Appliance Design_July 2011

INSIDE18 Displays & Interfaces

20 Joining

23 Motors

26 Gas Technology

July 2011

www.applianceDESIGN.com

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

TheTheTheWarmth Wave

Finding the right solution to your company’s materials’ needs has never been easier, because now the companies of Brush Engineered Materials have unifi ed under one name, Materion. It allows us to give you greater access to all of the resources and solutions we offer. So why not fi nd out what the new Materion can do for you? Chances are, we can make a big difference to your technologies and your bottom line. Find out more at materion.com.

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Tough,yet inspiring.

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2 applianceDESIGN July 2011 www.applianceDESIGN.com

CONTENTS JULY 2011 volume 59, no. 7

DEPARTMENTS 4 Editorial: Beware of this Appliance

6 Shipments/Forecasts

8 News Watch

28 New Products

32 Association Report: AHAM

33 Advertiser’s Index

FEATURES

HEATING15 Far-infrared heating technology, used within

myriad appliances, can provide a gentle warmth for a cozy room or a healthful session.

DISPLAYS & INTERFACES18 As compared to rigid, glass-based displays,

you can more easily design appliances that can accommodate these microcapsule-based electrophoretic displays.

JOINING20 Structural adhesives such as two-part silicone

have numerous design, manufacturing and user advantages over typical welds and rivets.

MOTORS23 New approaches when it comes to EMCs

achieve better power efficiencies while, at the same time, employ less expensive materials such as ceramic magnets.

GAS TECHNOLOGY26 Today’s smart microprocessor-based hot

surface ignition control modules boast more functionality as well as better performance.

WEB EXTRASPersistent Serial Memory Eases Burden in Repetitive Event SystemsOver the years, designers have spent significant hours working to get around complications in low cost memory ICs. A new type of non-volatile memory has repetitive event systems in mind. See what Grant Hulse of Cypress Semiconductor has to say.

18

appliance DESIGN ONLINE

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE


E-NEWSLETTERSSign up for appliance DESIGN’s monthly e-newsletters at www.applianceDESIGN.com/enews

BLOGSDoes Service Sell Appliances?Kevin Henry’s The Essential KitchenPaul’s European PerspectiveAD’s Remix Blog

WEB EXTRAS

COVER

Far-infrared technology is an essential design element in diverse applications such as this sauna. Photo: Finnleo

Excellence in Design – Last month’s award winners are now on our magazine Web. In addition, one winner – Fluke Networks and its Wi-Fi Tester – was inadvertently left out of the June issue. See this Silver award winner within this issue’s New Products.

Case Study: Liquid Crystalline Polymer Plays Critical Role in Combination Ovens AEG-Electrolux uses an LCP from Ticona Engineering Polymers for its combination ovens. The approach provides heat resistance to an interior door panel that covers a key metal component keeping microwaves inside the oven.

15

20

Choose from 30 diff erent materials including ABS, Nylon, PC, Delrin, PEEK, ULTEM, aluminum and brass.

Choose from hundreds of engineering-grade resins, including HDPE, Polypropylene, ABS/PC, Acetal, PBT, Polycarbonate, Nylon 66, Polyamide and LPDE.

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Get Your ProtogamiOur newest design aid is a cool kaleidocycle that shows the eff ect of materials on fi nishes. Visit www.protolabs.com/appliance today and request your free Protogami! Enter code AD11C.

Call 877.479.3680 or visit www.protolabs.com

Check out our video design tips!



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

Maggie McFadden Shein (847) 405-4066 Editor [email protected]

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

Paul Roggema Kevin Henry New Media Contributors [email protected]

Lindsay Nagy (248) 244-6438 Production Manager [email protected]

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

circulationRita Foumia (248) 786-1687 Corporate Strategy Director [email protected]

Christina Roth (248) 244-6435 Audience Development Coordinator [email protected]

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

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

Kevin Collopy (800) 223-2194 x684 List Manager [email protected]

Michael Costantino (800) 223-2194 x748 [email protected]

marketingMichele Raska (248) 786-1694 Marketing Coordinator [email protected]

Deana Weber (248) 244-6249 Trade Show Coordinator [email protected]

editorial advisory boardBob Brown Vice President, Marketing & Sales, North America, Emerson Industrial Automation

John Davis Business Development Manager, Traulsen

Kevin Henry President, Group42

Joseph McGuire President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)

Richard Watson Founding Partner, Essential

Stephen Yurek, JD President, Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

®

It’s called a silo.It’s been a much used appliance in

numerous enterprises for, I guess, too many years.

Silos, whether in businesses, institutions, or government agencies, are barriers that develop among the organization’s many parts or territories. Appliance design is your territory. Then there is manufactur-ing, sales, marketing, IT, HR, and others. Each sits within its silo and looks up but not as often among. Yet embracing col-laborative culture, processes, and tools can keep that silo mentality in check. The bot-tom line is the bottom line as you, together with others, generate greater value for the company.

This magazine edition covers myriad special interests: displays, structured adhe-sives in joining, ECM advances, ePaper, smart ignitions and spa wonderful far-infrared heating.

Different topics, no doubt. But there are shared lessons to learn from each article, including seeking out cost-effective solu-tions, thinking outside the box, and design-ing processes or using materials that better complement product down the line. The focus is not on your silo but on the busi-ness and its ultimate customer.

Turn this page if I am getting too high-falutin. But it was either Ross Perot or Juan Perón – I sometimes get my billion-aire businessmen and South American dictators mixed up – who said the simple strategy to success is to “keep doing the things that work, stop doing the things that don’t, and start a few new things.” Sounds like Ross.

Of course, there are challenges: materi-als, processes, budgets, shifting buyer needs and desires, technology advances, to name a few. But there also is that silo, a meta-phor suggesting a similarity between grain silos that segregate one type of grain from another and the segregated parts of an organization. In an organization suffering the silo syndrome, departments or func-tions interact primarily within their silo rather than with other groups across the enterprise.

In such cultures, fear can prevail. People focus on protecting turf rather than engag-ing colleagues.

By the way, the C-suite is not immune to silo mentality. The top dogs sometimes focus more on managing their team than on collaborating across the organization.

And in a product design mode, silos inform workers what they’ll be building and how on a need-to-know basis. On the other hand, collaborative enterprises engage workers in the design and the man-ufacturing processes. This breaks down the barriers between product development and manufacturing and reduces the impact of silos.

You have specialties; you have skills; you have technical knowledge. But your biggest personal asset is your ability to listen and communication.

Maggie McFadden Shein, EditorE-mail: [email protected]: @aplncdsgn

EDITORIAL

Beware! Don’t Design This Appliance

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

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

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SHIPMENTSProduct Apr-11 Apr-10 %Chg 4 Mo. 2011 4 Mo. 2010 %Chg

MAJOR APPLIANCES (Thousands of Units)

TOTAL 4,929.60 6,287.70 -21.60% 21,134.60 21,579.40 -2.10% Cooking-Total 1,206.20 1,385.50 -12.90% 5,281.50 5,340.70 -1.10% Electric Cooking-Total 315.3 385 -18.10% 1,420.00 1,463.20 -3.00% Electric Ranges 249.9 302.4 -17.30% 1109.8 1150 -3.50% Electric Ovens 41.4 49.4 -16.20% 192.8 196.4 -1.80% Surface Cooking Units 23.9 33.1 -27.90% 117.3 116.8 0.50% Gas Cooking - Total 181.4 228.3 -20.50% 840.5 884.5 -5.00% Gas Ranges 156.5 193.6 -19.20% 725.7 763.7 -5.00% Gas Ovens 2.7 3.6 -23.20% 14.3 14.8 -3.00% Surface Cooking Units 22.1 31.1 -28.90% 100.5 106.1 -5.20% Microwave Ovens 709.5 772.3 -8.10% 3,021.00 2,993.00 0.90% Home Laundry - Total 997.50 1,240.50 -19.60% 4,631.20 4,983.20 -7.10% Automatic Washers 534.7 690.7 -22.60% 2,558.70 2,731.40 -6.30% Dryers-Total 462.8 549.8 -15.80% 2,072.50 2,251.80 -8.00% Electric 379 440.9 -14.00% 1,675.50 1,836.30 -8.80% Gas 83.8 108.9 -23.00% 397 415.4 -4.40% Kitchen Clean Up - Total 837.10 902.20 -7.20% 3,631.40 3,640.20 -0.20% Disposers 425.9 406.6 4.70% 1,759.40 1,723.90 2.10% Dishwashers-Total 408.4 492.3 -17.10% 1,858.40 1,901.20 -2.20% Built-In 403.8 486.1 -16.90% 1,832.70 1,876.90 -2.40% Portable 4.6 6.2 -26.10% 25.7 24.3 5.90% Compactors 2.9 3.2 -10.30% 13.6 15.1 -10.10% Food Preservation - Total 791.10 1,034.60 -23.50% 3,188.80 3,422.80 -6.80% Refrigerators 644.2 862.8 -25.30% 2,604.40 2,816.70 -7.50% Freezers - Total 146.9 171.8 -14.50% 584.4 606 -3.60% Chest 95 106.1 -10.40% 358.8 367 -2.20% Upright 51.8 65.7 -21.10% 225.6 239 -5.60% Home Comfort - Total 1,097.60 1,724.90 -36.40% 4,401.80 4,192.60 5.00% Room Air Conditioners 974.40 1,438.20 -32.30% 3,928.70 3,354.70 17.10% Dehumidifiers 123.3 286.7 -57.00% 473.1 837.9 -43.50%

Note: Figures (in units) include shipments for the U.S. market whether imported or domestically produced. Export shipments are not

included. Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).

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

FORECASTS

DVD PLAYERS/RECORDERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 5598.9 5279.8 5422.32 8376.2 8233.8 8629.13 8433.8 8889.2 9333.74 10,495.0 11,324.1 11,856.3For 2011, a 2.5% increase to 33.727 million unitsFor 2012, a 4.5% increase to 35.241 million unitsData Source: CEA Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

ELECTRIC RANGES & OVENS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 1078.2 1104.7 1145.62 1147.8 1123.7 1191.13 1049.8 1118.0 1170.64 1172.9 1242.1 1314.1For 2011, a 3.1% increase to 4.589 million units For 2012, a 5.1% increase to 4.821 million unitsData Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

RESIDENTIAL GAS WATER HEATERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 1086.9 1085.5 1123.52 1033.0 1021.6 1070.63 884.0 918.5 969.94 914.3 966.4 1012.8For 2011, a 1.9% increase to 3.992 million units For 2012, a 4.6% increase to 4.177 million unitsData Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

UNITARY AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)

Qtr: 2010 2011 20121 1031.3 1202.9 1229.42 1917.8 2103.8 2209.03 1334.0 1415.4 1513.14 884.3 932.9 997.3For 2011, a 9.4% increase to 5.655 million units For 2012, a 5.2% increase to 5.949 million unitsData Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

DISPOSERS – Shipments(Thousands of Units)


REFRIGERATORS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)


Note: All forecasts begin in Q2/2011

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NEWS WATCH

Prices went up in April for many major home appliances, thanks to the increase in raw materials. Image: PRNewsFoto/Whirlpool Corporation

PRICE INCREASES BY MAJOR APPLIANCE MAKERS NOT TEMPORARYTop executives at Whirlpool and Elec-trolux have told Wall Street analysts that prices of the goods have risen mainly because of price increases in material costs, especially steel, copper and oil. Whirlpool tags its raw material and oil-related cost inflation this year at $400 million to $450 million, up about $150 million from its previous analyst briefing. Electrolux says it forecasts raw material cost increases of $328.6 mil-lion this year. In North America, appli-ance prices have risen about 4 percent.

