Automakers Give New Steels a Thumbs Up, and more...

Steel Replaces Steel in Lighter, More Efficient Autos Common practice since the mid-1990s, auto makers routinely replace steel with plastics and composites to lightweight vehicles. But, it turns out, their top choice to replace steel is steel — advanced high strength steel — when aiming to meet tougher efficiency standards. AHSS now accounts for 175 lbs per vehicle, an amount projected to reach 500 lbs per vehicle between 2020 and 2025, when the proposed 54.5 mpg standard is finalized. Meantime, each new model year sees cars reaching higher high-strength steel content, as exemplified by the 2013 Dodge Dart, just unveiled at the Detroit auto show. Its body contains an industry leading 68% of high-strength steel.   Industrial Gaskets and Sealing Products Mercer Gasket & Shim Adjustable Spacer Rings — Eliminate Shimming Temper Corporation Mercer manufactures made-to-order industrial gaskets and shims, utilizing state-of-the-art machinery, efficiently, with tight tolerances. Their large, exotic inventory allows for fast turnaround. All goods inspected prior to shipment. 100% on-time-delivery. Mercer completes jobs their competitors can't. On call 24/7. ISO 9001:2008 Simplify and lower the cost of your bearing assemblies by using Temper® Load Rings,adjustable spacer rings which eliminate shimming and use of ground spacers. They can be engineered and fabricated to optimize bearing performance. Learn more. Self Clinching Bearings = Cost Saving Solutions Spyraflo, Inc. Custom Springs, Wireforms, and Related Components Dudek & Bock Spring Manufacturing Company Spyraflo self-clinching bearing technology offers quick, permanent, and secure mounting in materials as thin as 0.04 in. Reduced manufacturing and assembly tolerances offer significant savings. Patented self-aligning feature provides a range of shaft motion that places less strain on materials increasing bearing durability and life. Dudek & Bock supplies hundreds of related parts for the automotive, appliance, and other industries. These product types include wireforms for automotive seating, springs for seat reclining mechanisms, andcomponents for a variety of automotive systems and other applications. We are a TS-16949-certified supplier.

Bearings & Bushings . . . Learn More Big Bearings on Little Notice A UK bearing maker is bucking the trend of slimming down inventories and making customers wait extended periods for larger bearing special orders. They'll manufacture large bearings — deep groove and angular contact ball bearings to 1.5 m OD. And they'll deliver on competitive lead times, cutting a year or more from the process, even on obsolete designs. Locking in Heavier Load Capacity Frustrated by suppliers offering everything in keyless shaft bushings — except size? This Minnesota manufacturer expanded its line of bushings to include heavy-duty models in 20, 40, and 60 mm sizes. The shaft-locking units, featuringdouble-walled sleeves that expand to create solid connections between shaft and mounted components, deliver 4x the radial load capacity of standard models. Tools & Testing . . . Learn More Robotic Tools with Human Touch Many processes are still done manually in otherwise automated plants. Why? They require touch sensitivity, so they're entrusted to humans, who are accustomed to applying pressure and easing up, as needed, in surface finishing. But technically better, less expensive force-sensitive robotic tools — like this active contact flange from Austria — are arriving and poised to change the landscape. Software Proficient with Multiple Probes Among the challenges to overcome when considering automating some of your quality assurance processes is making sure the 3D inspection software pairs up with a wide range of measurement devices. This newly released software is compatible with many hard probe devices, including touch probes, portable CMM arms, and similar equipment from Faro, Creaform, Hexagon, Nikon, and others.   Color-coded Plastic and Aluminum Shims Artus Corporation High-quality Diaphragms from Simrit Simrit Standard and custom shims in 18 thicknesses from .0005 in. to .060 in., each with its own color, in any shape. Quality, service, fast turnaround, and competitive pricing. Artus Corporationis known best for precision manufacture (shim integrity to thousandths of an inch) and for color coding by thickness to assure quick, accurate shim identification. Simrit manufactures high-quality and fabric-reinforced diaphragms for small engines, fuel systems, irrigation, gaseous fuels, pneumatic controls, and medical regulators. Simrit offers the following: coated fabric molded, one side coated fabric reinforced, gasketed, die-cut, metal inserted, over-molded custom, homogenous rubber diaphragms or seals parts, and plastic to metal molded diaphragms. Ultra-precision Air Bearing Rotary Tables Nelson Air Corp. Metal C-Seals JETSEAL, Inc. Nelson Air Corp. offers a range of ultra-precision air bearing rotary tables for component inspection, optical alignment, and gauging. These ultra-precision rotary air bearings are available in both stainless steel and hardcoated aluminum with tip/tilt tables, rotary encoders, large clear apertures, and complete motorized solutions. JETSEAL manufactures a superior quality, dependable solution that is available in various cross-sections and virtually any diameter and material. We offer C-Seal configurations in the circular ring and rectangular forms, both customizable to your specifications. Materials . . . Learn More Bugs Inspire Strong, Lightweight Bio Polymer A material mimicking the exoskeleton of insects, developed at Harvard's Wyss Institute, has the mechanical strength and flexibility of aluminum, but weighs half as much. Researchers studied natural insect cuticles, then recreated its chemistry and laminar design. Combining silk-derived fibroin protein and a naturally-abundant polysaccharine polymer, the new material is low-cost, biodegradable, and biocompatible. Dispelling Phone+Water Phobia Water and electronic devices don't mix. Visiting the wireless store after dropping your cell phone in a puddle confirms that. But a new material and application process could change things dramatically. Thesuper-thin nano-coating, applied under vacuum, seals devices inside and out for an IP-X7 rating. It causes water to wick off instruments, but also permits full submersion. Industrial Hardware . . . Learn More Advantages of Automated Brazing Experiencing mounting labor and material costs or increased rejects because of poor quality metal joining? Perhaps it's time to explore automation. Despite their commercialism, these videos highlight advantages of automated brazing: boosting output from dozens to hundredsof parts/hour; safer processes from eliminating handling of corrosive fluxing; and reduced waste of metal fillers and flux. Jacking Around with Old Technology Reaching back to ancient concepts can lead to simpler, more effective solutions. Take the screw jack, for example. Modern versions of these age-old mechanical actuators are relevant in many systems, especially apps that can capitalize on controllable linear motion or self-locking characteristic. Usually driven by electrical motors, they can also be hydraulic or pneumatic.   WD Precision Cylindrical Roller Bearings WD Bearing Group Disc Springs for Valves and Actuators Daemar Inc. WD precision cylindrical roller bearings consist of single row/double row/multi-row and full complement cylindrical roller bearings. The bearings are with high dimensional and running precision, P0/P6/P5 available. They are widely used in spindles, electric motors, gearboxes, crane wheels, metallurgical machinery, construction machinery, material handling machinery, and mining machinery, etc. DMR™ Disc Springs from Daemar are designed for use in many applications including actuators and ball valves. Featuring 246 sizes manufactured to the DIN2093 standard with outside diameters ranging from 6 mm to 250 mm. To aid with assembly disc springs can be delivered pre-assembled in stacks or on guiding devices. Bearing Failure Analysis Emerson Bearing Co. Ground Helical Gears Quality Transmission Components Bearings do fail prematurely, and it's usually due to causes that might be avoided. Emerson Bearing provides 24/7 service and support to help youprevent bearing failure. Offering diverse inventory and immediate shipment of bearings and mechanical components, we can help you experience longer life for your application or need. QTC offers all types of Helical Gears and Ground Helical Gears. Quality Transmission Components offers over 230 standard helical gear options for quick delivery. Over 230 stock proudcts available.