Machine design, tập 84, số 03, 2012

March 8, 2012
A Penton Media Publication
Tune in to EngineeringTV.com

RECYCLING THERMOFORMED
PACKAGES, page 20
LOOKING GOOD WITH
STRUCTURAL THERMOSETS,
page 42
SETTING STANDARDS FOR
BEING GREEN, page 48
MORE FOR LESS WITH
OSCILLOSCOPES, page 58

Supplying
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components for
the automation
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4ALK ABOUT A BUNDLE
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ENERGY
s&URTHERMORE
IT
PROLONGS THE SERVICE LIFE
OF AIR
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MAKES THEIR OPERATION MUCH
QUIETER
s4HE ELECTRONICS ARE COMPLETELY INTEGRATED INTO
THE MOTOR
MAKING THESE TRULY hPLUG AND BLOWv FANS
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The engineer’s choice

RS# 101


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Very High Accuracy Digital

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• Selectable 4 to 20 mA, 0 to 5V or 0 to 10V Analog Output
• Large Backlit Display with 25 mm (1") Digits
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© COPYRIGHT 2012 OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


VOLUME 84
ISSUE 3
MARCH 8, 2012

MATERIALS

The

advantages
of

STRUCTURAL
THERMOSETS

FEATURES

Structural thermosets are an attractive alternative
to metals and thermoplastics, thanks to excellent
physical properties and surface appearance.

From car-body panels and helicopter parts to electrical
enclosures and sporting goods, manufacturers increasingly rely on structural thermoset sheet-molding compound (SMC) and bulk-molding compound (BMC) to
address demands for strong, light, and durable materials.
Due to intrinsic limitations with metals and thermoplastics, many engineers are turning to structural thermoset compounds to bolster strength and corrosion resistance.
The strong molecular bonds inherent in thermosets impart
a tight web of inner connectivity that lets these materials
maintain excellent structural properties despite prolonged

exposure to chemical and temperature extremes. The materials also increase design flexibility for engineers and production efficiency for manufacturers. Here’s a closer look.

Authored by:

Larry Landis
Director of Technology and Quality
IDI Composites International
Noblesville, Ind.

advantages of structural
42 The
thermosets
Structural thermosets are an attractive
alternative to metals and thermoplastics,
thanks to high strength, light weight,
corrosion resistance, and excellent surface
appearance.

Edited by Kenneth J. Korane


Key points:

• Structural thermoset compounds have
higher tensile and flexural strength per
unit weight than do most metals.
• Cross-linked molecules keep structural
thermosets dimensionally stable at high
temperatures.
• Unlike common metals, structural

thermosets won’t rust or corrode
outdoors or in harsh environments.
Components often last for decades with
little maintenance.

Structural thermoset basics
Structural thermosets are distinguished from standard
thermosets by their use of more specialized resins and
higher levels of reinforcement — glass, carbon, and aramid
fibers, for example. The added reinforcement increases
strength and stiffness, while resins protect the fibers and
improve the compound’s overall physical properties.
Moreover, manufacturers can tailor these properties
by varying ingredients. For example, changing fiber type,
length, and mix proportion alters its flow, strength, and

Resources:
IDI Composites International, www.
idicomposites.com

42

MACHINE DESIGN.com

Structural
thermoset
SMC and BMC
materials offer
a number of
advantages

over metals and
thermoplastics,
including higher
strength per unit
weight, better
dimensional
stability and
corrosion
resistance and,
often, lower cost.

MARCH 8, 2012

rigidity; varying resin concentration and type affects overall strength, along with the compound’s heat or corrosion
resistance.
Heating the material as it is molded forms three-dimensional covalent bonds between polymer molecules. This
process, known as cross-linking, is irreversible. Therefore,
cross-linked materials cannot be melted and reshaped.
The term “thermoset” accurately describes this chemistry.
Cross-linking creates a rigid 3D molecular structure that
lets thermosets maintain the desired physical and electrical properties during prolonged exposure to adverse conditions such as excessive heat. This distinguishes thermosets from thermoplastics, which are generally unsuitable
for high-temperature environments because they can be
remelted after solidification. Thermosets tolerate heat-distortion temperatures (HDT) and glass-transition temperatures (Tg) that would literally melt most thermoplastics.
Three of the most common thermoset resins are polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy. Each has its own price and
performance characteristics, so base selection on an application’s functional and cost requirements. For example,
engineers might choose vinyl-ester resin for corrosionresistant products, epoxy for high-strength applications,
and polyester when good overall performance and cost are
the driving factors.