While the appliance makers have said the price increases are here to say, some analysts who follow the industry have suggested that, for the premium end of the market, that may be true but price increases could go down a bit for smaller goods or for those aimed at bargain hunt-ers. In the face of a challenging economy, continued weak home sales, and tum-bling home values, these appliance mak-ers only recently have suggested slight im-provements in sales and margins in North America but stronger sales elsewhere but especially in the fast-growing Latin American and Asian markets, thanks to a growing middle class.

REDUCING HEAT ISLAND EFFECT WITH GREEN BUILDING STANDARD CHANGESRequirements to reduce heat and sub-sequent energy use on building sites are proposed for the green building stan-dard developed by ASHRAE, IES and USGBC.

Five proposed addenda to Standard 189.1-2009, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings

Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, were open for public comment earlier this year.

Developed by ASHRAE in conjunc-tion with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the standard provides a long-needed green building foundation for those who strive to design, build and operate green buildings.

An outdoor-rated dishwasher has just been introduced as appliances are more often designed to work in outdoor kitchens, on patios and decks. Image: PR Newswire

CLOSING THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN LOOP: THE DISHWASHER GOES OUTSIDEWhile some homeowners are under water, mortgage wise, their outdoor kitchen dishwasher can now handle the

Walmart has begun selling some major home appli-ances in a few Dallas-Fort Worth stores, according to local media reports. The first stores: a Supercent-

er in Frisco and stores in North Richland Hills and in Fort Worth. Others stores will be added during the summer.

On the selling floor will be GE and Hotpoint refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ranges and microwaves and the display areas will be branded “The Appliance Market at Walmart.” Placement is in the front of its stores where the big retailer often leases space to banks and other services.

To meet the specialized needs of its customers, The Appli-

ance Market at Walmart is staffed by employees of Dallas-

based Flexi Compras, a chain of 140 appliance, consumer

electronics and furniture stores in four states. It will also offer

lease-to-own options.

Other national retailers such as Best Buy, The Home De-

pot and Lowe’s have expanded their appliance lines in recent

years. Sears, experiencing some bumpy financial quarters, has

pointed to its weaker-than-anticipated appliance sales.

Walmart Testing Home Appliance Sales, First in Texas

In testing appliance sales in some stores, customers have told us these are products they’re interested in us offering, says a Walmart spokesperson. The retailer tested the appliance waters once before in 2000. Image: Walmart

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2011 9

NEWS WATCH

elements. Outdoor kitchens continue to be hot properties for homeowners investing in their backyards and patios.

News Watch just got a look at a new machine from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, a manufacturer of high-end outdoor kitchen equipment. It claims this is the first outdoor dishwasher specifically designed to work outside and withstand the harshness of the el-ements. It features a wash system de-signed to clean dishes that have been sitting outdoors or pots and pans that have been over the heat of a grill fire. At $4,990, the outdoor dishwasher is available starting this month through a network of dealers that carry the firm’s equipment or through certified design professionals.

Outdoor-rated appliances can be manufactured by traditional or special-ty industry sources but are often sold through architects, designers, landscap-ers and electronic home systems con-tractors.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is involved in, among actions, recall of a food processor. Check this month’s Association news for more on a CPSC project on a consumer product incident database.

OUCH: WALMART-EXCLUSIVE GE FOOD PROCESSORS RECALLED

It seems they may tend to cut some folks, smoke and catch fire. So the Con-sumer Product Safety Commission has asked Walmart to voluntarily recall about 255,000 General Electric food processors. The safety interlock system on the recalled food processor can fail, exposing blades while in operation. There have been 58 re-

ports of incidents, 21 of which resulted in injuries to fingertips and three in fire.

Winning a Green Star, the APCOM plant in Tennessee saved nearly 400,000 gallons of water to date, reduced its electricity by more than 18 percent in 2010 and its natural gas consumption by nearly 16 percent. Image: A. O. Smith

A.O. SMITH’S GREEN STAR GOES TO APCOM PLANTThe daily focus on conserving natural re-sources along with improving process ef-ficiency and reducing costs at the APCOM, Inc., Franklin, Tenn., plant were recently

physical and thermal strength, electrical stability

©2011 CoorsTek, Inc. A0111 8510-____ Rev. A

[email protected]

High-Performance Igniters

available in gas appliances of every description and virtually every voltage

easy handling, simple installation, dependable performance


NEWS WATCH

recognized at a special ceremony at the facility. Says Paul Jones, A. O. Smith corporation chair-

man and chief executive officer, “This award is presented to the facility that demonstrates year-over-year improvement in energy consump-tion and water usage.” Jones explains that data for 2010 was collected on 32 A. O. Smith plants worldwide, measuring their annual use of natural gas, electricity, and water. As part of the process, the plant’s annual production volume is factored in to help overcome discrepancies related to facil-ity size or significant fluctuations in production. That also allows for the evaluation of the facility based on its unique individual resource use.

“Water is an important resource in Franklin as we use large quantities of water to clean parts in our zinc plating process,” says Larry Lillard, APCOM vice president-manufacturing. This process is the biggest user of water in the plant. Lillard explains that parts are washed and rinsed three times and soaked in a sulfated acid solution twice before plating. “The plant estimated that four million gallons of water was therefore going down the drain annually,” continues Lillard.

The water from the rinses is subsequently treat-ed with “hydroxide precipitation” in the waste water treatment system. This removes impurities and metals from the rinse water before sending it to the sewer. Since the water is fairly clean and pH balanced when it leaves the waste water treatment system, another suggestion was made to recycle the treated water.

Congress now has energy savings legislation, supported in part by the Alliance to Save Energy. Image: Library of Congress

ENERGY EFFICIENCY BILL INTRODUCED IN CONGRESSAt a Capitol Hill press conference in mid-May, the Alliance to Save Energy’s honorary board chair Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced the introduc-tion of a bill that would advance the use of energy efficiency to address the nation’s economic and energy challenges. The Energy Savings and In-

PEOPLE NEWS

“OL’ LONELY” GETS A DEMOTIONThe Maytag repairman is kind of out of a job. The company has launched an evolving ad campaign that places the trusty “Ol’ Lonely” guy into a cameo role. The man in the blue uniform had been a primary theme for over 100 years, suggesting to potential buyers that Maytag machines rarely broke. In the new ads, a picnic blanket and a beloved rag doll that needs a good washing are the stars. The tag-line: “What’s Inside Matters.”

After a nationwide search in 2009, Maytag brand selected Clay Jackson to be the new Maytag repair-man. The character will now play a lessor role. Image: PRNewsFoto/Whirlpool Corporation

EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES REFRIGERATION DIVISION WINS CHAIRMAN’S OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDFor its quality products, strong custom-er relationships, and market growth in the face of a tough economy, the Refrig-eration Division of Emerson Climate Technologies has been awarded Em-erson’s 2010 Chairman’s Operational Excellence Award. Emerson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Farr visited the division’s main facility in Sidney, Ohio, to recognize the accom-plishments of employees and present the award.

The Emerson Climate Technologies

Refrigeration Division serves the super-

market, convenience store and restaurant

industries with compressor technology for

commercial refrigeration.

Emerson Climate Technologies Refrigeration

Division president Ram Krishnan accepts Emerson’s

2010 Chairman’s Operational Excellence Award from

Chairman and CEO Dave Farr. From left, incoming Refrigeration

Division president Bob Bauer, Emerson Climate Technologies CEO Ed Purvis, Krishnan, Farr.

Emerson announced in May that Krishnan has been named President of Emerson Climate Technologies-Asia. He will be

succeeded by Bauer, who was most recently with Emerson

Network Power.

WENZELL OF E. S. ROBBINS APPOINTED V. P. OF INTERNATIONALE. S. Robbins Corporation, a manufacturer of plastic products for industrial, food service, home and office use, has named Phillip Wenzell as vice president of international. In his new position, Wenzell will be re-sponsible for implementing the international group’s growth strategies across all of E. S. Robbins’ product lines. Wenzell most recently served as director of inter-national for the consumer and office products division at MeadWestvaco.

WENZELL


NEWS WATCH

dustrial Competitiveness Act (S. 1000) of 2011 intends to increase the use of energy efficiency technologies in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors of the economy, while fostering job creation.

“A national energy efficiency strategy, like the one we are introducing today, can make our economy more competitive, start addressing our nation’s energy chal-lenges and create private sector jobs today. It is effective, it is bipartisan and it is af-fordable,” Shaheen said at the time. “This is a bipartisan effort to advance energy efficiency, one of the quickest and most affordable ways to lower energy costs for employers and consumers,” Portman add-ed. “By making it easier for employers to utilize energy efficient tools, they can re-duce costs, enabling them to use the sav-ings to expand their companies and hire new workers.”

Executives from Siemens and Owens Corning spoke in support of S.1000, which uses a variety of low-cost tools to reduce barriers for private sector energy users and drive adoption of off-the-shelf efficiency

technologies that should save businesses and consumers money, make America more energy independent, and reduce emissions.

Enactment of S. 1000 would:Help manufacturers reduce energy use and become more competitive by working with states to establish a revolving loan program to help finance efficiency upgrades.Provide standards on outdoor lighting, residential heating and cooling systems, residential appliances, and other ap-pliance products based on agreements between manufacturers and efficiency advocates.Work with states to strengthen national model building codes to make new homes and commercial buildings more energy efficient.Require the federal government – the single largest energy user in the country – to adopt energy saving techniques for computers, saving energy and taxpayer dollars, and adopt better building stan-dards and smart metering technology.

SMART GRID JACKPOT? WE’LL ALL SEESmart grid technologies could deliver be-tween $1.3 trillion and $2 trillion in ben-efits over the next 20 years, according to a study by the Electric Power Research Insti-tute (EPRI).

EPRI released a broad assessment of the costs and benefits to modernize the U.S. electricity system and deploy what has be-come known as the smart grid. Factoring a wide range of new technologies, applica-tions, and consumer benefits, the invest-ment needed to implement a fully func-tional smart grid ranges from $338 billion to $476 billion and can result in benefits between $1.3 trillion and $2 trillion.

Appliances have become or are being designed with intelligence and communi-cations to play their role within the total smart grid.

The institute estimate reflects new tech-nologies related to the grid, information, and communication technologies; market structures; demands of an increasingly digital society; more widespread deploy-


NEWS WATCH

ment of renewable power production and its integration into the grid; expansion and maintenance of existing infrastructure; and technologies and systems to address grid security.

The report balances costs with benefits, which include:

More reliable power delivery and qual-ity, with fewer and briefer outages;Enhanced cyber security and safety with a grid that monitors itself and detects and responds to security and safety situations;A more efficient grid, with reduced energy losses and a greater capacity to manage peak demand, lessening the need for new generation;Environmental and conservation benefits, better support for renewable energy and electric-drive vehicles; and,Potentially lower costs for customers through greater pricing choices and access to energy information.

Ironically or unfortunately, the need to

accelerate smart grid spending comes at a time when regulators, state legislators, businesses and homeowners may find it harder to spend more money during to-day’s economic tightening.

Most of the costs will fall on utility dis-tribution systems that deliver electricity to retail customers, the study said. Although some upfront costs may be paid by distri-bution and transmission companies, ulti-mately, at some point, the consumer pays for everything.

