Appliance Design January 2013

January 2013

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

INSIDE 15 Design Concepts & Trends

26 Displays & Interfaces

30 Electronics

34 Motors, Fans & Blowers www.applianceDESIGN.com

CONSUMER-CENTERED

GETTING MORE

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC. © 2012. BDI 21119

Meet tomorrow’s compliance requirements with UL Energy-Efficiency Testing for

HVAC/R. UL thoroughly evaluates and tests potential safety hazards inherent to HVAC/R

equipment in global state-of-the-art facilities to regional and global requirements:

• ENERGY STAR®

• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

• California Energy Commission (CEC)

• National Resources Canada (NRCan)

• UL, ASHRAE, AHRI and international standards

• Customer-specific energy efficiency parameters

Learn more today, call us at 877.UL.HELPS (877.854.3577) or visit UL.COM/HVACR

VISIT US AT AHR EXPO, HALL B, BOOTH 369

SAFETY IS EVOLVING. SO IS UL.

Others say they’re FAST...

Proto Labs’ entire operation is optimized to deliver quick-turn CNC machined and injection molded parts in as fast as one business day. We manufacture parts every day for thousands of customers, many of whom come to us at the last minute with dozens of designs they need to test ASAP. Since 1999, we’ve produced tens of thousands of molds, and shipped tens of millions parts to our customers all over the world.

Sure, it’s our technology that allows us to make your parts faster than anyone else. We back it up with large-scale global manufacturing facilities with hundreds of CNC machines and injection molding presses on three separate continents.

Whether your project calls for a few machined parts or thousands of molded parts from 50 diff erent designs—we have the scale to meet your needs. Every time!

But do they have the

to deliver?SCALE

Call 877.479.3680 or visit www.protolabs.com

Check out our virtual tour!

© 2013 Proto Labs, Inc

Puzzled by resin choices?

Puzzle — nine of the most common thermoplastics used

in injection molding. Visit www.protolabs.com/appliance

to request your design aid. Enter code AD13B.

2 applianceDESIGN January 2013 www.applianceDESIGN.com

CONTENTS JANUARY 2013 volume 61, no. 1

DEPARTMENTS

4 Editorial: The Other Side of Sandy 7 Shipments/Forecasts 8 News Watch 37 View for the Top 2013 42 NEW - MUST SEE products & services 45 New Products 48 Association Report: AHRI 49 Advertisers’ Index

FEATURES

DESIGN CONCEPTS & TRENDS:15 Time for Consumer-Centered Appliance

Design. In today’s design work, it takes participatory research, in-depth observation, extensive testing and hard work.

18 Upgrading PLA Bioplastic to Meet Performance Demands. Bio-content PLA compounds can create custom compounds for a wide range of applications while higher performance resins and innovative compounding will expand its property profile.

23 Think Inside the Box: Design for Manufacturing and Assembly. DFMA focuses on the analysis of whole products as well as their constituent parts and subassemblies. It can save time, money, materials and headaches.

DISPLAYS & INTERFACES:26 New Appliance Panel Decorating

Solutions. The technical evolution of pad printing, thanks to advances in many areas, has gained with stepper motors that add even more capability.

ELECTRONICS:30 Home Area Networks: Which Path to

Take? Now and more into the future, smart appliances will communicate to the outside but also within home area networks; but which network will dominate?

MOTORS, FANS & BLOWERS:34 Reduce HVAC-R Fan, Blower, Compres-

sor Motor HP; Save OEM Cost, Energy Consumption. It’s a matter of reducing horse power. One method: a novel reconfiguration of the heat exchanger coil which reduces both air and fluid resistance.

WEB EXTRASManufacturing at Home? More like Design Rip-offFrom prototyping to design tool to manufacturing, technological advances continue to impact from the largest factory to the smallest home. Home? Yep. If you believe the 3D printing hype, soon Jim Jones in Columbus, Ohio, will be making his own Lexus RX 350 in his garage. But will this all lead to wholesale intellectual property theft?

30

appliance DESIGN ONLINE

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

www.applianceDESIGN.com

BLOGS

IFA 2012: Famous Design Pioneer Braun Has New OwnerWriting from IFA, Paul Roggema reports that many of the attendees were pleasantly surprised to see Braun joining the fair for the first time ever. Also, worldwide, there have been many changes in companies and their strengths and future directions.

WEB EXTRAS

BLOGS

COVER

Assuming was yesterday. A new model has turned product development on its head. GE Appliance Design Director Lou Lenzi talks about participatory research, in-depth observation and extensive testing to become customer-centric.

26

15

AD WEBINARSDesign, Transform, Create With Smart Grid-enabled DevicesIt’s now ON-DEMAND. This useful webinar is aimed at the appliance DESIGN Magazine audience to better position you to cope and succeed with future anticipated and

unanticipated challenges in the design of smart grid-enabled devices.

To learn more visit www.honeywell-solsticelba.com © 2012 Honeywell International Inc. All Rights Reserved.

let the performance begin

It’s opening night and you’ve got the best seat in the house.

Honeywell’s Solstice™ Liquid Blowing Agent

is here, it’s EPA SNAP approved1, and it’s time

for you to enjoy all the benefits of the world’s first

and best 4th-generation blowing agent. A near

drop-in replacement for hydrocarbons, HFCs,

and HCFCs, Solstice LBA delivers instant harmony through substantial

performance improvements, lower global-warming potential, and

outstanding safety features — all without depleting the ozone layer.

How cool is that?

1Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 155 / Friday, August 10, 2012 / Rules and Regulations page 47772


www.applianceDESIGN.com

publishing staffDarrell Dal Pozzo (847) 405-4044 Group Publisher [email protected]

Darryl Seland (610) 436-4220 x8532 Editorial Director [email protected]

Michelle Bangert (630) 849-0740 Managing Editor [email protected]

Genevieve Diesing (773) 931-0772 Web Editor [email protected]

Gena Johnson (248) 244-8255 Associate Editor [email protected]

Daryl Delano (508) 746-7986 Economics Editor [email protected]

Paul Roggema Kevin Henry New Media Contributors [email protected]

John Talan (248) 244-8253 Production Manager [email protected]

MaTT Britcher (480) 334-0286 Art Director [email protected]

circulationHayat Ali-Ghoneim (248) 250-3096 Audience Development Specialist Alih@bnpmedia

Alison Illes (248) 244-1730 Multimedia Specialist [email protected]

Catherine M. Ronan (248) 244-8259 Corporate Audience Audit Manager [email protected]

Kevin Collopy (402) 836-6265 Sr. Account Manager [email protected]

Shawn Miller (402) 836-6269 Account Manager [email protected]

Ann Kalb (248) 244-6499 Single Copy Sales [email protected]

marketingAdam Thomas (248) 244-6249 Events Marketing Assistant [email protected]

Editorial Advisory Board 2013-2014Joe McGuire, AHAM

Jill Notini, AHAM

Francis Dietz, AHRI

Bob Brown, Branson Ultrasonics

Bill Romick, DNA Group

Richard Watson, Essential-Design

Tom Lipinksi, Henkel

Derek Silva, Intertek

Pat Blanc, Lydall

John Davis, Traulsen

Alberto Uggetti, UL International

®

| HVAC | Majors | Water Processing | Housewares | Commercial Appliances | Vending | Medical | Lab |

| Test & Measurement | Lawn & Garden | Electronics | Computers | Communications | Business Equipment |

APPLIANCE DESIGN (ISSN 1552-5937) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, Inc., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals.Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $183.00 USD.Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $225.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $238.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2013, by BNP Media. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations.Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076.Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns(Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076.For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information

BNP Media2401 West Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084,

(248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317; www.bnpmedia.com

For subscription information or service, please contact customer service at (847) 763-9534 Fax: (847) 763-9538 or email: [email protected]

In late October, Hurricane Sandy, after hitting the Caribbean, steamed northward and merged with winter

weather systems over the U.S. It turned into Superstorm Sandy, slamming the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions with devastating wind, rain, snow and tidal surges.

It is estimated that the storm caused at least $50 billion in direct losses. Early last month, the Obama administration asked Congress for $60.4 billion in additional federal emergency aid. For some home-owners and businesses, insurance will help.

Still, the aftermath of the Sandy trag-edy may spur increased sales of home and business appliances to replace what was damaged or destroyed. While he doesn’t as yet have a definitive idea of the impact of Sandy on [appliance] sales, other than some anecdotal reports, Daryl Delano, this magazine’s economics editor, says, “Some ‘normal’ replacement/upgrade sales were clearly lost/postponed during the period

of the storm and immediate emergency

response/clean up -- obviously a big nega-

tive -- but then recovered (and then some)

once people could get to stores again (or

arrange delivery to affected areas). I guess

the big question is how much the ‘net’ (and

then some) gain will end up being.” He

adds, “Obviously, it was a localized event

but in a very high population area.”

Auto sales may already point to an

answer. October sales were impacted, but it

was more than offset because people who

normally would have bought cars in the

next three months were joined by people

who have to buy cars because of the storm.

More broadly, and ironically, Sandy may

end up being beneficial for the U.S. econ-

omy, pushing indicators like construction

spending, industrial production and retail

sales above their pre-disaster trend-lines

over the next few quarters, according to

Goldman Sachs. <

EDIToRIAL

The other Side of Sandy

For subscription information or service, please contact customer service at (847) 763-9534

Fax: (847) 763-9538 or email: [email protected]

volume 61, no. 1

Technicians unload and install a hot water heater and furnace at the home of a Seaford, N.Y., survivor

of Hurricane Sandy one month after the disaster. Photo courtesy Howard Greenblatt/FEMA

One Testing Program.Less Time.Lower Cost.

We Make ENERGY STAR® and Safety Testing a Single, Seamlessly Effi cient Process

Third-party certifi cation and verifi cation are now ENERGY STAR requirements. CSA Group has earned EPA recognition as an ENERGY STAR Testing Facility and Certifi cation Body. That means today we can meet all of your product safety and energy effi ciency testing needs with a single, seamlessly effi cient testing program that saves you time and money.

Look to CSA Group to meet ENERGY STAR requirements for a wide range of products including:

laboratory, we can qualify your lab facilities under our

Testing Laboratory programs, then verify your test results and submit them to the EPA.

Contact us today and learn how much time and money a combined safety and energy effi ciency testing program with CSA Group can save you.

1-866-463-1785 [email protected]

www.csagroup.org

Winners are not evenly distributed across each category as there is no predetermined number of awards established. Regardless of how many entries a category received, the idea is to recognize the most excellent product designs—period. ALL ENTRIES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 15, 2013.

An independent panel of experts in the field of design will evaluate the entries based on several factors. Winners from this year’s competition will be announced in our June 2013 issue.

“For Zephyr, developing new technology for our range hoods is part of our DNA. To be recognized by our industry peers validates our vision.” - Luke Siow, President, Zephyr “Completing the entry form for the EID awards helped us to lay out the case for why our product is important, to detail which features our dealers and consumers have told were important to them, and to help position the product in the market.”- Jeff Cleveland, Marketing Manager, Empire Comfort Systems Inc.

This prestigious award is given to companies who excel in unique designs with breakthrough features. Products that are well engineered and have practical functions are always at the top of the list, as competition drives innovation and practicality at an affordable price.

Entries are slotted into one of 10 categories with a chance to win a Gold, Silver or Bronze award. The categories are:

eid.applianceDESIGN.com

QUESTIONS? CONTACT: DARRYL SELAND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, [email protected]

LOOK AT WHAT PAST WINNERS HAVE SAID...

Information on the 2013 EID competition will be available at:

26TH ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN Awards!

ENTRIES ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED

CALL FOR ENTRIES


BUSINESS MACHINES ELECTRONICS MAJOR APPLIANCES AND COMMERCIAL VENDING HVAC MEDICAL

LAB & TEST EQUIPMENT OUTDOOR & LEISURE APPLIANCES SMALL APPLIANCES LIGHTING WATER PROCESSING APPLIANCES

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN January 2013 7

HVAC - Shipment figures for unitary air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and water heaters can be found at www.ahrinet.org.

MIXED OUTLOOK: THE CONFERENCE BOARDThe economic environment in 2013 is far more likely to be determined by the interplay of consumption and investment than any new austerity measures. Indeed, while some concentrate on developments in the nation’s capital, developments at the state and local level are more encouraging, according to The Conference Board.

Adds Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, “The Consumer Confidence Index increased in November and is now at its highest level in more than four and a half years.” The most recent moderate improvement is a result of an uptick in expectations, while consumers’ assessment of present-day conditions continues to hold steady. Over the past few months, consumers have grown increasingly more upbeat about the current and expected state of the job market, and this turnaround in sentiment is helping to boost confidence.

Adds Kathy Bostjancic, director of macroeconomic analysis at The Conference Board, “The labor market continues to improve…providing some needed boost to recovering consumer sentiment. Domestically, the manufacturing sector continues to show some limited traction as sluggish foreign economic growth weighs on the sector. More demand might also counter business concern about adding to the cost structure even while profit margins are under pressure.”

FORECASTSDVD PLAYERS/RECORDERS – Shipments

(Thousands of Units)Qtr: 2012 2013 20141 5145.4 4666.8 4106.82 4390.2 3911.7 3324.93 4093.1 3863.9 3091.14 8931.4 8350.9 7891.6For 2012, a 14.8% decline to 22.560 million unitsFor 2013, a 7.8% decline to 20.793 million unitsFor 2014, an 11.4% decline to 18.414 million units

ELECTRIC RANGES & OVENS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2012 2013 20141 1009.8 1048.2 1107.92 1093.7 1129.8 1173.93 1077.5 1124.9 1169.94 1190.5 1253.6 1310.0For 2012, a 1.2% increase to 4.371 million unitsFor 2013, a 4.2% increase to 4.556 million unitsFor 2014, a 4.5% increase to 4.762 million units

RESIDENTIAL GAS WATER HEATERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2012 2013 20141 1013.0 1068.7 1114.62 1031.9 1074.2 1124.63 816.2 857.8 891.24 976.0 1015.0 1056.6For 2012, a 2.9% decline to 3.837 million unitsFor 2013, a 4.7% increase to 4.016 million unitsFor 2014, a 4.3% increase to 4.187 million units

UNITARY AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)Qtr: 2012 2013 20141 1119.9 1214.0 1271.12 2106.1 2224.0 2335.23 1497.9 1589.3 1684.74 793.6 828.5 863.3For 2012, a 0.2% increase to 5.518 million unitsFor 2013, a 6.1% increase to 5.856 million unitsFor 2014, a 5.1% increase to 6.154 million units

DISPOSERS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2012 2013 20141 1467.3 1518.7 1587.02 1458.4 1494.9 1578.63 1535.6 1597.0 1678.54 1492.5 1555.2 1628.3For 2012, an 8.5% increase to 5.954 million unitsFor 2013, a 3.6% increase to 6.166 million unitsFor 2014, a 5.0% increase to 6.472 million units

REFRIGERATORS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2012 2013 20141 1808.7 1873.8 1950.62 2370.0 2464.8 2595.43 2403.1 2528.1 2651.94 2047.6 2150.0 2279.0For 2012, a 3.9% decline to 8.629 million unitsFor 2013, a 4.5% increase to 9.017 million unitsFor 2014, a 5.1% increase to 9.477 million units

Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

Low Cost Variable Speed ControlsFor Fans, Blowers, Humidifiers, Stoves, Heaters, Whole House Ventilators, Range Hoods, Lamps...

Designed for Shaded Pole, AC/DC and Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) Motors. Send for complete literature. If it’s not in our catalog, let KB engineers design a custom control for your application.

KB Electronics, Inc.12095 NW 39th Street, Coral Springs, FL 33065-2516

KBWC – Wall Box Mount2.5, 5.0, 6.0, 8.0, 10.0, 12.0 and 15.0 Amp models, 120, 240 and 277 VAC, 50/60 Hz.

