyril baud

Madhavan Ramanujam is a technologist in R&D, and Cyril Baud is an R&D manager

at Portescap. For more information, visit www.portescap.com.

Due to their mechanical commuta-tion, brushed dc motors have a limited operational lifetime and are

confined to low operating speeds typically less than 12K rpm. This makes them not particularly suitable for certain medical and industrial tool applications. Electronically commutated miniature motors continue to gain interest due to their simple construction and long operational lifetime.

Fig. 1 shows the cross-sectional view of a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor. In slotted BLDC motors (as shown in Fig.1 a), the presence of stator teeth prevents the over-all size of the motor from being minimized. Moreover, the winding process becomes pro-gressively more difficult as the motor shrinks in size [1]. On the other hand, the slotless

BLDC motor (as shown in Fig.1 b) has either skewed or axial type windings fixed on the cylindrical stator iron core providing several advantages as well as small size.

Although the power density of slotless BLDC motors may be lower than that for equivalent slotted motors, the emergence of high energy permanent magnets (ex: NdFeB and SmCo) and its magnetization arrange-ments (e.g., radial, parallel and halbach) have promoted a renewed interest in slotless motors [2]. Also, easier manufacturing of the stator core is possible and this allows the design of the motor parts with a low degree of complexity. On the other hand, slotted designs do not take advantage of high energy magnets due to the reduced slot area and therefore reduced ampere turns.

Learn more about

motor options.

Slotless vs. SlottedBrushless DC Motor Design

BLDC slottedmotors and gear

family. Slotted BLDC motors are preferable when the diameter is larger and a

higher number of poles are required. Source: Portescap

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MOTORS

Key takeaways:In slotted design, the thicker teeth are

provided to increase the magnetic loading of the motor, but this reduces the slot area and therefore the electrical loading of the motor.

Thus, slotted motors do not take the advantage of stronger magnets

In order to obtain mechanical stabiliza-tion under high speed operation (ex: 40,000 to 60,000 rpm), the slotless rotor has a two-pole permanent magnet. In addition, the stator core losses are restricted to an accept-able range while the motor operates at high speed. Core losses are relatively small due to its slotless stator structure.

Key takeaways:In slotless motor design, stronger magnets

barely impact the saturation level due to higher effective air-gap length

Thus the impact of core losses is less at high speed operation In slotless BLDC motors, the cogging

torque is extremely small, reducing the vibration and noise during operation. Also, the inductance is small compared to the slot-ted motors, therefore more accurate sensor-less driving is possible. However, low induc-tance results in higher losses if pulse width modulation (PWM) control is applied.

In slotless BLDC motors, the stator wind-ing differs from the conventional slotted motors which are inserted in the slots as shown in Fig.1 a. For example, the windings in the slotless motors can be self-bonded with skewed and cup shaped windings placed on the air gap. This motor can be analyzed in simple two dimensional (2-D) finite element method (FEM) based model, if the rectangu-lar windings or axial coils are used [3].

The table below details the performance

of the slotted and slotless BLDC motor.It can be seen that the removal of iron in

the slotless design makes the motor more sensitive to overloading because its thermal time constant is reduced and therefore the stall current is limited.

In summary, the slotted BLDC motors are preferable when the diameter is larger and a higher number of poles are required. Some of the applications of this type of motors are electric vehicles and home appliances. On the other hand, slotless BLDC motor is suit-able for smaller diameter size and high speed application. Medical and portable industrial tools are the application examples for this

type of motor. <

References: [1] J.M. Seo, J.H. Kim, I.S. Jung and H.K. Jung, “Design and Analysis of Slotless Brushless DC Motor,” IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 730-735, Mar/Apr., 2011.[2] Y. Chen, J. Shen and Z. Fang, “Topology and preliminary design of slotless brushless DC motor,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Electr. Mach. And Drives (IEMDC), pp. 7.1-7.3, 1997.[3] J. Baudey, C. Baud, and A. M. Rentier, “Axial coil for a slotless electric motor”, US patent 0080975, 2012.

Fig.1. Type of BLDC motors (a) Slotted, (b) Slotless. Source: Portescap

Motor Size Slotted design Slotless design

Axial length 52.7mm 56.2mm

Outer diameter 16.5mm 16mm

Performance parameter

Max. no-load speed 50,360 rpm 45,100 rpm

Max. no-load current 375 mA 165 mA

Torque constant k 4.63 mN-m/A 7.38 mN-m/A

Motor regulation k/√R 6.7 mN-m/√W 6.4 mN-m/√W

Performance parameter

Thermal resistance 15.4°C/W 18.5°C/W

Thermal time constant 896 s 765 s

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MOTORS

by richard e. defay

Richard E. deFay is a project manager at the Copper Development Association Inc. For

more information, visit copper.org or follow them on Twitter @copperenergy.

Electric motors are relied on by schools, offices, and commercial complexes, industrial facilities, and

both military and government buildings—essentially everywhere we live and work. Industrial facilities alone utilize 65 percent of all electrical energy consumed in the U.S. Despite this significance, their continu-ous operation and efficiency is sometimes taken for granted until a bigger issue, such as a breakdown, occurs. When not properly administered, motors, on a national scale, can cost businesses billions of dollars in wasted energy and operating costs annually. According to the United States Department of Energy, some facilities have been known to lose $40,000 a minute resulting from motor downtime due to failure. By under-standing a facility’s motors—how to main-tain them and what to do when they fail—companies can increase energy efficiency and save money. It is better to have a plan in place before failure than to have to scramble to put one together in an emergency.

By working with industry motor experts,

the Copper Development Association (CDA) recommends and has compiled a series of known best practices for instituting a motor management plan that is flexible and customized to meet the needs of a spe-cific facility. This kind of plan can benefit any manufacturer or institution, and should be of value to each facility manager, super-visor and engineer on staff.

A comprehensive plan involves six major initiatives, three of which will be discussed here: assessment, repair or replace, and pre-ventive and predictive maintenance.

The first step in developing a motor management plan is to examine your own facility’s motors and spares inventory. This allows you, among other things, to deter-mine which motors have the most impor-tant function and match them with the most efficient motors available. Premium Efficient motors, formerly called NEMA Premium®, were created by the Department of Energy (DOE) regulation as the mini-mum efficiency allowable. This has made the older EPAct motors, now referred to

The Copper

Development

Association outlines a

plan of best practices

for effective motor

management.

Developing a Motor Management Plan Can Save

Time, Money and Energy

Replacing old motors with high-efficiency motors can save a facility time and money. Source: Siemens AG


MOTORS

as “energy efficient” motors, and the even older standard efficiency motors strong candi-dates for replacement at failure. These motors utilize the conduc-tivity and improved efficiency of copper to lower energy costs and improve equipment performance. If you assess which motors in your facil-ity serve the most vital functions, you can specify that they are the most important candidates to be replaced with a Premium Efficient motor upon failure. By plan-ning ahead, you ensure that the best deci-sion is made in the long term. In the case of motors, that decision can significantly improve equipment reliability and pro-ductivity, as well as reduce downtime and repair costs.

