New research examines process on atomic level. Binghamton University collaboration with University of Pittsburgh, Brookhaven National Laboratory offers new a view of everyday chemical reaction. When water vapor meets metal, the resulting corrosion can lead to mechanical problems that harm a machine’s performance. Through a process called passivation, it also can form a thin inert layer that acts as a barrier against further deterioration. Either way, the exact chemical reaction is not well understood on an atomic level, but that…
Two satellites successfully launched from California. Technische Universität Berlin sets new standards in the development of small satellites with the NanoFF project. On Friday, 1 December 2023 two small satellites produced by Technische Universität Berlin were successfully put into low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California with a Falcon 9 rocket. The primary mission objective is a pioneering performance for TU Berlin, as project leader Jens Freymuth explains: “NanoFF is an acronym for nanosatellites in formation flight….
Inspired by a small and slow snail, scientists have developed a robot protype that may one day scoop up microplastics from the surfaces of oceans, seas and lakes. The robot’s design is based on the Hawaiian apple snail (Pomacea canaliculate), a common aquarium snail that uses the undulating motion of its foot to drive water surface flow and suck in floating food particles. Currently, plastic collection devices mostly rely on drag nets or conveyor belts to gather and remove larger…
For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. In brief: By making 3D printing suitable for slow-curing polymers, researchers have greatly expanded the possibilities of soft robotics. The new materials have advantages over the previous ones. The advances were possible thanks to a new technology that combines 3D printing with a laser scanner and a feedback mechanism. A spin-off in the…
The special requirements placed on trucks and agricultural machinery often make it difficult for engineers to bring them into the electric age. At the Agritechnica agricultural machinery fair researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are now showing what a modular development kit for electric tractors can look like. Their platform features modules for various uses and a power bank which can be used as a replacement battery when necessary. The agricultural industry is among those economic sectors most…
… could help reduce costs. Researchers have developed a new method for 3D printing metal that could help reduce costs and make more efficient use of resources. The method, developed by a research team led by the University of Cambridge, allows structural modifications to be ‘programmed’ into metal alloys during 3D printing, fine-tuning their properties without the ‘heating and beating’ process that’s been in use for thousands of years. The new 3D printing method combines the best qualities of both…
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have improved flaw detection to increase confidence in metal parts that are 3D-printed using laser powder bed fusion. This type of additive manufacturing offers the energy, aerospace, nuclear and defense industries the ability to create highly specialized parts with complex shapes from a broad range of materials. However, the technology isn’t more widely used because it’s challenging to check the product thoroughly and accurately; conventional inspection methods may not find…
“SpreeTec next”: Powder Bed-Based Additive Laser Manufacturing System to Give New Impetus to Lusatia Region. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden will install a Europe-wide unique industrial 3D printer. The Additive Manufacturing system from manufacturer Farsoon is based on selective laser beam melting in a powder bed. It can produce substantial components with complex geometries from aluminum, titanium, nickel, iron, copper, and other metallic powders layer by layer. Fraunhofer IWS scientists are directing their research…
A new software framework is to make it easier for companies to approve or audit applications based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The framework is being jointly developed by Fraunhofer IPA in conjunction with the Institute of Industrial Manufacturing and Management IFF at the University of Stuttgart as part of the “AIQualify” research project of the German Association for Quality (DGQ). AI-based applications are gaining ground, especially in the fields of industrial image processing and quality control. Such applications can now…
The coating of flexible substrates with functional layers is highly efficient thanks to the roll-to-roll technologies. Crucial for plant operators and ultimately for the price is the coating thickness homogeneity and thus the electrical properties for a high and constant yield without rejects. Within the joint project KODOS (funding reference 13N14607), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, a solution for in-line process monitoring and mapping of process parameters was developed with SURAGUS GmbH at Fraunhofer FEP….
Automated status monitoring for high-pressure storage systems. Strict safety precautions are needed if hydrogen is to be used safely. The latest fuel cell vehicles carry hydrogen in gaseous form in pressurized tanks. These core elements of the H2 drive system must remain safe even under maximum operational loads. To prevent hazardous situations from occurring, regular maintenance of the high-pressure storage systems is mandatory. However, the tank inspection that is currently required consists merely of an external visual inspection. In the…
Researchers from Japan and Vietnam develop a new approach that utilizes fuzzy logic to estimate unknown parameters and control nonlinear pneumatic artificial muscles. In recent years, pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) have emerged as promising actuators for simulating human-like movements, with prominent applications in various industries including robotics, rehabilitation, and prosthetics. PAMs are usually composed of rubber and covered with braided yarn and can mimic the mechanics of human muscles. They can stiffen and contract on being supplied with pressurized air…
You know that freeze-ray gun that “Batman” villain Mr. Freeze uses to “ice” his enemies? A University of Virginia professor thinks he may have figured out how to make one in real life. The discovery – which, unexpectedly, relies on heat-generating plasma – is not meant for weaponry, however. Mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Patrick Hopkins wants to create on-demand surface cooling for electronics inside spacecraft and high-altitude jets. “That’s the primary problem right now,” Hopkins said. “A lot of…
… practical insights into leading-edge research. At this year’s automatica trade show, the munich_i high-tech platform will highlight robotics and AI developments for the third time. More than 30 demos will be on display in the AI.Society exhibition. The i_Space stage program will include the award presentation for this year’s winner of the Robothon competition for young researchers as well as round table discussions and featured speakers. The High-tech Summit will also bring together some of the world’s leading researchers…
New algorithms for object recognition and environment perception have been developed at Fraunhofer IPA, enabling sophisticated automation solutions for the service and production sectors. They are a result of the “Knowledge4Retail” research project, in which twelve project partners have developed solutions for future-oriented retail. Making stationary retail more attractive to customers again with the help of digital solutions – this was the goal of the partners working together on the Knowledge4Retail (K4R) project from January 2020 to December 2022. The…
Air conditioning, refrigeration, and other cooling technologies account for more than 20 percent of today’s global energy consumption, while the refrigerants they use have a global warming potential thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. In a recent study in the journal Science, a team led by Maryland Engineering Professors Ichiro Takeuchi, Reinhard Radermacher, and Yunho Hwang introduced a high-performance elastocaloric cooling system that could represent the next generation of cooling devices. Takeuchi calls it “a completely different, completely green,…
Feedback