KBMC – Panel Mount2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 Amp models, 120, 240 and 277 VAC, 50/60 Hz.

Dial-A-Temp Plug-In2.5 Amps – 120 VAC.


NEWS WATCH

Drones have played a great role in Afghanistan and Iraq and there are experiments in the U.S. to see their value for wild fires, border patrols and even highway

watches.Recently, commercial, enterprise and media companies have

been pushing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FAA to loosen rules that keep drones – really called un-manned aerial vehicles – out of the U.S. skies, except for bor-der patrols.

But that may be changing. Kind of a consumer electronics device that flies, drones may sooner or later patrol campuses and estates, provide in-the-air gaming, bring medical records to sites or – on the bad side – become a hacking device.

Recently, two security researchers demonstrated how a ra-dio-controlled model airplane outfitted with a computer and 4G connectivity could be used to create a nearly undetectable aerial hacking device that could perpetrate aerial attacks on targets otherwise unreachable. Created completely with off-the-shelf equipment and open-source software -- and with a budget of only about $6,100 – the demo plane was capable of wireless network sniffing and cracking, cell tower spoofing, cell phone tracking and call interception, data exfiltration, and video surveillance.

Built on top of a surplus Army target drone, the device has been equipped with multiple wireless antennae and a microcomputer loaded with GPS, wireless sniffing tools and

the Backtrack 5 penetration testing toolkit. The 14-pound, 6-foot-long plane connects through a 4G dongle with a small base station that controls it using Google Earth and an open source autopilot software solution. The base station streams data gathered by the plane and sends it over a VPN connec-tion to a more robust back-end PC, which can take care of the heavy-lifting, such as crunching through large dictionaries to perform brute-force attacks.

Will Drones Be the Next Hot Appliance?

Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, successful in war theaters by the U.S. military, now may play a role as a commercial or house-hold appliance.

‘RESHORING’ SEEMS TO BE CATCHING ON

Last month, Apple revealed that it plans to join a small but growing num-ber of companies that are bringing some manufacturing jobs back to the United States, drawn by the growing economic and political advantages of producing in their home market, according to Cath-erine Rampbell and Nick Wingfield, writing in the New York Times. Apple’s chief execu-tive, Timothy Cook said he would invest $100 million in pro-ducing some of its Mac computers in the United States, beyond the assem-bly work it already does in

the United States.Over the last years, companies across

various industries, including electronics, automotive and medical devices, have pledged to “reshore” jobs. Lower energy

costs in America, rising wages in developing countries like China and Brazil, quality control issues and the desire to keep the supply

chain close to the Ameri-can consumer base all are factors in the shift.

Apple just said it is reshoring jobs back to the U.S. While

American manufacturing has been growing in the last two years, the sec-tor still has two million

fewer jobs than it had when the recession began

in December 2007.

Lennox International is a global player in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration markets.

LENNOX: DECLARES DIVIDEND, STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM

In early December, the board of di-rectors of Lennox International Inc. voted to declare a quarterly cash divi-dend of $0.20 per share of common stock. It also approved an additional share repurchase program of $300 million of its common stock. The company may also repurchase about $71 million of its common stock un-der an earlier share repurchase pro-gram.

Can you tell which one is the better product?

The one insulated with eco-friendly ecomate® foam!

www.foamsupplies.com | www.ecomatesystems.com | Better Products. Better for the Environment.

Today, customers prefer to buy products that are environmentally friendly compared to those that are not, when all other factors like price are the same. That’s why economical, eco-friendly ecomate® urethanes from Foam Supplies, Inc., give your products a competitive edge! Ecomate® meets all current and future regulatory requirements, and is U.S. EPA SNAP approved to replace HFCs and SMOG producing hydrocarbons. In fact, no other blowing agent can match the sustainability of thermally effi cient ecomate!®

QUESTION:

ANSWER:

MAKE YOUR PRODUCTS STAND OUT —AT NO ADDITIONAL COST!

Ecomate® urethanes provide excellent insulation properties while delivering what customers want: a truly “green” product.

$


NEwS watch

One CES Innovations winner: Belkin’s WeMo Baby Monitor turns a homeowner’s iPhone into a nanny.

cEa: BESt of INNovatIoNS DESIGN aND ENGINEErING hoNorEES

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced the International CES Best of Innovations 2013 Design and En-gineering Award honorees and they will be featured in the Innovations Design and En-

gineering Awards Showcase in The Venetian at the 2013 International CES this month.

Among the Best of Innovations Honor-ees for 2013 are:Accessible and Universal Design •Moneual •SmartCareSystemforHearing-

Impaired PersonEco-Design and Sustainable

Technologies •SWITCHLighting •SWITCH3-WayHome Appliances •Belkin •BelkinWeMobabyPersonal Electronics •LiquidImageCo,LLC •ApexHD+,Wi-FiSnowGoggle

Tech For A Better World •XPALPowerInc. •SpareOne

MIcroGroovE cENtEr StaGE at thE ahr Expo 2013

The International Copper Association tellsNewsWatchthattubesuppliers,equip-ment makers and heat-exchanger manu-facturerswillsharetheirexpertiseontopicsrelating to smaller diameter copper tubes at the New Product & Technology Theater BoftheAHRExpo2013inDallaslatethismonth.

MicroGroove technology, originally de-velopedforroomair-conditioners,includ-ingwindowunitsandsplitsystems,isnowalso recognized by manufacturers as be-ingwellsuitedforlargeheatexchangersincommercial-sized air conditioning and re-frigerationsystems.Whensmallerdiametercopper tubes are used in the construction of large-area heat exchanger coils, majoradvantages are realized in terms of energy savings,materialssavings,reducedrefriger-ant charge and smaller footprints.

To facilitate technology transfer at the AHRExpo, theCopperAlliancehasorga-nized a series of presentations from indus-try expertswhoare active in thedevelop-ment of new applications for copper tubes. ReaderscanjoinanongoingdiscussiononLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/Mi-crogroove-4498690

coMMErcIal rEfrIGEratIoN EquIpMENt MarkEt to rEach uSD 46.6 BIllIoN GloBally IN 2018

Accordingtoamarketreportpublishedby Transparency Market Research,“Com-mercialRefrigerationEquipmentMarket-GlobalIndustrySize,MarketShare,Trends,Analysis and Forecast, 2012 - 2018 ,” theglobalcommercialrefrigerationequipmentmarketwillaccountforUSD29.1billionin2012andisexpectedtoreachUSD46.6bil-lionin2018,growingataCAGRofabout8.2% from 2012 to 2018. In the overall glob-almarket,AsiaPacificleadsthecommercialrefrigerationequipmentmarketintermsofrevenuewith34.1%marketshare,followedby the North America.

Solar-powErED clothING May powEr coNSuMEr ElEctroNIcS

A team of chemists, physicist and engi-neers led by John Badding, a professor ofchemistry at Penn State University, has de-veloped a fiber made out of crystalline sili-con – a common semiconductor material used in solar photovoltaics – that can func-tion as a solar cell.

“Ourgoal is toextendhigh-performanceelectronic and solar-cell function to longer lengths and to more flexible forms,” Bad-ding has been quoted in media coverage.A solar cell is usually made from a glass or plastic substrate into which semiconductor material has been deposited. These solar cells areflatandheavywithverylittleflexibility.

Whilethismaybeokayforutility-scaleenergygeneratingapplications,itdoesnotworkforsmallerapplicationssuchasportableelectronics.

The solar fiber is also created by depositing semiconductor materials onto asurfacebutthissurfaceisopticalfiber.Thinnerthanhumanhair,thefiber’ssurface is filled with tiny holes. The semiconducting material is deposited into thesetinyholesdirectly,layerbylayer,usinghighpressurechemistrytechniques.

Thesefibersarelight-weightandretaintheirflexibility.Theycanbewoveninto a fabric for a semiconducting material that can be used to generate power inavarietyofapplicationssuchaspowergeneration,batterycharging,chemicalsensing and biomedical devices. <

Fashion meets device recharging. Solar fiber woven into clothes and connected to electronic devices could one day power them and charge their batteries.

SeminarMicrogroove Technology

for Commercial Systems

TM

2:00 to 2:20 pmThe MicroGroove Advantage

John Hipchen from the Copper Alliance, Booth #5524

2:20 to 2:40 pm Copper Tubing in R410A and CO2 Applications

Dr. Charles Stout, PE and Chris Mueller from

Mueller Industries, Inc., Booth #2545

2:40 to 3:00 pm High Efficiency MicroGroove Coils for

Commercial and Industrial Applications

Matt Holland from Super Radiator Coils, Booth #1737

3:00 to 3:20 pm A New Era of Coil Manufacturing

Newell Franks from Burr Oak Tool Inc., Booth #2957

3:20 to 3:40 pm New Copper Alloys for the ACR Industry

Ed Rottmann from Luvata, Booth #1545

3:40 to 4:00 pm Optimization of Copper Tubes for

ACR Tube Applications

Steffen Rieger from Wieland-Werke AG, Booth #4156

New Product & Technology Theater B

f

The Copper Alliance is hosting a series of technical

presentations from innovative industry experts who are active

in the development of new applications for copper tubes.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 2 to 4 p.m.

WHERE: New Product & Technology Theater B


NEwS watch

The commercial refrigeration equip-ment market is driven by various factors including continuous evolving technol-ogy, changing food consumption trends, rising international food trade, emergence of supermarkets and fast food chains, rise in horticulture, and seafood and processed food exports across the globe. However, some of the key restraints for the commer-cial refrigeration equipment market include less energy-efficient commercial refrigera-tion equipment, the Montreal and Kyoto protocol and increasing fuel cost.

Currently, the transportation refrigera-tion segment retains the maximum share of 18.8% with revenue of USD 5.4 billion owing to the rise in international food trade across the globe. The transportation refrig-eration segment is expected to attain rev-enue of USD 10.2 billion in 2018 at a CAGR of 11.1% from 2012 to 2018. The transpor-tation refrigeration segment is followed by refrigerators and freezers segment, which is estimated to be USD 5.1 billion in 2012.

Slow chINESE SalES SpurS haIEr to Buy all of fIShEr & paykEl

China’s Haier Group was poised to take complete control of Fisher & Paykel Appli-ances Holdings Ltd after it acquired more

than 90 percent of New Zealand’s top white-goods maker, the companies were quoted in early November.

Having snapped up 92.8 percent of F&P Appliances, Haier will buy out the remain-ing minority shareholders to complete the NZ$927 million ($766 million) takeover. The move marks the second major takeover in as many years for the parent of Qindao Haier Co Ltd, China’s No. 2 appliance mak-er by sales, as it is looks overseas for new revenue sources in the face of sluggish de-mand and increased competition at home.

Last year, Haier bought Panasonic Corp’s Sanyo Electric washing machine and refrigerator units in Japan and Southeast Asia for $130 million.

Electrolux Design Lab 2012 winner is Jan Ankiersztajn, a Polish designer behind the Aeroball, a flying air cleaning concept. Jan is a student at Uniwersytet Artystyczny w Poznaniu.

StuDENtS Show off thEIr DESIGN SkIllS

Take, for example, New Zealand born Ben de la Roche of Massey University,

who has been awarded second place at the annual Global Electrolux Design Lab competition in Milan in late October 25. Ben’s “Impress” refrigerator submission promises to change the way people refrig-erate perishables and offers a sustainable and unique solution to food usage and storage.

Put simply, the design concept is a re-frigerated wall that allows the user to press storage containers and bottles di-rectly into the wall, out in the open and not behind closed doors so you will al-ways remember the lunch you prepared for work or find that midnight snack with ease. Impress uses thermo-acoustic technology and gases such as argon and helium that are non-ozone depleting and harmless to the environment.

The overall winning concept, the Aero-ball by Jan Ankiersztajn of Poland, is a collection of luminescent, hovering balls that can filter and fragrance the air in a room. They float using helium and drift down to the ground when they are ready to be changed.

Electrolux Design Lab is an annual global design competition open to under-graduate and graduate design students worldwide. Established in 2003, the com-petition is encouraging and facilitating young designers in the pursuit of innova-tive home appliance design.

hoNEywEll DoNatES fIrSt rESpoNDEr

GEar for SupErStorm SaNDy rElIEf

Honeywell is donating more than $600,000 in first re-sponder products to aid in relief and recovery efforts in areas devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

It will donate more than 19,000 personal protective prod-ucts including protective footwear, gloves, hoods and hel-mets, designed to weather the most arduous conditions first responders face every day. The protective gear will be distrib-uted via the Nassau County Office of Emergency Manage-ment in Long Island, New York, to first responder teams in affected areas in New York and New Jersey.

Honeywell employees help load a shipment of first responder gear to aid in Hurricane Sandy response. “As the world’s leading provider of personal protective equipment, we are deeply committed to worker safety and to helping those on the front lines of rescue and recovery efforts remain safe,” says Honeywell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dave Cote. “Honeywell employees work and live in these communities, these are our own hometowns and we feel a sense of responsibility to support the first responders there.”

®©

Amazing what a little tape can do!

Cut time!

Cut parts!

ttle taptttllttttllee tataappe can do!d !ppe ccaannn ddodoo!

Cut waste!

For every kind of efficiency, from enhanced design to trouble-free process improvements to increased production, tesa tapes are the products of choice for many appliance OEMs and suppliers. And it's easy to see why...

Cut timeWhen it comes to efficiency, look no further than tesa tape. Our robust line of tapes for temporarily holding appliance parts from assembly to delivery are quickly and easily applied in line, and remove just as easily at time of installation.

Cut partstesa high-performance bonding tapes, including the all-new tesa® ACXplus product line, provide permanent holding power to replace messy glues, screws, rivets, and labor-intensive welding.

Cut wastetesa surface protection tapes protect appliances from unwanted scratches and abrasions that result in damaged goods during assembly and transport.

Start cutting now...Call 1-888-979-7206

Now serving the following appliances:

PPRROOODDUUCCCEEDD BBYY

SSSIILLVVEERR SSSPPOOONNSSSOOORR

Rosemont, ILASSEMBLY magazine is proud to launch The ASSEMBLY SHOW

taking place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in

Rosemont, IL. Plan now to attend this premier trade show exclusive

to assembly technology, equipment and products in October 2013!

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!


DESIGN CONCEPTS & TRENDS

The design process

always has been critical,

but today it takes more

hours of research,

observation and hard

work.

Not too long ago, our product development process consisted of designers and engineers study-

ing trends, sketching designs, developing mock-ups and assembling focus groups, and made adjustments to prototypes as needed. We thought we were being pretty progressive. We assumed, with confidence that we were getting inside the consumer’s head at every turn.

That was then. Today’s consumers made that process

outdated. They want the latest features and functionality, but without complicating the design or increasing the price tag. They expect features they’ll use every day, but at the same time they want to be delighted by features they may never have imagined. Ask, and they will share how they would have designed our appliances differently, maybe even better.

So, that got us thinking. Under a model that has completely turned product devel-opment on its head, we at GE are assuming a lot less, and asking a lot more. We’ve even put a new demanding boss in charge of our industrial design group, and she’s a tough critic. Her name? The consumer.

Proactive Interfacing Today, we still follow trends and

embrace technology. That always will be an important part of our jobs as designers; but we assume nothing from the start. We don’t compile sketches or mock-ups and ask consumers to respond to them upfront anymore. Instead, we insert consumers into the design process, ask and observe what they want and literally have them design their ideal appliances – before we ever put pen to paper.

Our 360-degree proactive approach consists of three layers:Participatory research,In-depth observation andExtensive testing.

