10/96 mechanical engineering features

October
1996

feature article

federal labs and industry come together
An era of tough international competition and diminished R&D resources is forcing private industry to collaborate with government laboratories and vice versa.

article abstracts

mems sensors branch out
State-of-the art microelectromechanical-system sensors are being used in an ever-increasing array of applications, including sophisticated guidance systems, antilock-braking systems, and micro-medical instruments.

putting power on ice
Operators of cogeneration plants are boosting gas-turbine output during peak summer demand by making ice at night and using it to cool turbine-inlet air during the day.

how George Westinghouse changed the world
One of the greatest engineers of his day, George Westinghouse modernized the railroad industry and revolutionized the electric power system.

optimizing injection-molded parts
As more manufacturers use plastic parts in their products, engineers need to evaluate multiple iterations of part geometries as early in the design process as possible.

verifying ventilation flows
An innovative technique using a hot-film anemometer has been developed for measuring the flow distribution through generator rotors.