The Engineer
April 2001 Online
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GM technology to help children trapped in hot cars
30 Apr 2001
General Motors has unveiled a new low-energy radar sensor that detects motion as subtle as the breathing of an infant sleeping in a rear-facing child safety seat.
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Unborn Americans benefit from electronically pasteurised hot dogs
30 Apr 2001
Have you ever wanted to process more then 40,000 pounds of hamburgers in less than 90 minutes? Well now you can!
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Ancient process enters electronic age
27 Apr 2001
Using watermarks to preserve the integrity of printed documents dates back 2000 years but researchers at Purdue University could bring that time-tested method into the electronic age.
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Digital servo drives from the mains
27 Apr 2001
The Samsung CSDJ Series is a digital AC servo drives that run directly off 240V AC single-phase supplies
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Help available for recovering lungs
27 Apr 2001
A University of Pittsburgh researcher has developed a device that functions like a temporary set of lungs.
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Protective polymer coatings for MEMS
27 Apr 2001
An Iowa State University professor's National Science Foundation funded research on the microstructure of polymers could yield significant applications in the electronics industry. Vladimir Tsukruk of ISU's materials science and engineering department and a multidisciplinary research team have developed ultra-thin polymer coatings that provide improved protection of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) from damage caused by environmental contamination and repeated use.
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High-tech house building factory to open in UK
26 Apr 2001
The Rt Hon Stephen Byers MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will launch SPACE4, the first ever UK factory that actually builds houses.
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New device has hidden depths
26 Apr 2001
Researchers at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have invented a sub-surface radar (SSR) that detects objects that cannot be found by other means.
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Future's bright for silicon
25 Apr 2001
Researchers at the University of Texas have devised a method to make silicon shine. Their tiny, light-emitting spherical silicon crystals are said to hold great promise for future applications ranging from laser technology to flat panel displays.
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Improving airborne accuracy
25 Apr 2001
Improved targeting of theatre ballistic missiles by airborne laser weapons may be possible thanks to neglected atmospheric features being studied at Ben-Gurion University in Israel.
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Shotspotter spots the shots
25 Apr 2001
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is using a gunshot location and notification system that identifies hot spot areas in the community.
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Breaking the budget barrier
24 Apr 2001
Researchers from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have helped in creating a technique that will enable manufacturers to take advantage of advanced polymer composite technology.
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Diesel engines go green
24 Apr 2001
Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have combined an electrically charged gas with a specialised catalyst to reduce oxides of nitrogen in diesel engines.
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Soapy solution to empty fuel tanks
24 Apr 2001
Engineers at Purdue University are using a computer model that explains the mathematics behind soap bubble formation to predict when satellites will run out of fuel. Satellites keep their position 22,500 miles above Earth by firing small rocket thrusters, but these must be replaced shortly before they run out of hydrazine, a rocket fuel that is worth more than its weight in gold. Enough fuel must remain to get the satellites out of orbit to make room for their replacements.
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Fieldbus solution for valve connection
23 Apr 2001
Asco Joucomatic has introduced The Valve Connection System (VCS), which connects actuators and valves in an easy, quick and economical way.
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Firefighting talk
23 Apr 2001
Essex County Fire & Rescue Service have developed a waterproof data logger to provide training firefighters with a second-by-second record of how quickly and effectively they fought a blaze
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Flow measurement under pressure
23 Apr 2001
Developed to meter the flow of high pressure steam and boiler feedwater, Deltaflow integrating pitot tubes are now available in the UK from Flowline.
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Fuel cells face acid test
23 Apr 2001
A researcher at the California Institute of Technology has developed an alternative type of fuel cell based on so-called 'solid acids'.
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Intelligent sensors in automation engineering
23 Apr 2001
Siemens Automation & Drives Group has launched its IQ-Sense technology, offering a new concept for the use of intelligent sensor systems in automation engineering.
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Ironing out the wrinkles
23 Apr 2001
A researcher at the University of Arkansas believes that some inflatable structures used on space missions could be rendered impractical by small wrinkles on their surface.