Participatory ResearchWhen we say we’re having consumers

participate in design, we don’t just mean in focus groups. We have consumers quite literally design their ideal appliances using foam core, paper, scissors and glue.

For instance, we present a shell of a refrigerator and then have them create their “ideal interior” by designing, through mock-ups and 3D designs, their own

by lou lenzi

Lou Lenzi is the design director at GE Appliances where he is responsible for leading product design for the business.

Consumer-Centered APPLIANCE DESIGN

Consumer-Centered Consumer-Centered Time for

RENEW NOW!

FREE!Renew now atapplianceDESIGN.com/digital

GET ANOTHER YEAR



shelves, door storage and other compo-nents. We then have them place these ele-ments where they’d use them to allow us to really understand and visualize their needs.

We’ve installed the latest rapid proto-typing machines in our studio that can translate drawings into mock-ups quickly, so when the consumer has an inspired moment about the shape of a shelf or the curve of a handle, we can have a mock-up created within minutes for the consumer to try.

This type of research comes early – sometimes years before a product will be seen at retail – and often. We never leave a product feature at its first, second or even 22nd pass. We work with the consumer to design and re-design product features under the direction of a new consumer insights team. This team records learnings, analyzes findings and then shares them with designers to translate into mock-ups, prototypes and software concepts for review by the business.

Excessive ObservationIn addition to participatory research,

observation is a critical part of product development. We’ll pretty much move in with a consumer if it helps us come up with a winning design. Designers meticu-lously observe families in their homes to understand how appliances can make their habits and routines easier.

When we set out to design our French door refrigerators, for instance, we paid close attention to how consumers use their on-door water dispensers. What we found surprised us. We knew they’d be filling water glasses and mugs, but we also observed them attempting (and strug-gling) to fill sports bottles and pitchers much larger than a 12-ounce tumbler. In an era where we’ve become accustomed to instant gratification, we also found them impatient with the time it took to fill these vessels.

Multitasking was prevalent across the board.

We saw consumers unloading the dish-washer while toasting a bagel or check-ing emails while boiling water. Waiting for pitchers to fill was not acceptable. The result of these observations is a hands-free autofill feature that will fill virtually any-sized vessel while the consumer walks away; the feature can handle most anything from a large water pitcher to a coffee pot to a dog dish. A pull-out tray positions larger containers underneath the dispenser.

We also were amazed at how many con-diments most consumers store. Of those we observed, condiments accounted for nearly a quarter of the total food items in the fridge, but everyone stored those items in a different way. Some consumers want-ed an egg shelf on the door; but for oth-ers, the egg shelf area was wasted space – sometimes they had eggs, sometimes they didn’t. Our resulting design incorporates adjustable shelves that can move based on needs, as well as a drop-down egg shelf, so consumers can store eggs or push the shelf up and use the space in a different way.

Similarly, when designing new dish-washers, we saw consumers washing a lot of partial loads and, in some cases, very meticulously rinsing dishes before plac-ing them in the dishwasher. So new mod-els will wash top racks or bottom racks

independent of one another and will apply steam in a pre-wash no matter what the load size to virtually eliminate that pre-dishwasher rinse. We also saw consumers really digging for their silverware baskets, so our dishwasher flex baskets attach to the outside of each dishwasher rack and can be used on either the top or bottom.

In addition to observing consumers in their own homes, GE teams also complete extensive in-store shopping studies where they accompany shoppers as they search for new options, see what influences them, observe where they struggle in the experi-ence and more fully understand the pur-chasing process overall.

Psychological TestingAfter observing and involving consum-

ers in participatory design, we move to

It takes research, consumer involvement, solid listening and observation for appliance designers to hit the mark when it comes to buyer needs as well as meeting their perceptions.



testing. We may have the best engineers, designers and developers on staff, but we are also aware that there is a bit of psychol-ogy behind product use and purchases. To this end, we’ve employed a cognitive psychologist to help our engineers apply what we know about human cognition to the product design process, a role that is very important during our product-testing stage.

Much of our product testing takes place at our human-factors lab – Studio U – at our Appliance Park headquarters. The pur-pose of Studio U is to investigate issues of consumer use and perception related to the design and engineering of our prod-ucts. The “U” stands for usability, uni-versal design, understanding and “you” -- the consumer. The mission is to improve design elements and operations by obtain-ing consumer feedback and applying it directly to the product’s design – early in the process.

Studio U focuses on testing the usability of controls, ergonomics, consumers’ per-ceived quality of “fit and feel,” competitive benchmarking and normalized behavior. When testing usability, our teams have consumers use products on a task-by-task basis while thinking aloud about how they are problem solving. On other occasions, we look at how design impacts normalized behavior and perceived quality.

In another example, when explor-ing prototypes of new French door water dispensers, consumers informed prod-uct designers that the dispenser “paddle” looked fragile and that they had concerns about children breaking it. As a result, GE redesigned the paddles to sit more snugly against the back wall of the cavity for bet-ter durability.

Comparative studies in design charac-teristics are also conducted. For example, different dishwasher latching mechanisms on GE products may be compared to com-petitive products. This even comes down to details like color, which is why GE’s newest water heater, the GeoSpring, has red accents. During testing, consumers shared that the red would catch their atten-tion at retail over the sea of gray and white typically associated with products in this category.

A Capital InvestmentThe design process always has been

a critical part of our business, but as GE embarks on a $1 billion investment in the development of new appliance products by

2014, design will be crucial to success. Next on our plate is the design of addi-

tional smart technologies to support the connected home. Soon there will be mobile applications that will tell the consumer when the laundry is finished and when the oven is pre-heated and technologies that will allow consumers to turn off appliances while away on vacation and make sure they are up and running by the time the family

returns home.

Consumers may not realize when they

fill their water bottles, load their dishwash-

ers or tap into their appliances remotely

just how many hours of research, observa-

tion and hard work are behind the design;

and we don’t want them to. We just want to

make their lives easier, and if we do, that’s

what we’ll call a success.<



Upgrading PLAMeet Performance

Into one end of the process goes corn. Out the other come pellets, an industrial resin for use in many types of branded semi-

durable goods. Higher performance resins and compounding technology advances will expand the property profile of PLA.

PLA compounds

can create custom

compounds for use

in a wide range of

applications while higher

performance resins and

innovative compounding

will expand its property

profile.

In recent years, the public’s concern over the depletion of the earth’s lim-ited natural resources has increased. An

important solution that has evolved within the heavily fossil fuel dependent plastics manufacturing sector has been the devel-opment of new thermoplastic polymers derived from bio-based, rapidly renewable resources. During a relatively short period of time, biopolymers have made inroads to replace petroleum-based plastics in a range of applications.

Commercial penetration for unmodified bioplastics has been largely limited to pack-aging and commodity applications due to performance limitations. Leading plastics compounders have been successful in using property enhancing additives to impart higher performance into biopolymers that allow them to be used for more demanding semi-durable engineered applications in a

range of industries including the appliance market.

Among the obtainable performance improvements are greater impact resistance, higher strength, and better thermal capabil-ities along with value added features such as halogen-free flame retardance and perma-nent static control.

The emergence of these new biopolymer compounds can help processors and OEMs meet their corporate sustainability goals and the growing consumer demand for products that have a lower environmental impact.

What Are Bioplastics?To fully grasp the development and use

of these unique bio-based plastics, it’s important to have a firm understanding of the industry’s terms and definitions. Bioplastics are a form of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources such as corn, wheat, sugar cane, and sugar beets, unlike traditional plastics which are derived from petroleum products.

Since bioplastics are not derived from limited fossil fuel resources, they are consid-ered an environmentally friendly alternative to plastics derived from petroleum. The production of bioplastics typically results in lower CO2 gas emissions and uses less ener-gy compared to traditional plastics resulting in reduced environmental impact.

“Bioplastics” is a commonly used catchall term and can encompass many types of bio-based plastics, often con-taining blends of both renewable and fossil-fuel based carbon materials. The renewable carbon content is referred to as

“bio-content” and the percentage of bio-content varies widely.

Commercially available bio-based

by will taber

Will Taber is business manager – emerging technologies for RTP Co., a compounder of custom engineered thermoplastics, based in Winona, Minn. He has more than 20 years of experience in the plastics industry. He can be reached at (816) 591-7181 or [email protected].



PLA Bioplastic to Performance Demands



polyester type resins include polylac-tic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) such as PHB and PHV and poly-trimethylene terephthalate (PTT). PLA and PHA contain 100 percent bio-content while PTT has 37 percent. In the polyam-ide family of plastics, nylon 11 (PA) is 100 percent bio-based and nylon 6/10 (PA) is 62 percent.

PLA Offers Commercial Opportunities

Among these new biopolymers, PLA, 100 percent bio-based polyester, has gained the most attention because it is widely available in commercial-scale quantities and at relatively low cost.

From an environmental standpoint, the manufacture of PLA produces 60 percent less greenhouse gases and uses 50 percent less non-renewable energy than tradition-al polymers like polyethylene terephthal-ate (PET) and polystyrene (PS), accord-ing to NatureWorks LLC of Minnetonka, Minn., a major producer of PLA resin.

Materials produced using renewable content, like PLA, are also valued by industry certification agencies such as LEED, EPEAT, BIMFA and the USDA’s BioPreferred label, which can help increase a product’s marketability.

The potential commercial opportuni-ties for unmodified PLA polymer, howev-er, have largely been limited to commod-ity applications such as clamshell packag-ing, disposable utensils, grocery bags and disposable water bottles due to inherent low mechanical properties.

For PLA to take the next step into semi-durable applications, its properties must be improved to put it on par with petro-leum-based polymers including high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate/ABS alloys (PC/ABS), nylons (PA) and polybutylene tere-phthalate (PBT).

Leading thermoplastic compound-ers have invested considerable resources to develop methods of upgrading PLA’s properties to engineering level perfor-mance by using the process of melt com-pounding, which mixes molten resin with additives, modifiers, reinforcements or other polymers to modify select charac-teristics.

While PLA displays inherently low mechanical properties in terms of impact resistance, strength, stiffness and heat deflection temperature (HDT), it can be up-engineered by compounders due to its favorable economics, ample supply, and ease of modification via compounding.

A limiting characteristic of PLA is that it does share the hydrolytic stability prop-erties that are inherent to all polyesters, making these resins best suited for indoor applications, like many appliances, where the environment (temperature and humidity) is better controlled.

Melt Compounding Raises PLA Impact Resistance

Various polymer technologies allow PLA to overcome its deficiencies and permit this biopolymer to be considered for more semi-durable uses. In the resin production stage, upstream reactor tech-

nology to produce purer monomers will result in polymers with a higher melting point and greater crystallinity.

Advancements are also made possible by melt compounding PLA with other polymers and additives. PLA can be suc-cessfully compounded with impact modi-fiers to dramatically improve toughness to match that of HIPS, ABS and PC/ABS alloys.

Compounds are commercially avail-able where adding 5 percent of a compat-ible impact modifier to PLA produces a bio-based compound that has approxi-mately 95 percent renewable resource content and offers impact performance similar to popular HIPS products which are used in many semi-durable applica-tions. Similarly, incorporating 10 per-cent impact modifier with PLA results in a compound that has impact perfor-mance comparable to popular ABS grades but with roughly 90 percent renewable resource content. Further, increasing the impact modifier to 15 percent produces a compound with greater than 80 per-cent renewable resource content that has impact performance similar to PC/ABS alloy, one of industry’s leading impact-resistant petroleum-based materials.

PLA can also be compounded with



mineral reinforcements and impact mod-ifiers to produce a material with the over-all performance of ABS, which, due to its engineering level performance, has been the material of choice in many demand-ing appliance applications.

Upgrading PLA Thermal Performance

PLA can also be alloyed with other polymers to improve properties includ-ing both impact resistance and thermal performance. With an HDT @ 66 psi of 125 °F, a component manufactured from unmodified PLA could possibly have dif-ficulty surviving shipment in a semi-trail-er truck across hot southern U.S. climates in mid-summer. In order to allow PLA to be confidently used in semi-durable applications, its thermal capabilities must be improved.

Product development work by com-pounder RTP Company, for example, has shown that PLA can also be alloyed via compounding with several tradition-al polymers including PC, ABS, acrylic (PMMA) and polyethylene (PE) to pro-duce polymer blends that have unique

performance.A PC/PLA alloy has appliance market

potential for its significant performance. This blend offers performance similar to the versatile PC/ABS alloy in strength, impact resistance and HDT.

One of the reasons that PLA has such a low HDT is that the polymer, in its unmodified form, achieves very low lev-els of crystallinity during the course of a typical injection molding cycle and can be considered an amorphous polymer. To

overcome this, nucleating packages have been developed that can be compounded into the polymer to speed up the rate and degree of crystallization during the injec-tion molding process.

Using nucleators the HDT of PLA can be increased from 125 °F to 195 °F, comparing favorably to HIPS, ABS and PMMA. A nucleation package typically consists of a nucleating agent, such as a fine mineral or salt, which provides a site on which crystal growth can initiate.



Engineering Adds Strength to PLA

Incorporating glass fiber reinforcement is another important method to over-come the shortcomings of unmodified PLA by increasing its strength and stiff-ness with 10 percent to 40 percent load-ings of chopped glass fiber.

Bio-based PLA’s performance, through compounding with glass fiber, can be raised to levels that fall predominantly between that of glass fiber reinforced PP and glass fiber reinforced PBT. A 30 per-cent glass fiber reinforced PLA compound features a tensile strength of 16,500 psi, a flexural modulus of 1,630,000 psi, and HDT @ 66 psi of 320 °F.

Testing has clearly demonstrated that PLA can be up-engineered to compete as a “drop-in” alternative to some of the most popular glass fiber reinforced ther-moplastics in use today while still provid-ing its bio-content benefits. Raw mate-rial costs for glass fiber reinforced PLA also fall between that of the glass fiber

reinforced PP and that of glass fiber rein-forced PBT.

PLA compounds can be easily pro-cessed in existing tools and equipment and its colorability plus resin-rich surface finish allow for its use in many types of branded semi-durable goods.

For the appliance industry, PLA com-pounds can be used to create custom compounds for use in a wide range of applications including housings, bezels,

brackets, handles, knobs, buttons and

lenses.

As more demanding application oppor-

tunities for bioplastics present themselves,

higher performance resins and innovative

compounding technology will be used to

expand the property profile of PLA and

other plastics produced from renewable

resources to meet industry’s performance

requirements. <

physical and thermal strength, electrical stability

©2012 CoorsTek, Inc. L0112 8510-1797 REV.B

[email protected]

High-Performance Ceramic Igniters

available in gas appliances of every description and virtually every voltage

easy handling, simple installation, dependable performance

+1.603.249.7532 Tel+1.603.672.3116 Fax



DFMA and the concept

of reducing total part

count will naturally

spread across the

organization saving time,

money, materials and

headaches.

An important part of being an engi-neer is the ability to design products such that they can be manufactured

economically with existing technologies in an environmentally conscious way.

Many engineers are probably famil-iar with the terms DFM (Design for Manufacturing) or Design for Assembly (DFA).

DFA is a technique to minimize the total cost of the product by reducing total part count, assembly time and the complexity of the assembly process. DFM is a technique to minimize part cost though choosing the best manufacturing process, the optimal material and the best tool for making the product.

One of the recent trends in the design world has been to combine these two techniques (DFM and DFA) to design for both ease of manufacturing and for ease of assembly. The resulting concept, called Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, or DFMA, is increasingly becoming the method by which products are designed.

DFMA can be used throughout the entire product development lifecycle from concept selection to design tracking, cost estimating and product benchmarking.

As an example, a cash register OEM rede-signed one of their main products using the DMFA technique and was able to obtain an 85 percent part count reduction, a 75 percent reduction in assembly time, a 44 percent reduction in labor cost, 65 per-cent fewer suppliers, reduce the need for all assembly tooling and fasteners, save $1.1 million in product lifetime labor and free up 33 percent of the floor space dedicated to manufacturing.

