September 2009
Engineering Case Study: Dishwasher Sound Reduction - Silencing a Dishwasher in a Drawer
Sound was the offender, and Fisher & Paykel needed a detective who could nab the villain quick.
June 2009
Case Study: Testing Equipment - High Accuracy in Low-Pressure Transducers
The low-pressure transducers that heating and comfort conditioning OEM
NORDYNE uses may not be very big, but they do perform a vital testing
function.
April 2009
Case Study: Product Lifecycle Management - Speeding the Pace of Innovation
Haier uses a product lifecycle management (PLM) system to manage information for 8 product departments and help shrink time-to-market.
February 2009
Case Study: Design Prototypes - Appearance Models from Weeks to Days
Boulard Designs went from shop tools to CNC for faster, more-accurate crafting of
appearance models for GE Appliances.
November 2008
HVAC - 45th Annual Report - Cutting Humidifier Design Time with CFD
Design engineers at Aprilaire turn to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to help walk
the thin line between too much and too little humidity.
August 2008
Accelerated Refrigerator Design - Sophisticated Design
Electrolux and Estes engage on the design of a new, upscale refrigerator, enabling quick product development without interrupting the current production.
August 2008
BPA-Free Plastic Materials - Blender Container Leaves Out an Ingredient
Vita-Mix designed its new Professional Series blenders with a BPA-free copolyester material that has more durability and improved sound-dampening qualities.
July 2008
The Open Door - What Makes Good Design?
July 2008
Heat Pumps - Designing Air-Source Heat Pumps for Cold Climates
Boosted compression technology is the basis for a new heat pump designed specifically for colder climates.
July 2008
Motor Technology - Affordable Reliability
Noncontact solid-state encoders provide frictionless, zero-wear, “fit and forget” reliability.
July 2008
Electronics Report - Reaching Ideal Capacity
A new capacitor design saves space while allowing appliance engineers to achieve high capacitance values.
July 2008
Technology Report - Making Next-Generation Displays
A unique extrusion coating technology is making flexible active-matrix display technology accessible for appliance and consumer electronics engineers.
June 2008
The Open Door - The Bigger Laundry Picture
June 2008
Dishwater Efficiency - Improving Dishwasher Efficiency
June 2008
Manufacturing Technology - Simplified Assembly
Multifunctional assembly technology may reduce manufacturing costs and assembly time by replacing traditional joining techniques.
May 2008
The Open Door - The Mess Between Emotion and Function
May 2008
Dishwashers - Putting Dishwasher-Safe to the Test
A look at how today’s plastics are standing up to the tough dishwasher environment.
May 2008
Motor Technology - Packaged Efficiency
A high-voltage IGBT module lowers assembly cost and improves reliability by reducing the number of external components in the main circuit of the inverter.
May 2008
Electronics Report - Bright Idea
Appliance manufacturers can use light to communicate with end users thanks to a new capacitive switch technology.
May 2008
Simulation Software - Simulating Great Sound
High-end audio manufacturer B&W uses electromagnetic simulation to ensure quality sound in its speakers while shortening design cycles.
May 2008
Commercial Cooking Appliances - A Design Edge for Artisan Appliances
Italy’s De Manincor eliminates prototyping and cuts time to market with product lifecycle management software.
April 2008
The Open Door - The Technology behind Standby Power
April 2008
Fastening - A New Approach to Blind Riveting
A patent-pending blind rivet solution is designed to help appliance manufacturers save on necessary blind rivet purchases and reduce unnecessary product waste.
April 2008
Electronics Report - Taking on the World
With global approvals and a low profile, a new sugar-cube relay is designed to meet the needs of international appliance companies.
April 2008
Technology Report - Joint Power
Two technologies team up to give appliance engineers power handling capability in a small form factor.
April 2008
Manufacturing Technology - Is E-Manufacturing the Future?
A survey of product and manufacturing engineers reveals that e-manufacturing is quickly coming to the mass market.
March 2008
Outdoor Power Equipment - Jack & Jill and John Deere
Outdoor power equipment maker John Deere was the first company to benefit from the expanded capabilities of new precision motion tracking technology interface.