As for reinforcement, many types of fibers can be used

depending on the molding process and strength requirements. Glass-reinforcement options include choppedstrand, mat with random-fiber orientation, light textile
fabrics, heavy woven materials, knitted materials, and
unidirectional fabrics. Carbon-fiber reinforcement is used
for applications that require exceptional strength coupled
with severe weight restrictions.

Structural thermoset SMC
Most structural thermosets are in the form of sheetmolding compound. SMC is a cost-effective, lower-weight
alternative to many metals. Standard SMC contains 10 to
30% reinforcement, while structural grades are typically in
the 40 to 65% range. Reinforcement is normally choppedstrand glass fibers 0.5 to 2.0-in. (12.7 to 50.8-mm) long.
Structural-thermoset SMC is manufactured in a continuous process that combines a viscous paste and glass
fiber on specialized equipment with a continuous web.
Paste containing the resin and additives is poured onto
a carrier film, then cut glass fibers are added, along with
a second layer of film. The paste and glass between top
and bottom carrier films creates a thin “sandwich” that
is run through a series of serpentine rollers. The serpentine action and resulting pressure causes the paste to coat
MARCH 8, 2012

42

880: Sustainability for
48 ULE
Manufacturing Organizations
Just because a company states they operate
in a sustainable fashion doesn’t make it so.
New procedures from UL E help confirm their
claims.

49

MACHINE DESIGN’s
LITERATURE EXPRESS

your father’s
58 Not
oscilloscope
Oscilloscope readings on a Web page? Even
low-end oscilloscopes can provide output in
a variety of formats that make measurements
more useful.

62 Synchronous technology can move between
What’s hot in CAD

history-based and direct modeling. The next
step in realistic CAD — stereoscopic design?
...And more.

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Not

your father’s

Even less-expensive oscilloscopes
provide data in a variety of formats
once available only from top-ofthe-line instruments.

OSCILLOSCOPE

Like most technologies,
oscilloscopes have evolved
over time. Digital-storage
oscilloscopes, or DSOs,
are now the preferred type
for most industrial applications. And features that
once were available only on
expensive, premium DSOs
are now becoming commonplace on even “nonWindows” scopes that
start in the $2,000 range.
Upgradable bandwidth,
deep memory, large displays, and fast update rates
are just a few examples. In
the past, only higher-end
oscilloscopes have offered
Oscilloscope display via iPad: Today VNC clients can be used to control
features such as Ethernet
Windows-based oscilloscopes via mobile platforms such as the iPad.
and USB connections.
Less-expensive offerings
have gone beyond floppyenable this connection, you connect a USB cable between
drive storage and GPIB programming.
a USB Host port on a PC and the USB Device port on the
New connectivity options have started to trickle down
oscilloscope.
to less-expensive oscilloscopes. In almost all cases, USB
A USB Device connection typically involves some sort
has replaced floppy drives as the de facto connection

of driver library. Scopes from Agilent Technologies Inc.,
on oscilloscopes. Now to save a screen or data file, usSanta Clara, Calif., for example, use an IO Library, which
ers simply insert a USB thumb drive into a connection
includes a connection expert program to assist with setting
typically referred to as a “USB Host.” Some oscilloscopes
up the link to the scope. With the connection established,
today can support USB thumb drives up to 128 Gbytes
remote commands can control the oscilloscope.
of storage. In addition to USB Host connections, many
oscilloscopes now have USB Device connections. Instead
Ethernet connectivity
of being used to connect thumb drives, these connections permit remote control of oscilloscopes via USB. To
While USB connectivity has been relatively common
58

MACHINE DESIGN.com

MARCH 8, 2012

58
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MARCH 8, 2012

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43


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ON THE COVER

DEPARTMENTS

A geometry being created in a
PolyPlane.com video tutorial.

