6/97 mechanical engineering features

June 1997

feature articles

power companies electrify the coating industry
Utilities are promoting ultraviolet and infrared curing technologies that spur coating production and electrical usage

manufacturing firms face the future
With global competition, sustained technological gains, and the need for rapid response to customer demands, engineers will have to adapt to a new way of doing business

article abstracts

part design comes together on the net
McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Grumman linked their design and manufacturing teams in California and Texas through the Internet to develop a more affordable nacelle for the U.S. Air Force's C-17 airlifter

rockwell's proactive re-engineering
The company has begun to streamline its product-development process through more effective resource allocation and better scheduling of projects

a flexible clutch assembly line
A proposed redesigned clutch assembly system has almost 65 fewer stations and one line versatile enough to handle four types of clutches

building a better fieldbus
Fieldbuses such as DeviceNet are allowing intelligence to be distributed throughout a control system, offering users a variety of benefits including reduced wiring, easier configuration, and enhanced diagnostics

better intrinsically safe than sorry
Intrinsically safe devices and systems are becoming more common at sites with a potential for fire and explosion

analyzing tolerance limits
Three-dimensional analysis of tolerances proves they can be eased on a fixed disk drive