February 2008
Commercial Appliance Burners - A Powerful Conversion
Midco International cuts component count and keeps cost down by integrating a new control into burners for commercial foodservice appliances and HVAC applications.
November 2007
Electronics Report - Stable Sensing
An improved ceramic pressure sensor is said to offer engineers of HVAC equipment a wide temperature range and increased reliability.
November 2007
Technology Report - Real-World Design
Appliance engineers can achieve more-realistic simulation thanks to a new software platform that offers fluid-structure interaction (FSI) technology.
October 2007
The Open Door - The Need for a Strong U.S. Manufacturing Base
October 2007
Adhesive Technology - The Advantages of Visible Light–Cure Adhesives
The following article describes the latest generation of visible light–cure adhesives and the benefits the technology can offer appliance manufacturers.
October 2007
Electronics Report - Cool Integration
Refrigeration system engineers and end-users can now have performance information at their fingertips, thanks to a new controller with enhanced capabilities.
October 2007
Technology Report - Flexible Flow Control
Boasting small size and reliable performance, a new adjustable pressure-compensated control valve is said to be the only one of its kind.
October 2007
Motor Control - FOC Algorithms Make Motors More Efficient
The mantra of appliance makers is to enhance efficiency and reduce the audible noise of their products— with minimum addition to the system cost.
September 2007
Motor Technology - More Control for Less
A new Flash-based digital signal controller (DSC) family breaks the price barrier for appliance motor control applications.
September 2007
The Open Door - The Objective Is a Safe Product
September 2007
Metals - A Comparison of Rolled and Polished Stainless-Steel Appliance Finishes
This study compares the corrosion performance of rolled and polished stainless steel used in appliance finishes.
September 2007
Electronics Report - Mobile Power
Offering longer battery life and lower power consumption than conventional chips, a new integrated circuit (IC) is said to be the ideal solution for today’s mobile appliances.
September 2007
Technology Report - Low-Cost Panel Platform
Appliance designers can add display features at a low cost with a new microcontroller (MCU) that can directly drive TFT-LCD panels without using an external controller.
August 2007
The Open Door - Less Can Mean More
August 2007
Cooking Technology - Ultra-Low-Resolution Thermal Imaging for Detecting Kitchen Hazards
More than 50% of fires are the result of unattended cooking appliances. This article describes a device that uses a very-low-resolution thermopile array to scan the kitchen to detect the presence of heat sources.
August 2007
Motor Technology - Designing inside the Box
Appliance engineers with tight space constraints have a new motor option that offers a thin profile and high performance.
August 2007
Electronics Report - Programmable Precision
A new programmable clock generator delivers low cycle-to-cycle and period jitter for precision clocking in networking equipment and consumer electronics.
August 2007
Technology Report - Cost-Sensitive Sensors
A new family of load cells allows designers to use direct-force measurement in many OEM applications where the technology had previously been too expensive.
July 2007
The Open Door - Global Regulations and YOUR Trade Associations
July 2007
Circuit Protection - Coordinated Circuit Protection for Critical Appliance Components
Resettable circuit protection devices can be used to help provide overtemperature, overcurrent, and overvoltage protection for the electric motors and fans, controllers, touchpads, displays, and interface circuitry required by sophisticated appliances.
July 2007
Electronics Report - Isolated Power
Whether used for appliance motor control or current detection, a new integrated circuit (IC) transducer allows engineers to achieve ac and dc isolated current measurement up to 100 KHz.
July 2007
Technology Report - Technology Fusion
For the first time, consumer electronics (CE) engineers can use both types of NAND flash memory in a single device.
July 2007
Motor Technology - A Package Deal
A new digital motor features an integrated pulse width modulation (PWM) controller to offer office and medical appliance engineers an all-in-one design.
June 2007
Testing Equipment - Pressure's On When Electronics Meet Faucets
June 2007
The Open Door - Get Paid for R&D
June 2007
Boiler Technology - The Cornerstones of Boiler Technology
The following paper demonstrates how boiler system manufacturers are reevaluating their product offerings and redesigning them to save energy and the environment, while positively influencing reliability and safe operation.
June 2007
Electronics Report - Picture-Perfect Technology
A new LCD HDTV solution is designed to offer engineers a system platform with film dejudder and motion blur removal that can be easily adapted to existing TV designs.