8 EDITORIAL
Old codgers always gripe about “the kids”

10 EDITORIAL STAFF
12 LETTERS
16 SCANNING FOR IDEAS
Rack-and-pinion lubricator ensures smooth operation and a long life
Enclosure protects electronics and controls from harsh environments

20
28
33
34

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK
LOOKING BACK
SENSOR SENSE
COMMENTARY

Problems with pre-engineering education?

36 BERKE ON SAFETY
GFCIs — What they are and are not

38 VANTAGE POINT
Don’t wait for government to address skills gaps — Mark C. Tomlinson

40 INVENTOR’S CORNER
Spiral-chambered turbine engine packs a one-two punch

68 FE UPDATE
The role of parametric CFD analysis in design

71 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Cylinders & valves

74
76
77
78
78
79
4

PRODUCTS
AD INDEX
BUSINESS INDEX
CLASSIFIEDS
BUSINESS STAFF

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MARCH 8, 2012

POSTMASTER: Send change of address notice to
Customer Service, MACHINE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2100, Skokie,
IL 60076-7800.

The Truth About Compressed Air!
If you think compressed air is too expensive and noisy - read this. The facts will surprise you!
Compare these Blowoffs

Facts about Blowers

There are a variety of ways to blow the water from the bottles shown in the photo below, but
which method is best? To decide, we ran a comparison test on the same application using
four different blowoff methods: drilled pipe, flat air nozzles, Super Air Knife (each using
compressed air as a power source), and a blower supplied air knife (using an electric motor
as a power source). Each system consisted of two twelve inch long air knives. The following
comparison proves that the EXAIR Super Air Knife is the best choice for your blowoff,
cooling or drying application.

Energy conscious plants might think a
blower to be a better choice due to its slightly
lower electrical consumption compared
to a compressor. In reality, a blower is an
expensive capital expenditure that requires
frequent downtime and costly maintenance
of filters, belts and bearings. Here are some
important facts:

The goal for each of the blowoff choices was to use the least amount of air possible to get the
job done (lowest energy and noise level). The compressed air pressure required was 60 PSIG
which provided adequate velocity to blow the water off. The blower used had a ten horsepower
motor and was a centrifugal type blower at 18,000 RPM. The table at the bottom of the page
summarizes the overall performance. Since your actual part may have an odd configuration,

holes or sharp edges, we took sound level measurements in free air (no impinging surface).

Drilled Pipe

Blower Air Knife

This common blowoff is very inexpensive
and easy to make. For this test, we
used (2) drilled pipes, each with (25)
1/16" diameter holes on 1/2" centers.
As shown in the test results below, the
drilled pipe performed poorly. The initial
cost of the drilled pipe is overshadowed
by its high energy use. The holes are
easily blocked and the noise level is
excessive - both of which violate OSHA
requirements. Velocity across the entire
length was very inconsistent with spikes
of air and numerous dead spots.

The blower proved to be an expensive,
noisy option. As noted below, the
purchase price is high. Operating
cost was considerably lower than the
drilled pipe and flat air nozzle, but
was comparable to EXAIR’s Super
Air Knife. The large blower with its
two 3" (8cm) diameter hoses requires
significant mounting space compared
to the others. Noise level was high

at 90 dBA. There was no option for
cycling it on and off to conserve energy
like the other blowoffs. Costly bearing
and filter maintenance along with
downtime were also negative factors.

Flat Air Nozzles

EXAIR Super Air Knife

As shown below, this inexpensive air
nozzle was the worst performer. It is
available in plastic, aluminum and
stainless steel from several manufacturers.
The flat air nozzle provides some
entrainment, but suffers from many
of the same problems as the drilled
pipe. Operating cost and noise level are
both high. Some manufacturers offer
flat air nozzles where the holes can be
blocked - an OSHA violation. Velocity
was inconsistent with spikes of air.

The Super Air Knife did an exceptional
job of removing the moisture on one
pass due to the uniformity of the laminar
airflow. The sound level was extremely
low. For this application, energy use was
slightly higher than the blower but can be
less than the blower if cycling on and off

is possible. Safe operation is not an issue
since the Super Air Knife can not be deadended. Maintenance costs are low since
there are no moving parts to wear out.

