Dear Reader: No new significant polymers have been invented for many years, but proprietary enhancements and other developments offer an array of new design possibilities. Nowhere is the impact more dramatic than the improvements to high-performance film that are helping enable the explosion in LCD screens for TVs, cell phones, and other portable devices. What’s next? Efforts to make biodegradable plastics for mechanical applications, such as cars and computers. If you’d like me to look at something else, e-mail me at dougsmock@gmail.com. Doug Smock Contributing Editor
Spotlight Story:
The Flat Panel Boom There’s an explosion in capacity and capabilities of illuminescent plastic films, driven by demand for TVs and mobile devices. Is there a potential use in your design portfolio for brightness-enhancing or electroluminescent films?&NOBR>Full Story&/NOBR>
ADVERTISEMENT
Partner with Phillips Plastics to get the deliverables you expect - an optimum design for manufacture at competitive costs in record time. Skilled at designing for multiple plastic and metal molding processes, including MIM and MAG, Phillips' designers bring the manufacturing perspective to the concept phase.
In the News:
Car Parts Designed to Break Down? Yes, it’s coming. The British government is providing funding for development of super strong lightweight plastic from plant products which will biodegrade when it has finished its useful life. The driver is primarily environmental, but there is also some economic incentive as well. Full Story Nano Barriers Are Rising New nanocomposites are aimed at improving barrier properties in fuel tanks, particularly in preparation for stringent new regulations in California for small, off-road vehicles. Incorporation of organically treated clay improves oxygen barrier in nylon 6 by factors of four to five. Full story A New Way to Use PVDF ResinsA new technical breakthrough makes it possible to blow mold polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) which is used in applications requiring a chemical-resistant, high-purity, thermally stable material. This creates new design opportunities for components used in the chemical process industry, semiconductor manufacturing and medical devices. Full Story
ADVERTISEMENT
9 Plastic Gear MAQs (Must Ask Questions) - FREE
This handy FREE guide is easily downloadable online from UFE. In it you’ll find the fundamental questions to ask about gear operating temperatures, moisture levels, speed, load, accuracy and more. Discover the key questions for engineers to consider when designing plastic gears. Click and download it now, compliments of UFE, the plastic gear experts. Click Here.
The Latest Materials Resources Available:
BOKER’S FREE 56-PAGE 2007 CATALOG Boker'sA catalog with over 21,000 non-standard sizes available with no tool charges. Outside diameters of 0.080” to 5.140”, a wide range of IDs, thicknesses, and 2,000 material variations including low carbon sheet steel and spring steel provide millions of possibilities. ENCLOSURE DESIGNER'S HARDWARE SELECTION GUIDE Southco Inc.Use this hands-on design tool to evaluate latch and hinge hardware for electronic, industrial, and other enclosure applications. Compare and select optimum solutions by more than 20 design criteria - including configuration, load, dimensions, product/environmental performance, access control, materials, industry standards, and more.
The Flat Panel Boom Car Parts Designed to Break Down? Nano Barriers Are Rising A New Way to Use PVDF Resins Material Thoughts Blog: New Oomph for Laser Welding Resource Center Contact Us
Material Thoughts Blog: New Oomph for Laser WeldingLaser welding is a fast-growing assembly option, particularly for parts containing electronic components. Now a new series of engineering materials is being developed specifically for the laser process. Read More
Products/Services Companies
You are receiving this e-mail because you have requested either a newsletter or a magazine from Reed Business Information. Subscribe to Design News' e-mail newsletters | Unsubscribe to the Materials & Fastening E-Newsletter | Update Your Profile - cancel or change your newsletter subscriptions, change your e-mail address or profile | Free Print Subscription | Privacy PolicyQUESTIONS? If you have questions or need further assistance, please contact our Customer support staff Reed Business Information 225 Wyman St. Waltham, MA 02451 | Fax: 781-290-3184 STAFF: Editor-in-Chief: John Dodge | Managing Editor: Liz Taurasi | Web Producer: Arash Hadipanah | Web Editor: Regina Lynch PRIVACY MANAGER: Reed Business Information 2000 Clearwater Drive Oak Brook, IL 60523 | Fax: 630-288-8394 Copyright 2007, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
We looked at a number of sources to determine this year's greenest cars, from KBB to automotive trade magazines to environmental organizations. These 14 cars emerged as being great at either stretching fuel or reducing carbon footprint.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 4
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
Partner with Phillips Plastics to get the deliverables you expect - an optimum design for manufacture at competitive costs in record time. Skilled at designing for multiple plastic and metal molding processes, including MIM and MAG, Phillips' designers bring the manufacturing perspective to the concept phase. 
This handy FREE guide is easily downloadable online from UFE. In it you’ll find the fundamental questions to ask about gear operating temperatures, moisture levels, speed, load, accuracy and more. Discover the key questions for engineers to consider when designing plastic gears. Click and download it now, compliments of UFE, the plastic gear experts. Click Here.
4 