WTRS: IP CONNECTIVITY KEY TO SMART METERING AND HOME AREA NETWORKSA report for emerging wireless sensor network or WSN technologies in smart metering and home area network appli-cations shows challenges.

“Significant communication protocols in contention for control of these applica-tions include ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth LE, Powerline, IEEE 802.15.4, and Wi-Fi,”

says Kirsten West, principal analyst with WTRS. “It is most likely that all protocols will be used in different implementations within the sector, with the underlying common requirement being the ability to connect via Internet Protocol.”

Following its acquisition by UL, Springboard Engineering will help with an overall focus on Energy Star testing of appliances beyond safety.

UL ACQUIRES SPRINGBOARD ENGINEERING TO EXPAND ITS ENERGY STAR TESTINGUL, a leader in advancing safety, tells News Watch it has a definitive agreement to ac-quire the assets of Newton, Iowa-based Springboard Engineering, a performance, Energy Star, reliability and engineering ad-

With millions of owners stuck in homes worth less than they owe on their mortgages, existing home sales remain depressed while new home sales continue near record lows, concludes The State of the Nation’s Housing report released recently by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Elevated vacancies and foreclosures continue to place down-ward pressure on prices. In places where foreclosures are con-centrated, property markets are in turmoil. Indeed, just ten percent of neighborhoods across the U.S. account for nearly half of all foreclosures in 2010.

After three consecutive years of record low construction levels, the vigor of the recovery in housing now hinges on a return of demand. The lingering consequences of the reces-sion and financial crisis, however, are thwarting a broader recovery. “While the sharp declines in both home prices and interest rates have left homes in many places more affordable than they have been in decades,” says Eric Belsky, managing director of the center, “stubbornly high unemployment and tightened lending standards have limited the ability of many

first-time buyers to capitalize on the situation.”

Although the housing industry continues to face signifi-

cant challenges, one bright sign beginning to appear is in the

rental market. “Rental housing markets are tightening and

may begin to lead a modest recovery in housing construction

this year,” says Chris Herbert, research director of the Joint

Center for Housing Studies.

One bottom line: Appliances designed and sized for rental

apartments may be a trend that continues.

HARVARD STUDY: U.S. HOUSING MARKET RE-MAINS MIRED, BUYERS STAY ON THE SIDELINES

It may be that housing such as this Nicolas Cage Las Vegas home has held value, but much of the housing activity has shifted to rental units with appliances to match. Image: PRNewsFoto/Luxe Estates Collection


NEWS WATCH

visory services company, found-ed by Maytag design engineers.

“This acquisition will enable UL to strengthen and expand our capabilities to serve key cus-tomers in the HVAC, appliance, and components segments and give us a comprehensive suite of services to support global man-ufacturers,” says Sajeev Jesudas, president, UL Verification Ser-vices. “Springboard Engineer-ing’s experience and capabili-ties will allow us to increase our safety and performance testing capacity and expand our offer-ings in key growth markets such as Energy Star and smart appli-ances.”

“Springboard Engineering and UL share complementary offerings and we fully expect this will play a critical role in deepening our relationships with our combined customers,” adds Jordan Bruntz, president of Springboard Engineering. Upon completion of the trans-action, Springboard Engineer-ing will become part of UL’s Verification Services business.

STUDENTS DESIGN SYSTEM TO POWER DOWN HOME APPLIANCESNortheastern University stu-dents have devised a home ener-gy control system that monitors power levels inside a particular home — or even throughout an entire apartment building or neighborhood.

The students, electrical and computer engineering majors Luca Cavallo, Allen Chan, Mar-tin Green, Khanh Lam and Egin Tollkuci, developed the system for their senior capstone proj-ect. Such projects provide en-gineering students with a rich experiential learning opportu-nity, enabling them to pursue their innovative ideas through use-inspired research at a level of complexity more typical of

graduate studies, says Professor of Electrical and Computer En-gineering Bahram Shafai, who served as advisor.

They’ve designed a breaker box with an LCD screen and keypad that allows users to see how much power is being used in a particular room or even by a specific appliance. The keypad also enables them to set rooms and appliances at varying prior-ity levels, determining when to shut them down during the day or night.

OTA TECHNOLOGY FOR OVER THE AIR PROGRAMMING WITH ZIGBEEA Spanish firm, Libelium, devel-oping wireless sensor networks, tells News Watch about its over the air or OTA solution that lays the foundation for over the air programming (OTAP) for wire-less sensor networks and the so-called Internet of Things. This brings OTA capabilities to unlicensed frequency bands (2.4GHz, 868MHz, 900MHz) and to low power communi-cation using protocols such as 802.15.4 and ZigBee.

Over the last decade, wireless programming or OTA provi-sioning has been widely used by the mobile phone industry. This capability has allowed software updates to be delivered to mo-bile phone users and to enable the deployment of new services as they become available. So far, such capabilities have not been available to wireless sen-sor networks or to the Internet of Things. Such networks, usu-ally consisting of hundreds or thousands of nodes (“motes”), would benefit from an OTA ca-pability.

Firmware upgrades can be made within minutes and it is possible to choose between up-dating single nodes (unicast),


NEWS WATCH

multiple nodes (multicast) or an entire network (broadcast). OTA can also be used for the recovery of stuck nodes. Fur-thermore it is possible to find nodes in a particular area by broadcasting a discovery query.

TI LARGEST POWER IC SUPPLIER; COMPETITION GETS MORE FIERCEIMS Research reports that Texas Instru-ments (TI) remained the largest supplier in the power management and driver IC market in 2010, a year in which most sup-pliers experienced an exploding market but struggled at times to have the capac-ity to meet demand. Linear Technologies is estimated to have gained the most share from 2009 to 2010, increasing by 1.1 per-cent of the total, to almost catch Infineon Technologies, which is estimated to have lost 0.2 percent of the market. This places Linear Technologies 3rd globally, moving up from 6th in 2009.

National Semiconductor is estimated to have lost most market share from 2009 to 2010, placing it 6th globally, below STMi-croelectronics which remains 5th. Maxim Integrated Products remained 4th glob-ally, also capturing market share in 2010.

With the recent announcement that TI is to acquire National Semiconductor, it looks like TI will continue to strengthen its position as the largest supplier in the market, though competition will remain fierce, according to IMS Research.

RAPID GROWTH PREDICTED FOR RESIDENTIAL ENERGY MANAGEMENTRemote access and control via broadband are expanding opportunities for energy management systems and services, with lighting controls, programmable thermo-stats, and self-monitoring systems each exceeding $1 billion in U.S. revenues by 2015, Parks Associates forecasts. The in-ternational research firm’s report Residen-tial Energy Management 2011: Trends and Opportunities projects 13 percent of U.S. households will have some type of energy management network by 2015.

Such growth will impact and, in some way, be driven by smart appliances, which have intelligence and communications.

Broadband-connected systems, com-bined with consumer interest in energy savings, will open opportunities outside the utility industry for manufacturers and service providers. One-third of consum-ers in broadband households find remote control of lights, appliances and thermo-stats via Web-enabled devices very appeal-ing. Nearly 50 percent find email/text no-tification of smoke, fire, water, or gas leaks very appealing.

“The market for residential energy management (REM) solutions is entering a pervasive growth period characterized by the entrance of many more firms with a variety of solutions, growing consumer awareness and significantly increasing sales volumes over the next five years,” says Bill Ablondi, director, home systems research, Parks Associates. “Engaging con-sumers is critical to success in this market. Companies such as ADT, Best Buy, GE, Intel, and Verizon have entered the mar-ket from several different entry points; all have the marketing clout to educate con-sumers about the benefits of REM solu-tions and drive market growth.”

EIA DUSTUP AS ASHRAE REACTS TO “NO RELEASE” OF ENERGY SURVEYRecent announcements regarding the U.S. Energy Information Administra-tion’s (EIA) decision to not release the results of the 2007 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), and to halt work on the 2011 edition of the survey, have prompted ASHRAE to request action.

EIA has opted not to release the 2007 CBECS results — a national sample sur-vey that collects information on the stock of U.S. commercial buildings, their en-ergy-related characteristics, energy con-sumption and expenditures — and has suspended work on a 2011 survey due to statistical issues and funding cuts, respec-tively.

ASHRAE has issued a letter strongly urging Congress to include funding for CBECS in the Fiscal Year 2012 appro-priations bills to allow work on the 2011 edition of the survey to continue. This is particularly important in light of the 2007 CBECS data discrepancies.

“Information from CBECS plays a critical role in building energy efficiency through the many federal and private sec-tor programs that use the survey’s data in their efforts to establish benchmark levels and promote energy efficient practices, including ASHRAE’s Building Energy Quotient (Building eQ) program,” says Lynn Bellenger, ASHRAE president. “Ad-ditionally, many of ASHRAE’s commit-tees depend upon CBECS to help develop some of the standards in use by the fed-eral government, states and local jurisdic-tions.”

Currently, the latest version of CBECS data is from 2003. If funding is not provided, government and industry will be forced to rely on data nearly a decade old.

JULYSPI’S FLEXIBLE VINYL PRODUCTS 22ND ANNUAL CONFERENCEJuly 10-13, Burlington, VermontWebsite: www.plasticsindustry.org

AUGUST THE GOURMET HOUSEWARES SHOW Aug 14-18, New York City, New York Website: www.thegourmetshow.com

23RD IIR INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF REFRIGERATION (ICR) 2011 - REFRIGERATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTAug. 21-26, Prague, Czech RepublicWebsite: www.icr2011.org

HRAI 43RD ANNUAL MEETINGAug. 25-27, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada Website: www.hrai.ca

SEPTEMBER IFA 2011 HOME APPLIANCE AND CONSUMER ELECTRONICS Sept. 2-7, Berlin, Germany Website: www.ifa-berlin.com

INTER-NOISE 2011 Sept. 4-7, Osaka, Japan Website: www.internoise2011.com

MEETINGS


HEATING

Heating a room or

improving health are

just two benefits of

far-infrared heating

technology.

A dog curling up and napping under the rays of the sun shining through a windowpane is one example. People

gathering for a quick sauna or flipping a switch on a zone heater to warm a room’s cold spots are other examples. While these three applications are very different, in this case, they have at least one thing in com-mon, far-infrared wavelength technology.

Far-infrared waves are part of the electro-magnetic spectrum. This spectrum ranges from high to low frequencies (or short to long wavelengths) and includes: gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light (from violet to red), infrared light, micro-waves, FM radio waves, television, short wave, and AM radio.

Infrared light falls between the visible and the microwave. Within the infrared spec-trum, wavelengths range from the near infrared to the far- and extreme far-infra-red. Far-infrared heat, which is generated when the wavelengths are between 7 and 14 microns, penetrates the water molecules in the air to provide soft, comfortable heat. This is an efficient way to convert electri-cal energy into heat. The infrared heat stays evenly distributed and is retained longer in

the room without dissipating as compared to conventional heating sources.

These far-infrared, thermal waves pro-duce what has been described as a very gentle warmth. This sensible heat has the ability to penetrate the human body up to 1.5 inches (some studies suggest as much as 2 inches), permeating the hypodermic layer of a person’s skin. This capability can provide numerous health benefits. Just as the far-infrared waves react with water mol-ecules in humid air, carrying heat through-out a room, the waves also react to water molecules in the body and cause them to resonate. Medical experts say this can release toxins and increase circulation and meta-bolic activity.