Filters must be replaced every one
to three months.
Belts must be replaced every three to
six months.
Typical bearing replacement is at least once
a year at a cost near $1000.
• Blower bearings wear out quickly due
to the high speeds (17-20,000 RPM)
required to generate effective airflows.
• Poorly designed seals that allow dirt and
moisture infiltration and environments
above 125°F decrease the one year
bearing life.
• Many bearings can not be replaced in the
field, resulting in downtime to send the
assembly back to the manufacturer.
Blowers take up a lot of space and often
produce sound levels that exceed OSHA
noise level exposure requirements. Air
volume and velocity are often difficult to
control since mechanical adjustments are
required.
To discuss an application, contact:
EXAIR Corporation
11510 Goldcoast Drive
Cincinnati, Ohio 45249-1621

(800) 903-9247
Fax: (513) 671-3363
email:
www.exair.com/45/423a.htm

The Super Air Knife is the low cost way to blowoff, dry, clean and cool.

RS# 104

Blowoff Comparison
Comp. Air
Type of blowoff

SLPM

Horsepower
Required

Sound
Annual Approx. Annual
Purchase
Level
Electrical
Maintenance
Price
dBA
Cost*
Cost

First

Year
Cost

PSIG

BAR

SCFM

Drilled Pipes

60

4.1

174

4,924

35

91

$50

$4,508

$920

$5,478

Flat Air Nozzles

60

4.1

257

7,273

51

102

$208

$6,569

$1,450

$8,227

Blower Air Knife

3

0.2

N/A

N/A

10

90

$5,500

$1,288

$1,500

$8,288

Super Air Knife

60

4.1

55

1,557

11

69

$518

$1,417

$300

$2,235

*Based on national average electricity cost of 8.3 cents per kWh. Annual cost reflects 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.


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EDITOR’S WEB PICKS

Structural thermoset
microsite

6

IDI Composites International’s
new microsite focuses on
structural-thermoset compounds.
The materials resist corrosion
and are durable, strong, and
exceptionally light, making them
viable alternatives to metals and
thermoplastics. The site details
various resins, reinforcement
fibers, and specific SMC and BMC
products, and gives an overview
of markets and applications. See
www.idicomposites.com/products/
structural-thermoset-compounds.

Valve resource
Peter Paul Electronics has launched
a new Web site ()
that details the company’s valves and
valve operators for fluid power, medical, food, transportation, and other
markets. Resources include flow and
conversion calculators, downloadable
catalogs, and application assistance.
An online valve configurator will be
introduced later this year.

87,000 components

The new Stock Drive Products/
Sterling Instrument Inch Catalog
includes thousands of mechanicaldrive components, including timing
belts, pulleys, clamps, bearings, gears,
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couplings, and vibration mounts.
The 1,520-page catalog includes an
87-page technical reference section.
Request or download a copy at www.
sdp-si.com/D810/D810cat.htm.

Ball-screw blog
Steinmeyer has added a new blog
to its Web site, www.steinmeyer.com.
Content includes product design,
engineering calculations, and
commercial issues. Industry experts
are available to offer advice on
machine-tool, factory-automation,
mechatronic, semiconductorequipment, and aerospace
applications, and users are free to
post comments. Visit the blog at
www.ballscrew-tech.com.

Motor-match tool
Groschopp’s new Web site (www.
groschopp.com) lets users precisely
size fractional-horsepower motors
and gearmotors. Motor Match

is based on the company’s STP
Calculator, where users enter two
of three performance parameters
(speed, torque, and power) along
with motor type, gearbox type (if
desired), and voltage. The software
evaluates and matches desired
performance to the motor size
and specs from more than 4,200
products in the site’s database.

MARCH 8, 2012

NEW VIDEO SERIES
ON PID FOR PLCs ON
OUR LEARN SITE
PID for process applications
can be tricky — this Series
helps you understand the
basics of implementing it using
instructions available in a
programmable controller.
Our newest video series on
the Learn Web site, PID for the
Productivity3000 controller,
starts with the basics.
Part 1 features “What is a PID
and what does it do?”
Part 2 covers “How Does a PID
work?”