Whole Product AnalysisDesign for Manufacturing and Assembly

(DFMA) focuses on the analysis of whole products as well as their constituent parts and subassemblies. If a significant por-tion of a product’s final cost comes from materials, it is reasonable to assume that the fastest way to reduce cost would be to eliminate parts/subassemblies. Boothroyd and Dewhurst, the pioneers in the DFMA process, developed the concept of theoreti-cal minimum part count, which serves as a goal for the product designer to achieve, yielding a design with the fewest part/sub-assemblies possible.

To determine if a part is a candidate

by jessica irons

Jessica Irons is master of engineering management and marketing specialist, Sonoco Protective Solutions. Sonoco is a multi-billion dollar global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging and packaging supply chain services with headquarters in Hartsville, S.C. Contact Ms. Irons at (847) 632-9694 or [email protected].

ThINk INSIDE

ThE BOx: DESIGN fOR MANUfACTURING

AND ASSEMBLy

Expanded polypropylene foam serves as a mechanism to assemble the components on the inside of a medical device.



for elimination, a simple set of questions must be answered. One must ask if the part is required to meet the function of the design; if the part is required to move rela-tive to other parts; if the part must be made of a different material than the other parts; and if the part is necessary for the service or disassembly of the product. If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions in regards to the part in question, then the part may be required. If the answer to all of these questions is “no” then the part is a good candidate for elimination. The exercise of how to design the product to hit the theoretical minimum part count is left to the imagination and creativity of the design team.

Reducing the part count is a key benefit of utilizing DFMA.

Part count touches every department in an organization from engineering to sourcing, manufacturing, purchasing and sales to marketing, quality and customer service. Reducing the total part count has the obvious benefit of fewer SKUs to track and fewer raw materials used; but it has several hidden benefits as well. Reduced part count leads to fewer drawings to keep straight, fewer tolerance issues, fewer assembly stations/equipment (and thus less assembly labor required), fewer tools,

jigs, fixtures, etc., necessary and a simpler supply chain overall.

Identifying Parts for Elimination

Typical candidates for elimination include any of the brackets, fasteners and sheet metal trays whose only purpose is to hold together all the parts and subassem-blies that need to be interconnected so that the product will function. As such, these parts are the ones most often highlighted for elimination when the theoretical mini-mum part count questions are asked. One way to reduce the total number of screws, fasteners, etc., is to employ a different method to house the internal components such as by using an internal chassis made from expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam.

The resiliency of the EPP foam allows internal components such as printed cir-cuit boards, fans and power supplies to be held in place using a friction fit; no other attachments are necessary. The compo-nents are simply slid or snapped into place and then held in place by the foam. As a result, any of the screws, fasteners and brackets that do nothing more than hold the components in place can be eliminated, right in line with the principles of DFMA.

One method of replacing the internal

structure of a device with EPP is to use a sandwich approach with top and bot-tom EPP pieces that lock the components between them. Instead of attaching a muf-fin fan or circuit board to a wall or chas-sis with screws, EPP can be used such that the components are snapped into place in the bottom piece of foam, and then the top piece of foam is placed over the com-ponents in a “sandwich” fashion. This not only eliminates fasteners and brackets, but it can also help to dampen vibration and/or noise created by the fan.

Quicker Snap fittingDuring assembly, snap fitting various

components into the foam is much quicker than taking the time to assemble using four screws (or more) to attach a component to the chassis. Using the foam sandwich method will result in a significant labor time savings – in some cases upwards of 50 percent labor savings has been achieved – as well as eliminate the need for addi-tional assembly tools such as a screwdriver. Additionally, when a technician needs to go in to service the unit and replace or repair certain components, being able to remove and replace components quickly will make repairs much more efficient. Finally, with this snap fit feature, removing and separat-ing components for disassembly and recy-cling at end of product life is much easier.

In addition to resiliency, the material properties of EPP are such that a foam chassis structure can be very strong and rigid. Because of this, the outer housing on a device can be made with a thinner gauge material, and, in some cases, be eliminated completely, leaving the foam as the internal protection, support and outer housing. In the case of the hot water heater application shown, the foam acts as the internal sup-port and the external housing as well as protects the unit during shipment. In the case where the external housing must have a particular texture or surface finish, the foam can have a variety of textures molded into it in order to achieve the desired look on the finished product.

One unique benefit of EPP is the ability to mold different types of channels into the part. Channels are helpful for use in rout-ing tubes, wires or even directing air flow. Small crush ribs, molded into the sides of the channels allow the wire or tubing to be snapped into place and held there without the need for any additional attachments. In the case of a channel for air flow, the channel can be designed and molded such

This water pump uses expanded polypropylene as both protection during shipment as well as insulation upon install.



that air is directed away from the compo-nents and out to the heat sink. By directing the airflow within the chassis to precisely where it is needed, smaller fans can be used which often results a quieter and more energy efficient design.

In one application, a medical device has an external heat sink with the foam on the inside directing airflow in all the right places; the outer housing of the device itself actually acts as a heat sink.

Shortening Design Process, Too

DFMA can shorten the design process by as much as 40 percent and though more time is spent upfront on the initial con-cept design phase, less time will be spent later in the project on design changes and documentation. Using EPP to create the inner chassis of a product can also reduce the design and prototyping time because prototypes can be made without the need for any special prototype tooling.

Once the initial design has been complet-ed, a preliminary prototype can be produced using a CNC mill. The designer creates the design using a 3D CAD modeling program, and then programs the CNC machine to cut a billet of the EPP material. The prototype can be tested by assembling the components in place and, if modifications are necessarily, the engineer can use a razor knife to make the necessary adjustments. The improve-ments are then added to the CAD model and the next iteration of the prototype can quickly be made on the CNC mill.

An inner chassis made from EPP gives product designers more flexibility in their designs because they have more freedom in how the internal chassis is designed relative to the outer sheet metal or plas-tic housing. Designers no longer have to worry about how the components will attach to that structure, and only need to worry about designing the foam to fit into the outer housing and allow for other components to snap fit into place. In some cases, they may even be able to eliminate the outer housing all together. In the case where the outer housing can’t be replaced, designers are given the freedom to change the inside of the device without changing the outer housing.

A Touch of CreativityEPP can be molded into extremely com-

plex shapes and thus allows a lot of room for designer creativity. However, since the use of EPP foam as an internal component

of appliances and devices is a relatively new concept in the United States, often the most difficult part is teaching design-ers to literally think about designing their products in a completely new way. That is where DFMA comes in.

Teaching a designer about DFMA and the concept of reducing total part count will help him or her to start thinking in new ways. This in turn can help think about reducing as many parts as pos-

sible and make the concept of using EPP as an inner chassis much more feasible. Designers can then take that knowledge and share it with fellow engineers to help expand the concept beyond their project team or work group.

Once the idea is planted, it will spread across the organization saving time, mon-ey, materials and headaches. Start thinking inside the box – by literally replacing the insides of said box with foam. <


DISPLAYS & INTERFACES

by john kaverman

John Kaverman is founder and president of Pad Print Pros, LLC, an independent

sales and consulting firm specializing in pad printing and digital thermal transfer marking.

Kaverman, who holds a degree in printing technologies, has nearly 25 years of pad and

screen printing industry experience. Contact: [email protected] or online at www.

padprintpros.com.

Appliance manufacturers are con-stantly looking for ways to design and manufacture their products so

as to differentiate them from the competi-tion. One of the most influential trends has been the dramatic change in the design of control panels used on newer appliances such as washing machines, dryers and dish-washers.

In the past, appliance panels were typi-cally flat.

But in recent years, designers have gone to great lengths to incorporate more attractive curved surfaces into their panels with the aim of differentiating their prod-ucts from those of competitors. To make matters more interesting, new panels often feature an assortment of multicolor graph-ics across their surfaces, and the panels may be as wide as the appliances on which they are mounted.

When curved and contoured pan-els emerged in Europe, the only available options for decorating them were to use in-mold decorating technology or turn to con-ventional pad-printing equipment. Neither option is ideal, especially considering that the same panel might be used on products sold in a dozen different countries with a dozen different language requirements, or under

several different brand names, with and without specific options. For the decorator, this means the order isn’t really a single proj-ect, but a collection of short-run jobs.

Adding to the difficulty is the fact that many appliance OEMs demand just-in-time manufacturing on their orders. Under these circumstances, the make-ready required for in-mold decorating and the frequent press changeovers necessary with conventional pad-printing equipment simply aren’t practical.

More FlexibilityBut with the latest generation of pad-

printing machinery, it is no longer necessary to perform multiple setups, use multiple machines or rely on inaccurate conveyors to move large-format parts through a mul-ticolor pad-printing line. Today, pad presses are available that can print the entire length of large panels with as many as ten print-ing operations per cycle, with production rates of several hundred parts per hour. The secret behind this new level of performance is found in the stepper motor and the digital systems that drive it.

Since their inception in the mid-1980s, stepper motors have revolutionized the pad-printing industry in Europe. In basic terms, a stepper motor is a digitally con-

The technical evolution

of pad printing, thanks to

advances in many areas,

has gained by stepper

motors that add even

more capability.

NEW APPLIANCE PANEL DECORATING SOLUTIONS

Among influential trends, there is the dramatic change in the design of control panels used on

dryers as well as other appliances.



trolled electric motor that doesn’t rotate continuously (like a servo motor), but moves in small increments or steps of a pre-determined distance (measured in degrees).

A stepper motor can be programmed to travel specific distances at specific speeds. When applied to pad printing, stepper-motor technology allows the machines to precisely control the position (linear or rotational) and motion (speed, direction, delays, etc.) of parts along multiple inde-pendent axes.

In one example, the operator loads from the far left side of the linear indexer, so the part travels right/left along the Y axis via a linear indexer and in the R axis (rotation)

via a rotary table, while the pads travel in/out along the X axis, and up/down along the Z axis. On such machines, the accuracy of the image placement in each axis can be +-0.05mm.

Before stepper motors, pad printing presses were either driven with simple pneumatic cylinders or electro-mechanical methods. Older presses might employ a mechanical stop or a limit switch, but they couldn’t move that stop or switch during a print run to vary the distance the machine moved in any particular direction. With a stepper motor, however, the operator can select the exact distances he or she needs the print head and part to travel in each axis

and vary these distances over the course of the print run if necessary.

Additionally, with stepper motors, you can program in delays in each axis of motion, a necessity for obtaining maximum print quality in pad printing.

Another, much slower solution for pad printing appliance panels is to pick up and then print one image at a time, using a mul-tiple-axis robot. In this scenario the trans-fer pad essentially acts like “end of arm” tooling, with the cycle time being anywhere from two to three times as long.

Benefits of Stepper Motor Technology

The programmability of stepper motor driven machines means better process control, and, in many multicolor indus-trial applications, a faster and less expensive alternative to in-mold decorating.

Earlier this year the author was involved in a Whirlpool project that required six dif-ferent versions each of washer and dryer control panels to be pad printed with six or seven operations each. Two different molding companies were tasked with mold-ing, pad printing and assembling over 1.4 million units annually. Instead of decorat-ing with in-mold labels, Whirlpool elected to pad print directly, saving an average of about 60 percent on decorating costs, which was equivalent to about 26 percent of the total part cost including material, molding, decorating and assembly.

The switch to pad printing also enabled the molders to “print to order” all of the various versions of panels and graphics using only two large, stepper motor driven, pad printing systems from TOSH.

Other Benefits of Stepper-motor Driven Pad Printing Systems

Besides supporting a broad range of part-conveyance accessories and motion sequences, pad presses driven with stepper motors also allow users to employ combina-tions of varying ink cup diameters, and the corresponding cliché dimensions, in a single setup. The first image might be very small, requiring only a 90mm (diameter) ink cup, whereas another image in the sequence may be 115, 130, 160mm (or even larger) ink cup. This feature minimizes costs for ink and additives, and in some cases, reduces cycle times by shortening doctoring stroke distances.

What about registration?Most stepper-motor pad-printing

machines come with prepress equipment

A stepper motor can be programmed to travel specific distances at specific speeds. When applied to pad printing, stepper-motor technology allows the machines to precisely control the position and motion of parts along multiple independent axes.



specifically designed to “preregister” films to clichés before they are exposed with the image. Typically, polymer clichés are used that are pre-punched with holes that corre-spond to pin-registration systems. The films are then aligned and punched with registra-tion holes so that they align precisely where they’re needed on the clichés. The machine components driven by stepper motors gener-ally maintain tolerances of ± 0.01 mm.

To reduce changeover times, presses like the one pictured have one large cliché plat-form that can accommodate all of the clichés and ink cups on a pin registered system. The beauty of this is that all of the clichés and ink cups can be removed at once, as a set. By having spare cliché platforms and accessories available, changeover times of 10-15 minutes can be obtained, even for applications that involve as many as ten printing operations.

Labor reduction is a key justification for adopting stepper-driven pad presses. These labor savings are realized primarily by inter-facing the machines with other elements of an automated production line. Because they are stepper-motor driven, the pad presses can be easily connected with the program-mable logic controllers and computers that drive other systems, creating an integrated

It is no longer necessary to perform multiple setups, use multiple machines or rely on inaccurate conveyors to move large-format parts through a multicolor pad-printing line.

Connections like these cannot be made at your desk!

by Uby UBM CBM Canonanonubmcubmcanonanonevenevents cts.comom

Industry Peers

New Technologies

Thought Leaders

Ideas and Inspiration

February 12–14, 2013Anaheim Convention Center

Anaheim, CA

2407

7_W

_7

13PDRegister today at:

PacDesignShow.comPlease use Promo code: AB

Meet face-to-face with industry professionals and fi nd networking opportunities you won’t get in the offi ce.

CUT theCORDand connect live!

Featuring:



manufacturing system that be controlled through one operator interface.

Stepper-motor technology also allows machines and part-conveying accessories to be easily integrated with non-print-related automation. Picture a part-handling robot and a stepper pad-printing system config-ured with a plastic-molding machine. When the mold opens, the robot rapidly removes two bezels that were just formed, placing the parts, one at a time, on a rotary table. The table indexes to print the first bezel, then again to print the second. While the second is being printed, the first is being dried with a hot-air dryer that is also integrated with the system. As the parts leave the dryer, the robot picks them up and deposits them in a package, which is sealed and whisked off by a conveyor to the shipping department. By eliminating several material handling steps, several machines working together can mold, convey, print, dry, assemble and pack more bezels than a team of human workers using conventional production methods.

The Future is NowOrchestrated by the programmable logic

system, the motions of a stepper-motor

press are fantastic to see, and the speed at which complex printing jobs can be pro-cessed becomes instantly apparent. This author’s first exposure to this technology occurred at a trade show in Milan, Italy, a dozen years ago, watching in fascination as a stepper-driven pad press printed toy train cars on five sides using a combination of different part conveying accessories. While clearly built for industrial applications, the solution was so elegant that it was like watching a pad printing ballet.

The technical evolution of pad printing from a labor-intensive specialty printing process to an automated industrial deco-ration method has been made possible by advances in many areas, from computer-based filmmaking and photopolymer cli-chés to self-regulating inking systems and digital controls. The introduction of pad presses driven by stepper motors adds even more capability to a process already sought out for its versatility. With this technology, industrial printers can provide an efficient and accurate decorating method that sup-ports both high-volume, high-speed pro-duction and short-run, just-in-time appli-

cations.

Orchestrated by programmable logic, the motions of a stepper-motor press are fantastic to see, and the speed at which complex printing jobs can be processed becomes instantly apparent, points out John Kaverman, founder and president of Pad Print Pros.

