Mechanisms

Expando Pin from Los Angeles–based Monogram Aerospace Fastners is a secure mechanism that is used when the back side is inaccessible. Rotating the lever the length of the shaft constricts the metal rings and expands the diameter of the shaft. Expando Pin is simple to use, requires no tools and no loose parts. It provides a tight radial fit resisting vibrations. And it is a blind operation, so it can be installed and removed from one side only.

Materials

CarbonX Fire-Resistant Fabric from Chapman Innovations in Salt Lake City is a carbon-fiber-based material that will not char, shrink, burn, ignite, or decompose when exposed to an open flame. It is different from other fire-resistant products because of its ability to resist flaming and the conduction of heat for more than 60 seconds per layer. CarbonX yarns are blended with different types of strengthening fibers to achieve the desired tensile strength and abrasion-resistant properties.

Electronics

The Reflective Light Pipe from Luxaura USA contains no glass and no gas. It uses LED and electricity to produce the color that glows along a solid acrylic tube. The light diffuses through the material from the LED mechanism at one end. The tube can be bent like a horseshoe, but there is a maximum bending radius. The LED source can light a tube of about 6 feet. Due to the lower power of the LED, the glow is softer, more ambient, than the bright glare of neon.

Processes

Processes generally require more than one step before they benefit an existing product. A Carbon-Reinforcing Web by IsoGrid is an additive that provides stiffness in areas where a product needs it most. Applications that have thin wall sections relative to their internal diameter benefit the most from the addition of IsoGrid. It can be applied to extremely small diameter parts, such as a fishing rod. IsoGrid provides a way to reduce weight and maintain or improve performance, particularly in sporting goods applications.