By specifying which of the many new technologies to invest in, such as the above-described Premium Efficient copper-rotor motors, for instance, or variable frequency drives (VFDs), a motor management plan can do the following: specify the number of commonly used

motors to stock in a facility; specify the tools to assess which motors

are most efficient; and identify which motors yield the

highest energy savings and shortest pay-back time. You can also identify preferred motor

distributors, which provide the best volume discounts as well as the best pre- and post-sales support.

After assessing your facility’s motors, you are now able to identify which ones may need to be repaired or replaced in the near future. In a perfect world, worn-out motors would be replaced before they fail and interrupt the production process, but things aren’t always that simple. One way to be proactive and prepare for the worst is to create a motor failure policy that includes a motor spares inventory. This leads us to the next step: repair versus replace.

It is best to be proactive about whether to repair or replace a motor by tagging every in-service motor in the facility with action-able information. Ask these questions:Should this motor be replaced when it

fails, or repaired?Should it be replaced with a higher effi-

ciency motor? Should the old motor be scrapped,

placed in inventory or discarded? Since you have already assessed your

motor inventory during step one, you can now use a data management software appli-cation, available from many motor manu-facturers and motor distributors, to com-pare the cost of repairing the motor with the cost of replacing it with a new, more efficient unit.

While repair costs are not typically lower than buying a new motor, depend-ing on size, it is important to think long term. Replacing a motor with a Premium Efficient model can increase overall equip-ment reliability and reduce the possibility of critical motor failure in the future.

A failed or inefficient motor can be costly in terms of wasted energy and operating costs. Knowing which motors to repair and which to replace takes the risk and indecision out of the picture. With a well-thought-out motor management plan that incorporates known best practices, you will have the necessary information on hand when a failure takes place, and you will know you’re making the best decision when the time comes. It will also reduce down-time because you will know exactly what to do when a motor fails. It is important for multiple professionals in a facility to under-stand these repair/replace specifications. From building managers to engineers and equipment operators, everyone should be aware of the motor management plan you have put in place.

At this point, you should have a strong understanding of your company’s motors and how to respond if one of them fails. Just because you know what to do in the event of a failure doesn’t mean you can now become complacent. Fortunately, there are

steps you can take to prop-erly maintain your motors

and potentially predict when they might fail. Proper maintenance is the final step in your motor man-agement plan. It promotes the lon-

gevity and efficiency of your motors, and can even identify costly problems

before they become disruptive. A strong motor management plan will

incorporate two types of maintenance: pre-ventive and predictive: Preventive maintenance occurs while

equipment is shut down and helps to keep it running.Predictive maintenance occurs periodi-

cally while the equipment is running normally, and aims to identify potential problems before they occur. Using both strategies will keep equip-

ment in the best condition possible for as long as possible.

Preventive maintenance is familiar to most people, and involves the common-place inspections and care given routinely to motors. It should occur at regularly sched-uled intervals depending on the known reli-ability or failure rates of your motor. This maintenance involves checking for factors such as aging characteristics, contaminants, temperature extremes, moisture and cor-rosive contacts. One of the most important preventive checks is to ensure that bearings are properly lubricated with the correct type of grease. It is always best to keep a list of these checks and keep detailed notes on what is found during regular inspection.

Preventive maintenance is less frequently used, but is quickly becoming accepted as vital to maintaining motor reliability. Think of it as going to the doctor for a checkup. You may feel perfectly healthy, but the doc-tor stills tests for hidden signs that you may have a health condition. Using specific testing equipment allows you to anticipate a failed motor and take necessary steps to correct a problem.

Many predictive technologies are avail-able and allow you to take these periodic measurements. Thermography or infra-red imaging can identify hotspots due to poor electrical connections or air circula-tion. Ultrasound analysis uses sound waves to image internal systems to detect wear,

Copper-rotor motors use copper’s conductivity and improved efficiency to lower energy

costs and improve equipment performance. Source: CDA


MOTORS

leaks or failures. Vibration analysis identi-fies system degenerations or equipment misalignment. Other test measures exist to identify issues including winding short-cir-cuits, open coils and incorrect torque limits. Every facility must choose which of these methods to utilize based on its resources, cost and level of need.

When implemented correctly, a motor management plan combines the ‘assess, repair/replace and maintain’ stages to reduce overall maintenance costs, eliminate breakdowns and save energy. It’s a win-win scenario. By documenting your plan well and ensuring that the proper facility staff understands it, a management plan becomes more than just a best practice—it is a necessity. Using the tools described here

allows you to effectively administer motors

and maximize energy efficiency. <

For more information on motor management plans and best practices, visit copper.org or view CDA’s three part Motor Management Best Practices series.

Additionally, the Department of Energy, with assistance from CDA, Washington State University’s Energy Program and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to name a few, offers a comprehensive three-document series, available free for download from their Advanced Manufacturing Office website:

Continuous Energy Improvement in Motor Driven Systems

http://energy.gov/eere/amo/downloads/continuous-energy-improvement-motor-driven-systems-guidebook-industry

Premium Efficiency Motor Selection and Application Guide

http://www.energy.gov/eere/amo/downloads/premium-efficiency-motor-selection-and-application-guide-handbook-industry

Improving Motor and Drive System Performance

http://energy.gov/eere/amo/downloads/improving-motor-and-drive-system-per-formance-sourcebook-industry Improving Motor and Drive System Performance

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METALS

by jeffrey brown

Jeffrey Brown is vice president of sales and

marketing at DYNALLOY Inc. For more

information, email [email protected] or

visit www.dynalloy.com.

Imagine a kitchen oven without external sensors or electronics that could con-trol air temperature, automatically lock

the door during high-temperature clean-ing cycles, and cut power during overheat-ing while dispensing fire-extinguishing materials. This oven relies on shape memo-ry metals (SMAs) reaching predefined high transition temperatures, changing their shape to perform work, and resetting again when the temperatures cool.

Temperature has been used for many years to accomplish work in appliances with more conventional technologies like bi-metals or wax actuators. Today’s SMAs let you do this with lower cost, less mass, more work output, more cycles, and have an ability to target temperatures of activa-tion more accurately and reliably. These breakthroughs allow new advances in appliances.

This article will cover several conceptual

applications. These concepts and a grow-ing number of different next generation hardware designs are evolving to provide new opportunities.

