Bruker X-ray crystallography system features high-speed data acquisition

Bruker AXS, Germany, launches the ECO series for X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and chemical X-ray crystallography. The D8 Quest ECO X-ray chemical crystallography system features the new Photon 50 CMOS detector, which is two times larger than traditional CCD cameras. It is capable of high-speed data collection in shutterless operation mode, ensuring excellent quality of data and unprecedented data acquisition speed.

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IHEA announces 2013-2014 board and officers

The Industrial Heating Equipment Association, Taylor Mill, Ky., recently announced its 2013-14 Board of Directors and Officers. Serving as president (shown in the photo) is Tim Lee of Maxon, a division of Honeywell. Bob Green of Bloom Engineering was named IHEA Vice-President, and B.J. Bernard of Surface Combustion was elected Treasurer. Outgoing president Mike Shay of Elster Kromschröder, assumes the role of Past President.

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New POL converter module series introduced

Allegro MicroSystems LLC, Worcester, Mass., released a new POL converter module series. The BR200 series are thin POL converter modules with an industry standard exterior shape and footprint that are responsive to very high speed loads and compatible with ceramic capacitors. These POL converter modules have been designed with higher efficiency, increased power density and are offered in a thinner package that most competitive solutions on the market today.

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AFM/SEM/FIB system receives Innovation Award

Nanonics Imaging Ltd. (Jerusalem, Israel) announced that its triple beam integrated AFM/SEM/FIB system, the Nanonics 3TB4000, was judged one of the ten best microscopy innovations in 2013 and is the recipient of the prestigious 2013 Microscopy Today Innovation Award.

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Peacock-colored polymer is flexible and thin

A synthetic material that mimics the brightest and most vivid colors in nature and changes color when twisted or stretched was developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK. It could have important applications in the security, textile, and sensing industries.   Instead of through pigments, these “polymer opals” get their color from their internal structure alone, resulting in pure color which does not run or fade.

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IBM acquires SoftLayer cloud computing company

IBM, Armonk, N.Y.,  has completed the acquisition of SoftLayer Technologies Inc., Dallas, Texas. SoftLayer joins IBM’s new cloud services division, which combines SoftLayer with IBM SmartCloud into a global platform. The new division, led by General Manager James Comfort, will provide a broad range of choices to both IBM and SoftLayer clients, ISVs, and channel and technology partners.

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Testing system for wind power

SAKOR Technologies, Inc., Okemos, Mich., launched AccuDyne AC Dynamometer system for wind power testing applications. The system can be used by multiple engineering groups to test and verify designs, as well as for quality control testing after manufacturing. It can be used to test both active and passive wind power driveline components- turbines and their associated blade pitch control motors, generators, and wind-sensing devices and motors, and transmissions.

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Bubble lens bends light beams

Using a few tiny liquid bubbles to bend light beams could open the doors for next-generation, high-speed circuits and displays, according to new research at Penn State, State College. To combine the speed of optical communication with the portability of electronic circuitry, researchers use nanoplasmonics-devices that use short electromagnetic waves to modulate light on the nanometer scale, where conventional optics do not work.

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No pilot, no problem for 3D printed parts

Stratasys Ltd., Minneapolis, a leading manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems for prototyping and manufacturing, announced that remote control systems manufacturer, Survey Copter, is successfully using its 3D printing technology to produce prototype and short-run component parts for mini-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, also known as drones.   France-based Survey Copter, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V.

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Partnership formed to improve aircraft component design

Working with national laboratories, universities and industry, the Air Force is ensuring it stays on the cutting edge of global security by creating a new engineering paradigm to improve the safety and fuel-efficiency of aircraft.   Materials research engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Lemont, Ill.

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NIST and ASM International to Collaborate on Structural Materials Data Demonstration Project

The NIST Material Measurement Laboratory, Gaithersburg, Md., and ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio, through its Computational Materials Data Network, formed a collaboration: the Structural Materials Data Demonstration Project. The project will establish a data repository focused on metallic structural materials, leveraging the overlapping interests and strengths of the two organizations.

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Optomec launches low-cost 3D printer for metal additive manufacturing

Optomec Inc., Albuquerque, N.M., launches a low cost metal 3D printer named the LENS 450. The system was developed specifically in response to growing industry interest in 3D printing of metals, including the need to train a new generation of workers in metal additive manufacturing technology. The first delivery will be to the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science at the University of Pittsburgh, where it will be used in its new Advanced Manufacturing education program.

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