DEVELOPMENT TEST BENCH The Mechatronic Development and Validation (MDV) bench co-developed by dSPACE (www.dspaceinc.com) and MTS Systems (www.mts.com) uses a real-time vehicle dynamic simulation module to drive an active suspension unit. This allows suppliers and OEMs to test components under realistic conditions, make modifications, and retest them with repeatability. The companies claim the unit will achieve enough time and cost savings to support a greater variety and volume of test scenarios.

LASER-SINTERED SHIFT KNOB The stainless steel shift knob in VW’s GX3 concept car was formed through direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) by EOS (www.eos.info) on its EOSINT M270 rapid prototyping system. DMLS was used for this part because the VW designers wanted a hollow metal ball with golf ball-like dimples and a metallic finish, and this was the only technology to meet the design team’s criteria.

URBAN MOBILITY JUST GOT A LITTLE EASIER—in Berlin—with the debut of CarLoft apartments, complete with specially-designed elevators allowing owners to park their cars right on the balcony. Construction is slated to be complete in 2007, with apartments starting at $574,000 for 2,400 ft2 of space with plans to build CarLofts in London and other urban German cities. What if the elevators breakdown? The landlord will arrange a limousine free of charge.

SUPERCHARGER DRIVE The Antonov Mechanical Module (www.antonov-transmission.com) is a two-speed automatic transmission that attaches to a Rotrex centrifugal supercharger, and drives it faster at low engine speeds without over-driving it at higher speeds. Though more compact and less complex than a positive-displacement supercharger, a centrifugal unit does not have the same low-speed torque capacity without this module. The unit attaches to the supercharger without need for either external controls or hydraulics.

SUPERCAR GEARBOX Xtrac (www.xtrac.com), a British racing transmission design company, has developed a generic 6-speed synchromesh transverse transaxle for high-performance road cars. The gearbox handles up to 1,100 Nm of torque, has a maximum gear ratio spread from 15.79:1 to 1.866:1, and weighs just 97 kg. Its generic front plate mates to the engine bellhousing, and the design eliminates the need for an OEM to develop its own high-cost gearbox.

ACHIEVING PRECISION ASSEMBLY Rather than relying on, say, hydraulic force for assembly, achieving linear pressing force through driving a ballscrew with a servomotor is more accurate and controllable, according to the people at Promess Inc. (www.promessinc.com; Brighton, MI).They’ve developed two more Electro-Mechanical Assembly Presses, one that provides 200 N of force and the other up to 1 kN.Monitoring and control can be performed via encoders and CNC; additional sensors (e.g., load cells; position probes) can help create an intelligent assembly system.

MASTER THE MESS In the event that someone manages to spill up to 11 gallons of “non-aggressive” liquids, then grab the PIG Pull Cart Spill Kit and clean it up.The light-weight aluminum cart riding on 5-in. rubber wheels can get the necessary absorbent PIG mats, socks, and pillows to the place, pronto.There’s also PPE gloves and goggles, as well as PIG Multi-Purpose Repair Putty and disposal bags.The gear from New Pig Corp. (www.newpig.com; Tipton, PA) helps comply with EPA 40 CFR 112.7 (c) (1) (vvi).

JUST WHAT OUT-OF-SHAPE AMERICA NEEDS! Opel debuts an integrated rear bicycle carrier, dubbed the FlexFix, on its 2007 Corsa. Located directly underneath the rear bumper, the carrier slides out like a tray, accommodating two bikes with no additional tools required. The bad thing for auto-of-shape Americans the Corsa isn’t available here.

“CHROME” WITHOUT ELECTROPLATING The side wind deflector shown here, produced by Stampede Products (www.stampedeproducts.com), makes use of a bright film from Soliant (www.paintfilm.com; Lancaster, SC), Flurorex, rather than chrome painting. The paint film, in this case, is laminated onto ABS; the plastic is then vacuum formed to produce the part. Soliant not only offers chrome-colored paint film, but 140 colors for exterior and interior applications (they’ve matched over 1,200 colors). One big benefit of the film vs. paint: a 98% reduction in VOC emissions.

POSITIONING FOR PRODUCTIVITY The position of a tool or object in 3D space can be determined with high precision through the use of the UOS-100 ultrasonic positioning system from Pepperl+Fuchs (www.us.pepperl-fuchs.com; Twinsburg, OH).Rather than having to depend on mechanical limits of tools in, say, assembly operations, the UOS-100 system employs ultrasonic emitters, receivers, and a control interface to make the determination of where a tool is in space (based on the calculations from obtained X, Y, Z coordinates).