Technology BackgroundThe underlying principle with SMAs is

their ability to change their crystal form, or atomic structure, depending on the tem-perature of the material, basically becom-ing a solid state actuator. When the mate-rial is in the cool martensite phase it has a B19 or monoclinical crystal phase and when in the hot austenite phase an ordered B2 form. For a specific alloy and manufac-turing process, the material can predictably change from one phase and related form to another, have predictable temperatures of transformation, and with predictable force levels. The cool martensite phase can be deformed with less force than the recovery forces of the hot austenite phase allowing a

Improve appliance

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generated during normal

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METALS

Figure 4. Example of an Anti-scald valve using SMA technology. When the water is too hot the SMA will contract and reduce the flow of hot water, while increasing the flow of cold water. Source: Dynalloy

useable work delta between them. A simple example would be an SMA

helical with hooks on the ends. When cold the SMA helical could be easily deformed and stretched with the appropriate steel return spring. Upon heating the helical to its transition temperature, the helical would then shorten back to the original length, and reverse to elongate upon cool-ing again.

This phenomenon can be demonstrated either by electrically heating the material or through ambient temperature changes. The focus of this article is how the mate-rial can be used with ambient tempera-ture, specifically regulating temperatures, controlling valves or similar systems with only temperature, sensing entire systems versus measuring temperature in one or a few locations, taking action based on tem-perature, and the notions of moving heat

Figure 1. The crystal structure of a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) such as nitinol deforms easily when in its cold Martensite phase (A). Heating to its hot Austenite transition temperatures causes a phase change and the alloy returns to its original shape (B) with a large force – several times greater than the force needed to deform it. When cooled below its transition temperatures, the phase change reverses (C) and it can again be easily deformed, and the cycle repeated. Source: Dynalloy

Figure 2 and 3. Example of an SMA louver system operated by the temperature changes from day to night. System created by the Catholic University of Washington D.C. and Dynalloy, Inc. for the Solar Decathlon 2013. Source: Dynalloy


METALS

from one location to another and to pro-vide work from low grade waste heat.

Comprehensive Temperature Regulation

Using only the hot and cold tempera-tures generated by the sun rising and set-ting each day, shape memory alloys can be used to regulate the internal temperature of a structure. Currently in homes and businesses, temperatures are regulated by heaters and air conditioners that work to create a comfortable internal environment, despite the outside elements. Energy is used to run these systems while the natu-ral energy created by the earth heating and cooling each day is wasted. With the use of SMAs, this natural energy can be utilized to increase or decrease heat transfer rates (whichever is favorable dependent on the season) through walls, vents, and windows in such systems as blinds, attic vents, and perhaps even “breathing walls” with SMA activated vents all along the façade of a building.

In one such example, a system of blinds was used to cover a large span of slid-ing glass doors in a residence. SMAs were created with transition temperatures that matched the climate of the area, and the desired effect of the blinds. The SMA mechanism was oriented exposed to the outside air, so that during the daytime the heat of the sun contracted the SMAs and closed the blinds. This created shade inside the space and kept the internal tempera-ture at a comfortable level against the high heat of the outside environment. When the outside temperature dropped below a pre-set transition temperature programed into the wire, the wire was stretched back out again using a bias force mechanism, shift-ing the blinds open. This would let in the cold night air to cool the home. This type of mechanism could in fact work the oppo-site way in the alternate season if designed properly. In this example, the blinds were also multicolored, adding a unique design element to the façade of the home.

A similar theory can be used to vent attics. Physics tells us that heat rises, thus the attic is the warmest space in a house, often reaching temperatures well above 100°F in the summertime in hot climates. With no way for the hot air to escape, a heat sink is created at the top of a home, causing increased air conditioning usage simply to balance out the temperature of the home to a comfortable level. With an SMA based attic vent, the SMA mechanism

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METALS

would be placed inside the space utilizing the trapped heat. The SMA would heat up and contract when a predetermined tem-perature was reached, allowing vents to open and release the trapped hot air to the outside environment.

With the increasing focus on smart structures and green initiatives the future of architectural design is leading to passive and active systems to reduce energy usage.

Controlling Valves and Actuators in Appliances and other Systems

SMA technology can optimize perfor-mance of standard valves and other similar systems. Just by using the ambient temper-ature of the appliance, like hot oven air or hot water from a dishwasher, the SMA can react to perform a function.

When the hot fluid or air enters the valve, the temperature alone will force the SMA to go through a phase change and perform work, depending on the design. An existing example produced today are

anti-scald valves, and the potential extends to many other similar applications.

Other solutions are possible like an SMA valve that can activate a self-starting fire extinguisher in ovens if dangerously high temperatures are reached. SMAs could also turn off the gas to an oven or other appliance if exposed to these same danger-ously high temperatures preventing often catastrophic fires. Another advantage SMA technology brings is the ability to sense temperature over a large area, or the whole oven versus one or two locations without any need for electrical controls or other sensors. Other applications like opening the soap dispenser or other controls when exposed to hot (or cold) water in dish-washing systems are also possible.

Ovens that are equipped with a self-cleaning feature commonly reach tem-peratures between 800°F to 1,000°F, which are maintained for hours at a time. Under these kinds of conditions, it is a fairly com-mon occurrence for electronic control panels and fuses to burn out, possibly unlocking the oven door or preventing it from locking in the first place. SMAs cre-ate the possibility of locking based entirely on temperature near the system, removing electronics from the equation, and reduc-ing the chances of lock failure.

Motor Overheat Protection Using SMAs

Overheating motors resulting from common issues such as overload, frequent

Figure 7. Example of an SMA based heat engine running an emergency radio from a simulated exhaust pipe or smoke stack. The SMA element goes through the pipe and then around three pulleys making a triangle. The SMA element gets shorter in the heat chamber, then elongates outside the heat chamber forcing the system to rotate. Source: Dynalloy

Figure 6. A representative example of an electric motor with SMA wire wrapped around the circumference. If any section of the wire is overheated it will contract and cut off power to the motor. Source: Dynalloy

Figure 5. In an industrial application, SMAs are used in a product called Python which is used to protect compressed natural gas and hydrogen tanks in vehicles by cutting off the gas if any section of the tank is overheated, preventing explosions and fires. SMA wires are inserted along the length of the tube, engaging with the valve. Source: Dynalloy


METALS

stops and starts, and even environmen-tal reasons can be addressed in new ways using the SMA phenomena. For exam-ple, simply wrapping SMA actuator wire around and/or throughout a motor or appliance, designed to contract and trigger a mechanical actuation, can be done reli-ably and repeatedly. Because SMAs can be made in a wide range of sizes and forms, they can be used in small and harder to get to places without adding significantly to weight and cost.