Health Benefits from Appliances

Many studies have supported this, and the Journal of the American Medical Association went so far as to say that infrared saunas can burn calories and provide as many car-diovascular benefits as does running. Dr. Aaron Flickstein, an industry researcher, in his white paper, “Research on Far Infrared Rays,” says that infrared saunas’ health ben-

by larry adams

Larry Adams is a contributing writer to appliance DESIGN.

Warmth WaveThe

Finnleo’s infrared sauna features the CarbonFlex infrared heating system. Image: Finnleo


HEATING

efits include heart health, cancer therapy, musculoskeletal improvements, and more.

Timothy Jahnigen, a long-time industry expert and co-founder of Wavemaker, a Berkeley, Calif., manufacturer of saunas for animals, agrees. “Infrared is completely safe and is the most soothing, comforting, and healing heat there is. Research shows that radiant heat, where the heat source never touches the body it is heating, is superior to conductive heat, such as heating pads, for health, healing and com-fort.”

Fauna Sauna Heated Spa Beds from Wavemaker are a first radiant heat-enhanced fine furniture for pets. Jahnigen says the Fauna Sauna combines far-infrared warmth with fine furniture appeal, and blends design, science, and therapy into pet furniture.

Jahnigen has dubbed the wavelength technology the Wellness Wavelength. It uses far-infrared heat emit-ters located in the side and top panels of the sauna. The emitters are composed of a carbon and ceramic hybrid. The technology produces far-infrared rays in the 8 to 9 micron range, the optimal range for heal-ing and cell regeneration, Jahnigen says.

Far-infrared technology

has been a boost for Finnleo, Cokato, Minn., one of the largest sauna producers in the world. The company is a leading provider of traditional, rock-based saunas, and in recent years has become a leading seller of infrared saunas, says Mark Raisanen, national sales manager for Finnleo.

Previously, Finnleo’s infrared saunas used Incoloy rod emitters for about eight years. It gave them relatively good performance, but the saunas still had problems with

cold spots. As the distance from the rods increased, so did the likelihood of cold spots. Site lines are key with this technology, which is why reflectors are often used.

Materials Impact Efficiency

Infrared heaters can be made with materials with varying emissivities. The higher the emissivity, the more efficient that surface is going to be at emitting infrared heat. For example, ceramic, which is a heat-ing element staple, has an emissivity rate of 85 to 95 percent. Carbon has an emissivity of 70 to 90 per-cent. Incoloy rod heaters have emissivity levels in the 50 to 60 percent range.

When redesigning its infrared saunas, Raisanen

Infrared Wavelengths

Near-infrared .75 to 1.4 μm

Short-wavelength infrared 1.4 to 3 μm

Mid-wavelength infrared 3 to 8 μm

Far-infrared 8 to 15 μm

Extreme far-infrared 15 to 1,000 μm

TEN KEY HEALTH AND WELLNESS BENEFITS

1. Saunas relieve stress.2. Saunas relax muscles and soothe aches/pains in both muscles and joints.3. Saunas flush toxins.4. Sauna cleanses the skin.5. Saunas can induce a deeper sleep.6. Saunas bring about recreational and social benefits.7. Saunas improve cardiovascular performance.8. Saunas burn calories.9. Saunas can help fight illness.10. Saunas just feel good.

Wavemaker says that its Fauna Sauna Heated Spa Beds are the first radiant heat-enhanced fine furniture for pets.

Finnleo’s CarbonFlex panels emit far-infrared wavelengths at 8.4 to 9.4 microns. Image: Finnleo

Within the infrared spectrum, wavelengths range from near to extreme far. Source: NASA

Far-infrared in-wall heaters from BioSmart Solutions feature ceramic infrared heaters that are almost 100% efficient at

converting electrical energy into infrared heat.


HEATING

says they considered ceramic infrared heat-ers because of the emissivity rates, but they worried about breakage. They settled upon a carbon system, which they call CarbonFlex.

When converting from Incoloy rod emit-ters to the carbon system, one of the biggest benefits was the longer wavelength. The new heater produces wavelengths in the 8.4 to 9.4 micron range, considered the sweet spot for health benefits. This compares to the wavelength range of 4 to 6 microns created by the Incoloy heater, considered mid-range.

The transition happened quickly. While the company still supports the legacy tech-nology, Finnleo converted its product line in months. The effects on the company’s bot-tom line were equally fast. In three years, Finnleo went from a bit player, Raisanen says, to a dominant seller of infrared saunas.

Also helping the company’s bottom line was a new product called the InfraSauna that gives customers the choice to switch between a traditional heater and the CarbonFlex far-infrared heater. Additionally, the company recently earned an ETL safety mark for cus-tom-sized rooms. The ETL listing is proof of safety compliance. Historically, infrared heater ETL listings were limited to fixed sizes and heater models. Now, Finnleo, working with ETL, is able to test whole rooms and get rooms safety certified up to 420 cubic feet.

Zone heating is one of the biggest markets for another company that uses far-infrared technology. BioSmart Technologies, Helm, Wash., offers in-wall and portable far-infra-red heaters for commercial and residential applications.

Water Instead of AirThe ceramic heaters feature a heat

exchanger that incorporates a copper-ionization panel for efficient ionization of water molecules in the air. The water mol-ecules act as a carrier for the infrared heat that is expelled, which more evenly distrib-utes the heat throughout a room then do air molecules.

The copper heat exchanger modulates the frequency wavelength of the infrared heat waves. As the IR waves pass over the copper plates in the air flow chamber of the heater, they are modulated in the optimum far-infrared wavelength range.

On its portable heater, the company has added an improved proprietary heating chamber that features a 300 percent increase in the copper surface area, insulating ceram-ic liners, ultra quiet fan, and 120 V quartz far infrared elements. This combination produces infrared energy that can heat up to a 1,000 square feet.

These uses for far-infrared technology in appliances might just be the beginning. The technology is already in use in astronomy, lighting, and even clothing. In the last couple years, researchers at the University of Utah have announced breakthrough research to turn far-infrared technology into advanced communications and counterterrorism technology. Who knows what the future will bring? To paraphrase the old song: “Cats do it, dogs do it, even human’s with fancy sau-nas do it, why don’t you design appliances to

do it, too?”

BioSmart Solutions portable heaters can heat up to a 1,000 sq. ft.

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DISPLAYS & INTERFACES

Microcapsule-based

electrophoretic displays,

also sometimes referred

to as ePaper displays,

offer engineers more

freedom and more ways

to convey information.

Traditionally, design engineers have selected electronic displays based on factors such as contrast, bright-

ness, response time, viewing angle, lifetime and mechanical/electrical specifications. While traditional display technologies offer a variety of options, there are certain char-acteristics that have been non-negotiable, including rectangular, rigid glass-based displays that require a flat surface. Today, microcapsule-based electrophoretic dis-plays, also sometimes referred to as ePaper displays, offer designers more freedom and more ways to convey information.

When people think of electrophoretic displays, they often think of eBook appli-cations such as the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and Sony Reader. But there are hundreds of additional applications for electrophoretic displays that enable design engineers to create flexible displays in unique shapes and sizes using plastic sub-strates instead of glass.

Electrophoretic displays are not only flexible, but are also low power consuming, sunlight readable, thin, light, offer a low

EMI profile, have a wide viewing angle, and weighless. They are more eco-friendly than other displays.

Flexible electrophoretic displays have been in mass production for the past sev-eral years and have been designed into a number of devices. However, few design-ers have taken advantage of all the features of this display technology, in particular the ability to shape the display around the device.

This article outlines the benefits of microcapsule-based electrophoretic dis-play technology, and discusses a variety of design applications best suited to these attributes.

Unique ShapesConsumer appliances rely on the unique

look of the product to project the brand image and consumer electronics compa-nies spend millions on branding, product design and packaging. Yet, most consumer electronics end up with a traditional rect-angular display.

With electrophoretic displays, OEMs can

by sriram k. peruvemba

Sriram K. Peruvemba is chief marketing officer at E Ink Holdings, Cambridge, Mass.

Microcapsule-based Electrophoretic Displays for Appliance Designers

This E Ink keyboard on the Samsung Zealis made with electrophoretic display and will

automatically change from letters to numbers depending on which application the phone is

used for. Image: Samsung, Verizon


DISPLAYS & INTERFACES

design a display around the product rather than design a product around the dis-play. Electrophoretic displays can be round, triangular, resemble a logo, mounted on a curved surface—they are limited only by the designer’s imagination. Examples of applications include hand-held devices such as auto-motive key fobs, wristwatch-es and remote controls.

Rugged, Flexible and Robust

Electrophoretic displays have the inherent flexibility and ruggedness of paper. Unlike glass-based displays, there is nothing to shatter in an electrophoretic display, making them ideal for applica-tions where there is a lot of wear and tear. Electrophoretic displays have long life, are ultra-thin, rugged and flexible. This makes them ideal for applications such as smart cards where the displays will be flexed while in your wallet, sat upon, flung across the counter and perhaps dropped on the floor occasionally. The elimination of the glass backplane also means the display sur-face does not have to be flat.

Currently, high-resolution, flexible dis-plays such as those found in eBooks have not yet been commercialized. Dozens of companies are working on making flex-ible electronics using microcapsule-based electrophoretic displays. However, more than 20 million low resolution flexible dis-plays are already in the field, performing extremely well over the past several years. In the future, imagine displays built into clothing, handbags and on curved surfaces, giving any surface the ability to become a smart surface.

Portable and Lightweight Electrophoretic displays are feather-

light, making them ideal for portable handheld applications such as mobile phones, USB memory drives, fuel gauges in batteries and other applications where the weight and thickness of the display and its components are critical.

There are electrophoretic displays on

the market today that are 650 microns thick, or about as thick as six sheets of paper, enabling the display to fit anywhere and go any place. Together with low power consumption, electrophoretic displays reduce the size and weight of the batteries in the device.

Large secondary displays that can make a keypad changeable in mobile phones and laptops can now be realized with displays that

blend with the design and take up very little room. A keypad made with electrophoretic display can automatically change from letters to numbers depending on which application the phone is used for. The buttons on the keypad are no longer static—the labels on the buttons change.

Low Power Consumption and Image Persistence

In devices that have a power budget such as battery-operated electronics, elec-trophoretic displays can be a good option. Unlike traditional displays that have a backlight that consumes large amounts of power, electrophoretic displays are reflec-tive and consume a fraction of the power of conventional display technologies. This extends the battery life of electronic devices like mobile phones, electronic shelf labels and smart cards. In some cases, elec-trophoretic displays will last 30 times lon-ger than conventional displays using the same battery. No backlight also typically means no inverter — and, therefore, less EMI-generating components in the display

— making it easier for designers to obtain regulatory approval for display designs.

Electrophoretic displays also are image persistent. Once an image is formed on the display, the power can be unplugged and the image will be retained for months, if desired, on a single charge. This feature makes this display technology particularly valuable in applications such as power tools to show battery capacity as well as in devices that have no battery such as a USB memory stick.

Appearance and Readability Conventional displays require a back-

light to be cranked up or to be positioned in a shady spot to read the contents on the screen, because sunlight can make traditional backlight displays unreadable. With electrophoretic displays, no shade is required—the displays are easy to read in high light conditions due to the paper-like appearance. Better yet, they cause none of the eyestrain commonly associated with backlit displays such as LCDs.

How Does it Work?Electrophoretic displays are based on the

principle of electrophoresis, which explains the motion of charged particles in a fluid under the influence of an electric field. The principle component of an electropho-retic display is a microcapsule—and there are millions of them in each display. Each microcapsule contains a mixture of posi-tively charged black particles and negatively charged white particles suspended in oil.