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Low cost data acquisition system
23 Apr 2001
Eurotherm has launched a low cost data acquisition and display instrument delivering advanced I/O quality with built-in communications facilities.
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NI and Siemens agree to collaborate
23 Apr 2001
National Instruments and Siemens Automation and Drives Group have agreed to develop solutions requiring precise measurement and control of manufacturing processes.
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Relays available with plug-in terminals
23 Apr 2001
A range of safety relays to include a plug-in terminal version of its X-range emergency stop relays is now available from Pilz.
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Valves on cue at Royal National Theatre
23 Apr 2001
Proportional valves from Rexroth have replaced servo technology in a hydraulically driven stage at the Royal National Theatre, London.
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Chameleons on Mars
20 Apr 2001
Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico have created intelligent nanostructures that are able to report on their environment by changing colour.
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Cheaper trucking
20 Apr 2001
A graduate student at the University of Texas has patented a design that may bring about up to 5.5 per cent fuel savings in heavy-duty diesel engines.
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MEMS in space
20 Apr 2001
Researchers at the University of Arkansas believe microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) may be the key to maintaining giant space-based structures.
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Probe may eliminate invasive tests
20 Apr 2001
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has contributed to the development of TruScan, a cervical cancer detector that could replace PAP smear tests.
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Criminals can run but they cannot hide
18 Apr 2001
Police Officers in the US searching for a suspect hiding inside a building could soon have a new tool for protecting themselves and finding the bad guy.
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ERP satisfies education growth
18 Apr 2001
The Government's push for education investment has persuaded British Thornton to invest in an ERP system to enhance its manufacturing process.
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Honeywell wins Clair front end
18 Apr 2001
Honeywell Industrial Control has been selected by BP as the integrated control and safety system (ICSS) supplier for the development of the Clair field, west of the Shetland Islands.
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Procurement solution implemented at TWR
18 Apr 2001
A web-enabled procurement solution has been implemented by the TWR Group, the specialist vehicle design and manufacturing company and owner of the Arrows F1 team.
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Sports fans enjoy remote camera action
18 Apr 2001
Motion control technology is providing close-up filming of sports action without track-side operators or cranes. The camera control system is controlled remotely over a network.
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Take heart from robotic surgeon
18 Apr 2001
Surgeons at the University of Pittsburgh have successfully performed a heart bypass operation using ZEUS, a three-armed robot.
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UW-Madison team to lay new foundation
18 Apr 2001
A team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison plan to use silicon germanium quantum dots to build the foundation for a new generation of super computers.
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Non-stop SOLO monitoring
17 Apr 2001
Scientists in the US have released into the ocean what are believed to be the World's first ' robotic carbon observers' to collect information on the role of plankton and other living things in the ocean's carbon cycle.
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Powering the cyber soldier
17 Apr 2001
Researchers in the US have developed a lightweight power generator that may power the image displays and laser range finders of tomorrow's high-tech infantryman.
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Shopping lists go high-tech
17 Apr 2001
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD have offered a glimpse into the future of shopping with 'eShop'.
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Be gone but be back soon!
12 Apr 2001
Over here in the UK, it's that time of year when we all quit work and go off on a long weekend.
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Recorder information overload
12 Apr 2001
Companies today face a growing number of challenges including reducing total cost of ownership and improving efficiency. They must also deal with a growing amount of information needed to make informed decisions
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Rolls-Royce win $12 million power deal
12 Apr 2001
Rolls-Royce has won a $12 million contract in Argentina to provide power at the world's most southerly city.
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Synthetic clay may aid environmental clean-up
12 Apr 2001
Researchers at Penn State University believe an inexpensive, synthetic clay may one day help provide radium free drinking water and clean up radium-contaminated mine and mill tailings.