Using Heat to Accomplish Work, and Relocate Heat

Over the last several decades SMAs have been explored heavily as an alternative energy source, most recently in 2010 with the US Department of Energy ARPA-E program. The notion is that low grade waste heat (roughly defined as < 200°C and as little as 10°C temperature differ-ences between the heat source and ambient temperatures) be used to move the mate-rial back and forth between its transition

temperatures and through this process accomplish usable work and ideally gener-ate electricity. The results from this work indicate that yes, it is possible; however, today the efficiency levels keep the cost greater than fossil fuel based solutions.

Although the thermo to mechanical efficiency of the SMA heat engine is rela-tively low (approximately 0.5% to 3%) the latent heat in the SMA element between phases demonstrated a unique ability to move heat from one location to another, with the potential to span larger distances than existing solutions today. So, in addi-tion to turning a fan (to even air temper-ate for more controlled cooking) or some other mechanical work, moving heat from one location to another has evolved in new ways. For example in high power battery

applications the ability to move heat away, physically separate batteries, and/or break a circuit within a battery or between bat-teries simply based on temperature is pos-sible in new forms.

What This Means For Your Design

Although SMAs are new compared to commodity solutions they continue to open the door to new opportunities in both appliances and many other markets. However, because SMAs are emerging they do remain more difficult to implement, but that fact alone makes the products they are used in highly unique and competitive, oftentimes making them not only difficult

to copy but to stand out in their field. <

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NOISE & VIBRATION CONTROL

by steve africk

Steve Africk, Ph.D., is a principal consultant at Acentech with more than

40 years of experience in many aspects of acoustics. For more information, call (617)

499-8083, email [email protected] or visit www.acentech.com.

After a long and arduous design pro-cess, it can be frustrating to learn that a product has a “noise prob-

lem.” Perhaps Marketing has determined that the product may not fare well against the competition, especially internationally where noise standards are higher. Maybe sales are sluggish even though the prod-uct has superior performance. Fortunately, these scenarios can be avoided by incor-porating low noise components and noise reduction treatments within the product design during development. Applying noise reducing “Band-Aids” after a product has been designed is always possible although typically difficult, as options may be limited due to constraints imposed by mechanical reliability and function as well as weight, size and cost.

This article will review the basic concepts of acoustics and the design of quiet prod-ucts. The first point to realize is that accept-ability of sound is not as simple as loudness. Other contributing factors include the fre-

quency spectrum of the sound (more on this below) and its temporal variability. The second important observation is that noise is unwanted sound. If not extreme-ly loud or annoying, a very obvious sound can be an asset that connotes product qual-ity or power, such as with vacuum cleaners where sound associated with a strong air-flow through the nozzle can mean robust cleaning is occurring. Context can also be important. A noisy blender in a lab or kitch-en can be an annoying distraction but a noisy blender in a beach bar is an entirely different matter. Overall, the relationship between sound and perceived product value can be roughly divided into product sound quality, the relationship between sound of a product and its subjective perception—pos-itive or negative, and product noise, wherein unwanted sound has no positive conno-tation and simply compromises product acceptability. The former is a fascinating enterprise drawing on the sciences of per-ception, psychology and marketing. (For

Let’s review the basic

concepts of acoustics

and the design

of quiet products.

Appliance NOISE TUTORIAL

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more, see the appliance DESIGN August 2011 article by David Bowen.) This tutorial will focus on the latter.

Basics of Noise Characterization

Let’s define the basic quantitative descriptors of sound in simplest terms. Sound is a small time-varying fluctuation in air pressure measured on a logarithmic scale in decibels. Many people are unfa-miliar and often uncomfortable with this measure, which is somewhat ironic as it is based on the physiology of our own sen-sory systems. Although we are unaware of it, we perceive differences in sound pro-portionally rather than linearly, which is another way to say logarithmically. (We also perceive light this way. The ancient astronomical scheme for assigning visual magnitudes of stars turns out to be a log-arithmic scale as well.) The advantage of logs and decibels is that values stretching over many orders of magnitude can be

compressed into a much smaller range for our consideration.

To be precise, the measure of sound pressure level (SPL) in decibels (dB) for a root mean square of acoustic pressure Prms measured in Pascals (Pa) in the met-ric system is 10 log [(P

rms/P

ref)2] where P

ref

is a standard reference pressure, 20 µPa, an estimate of the lowest threshold of human hearing. Figure 1 illustrates some typical sound levels using the slightly different measure dBA that is defined below. Some interesting facts: This scale allows us to describe over five decades (a factor of 105) in sound pressure using a scale of 0 to 130; Our ears can usually distinguish a 3 dB dif-ference; A difference of 10 dB is typically perceived as a doubling of the loudness of the sound; 90 dB is the greatest work-place noise level permissible by OSHA for a worker during an 8 hour shift.

Decibels cannot be directly added or subtracted; simple logarithmic arithmetic is needed to combine them. To do so, deci-

bels have to be converted back to squared pressure levels—which can be combined linearly—and then the result is converted back to decibels. Thus to add levels A and B dB we need to perform the operation 10log[10A⁄

10 + 10B⁄

10] which is almost nev-

er anything like A + B. Setting A = B we can easily conclude that adding two equal sounds increases the SPL by 3 dB and that reducing noise by a factor of two is equiva-lent to reducing SPL by 3 dB irrespective of what the levels were initially.

While sound is often measured by a single number like SPL, it is obvious that this cannot be a complete description as all sounds consist of a combination of many frequencies added together. To show this, sound pressure is often plotted in terms of its frequency spectrum showing pressure, in dB, as a function of frequen-cy. More precisely, the sound pressure is plotted in terms of frequency ranges or bands. Popular sets are known as octave bands, in which the uppermost frequency of a band is twice that of the lower. For example the 16-Hz octave band contains the sound power between 11 and 22 Hz. Other types of bands are also used, includ-ing 1/3-octave bands (three of which make up one octave band). Even more narrow bands with constant bandwidth, including those with a 1-Hz bandwidth, are useful in identifying narrowband noise. To obtain a single value for the overall SPL, the sound pressures in all of the bands are added up logarithmically as described above.

While a spectral plot can characterize how the levels of the different compo-nents of a sound are distributed in fre-quency, it only approximates how that sound is perceived. The human auditory system responds to frequencies between about 20 and 20,000 Hz, but not equal-ly. The response of the auditory system is highest in the 1 – 3 kHz range and drops off on either side. Thus, to characterize a perceived sound, corrections known as “A weights” are applied that effectively reduce the relative pressure in the fre-quency bands away from this range to create an A-weighted spectrum. The sum of pressures in this spectrum, the overall A-weighted SPL denoted by dBA, is the standard measure of sound as perceived by the human ear. As a consequence, equal pressure in bands at the high and low ends of the audio spectrum contribute less to the perceived level than those in the mid-dle, so quieting in this frequency range is usually very important.