To produce a flexible electrophoretic imaging film, the capsules are formed into a paste and coated onto a flexible plastic substrate in an efficient roll-to-roll pro-cess. In the finished film, the capsules, averaging less than 50 microns in diameter, are packed together tightly, which gives the appearance of paper.

Electrophoretic displays go where none have gone before: into unique applications, in the most rugged environments, using an eco-friendly technology. Design engineers now

have more design options than ever before.

For more information, visit: www.eink.com or email: [email protected]

Once an image is formed on the display, power can be unplugged and the image will be retained for months, if desired, on a single charge. This feature is particularly valuable in applications such as power tools to show battery capacity as well as in devices that have no battery such as a USB memory stick. Image: Lexar

Electrophoretic displays are ultra-thin, rugged and flexible, making them ideal for applications such as credit cards. Image: SmartDisplayer


JOINING

Structural silicones

are replacing welds

and rivets in appliance

assembly.

For years, appliance manufacturers have traditionally turned to welding, mechanical fasteners, or double-sided

acrylic foam tape for the majority of their assembly operations. While these fastening methods have been successful, they carry many hidden manufacturing costs and chal-lenges. Structural bonding with liquid adhe-sives, a long proven method in the aerospace and automotive markets, is gaining momen-tum as a viable solution for many applica-tions in the appliance marketplace.

Structural adhesives join basic load-bear-ing parts of an assembly, and can be used to reduce or replace existing mechanical fasten-ers. With breakthroughs in structural bonding

technologies like silicones that can survive the high temperatures required in many appliance applications, manufacturers have a new, highly cost effective option to consider in their man-ufacturing processes. See Figure 1.

Benefits and Considerations: Welding vs. Structural Silicones

Welding provides some considerable ben-efits in the manufacturing process. Once a welding process is completed, the resulting assembly is immediately at full strength. If welded properly, the joint will provide the highest overall strength possible for the fin-ished assembly.

by brian noonan

Brian Noonan is market manager at Henkel Corporation, Rocky Hill, Conn.

A HOT TIME TO BOND

The heat is on. Advances in structural adhesive technology have dramatically expanded the scope of potential bonding applications in a diversity of appliances. Image: Henkel

Two SpotWelds

Two-PartSilicone*

Two AluminumPop Rivets Double Sided Tape*

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*-2 in2 bond areaFigure 1: Shown is the strength of structural silicones vs. traditional fastening methods.


JOINING

However, thermal joining is widely acknowledged as an expensive process that requires specialized, skilled labor and exten-sive time depending upon the size of the weld area. In addition, other costs are involved such as equipment, filler metals, gas, energy, and the time it takes to complete the welding process.

Aesthetics is important in the appliance market. Welded joints are often non-uni-form and lack the clean look required. When welding is completed, most joints must be cleaned up, a time-consuming process where weld seams are ground and polished to meet aesthetic requirements. To reduce the time involved with welding, manufacturers may choose stitch or spot welds, but will sacrifice

some strength and still must invest the time in cleanup. In appliance manufacturing, the rework associated with welding on critical external joints can be a significant portion of the total cost of an assembly.

Figure 2 compares man-hours per square foot involved with three assembly methods: welding, mechanical fastening and liquid struc-tural adhesives. The graph shows that both welding and mechanical fastening are man-ual processes where man-hours dramatically increase as square footage increases. In short, the more area that needs to be covered, the lon-ger and more costly these processes are.

As adhesives can be easily applied using automated equipment, application time levels off when larger areas are bonded.

Adhesives must be applied in the correct location and in sufficient amounts to fill gaps between the bonded surfaces. Labor and cleanup are minimal, and adhesives deliver nearly the same bond strength as overlap welding and substantially greater strength than mechanical fasteners.

As shown in Figure 1, adhesives perform very similarly to spot welds, with less than a 10 percent difference in shear strength per-formance and, in many cases, offer a sig-nificant cost advantage by eliminating the need for highly specialized labor and costly rework.

Benefits and Considerations: Mechanical Fastening vs. Structural Silicones

Mechanical fasteners are traditionally used on internal applications or on the sides or back of appliances where they are less likely to be seen. While mechanical fasteners such as bolts, rivets and screws are considered an immediate form of assembly, they are costly as they require labor to drill holes and insert fasteners. Manufacturers must keep an extensive inventory of fasteners on hand, and assembly is time consuming.

Fasteners do not distribute load over the full area of attachment; rather, they concen-trate stress at the fastener site. This concen-trated stress often results in substrate failure just above the fastener hole or failure of the fastener itself. Both fasteners and thermal joining can cause premature joint failure and may not withstand stresses caused by flex or vibration.

The left hand side of Figure 3 shows a bonded joint where red arrows represent the shear force applied. The leading edge of the joint sees slightly more stress than the mid-dle, but overall force is distributed across the entire bond area, spreading out the load. In many cases, when force is applied to bonded joints, “necking” or stretching of the sub-strate can occur as illustrated in the bottom left image. At this point, the strength of the substrate is the limiting factor in the overall strength and durability in the assembly, not the structural adhesive.

The right hand side of Figure 3 shows a bolted joint, with shear stress represented by the red arrows. For this method of assem-bly, the entire force applied to the joint is concentrated on the bolt. This concentra-tion of stress leads to joint failure at approxi-mately 400 lbf (pounds force), half the final strength of the bonded assembly (1000 lbf). Also, the holes drilled for fasteners can cre-

Silicone adhesive and sealant technology is two part, non-corrosive with fast fixture time and high adhesion. Image: Henkel

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n m

an-h

ours

Adhesive

Rivet

Welding

Figure 2: Compared are man-hours per square foot involved with three assembly methods: welding, mechanical fastening and liquid structural adhesives. Welding and mechanical fastening are manual processes where man-hours dramatically increase as square footage increases. In short, the more area that needs to be covered, the longer and more costly these processes are. Source: Cagle, C.V., Adhesive Bonding Techniques and Applications, 1968


JOINING

ate leak paths, a starting point for corro-sion. Fasteners may detract from the visual aesthetics of the end product as they are very difficult to cover up.

Benefits and Considerations: Double-sided Tapes vs. Structural Adhesives

Double-sided tapes are used extensively in appliance manufacturing. They provide instant bonds and their acrylic foam back-ing provides consistent gaps that are often desired in the design of appliances. Double-sided tape requires significant surface prepa-ration in order to bond, doesn’t deliver very strong bonds, offers relatively low tempera-ture resistance, and cannot be repositioned once applied.

For best performance, double-sided tape requires complete removal of surface con-taminants. Studies have compared the effect of surface contamination on the perfor-mance for two-part silicones and double-sided tapes. While contamination does result in a drop in strength with two-part silicones, they drastically outperform double-sided tapes even on clean surfaces. Double-sided tapes display a complete performance failure when used on oily surfaces.

Standard double-sided tapes are typically rated to 300°F intermittent exposure and 200°F continuous. High temperature resis-tant double-sided tapes are typically rated to 450°F intermittent and 300°F continu-

ous. This is considerably lower than two-part silicone adhesives, which are typically rated to 600°F intermit-tent and 450°F continuous. For warm appliances such as stoves, ovens, etc., long term temperature resistance is a critical variable and one where adhe-sives far out perform double-sided tapes.

Once applied, double-sided tape cannot be adjusted. If adjustments are necessary, the user must com-pletely re-work the part. Two-part silicones are available with a variety of “work life” options that allow the manufacturer to adjust the assem-bly for a specified period of time. Assemblies manufactured with most liquid structural adhesives must be clamped until the fixture time is reached. When clamping is not feasible, there are liquid adhesives that are thick enough to hold parts together at the time of assembly. These products allow the functional benefit of instant fixture while still allowing repositioning.

Current Assembly Applications with Structural Adhesives

Structural adhesives are excellent alterna-tives for bonding metals, plastics, and com-posites. Recent advances in structural adhe-sive technology have dramatically expanded the scope of potential bonding applications

to include even hard-to-bond substrates such as galvanized steel and polyolefins like poly-ethylene and polypropylene.

Today, two-part silicones are used exten-sively in the appliance industry for high tem-perature appliances to eliminate spot welds and double-sided acrylic foam tape. One major appliance manufacturer currently uses two-part silicones to bond mounting brack-ets onto oven doors. Most major appliance manufacturers are using two-part silicones to bond side brackets onto their stainless stove top assemblies due to the reduced scrap and elimination of rework to the aesthetic sur-faces. Many major manufacturers have also displaced one-part silicones with two-part silicones for bonding their smooth Ceran top into a painted stove top to reduce work in process and cost.

Key drivers for these changes are reduc-tions in cost and improvements in aesthetics. Spot welds can leave blemishes on the surface of appliances which need to be ground or otherwise reworked, especially on high end stainless versions. Not only is welding labor typically expensive, this rework adds more labor costs and increases scrap rates for parts that can’t be reworked.

Two-part silicones offer similar performance and eliminate the need for high-cost labor and rework. Both double-sided acrylic foam tapes and silicones offer the same benefits to aes-thetics compared to spot welds or mechanical fasteners. The main factor that encourages manufacturers to convert to two-part silicones is overall cost savings -- silicone adhesive mate-rials are 30 percent less expensive than typical

double-sided acrylic foam tapes.

For more information, visit: www.henkel.comFigure 3: Distribution of stress is often an overlooked concept in the fundamental design process. Shown is distribution of shear stress on a bonded (left) vs. bolted joint.

Two-part silicones are in high temperature appliances to eliminate spot welds and double-sided acrylic

foam tape. Among applications: two-part silicones to bond mounting brackets onto

oven doors. Image: Henkel


MOTORS

There is more to

come in higher power

efficiency, power density

and operating control for

ECMs.

While brushless PM motors have been used in office, aerospace, mil-itary, and industrial applications

for over 30 years, the need for higher motor efficiency required by new SEER 12 and high-er ratings has brought this motor technology into many HVAC pump, compressor and fan applications today. As the cost elements for the ECM motor and its electronic control have been lowered, the brushless PM motor or its more popular name in the appliance world, the ECM (electronically controlled or electronically commutated motor) is moving into the latest generation of HVAC applica-tions: machines and equipment.

Early ECM DevelopmentsThe ECM motor in its traditional configu-

ration has a rotating magnet structure inte-grated into a magnetic hub and shaft. The lowest cost ceramic or ferrite magnets are used along with bonded rare earth magnets. The stator’s copper based winding is the non-rotating assembly that completes the basic ECM. Early ECM models in the early

1980s developed by GE included integrated electronics located on the motor’s rear end cap, were aimed at premium residential air conditioners and furnaces. The drive elec-tronics provided the power package that rectified the AC wall power into DC power that could drive the brushless PM motor at a constant speed. Later developments took the DC power and further converted it into pulsed AC power signals (PWM) that cre-ated the inverter used in servos and variable speed applications. The continued evolution of integrated power electronics packages over the last two decades provides today’s invert-ers with higher power levels in smaller pack-ages and lower unit costs.

Today’s ECM ProductsMany electric motor manufacturers dedi-

cated to supplying HVAC equipment sup-pliers have seen the needs of the HVAC and appliance markets and developed ECM product families focused on specific appli-cations. Late 1990s development of higher voltage ECMs opened the ECMs to be used

by dan jones

Dan Jones is president, Incremotion Associates/Motion Media Group of Thousand Oaks, Calif., which combines the capabilities of engineers and marketing consultants focused on the motion control and power conversion industries.