With LCR, you don’t have to settle for components that almost meet your specs. Because at LCR, we specialize in tailoring our extensive product lines to your most demanding requirements. We offerUL, CSA, VDE and RoHS compliant products for applications ranging from appliances and portabletools to sophisticated industrial and electronic equipment. From off-the-shelf to totally customized, we routinely make ours yours. Exactly! Call or visit our website for more details.

Electronic Controls Temperature Cycle Time Power Lighting Liquid Level Product Functions

Motor Controls Brushless Brush/Universal Split Phase (PSC) AC Induction Shaded Pole Stepper

EMI/RFI Filters Power Line Appliance Power Entry MRI/Shielded Room Suppression Components

9 South Forest Avenue Norristown, PA 19401 (800) 527-4362 sales email: [email protected]

www.lcr-inc.com


ELECTRONICS

Sooner or later, smarter

appliances will connect into

HANs. Anticipating which is

the tricky part.

Home appliances will sooner or later be part of a home area net-work (HAN), which may also con-

nect with the appliance manufacturer and/or service technician, probably through a broadband connection.

No doubt, new subscription-based home energy management and automa-tion offerings are rapidly transforming the way homeowners will monitor, secure and control their homes and what is in them, according to a recent report from ABI Research, Oyster Bay, N.Y.

“I agree,” says John Stiernberg of Stiernberg Consulting, Sherman Oaks, Calif. “Transformation of how homeown-ers interact with their home, appliances and electronics is going from where it was to where it will be at an accelerated rate. There was the Smart House in 1984, I think. Until 2004, there was a low degree of change.” Then high speed Internet buzzed in.

So such networking will connect together and enable communications among sys-tems, devices and appliances inside and around homes as well as connect to outside broadband, utility and fiber to the home solutions.

In the late summer of 2012, Lowe’s, the second largest home improvement retailer

in the world and a significant seller of home appliances, had its sales associates stock its version of a home automation system and accessories after a ten store pilot.

It’s squarely aimed at mass market; but don’t think Kevin Meagher, Lowe’s vice president of smart home in Mooresville, N.C., believes his Iris products will jump off the shelves just yet. Most shoppers will instead still head to paint, ladders and asphalt crack repair products at the home improvement stores. But Lowe’s is educat-ing homeowners, just as Best Buy does, about connecting all devices and appliances in the home to some type of management and control platform as well as, to a lesser degree, each other.

One big challenge, though, is that there are myriad means of communications. There is no one home area network that connects everything and everyone together. Utility to Home Energy ManagementHome to Homeowner’s Standalone

Energy ManagementHome to Appliance Maker, Service

TechnicianAppliances to each other through HANHome Security: Intrusion, Fire, VideoHome AutomationEntertainment

by bill zalud

Bill Zalud, contributing writer, is a long-time editor and writer in the fields of home

area networking, smart appliances and home automation.

HOME AREA NETWORKS: WHICH PATH TO TAKE?

Home View, a new application for ADT’s interactive smart home product, ADT Pulse, allows a homeowner to map a virtual floor plan and then remotely monitor

and interact with smart appliances and devices via any Web-enabled PC, iPhone or iPad.


ELECTRONICS

Information ServicesHome Healthcare,

Medical Devices, Aging in PlaceSo it is not surpris-

ing that there are diverse approaches, wiring, proto-cols, proprietary and open standards when it comes to home area network-ing. Still, it is obvious that the smart grid, intelligent appliances, the Internet and a growing attraction by homeowners to receive information and control things through mobile devices are all influencing the future. Here are some thumbnails of existing and emerging approaches, which may be of interest to appliance designers and engineers.

ZigBeeZigBee is a specification

for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2003 stan-dard for low rate wireless personal area net-works (PAN), such as wireless light switches with lamps, electrical meters with in-home-displays, consumer electronics equipment via short-range radio needing low rates of data transfer. The ZigBee Alliance is an open, non-profit association of members comprised of businesses, universities and government agencies. At zigbee.org.

Z-WaveZ-Wave is a proprietary (from Sigma

Designs) wireless communications protocol for home automation, specifically to remote control applications in residential and light commercial environments. The technol-ogy uses a low power RF radio embedded or retrofitted into home electronics devices and systems, such as lighting, home access control, entertainment systems and house-hold appliances. The Z-Wave Alliance is an international consortium of manufactur-ers. At z-wavealliance.org.

OpenADRAimed at energy management, demand

response is a set of actions taken to reduce load when electric grid contingencies

threaten supply-demand balance or mar-ket conditions occur that raise electricity costs. Automated demand response (ADR) consists of fully automated signaling from a utility, electrical independent system opera-tors and regional transmission organiza-tions (ISO/RTO) or another appropriate entity to provide automated connectivity to customer end-use control systems and strategies. OpenADR provides a foundation for interoperable information exchange to facilitate automated demand response. The OpenADR Alliance is comprised of indus-try stakeholders for demand response com-munication protocol. At openadr.org.

OpenHANThe OpenHAN suite of standards for

home area networks and home grids is pro-moted by the OpenAMI (automated meter reading) and UtilityAMI. Both efforts aim to standardize powerline networking inter-operation from a utility point of view and ensure reliable communications co-extant with AC power outlets. Both utilities and vendors of home control have promoted such standards. The OpenHAN label usual-ly denotes standards favored by the utilities and distinguished from the OpenADR stan-

dards that aim to ensure open access to customer electricity use data by service providers. At osgug.ucaiug.org.

HomePlugHomePlug is a broad name for

various powerline communications standards that support networking over existing home electrical wiring. Several different standards fall under the HomePlug umbrella. Some target broadband applications such as in-home distribution of TV, gaming, and Internet content, while others focus on low power and extended operat-ing temperatures for applications such as smart power meters and in-home communications between electric sys-tems and appliances. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance owns the HomePlug trademark. At homeplug.org.

G.hn and HomeGridG.hn is the common name for a home

network technology standard developed under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T) and promoted by the HomeGrid Forum. It supports network-ing over powerlines, phonelines and coax-ial cables with data rates up to 1 Gbit/s. At homegridforum.org.

IPv4 and 6Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), to suc-

ceed IPv4, operates by transferring data in small packets that are independently routed across networks. Each data packet contains two numeric addresses that are the packet’s origin and destination devices. Since 1981, IPv4 has been the publicly used version of the Internet Protocol. IPv6 allows for vastly more numerical addresses, but switching from IPv4 to IPv6 is challenging. 6to4 is an Internet transition mechanism for migrat-ing from IPv4 to IPv6, a system that allows IPv6 packets to be transmitted over an IPv4 network. The IPSO Alliance promotes IP for smart object communications. Smart objects are small computers with a sensor or actuator and a communication device, embedded in objects such as thermometers,

Home energy management is one element of Lowe’s Iris platform but also a key to smart appliances as well as cable and telecom offerings, too.


ELECTRONICS

car engines, light switches, appliances, and machinery for applications such as home automation, building automation, smart cities, structural health management sys-tems, smart grid and energy management. At ipso-alliance.org.

Three-tier IP GatewaysThere is architecture for internetworking

between home automation networks and a TCP/IP based wide area network, such as the Internet. The architecture abstracts the functionality of any home network into a driver layer (tier one), and provides a com-mon access layer (tier two) from any TCP/IP network application (tier three) to a local home automation network. Clients and application programs may transparently access services and resources on the home network and appliances connected to the home network may access resources and services on the TCP/IP network.

Wi-FiWi-Fi, a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance,

is within enabled devices such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio or video player. They con-

It doesn’t end with delivery. Some retailers as well as cable and telecom firms aim are connecting into home appliances as mass market home systems expand.

www.apec-conf.orgwww.apec-conf.orgSPONSORED BY

2013March 17–21, 2013

Long Beach Convention CenterLong Beach, CA

THE PREMIER

GLOBAL EVENT

IN POWER

ELECTRONICSTM

THE PREMIER

GLOBAL EVENT

IN POWER

ELECTRONICSTM

Visit the APEC 2013 web site for the latest information!


ELECTRONICS

nect to the Internet when with-in range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. The alliance has generally enforced its use to describe only a narrow range of connectivity technolo-gies including wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 standards, device to device connectivity such as Wi-Fi Peer to Peer, and a range of technologies that sup-port PANs, local area network (LAN) and even wide area net-work (WAN) connections. At wi-fi.org.

Wi-GigThe Wi-Gig specification

enables high performance wire-less data, display and audio applications that supplement the capabilities of today’s wire-less LAN devices. Wi-Gig tri-band enabled devices, which operate in the 2.4, 5 and 60 GHz bands, deliver data transfer rates up to 7 Gbps, more than 10 times faster than the highest 802.11n rate while maintain-ing compatibility with existing Wi-Fi devices. Additionally, the technology was designed to support a multitude of appli-cations on both low power and high performance devices, including consumer electronics, PCs, handheld devices, stream-ing video and home network-ing equipment. The Wireless Gigabit Alliance adopter mem-bers develop wireless products that use the unlicensed 60 GHz spectrum. At wirelessgigabital-liance.org.

WiMAX and WiMAX Advanced

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a telecommunications protocol that provides fixed and mobile Internet access. The cur-rent WiMAX revision provides up to 40 Mbits with the IEEE 802.16m update expected to offer up to 1 Gbits fixed speeds. The name WiMAX was created by the WiMAX Forum, which describes it as “a standards-based technology enabling the

delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alter-native to cable and DSL.” At wimaxforum.org.

UPnPUniversal plug and play

(UPnP) is a set of networking protocols for primarily residen-tial networks without enterprise class devices that permits net-worked devices, such as person-al computers, printers, Internet gateways, Wi-Fi access points and mobile devices to seamless-ly discover each other’s presence and establish functional net-work services for data sharing, communications, and enter-tainment. It is promoted by the UPnP Forum. At upnp.org.

BluetoothBluetooth is a proprietary

open wireless technology stan-dard for exchanging data over short distances (using short wavelength radio transmis-sions) from fixed and mobile devices, creating PANs with high levels of security. Created by Ericsson, it was originally conceived as a wireless alter-native to RS-232 data cables. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of syn-chronization. It is managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, with member compa-nies in telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics. At blue-tooth.org.

LonWorksLonWorks is a proprietary

networking platform specifical-ly created to address the needs of control applications. The platform is built on a protocol created by Echelon Corporation for networking devices over media such as twisted pair, powerlines, fiber optics, and RF. It automates various functions within buildings such as light-ing and HVAC. Peer-to-peer architecture means there’s no need for a central computer or controller. At lonmark.org.

X10X10 is an international

and open industry standard for communication among electronic devices for home automation. It primarily uses powerline wiring for signaling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts representing digital information. A wireless radio based protocol transport is also defined. X10 was developed by Pico Electronics remote control home devices and appliances.

BACnetBACnet is a communications

protocol for building automa-tion and control networks. It is an ASHRAE, ANSI and ISO standard protocol. It was designed to allow communica-tion of building automation and control systems for applications such as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning control, lighting control, access control,

and fire detection systems and their associated equipment. The protocol provides mechanisms for computerized automation devices to exchange informa-tion, regardless of the particular building service they perform. At bacnetinternational.org.

USNAP AllianceIt promises to provide a

common connector between the communications module and devices including a ther-mostat, energy display, load controller, home appliances, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It enables any home area network standard, now and into the future, to use any vendor’s smart meter as a gate-way into the home, without adding additional hardware. The approach, with a protocol independent serial interface, extends the smart grid to ener-gy aware consumer products. At www.usnap.org.

Low Viscosity Toughened Epoxy

www.masterbond.com

154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA+1.201.343.8983 [email protected]

Withstands rigorous thermal cycling Electrically insulative Excellent for potting Long working life

Two Component EP21FL


MOTORS, FANS & BLOWERS

by hemant kale

Hemant D. Kale, PE, is energy research engineer and inventor of the DEEP coil. For

more information on the technology, prototype samples, test data and commercialization,

contact Kale at Thermorise Inc., (315) 416-0780 or [email protected]

Heat transfer is a universal, per-petual and ever increasing human need. Most of the heat transfer

occurs in the form of absorption or rejection between fluid and air. And, both fluid and air is moved by means of an electric motor. To reduce energy consumption is to reduce motor horse power (hp).

To reduce any motor horse power, the load on the motor needs to be reduced. In HVAC-R products, this load is mostly the resistance in the heat exchanger coil. The blower and fan motor pushes air through fin-tube heat exchanger, called coil, to allow necessary heat exchange. The air encounters considerable resistance due to the presence of tube and fin structure. If this resistance is reduced without loss of heat transfer capacity then it will proportionately reduce the load on the motors pushing the air. The reduced load is reduced motor horse power.

The motor BHP varies per the formula:

where SCFM= standard air volume cfm, sp = static pressure in inches of water column, sp. gr. = specific gravity

Similarly, the refrigerant fluid moves with-in the tubes of the heat exchanger. These tubes are typically 3/8" diameter and include many 1" diameter, 180° turns. These sharp turns pose significant resistance to the refrig-erant movement, which is significant load on the compressor pushing the fluid, which translates in to significantly higher compres-sor motor horse power needs. This resistance is mostly centrifugal force. If these sharp bends are made less sharp, then this resis-tance will reduce. For example, if the diam-eter of the bends is doubled the resistance inside the bend is reduced by half per the for-mula f = mv²/r.

Redesign without Heat Transfer Loss

This article explains how a long, arduous R&D process resulted in a novel reconfigura-tion of the heat exchanger coil which reduces both air resistance and fluid resistance with-out loss of heat transfer capacity and concur-rently reduces OEM cost and addresses many other issues.

Current energy-efficient condensing units use coil design based on high fin density, 1" tube spacing, single row, large face area, short

There are many

benefits when reducing

horse power.

Reduce HVAC-R Fan, Blower, Compressor Motor HP; Save OEM Cost, Energy Consumption


MOTORS, FANS & BLOWERSair path, U-shaped coil. Typically, a three ton unit will use a single row, 12 sq. ft. face area, 24 fins per inch coil. This coil is then bent in to “U” shape and then installed to reduce overall size of the unit. This design is reconfigured to reduce both air and fluid side resistance which will reduce both energy consumption and OEM cost by more than 20 percent concurrently.

In the example used here, the reconfig-

ured coil design uses large tube spacing (4" vs. 1"), multiple rows (11 vs. 1), low fin den-sity (5 vs. 24), long air path pattern (11" vs. 1"). Combined effect of this transformation is reduced air resistance, reduced fluid-side resistance, long air path and long dwell time. The reduced air resistance comes from com-bined effect of large tube spacing and low fin density, despite mind numbing higher (11) tube rows. The reduced fluid side resistance

comes from never-before large return bends (4" diameter vs. 1" diameter). The 4 times larger diameter will reduce the resistance in the bends by 3/4th, which is 75 percent reduction.

Tests have shown that the increased tube spacing does not create a thermal boundary layer which can impede heat transfer. Given the staggered tube pattern, fin corrugations, thin density medium (air) and velocities in the range 300-500 fpm, it is not possible for boundary layer to develop and take hold.

The table below provides comparison between two condensing unit specifications and performance based on empirical tests.

Use Thermorise Sketch 2 AND Thermorisesketch1 AND Thermorise Table 1 AND see the attached original unedited arti-cle for way the three items need to be placed.

The reconfigured coil uses 145 ft. of total tubing, compared to 148 ft. for the current design coil; about the same. However, the new coil also uses 183 sq. ft./0.122 cft fin sur-face compared to 288 sq. ft./0.132cft for the current coil. Both coils use same amount of copper tubing. So, overall material cost can be same or lower.