Figure 2 shows a narrowband noise Figure 1: Some Typical A-Weighted Noise Levels. Source: Acentech



spectrum of a vacuum cleaner (with A weighting applied), and illustrates two types of noise. There is a wide hump with a maximum from about 400 to 2,000 Hz that is typical of broadband noise from, in this case, the exhaust airflow. This type of broadband noise, in which power is spread more evenly across a portion of the spec-trum, can sound like a waterfall, HVAC noise or “white noise.” It can be inoffensive and possibly soothing unless excessive-ly loud. Superimposed on this curve are a series of narrow peaks representing tonal noise generated by the brush rollers and the fan impeller. The latter are examples of sounds that can be particularly annoying.

Product Noise Description and Culprits

A classic acoustic paradigm frames prob-lems in terms of a noise source and a path (or paths) from the source to the third ele-ment, the receiver. Means to reduce noise at the receiver, whether incorporated into a design from the beginning or added after-wards, require reductions of the noise gen-erated by potential sources, and weakening or interrupting the paths within the prod-uct or to the receiver. For appliances, the receiver is the consumer, whose sensitivity to noise is, if anything, increasing due to closer living arrangements and exposure to quieter versions.

Sources of product noise fall into three categories as listed below. A good summa-ry of means to control these sources and paths can be found in a previous appliance DESIGN article from July 2013 by Gladys Unger.

Airflow Almost all airflow through products is

turbulent, and air turbulence creates noise. This includes inlets, exhausts, and all internal airflow channels in between. Impingement of the flow with surfaces can result in sig-nificantly greater noise being generated, with path properties such as surface roughness and tight-turn radii increasing turbulence and noise. Airflow can also excite vibrations that produce radiated noise when they reach the product surface, acting as a loudspeaker. This noise tends to be broadband but inter-actions with certain geometries (e.g. lips or protruberances) can generate more tonal components as in wind instruments. Means to control generation of this type of noise include reducing the flow speed, smoothing flow surfaces, inserting screens or other dis-sipative elements (e.g. foam) in the airflow. Mufflers can always be added to inlets or exhausts when weight, space and cost permit.

Fans and other rotating elements

Fans tend to produce broadband noise as well as tonal noise at the blade passage fre-quency as a result of turbulence and blade interactions with housings and airflows. The latter tends to be a greater problem for fans operating at higher speeds. There has been extensive work designing quieter fans with good efficiency, but these modifications are not always incorporated in smaller, cheaper fans. Fan noise is typically a strong function of rotation and airflow speeds, and trading flow volume for speed can be an effective noise reduction strategy. Location of fans

beyond line of sight to a user can sometimes be effective.

Motors and gearsThese elements can produce noise that

propagates through the air and/or vibra-tions that find their way to outer surfaces of a product which then radiate noise. Housings for motors and gears are often large, light-weight contiguous panels that respond to vibration from internal sources with greater vibration levels and are also efficient radia-tors of noise. Manufacturers of motors and gears have become more sensitive to the rela-tionships between component build quality and noise, and one should investigate avail-able noise data to gauge tradeoffs between cost and potential noise implications before selecting components. Sometimes an ounce of prevention is cost effective.

Quieting of Noisy ProductsRemediation of noisy products begins

with a “noise audit” consisting of the identifi-cation and rank ordering of all noise sources present. A common approach is to separately operate various components of the product under realistic conditions of load and mea-sure the resulting noise. An alternative is the “window” method, wherein the product is operated normally but all potential noise sources except one are blocked or attenuated by means of passive enclosures (e.g. covered with noise barriers such as lead sheets, muf-flers, etc.), and the resulting noise is attribut-ed to the unmitigated source, i.e. the open “window.” Vibration-related sources can be simulated by using a shaker to create radi-ation from surfaces. Airborne transmission of noise generated within a product can be simulated through the use of a small speak-er placed within the product. With only the speaker turned on the noise level is measured inside and out, and the resulting ratio mea-sures how much noise is transmitted to the outside.

When complete, the noise audit consists of a series of frequency spectra of the com-ponent noise contributions due to individual sources and paths within the product which when properly summed yield the overall product noise spectrum. This is the road-map for reducing the noise, which proceeds by replacing noisy sources, mitigating paths, moving components, shifting frequencies of tones by slowing or replacing fans, and so on, while not compromising the performance, weight, size and cost of the product. While this can often be a challenge, making use of a methodical approach offers the best chance

of achieving success. <

Figure 2: Spectrum of noise from a vacuum cleaner containing two types of tones and broadband noise. Source: Acentech


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MaterialsSolvay has launched Tegralite™, a family of

high performance lightweighting materials.Solvay’s Tegralite™ integrates the world’s

broadest range of high performance poly-mer products from Solvay’s Specialty Poly-mers Global Business Unit and the comple-mentary skills of its specialized partners, 3A Composites, Aonix and JSP, through a global network that is open for expansion.

The industry’s entire value chain of part-, system- and aircraft-makers as well as air-lines, stands to benefit from Tegralite™’s materials which will help simplify today’s complex supply chain, enable more part commonality and ultimately roll out planes faster as more people travel. It meets the industry’s drive to lower costs and increase efficiency by replacing handmade labor or facilitating on board repairs.

Solvay’s alliance with 3A Composites makes available for the first time and in large quantities a new generation of foams. Its

partnership with JSP opens up fast and easy access to 3D foam parts, a technology already widely used in the automotive sector. With Aonix, Solvay propels the development of in-novative high- and ultra-performing prepreg systems as well as new sandwich materials and structures. Solvay complements the of-fering with its tailored multi-layer functional and decorative surfaces.

Solvaywww.solvay.com

Power Entry ModuleSchurter announced that its power entry

module, series 5707, now offers IP 54 pro-tection with V-Lock cord sets at the power input, in addition to IP 65 protection to the equipment. The sealed module is ideal for use in medical equipment exposed to leaks, drips and spills, as well as equipment subject to routine washing.


NEW PRODUCTS

The compact module combines an appli-ance inlet, fuseholder, and standard or medi-cal EMC filter rated up to 8 A at 250 VAC. The original 5707 offers IP 65 seal protection at the panel opening, around the fusehold-ers, and between the inlet and connector pins. The module can also be fitted with an additional gasket in the inlet cavity for IP 54 protection between the inlet and the cord connector. A V-Lock cord set prevents unintentional disconnections.

The 5707 is cURus and ENEC approved.

The appliance inlet complies with IEC/EN 60320-1; Fuseholders are shock-safe accord-ing to IEC/EN 60127-6, PC2. The module offers pre-wired electrical connections, using 6.3x0.8 quick connect terminals. Variations include: Class I, C14, or Class II, C18 appli-ance inlet; 1- or 2- pole fuseholders; front or rear mounting; capacitors class X1 and Y1 for increased voltage withstand; black or white plastic socket. Delivery is stock to six weeks.

Schurter(800) [email protected].

