Appliance Technology

Make or break in appliance manufacturing can rest with assembly time, so engineers are vigilant for hardware that speeds the process. Recently debuted at an expo in Birmingham, UK, these self-piercing nuts can penetrate 2 mm steel and yield vibration-resistant, watertight fixings; their large flanges create high pull through resistance. Can such hardware keep appliance manufacturing competitive? What other technology, material, and hardware changes are you considering?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Appliance Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Appliance Technology today.

Whether it's teleportation ala Star Trek or The Fly, or traveling in time, dealing with the phenomenon called Worm Holes seems to play a major role. Mankind ponders questions such as 'Can I travel to distant places almost instantly?' and 'Can I occupy the same space at the same time?' Some physicists claim that teleportation would require the energy of a small sun. Others say that you couldn't survive passage through a Worm Hole. But just imagine that these barriers were no longer an issue. So, where or when would you go?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Appliance Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Appliance Technology today.

With a global economic recession going on, there are signs that some nations are beginning to recover, while the U.S. is at best flattening out. Keeping the politics out of the discussion, what could explain the situation? One straightforward answer is manufacturing. Manufacturing is what drove the U.S. economy for nearly a century. Some analysts say that it has a greater impact on economic prosperity than does energy, healthcare, retail, or financial. Manufacturing no longer is one of the 'dirty' jobs, yet young people shy away. Does manufacturing matter any more? What can we do to bring it back?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Appliance Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Appliance Technology today.

Technology advances in appliances of all types are changing with almost every blink of the eye. How can you keep abreast of the changes? Are you ready for pico-projector cell phones? A working mobile handset out of South Korea integrates digital light processing (DLP) technology, a pico-projector, and a USB jack with stereo sound speakers. It allows consumers to project pictures, movies, and video clips, as described in this two minute YouTube video. Where do you think this technology is headed next?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Appliance Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Appliance Technology today.

The proliferation of wire and connectors is a growing problem, especially as laptops shrink. The number of ports provided seems to be increasing as the overall device size shrinks. And you still need to provide power to the device as well. Some suggest wireless charging as a way to free up space and eliminate the need for battery chargers. MacNewsWorld posits other potential solutions that may reduce the number of required connectors while still providing high-performance and acceptable connectivity. Future laptops may have just three connectors: USB, Ethernet, and wireless. How can we continue to add device function while shrinking its size?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Appliance Technology, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Appliance Technology today.