HVAC Moves Toward Higher Efficiency ECM Motors

In an effort to reach higher EMC performance efficiencies, NovaTorque developed an axial air gap motor that achieves power efficiencies above 90 percent over a wide range of motor shaft speeds. Image: NovaTorque, Inc.


MOTORS

in the commercial HVAC markets. The two larger HVAC motor manufacturers, Emerson and AO Smith, had ECM development proj-ects underway early in the 21st Century. GE Appliance later acquired by Regal Beloit, worked on updating its ECM performance with new models.

Emerson Climate Technologies has devel-oped the larger top performing “Ultra Tech” Variable Speed ECM for a wide range of fans and blowers. It develops 1/3, ½, ¾, and 1 horsepower in a NEMA 48 Frame (5.6” OD). It can reach a peak performance of 82 percent power efficiency with the program-mable control providing selectable constant CFM, constant torque and constant speed control options. AO Smith has developed a number of application-specific ECMs repre-sented by the “iMotor” and created to deliver more torque at a lower current draw for use as evaporator motors in supermarket freez-ers. It can be programmed into a 3-in-1 multi-output motor. Typical power efficien-cies for ECMs below 20 watts typically reach 60 to 70 percent power efficiency levels. AO Smith’s larger top of the line ½ HP and 1 HP Premium Comfort motors are tightly con-trolled over a wide speed range of 200 rpm to 1500 rpm. It is aimed at commercial air handlers or roof top air conditioners. These larger innovative motors reach 80 percent power efficiency levels.

The AC induction permanent split capaci-tor (PSC) motor has a narrow speed range that possesses power efficiencies that range from 15 to 50 percent. Their motor efficien-cies drop precipitously when operating with light loads. The ECM has demonstrated the capability to operate at power efficiencies that reach 65 to 80 percent over a wide speed range. The ability of the ECM to hold its power efficiency over a wide operating speed range leads to one ECM motor being able to replace two of the PSC motors.

The ECM operates in a linear torque-cur-rent mode leading toward a simple control structure. If one controls voltage, one also controls speed. Control features can vary from a soft start to constant output power and higher power efficiency over a wide range of speeds.

Other HVAC motor suppliers have par-alleled the ECM product developments of Genteq (Regal-Beloit), Emerson, and A.O. Smith. But are these current ECM products the end-of-the-line in higher power efficiency, power density and operating con-trollability for ECMs?

New Technology Brings Higher Results

Two new companies on the scene have reached even higher ECM performance levels for their respective market segments within HVAC. They are NovaTorque and QM Power.

NovaTorque was founded in 2005 and has developed an axial air gap motor that achieves power efficiencies above 90 percent over a wide range of motor shaft speeds. It uses lower cost ceramic magnets in its recently released 2 and 3 HP ECM products. The NovaTorque configuration consists of a pair of conical ceramic magnet hubs mount-ed on opposite ends of the motor shaft. The rotor hub uses a buried magnet configura-tion. Named an internal permanent mag-net (IPM) type, this construction traps the magnet structure both mechanically and adhesively. The IPM structure allows the motor’s performance to develop higher torque at lower speeds and also higher speeds at lower torque. The conical shape of the rotor assemblies and adjoining axial sta-tor field pole assem-bly nearly doubles the motor’s dual air gap interface area again max-imizing the motor’s torque

producing capabilities. The NovaTorque motor’s axial flux path

(parallel to the shaft) provides a lower loss direct magnetic path. This axial orienta-tion of the motor stator field poles allows the use of bobbin-wound coils around single teeth or pole pieces. The close proximity of the coil’s outer section to the motor’s hous-ing creates a short direct thermal path to the motor’s housing. These construction items are the basis of the NovaTorque motor’s superior performance. In order to demon-strate the NovaTorque’s motor performance, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) conducted an evaluation project of NovaTorque’s 3 HP Premium+ ECM.

Using funds from its customers advanced technologies (CAT) program, MSUD, the 3 HP NovaTorque ECM was tested with two

Here is a comparison of NovaTorque and premium and standard induction motors. Chart: ADM Associates and SMUD.

Five to 20 watt Q-Sync motor-drive technology

at a separate segment of the HVAC market, the refrigeration evaporator motor, uses a simple variable reluctance motor driven by an electronic control for power efficiency

in smaller power synchronous motors.

Image: QM Power


MOTORS

other control motors to compare its power efficiency at various torque and speed set-tings. These two control motors were 3 HP 3 phase AC induction motors, one standard efficiency, and the other the latest premium efficiency type. The standard efficiency 3 HP motor is rated at 87.5 percent while the Premium efficiency 3 HP motor is rated at 89.5 percent.

Using a Magtrol dynamometer, the Yokogawa WT1600 power motor, and a common variable speed drive, plus a hand-held AEMC FO5 true RMS power meter, the results indicate that NovaTorque 3 HP Premium Plus+ motor clearly outperformed both induction motors. The actual test data shows that the NovaTorque unit is 3.2 per-cent higher at 1800 rpm, 4.5 percent higher at 1500 rpm and 6.5 percent higher at 1200 rpm under full load conditions than the Premium efficiency AC induction motor. The differ-ence in power efficiencies between the test motors and NovaTorque motor increases significantly at the lighter 25 percent load condition of 800 rpm to 1800 rpm. The effi-ciency of the NovaTorque 3 HP Premium Plus+ motors remains high while the 2

induction control motors drop precipitously as the motor speed is reduced below 900 rpm. For example, at 900 rpm, NovaTorque’s effi-ciency advantage increases to 12 percent. At 600 rpm it jumps to over 21 percent. Higher power efficiencies yield faster energy savings.

QM Power has aimed its 5 to 20 watt Q-Sync motor-drive technology at a separate segment of the HVAC market, the refrigera-tion evaporator motor. Q-Sync uses a simple variable reluctance motor driven by a patent-ed lower cost electronic control that reaches 80 percent power efficiency in these smaller power synchronous motors.

The march toward more power efficient motors continues. Subsequent efficiency increases will become more difficult as effi-ciency levels move above 80 percent for small motors and above 90 percent for the larger ones. ECMs also provide a wide speed range, a more stable operation and higher power density that will enhance use in future appli-cations.

Innovative and unique features imple-mented in motor design create a superior, better performing, and more efficient motor. Some motor design are cost-competitive; they

use less material and low-cost ferrite magnets to achieve superior performance and higher efficiency than comparable motors.

Some unique designs begin with the sta-tor and rotor hub geometry. The field poles used in the stator have conical end surfaces, instead of the conventional perpendicu-lar flat cross-section. The rotor hubs have conical shapes that match the end-surfaces of the field poles. This approach maximizes the surface area available for magnetic flux transmission, while minimizing the volume of materials.

A typical NovaTorque motor design, for example, has a rotor/stator surface area interface that is twice the perpendicular cross-sectional area of the stator field pole. The increased surface area at the rotor/sta-tor interface concentrates the magnetic flux density. This allows it to use lower cost ferrite magnets to achieve motor efficiency and per-formance that equals or exceeds much more expensive motors that use rare-earth (neo-

dymium) magnets.

For more information, visit: www.novatorque.com and www.qmpower.com

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


GAS TECHNOLOGY

Higher than typical

durability and more

feature integration

are now growingly

important.

The design of electronics has come a long way with the evolution of the microprocessor – enabling engineers to

be more innovative with design features than ever before. This is true with ignition con-trols and their applications in the gas appli-ance industry. Recent ignition control product designs have focused on the integration of fea-tures and functions helping simplify appliance complexity and related assembly costs.

Even greater efforts are being made to raise the bar for these products including additional durability and fail safe systems. In total, this yields a cost competitive, durable and flexible system finding acceptance in a greater number of applications.

Manufacturers of ignition controls have made a significant effort to implement designs with higher than typical durability and a greater level of feature integration for both the OEM and replacement market.

Today’s smart microprocessor-based hot surface ignition (HSI) control modules utilize many functions to enhance performance and functionality. Such controls send a current to the ignition element instead of a high voltage as used in a spark type ignition. These ele-ments are normally made of a ceramic com-posite material, which glows red hot to ignite

the gas. Additional features that are implemented

to address product longevity include relay switching, where two high current relays alternate to switch the gas valve. This method has proven to significantly extend functional life. The same relay switching scheme can be applied to the relays responsible for opera-tion of the HSI element. In these modules, the condition of gas valves and the HSI element is tested before power is applied, and if a wir-ing or component fault is detected, the control “locks out,” potentially saving the control from damage.

Included in the HSI control and other igni-tion products, some solutions also include uni-versal types equipped with a five-position dip switch, offering from 32 to 64 different com-monly used timing and function modes. The expanded number of user selections translates to added functionality. The dip switch remains settable for ten consecutive power cycles. Once ten cycles are completed, the timings are trans-ferred into non-volatile memory—disabling the DIP switch.

Today’s ignition controls also can be ordered with proved current sense, which employs a sensor and allows the main valve to operate after the specified igniter current is reached.

by dan huizinga

Dan Huizinga is sales manager at Capable Controls Inc., Bensenville, Ill.

RAISING THE CONTROLS BAR


In addition, a timed ignition feature attempts ignition at the pre-determined time and opens the gas valve following a preset igniter warm up time. And, for more complex applications, a timed and proved ignition sequence can be applied.

Spark Ignition ControlsThe next generation of spark ignition con-

trols comes in 24 VAC, 120 VAC and other models with many of the same features on HSI devices.

The 120V power input controls have become increasingly popular in the gas appli-ance industry, due to some control manufac-turers’ elimination of a step down transformer from line power to 24 V units that are most commonly used. Other added features in this space include blower and alarm outputs and air pressure switch inputs.

Other control modules on the market today can even be designed to meet the EN 298 standard for CE compliance and utilize a dual microprocessor design and redundant circuit-ry per the agency requirements. CE requires a true, fail-safe circuit—which means if a criti-cal component were to fail, it does not affect the functionality.

One of the other requirements is volatile and non-volatile memory lockout. Volatile memory is used for supervised equipment such as an oven where the users are continu-ously operating the equipment. In a fault

situation, the control will reset upon cycling of the thermostat. Non-volatile memory lock-out should be implemented for unsupervised equipment. It requires a remote switch to be manually reset, which would then require the operator to make sure the equipment has no other problems.

In addition to the above requirements, new EuP standby power consumption require-ments of 0.5 W per directive 2005/32/EC will become enforced in 2013. Such controllers are being designed with standard multi-color LEDs for controls status and trouble-shooting indication. Other options may include a quick start feature, enabling faster ignition for appli-cations requiring immediate heat up.

Flame stabilization can prevent false errors for burners that are more difficult to control and spark restoration will turn a main valve off, while the pilot stays on and the spark sequence starts immediately. Re-ignition fea-tures come into play if the established flame is lost. In such cases, the main valve is turned off and ignition (sparking) begins within one second to re-light the pilot and, if successful, a normal cycle starts.

SuppliersProducts in the gas appliance industry gen-

erally have a lead time of four to six weeks. However, even that is improving on the part of the supplier as OEMs site delivery is just as important as product performance.

For example, Capable Controls implement-

ed a concept called optic data link program-

ming, which is a wireless infrared transmis-

sion of parameters that can be instantaneously

transferred from computer to ignition mod-

ules. This type of technology allows suppli-

ers to stock standard units and install custom

OEM parameters quickly—helping to speed

up the delivery process. With potentially thou-

sands of timing combinations, standard tim-

ing parameters don’t always meet the needs of

manufacturers.