Terminator

Cal Test Electronics announces an up-grade to its popular 50 Ω BNC Feed-Thru Terminator along with the introduction of 2 new models with impedances of 75 Ω and

93 Ω. The improved model CT2944, now designated CT2944-50, features an increased 2 GHz bandwidth and an impedance toler-ance of ±0.25 Ω. In addition, its accuracy is now 0.5%.

The CT2944’s BNC female coaxial con-nector is gold plated for lower contact resis-tance and corrosion protection. Use the im-proved CT2944-50 to match a 50 Ω coaxial cable to a 1 MΩ oscilloscope, a 1 MΩ probe to a 50 Ω input instrument, or anywhere impedance matching is a must for measure-ment accuracy.

Along with the upgraded 50 Ω version, the BNC Feed-Thru Terminator family now in-cludes 75 Ω and 93 Ω models. The CT2944-75 and CT2944-93 are useful where cables of matching impedances are being used. This would include the popular RG59 and RG62 coaxial cables, respectively. The new models feature 1 GHz bandwidth and 1 W average power rating along with the gold plated BNC female connector. Accuracy is also 0.5% for both.

Cal Test Electronics(714) 221-9330www.caltestelectronics.com

Silicone-Free PasteEllsworth Adhesives Europe confirmed

availability of TCP091—Robnor Resins newly launched silicone-free paste. This new product has been specially formulated to provide efficient and reliable heat transfer across the interface between electronic com-ponents.

Developed to optimize performance, TCP091 is highly viscous, a property that helps prevent slumping. Since Robnor Resins TCP091 is silicone free, it dissipates without the migration or contamination that is com-monly associated with silicone based prod-ucts. Furthermore, TCP091 is easily applied with excellent flow and low separation in the syringe.

As a general purpose thermal manage-

ChillersYork YD model “C” dual compressor cen-

trifugal chillers from Johnson Controls are now available with Optispeed variable speed drives (VSD) and an expanded capacity range of 1,500 – 6,000 tons (5,300 – 21,000 kW). The addition of a unit-mounted low voltage or floor-mounted medium range VSD optimizes the chiller and improves its already outstanding part-load efficiency by as much as 13 percent.

In addition, the unit-mounted low voltage VSD nearly doubles the chiller range in several regional markets to meet more facility requirements. At AHRI condi-tions (460v/60Hz), the YD model “C” provides up to 3,000 tons (10,550 kW) of cooling.

During two years of extensive field testing around the globe, YD chillers with Optispeed VSD performed with reliability, both in low and medium voltage ap-plications that included district cooling, hospitals and higher education facilities.

YD chillers utilize two YORK centrifugal compressors operating in parallel on a common set of heat exchanger shells to obtain large chiller capacities and efficient part load operation. Offering the most cooling capacity available per footprint, the chiller is ideal for retrofit applications, where large amounts of cooling are re-quired in a small space. This remains true with the addition of the Optispeed VSD.

Johnson Controlswww.johnsoncontrols.com/yd


NEW PRODUCTS

ment paste, TCP091 is a virtually “no-bleed”, versatile compound that will not dry out, harden, melt, or run - even after long-term continuous exposure to temperatures up to 130°C.

TCP091 is REACH and ROSH compli-ant and is available in 10ml & 30ml syringes and 1kg & 25kg bulk containers. To enquire about this product, please email [email protected]

Ellsworth Adhesives Europehttp://www.ellsworthadhesives.co.uk/manufacturers-menu/manufacturer-robnorresins.html

IoT PlatformThe TiWiConnect Internet of Things

(IoT) Platform from LSR simplifies and ac-celerates the process of adding wireless/cloud connectivity and smartphone-controlled ca-pabilities to IoT products.

TiWiConnect is an end-to-end solution that provides all three of the critical com-ponents that companies need for their IoT design projects: 1) The embedded wireless module and related software, which together add Wi-Fi capabilities to a product, 2) The cloud server software and hosting services necessary to access and manage the product from anywhere, and 3) Mobile app solu-tions that make the products controllable via smartphones.

Utilizing this end-to-end platform helps design teams and manufacturers complete proof-of-concept projects and get IoT-en-abled products to market far faster than if those components were developed internally.

TiWiConnecthttp://www.lsr.com/embedded-wireless-modules/tiwiconnect?utm_source=spotlights&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=iot.

Power SuppliesQualtek expanded its series of compact

size, high efficiency, low cost AC/DC open frame power supplies to include 35, 45 and 200 watt versions. The three model fami-lies include: QPS-35 (35W power supply), QPS-45 (45W power supply) and QPSF-200 (200W power supply). The power supplies can accommodate a wide universal input voltage range of 90-264 Vac and the follow-ing DC output voltage options: 35W - 5, 12, 13.5, 15, 24, 36, 48; 45W - 5, 12, 24, 48 and 200W - 12, 24, 27, 48.

Features include:Universal AC input / Full Range High Efficiency and High Reliability Output Protections: OLP/OVP/SCP Wide Operating Ambient Temperature 105°C Long Life Electrolytic Capacitors 100% full load burn-in test Sizes: QPS-35 and QPS-45 – industry stan-

dard 2 x 4 in. size; QPSF-200 – industry standard 3 x 5 in.

With the QPS-35 and QPS-45 reaching efficiencies up to 86%, and the QPSF-200 reaching efficiencies up to 89%, these series

meet EN60950 standards and also carry UL, cUL, CB and CE safety approvals.

Qualtek(440) [email protected]://qualtekusa.com/

Stamping Literature

Boker’s an-nounces its 2015 Stamping Bro-chure is now avail-able. Serving as a valuable industry resource, the bro-chure provides a comprehensive overview of the company’s stamping capabilities. With 95 years of experience in precision metal stamping production, Boker’s satisfies com-plex, intricate stamping applications.

The brochure highlights Boker’s extensive

Bearing PolymerMany plastics and

metallic alloys present machining challenges. Some deform and are difficult to maintain ex-acting tolerances. Oth-ers require strict and costly adherence to en-vironmental regulations. Vesconite solves these issues with a high-performance bearing polymer that is easy to tool on standard metal-working equipment, non-toxic, and environmentally-friendly.

Vesconite is an advanced, internally-lubricated polymer that reliably performs in wet, dirty and corrosive environments. The material has a long wear life—more than 10 times that of bronze—so maintenance costs are reduced. Homogenous, it cannot delaminate. With low thermal expansion, it offers high load strength and dimensional stability, and doesn’t swell or soften in water like nylon.

Easy to machine on lathes and milling equipment, including CNCs, Vesconite can be machined to a precision of 0.0005”. It does not creep or deform. It cuts quickly and doesn’t dull tools as do some plastics and metals. When a project calls for a non-standard bearing size due to shaft wear or housing damage, the material can be turned from hol-low bar or tube stock.