June 2007
Motor Technology - Versatile Testing
With a wide range of motoring and loading capabilities, a new motor-testing system can reportedly perform the testing typically done with several different systems — all with a single capital investment.
June 2007
Technology Report - Flaunting Efficiency
Boiler manufacturers can add value to their products by using LCD technology to confirm their appliances’ efficiency features.
May 2007
The Open Door - Regulated Vending in the EU
May 2007
Engineering Innovation - Strange Bedfellows: Innovation and Risk Aversion
The age of innovation is clearly upon us. The cry for more innovation in all sectors of business around the world has grown to a deafening roar. The financial markets are clearly rewarding stockholders in companies that possess a healthy and demonstrable new product pipeline. The question is no longer what to do, but how to do it. While there are many obstacles to building a sustainable innovation capability, one almost insurmountable obstacle is an organization’s aversion to risk.
May 2007
Electronics Report - A Colorful Solution
With a profile of only 0.4 mm, a new series of SMD LEDs is said to feature both small size and color versatility, while also offering low power consumption.
May 2007
Technology Report - Next-Generation Display Technology
Advanced laser technology is said to help consumer electronic manufacturers create brighter displays with crisper images and lower power consumption.
May 2007
Motor Technology - Advanced Control
New digital signal controllers (DSCs) are designed to reduce cost, provide greater design flexibility and offer advanced features to appliance motor control applications.
May 2007
Switches and Switching Devices - A Touch of Design
Slovenian kitchen appliance maker Gorenje made a conscious decision to move upmarket, and over the past 5 years it has worked to strengthen its image as a design and technology trendsetter.
May 2007
Safety Regulations - The Impact of Safety Regulations on MCUs in Home Appliances
April 2007
Blower Technology - The Next Generation of Premix Gas Blowers
Advancements in gas blower technology can provide boiler manufacturers with improved performance, reliability and cost savings.
April 2007
Technology Report - Noise Absorber
A new electromagnetic Immunity (EMI) absorber is said to cost-effectively suppress noise in consumer electronics and business appliances.
April 2007
The Open Door - Eliminate Waste and Enhance Value
Although lean thinking is typically applied to manufacturing, lean techniques are applicable anywhere there are processes to improve. A lean company is one that produces just what is needed, when it is needed and where it is needed.
April 2007
Electronics Report - Small but Mighty
Occupying under a cubic inch of space, a new series of switching power supplies is said to help appliance engineers keep designs small and simple.
March 2007
The Open Door - Getting the Most from Your Motor Dollar
U.S. appliance manufacturers are focused more than ever on market
share, production volume and profits. To that end, working engineers
have to focus their efforts on designing appliance systems that add and
improve functions and features that meet customer needs and command
higher prices and profits.
February 2007
Sensors - Choosing a Temperature Sensor
The following provides an overview of how to select the appropriate temperature sensor for a specific engineering application.
January 2007
The Open Door - Ingredients for Innovation
Innovation does not need to be a random, elusive event that only happens now and again when creative sparks fly.
January 2007
Touch Controls - Simplicity is the Art of Technology
The evolution of infrared (IR) touch control technology has helped advance today’s cooking appliances.
December 2006
Motor Technology - A Small Order
A new stepper motor driver gives engineers an ideal compact form factor for designing a variety of appliances.
December 2006
Technology Report - A Wireless Combination
Said to be an industry first, a mini card allows notebook PCs to use both Bluetooth and Certified Wireless USB (CWUSB) technologies simultaneously.
December 2006
Porcelain Enamel - Advanced Coatings for the Home of Tomorrow
As mature products, porcelain enamel and major appliances require technological advances for added sales and profitability. Three new porcelain enamel products and their most suitable uses are reviewed.
November 2006
Commercial Foodservice - Revolutionizing the Display Warmer
BKI utilized a cutting-edge glass technology to avoid the typical problems that came when designing a new foodservice display case.
November 2006
Motor Control - Using Sensorless Control to Catch a Spinning Fan
Over the years, engineers have turned to brushless DC drives with Hall sensor feedback due to their simple control circuitry. However, advancements in sensorless control offer designers alternative solutions.
