NEWS • PROFILES • EDITORIALS

Since the beginning, PC-based control technology from Beckhoff has benefited from a deliberate convergence of automation and IT standards. Current examples include the use of the latest industry-standard processor generations, high-quality, demand-optimized flash memory, and the long-term availability version of Windows 11. The latest CPU generations include Intel Atom x6 processors, the 11th generation of…

The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), the leading association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel, welcomes new manufacturer member Rota Free Inc. Rota Free Inc. specializes in manufacturing and applications involving keyless locking devices, couplings, and torque limiters. The company supports both engineering and maintenance of rotating equipment. “We recognize the significant…

Allient Inc. has announced the next step in its brand development, consolidating all of its technology units under the Allient name along with corresponding geographic identifiers. This transition will involve rebranding technology units such as ORMEC Systems, Heidrive GmbH, and SNC Manufacturing to align with the Allient naming structure. For instance, ORMEC Systems will be…

For the first time, our sister publication, Engineering.com, along with other engineering brands at our company (including this one), have produced a comprehensive salary survey that shines a light on what today’s engineers are really earning. Spanning disciplines from mechanical to aerospace and covering professionals in the U.S. and Canada, this inaugural study sets the…

At Automate 2025, the Design World staff also chatted with engineers at several booths about connectivity, robotics, and material-handling topics. Innovations reflect the industry’s evolution toward more powerful actuation, modularity for reconfigurability, and integrated safety support. Read about it here … Day 1: New technologies at Automate 2025. In one of our first stops on…

By Mark Jones I got skunked. Two groups published an idea I had before I could complete the research. But let’s go back to the beginning. Ever the supportive spouse, I accompanied my wife for her colonoscopy in early May. But I had an ulterior motive; I wanted a sample from the IV bag. A…

Karolyn Ellingson, Head of Industrial Workforce Development, will demonstrate Festo Didactic’s learning systems at the organization’s Automate 2025 booth. “Festo Didactic offers unmatched hands-on training across a variety of automation fields,” Ellingson said. “Our learning materials and equipment are developed by automation experts to create safe, efficient, and realistic Industry 4.0 working environments, ensuring that…

Automate 2025 is here — back in Detroit from May 12 to 15, 2025. Design World has covered this show for many years … and here are some of the announcements from last week: ECM unveils ultra-compact servomotor with integrated strain-wave gearing ahead of Automate 2025 Renishaw RCS products and rugged encoders featured at Automate…

DigiKey invites attendees of Automate 2025 to visit its booth 6218 in Detroit. Visitors to DigiKey’s booth can learn about the latest automation innovations, including its vast product breadth, innovative new product introductions (NPIs), industry-leading manufacturers and value-added services, as well as view technical demonstrations and participate in prize giveaways. Show attendees can view demonstrations at…

Tadiran Batteries, a manufacturer of industrial-grade ultra-long-life lithium batteries, has just introduced TLM-1550SPM high-power AA-size lithium oxide batteries for use in critical applications. Building on decades of success, Tadiran developed the TLM-1550SPM lithium metal oxide battery as an innovative alternative that combines a small footprint, high-power output, high capacity, and energy density, on-demand response, extended…

Demands for faster charging and greater range have led to the development of 800-V EV electric traction motors. Such high-voltage e-motors require magnet wires with improved insulation. In response, SABIC is launching a new extrusion grade of Ultem resin with productivity and other advantages over incumbent materials used in magnet wire insulation for EV motors. “Higher…

ECM PCB Stator Tech has announced the launch of its groundbreaking new servo motor featuring integrated 50:1 gear ratio strain wave gearing — engineered to deliver unmatched torque density, precision, and compactness. ECM’s new ‘Eight Ball’ motor solution will be on display at Automate 2025 (Booth 6223), alongside the company’s growing lineup of 0.5 Nm…

