Features Table of Contents

July 2000

feature articles

local connections
Microturbines meet energy storage systems and fuel cells for new applications in distributed energy generation.

the mechanics of flight
By advancing the work of lift and power, mechanical engineers helped shrink the world.

first flights
The Wright Brothers were not alone. Rivalries launched a controversy that left things up in the air for almost half a century.

looking for leaks in all the small places
Photoacoustics lends its ears to automakers who are tracking down gas leaks that border on the infinitesimal.

FEA's flow to the future
Once the province of a subset of specialists, finite element analysis is reaching an ever-greater population of engineers.

trimming in a snap
Making three components of reinforced nylon sheds weight under the hood and simplifies assembly.

cooling situation
A surprise heat sink design prepares a computer manufacturer for the next wave of hotter, faster CPUs.