Part 3 shows an example of a PID
loop in operation.
Starting with Part 4, the videos
delve into the details of how to
configure the PID instruction
in the Productivity3000 ladder
program, and other supporting
logic. There are a total of 11
videos in this series. Many
are accompanied by handy
downloadable training PDFs.
Visit http://learn.
automationdirect.com and
navigate to the PLCs section
for the PID Series (under
“Productivity3000 – PID Loop
Programming” tab). Dozens
of additional videos are also
available on topics ranging from
data-acquisition software to
drives and motors.


1

Unscramble the letters in the
shaded boxes and enter the
secret code at
www.bestforcad.com/code
for a chance to win a

Dell Precision Workstation,
NVIDIA GPUs or
a Trek bicycle.
You can also find
puzzle answers there.

3

4

5

14

SOLVE

your
CAD puzzle

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34

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RS# 106

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EDITORIAL
Old codgers always
gripe about “the kids”

One of the many woes of today’s society, we are told, is that our schools
are producing graduates totally unprepared to be a part of the workforce. Ammunition for that viewpoint comes from a recent study by the
Social Science Research Council of 2,300 undergraduates, which discovered that 36% of them demonstrated no significant gains in critical
thinking or written communication during their four years in college.
Another survey found business leaders moaning that their new hires
lacked, among other things, reading comprehension, a good work ethic,
and writing skills.
This hand-wringing has led to talk of a skills gap and what to do
about it. But what seems to be absent in these discussions is a recognition of the fact that complaints about kids entering the workforce have
been with us for as long as there have been older generations hiring
younger generations. On that score, it is interesting to go back in time
and see what managers thought of the young people they hired in the
1970s. Those youngsters, of course, are now the ones doing the hiring
and complaining about the quality of people filling out employment
forms.
Managers of the time did not paint a pretty picture of the criticalthinking skills demonstrated by kids entering the 1970s workforce.
“Increasingly we hear from leaders in business, professions, and government that it is easy to find people who can do what they are told, but difficult to find people who know what to do without being told,” lamented
York University professor David Bakan in 1969. Nor were the communication abilities of that generation anything special. Researchers from
Ohio University and Eastern Michigan University, writing in the Journal
of Business Communication in the mid-1970s, found that many new
graduates had grandiose views of their own abilities to write reports and
convey concepts verbally that weren’t shared by their supervisors.
I have concluded that some of the bellyaching about work skills is
just an older generation forgetting how many facets of performance
can come only from experience. If I am still around in 30 years, I fully
expect to read about managers, who today are supposedly ill-prepared
to hold down their first jobs, grumbling over the abject unreadiness of
the kids.
Finally, we should remember that academic excellence is only one
piece of the puzzle when it comes to career preparation. On that score,

consider the career of someone who might be the poster child for poor
high-school preparation, Don Mann. In his autobiography, he relates
how a teacher once inquired about the location of his textbooks. Mann
had to admit he had dumped them in his locker the first day of school
and had since forgotten where the locker was.
This inauspicious start didn’t seem to slow Mann down, though. He
eventually entered the Navy, earned two BS degrees and an MS degree,
and retired as a SEAL/Chief Warrant Officer with a résumé that included time on the elite SEAL Team Six.
Not bad for somebody who graduated near the very bottom of his
high-school class.
— Leland Teschler, Editor

RS# 107
MARCH 8, 2012


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MACHINE DESIGN.com

MARCH 8, 2012

RS# 110

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LETTERS

Engineering school: A
hard-knock life
You are dead-on regarding the life,
and realities, of an engineering
student (“ Tough Engineering
Courses Now Make Headlines,”
Dec. 8). For me, graduating and
moving onto a “real job” was a
welcome relief. No longer did I
have to study for 16 hours a day,
and often past midnight. Persistence and patience earned me a
degree, not my limited 2.9 GPA
or retak ing three classes be cause I initially got Ds in them.
After graduation, working 10 to
12 hours a day and going home
with nothing to do was a wonderful break in life. And I could
eat normal food. (You forgot to
mention that engineering students are dirt poor because they
don’t have time to work. As a result, the diet during college was
less than healthy.)
Jim Stoor
Great editorial. I couldn’t help but
smirk when I read “She switched
her major to psychology and
policy management from electrical and computer engineering
after a particularly tough assignment that ‘kept her and her partner in the lab well past midnight
for several days.’” Several days?
Getting a bachelor’s degree in
mechanical engineering from
the University of Illinois kept me