Considering Dwell TimeThis concept of reduced fin density, larger

tube spacing, multiple rows, counter flow and long “dwell” time can be extended to any HVAC-R machine where heat transfer occurs between refrigerant or other fluid and air. “Dwell” time is the real-time contact between two heat exchanging media. In this case, it is indeed very unusual that both OEM cost and consumer operating cost can be reduced concurrently. This reduces the pay back waiting time to nearly zero.

The 11 rows provide long air path. In this case, the air path is 11 times longer. Concurrently, the cross section of the coil is also reduced from 12 sq. ft. to 4 sq. ft. (24" x 24"). For same air volume, the reduced cross section will increase velocity by multiple of 12/4=3. Normally, this will increase the air resistance to unacceptable levels. However, in this situation, the 4 times larger tube spac-ing combined with lower fin density more than compensates for this increase, despite the increased rows.

This concept of spreading out the heat transfer surface over larger volume is same as reducing the density of the heat exchanger material. By reducing the density, the resis-tance to air movement is reduced. And, that results in power reduction for the air moving motor. This approach is particularly effective in propeller fans which are very sensitive to air resistance. They are most efficient in low

Current Condenser DEEP Coil Condenser

Coil H x W, In. 32 x 54 24 x 24*1

Coil Sq ft Face Area 12 4*1

Coil Depth, in. 1 11

fpi 24 5

Rows 1 11

Tube Spacing, In. 1 x 1 4x1

Tubes per Row, 3/8” diameter 32 6

Tubing Length (a), ft 148*2 145*2

No. of 180° Bends 40*3 66

Added Equivalent Straight Tube (b), ft to represent tube bends

80*4 33*4

Corrected Total Straight Tubing, ft (a+b) 228 178

Air Pressure Drop, in. w.g 0.05 0.02

Air Temp Rise, Δt °f 15 30

Total Fin Surface, sq ft/cft 288/0.132*5 183/0.122*6

CFM 3000 1500

Air Velocity Across fins, fpm 250 375

Dwell Time Multiple 1 7.4

Fan BHP Multiple 1 0.2

Comp. HP Multiple 1 0.8

Heat Transfer Capacity Same same

Footprint Same same

*1- 24” x 20” finned face, 24” x 24” air stream cross section which includes return bends*2- Includes return bends *3- The 1 row, 32 tube “U” coil has thirty two (32) 180° 1” diameter bends, plus 64 soft, 90° large radius bends. The combined load is estimated to be equivalent of forty (40) 180° bends.*4- Each 180°, 1” dia bend is estimated to add 2 feet of equivalent straight tubing; each 180° 4” dia bend is estimated to add 1/4th (0.5) ft. of equivalent straight tubing.*5- 0.0055” thickness*6- 0.008” thickness


MOTORS, FANS & BLOWERS

air resistance application, such as condensers. In this case, the fan motor hp is reduced by 80 percent. While current design 1 row, high fin density coils are optimized to reduce the air resistance, they concurrently reduce the important “dwell” time to minimum. Dwell time needs to be as long as possible. The reconfigured DEEP coil is optimized both to minimize the air resistance and to maximize the “dwell” time.

Considering Resistance in the Coil

Blower motor horse power reduction is also achieved; but it is smaller than the pro-peller fan motor. The blower motor is sized to overcome the air resistance posed by unit cabinet, the heat exchanger coil and external duct work. Accordingly, resistance in the coil, and therefore any reduction in it, is rela-tively a smaller portion of the total resistance.

One or two row coils generally have large face area with rectangular geometry. Round propeller fan on a rectangular coil does not provide for uniform air flow across the face area. Larger portion of air passes through coil surface nearest to the fan, starving area outside the fan sweep. This starved heat transfer material is relatively unused and wasted. Whereas, the DEEP coil with more square shape face with a round fan allevi-ates this situation and enhances output from same amount of heat transfer surface.

There is another advantage to 11 rows, and this is a big one and of the kind that current-design coils inherently cannot provide. The 11 rows in the reconfigured DEEP coil, unlike current 1 row coil, provide highly effective “counter flow.” Counter flow allows com-plete heat rejection at minimum air flow and at minimum air resistance (minimum fan power). Complete heat rejection is possible in the current cross flow design coil but only with huge amounts of air, which is neither practical nor economical. For example, in this case, to achieve complete heat rejection, the air volume needed will increase from 3000 cfm, 0.05" s.p. to upwards of 8,000 cfm, 0.3" s.p. Obviously, this will increase the fan motor hp by a large multiple. Alternately, the heat exchanger surface can be enormously increased, which brings another set of unten-able problems. Therefore, the “counter-flow”

is a highly valuable, unique and exclusive DEEP coil attribute.

Compressor HP reduction comes from 22 percent reduction in “corrected” tube length (228 vs. 178). Then, there is signifi-cant additional reduction from the “counter flow” feature of the 11 row coil. The 11 rows also provide “chimney effect” over the fin-less 4" diameter return bends making them effective heat transfer surface. The 7.4 times longer dwell time is very effective in rejecting all heat to atmosphere at minimum airflow/minimum air resistance, which is minimum fan power. Which is, all refrigerant will be condensed and beyond that cooled to be close to the ambient temperature (complete sub cooling). With a reliable and inher-ent complete sub cooling, the refrigerant amount needed to be circulated will be less than otherwise. Lesser refrigerant in circula-tion means smaller compressor power, lesser condenser tubing and smaller receiver. The whole unit will shrink. The net compressor HP reduction amounts to 20 percent or more in this configuration.

Sizable ReductionWith proper balance of different variables,

compressor and fan motor hp reduction can be hefty.

Complete heat rejection is complete cool-ing of the refrigerant to the ambient tem-perature, which is complete sub-cooling. Complete sub-cooling results in reduction in the refrigerant amount needed for same heat transfer capacity. Reduced refrigerant amount is reduced compressor load, which is reduced compressor motor horse pow-er. Indeed, this can cause the entire unit to shrink.

In the case described here, the counter flow reduces air volume needed from 3000 cfm to 1500 cfm. The net effect of reduced air flow and reduced cross section is 7.4 times longer “dwell” time, which is the real-time contact between air and the refrigerant. Heat trans-fer, among many factors, is also dependent on the real time contact. Longer the contact, more complete heat transfer until the tem-peratures of the two heat exchanging media equalize. And, 7.4 times is a large multiple which will accomplish complete heat transfer with ease.

The 7.4 times longer dwell time is a major and an enormous advantage. This is very powerful attribute unique to DEEP coil. This dwell time will allow total sub-cooling with minimum air flow/minimum air resistance over wide temperature range with single or multi speed motor. This will require lesser amount of refrigerant to be circulated, which is lesser load on the compressor.

About two dozen prototypes were tested, with each having a different floating vari-able. These test results were then layered to see through likely optimum combination of variables before purchasing exact tooling.

Other Savings PossibleAlong with reduction in blower, fan and

compressor horse power, many other savings in material costs automatically fall in place. These are: smaller fan blade, smaller blower wheel, less expensive mounting/securing hardware and, less expensive electrical com-ponents such as wiring, contactors, and ter-minals in larger units.

While the primary objective of this effort was to enhance energy efficiency, the new configuration incidentally also addressed many other issues. These are low noise lev-els, less maintenance, and better indoor air quality suitability. The low noise levels come from reduced air volume due to counter flow, which allows use of lower rpm motor, and lower air resistance. Less maintenance comes from wider fin spacing which makes the coil less prone to clogging from debris. Also, for the same reason, in evaporator application, the coil is less prone to icing and mold devel-opment.

In many situations, the above configura-tion results in smaller footprint. Smaller footprint allows reduction in shipping, pack-aging and storage costs. In case of commer-cial condensing units, it improves plant util-ity since it requires smaller sq. ft. floor area than the current-design units of comparable heat transfer capacity.

This is a “reset” opportunity for the indus-try to address the national and worldwide issues concerning climate change, pollution and energy-efficiency.

2013VIEW FROMTHE TOP

S P E C I A L A DV E R T I S I N G S E CT I O N

❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱appliance DESIGN is proud to present the special advertising section VIEW FROM THE TOP.

VIEW FROM THE TOP features C-level perspectives on their companies, their industries, and the events that shape them.

❱❱❱❱❱❱Get connected and read VIEW FROM THE TOP!


American Nickeloid provides a complete range of finished

metal solutions includ-ing Plating, Polishing, Laminating and Painting. Our 6 coil lines in two facilities process a wide variety of metallic sub-strates in gauges from .008” to .107” in widths up to 60”.

With two plating lines, one at each facility, we offer a variety of decorative and functional finishes which include brass, cop-per, nickel and chrome. In coil coating, our unique configuration of coaters and ovens allows us to apply complex paint systems in a single pass. Our job shop environment also allows us to offer many tinted coatings and unique finishes for special needs and applications. We routinely polish a complete line of non-ferrous metals, both to a bright or a brushed look. We can laminate both interior and exterior grade film, one-side or two-sided, ranging in thickness from .500 mil up to 40 or 50 mil.

Whether you require a single bill, or prefer toll processing, American Nickeloid is prepared to meet your needs. In addition to coil processing, we also offer auxiliary operations such as slitting, corrective leveling, blanking and the application of several types of strippable protective coverings, chosen to meet your needs.

Our proven system speeds production, minimizes inventories and rejects, and best of all overcomes en-vironmental concerns. As a certified ISO 9001:2008 Supplier, we are committed to provide a quality prod-uct at an economical price.

More than a Metal - It’s a MethodTry us for APPEARANCE,

Stay with us for PERFORMANCE.

AMERICAN NICKELOID COMPANY 2900 West Main StPeru, IL 61354800-645-5643 www.americannickeloid.com

❱❱❱ AMERICAN NICKELOID


VIEW FROM THE TOP

FOAM SUPPLIES, INC.4387 North Rider Trail Earth City, MO 63045 www.foamsupplies.com1.800.325.4875

❱❱❱ FOAM SUPPLIES

Today, more and more consumers and manufacturers are

looking for environmen-tally friendly products, but don’t want to pay more to get them.

That’s why at Foam Supplies, Inc., we’re proud to offer a truly greener alternative – and offer manufacturers a competitive edge, with an economically sound alternative – our ecomate® family of urethanes.

Ecomate® PU technology is safe and affordable when used in rigid insulating, spray, integral skin and flexible foam applications. It’s U.S. EPA SNAP ap-proved to replace HFCs and SMOG producing hydro-carbons, and as such, does not contribute to global warming or ozone depletion. In fact, ecomate® meets all current and future regulatory requirements, allow-ing OEMs to stay ahead of the curve and meet the world’s growing demand for greener products without spending more to do so.

While we’re proud to have developed this break-through technology, we’re also proud of our 40-year history of innovation, and of the people who’ve made that innovation possible. As a leading polyurethane chemical manufacturer, technical services provider and process consulting company, FSI has developed industry-changing technology in PU systems and dispensing equipment. But we also believe that our company’s foundation and our future depend upon the experienced, talented professionals who continue to drive our success. Their commitment to innovation and quality keeps us in a leadership position in the markets we serve, including (but not limited to) the commercial foodservice, marine, transportation and construction industries.

Better products. Better for the environment. At FSI, that’s more than our slogan – that’s our mission.

INTERNATIONAL COPPER ASSOCIATION212-251-7240 [email protected] microgroove.net

❱❱❱ INTERNATIONAL COPPER

TThe Copper Alliance in recent years sup-ported research on

the use of smaller-diam-eter, inner-grooved tubes in heat exchanger coils, specifically for residential air-conditioning appliance design. In the first wave of successful innovation, OEMs such as Chigo, Gree, Haier, Kelon and Midea used MicroGroove technology in low-cost, mass-produced residential air conditioners, including window units and split systems.

You can buy these products in stores today.Further innovation is taking the form of optimized

fins especially designed for smaller diameter tubes. Ecofriendly refrigerants are driving another wave of innovation in appliance design, which will benefit from the use of smaller diameter copper tubes.

The use of smaller diameter tubes is not limited to residential appliances. MicroGroove technology can also be used to advantage in the design of large com-mercial and industrial systems, including refrigeration and air-conditioning applications. In the USA, Super Radiator Coils is already working with large coils made of small diameter copper tubes. Similar devel-opments are ongoing in Europe.

Recent research into the antimicrobial proper-ties of copper suggests that appliance designs may benefit from all-copper coils made with smaller-diameter copper tubes and copper fins. In field tests of HVAC systems installed on buses in Shanghai, the microbial levels on copper surfaces were significantly lower than those on aluminum, concurring with a US study investigating the same subject in a laboratory environment.

In short, MicroGroove Technology is a game chang-er. As is often the case in the supply chain, a single basic innovation can lead to hundreds of product innovations. MicroGroove tubes represent the shape of things to come in appliance design.


VIEW FROM THE TOP

As a supplier to the Appliance Industry (AI) for

more then 25 years, LCR Electronics Inc. has seen the industry transform its products from simple and mostly mechanically based, to smart, electronically controlled and ergonomically sophisticated.

Our products include Electronic Controls to the domestic market and EMI Filters to the export market. As a component supplier, we realize our success is dependent on the success of our customers. For this reason LCR’s purpose and focus is to help our customers achieve their goals.

Technology – Today’s appliances have sophisticated controls driven by firmware and sized to take very little space. LCR has adapted its technology to support these new demands and create more innovative products.

Price - In the Appliance Industry you must always be able to offer competitive prices. To support our customers, LCR opened a Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise in China in order to supply cost-effective products.

Quality - Although your customer may not pay much for what you supply, they expect a high level of quality. LCR’s qualifications are measured with audits on our manufacturing facility, processes, quality systems and delivery.

Support - To be in the AI market you must be prepared to provide customers with a high level of support. Support not only comes during product development, but also during production where customers require consignment inventories, 90 day+ payment terms and a supplier prepared to provide global warehousing.

LCR is presently a key global supplier to major appliance, food service, medical and industrial markets.

Shmuel Yankelewitz, Chief Operating Officer

LCR ELECTRONICS, INC. 9 South Forest Ave.Norristown, Pa. [email protected] 1-800-527-4362www.lcr-inc.com

❱❱❱ LCR ELECTRONICS

METAL COATERS9123 Center AvenueRancho Cucamonga, CA [email protected]

951 Priscock RoadJackson, MS 39272800-858-1203

1150 Marietta Industrial Drive NEMarietta, GA 30062800-669-0624

2400 Yankee RoadMiddletown, OH 45044877-669-3602

❱❱❱ METAL COATERS

AAs one of the largest toll processing coil coating companies in the United States, Metal Coaters has been providing coil coating solutions to

various industries for more than 25 years.Metal Coaters uses state-of-the-art techniques

to clean, pre-treat, and roll-apply organic coatings in a continuous process on Hot Dipped Galvanized, Galvannealed, Galvalume, Cold Rolled, Electro-Galvanized Steel and Aluminum Coils.

As a full service coil coater, Metal Coaters offers a complete line of coating finishes including Polyesters, Silicone Modified Polyesters (SMP), Fluorocarbons (PVDF), and Plastisol (PVC). Coatings are available for interior or exterior and for warranted or non-warranted applications. Additionally, Metal Coaters has slitting and embossing capabilities performed separate from the coil coating processes on dedicated production lines.

Finally, Metal Coaters specializes in the conversion of manufacturers from their inefficient post-painted processes, to the use of highly efficient and environmentally friendly pre-painted metal. When this opportunity arises, a dedicated supply chain team is created to identify the customers’ needs and to engineer coating systems that meet their specific requirements. As an added benefit, Metal Coaters offers access to an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and CoilTracker, an internet-based inventory management information system that allows customers to easily manage their pre-painted metal.


VIEW FROM THE TOP

The phrase ”think outside the box” is often used to describe

an approach to coming up with an innovative concept, product or service by thinking unconventionally or from a new perspective. At Sonoco, we believe that significant innovation can also be achieved by “thinking inside the box” as well.

