12/97 mechanical engineering features

December 1997

feature articles

the fantastical meets the practical
Although mechanical engineers at Walt Disney World have used standard design tools and industrial equipment since the resort opened 25 years ago, the rides and storybook heroes they create go beyond the everyday world to bring children's dreams to life.

rapid-response design
Is agile manufacturing a new way to answer fast-changing competition, or just another buzzword?

visualizing systems in motion
Engineers at John Deere and Co. use kinematic-analysis codes to optimize component- and system-level performance of off-road vehicle models, helping them to keep projects on track.

molten-carbonate fuel cells go navy
Fuel cells are becoming increasingly efficient at converting fuel to electricity while they give off high-temperature steam.

java catches on for manufacturing
The Java language and environment first came to prominence in industries such as telecommunications, transportation, finance, and banking. Now its use is on the rise in control and automation applications.

refurbishing steam turbines
Power-plant operators are reducing maintenance costs of their aging steam turbines by using wire-arc spray coating and shot peening to prolong the service life of components, and by replacing outmoded bearings and seals with newer designs.

limiting vibration in space lattices
Using finite-element analysis and other methods, engineers are evaluating ways to control the vibrations and extend the use of flexible, deployable structures in space.