During manufacturing, controls are created

more or less equally, all passing through an in-

process testing station, where devices receive

the source code download. At that point, all of

the offered timings and functions are loaded

into the control’s microcontroller. The units

are then inventoried by hardware category. It’s

not until a customer order is received that the

controls know exactly how to operate in the

final application.

With all of the available features, functions

and options for gas technology components,

it’s important for OEMs to find a trustwor-

thy, established supplier who can meet their

specific needs and custom design requests, in

order to satisfy application requirements.

For more information, visit: www.capablecontrols.com or e-mail: [email protected]

The Capable Series 8X smart microprocessor based hot

surface ignition (HSI) control module can be ordered with

proved current sense, which employs a sensor and allows

the main valve to operate after the specified igniter current is

reached. Image: Capable Controls Inc.IGNITION

The Capable Series 9X control module meets the EN 298

standard for CE compliance and the new EuP standby power

consumption requirements of 0.5 W per directive 2005/32/EC,

which will be enforced in 2013. Image: Capable Controls Inc.

GAS TECHNOLOGY


KingbrightThis TS 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 certi-

fied LED manufacturer has a line of high-

efficient LEDs with optimized perfor-

mance in compliant with RoHS & REACH

Directives. The catalog contains specifica-

tions, diagrams, photos for its range LED

products such as High Brightness LEDs,

SMD LEDs, Through-Hole LEDs, SMD/

Through-Hole Displays, Circuit Board

Indicators, Infrared & Phototransistors.

Process recommendations and technical

guides provided to help engineers’ design

goals. Full custom LED options in desired

shapes, forms, and colors.

For more information, visit www.KingbrightUSA.com

Emerson Climate TechnologiesA next generation of the Copeland Scroll

UltraTech compressor offers an easy-to-

apply solution to enhance system efficiency,

comfort and reliability for both air condi-

tioning and heat pump systems. Copeland

Scroll UltraTech helps achieve Energy Star

requirements in residential, light commer-

cial and geothermal applications. Developed

for premium residential systems, the next

generation Copeland Scroll UltraTech com-

pressor provides enhanced humidity con-

trol, greater efficiency and quieter opera-

tion to give homeowners increased indoor

comfort levels, saving up to 40 percent on

energy costs as compared to conventional

HVAC systems.

For more information, visit www.EmersonClimate.com

Orbitform GroupHot Upset Riveting is a process of combining

electrical current with pressure and time to

compress and expand the forming material

or rivet to a desired diameter and shape. It

can reduce traditional welding and riveting

in many applications while creating a strong

and solid finished bond. The Hot Upset

Riveting process will also fill holes and cavi-

ties over 98 percent, based on the geometry

of the part. Hot Upset Riveting (also called

electro-forging and hot upsetting) is simply

a means of utilizing the electrical system of

a resistance welding machine to generate

heat in metal parts, and then using the pres-

sure system of the machine to accomplish

the riveting or upsetting. Optimum results

on high production will often require some

carefully engineered modification of the

electrical system, the timing controls and

the pressure mechanism.

For more information, visit www.orbitform.com

Yamaha Fine TechnologiesAn installation proven warp-free helium

leak test system for automatically verify-

ing leakage rates in fuel tanks, the Yamaha

Helium Leak Test process constantly con-

trols the pressure differential between the

tank and the test chamber to assure dam-

age free testing of the tank without the need

for jigs to prevent warping or deformation.

Warping and deformation is an industry

wide problem affecting 100 percent of the

manufacturers of fuel tanks. This technol-

ogy offers a solid combination of highly

accurate, definable testing along with the

safe and non-deforming features required

in the fuel tank manufacturing process.

For more information, visit www.yamaha.co.jp/finetech

MoynoThe 2000 Progressing Cavity Pump has a

unique gear joint that allows the versatile,

high-performance pump to handle a wide

range of applications from shear-sensitive

chemicals to difficult-to-process slurries

and sludges. It features crowned gear uni-

versal joint drive train configuration to pro-

vide exceptional torque and thrust control.

Patented joint seals effectively protect the

gear joints from pumpage contamination.

The gear joints in the Moyno 2000 Pump

are grease-lubricated to run at 180° F, far

cooler than oil-lubricated joints. The rear

gear joint location in the pump reduces the

radial load on the drive shaft and bearings

and requires minimal pump disassembly to

service.

For more information, visit www.moyno.com

SensirionThe LG01 micro flow switch is for ultra-low

liquid flow rates and bubble detection. The

sensor makes fluidic systems more reliable

by enabling the detection of liquid flow

within the range of a few ml/min and less.

For such measurements the sensor offers a

short response time below 100 ms. Its out-

put signal indicates whether the current

flow rate is above or below the specified flow

switch level. At continuous flow rates above

this limit the identification of air bubbles

within the flow channel is equally consis-

tent. Maximum flow rates are accepted up

to 220 ml/min. Fluidic connections can be

NEW PRODUCTS


NEW PRODUCTS

made via ¼-28 standard fittings, suitable for

connecting plastic tubing with outer diam-

eters of 1/8” (3.2 mm) or 1/6” (1.6 mm).

Barb connector adapters are available as an

alternative.

For more information, visit www.Sensirion.com

Spraying SystemsThe TankJet 190D motor-driven tank clean-

er provides powerful 180° downward cover-

age and outperforms other units especially

when removing sticky residues/skim lines

and cleaning heavy sludge from the bot-

tom and shadow areas of tanks. The TankJet

190D operates at pressures up to 1000 psi

(69 barg) and uses high-impact solid stream

nozzles to clean tanks up to 34’ (10.4 m)

in diameter. It provides consistent, reliable

cleaning with virtually no maintenance.

Since the unit is powered by a motor rather

than fluid, clogging is eliminated. Plus, the

motor is positioned outside the tank away

from harmful caustics. The unit can be

customized to meet various application

requirements. Air, electric or explosion-

proof electric motors are available; shaft

length options range from 3’ to 6’ (.9 to 1.8

m) and standard, 150# raised face and sani-

tary tri-clamp flanges can be specified.

For more information, visit www.tankjet.com

Arcus TechnologyThis all-in-one NEMA 11 microstep motor

with driver, controller and encoder inte-

grates into the motor's back cap, mini-

mizing external electronics and wiring.

The DMX-K-SA-11 stepper motor uses

Renishaw's magnetic AM256 magnetic

encoder chip for real-time position verifi-

cation. The small package size of the mag-

netic chip encoder allows the motor to stay

within the 1.1-inch-square form factor of

the NEMA 11 standard. The new DMX-K-

SA-11 stepper motor is ideal for size-sensi-

tive biomedical, optical, semiconductor and

similar applications requiring open-loop

microstep motion with real-time position

confirmation. The 16-microstep driver is

capable of full, 1/2, 1/4, or 1/16 microsteps

in three different stack sizes.

For more information, visit www.arcus-technology.com

ON SemiconductorThe CAT3661 is a one-channel Quad-Mode

LED Driver for ultra-low power LED appli-

cations such as portable handheld medical

equipment. It uses a patented architecture

and integrates fault protection and fault

diagnostics, is able to drive a single LED

backlight with a current of up to 5 mA.

Soft-start current limiting and short-cir-

cuit protection make the new device ideal

for use in equipment powered by coin cell

batteries. Typical applications include low

power backlighting for LCDs and backlight-

ing for a wide range of portable handheld

devices including medical equipment. In

a 16-lead TQFN package measuring just 3

mm x 3 mm x 0.8 mm high, the CAT3661

provides a solution for engineers working

on new designs where available board space

is limited.

For more information, visit www.onsemi.com

AVX CorporationThe TCM Series of SMD tantalum poly-

mer multi-anode capacitors is ultra-low

ESR and the 22μF/35V high-voltage poly-

mer multi-anode part features a low ESR

of just 25m . The low ESR rating suits the

new TCM Series capacitors to high-perfor-

mance power circuit, telecom and wireless

data transfer applications. The advanced

capacitors can also withstand large surge

currents, operate at higher frequencies and

handle high ripple currents. The capaci-

tors also feature a safe, reduced-ignition

failure mode. Construction uses a conduc-

tive polymer cathode, which contains no

free oxygen or oxygen molecules that might

otherwise be easily released. Therefore the

capacitors are very robust against overload-

ing and thermal runaway, thereby enabling

a decrease in recommended voltage de-rat-

ing down to 20 percent, further increasing

suitability in high power applications and

extending use to 24V rail voltage devices.

For more information, visit www.avx.com

Lenze AmericasAn OKS coating for Lenze-geared motors

and gearboxes boasts metallic coating to

provide superior surface and corrosion

protection that withstands extremely harsh

ambient conditions. Environmental factors

including UV rays, temperature, humidity,

salt spray, oil, solvents, fuel and acids can

cause corrosion on motor surfaces and wear

down components. To ensure long-term

and reliable operation of geared motors

and three-phase AC motors under extreme

applications, Lenze offers a scalable solution

with OKS coatings. These coatings can be

applied to the motor and/or components

depending upon the degree of protection

required in the application.

For more information, visit www.lenzeamericas.com

SchurterAn addition to its filter product portfolio,

the DIN Rail mounting option for 1- and

3-Phase EMC filters is especially suited for

use on TS35 (EN60715) DIN rails in solar

inverters, industrial equipment and control


NEW PRODUCTS

systems. The DIN rail fixture and fitting

concept facilitates simple and time sav-

ing snap-in of the Schurter FMAB Rail,

FMBB Rail, FMAD Rail and FMAD Rail

filters.

The 1-Phase filter Series FMAB Rail has

rated currents ranging from 10 - 20A and

the 1-Phase, 2-stage FMBB Rail has a cur-

rent range of 1 - 10A. Both are designed

for 1 x 250 VAC installations. They pro-

vide protection against interference volt-

age from the mains. The rated current of

the FMAC Rail 3-Phase filter and FMAD

Rail 3-phase filter with neutral line ranges

from 3 – 20A and are designed for use in 3

x 277/480 VAC installations.

For more information, visit www.schurterinc.com

SensirionThe high prevision SHT25 digital humid-

ity and temperature sensors rounds out

the family of digital humidity sensors, in

the same way as the high end versions of

the SHT1x and SHT7x series. The sensor

achieves a typical accuracy of 1.8 percent

RH (at 25°C) for relative humidity. For

both quantities, the tolerance is small

even at the limits of the measuring range.

The SHT25 is fully calibrated and exactly

matches the other specifications of the

SHT21. Among other things, the reflow-

solderable SHT25 has an I2C interface

and features outstanding stability along

with extremely low power consumption.

For more information, visit www.sensirion.com

AdventechThe SOM-7562 B1 COM-Ultra Module

is based on the Intel N455 processor. The

new B1 version module with N455 pro-

cessor from Intel incorporates upgrad-

ed memory technology from DDR2 to

DDR3, wider temperature (-40 ~ 85°

C) provision, and an optional 5V-only

version with more competitive power

consumption. It is especially suited to

portable device applications since the

N455 platform is integrated in a compact

board (84 x 55 mm) as small as a credit

card. An all-in-one solution with system

memory and flash disk onboard, SOM-

7562 performs stably under high vibra-

tion environments and the whole design

is super compact for space limited appli-

cations.