One area where Sonoco is driving innovation inside the box is through the use of molded foam as an internal chassis in electro-mechanical applications such as medical devices and HVAC units. Components such as tubes, pumps, circuit boards, fans, and power supplies can be snap fit or “sandwiched” into the foam chassis; essentially eliminating all types of stamped brackets, hold-downs, screws and fasteners. This not only simplifies the assembly process, but makes it easier to disassemble the product for any cleaning, service or maintenance that is required.

Sonoco also continues to innovate inside the box, literally, by having expertise across a wide range of materials and technologies that enable our engineers to solve the most complicated packaging challenges. Sometimes the ultimate design is reached not when nothing more can be added, but when nothing else can be removed. Sonoco’s “less is more” packaging philosophy creates innovative solutions that will reduce damage losses, improve sustainability, stack higher in warehouses, and pack denser in trailers.

To learn more about how “thinking inside the box” can help you create innovative products and packaging solutions, please visit www.SonocoProtectiveSolutions.com

❱❱❱ SONOCO

SONOCO PROTECTIVE SOLUTIONS 3930 N. Ventura Dr. Suite 450 Arlington Heights, IL 60004(847) 632-9694www.SonocoProtectiveSolutions.com

TM

Proto Labs is the world’s fastest provider of CNC

machined and injection molded parts. Our Firstcut and Protomold services utilize proprietary computing technologies and automated manufacturing systems to provide both prototype and short-run production parts from a customer’s 3D CAD model. Turnaround can be as fast as one day and you can choose from a wide variety of stocked engineering grade resins and metals.

Our Firstcut service supplies customers with functional CNC machined parts from an array of engineering-grade resins and metals. It’s great for prototypes in very small quantities or custom one-off projects, such as jigs or fixtures. Or if you need more than 1-10 parts, our Protomold service offers injection-molded parts in hundreds of engineering-grade resins, in a variety of finishes, for a fraction of traditional injection molding costs. It’s great for low-to-mid volume production, bridge tooling, and functional testing.

Submit your 3D CAD model online, anytime day or night, and our compute cluster will go to work, analyzing your design based on best molding and machining practices. Our software examines your model for potential problems and presents your results in a web-based interactive quote, generally within hours. Parts are delivered in as fast as 1-15 business days.

PROTO LABS, INC.5540 Pioneer Creek Dr.Maple Plain, MN 55359 [email protected]

❱❱❱ PROTO LABS


VIEW FROM THE TOP

As today’s appliance OEMs and suppliers continue to evolve

products, processes, and ultimately customer ex-perience, we at tesa tape stand ready to partner with the industry’s lead-ing companies and bring value to their operations.

PRODUCTSToday’s appliances for

both residential and com-mercial use are more sophisticated and durable than ever. With more than a century in the tape making business, tesa tape has been an innovator of adhe-sive tape technologies to meet market demands from yesteryear to tomorrow. Our expansive line of adhesive tapes includes: double-sided tapes for permanent bonding and mounting, masking and holding tapes for temporarily securing components throughout the unit, and surface covering tapes for protecting delicate or exposed areas of the unit throughout assembly, trans-port, and on to final installation point.

PROCESSESEfficiencies are crucial to any production operation,

particularly within the appliance industry. Although small in nature, tesa tapes offer major efficiencies right down to the core of every roll of tape. Cut time with quick and easy application of every tesa tape; cut costs by eliminating a variety of inventoried mechanical fas-teners and glues; cut waste by appropriately protecting delicate surfaces from scratches, dings, and dents.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEAs a supplier to the industry, we at tesa tape are

consumed with offering the right products, the needed support, and the forward thinking innovation necessary to service our customers to the best of our ability. We understand that we are part of a bigger cause – the important cause of providing the industry’s customers with the best quality products, the best looking prod-ucts, and the best overall brand image in the market-place. We look forward to supporting you.

Dave AdamsMarket Manager – Appliance Industrytesa tape, inc.

TESA TAPE, INC. 5825 Carnegie Blvd.Charlotte, NC [email protected]

❱❱❱ TESA TAPE

As technology and the global marketplace continue to evolve,

UL is there to help your business meet the shifting needs of a changing world. Most often thought of as a North American safety company, the UL of today is much more.

GLOBALAs a global certifications

leader UL can help you navigate complex country compliance issues and regulatory and trade challenges in order to gain access to new markets. Our standards writing group participates in global groups and industry associations, contributing to the adoption of new technology, while continuing to assure on-going safety of existing technologies.

BROADER SERVICESWhile safety remains critical to marketing most

products, the list of regulatory needs continues to grow. UL energy efficiency testing, product performance testing, environmental testing, training, workplace safety support and other capabilities offer a range of solutions to meet your business needs.

FASTER, SMARTER, BETTERAs we expand our services, we’re also improving

your safety experience with UL. Several new programs are dramatically reducing time to market and making it simpler to get quick answers to your questions. It is our honor to support you as your businesses grow. Look to UL.com/appliances to experience today’s UL.

Regards,

Alberto UggettiGlobal VP and GM, HVAC, Appliances, Lighting, Components

❱❱❱ UL

UL (UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES)333 Pfingsten RoadNorthbrook, IL 600621-877-UL HELPS (854-3577)F [email protected]/appliances

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

MUST SEEapplianceDESIGN’s


The appliance DESIGN MUST SEE Gallery provides a glimpse at the latest innovations entering into the market. Please visit the company’s website or email them for more information.

Get the book – Injection Molding Part Design for Dummies

Find out how to get better injection-molded parts, faster by understanding the basic principles of the injection molding process. You will discover how to make a better prototype, how to avoid costly mistakes, and how to get it all in less time than you ever thought possible. Visit www.protolabs.com/parts to request a free copy of Injection Molding Part Design for Dummies, Protomold Special Edition.

Enter Code AD13DB

2013 Washer Catalog

The complimentary 2013 Washer Catalog illustrates Boker’s 27,000 non-standard flat washer sizes, wide range of outside diameters, variety of inside diameters and thicknesses and its over 2,000 materials. With high volume capabilities and fast delivery, Boker’s provides endless washer possibilities and manufactures solutions to your exact specifications. ISO 9001:2008 Registered.

Bokers Inc.Email: [email protected]: www.bokers.com

INTELLIGENCE OF FASTENINGA Raymond Tinnerman’s specialty fastener products offer the most reliable means of attaching panels, components, and wiring safely and securely to improve quality and reduce assembly cost. These fastening solutions will be demonstrated at the AHR Expo 1/28 – 1/30 in Dallas, TX. Come see us in booth 5500! www.araymondtinnerman.com


mar-bal.com

The One-Source Solutions Provider DESIGN | FORMULATE | COMPOUND

MOLD | FINISH Thermoset Composites

Adhesive Has High Thermal Conductivity

Master Bond Supreme 10AOHT is a single component epoxy with high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation. It exhibits high shear and peel strength and cures at elevated temperatures while maintaining serviceability from –300°F to +400°F. Supreme 10AOHT offers resistance to impact, vibration, thermal shock and stress fatigue cracking.

Master Bondwww.masterbond.com

Silicone Hose Handles Temperature Variations – Free Sample

Reinforced Silbrade® silicone hose offers flexibility for fluid trans-fer while it endures variations in temperature from -80°F to 350°F (-62°C to 176°C). Silbrade is NSF-51 certified and offers excellent bend radii for restricted space usage without impeding flow. Sizes to 1” I.D. Made in USA.

NewAge® Industries, Inc.www.newageindustries.com/sample-ad3

Temperature and Control SolutionsHot or Cold

ThermostatsNTC ThermistorsThermal Cut-offs

Thermal ProtectorsCapillary Controls

Electronic ControllersKnobs

800-257-3526 • www.selcoproducts.com


TEMPERATURE ISSUES?

www.ussensor.comRTDs, Probes & Assemblies for Temperature Measurement and Control

Precision Thermistors

800.777.6467 • [email protected] W. Collins Ave, Orange, CA 92867

Winners are not evenly distributed across each category as there is no predetermined number of awards established. Regardless of how many entries a category received, the idea is to recognize the most excellent product designs—period.

ALL ENTRIES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 15, 2013.

An independent panel of experts in the field of design will evaluate the entries based on several factors. Winners from this year’s competition will be announced in our June 2013 issue.

This prestigious award is given to companies who excel in unique designs with breakthrough features. Products that are well engineered and have practical functions are always at the top of the list, as competition drives innovation and practicality at an affordable price.

Entries are slotted into one of 10 categories with a chance to win a Gold, Silver or Bronze award. The categories are:


QUESTIONS? CONTACT: DARRYL SELANDEDITORIAL DIRECTOR, [email protected]

Information on the 2013 EID competition will be available at:

26TH ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN Awards!

ENTRIES ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED

CALL FOR ENTRIES


BUSINESS MACHINES ELECTRONICS MAJOR APPLIANCES AND COMMERCIAL VENDING HVAC MEDICAL

LAB & TEST EQUIPMENT OUTDOOR & LEISURE APPLIANCES SMALL APPLIANCES LIGHTING WATER PROCESSING APPLIANCES

MUST SEE PRODUCTS & SERVICES

applianceDESIGN’s Design Engineering readers are interested,

active and always looking for information to help them design and specify products and services to use

in the creation of their appliances.*

Contact Darrell Dal Pozzo

at (847) 405-4044 [email protected]

for more information.

*AM Editorial Readership Study, August 2004

WANT EYES ON YOUR NEW PRODUCT?


Literature for Elgin Fastener GroupElgin Fastener Group offers a literature

sheet describing its companies’ manufactur-

ing capabilities and product offerings. EFG

is comprised of seven leading domestic spe-

cialty fastener manufacturers, a metal fin-

ishing company and an international sourc-

ing and engineering division. Collectively

the group offers a complete range of ISO

9001:2008 quality industry standard, semi-

standard and custom fasteners in a wide

variety of styles, sizes, materials and fin-

ishes. The literature offers a brief company

description for each company within the

group, as well as its general product capa-

bilities. Visit www.elginfasteners.com

Medical 24WAC/DC Desktop/Wallmount Adapter with Interchangeable PlugsThe Power Partners PPWAMW24 Series of

AC/DC power supplies provide up to 24W

of power from a 90-264VAC input and offer

output voltages from 5VDC to 48VDC.

The base desktop power supply is housed

in a super compact 3.1” x 2.0” x 1.4” case

size with a C8 AC inlet and features the

option to add interchangeable input plugs

to convert the PPWAMW24 Series to a

wall mount configuration for worldwide

use. There is a power-on LED indicator.

It is compliant to the highest standards for

operational efficiencies and no load standby

power. Visit www.powerpartners-inc.com

SMD Resettable PPTC for Fast Overcurrent Protection, Resets AutomaticallyLittelfuse has a resettable PPTC (Polymer

Positive Temperature Coefficient) resistor

series. The new product line is designed

for high speed overcurrent protection in

applications that require ultra-low internal

resistance, ultra-low voltage drop and mini-

mal power dissipation. The Polyfuse LoRho

Surface Mount Resettable PPTC series

offers ultra-low internal resistance while

maintaining high level electrical character-

istics and performance. The devices provide

overcurrent protection against fault cur-

rent surges by limiting the electrical current

flowing through the device. When a fault

current flows through the device, it gener-

ates heat, which causes the device’s internal

resistance to rise rapidly, limiting the cur-

rent flow to the circuit downstream to a safe

level. After the overcurrent condition passes,

the device’s internal resistance drops back to

its normal low resistance state, restoring the

circuit to its normal operating condition.

By resetting automatically, this device offers

a low maintenance alternative to one-time

fuses for overcurrent protection.

Visit www.littelfuse.com

Integrated Closed Loop Stepping Motor with 12 Bit EncoderNanotec is expanding NEMA 17 applica-

tions into traditional servo applications

with 71 oz-in of torque and speed up to

3000 RPM with near servo performance.

Not a piggyback design, the sine commu-

tation position, torque and speed control

and 12 bit encoder are integrated inside

the motor envelope. The entire unit is very

compact with an overall length of only

72 mm. Integrated Plug & Drive stepper

motors are used wherever speed, high preci-

sion and compact design are required. They

are characterized by high-torque stepper

motors combined with especially smooth-

running dspDrive technology developed by

Nanotec and an integrated position control

system with an encoder. Visit www.nanotec.com

High Isolation Reed Relays for Surface or Through-Hole MountingStandex-Meder Electronics has the KT

Series of high isolation reed relays, ideal

for use in green applications, such as pho-

tovoltaic technology. It is particularly help-

ful in measuring isolation resistance across

several components in a solar energy sys-

tem prior to grid connection, preventing

injury or further current leakages. The KT

Series offers isolation resistance greater

than or equal to 1013Ω, and an isolation

voltage between the coil and contact of

over 7kVDC. Measuring only L30 x W8.6

x H10.6mm, the series provides these high

isolation characteristics in a very small

package. It is available in three coil voltages

of 5V, 12V and 24V, and all three versions

are available in either surface or through-

hole mounting. Visit www.standexmeder.com

New Updated PWM ControllerAdvanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA), a

manufacturer of MOS power semiconductors

for DC-DC power conversion applications,

has updated two of its most popular PWM

controllers to provide customers with space

saving and more cost effective devices without

New Products


NEw ProDuctS

sacrificing performance and reliability. The

APE3061 PWM controller is now available in

a small 8-lead DFN package, reducing package

size down from 5x6mm (SO-8) to 3x3 mm,

without any negative impacts on power han-

dling capability. The new APE3061GN3-HF-3

component supports input voltages from 3V

up to 24V and is designed to drive an exter-

nal N-channel MOSFET. The output voltage

is dependent on the external N-MOSFET and

is programmable using an internal reference

voltage of 1.0V and external resistors connect-

ed as a voltage divider. Visit www.a-powerusa.com

Self-clinching Pilot Pins in Several VariationsPEM self-clinching pilot pins in several

variations provide hardware solutions for

positioning, alignment or pivot applica-

tions. All install reliably in thin metal

sheets and become permanent parts of an

assembly. PEM Type TPS (300 series stain-

less steel) pins install in steel or aluminum

sheets and PEM Type TP4 (400 series stain-

less steel) pins are designed for stainless

steel assemblies. Both types install flush

in sheets as thin as .040” / 1mm or greater,

feature a chamfered end to locate the mat-

ing hole quickly and easily, and are available

in a variety of sizes and diameters. Visit www.pemnet.com

Broadening Access to 3D for Mechanical DesignSpaceClaim Engineer 2012+ has new capabili-

ties for manufacturing, simulation, concept

development and mesh remodeling. These

enhancements help engineers work more

effectively in 3D, without the high cost and

complexity of traditional CAD. SpaceClaim

users can leverage existing 2D and 3D designs,

including customer and supplier models,

analysis and simulation results, mesh and STL

data, and surface models, along with PMI and

tolerance data, in all their work. It directly

opens and edits all leading 2D and 3D CAD

file formats as well as neutral file formats, such

as JT (with PMI), STEP and 3D PDF. Visit www.spaceclaim.com

Small Diameter tubing SolutionsThe coil designs of the heating and air

conditioning industry have evolved with

the conversion to smaller diameter tub-

ing; moving from 3/8” and 5/16” to 7mm

and now 5mm as manufacturers continue

to experiment in order to reduce manu-

facturing and raw material costs, as well as

improve performance and efficiency. Burr

Oak Tool Inc. has been directly involved

with the HVAC industry throughout this

evolution, from the first hairpin bender and

expander in the mid-1950’s to the 5mm fin

and hairpin production of today. The tran-

sition to smaller diameter tubing brings a

very different set of manufacturing chal-

lenges, and Burr Oak Tool is positioned to

deliver solutions to these challenges. Visit www.burroak.com

Faster, Easier cNc SimulationThe newest version of Vericut software is

from CGTech and used to simulate all types

of CNC Machines including leading brands

such a Mazak, DMG/Mori Seiki, Makino,

Matsuura, Chiron and Heller. It features

many enhancements to improve speed,

thereby reducing the time required for

manufacturing engineers to develop, ana-

lyze, inspect and document the CNC pro-

gramming and machining process. Another

new feature is the ability to optimize a NC

program from a saved simulation. Users

can adjust and re-optimize without rerun-

ning the simulation. A new interactive panel

displays cutting conditions immediately,

anywhere in the machining process. Visit www.cgtech.com

Expanding Solutions for Low-Power rL78 McusRenesas Electronics America has expanded

its portfolio of solutions for the low-power

RL78/G14 microcontroller (MCU) family

in order to simplify systems development

and decrease time-to-market. Designed to

deliver performance and power-efficiency

while incorporating advanced on-chip

peripherals, the MCUs aim at applications

including low-power consumer and wire-

less systems, household appliances, home

healthcare, HVAC equipment and industrial

automation systems. Visit www. am.renesas.com

tPV Grades from Alliance Polymers & ServicesAlliance Polymers and Services now offers

its own brands of soft thermoplastic vulca-

nizates (TPVs) to be sold under the trade

name Viprene. The first series: Viprene G

– a general purpose TPV that combines the

various mechanical performance proper-

ties of thermoset rubber with the process-

ing ease of plastics. These materials offer

good flexibility at low temperatures as well

as long-term resistance in harsh environ-

ments and demanding applications where

abrasion, chemical and UV resistance are

required. Viprene G is formulated to com-

pete with the leading grades of thermoplas-

tic vulcanizates. They are offered in hard-

ness ranges from 45 Shore A to 50 Shore D.

