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ELECTRICAL
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 | Connectors: Know about Glow?
Since successfully addressing the well publicized issues created by the RoHS and WEEE directives on the restriction of hazardous substances, the connector industry is now facing a new challenge -— Glow Wire. Although the IEC 60335-1 standard is primarily relevant in Europe, North American companies need to comply in order to service their global customers.
by Herbert Endres
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 | Noise & Vibration: Silence Simplified
Businesses are developing their own standards and protocols for regulating noise in the workplace and defining the permitted noise levels generated by specific items of equipment.
by Ron Niv
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 | Switches: Keys to Engagement
When thinking of image-based interaction, a touchscreen is the first thing that comes to mind. And while touchscreens are increasingly employed in contemporary product design, the primary means for navigating our high-tech world is still paddling through the stream of buttons found on keyboards, printers, remote controls, security systems, telephones, ATMs, vending machines, and more. Now there is a way to provide direct visual feedback for this button world – right on the button.
by Richard Babyak
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 | Heating Elements: Conductive Clarity (July 2008)
Glass is a challenging material for designers to work with, but for applications with see-through requirements, glass is typically the material of choice. The challenge of designing with glass can become more pronounced in situations where the glass must be electrically heated – resistive heating elements must be applied to, or within, the glass without significantly interfering with its transparency. Fortunately, a number of suppliers offer solutions for such cases.
by Larry Adams
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 | Switches & Relays: Semiconductor Solution (March 2008)
The electric skillet, as we know it, was first
designed more than 54 years ago using a bi-metal thermostat and heating coil or
element embedded in the pan. The low input power heater, combined with the
thermal mass of the pan and contents, was an excellent design that provided
good temperature control and simmering.
by Steven Fraser
Phil Hancock
Justin Langman
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 | Cords: Stopping Strain (Feb. 2008)
Whether the appliance is a vacuum cleaner or a
floor scrubber, hair dryer or curling iron, microwave or refrigerator, they all
have at least one thing in common, the power cord. And, where there is a power
cord, there usually is a need to protect it.
by Larry Adams
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 | Shielding: Eyeing All Options (Jan. 2008)
The amount of complex and sensitive electronic
circuitry present in appliances is continually increasing in order to support
the levels of functionality expected by end users in commercial, consumer and
medical applications. This has made shielding against potentially damaging
electromagnetic interference (EMI) a much more important element of design than
ever before.
by Peter Bouchard
Billy Sheedy
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 | Plastics: Shielding Solutions (Jan. 2008)
Fabricating electronic device housings out of
plastic offers several advantages, including design flexibility and inherent
coloring, but polymer has an Achilles heel when it comes to electromagnetic
interference (EMI), which passes through even the hardest plastic like ghosts
through walls. Unchecked interference can cause a range of problems, from mild
annoyance in a consumer electronic device to a life-threatening malfunction in
a sensitive piece of medical equipment.
by Larry Adams
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 | Connectors & Cords: Specs for Flex (Sept. 2007)
Flexible
circuitry is increasingly being used to solve design dilemmas in applications
where components must be allowed to move with respect to each other while
remaining in electrical contact. The most visible application of this
technology is the common ink jet printer with a flex circuit attached to the print
head, but flex circuits can also be found in other electronic products,
business machines, medical equipment, commercial appliances, and even fitness
equipment.
by Mark Finstad
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 | Switches: Reliable Reeds (Aug. 2007)
There
is elegance in simplicity, and few things are as elegantly simple as a reed
switch. The technology is basic and time-tested, and has not changed much in
the seven decades it’s been around. But, because of their versatility, product
designers are continually finding new uses for the tiny devices. And that’s one
reason why these millimeter-sized devices are sold by the hundreds of millions
each year. Two other important reasons: reed switches have extremely long life
compared to other electromechanical switching technologies and they don’t
corrode, despite often being asked to go into harsh environments.
