Tag: Mechanical updates

Convergence of Mechanical and Electronic Design

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Electronics and product design have now become so much inter-dependent that it is difficult to imagine a product that is purely mechanical. Most importantly, the physical form of electronics plays an important role in product design.

Issues with distinct Mechanical and Electronic Design

Mechanical products under development move back and forth between electronics and mechanical design phases during their development life cycle. They also face delays due to reasons such as:

  • A board created by the electronic engineer is sent to a third party to create a prototype.
  • The prototypes often do not fit into the enclosure due to some additional changes.
  • A collective effort of electronic, mechanical, and software engineers also create conflicts.

Uniting Electronic and Mechanical Designs

To resolve such issues, CAD vendors are now making efforts to develop workflows that seamlessly integrate software, mechanical, and electrical parts of product design. For instance, to reduce such delays and improve the overall product development life cycle, Siemens PLM started working with Mentor Graphics in 2017. The product now offers electronics and electrical design with their CAD packages, SolidEdge, and NX.

Similarly, Autodesk is working in association with EAGLE since 2016. EAGLE is Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software that enables the printed circuit board designers to connect easily with schematic diagrams, PCB routing, and component placement.

All of these software vendors strive to create bi-directional associativity without carrying out file translation to develop an easy workflow across electrical, electronic, and mechanical aspects of a product. Designers now enjoy product design benefits such as:

  • The integrated suite now supports importing board outlines from the mechanical model design suite Fusion 360 to EAGLE and vice versa.
  • The application also letsusers update their component placement on the board.
  • It helps to populate each component with a 3D model.

The integrated workflow also faced some constraints in the product design. Typically, the electronics designers have to work under them. Some of these include:

  • Size of the board
  • Placement of critical components
  • Position of the mounting holes

Specialists then developed an integrated EAGLE/Fusion 360 environment which eradicated these issues. Now, any change in one model is directly reflected in another. The best part is, the designer can either choose to accept or reject these changes.

The new functionality has proved to be a game changer in the overall product development and design. Designers can now carry out the product design more efficiently and quickly. The tool also helps the designers to explore new techniques to design electronic products.

Fourth Industrial Revolution: How Engineers can Stay Prepared

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Like the first industrial revolution, which introduced the use of steam in the production industry. The second which included electric power, and the third that introduced IT, the fourth industrial revolution is set to bring new changes in the field of technology. Although it is difficult to define its possible alignment with the engineering world, we can expect some drastic changes in the events and be prepared to embrace them.

Here are five ways in which the engineers can prepare themselves for it:

  • They need to be more attentive and constantly upgrade their skills to stay competitive.
  • Engineering professionals have to look for ways that include low production costs and high-profit returns.
  • It is important for them to stay continuously updated with the technology.
  • The engineers need to stay open to the changing communication mechanisms and technology.
  • The revolution may change the ways in which work gets done, therefore staying flexible towards work is important for the engineering professionals.

Nasa’s 2020 Mission: The Mars Helicopter

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NASA is working on its next mission to launch a helicopter to the Mars. The project is scheduled in July 2020. The project is in the development phase at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) since the year 2013. Some of its features are:

  • The Mars helicopter will weigh around 1.8 kg and will be designed to operate in the planet’s extremely thin atmosphere.
  • Earth, being several light minutes away, the helicopter will be highly autonomous.
  • It will receive and operate on the commands from the ground to share information.

The Mars helicopter is a high risk- high reward project and if successful, it may open new opportunities in interplanetary exploration.

Nano Technology: The Engineer’s New Frontier design

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Nanoscale energy transport is a new day working concept, that can redefine the whole engineering field.

Below listed are technological aspects that define the future outlook of Nano Technology:

Unlimited Possibilities:

Nano engineering mainly concentrates on material and design processing. With so many advances over the last decade, Nano engineering, will  become the new face of engineering and technology. Soon, there will be endless opportunities for manufacturing, microfluidics, robotics, biomedicine, energy, heat transfer, storage and much more.

Interdisciplinary outlook:

Nano engineering is so popular and integrated that, soon it will become the interdisciplinary branches for science and technology which requires the knowledge of mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, biology, physics, photonics, material science and other fields working on product and design management.

Advanced usage:

Nano technology will start to play an important role in research fields like Nano scale technology, energy transport, conversion, storage, electromechanical systems, Nano materials and alternative energy systems (Including solar photo voltaic devices) can be used to the maximum extent.

Interconnected to well being and longevity:

In the upcoming years, Nano technology will start to play a major role in enhancing mankind’s life and well being. It will become so possible that, chemically modified Nano material will start having huge impacts on biochemical sensing and human health.

Improved and Diversified Mechanical Engineering:

Through Nano technology it will become possible for mechanical engineers to start expanding their toolbox. Through Nano engineered materials, biochemical sensitivity, mechanical strength, selective transport, thermal/electrical conductivity and optical properties usage can be enhanced to a large extent.

Like any other technology, Nano engineering will soon revolutionize the way we see of work with systems, products and designs. It may be also possible for users to apply their understanding and see how individual atoms and molecules are controlled and composed of.

Eli Zero’s latest electric car replaces the need for additional car requirements

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Electric-vehicle manufacturer Eli Electric, has invented a compact and urban friendly car Eli Zero for easy transportation and on the go mobility.

Some of the special features of this ambitious Eli vehicles are:

  • The car can power up to a speed range of 25 miles to 55 miles per hour.
  • It can be used as standard road car.
  • Traditional car molds features are nil in this gen next car.
  • It comes with versatile urban and suburban features.
  • Features side by side seating for added comfort and leg space.
  • Equipped with USB fast-charging port for on the go mobile or device charging.

 

As per the latest news, the company plans to have the first Eli vehicles on the road by the start of 2019. The company is also planning to introduce 100 vehicles for a start. Experts also predict that, once,
Eli zero’s is introduced into the market, the need for additional car requirement will not be felt by modern day urban families.