Amprius Technologies announced the launch of its 450 Wh/kg SiCore lithium-ion battery. This is the company’s most energy-dense SiCore cell, offering 450 Wh/kg and 950 Wh/L, and is expected to move to mass production in the near term through its global manufacturing partners. Built with a proprietary silicon anode material system, this SiCore cell delivers up…

With over $200,000 raised toward its $325,000 goal, the PTDA Foundation is progressing in its efforts to support workforce development in 2025. As the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry experiences increased demand for skilled workers, the Foundation is providing support to both emerging and existing professionals through focused programs. From workforce development to professional advancement…

By Mark Jones I was in Florida when the alert came telling me my house was in danger of catching fire due to an electrical problem. Not news I wanted to receive while 1,400 miles away from home. An internet-connected device plugged into an outlet detected a problem. Whisker Labs was reaching out to warn…

DigiKey has announced the expansion of its extensive product selection in Q1 2025. This includes the addition of 104 new suppliers and 98,320 innovative new product introductions (NPIs) in the first quarter across its core business, Marketplace and Fulfilled by DigiKey programs. The most recent new supplier additions in the first quarter include companies like Cookiecad, which produces 3D printing filament in a wide array…

Advantech has renewed its partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation for a second year, supporting environmental sustainability and reforestation efforts. Sales made through Advantech’s online eCommerce platforms in April 2025 will contribute to reforestation projects in the United States. This year’s efforts will focus on areas affected by environmental damage, including Lassen National Forest in…

HP debuts halogen-free PA 12 FR and showcases AI Text to 3D at booth 2301 for custom design. At RAPID + TCT 2025, HP presented new developments in polymer and metal 3D printing, along with partnerships focused on advancing additive manufacturing applications in the automotive sector. HP introduced new solutions designed to improve accessibility to additive…

The LEAP Awards (Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program) celebrates the most innovative and forward-thinking products serving the design engineering space. This dynamic competition honors the most innovative engineered products/components across several of our flagship brands: Design World, Fluid Power World, EE World, and Engineering.com. Submissions for the 2025 LEAP Awards program are being accepted starting Wednesday,…

A mobile surgical microscope from Prechtl Tech Solutions, designed for structurally weak countries, won the manus plastic bearing competition 2025. A panel of judges awarded the engineers for using lubrication-free polymer bearings, which improved the microscope’s reliability. Other winning projects included a bicycle trailer for parcel delivery, an AI-powered hoe for agriculture, and an agrivoltaic…

By Karsten Köhler, Business Development Manager at TDK-Micronas The auto industry is amid two transformative trends: the gradual transition from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric motors and drivetrains and the ongoing development of driver assistance and self-driving features. Sensor technology is famously integral to both trends, but electrification and assisted driving account for only […]

Whether you’ve had a subscription to The Economist since college or know nothing about the taxing of imported goods, you’ve probably been thinking a lot more about tariffs than usual. The subject has overtaken the airwaves and the watercooler alike since mid-January, and when it will subside is anybody’s guess. The Trump Administration’s “on-again, off-again”…

Demonstrating its dedication to innovation and sustainability, igus will present environmentally friendly technologies at Hannover Messe 2025. The motion plastics specialist will showcase its new PTFE-free materials, cable carriers made from recycled materials, and newly developed dry cleanroom certification for its e-chain® cable carriers developed in collaboration with Fraunhofer IPA. “Our mission remains to provide…

ABB has upgraded a variable speed drive to extend the life of NASA’s National Transonic Facility (NTF) wind tunnel by at least 10 years. This service project has boosted the reliability and availability of the world’s largest medium voltage (MV) drive system. To pull it off, drive experts engineered a solution to match the electrical…

At the recent National Fluid Power Association’s Annual Conference in Tucson, brothers Alex and Eugene Chausovsky of the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy spoke about geopolitical disruption and what it can mean for manufacturers. They highlighted how today we have a multipolarity in the world, with global powers (the U.S. and China), global players…