Make Your Own Solar Cell

You can buy cheap solar cells from Radio Shack, but where's the fun in that? This oldie but goodie article from scitoys.com shows you how to make your own solar cells from cheap materials without using any special tools. They might not be quite as efficient as the ready-made units, but the completed product can generate up to 50 microamps in bright sunlight.

Are Manufacturing Jobs Moving?

Automation, not some foreign government, is the chief cause of manufacturing job losses worldwide. Or so claims this Control Design column. The author uses compelling facts and figures to show how automation destroys manufacturing jobs by increasing productivity. But according to this article, there's no need to worry because that process is a good thing. Increased productivity, it notes, boosts living standards across the globe. It also generates the capital needed to create other jobs.

Quick Connectors Speed Assembly Up by 90%

In assembling complex hydraulic manifolds, the process is slow and with threaded connectors there is the danger of incorrect torquing and hose twisting in assembly, which lead to failures. Now several manufacturers have come out with push-to-connect fittings that essentially snap into place in the correct orientation and are then secured with a nut or other fitting without the need for special tools.

Hydraulic TV

No, that headline doesn't refer to a new media technology that bypasses electronics. Rather, the National Fluid Power Association has available on its website (and for broadcast) the 30-minute program, "Fluid Power: A Force for Change." The presentation talks about the industry, its reliable technology, and its positive effects on society, as well as the promise for young engineers looking for challenging and socially-responsible careers.

"Any Fish Bites If You Got Good Bait"

So goes the song, "Fishing Blues." But now it's easier to load up on that bait thanks to the hydraulic-auger-driven Bait Blaster. Designed to ease the tasks of lobstermen, "It will bait a bag in three seconds and will bait bags as fast as you can get the bait into the hopper. You're not waiting on it, and it compacts the bait really tightly," says inventor Tom St. Claire.

Consumer Product Testing and Evaluation

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Name That Web Site?

Web domain designations have been tightly controlled by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann). Choices are limited to combinations such as .com, .org, and .uk — referring to specific types of organizations or countries of origin. A new Icann proposal essentially makes all letter combinations available. Supporters herald the move as opening up Web site naming. Opponents suggest it will confuse users and allow money to decide who gets a particular name.