by Larry Adams
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 | Switches: Light Touch, Heavy Duty (Aug. 2007)
Touch-type actuation devices have become increasingly
popular in a wide variety of products because they are easy to use, easy to
clean, and they provide environmental sealing and a broader range of aesthetic
options. Resistive touch screens and glass-front capacitance controls have
become more extensively used in recent years, and are well-suited for many
applications. But there are many situations where rough handling, extreme
environments, or the potential for vandalism demand something more rugged and
resistant to abuse. Piezoelectric switches are often used in these cases, but
they, too, have some limitations.
by Richard Babyak
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 | Heating Elements: Uniform Warming (July 2007)
A
novel, thick-film heating element technology has been engineered to create a
heat source that offers a uniform temperature gradient across the element
surface, reduced heat-up and cool down cycles while maintaining a cost benefit
over conventional heating element technologies. The technology can be used to
manufacture cost effective, low-profile heaters for commercial and industrial
applications, and is well suited to serve as an alternative heat source for
warming applications.
by Mary Ruggiero
John Stockton
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 | Switches & Relays: Think Globally (March 2007)
The days of designing for one’s local market only are now gone. Today’s world economy demands that products be developed for different global areas. Each region has its own unique set of requirements, agency approvals, energy management, and environmental issues. Engineers are faced with producing designs that can be used in various markets while keeping costs under control.
by Bill Chandler
Steve Massie
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 | Switches & Relays: Powerful Protection (March 2007)
Although generally reliable, the electric motors used in home and professional-grade appliances are subjected to mechanical overloads, overheating, stalls, lost neutral, severe over-voltage conditions, humidity, and other damaging factors. Appliance designers employ a variety of circuit protection techniques to help prevent safety and fire hazards, as well as reduce warranty return and replacement costs that may result from motor failure.
by Faraz Hasan
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 | Connectors & Cords: Profiles in Power (Feb. 2007)
The plug. That simple device affixed to the end of a power cord that moves power from the outlet or power strip to the appliance. The plug is often overlooked as a mere commodity component, but smart designers know that it can play a pivotal role in the overall design of a product and serve as a product differentiator.
by Larry Adams
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 | Connectors & Cords: Combo Connection (Feb. 2007)
An alternative approach to designing customizable electrical/electronic interconnects for appliances combines the qualities of multiple off-the-shelf connectors and places them on a single platform, blending pins, blades and varying grades of conductive materials into a single component. The customizable aspect of this connector is made possible by a new manufacturing process that enables engineers to broadly select materials, plating, and the quantity of pins and blades in connectors used in residential and commercial appliances, HVAC systems, medical equipment, and various motorized devices.
by Jim Levante
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 | Shielding: Shocking Notion (Jan. 2007)
Wintertime is prime time for electrostatic discharge (ESD) activity, at least in the Northern states of the U.S. Colder temperatures mean lower humidity, resulting in an increased number of ESD events. These incidents are especially troublesome to modern electronics, causing functional upset and damage. There are a number of problems associated with ESD, but, fortunately, also some solutions.
by Daryl D. Gerke
William D. Kimmel
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 | Shielding: Interference Insights (Jan. 2007)
A large percentage of electronic products fail to meet their target EMC requirements the first time they are tested. There are a number of possible reasons for that failure rate, but also things designers and manufacturers can do to improve the success rate and, therefore, time to market.
by Roland Gubisch
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 | Connectors & Cords: Comparing Choices
The electric and electronic design of appliances continues to change as manufacturers work to create products that include enhanced features and provide more energy and cost-efficiencies. Yet, through all of these design modifications, there are some components that remain essential to any electric or electronic design: connectors.
by Gregg Farnsworth, and Kris Kertgen
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 | Connectors & Cords: Flexible and Functional
Appliance wiring and cable manufacturers need to be fast on their feet these days. Facing a host of requirements ranging from stringent regulations governing the use of halogens in flame retardants to demands for more product functionality in the same space, manufacturers need materials solutions that can solve multiple problems and adapt to different applications.
by John Walborn
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 | SWITCHES & RELAYS: Multifaceted Membranes
When appliance manufacturers adopted membrane switches as the standard interface for microwave ovens, they did more than just settle on a design solution for a kitchen appliance. They also established a model for how the technology could be employed in a wide variety of applications with similar interface requirements, fueling the migration of membrane switches into a diverse array of product segments.