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Alarm bells are ringing
11 Apr 2001
Industrial wireless early warning systems are rapidly becoming the preferred technology for manufacturing facilities
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Crouzet reduces relay size
11 Apr 2001
By combining the best elements of solid state relay and electro-mechanical relay technology, Crouzet has created the RHP.
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Embedded ethernet for industry
11 Apr 2001
A single board computer has been designed for use in high volume and cost sensitive industrial control applications where networking capabilities are required
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First hosts complete Foundation test
11 Apr 2001
The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that an initial group of three host systems have completed its Host Inoperability Support Test.
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Linear motors new horizons
11 Apr 2001
Linear Drives has previewed its latest product, ThrustTube Micro, said to open up new horizons for linear motor actuation.
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PAS system for Alwyn North
11 Apr 2001
Fisher-Rosemount has been awarded a contract by Tyco Control Systems for a DeltaV process automation system, to be used on the Alwyn North platforms.
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Program generates arbitrary waveforms
11 Apr 2001
Waveform Manager Plus, from Thurlby Thandar Instruments, is a Windows based program for the creation, editing, translation and management of waveforms. It can be used with any of the company's range of arbitrary waveform generation products.
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SDRC acquires Inovie Software
11 Apr 2001
SDRC has acquired Inovie Software of San Diego, CA, a provider of Web-based, peer-to-peer collaborative project management software.
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Sparklers in space
11 Apr 2001
A scientist at Vanderbilt University is exploring the use of polycrystalline diamond as a replacement for the silicon solar cells.
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A new approach to microfluidics
10 Apr 2001
A team of University of Arkansas researchers has discovered an effective way to move small amounts of fluid around miniscule channels.
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ABB to acquire Entrelec of France
10 Apr 2001
ABB has launched a bid to acquire Entrelec, a French supplier of industrial automation and control products, in a Euro 310 million deal. The acquisition is aimed at expanding ABB's product range and reinforcing its position in key European and American markets.
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Airborne eye for outback anomalies
10 Apr 2001
New technology developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Powercor Australia could help protect communities from bushfires.
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Computer program to improve treatment of strokes
10 Apr 2001
Scientists have created a computer program said to predict the chances of brain cells dying as the result of a stroke. The program may allow doctors to refine the use of brain saving stroke drugs. The computer software, which uses artificial intelligence techniques, rapidly combines several new types of images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into a map of the brain allowing physicians to assess the risk of brain damage with high specificity and sensitivity.
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If looks could kill
10 Apr 2001
The US Navy recently began flight testing a technology that is said to allow aircraft crews to aim weapons and sensors by looking at targets.
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Sandia, Ardesta join forces to commercialise MEMS
10 Apr 2001
Sandia National Laboratories and Ardesta have joined forces to transfer microelectromechanical systems and microsystems technologies to start-ups.
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ABB starts share-buy-back program
9 Apr 2001
ABB has announced the start of a share buy-back programme to repurchase six million of its own shares for cancellation.
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Acquisition follows global plan
9 Apr 2001
PC-based industrial control solutions provider, Nematron has acquired 100% of Optimation, a producer of industrial communications and display products.
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Batch control market to exceed $3.2bn
9 Apr 2001
Shipments of batch control systems worldwide are set to exceed $3.2 billion by the end of 2005, compared to $2.4 billion last year.
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Drug delivery in a can
9 Apr 2001
A student at Johns Hopkins University has developed tiny biodegradable plastic particles that could be used in an aerosol spray to carry DNA vaccines deep into human lungs.
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Metal shapes on demand
9 Apr 2001
A professor at Lehigh University has put a new spin on rapid prototyping by creating device that turns a computer aided drawing into a 3D object constructed from metal powders.
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Microstepping drivers offer high current capability
9 Apr 2001
New ranges of motor controller/driver modules are designed for high-efficiency microstepping operation of 2-phase unipolar stepper motors.
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Supply chain suite helps retain market share
9 Apr 2001
Stoke-based Churchill China has taken delivery of Demand Planning 3.02, part of the Xei supply chain suite from Prescient Systems.