Vesconite doesn’t contain hazardous dust or fibrous waste in its machining residue. In fact, it’s a food-grade material with NSF and WRAS-approvals. While proper safety equipment should be used when working with Vesconite, its clean shavings are not a health hazard.

Vesconite(866) 635-7596, [email protected], www.vesconite.com


NEW PRODUCTS

custom stamping capabilities with flat blank-ing and piercings in a complete range of sizes up to 12 inches x 12 inches, metal forming in thicknesses from 0.005 inches to 0.134 inches and draws up to 3 inches deep and 8 inches in diameter. To meet user’s exact specifica-tions, Boker’s offers 2,000 commonly speci-fied and hard-to-find material options and secondary machining operations including deburring, tapping, reaming, counterboring, spotfacing and more.

Designed as a quick-reference tool, the Stamping Brochure contains a glossary of more than 100 common terms and a base element index as well as a gauge decimal equivalents chart. It also features Boker’s special programs to enhance product quality and customer convenience, including Statis-tical Process Control (S.P.C.), which verifies manufacturing process and accuracy. The brochure also details Boker’s Dock-to-Stock and Just-in-Time programs that accommo-date flexible and diverse delivery require-ments.

Boker’s Inc.(800) 927-4377www.bokers.com

BlowersFuji Electric has expanded its portfolio of

blowers with the introduction of 2-stage re-generative blowers for the North American market, which began shipping to customers on May 1st. The 2VFB Series was designed to suit the needs of high pressure applica-tions such as sparging, wastewater treat-ment plants, dental vacuums, and more. These new blowers are powered by direct drive TEFC motors ranging from 1.2HP to 11.5HP and operate on a wide range of volt-ages at 50 or 60 Hz, making them a versatile option for projects around the world.

According to the company, all products in the 2VFB Series are RoHS compliant, CE and CSA certified, and come standard with pilot-duty thermal protectors. Their com-pact size and quiet operation make them the ideal choice for applications such as dental vacuums, while the minimal maintenance required reduces the total cost of ownership for larger, industrial projects.

Fuji Electric Corp. of Americawww.americas.fujielectric.com

Thermoplastic MaterialsAPS Elastomers now offers “Salt and Pep-

per” custom color matching and blending for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV); assisting their customers with a broad range of color concentrate that are FDA, RoHS, CONEG, and NSF compliant and heavy-metal free.

Available in natural pellets, APS Elastomers’ Zythane® TPUs and Viprene® TPVs offer en-hanced colorability. In addition to good color-ability, they are fatigue resistant, dimensionally stable and offer very low compression set, heat aging stability, low temperature flexibility, and excellent U.V., and ozone stability. They can be processed using conventional injection mold-ing and extrusion equipment.

APS [email protected]

Air ConditionerAn air conditioner specifically designed

for hazardous locations has been launched

by Pentair’s Equipment Protection division. Hoffman’s SpectraCool Hazardous Location air conditioner has a patented and differen-tiated nonincendive design that eliminates sources of ignition arising from the function-ing of the A/C unit.

Engineering for the SpectraCool Hazard-ous Location A/C unit started with the non-incendive design, but value added benefits are built-in. Heresite and e-coated compo-nents make this unit reliable. This kind of protection provides an additional defense against corrosive and damaging contami-nants in the harsh environments where these products are used.

The engineered design also eliminates the need for heavy cast enclosures so installation is easier, with less labor and equipment. The SpectraCool is up to 20 pounds lighter than many of the competition’s products, thus reducing the cost to ship. Additionally, the smaller footprint gives customers more op-tions for system layout and installation.

Pentair Technical Solutionswww.pentair.com

PumpThe new diaphragm liquid pump 1510 is de-

signed for fast suction of liquids, even when the medium is mixed with gas. The diaphragm de-sign ensures very consistent flow with minor pulsation. Therefore, the THOMAS 1510 fits perfectly to applications in laboratory equipment and inkjet printing. Flow Rate up to 700 ml/min, Pressure height up to 20 m H2O, and Suction height up to 7 m H2O.

Laboratory instruments equipped with the THOMAS 1510 benefit from higher throughput and reliable test results. The pump empties the vessels very fast and residue-free due to its high suction performance.

In order to achieve the best printing quality, inkjet printers need a steady delivery of ink to the print head. With its special pump design, the THOMAS 1510 provides consis-tent flow with little pulsation. In addition it delivers the ink bubble-free to the print head.

Integrated pressure relief valve (optional) for increased safety and different choices of materials An integrated pressure relief valve avoids overpressures in the system, that might lead to leakage and damages in the machine caused by liquid. Another customiz-able component of the THOMAS 1510 is especially valuable for the use in industrial inkjet printers that process inks with special additives. For example, inks for ceramic tile printing often include particulate material or chemically aggressive substances. Our THOMAS 1510 diaphragm pump can be customized with abrasion or chemical resis-tant materials corresponding to special applications.

Gardner Denver Thomas, Inc. (920) 457-4891, [email protected], www.thomas1510.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

applianceDESIGN’s


The appliance DESIGN MUST SEE Gallery provides a glimpse at the latest innovations entering into the market. Please visit the company’s website or email them for more information.

NRV77 – Compact yet perfectly matched.

The engineer’s choice

For more information: http://catalog.ebmpapst.us/NRV77.

Custom Manufactured Power Supply CordsAMERICOR offers a wide variety of custom manufactured Power Supply Cords and Cord Sets for Domestic and International use. All Agency

Approvals and RoHS Compliant. Custom designed to your specifications. Not sure what you need? Contact us today, our knowledgeable staff is available to customize a solution for you.

Americor Electronics, Ltd675 S Lively BlvdElk Grove Village Illinois 60007Phone: 847-956-6200 - Toll Free 800-830-5337E-mail: [email protected]: www.americor-usa.com

“Hands-On” Evaluation, Sampling and Prototyping Global businesses and Design Engineers of electronic devices and products of all types have used our Basic Evaluation Kits and proprietary magnetic shielding materials for evaluation. Optional Lab Kits including a Gaussmeter or Pickup Probe are available.• LK-110 Basic Lab Kit• Samples Include: Co-NETIC® | NETIC® | AA CABLE SHIELD• Technical Guide

Magnetic Shield Corporation USA & Worldwide888-766-7800shields@magnetic-shield.comwww.magnetic-shield.com


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An Interactive Product Spotlight tells your product’s story in a fresh, new way in a platform that allows the details of your product to unfold. You can

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EPCOS NTC thermistors from TDK deliver outstanding accuracy and long term stability and reliability in applications ranging from large to small appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, induction

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ASSOCIATION REPORT

By Charles Austen Angell, CEO and Creative

Director, Modern Edge; Stephanie Battista,

Senior Design Program Manager, Wearables,

Modern Edge; Karl-Heinz Mertins, CTO,

Modern Edge; Patrick Chiang, Associate

Professor, School of Electrical Engineering

and ComputerSciences, Oregon State

University;Shih-Hung Chen, Serial

Entrepreneur, China Representative for MIT

Sloan Schoolof Management

While wrist watches, pocket watches, and por-

table compasses could be considered the first

wearable tech devices, the more commonly

understood concept arose from body-worn sensors

that collect and interpret data. In this sense, University

of Toronto professor Steve Mann is a foremost con-

tributor to the wearable computing concept when he

mounted a heavy, but self-contained backpack system

as an MIT student in 1981. In 1994, Mann developed

a wireless webcam that he wore constantly to record

his daily life.