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 | SWITCHES & RELAYS: Cut the Chatter
Recent developments in electronic equipment have led to technically advanced appliances that require progressive electronic technologies. Today’s equipment is required to perform multiple functions in limited size due its use of integrated circuit and microcomputer technology. Therefore, the components must be miniaturized and lightweight. As a result, functional limits of electromechanical relays have narrowed due to increasing contact amperage in smaller packages.
by Matt Moeller
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 | HEATING ELEMENTS: A Coating that Cooks
Srinivasan Sridharan, is group leader, Ferro Electronic Material Systems, Independence, Ohio; Orville W. Brown is senior research scientist, Ferro Electronic Material Systems, Vista, Calif.; Keith Mason is global marketing manager, Ferro Electronic Material Systems, Vista, Calif.; and Pieter Dijkstra is international business manager, Ferro Industrial Coatings Group, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Srinivasan Sridharan, Orville Brown, Keith Mason and Pieter Dijkstra
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 | HEATING ELEMENTS: Clearly Hot
Glass is becoming an increasingly popular material in the design community, as its sleek transparency imparts a modern, upscale design element to a product. And when glass is infused with a heat generating capability, the combination further extends the design utility of the material by permitting the creation of heating appliances made almost entirely of glass. Not surprisingly, the concept emerged in Europe, where bold designs are more quickly embraced and where comfort space heating is more widely used.
by Richard Babyak
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 | HEATING ELEMENTS: Go with the Flow
The increasing popularity of hot water dispensing fixtures in homes and hotels, along with rapidly growing sales of single-serving coffeemakers, has fuelled interest in technologies that can heat fluids quickly.
by Richard Babyak
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 | SWITCHES: Actuating Alternative
Force-sensing resistor replaces electromechanical inputs.
Switches, pushbuttons and similar devices represent the more familiar choice for actuation, but as performance requirements become more demanding in product segments ranging from consumer electronics to medical equipment, alternative actuation methods are increasingly sought. Space constraints are an issue in electronics, reliability is an imperative in medical devices, and environmental sealing is a concern across the board.
by Mary Lowe
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 | SWITCHES: On The Ball
Mercury-free tilt switches often employ interesting ball designs.
With increasing concerns over the toxicity of mercury and a growing number of restrictions that target the substance, product designers across the world are seeking alternatives to the classic, mercury tilt switch, and many suppliers have stepped up to the plate to provide new options.
by Richard Babyak
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 | CONNECTORS & CORDS: Constructive Considerations
How to evaluate power cord quality and performance.
Appliance manufacturers are constantly challenged to find new ways of reducing cost in components to make their products more competitive. Since power cords are a key cost component in most appliances, buyers and engineers are continually tasked with evaluating power cords to meet cost reduction objectives.
by Selvin Kao
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 | CONNECTORS & CORDS: Laser Lays it On
Simpler method improves potential for molded interconnect devices.
Molded interconnect devices allow designers to create more three-dimensional connections with multiple points of contact, but the two-shot molding process used to produce the devices is complex, and once a MID device is molded, there is no way to add or subtract from its circuitry.
by Mary Lowe
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 | SHIELDING/EML/RFI: Muting Microwaves
Varying modulations of magnetic fields in magnetrons reduces interference.
Modern microwave ovens do an excellent job of containing microwaves, with leakage levels well below established safety standards. However, while the miniscule amount of leakage has no impact on human health, it has the potential to interfere with the growing multitude of wireless devices operating in the same environment.
by Mary Lowe
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