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Bubble wrapped cutting device
6 Apr 2001
Scientists developing photonic devices for optical and electronic applications may get a boost from a new process for 'cutting' 3-D arrays of holes in a polymer material.
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Byers announces £40m to turn ideas into business successes
5 Apr 2001
Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers yesterday invited applications for bids to help transform British scientists' bright ideas and discoveries into commercial successes for the UK.
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Greater vision for transparent technology
5 Apr 2001
Researchers at Oregon State University are said to have made significant advances in the emerging science of transparent electronics, creating transparent 'p-type' semiconductors.
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High hopes for micro-engine
5 Apr 2001
The smallest engine of its kind anywhere in the world, created at the University of California, Berkeley, could someday replace batteries as an efficient power source for mobile electronic devices.
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SAP and Yahoo collaborate to attract business
5 Apr 2001
SAP AG and Yahoo! have formed a partnership that extends both companies' role in the enterprise portal market.
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Can transceivers on 3.3V standard
4 Apr 2001
Texas Instruments says it has released industry's first family of 3.3V transmitter-receivers for the controller area network
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CHP cuts emissions at Jaguar Halewood
4 Apr 2001
BP Energy has gained consent from Energy Minister Peter Hain to build a 70MW gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Jaguar's Halewood site. The proposed stations will supply the heat and electricity needs of the Halewood works where Jaguar will build a range of models including its new X-type.
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Jeep's platform team shares dimensional data
4 Apr 2001
DaimlerChrysler has selected a collaboration solution to automate the real-time sharing of manufacturing related quality data.
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Rockwell wins quality award
4 Apr 2001
Rockwell Automation has been named a recipient of Intel Corporation's Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) award for outstanding performance in providing products and services, deemed essential to Intel's success.
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No need to shout
3 Apr 2001
Scientists at the University of Illinois have signed a licensing agreement to commercialise an intelligent hearing aid that that is said to replicate the human brains ability to spatially separate sounds and process them.
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Connector is first in family
2 Apr 2001
MTL has announced the launch of a new connector, the first of a family of hazardous area products.
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Connectors for pulse applications
2 Apr 2001
A new series of 15kV high voltage RF connectors for pulse applications in laser, semi-conductor, nuclear, medical and related equipment has been introduced
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Cost-effective transmitter installation
2 Apr 2001
Two new pressure transmitters from Yokogawa UK have been designed to combine ease of installation with low cost of ownership and operation.
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Drive claimed to be among smallest
2 Apr 2001
The new Moeller AC drive now available from R&M Electrical Group is believed to be one of the smallest AC drives in its class, spanning a 0.3kW to 90kW power range.
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EDS plan $570 million acquisition
2 Apr 2001
EDS announced the largest acquisition in its history today with the planned purchase of Systematics AG for approximately $570 million.
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Gas analysis equipment installed
2 Apr 2001
Gas analysis monitoring functions at the ExxonMobil Chemicals Olefins ethylene manufacturing plant in Fife, are now being carried out by two infrared gas analysers.
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Liquid cooled drive saves space
2 Apr 2001
Available in ratings from 600kW to 3.6MW at 690V, the Alspa MV3000 variable speed drive is supplied in liquid-cooled format, housed in a cubicle.
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Piezo-resistive pressure cell
2 Apr 2001
Measurement Specialities' ICSensors Division has released a piezo-resistive pressure cell for pressure sensing from 1000psi to 5000psi in absolute or sealed gauge versions.
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Vision sensor link with ethernet
2 Apr 2001
A supplier of machine vision systems, has announced the launch of a range of general-purpose Ethernet linked machine vision sensors, that require no programming
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Vitesse Semiconductor make $104.8 million acquisition
2 Apr 2001
Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation has announced that it has agreed to acquire Exbit Technology for $104.8 million in stock.
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World's fastest, real-time oscilloscope delivered
2 Apr 2001
Gennum has selected digital phosphor oscilloscopes for use in development labs, which provide customer support for video applications.