For more information, visit www.adventech.com

Foster TransformerThere are three models of EMI filters

with optional surge suppression that

can be mounted with ¼ inch quick con-

nect terminals. This allows them to be

mounted wherever needed (including

directly in front of components gener-

ating excessive interference) to control

EMI. This “at source” mounting allows

multiple filters to be installed within a

single piece of equipment. Fully encap-

sulated construction complies with EN

133200 and UL 1283, while a UL94 VO

plastic enclosure increases protection

against electrical shock. Leakage cur-

rent is greatly reduced by eliminating the

capacitor to earth ground connection –

a common concern in medical devices

and in areas where moisture is likely to

be present. These RoHS compliant EMI

filters are ideal for filtering noise in fluo-

rescent, HID and LED lighting ballasts,

high frequency switch mode power sup-

plies which are used in a wide range of

industrial and medical applications, as

well as appliances, motor control, rec-

reational vehicles and more (including

retrofits).

For more information, visit www.foster-transformer.com

ICM ControlsIt has introduced six new replacement fur-

nace boards and ignition controls: ICM284,

ICM287, ICM289, ICM291, ICM292 and

ICM2801 as well as ten additional replace-

ment heating controls. Each control offers a

low cost alternative to the OEM part, oper-

ates with microprocessor-based precision,

and is designed for safety, including 100

percent lockout. For example, the three new

Fan Coil Thermostats – SC700V, SC710V

and the feature-rich SC900V – are designed

for high voltage fan coil and baseboard

applications and expand the reach of ICM’s

SimpleComfort brand. All models support

24-277V, 3-speed fan applications and offer

precise comfort controls accurate to +/- 1°F.

For more information, visit www.icmcontrols.com

Control CompanyThe Printing Thermometer provides a per-

manent record of temperature and time of

day/date/month. The unit prints the time

and date for maximum only, minimum

only, average only and in circularly mode

T1, T2 and differential. Automatic printing

may be programmed to print in any interval

from 3 seconds to 23 hours 59 minutes 59

seconds. A dependable and reliable unit to

monitor temperature in lab, plant, and field,

which fulfills federal requirements for CLIA

specification 493.1252. The printer provides

hard copy for today’s stringent quality con-

trol documentation.

For more information, visit www.control3.com

DESIGN MART

This appliance DESIGN Design Mart section brings you

information on new products and services available through

print and online. To receive more information about the

the products and services in this section, visit appliance

DESIGN online at www.applianceDESIGN.com.


NEW PRODUCTS

Multi-Seals Inc.Wash-Away dissolvable spacers provide consistent spacing

between printed circuit boards and PCB components. These

organic polymer spacers locate PCB components during solder-

ing operations. After soldering, Wash-Aways dissolve in water

or alcohol solvent baths. This leaves uniform spacing between

components and boards, which provides free circulation of air,

mechanical protection, optimum filleting, and greater acces-

sibility for inspection, cleaning, and conformal coating. Wash-

Aways are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes to

accommodate a variety of PCB components, including resistors,

capacitors, transistors, potentiometers, and integrated circuits.

Wash-Aways contain no ionizable material, salts, sugars, metals,

or soaps, and they are non-corrosive, non-conductive, and non-

toxic.

For more information, visit www.multi-seals.com

Fluke NetworksThis portable wireless tester is geared toward the computer net-

work technician. It allows users to quickly troubleshoot 802.11

a/b/g/n networks. Instant power-up and streamlined tests give

answers in seconds so trouble tickets can be closed faster. The

tester provides detail into available access points, security and

strength, as well as possible interference sources (like microwave

ovens, RF cameras and other common devices). An optional

directional antenna helps locate rogue access points. With the bat-

teries placed low and to the back for stability, the controls placed

for easy access and the antenna placed at the top for clear recep-

tion—a unique shape that was leveraged to make the product

visually distinctive. It is a Silver Excellence In Design winner for

Medical, Laboratory & Test Equipment.

For more information, visit www.flukenetworks.com

Want to see YOUR Product here?

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 Jennifer Nagel

at 248-244-1729 or [email protected]

for more information.

*AM Editorial Readership Study, August 2004

SILVER 2011SILVER 2011

TEMPERATURE ISSUES?

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

Precision Thermistors

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


ASSOCIATION REPORT: AHAM

CPSC Web-accessible Database Needs ‘Fairness’ Improvements

Joseph M. McGuirePresident

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

By now, you may have visited, or at least

heard about, the Consumer Product Safety

Commission’s (CPSC) consumer product

incident database at www.saferproducts.gov.

Despite many industries’ objections and concerns

expressed to Congress, the media, and for the past two

years, to CPSC itself, the database went live in March.

The stated goal is to alert consumers, and the CPSC,

to potentially unsafe products and to inform con-

sumer purchase decisions. The reports proposed to

be published are then sent to manufacturers who have

registered through the Web site for comment before

they are posted online. Manufacturers may respond

publicly to each allegation either with a comment that

also will be placed on the Web or may show that the

allegations are “materially inaccurate.”

As of the writing of the column, more than 1,000

reports have been submitted to the Commission and

353 reports have been published on the Web site,

mostly about children’s products. You will find inci-

dent reports on everything from children who have

been injured using a pogo stick to reports about fires

coming from previously recalled products, to allega-

tions that really are about quality and performance

not safety, to reports generated by trial lawyers.

There are indeed some helpful responses and use-

ful information but as more and more information

pours in, it will be difficult to cull out the accurate,

useful information from the “blog-type” informa-

tion. A few amendments to the recently enacted law

which authorized the database would greatly improve

its utility, operation, accuracy and fairness. AHAM has

testified twice on this issue before the U.S. House of

Representatives, where we offered words of support

for the database but pointed out our concerns that

as currently constructed, it is not a useful service to

the government or industry. While there are potential

benefits to the database, there are numerous concerns,

and AHAM is not alone in its quest to have these con-

cerns addressed, if necessary through legislation.

These are problems that AHAM, and many others

have registered since this database was conceptual-

ized in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement

Act (CPSIA) in 2008. CPSC has had three years to

address such concerns. Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of

CPSC, spoke at AHAM’s annual member meeting in

April and addressed the database and the frustration

of manufacturers by stating, “Not everything about

the database will be perfect every time — but let’s not

make the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

The most egregious concern with the database is

the very real possibility that a claim containing mate-

rially inaccurate information could defame a company

and may be published on the Web site before the man-

ufacturer has had a chance to investigate and respond.

It is fundamentally unfair that the federal government

should be a party to such instances. It also seems

unnecessary that the federal government should be

sponsoring just another blog containing untested and

unverified information. And, although the CPSIA

defined a finite list of reporters allowed to submit

reports, the Commission has allowed persons such

as trial lawyers and consumer advocacy groups to file

reports even though their knowledge may be nothing

more than third or fourth hand and may have agen-

das other than providing fellow consumers accurate

information. Finally, the CPSC must obtain sufficient

identifying information so consumers and manufac-

turers can understand what model is the subject of the

report. Without these changes, we will continue to get

inaccurate, harmful and unfair reporting.

There is momentum in Congress to amend some

of the requirements in the CPSIA such as those affect-

ing testing of products and lead levels in children’s

products. However, there is fierce opposition by some

advocacy groups to make changes to the database. The

database has a broader but diluted impact – companies

will suffer from it but probably not go out of business.

Some amendments to the database, including even the

removal of its funding, have been offered to the exist-

ing CPSIA law; but, most are unlikely to move except

possibly for the modest improvements I have outlined.

Again, AHAM wishes to see improvements to the data-

base making it more informative and more functional

for all stakeholders- consumers, retailers, and manufac-

turers- not a complete abandonment of the database.

Despite the flaws, the database is live, and manufac-

turers of the thousands of products that CPSC regu-

lates should be registered to ensure they receive pro-

posed reports. You can do this on www.saferproducts.

gov. I encourage all of you to monitor the database

and this issue as it evolves.


AD INDEXcompany name page numberweb site

Classic Stripes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11www.classicstripes.com

CoorsTek, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9www.coorstek.com

Corning Gorilla Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1www.corninggorillaglass.com

EBM-Papst Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BCwww.ebmpapst.us

Intertek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7www.intertek.com

LCR Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25www.lcr-inc.com

Materion Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFCwww.materion.com

Proto Labs Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3www.protolabs.com

TDK-EPC, Epcos AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13www.tdk-epc.com

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.

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5. WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY JOB FUNCTION? (SELECT ONE ONLY)14 ❑ Product Design Management15 ❑ Product Design Engineering16 ❑ System Design Management17 ❑ System Design Engineering18 ❑ Draftsman19 ❑ Research & Development Management20 ❑ Research & Development Engineering21 ❑ Technical Engineering (including Management)22 ❑ Application Engineering

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6. WHAT IS THE PRIMARY BUSINESS ACTIVITY AT YOUR LOCATION? (SELECT ONE ONLY) Manufacturers of Consumer, Commercial and Business Appliances (including Corporate Headquarters, R&D/Testing Labs, Design/Engineering Facilities)

20 ❑ Air Conditioning Equipment19 ❑ Refrigeration Equipment07 ❑ Water Processing Appliances02 ❑ Heating Equipment06 ❑ Consumer Electronics Equipment12 ❑ Medical, Laboratory, Test and Measurement Equipment (FREE for digital subscribers only)09 ❑ Commercial Appliances and Vending Machines04 ❑ Electric Housewares and Portable Appliances10 ❑ Business Appliances

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7. 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 Controllers45 ❑ Heating Elements/Igniters47 ❑ Connectors, Cords, Wire, Cable, Terminating Machines34 ❑ Controls, Sensors, Thermostats28 ❑ Switches, Relays, Thermal Cutoffs, Circuit Breakers, Fuses29 ❑ Displays, Indicators, Lamps, LEDs39 ❑ Microcontrollers, Integrated Circuits & Other Electronic Components46 ❑ Solenoids, Valves, Actuators31 ❑ Metal Parts (Stampings, Castings, Powder Metal Parts, Springs, Hinges)44 ❑ Plastic Molding/Forming Services30 ❑ Metals (Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Precoated/Prefinished Metals)

43 ❑ Plastics, Elastomers

37 ❑ Seals, Gaskets & Gasketing Equipment

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Glass Labels, Graphic Overlays)

38 ❑ Software

32 ❑ Assembly Equipment & Tools, Welders,

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Dispensing Equipment, Adhesives & Tapes

42 ❑ Test & Measurement Equipment,

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48 ❑ Other (specify) ______________________________

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sales team

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

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international

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The annual review of Household Appliance Design and Manufacturing .

2010

8 ❑ Design News11 ❑ Product Design & Development (PD&D)

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ebm-papst Inc. is the market leader in the design and manufacture of “state-of-the-art” premix gas blowers for high efficiency residential and commercial gas-fired condensing boilers. Our new premix gas blowers offer energy saving EC-motor technology combined with aerodynamically optimized impeller designs and the new optional integrated venturi that guarantees a proven approach to low noise and NOx and CO emissions at a turn-down ratio up to 6:1.

The future belongs to our new and innovative electronic gas-air-ratio control technology, the LambdaConstant™. This new premix gas blower features automatic adjustment to changes in fuel, altitude, gas pressure, and vent length to ensure the boiler operates at optimum combustion levels and its rated input at a turn-down ratio of 10:1. The LambdaConstant™ technology promises to provide boiler manufacturers and their customers the benefits of energy saving condensing boiler technology that is more reliable and lower maintenance.

www.ebmpapst.us/lambdaconstant

Appliance Design_July 2011

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