Visit www.apstpe.com


NEw ProDuctS

Hand-held cases for Hand-held DevicesHammond Manufacturing’s new 1553T

range of T cases are for use in a wide vari-

ety of hand-held instrumentation, data

capture and controller application across

all industries. Initially available in two sizes

6.50 x 3.15 x 1.10 inches (165 x 80 x 28mm)

and 8.27 x 3.94 x 1.26 inches (210 x 100 x

32mm), the enclosures feature recessed

areas for keypads and displays. Versions

without a battery box have two removable

end panels; the battery versions have a sin-

gle. Visit www.hammondmfg.com

Actuator for AB-QM Pressure Independent control ValvesDanfoss has a new generation of 435 Series

Actuators, which will replace the prior AME

15QM series of actuator for the Danfoss

AB-QM pressure independent control valve

(PICV). The AME 435QM and AMV 435

are the first of a new design of actuators

which offer improved operation with lower

power consumption. This new family of

actuators requires no additional tools when

it is installed to the AB-QM valve bodies.

The “click” on mounting mechanism of

the actuator reduces actuator installation

time. Standard features include two select-

able operation speeds, external LED for

visual confirmation of actuator operation,

end travel LED signaling and easy calibra-

tion via an external reset button. Visit www.ABQMvalves.com

Bloomer Plastics’ New web Site Shows ProductsBloomer Plastics has launched a new and

improved company Web site. The new site

offers a contemporary look and streamlined

user interface. It features enhanced resourc-

es including: More concise descriptions of

markets served and Bloomer’s associated

product lines to include aerospace, automo-

tive, composites, prepreg, rubber separator,

packaging, consumer, office products, med-

ical and healthcare. Visit www.bloomerplastics.com

Brushless Dc Diaphragm PumpDesigned for fuel cell applications, the oil-

less 907Z Series brushless DC diaphragm

pump provides the ultimate in efficiency

and mobility, according to Gardner Denver

Thomas. Among specs: Lightweight (5.5

lbs./2.49 Kg), die-cast aluminum parts for

strength and durability, efficient, low-vibra-

tion design, long-life 24V brushless DC

motor. Maximum continuous pressure to

25 PSI/1.72 bar, maximum vacuum to 21.2

in. Hg/717 mbar. Visit www.gd-thomas.com

New Generation of ‘Silent’ Dc Brush MotorsCrouzet, a brand of Custom Sensors &

Technologies (CST), has a quiet range of

direct current brush motors. These sound-

less motors, even under full load, offer

exceptional efficiencies, long service life

and a wide range of gearboxes and acces-

sories. Because of its noiseless operation,

the DCmind Brush motor series is particu-

larly well suited to applications in medical,

laboratory, industrial and high performance

printing industries. They can also be used

in a variety of other applications. Visit www.crouzet.com

wireless Load Measurement SystemTekscan’s Wireless ELF 2 System is a user-

friendly, wireless load measurement sys-

tem. This new system combines ultra-thin

(0.008”) piezoresistive FlexiForce single-

element WB201 load sensors with a bat-

tery-operated Wi-Fi transmitter (certified

802.11b radio- 802.11 b/g/n compatible)

and simple software. The software displays

real-time force data in pounds, grams or

Newtons. You can select whether to view the

data digitally, or in chart format. Data can

also be saved as “movie files” to play back

later and can be saved in ASCII format and

exported to data analysis programs. Visit www.tekscan.com

Mode radiator Speaker DriversHiWave Technologies has Balanced Mode

Radiator (BMR) speaker drivers, which are

being used by Boston Acoustics in its latest

family of loudspeakers. One of the keys to

the enhanced performance and wide sonic

dispersion of the Boston Acoustics’ M Series

is the Balanced Mode Radiator. Visit www.hi-wave.com

Integrated HPLc InjectorVICI Valco’s Cheminert

C52 Series Injector is

an integrated motor/

valve assembly designed

specifically to be built

into an OEM system.

Using the Cheminert HPLC injector design

and the 24 volt motor from its microelec-

tric actuators, the C52 needs only to be

connected to the instrument’s power sup-

ply. Control is simplified to require a single

contact closure; the injector’s position is

determined by whether the closure is held

high or low. There’s even an easy way for the

instrument to confirm the valve’s position

by sensing the output from a built-in sen-

sor. Visit www.vici.com


ASSocIAtIoN REPoRt: AHRI

Good, Better and Best: Proud of It All

By Francis DietzVice President, Public

Affairs, Air-Conditioning, Heating, and

Refrigeration Institute

It’s a constant challenge to contribute and encour-

age the finest in the industry.

But, since the AHRI Annual Meeting last

November and through the upcoming AHR Expo

later this month, it is obvious that challenges are

being met. It’s a matter of:

The good – by continuing a leadership role in

alternative refrigerant testing, for example.

The better – by taking a more confident stance

as the economy improves.

The best – by honoring students, members for

distinguished service to AHRI and product

innovations.

Doing Good with the EnvironmentAHRI released three final test reports for its Low

Global Warming Potential Alternative Refrigerants

Evaluation Program (Low-GWP AREP). The reports

contain test results of low-GWP refrigerants for

residential heat pump, water-cooled chiller and com-

mercial ice machine applications, and also include

the refrigerants’ compositions.

Tests are ongoing, but all are expected to be com-

pleted by early 2013. Test reports will be released to

the public as they are reviewed and approved by the

AHRI Low-GWP AREP Technical Committee. In

response to environmental concerns raised by the

use of high global warming potential refrigerants,

AHRI has this industry-wide cooperative research

program to identify and evaluate promising alterna-

tive refrigerants for major product categories.

These include air conditioners, heat pumps, dehu-

midifiers, chillers, water heaters, ice makers and refrig-

eration equipment. The program consists of compres-

sor calorimeter testing, system drop-in testing, soft-

optimized system testing and heat transfer testing.

The Low-GWP AREP is an effort undertaken by

AHRI and its member companies. It was launched

in March 2011 and the program will not prioritize

these alternatives; rather, it will identify potential

refrigerant replacements for high GWP refrigerants

and present performance of these replacements in a

consistent and standard manner. That’s a good thing.

Signs Business Is Getting BetterConfidence makes a difference. According to an

AHR Expo survey, released in November and based

on more than 1,000 HVACR manufacturers world-

wide, 70 percent of respondents expect the economy

to be better this year than in 2012. In fact, 15 percent

of these manufacturers expect a “much better year”

while 28 percent of respondents expect the economy

to remain the same.

In keeping with this outlook, 86 percent of the

HVACR manufacturers believe sales will increase

this year with 35 percent of respondents expecting

sales increases of more than 10 percent. Most (41

percent) said the residential sector would account

for the strongest demand for new products. And

more than two thirds (67 percent) predicted that the

greatest demand for new products would come from

domestic markets and 33 percent from international

markets.

The 2013 AHR Expo is co-sponsored by AHRI.

People and companies Make It the Best

At our Annual Meeting in Palm Springs, Calif., the

Clifford H. “Ted” Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation

awarded scholarships to four students studying at

San Joaquin Valley College. Congratulations go to

the best of the future. And the Richard C. Schulze

Award was an honor presented in recognition of dis-

tinguished service and commitment to AHRI and the

industry’s goals and objectives.

Schulze recipients include:

Gary Berlin, Nortec

Bill Hansen, Trane

Diane Jakobs, Rheem Manufacturing Co.

Eric Lannes, Bradford White Corporation

John Mandyck, Carrier Corporation

Neil Rolph, Lochinvar Corporation

We presented the AHRI Public Service Award to long-

serving industry veteran John Conrad of the ACHR News

for his many and varied contributions to our industry.

Finally, we awarded three in our industry with our

highest honor: The AHRI Distinguished Service Award.

Pat Quilty of Honeywell, Ray Hoglund of Dover, and

Joe Mattingly, longtime AHRI General Counsel (recently

retired) were selected by the membership to receive this

award, which is given in recognition of their many contri-

butions to their association and to our industry. <


AD INDEXcompany name page numberweb site

American Nickeloid Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17www.americannickeloid.com

APEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32www.apec-conf.org

CoorsTek Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22www.coorstek.com

CSA Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5www.csagroup.org

EBM-Papst Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BCwww.ebmppapst.us

EID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6www.appliancedesign.com/eid

Foam Supplies Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9www.ecomatesystems.com

Honeywell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3www.honeywell-solsticelba.com

International Copper Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11www.microgroove.net

KB Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7www.kbelectronics.com

LCR Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29www.lcr-inc.com

MasterBond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33www.masterbond.com

Metal Coaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21www.metalcoaters.com

Pacific Design & Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28www.pacdesignshow.com

Proto Labs, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1www.protolabs.com

SONOCO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25www.sonoco.com

teas tape, inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13www.tesatape.com/industry/appliance

The Assembly Show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14www.theassemblyshow.com

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFCwww.ul.com/advantage

This index is for the convenience of our readers. Every care is taken to make it accurate. appliance DESIGN assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

View our premium Buyers Guide listing online at www.appliancedesign.com/buyersguide

Print Name _____________________________________

Title ___________________________________________

Company _______________________________________

Address _______________________________________

City __________________________ State ___________

Zip/Postal Code ________________________________

Country _______________________________________

Work Phone ____________________________________

Work Fax ______________________________________

E-Mail _________________________________________

By providing your fax number, you’re giving BNP Media, Inc. and/or BNP Media II, LLC permission to fax to you.*E-Mail required for eNewsletter and digital version.

FREE Subscription Card

301SUB

Get your FREE subscription to appliance DESIGN now.Complete & fax to (847) 763-9538 or subscribe online at: www.applianceDESIGN.com/subscribenow

Would you like to receive a FREE subscription to appliance DESIGN? � YES � noWould you like to receive the appliance DESIGN Plugged In eNewsletter? � YES*Please select your preferred format:

� Digital version* (FREE) � Print version (FREE to USA residents only)

Your Signature (required) Date

WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS/INDUSTRY? (SELECT ONE ONLY) ManufacturingHA Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment2M Medical Equipment & Supplies J1 Test & Measurement EquipmentEE Water Processing Appliances2L Heating Equipment2D Computer & Electronic Products, including ConsumerEA Commercial Appliances and Vending Machines EB Electrical Housewares and Portable AppliancesEC Household Cooking EquipmentED Household Laundry EquipmentEX Other Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components (specify) ________________________

Non-Manufacturing3E Product Development and Industrial Design FirmX1 Other (specify) ______________________________

WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY JOB FUNCTION?(SELECT ONE ONLY)B1 Design ManagementCC Design EngineeringCD Lab/R&D Engineering CK Technical EngineeringCA Application EngineeringCX Other Engineering (specify)______________________M1 Research & Development A1 Corporate/Executive Management (Owner, Partner,

Chairman, President, C-level, Vice President, Director, Financial and Senior Supply Chain)

E1 PurchasingH1 Sales & Marketing X1 Other (specify) ________________________________

WHAT IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT YOUR COMPANY?AA 1-4BB 5-9CC 10-19DD 20-49EE 50-99

FF 100-249GG 250-499HH 500-999II 1,000-2,499JJ 2,500 or more

PLEASE SELECT THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT YOU RECOMMEND, SPECIFY, APPROVE AND/OR PURCHASE: (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)33 Motors, Fans, Blowers, Pumps, Motor Controllers

45 Heating Elements/Igniters

47 Connectors, Cords, Wire, Cable, Terminating Machines

34 Controls, Sensors, Thermostats

28 Switches, Relays, Thermal Cutoffs, Circuit Breakers,

Fuses

29 Displays, Indicators, Lamps, LEDs

39 Microcontrollers, Integrated Circuits & Other

Electronic Components

46 Solenoids, Valves, Actuators

31 � Metal Parts (Stampings, Castings, Powder Metal Parts,

Springs, Hinges)

44 Plastic Molding/Forming Services

30 Metals (Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Precoated/

Prefinished Metals)

4 Plastics, Elastomers

37 Seals, Gaskets & Gasketing Equipment

36 Coatings, Paints, Finishing & Finishing Equipment

35 Decorative Products (Trim, Nameplates, Glass Labels,

Graphic Overlays)

38 Software

32 Assembly Equipment & Tools, Welders, Clinching

Machines, Brazing Machines, Fasteners, Dispensing

Equipment, Adhesives & Tapes

42 Test & Measurement Equipment, Testing &

Certification Labs/Services

48 Other (specify) ________________________________

49 None of the Above

PLEASE SELECT THE PUBLICATION(S) THAT YOU PERSONALLY RECEIVE: (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)2 Assembly

8 Design News

3 Machine Design

11 Product Design & Development (PD&D)

7 None of the Above

sales team

Darrell Dal Pozzo - Group [email protected] Phone: (847) 405-4044

Dawn LeRoux [email protected]: (248) 633-4818 Fax: (248) 283-6558AK, AZ, HI, IA, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, NM, NV, OK, SD, TX, UT, WI Western Canada, and International (Europe & U.K.)

Brad [email protected]: (216) 233-6943 Fax: (216) 803-6151AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV, Eastern Canada

Nadine [email protected] Phone: (847) 405-4025Fax: (248) 283-6587CA, OR, WA, CO, ID, MT, WY

Arlen LUO [email protected]: 0086-10-88579899 Fax: 0086-10-82160061China & Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan

reprints

Renee [email protected] Phone: (248) 786-1661Fax: (248) 283-6588

The cold facts: energy savings of 67% - the result of high-efficiency EC technology and sophisticated aerodynamics! In our specially developed ESM series for refrigeration technology, the motor and impeller are optimally matched. Compared to conventional shaded-pole motors with separately attached impellers, the overall efficiency is substantially increased. This advantage makes a particularly great difference in refrigeration systems with a high duty cycle. Our highly successful W1G200 model is now available in 24 VDC and the full ESM series includes 130, 172, 200, 230, 250, and 300 mm sizes.

Learn more at: www.ebmpapst.us

The engineer’s choice

33% Electricity. 100% Cold.

Documents

Appliance Design January 2013