Once a lagging market segment, automotive electronics has gained significant importance in recent years, as the industry, the culture and consumer expectations have changed. Safety and regulatory requirements for vehicles have increased, manufacturers have new warranty requirements, and what used to be “luxury” features are now expected to come standard with a new car.
CAMBRIDGE, MA—Researchers at MIT have developed a 3D-printed robotic hand made out of silicone rubber that can lift and handle objects as delicate as an egg and as thin as a compact disc.
Engineers have many options for joining identical or similar materials. To join, say, a steel part to another steel part, engineers can use screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, clinches or press-fits.
It may not be as “sexy” as a robot or a high-speed automated assembly system, but one of the most interesting new products introduced at the show last fall was actually an adhesive.
GERMANTOWN, WI—Adhesives manufacturer ResinLab LLC has launched a joint program with Dow Corning Corp. to formulate custom silicone adhesives and sealants.
Increasingly, designers of both these aircraft and ground transportation vehicles-such as cars, trucks, buses, trains, subways and light rail-are using innovative adhesives in place of traditional fasteners to withstand harsh environments.
Medical tubing is made from several types of plastic, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, thermoplastic elastomers, nylon and silicone. Traditionally, PVC is most widely used, because it bonds easily with other plastics. However, non-PVC tubing is often more difficult to bond.