in the lab or engineering library
well past midnight almost every single night. Sure, thoughts
of self-defenestration from the
third-floor library window came
to mind several times a semester
out of sheer frustration. But who
doesn’t love failing 80% of their
exams after spending hundreds
of hours preparing for them?
At t h e e n d o f t h e d ay, I’m
glad I stuck with it. I somehow
managed to graduate with a
2.999 GPA, find a satisfying job,
and have been enjoying going
home at the end of the work day
12

MACHINE DESIGN.com

instead of the library for the past
seven years.
Steven D. Springer
I could not agree more with your
editorial. I found engineering
college difficult and completed
my degrees only through sheer
stubbornness. During my
first year I took two accounting courses during which the
head of the accounting department asked if I would consider
switching majors. I was doing

well and his impression was I
had a gift for it but I politely declined. I wanted to be an engineer. I couldn’t imagine really
doing anything else.
I, too, put in many late nights,
and getting my BS degree was
arguably the hardest accomplishment in my life, but it has
made me happy, successful, and
I continue to learn. It’s unfortunate that students would change
majors to improve their grades
rather than pursue their passion.
Perhaps they weren’t quite so
sure why they started in engineering in the first place.

MARCH 8, 2012

That passion began for me at
an early age. I think it stems from
the freedom given me by my parents to take things apart to see
how they worked (without overconcern for the consequences)
and my desire to invent, refine,
and make things through trial
and error. This included everything from my bicycle to kitchen
appliances to model rockets,
even my parents cars. My parents
were not technically minded, so
they gave me the support where
they could, mostly by giving me
the freedom to try.
My fourth-grade daughter is
currently a victim of the modern

school system in which so much
emphasis is put on the metrics of
mastering tests — reading, writing, math. It leaves no time for
science. In contrast, I recall having a biology textbook in fourth
grade. So I don’t see the support
from our school system needed
to grow that interest and passion
for science. Therefore, I do what
I can to interest my children in
science.
Adrian van der Kroef


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RS# 112
©2010 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments.
Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 2780

800 453 6202


LETTERS
Advice to those listening
I couldn’t agree more regarding
your advice for our job seekers
and “occupy wall streeters” (“Advice for Occupy Wall Streeters,”
Nov. 17.) Whoever thought they
would be well suited for employment with a liberal arts or history
degree, even 20 years ago, was
dreaming all the way through
college!
I have to admit I haven’t kept
up with the news on this, and
more specifically, on their complaints. But I have heard people

chastise them for wanting handouts and freebies. I can more than
sympathize with the movement
in strict regard to the prevalent,
in-situ greed on Wall Street and
rampant corruption in our government. I wish we could send
most of the guilty parties to jail,
but there’s not enough room as
we have to make way for some of

the politicians and federal workers who egregiously helped create the quagmire we now find
ourselves in.
My son has just started high
school and you can bet I’m going
to give him the same advice as
you advocate, not just for his own
future, but for the future health
and prosperity of the good old
USA as well. I appreciate the candor and succinct advice your editorial so eloquently provides.
Scott J. Sanders
I read your editorial this morning
and smiled. I graduated 10 years
ago from Western Michigan University with a Liberal Arts degree
in music and Spanish linguistics.
My first job out of school was
cutting steel and drilling holes
in a machine shop owned by my
friend’s dad.
Thanks to that experience,

I now work for an engineering

firm in Tennessee. I also own a
machine shop that supplies prototypes to our company. It’s a
whirlwind, but it’s allowed me to
provide for a growing family and
let my wife stay home with our
children since the birth of our
first child. (She graduated with a
bio-chem degree from WMU.)
You are wise to suggest that
young graduates learn how to
weld or run a CNC machine. I’d
hire them.
Jon Rogers
I had a couple of other letters from
liberal arts degree holders who
took what I said the wrong way.
Regardless of what your degree
happens to be in, I’d say learning
a skill at a community college, if
necessary, is a good way to get a
foot in the door. — Leland Teschler

