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Dual-laser metal AM system makes parts faster

Renishaw's new dual-laser RenAM 500D metal additive manufacturing machine has been designed to offer exceptional product quality and productivity for a wider range of budgets. The RenAM 500D features two 500-W lasers that can access the entire build platform, delivering superior performance when compared with single-laser systems. Additionally, the RenAM 500D Ultra, fitted with Renishaw's TEMPUS technology, allows the laser to fire while the recoater is moving, saving up to nine seconds per build layer and reducing cost per part. This also helps to deliver a production speed up to three times faster than conventional single-laser systems. Many more features.
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NEW! Aluminum Press-In Inserts for plastics

SPIROL is pleased to introduce a range of 2024 aluminum Press-In Inserts. Available in symmetrical (Series INS 50) and headed (INS 51) versions, the new aluminum Press-In Inserts line complements the existing brass line. Threaded Inserts are essential for reinforcing plastic components and provide a reusable thread within a bolted assembly. This ensures a proper seating torque and prevents the potential for plastic creep over time. These inserts are designed to be Pressed-In without heat and provide the lowest cost to install with acceptable joint performance for many applications.
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When glass or plastic can't cut it: Transparent ceramics solve critical design challenges

Complex designs are still possible when grinding and polishing Fused Silica or Sapphire. Ceramic properties such as wear, abrasion resistance, and strength of these optical materials can be a designer's dream solution when high temperatures or severe environments rule out standard optical glass or plastic. INSACO is a machine shop specializing in ultra-hard and extreme materials.
→ Contact Jackson Evans, Sales Engineer at INSACO jpe@insaco.com.
→ Learn more about INSACO materials and capabilities.

New contactless link magnetic couplings use magnetic field to transmit torque

Miki Pulley Magnetic Couplings are shaft couplings that transmit torque from one shaft to another using a magnetic field instead of a physical or mechanical connection. These Magnetic Couplings are non-contact and rely on the attraction and repulsion of magnetic poles to generate rotational power. The full product range can withstand significant misalignments and are silent, vibration-free, and do not generate thermal conduction. Design advantages include configurations that are versatile for use in various engagement angles and installations. Max transmittable torque is adjustable.
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New aero and defense PEKK-based FDM polymers from Stratasys

Stratasys has partnered with top aerospace and defense companies to develop two newly qualified materials for 3D printing. Antero 800NA is a PEKK-based FDM polymer with excellent physical and mechanical properties for demanding applications. Antero 840CN03 is a high-performance PEKK-based FDM polymer with electrostatic dissipative (ESD) properties. These new advanced industrial solution materials were rigorously qualified in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Blue Origin, Raytheon, Naval Air Systems Command, the National Institute for Aviation Research, United States Air Force, BAE, and Stratasys Direct Manufacturing.
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New washer tech for leak-free automotive sealing

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has launched the Rubore^® Washer, a unique solution offering virtually leak-free sealing beneath screwheads to safeguard critical systems in vehicles, especially electric ones.
Read the full article.

EOS expands its Nickel superalloys for 3D printing

EOS, a leading supplier of manufacturing solutions for industrial 3D printing, has added two new metal additive manufacturing materials: EOS NickelAlloy IN738 and EOS NickelAlloy K500, both delivering excellent performance, part properties, and value to a variety of industries that leverage EOS Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LBPF) 3D-printing technology. The IN738 superalloy is aimed at high-strength, high-stress energy and turbomachinery applications, while the K500 superalloy is a cost-effective, corrosion-resistant option for chemical, maritime, and space industries.
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Ruland acquires RoCom Couplings, expanding beam coupling and machined spring capabilities

Ruland Manufacturing has acquired the assets of RoCom Couplings, a Santa Maria, CA-based company specializing in beaming technology, including beam couplings, machined springs, and custom beamed components. The acquisition expands Ruland's beam coupling offerings and enhances its manufacturing capabilities to better serve customers requiring precision-engineered flexible couplings and custom machined solutions.
Learn more and see what's offered.

norelem adds 30,000 new components to its range

norelem, a global manufacturer and supplier of standard components for machinery and automation, has expanded its product range by adding 30,000 parts to its catalog. Unique in the industry, this expansion brings norelem's selection of high-quality components to over 130,000 products for design engineers and machine technicians. From sensors and clamps to plungers, levers, and measurement instruments, norelem's entire supply is available to order from its online shop with guaranteed fast and reliable delivery times.
Check out what norelem has to offer. They are new to Designfax.

Wear-resistant precision hinges from JW Winco

The precision hinges GN 7580 from JW Winco supply a pivoting movement to elements such as swing arms, spacers, and clamping plates in applications such as jig construction, automation systems, or testing systems. These wear-resistant hinges feature low radial play and adjustable axial play. They are made of black anodized and high-strength alloyed aluminum, while the bearing bushings are made of bronze. Stainless steel is used for the hardened hinge axis as well as the thrust washers and adjusting screws. An additional polyamide coating on the adjusting screws provides for thread locking.
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Supercar of the skies: Autodesk Alias design

Learn how Hill Helicopter is using Autodesk Alias to design the innovative HX50, the "supercar of the skies." The next-gen, private copter marries high-end automotive and aero design and materials to create a futuristic flying five-seat SUV for a discriminating clientele. A neat insider look.
View the video.