November 2006
Convection Ovens - Design Procedure for Air Distribution in Convection Ovens
This paper summarizes a study for the design of an air distribution system for a forced-air convection oven. Advantages of using advanced design tools in an iterative design process are discussed.
October 2006
Electronics Report - Bright Ideas
By combining a unique light extraction technology with a solid-state light source, a new edge-lighting solution allows engineers to design LCD TVs with a handful of LEDs.
October 2006
Motors and Air-Moving Devices - Quiet Control
Broan-NuTone worked with A.O. Smith on proprietary motor controls that cut down the noise in kitchen ventilation appliances.
October 2006
Small Appliances - No Tolerance for Arc Faults
Closely evaluating end-of-life and pulse-current failure scenarios can make small appliances more robust and protect against potential fires.
September 2006
Electronics Report - Slim Sound Solution
A single-chip microphone is said to bring high acoustic performance to laptops, mobile phones and digital video and still cameras.
September 2006
Motor Testing - Identifying Motor Defects Using the Rotor Fault Zone
Using a fault-zone testing approach, the rotor is analyzed to identify potential defects in motor designs.
September 2006
Product Design - Optimized Boiler Design
Weil-McLain turned to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) during the design of a new boiler and ended up taking substantial cost and time out of the product development process.
August 2006
Technology Report - Pure Technology
Designed for air-purification systems, a photocatalytic substrate combines the key properties of low pressure drop, high oxidation rates and UV light transmission.
August 2006
The Open Door - Teaching Youth About Engineering
August 2006
Plastics Technology - Slicing Up the Competition
Commercial foodservice equipment maker Berkel Company is slicing away at the competition with the introduction of its new food slicers that are primarily made of plastic.
August 2006
Motor Technology - Switching Gears
A traditional harmonic-drive gear mechanism finds a new application in power tool motors.
August 2006
Enterprise-Wide Product Design - Managing Global Innovation
As the appliance industry competes on an increasingly global level, companies are focusing on one particular buzzword to get them ahead of the rest—innovation.
July 2006
The Open Door - Testing: Emotional or Scientific?
July 2006
Motor Technology - High-Efficiency HVAC Motor
Combining the efficiency of brushless DC and the simplicity of permanent split capacitor (PSC), a new motor claims to be a cost-effective solution to HVAC efficiency requirements.
July 2006
Sensors and MCUs - Controlling the Cool, by Day and by Night
Ice Energy offers what it describes as the industry’s first ice storage module developed to reduce air-conditioning costs for small- to medium-sized commercial businesses.
July 2006
Sensors and MCUs - A Low-Power Way to Staunch the Flow
Water leaks from appliances in homes and businesses can be a serious problem, wasting water and, in severe cases, creating costly overflow damage.
July 2006
Sensors and MCUs - Offering Clear Choices
When Tanita Corporation designed a glass version of its body composition monitor, it also needed to develop transparent electrodes with the same accuracy as metal electrodes used in the past.
July 2006
Sensors and MCUs - Hands-Free Appliance Differentiation
Will voice control technology move from the toy industry into appliances?
June 2006
The Open Door - Outsourcing Product Design
It’s no secret that manufacturers—both big and small—are looking at all options to increase cost efficiency. And as the industry becomes increasingly global, outsourcing is now hitting all aspects of an appliance company’s operations, including design and engineering.
June 2006
Motor Technology - Blended Control
New digital signal controllers (DSCs) combine the benefits of microcontrollers and digital signal processors to provide cost-effective, efficient motor control.
June 2006
Technology Report - CO2 Sensor
An IR-based CO2 transmitter module is said to offer engineers a low-cost, reliable gas sensing solution for kitchen fans, air cleaners, ranges, and other appliances.
June 2006
IATC 2006 Best Paper - Spontaneous Combustion Tendency of Household Chemicals and Clothes Dryers-Part 1
A two-part test program studied the spontaneous combustion tendency of various contaminants on clothing loads placed in household clothes dryers.
May 2006
International Appliance Technical Conference 2006 - Future Solutions
Technology is being developed to keep tech-savvy appliance buyers safe, to save them energy, even give them a little bling.
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