®

RS# 113
14

MACHINE DESIGN.com

MARCH 8, 2012

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RS# 114

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SCANNING FOR IDEAS
Edited by Stephen J. Mraz

Rack-and-pinion lubricator ensures
smooth operation and a long life
The lubrication subsystem from Wittenstein, Bartlett,
Ill. (www.wittenstein-us.com), keeps rack-and-pinion
drives lubricated, preventing gears from becoming
scratched and worn. The device works with the

company’s drives as well as others on the market.
The subsystem consists of a canister that holds
Microlube GB, a mineral-oil-based NLGI grade 0
grease. The canister comes in 125 and 475-cm3 sizes.
There’s also a sensor
that alerts users
when the canister
is nearing empty.
Rack-andThe lubricating
pinion drive
fluid flows from
the canister to the
mounting shaft
through a plastic
hose. Holes in
the shaft let the
lubrication fluid

Pipe clamp for
mounting

150-mm-long cable lets
a machine operate the
lubricator.

Transparent
canister

Grease reservoir

Sensor
monitors how
much grease is
in reservoir

Aluminum hose
connection
Plastic hose

pass through
to a felt pinion.
This pinion
then distributes
lubricant onto the
rack.
Users program the
device using a series of
dip switches that open a
valve and dispense a given
r
formation via ou
number of “grease-gun
Request free in Web site at
ice
rv
Se
er
ad
Re
strokes” each day (a greasec

design.com/rs
gun stroke equals a cubic
ww w.machine
centimeter), a value that can
range from 0.3 to 4. That setting
can then be used for anywhere from 14 days to
18 months. A chemical reaction in the grease
builds up pressure, which moves the grease
through the various pipes and hoses. The unit
operates in temperatures from 10 to 50°C.
RS# 401
16

MACHINE DESIGN.com

MARCH 8, 2012

For information on another
case-hardened rack, scan
this code or go to:
/>content/case-hardenedrack-0928


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RS# 115


SCANNING FOR IDEAS

Enclosure protects electronics and
controls from harsh environments
The Hygienic Design (HD) enclosures from Rittal Corp., Urbana, Ohio (www.
rittal-corp.com), are built to be easily and quickly cleaned while keeping the
contents safe from water and chemicals. Engineers took care to ensure there
are no cracks or crevices that could hide debris. For example, smaller HD enclosures have stainless-steel screw covers while large versions use internal hinges
on the doors. The walls and door surfaces are angled to prevent anything from
sticking to them and to let water run off of the surfaces rather than pool.
The enclosures
can mount on walls
using rounded
Roof projection eases
Sloped roof for
stand-off brackets.
pressure on seals

debris-free cleanout
The brackets leave
room behind the
enclosure so water
can flow around the
entire unit during
wash downs. For
large enclosures,
optional leveling
feet keep the box
off the floor and
properly plumbed
despite an uneven
Internal hinges
floor. A wire shelf
eliminate
can also be added
crevices which
to help route
can trap debris
cables. All mounting
threads are covered
to keep them free of
debris.
Available to
A continuous siliNEMA-4X
cone gasket around
specifications
the door fits into a
precise channel that

creates a tight seal
without using adhesives. This makes
it easy to remove
or replace the gasket if needed. The
blue-colored gasket
ANSI stainless steel with
ensures any particu400-grain brushed surface
late splashed on it
stands out so it can
be removed.
All these features, including the 400-grain brushed-steel
surface finish, reduce cleaning times and the amount of
water and detergents used. They also significantly lower
the risk of contamination. The enclosures are also available
in configurations that meet NEMA-4X specifications.
RS# 402
18

MACHINE DESIGN.com

MARCH 8, 2012

Door chamfered
all around edge,
which simplifies
cleaning

Continuous
silicone seal
and gaskets

fit without
adhesives. They
can be replaced
without using
special tools

For more information on
enclosures, scan this code or go to:
/>nanotechnology-keeps-enclosuresclean-0524


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RS# 116