CNC machining: How to avoid high costs on thin walls

Parts that are light and strong are crucial to nearly every industry. To achieve better performance without risking part failure, parts must maintain a specific wall-height-to-thickness ratio and wall-height-to-length ratio. Additionally, some geometries and supports can support thin walls to achieve a lighter component weight. Dive deeper into the cost drivers behind CNC-machined thin walls in this Xometry design-for-manufacturing article.
Read the full article.

Before you design your next application, try this

Smalley's industry-leading Spirolox^® Retaining Rings feature a gapless design with 360° of retaining surface. Unlike other rings, Spirolox has no protruding ears to interfere with mating components in your assembly! The highly versatile Spirolox rings are also groove-interchangeable with circlips, meaning they can replace circlips without any design changes. Are you ready to try the Smalley Advantage? Request your free samples today!
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No-cost courses in fastener technology

Master the theory of fastener design to expand your product knowledge and become an even better and more efficient design engineer. PennEngineering's PEM FastenerClass^® courses aim to give participants insight into peer and competitor techniques, a better understanding of loads and stress analysis, and enhanced career opportunities -- all beyond the basics of fastener design, selection, and installation. Self-clinch, threads, press-in inserts, surface-mount options, and sheet-to-sheet are only a few of the many topics covered.
See what courses are offered.

Engineer's Toolbox: The secret to living hinges that fold flat

Living hinges are often used to produce a container and its lid as a single molded part. If properly designed, they can open and close thousands of times without ever losing strength or flexibility. Protolabs provides valuable tips on designing these (sometimes thin and fragile) parts.
Read the full article.

Researchers make solar cells from simulated Moon dust -- and they work!

The same dirt that clings to astronauts' boots may one day keep their lights on. In a study published April 3 in the Cell Press journal Device, researchers created solar cells made of simulated Moon dust. The cells convert sunlight into energy efficiently, withstand radiation damage, and mitigate the need for transporting heavy materials into space, offering a potential solution to one of space exploration's biggest challenges: reliable energy sources.

"The solar cells used in space now are amazing, reaching efficiencies of 30% to even 40%, but that efficiency comes with a price," says lead researcher Felix Lang of the University of Potsdam, Germany. "They are very expensive and are relatively heavy, because they use glass or a thick foil as cover. It's hard to justify lifting all these cells into space."

Moon regolith simulant, moonglass, and Moon solar cells. The inset shows a cross-sectional micrograph and the perovskite crystal structure. [Credit: Image by Felix Lang/Courtesy of Cell Press]

 

 

Instead of hauling solar cells from Earth, Lang's team is looking to materials available on the Moon itself. They aim to replace Earth-made glass with glass crafted from lunar regolith -- the Moon's loose, rocky surface debris. This change alone could cut a spacecraft's launch mass by 99.4% for solar cell transport, slash 99% of transport costs, and make long-term lunar settlements more feasible.

To test the idea, the researchers melted a substance designed to simulate Moon dust into moonglass and used it to build a new kind of solar cell. They crafted the cells by pairing moonglass with perovskite, which is a class of crystals that are cheaper, easier to make, and very efficient in turning sunlight into electricity. For every gram of material sent to space, the new panels produced up to 100 times more energy than traditional solar panels.

"If you cut the weight by 99%, you don't need ultra-efficient 30% solar cells, you just make more of them on the Moon," says Lang. "Plus, our cells are more stable against radiation, while the others would degrade over time."

When the team zapped the solar cells with space-grade radiation, the moonglass versions outperformed the Earth-made ones. Standard glass slowly browns in space, blocking sunlight and reducing efficiency. Moonglass, however, has a natural brown tint from impurities in the Moon dust that stabilizes the glass, prevents it from further darkening, and makes the cells more resistant to radiation.

Vision of future solar cell fabrication on the Moon using raw regolith. Shown are robots that source raw regolith and bring it to a production facility, which fabricates perovskite-based Moon solar cells. Later, automated rovers or astronauts install these solar cells to power future Moon habitats. [Credit: Image by Sercan Özen/Courtesy of Cell Press]

 

 

 

 

Making moonglass, the team found, is surprisingly simple. It does not require complex purification, and concentrated sunlight alone can provide the extreme temperatures needed to melt lunar regolith into glass. By tweaking the thickness of the moonglass and fine-tuning the solar cell's composition, the team managed to achieve 10% efficiency. With clearer moonglass that lets in more light, they believe they could reach 23%.

Still, the Moon poses challenges that Earth doesn't. Lower gravity could change how moonglass forms. The solvents currently used to process perovskite won't work in the Moon's vacuum. Wild temperature swings could threaten the materials' stability. To find out if their Moon dust solar cells are truly viable, the team hopes to launch a small-scale experiment to the Moon to test them out in real lunar conditions.

"From extracting water for fuel to building houses with lunar bricks, scientists have been finding ways to use Moon dust," says Lang. "Now, we can turn it into solar cells too, possibly providing the energy a future Moon city will need."

Source: Cell Press

Published April 2025

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