Industrial applications for wearable computers

began to tease out surprising scenarios in the 1990s.

DARPA launched the Smart Modules Program in

1994 in an effort to equip U.S. soldiers with body

worn computer systems in the battlefield. In 1998, the

company Xybernaut partnered with IBM to create a

wallet-sized, fully functioning Windows computer

with a head-mounted display.

Such developments prompted both university

researchers and fashion-forward tinkerers to try

to place components into apparel. With electronic

thread, light-emitting diodes, and small microcon-

trollers, the garment itself becomes the computer.

For example, one of the first pieces of clothing to

have fiber optics manufactured into the fabric came

from Harry Wainwright in 1995, and the first wear-

able motherboard shirt appeared from Sundaresan

Jayaraman at Georgia Tech in 1998. Many wearables

pioneers made use of a crucial addition to the idea

of wearable technology, contributed in 1988, when

Mark Weiser et al. developed ubiquitous computing at

PARC. Computers no longer had to be consolidated

into a central package, but could be small, inexpensive

electronic components that work together in everyday

applications.

A matrix of sensors might be embedded in a user’s

clothing with the data being transmitted via conduc-

tive polymers. With multiple microprocessing devices

working in concert such a system could forgo a bulky

computer display worn on the person; instead, tasks

would be accomplished seamlessly based on the user’s

location, physical data, and natural movements.

Weiser’s idea spawned notions of how small, inexpen-

sive chips would coordinate tasks both in environ-

ments as well as directly on the user’s body. Ambient

computing includes the notion that a user’s environ-

ment is populated with sensors, wireless systems, and

processing devices such that a user’s personal appli-

cations and data follow them around from room to

room, from home to office. Body area networks, an

idea that arose in the early 2000s, describe small devic-

es worn on the person to sense, process, and shuttle

data. Ubiquitous computing and wired communica-

tion launched a new era of wearables investigation,

first in embedded apparel as a research topic, which

initially resulted in prototypes in the service of novel-

ty, art, and entertainment. The cost of early wearables,

however, was too high for mass consumer adoption

and no strong usage cases for the general public were

identified. Size was still large and battery technol-

ogy not advanced enough to enter the mass apparel

market. Wearable tech began to focus on accessories:

badges, pendants, bracelets, and wrist-tops.

Some of the first fitness tracking devices were con-

sidered “wrist-top computers”—they were bulky, but

sophisticated and full of advanced functions for ath-

letes. Finnish company Polar developed the category

of chest-worn heart rate straps and wrist-top bands,

which would receive physiological data, interpret it,

and display it to the user in real time. Garmin debuted

the first GPS receiver so that athletes could judge

speed, altitude, and heart rate on the same device. At

the same time, larger trends in consumer health data

changed the way users and companies viewed the per-

sonal data generated by the new wearables. The Health

Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

of 1996 created new, secure standards for consumer

health data and introduced the basic concept to the

general public that secure personal data is something

that travels with a person across vendors and elec-

tronic systems. As these ideas were circulating in the

consumer consciousness, the notion of portable data

begat a growing awareness that every consumer gener-

ates such data constantly. If metrics regarding athletic

performance, fitness improvement, or potential health

problems could be captured and tracked, then perhaps

the consumer would benefit from the presentation of

such data by seeing improvement, becoming more

motivated, or diagnosing potential problems.

The idea of wearables sprawled with new fea-

tures and devices, including the early Pebble smart

watch and Google Glass, the first major usage mod-

els in wearable computing since desktop computers

morphed into mobile devices. Many other devices fol-

lowed. In the current paradigm, such wearable acces-

sories are independent of the clothing they are worn

on; they are optional purchases for the sake of com-

munication, heath, and productivity. Such devices

have powerful processors, use battery power quickly,

and often carry a display big enough to read. <

This excerpt was from the “Wearables in Apparel”

white paper. For the full article,

visit http://modernedge.com.

Wearables Continue to Advance


AD INDEXSALES TEAMcompany name page number web site

AK Steel 27 www.aksteel.com

Americor Electronics Ltd. 38 www.americor-usa.com

Anaren 38 www.anaren.com/AIRforWiced

Arkema 9 www.forane.com

Bokers Inc 39 www.bokers.com/ad Continental Fan 39 www.continentalfan.com/ecatalog.php?fantype=customfans

Design 2 Part Shows 17 www.d2p.com

Design Concepts 13 www.design-concepts.com/iot

ebm papst 38, BC http://discover.ebmpapst.com/refrigeration_technology

EPCOS TDK IFC, 39 www.epcos.com

Fujipoly 39 www.fujipoly.com/usa

Magnetic Shield Corporation 38 www.magnetic-shield.com

MasterBond 29 www.masterbond.com

Multi-Seals, Inc. 13 www.multi-seals.com

Proto Labs, Inc. 3 www.protolabs.com

Quality Show 15 www.qualityshow.com

Soler & Palau 39 www.soler-palauinc.com

Underwriters Laboratories 31 www.ul.com/weknowproducts

WS Packaging Group, Inc 1 www.wspackaging.com

This index is for the convenience of our readers. Every care is taken to make it accurate. appliance DESIGN assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

sales teamDarrell Dal Pozzo - Group [email protected] Phone: (847) 405-4044

Dawn LeRoux - Associate [email protected]: (248) 633-4818 Fax: (248) 283-6558 AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, ND, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, Western Canada and International (Europe & U.K.)

Brad [email protected]: (216) 233-6943 Fax: (216) 803-6151 AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV, Eastern Canada

reprintsRenee [email protected] Phone: (248) 786-1661Fax: (248) 283-6588

Our semi-monthly eNewsletter features web exclusive, recent news and featured editorial along with other pertinent information geared

for the OEM design engineers worldwide.

Subscribe today at applianceDESIGN.com/eNewsletters

NOTES

STAY INFORMED WITH

AD eNews house ad Half.indd 1 2/13/15 9:05 AM

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appliance design september

Documents

design of quiet

appliance noise tutorial

motor management plan

motor options

effective motor management

normal appliance operation

manufacturing of prototypes

rapid manufacturing