Appliance Design January 2011

January 2011

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

Efficient HVAC Motor Control P.20

INSIDE 12 Plastics 20 Electronics 24 Coatings 28 Design Concepts & Trends

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Being ready for ENERGY STAR® means having a testing lab that’s ready for ENERGY STAR® ENERGY STAR® program requirements have changed, requiring more rigorous Qualification and Verification testing. We’ve ramped up our 18 Energy Efficiency laboratories around the world with greater capacity to get you to market faster. With our core of expert reviewers ready to roll, barring any unforeseen non-compliance, you’ll get ENERGY STAR certification in 24 hours after testing is complete. Plus, you can bundle additional energy efficiency requirements such as DoE, NRCan, ErP and SASO for greatest efficiency. Add our ETL safety certification, Satellite Data Acceptance Program, and performance testing expertise and it’s no wonder things

Intertek has the testing capacity and industry expertise to add

are looking up.

value immediately. We’re ready. That means you’re ready.

Intertek’s labs are EPA and ISO 17025 accredited, and we’re an EPA-recognized Certification Body. For more information or to start your project immediately, call or visit our website today. 1-800-WORLDLAB (967-5352) www.intertek.com/energystar Come visit us at Booth # C554 at AHR

Real parts. Really fast. Simply upload your 3D CAD model, and choose the best option for your needs.

CNC Machining in 1–3 days. Best for 1–10 parts. Priced from $95.

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

It’s easy to work with Proto Labs. Choose CNC machining or injection molding, whichever is best for your project. Upload your CAD model and receive an automated, interactive quote in hours. Once approved, our cluster computing technology and automated manufacturing systems will deliver real parts using real materials in as little as one day. And that’s the real story. ©2011 Proto Labs, Inc. ISO 9001:2008 Certified

Get Tips for Better Plastic Parts! The Protomold Sample Cube is an indispensible design aid that illustrates key aspects of designing parts for injection molding. Visit www.protolabs.com/appliance today and request your free sample cube! Enter code AD11A.

Call 877.479.3680 or visit www.protolabs.com

CONTENTS JANUARY 2011 volume 59, no. 1

REACHING OEM DESIGN ENGINEERS ACROSS CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL MARKETS WORLDWIDE

DEPARTMENTS 4 Editorial: A Time to Reevaluate 5 Shipments/Forecasts 6 News Watch 10 Design Mart’s

12

24

31 AHR Expo: Special Section 32 Association Report: ASHRAE

Image Courtesy of Johnson Controls Unitary Products

33 Advertiser’s Index

FEATURES PLASTICS 12 Through the use of plastic materials, designers are able to create innovative, intricately designed parts not possible with glass. 16 Replacing metal with plastics has many benefits, and, in many cases, fewer compromises than ever before.

20

appliance DESIGN ONLINE WEB EXTRAS WEB EXTRAS

Copolymer Meets Functional and Mechanical Challenges in Siemens Coffee Center For its EQ.7 fully automated coffee center, Siemens Electrogeräte GmbH used Hostaform polyacetal copolymer (POM) to provide the performance qualities required by various components in this high-end consumer appliance.

Treadmill and Fitness Equipment Co. Uses Innovative HMI System Star Trac wanted to engage customers with an embedded touch screen that offered a compelling graphical user interface and integrated HD video. Find Out What Music Means to the Customer Altec Lansing was looking for a way to communicate with customers and ultimately relaunched its product portfolio and brand.

ELECTRONICS 20 Manufacturers can reduce costs by integrating an entire dual-motor system with active PFC on a single microcontroller.

COATINGS & FINISHES 24 The ability to target metal removal and the methodology applied to focus the metal removal current, enables PEM as a production process.

DESIGN CONCEPTS & TRENDS 28 Stop the trends in product recalls and lawsuits. One of the key issues involved in the numbers of product recalls are defects in design.

BLOGS Kevin Henry's The Essential Kitchen AD's Remix Blog Paul's European Perspective

SOCIAL MEDIA

Connect with appliance DESIGN on:

COVER

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January 2011

Manufacturers can reduce costs by choosing efficient HVAC motor solutions. Photo: Johnson Controls Unitary Products www.applianceDESIGN.com

5,/&&%23 #/-02%(%.3)6% %.%2'934!2 #%24)&)#!4)/. 3%26)#%3

4/'%434!24%$ '/4/5,#/-%.%2'934!2 4HE5,LOGOISATRADEMARKOF5NDERWRITERS,ABORATORIES)NCˆ

EDIToRIAL ®

www.applianceDESIGN.com

publishing staff Darrell Dal Pozzo Group Publisher

An Ideal Time to Reevaluate

T

he New Year is a great time to take a step back and evaluate the big picture. For companies, this can mean redefining or reaffirming who you are as a company: to your employees, your suppliers, and your customers. Every time you purchase a new manufacturing or testing instrument; hire new on-staff or consulting designers and engineers; design a new product; launch a new product; acquire or sell part of your business; or change your marketing strategy—your redefining or reaffirming who you are as a brand. Sometimes regulations and standards, buying patterns and technology improvements are a cause for change. One regulation that will affect many appliance manufacturers this year, are the new Energy Star Enhanced Testing and Verification procedures now in effect. With the EPA now mandating that Energy Star third-party certification will require manufacturers seeking use of the Energy Star label to submit products for third-party certification from EPA Recognized Certification Bodies, some manufacturers will be forced to change product launch timelines and business practices. And, while new U.S. Department of Energy home appliance efficiency standards will not take full effect until 2014, manufacturers must start implementing new components and technologies in their product designs now, in order to be able to meet those requirements. The DOE efficiency standards are a step

(630) 694-4342 [email protected]

Maggie McFadden Shein Editor

(630) 694-4388 [email protected]

Daryl Delano Economics Editor

(508) 746-7986 [email protected]

Paul Roggema Kevin Henry New Media Contributors

forward for home appliance manufacturers and efficiency, environmental and consumer advocates. The new standards cover six categories of home appliances: refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers and room air conditioners; and (at press time) a recommendation that Energy Star qualification criteria incorporate credit for Smart Grid capability and a package of targeted tax credits aimed at fostering the market for super-efficient appliances— remains to be seen if it will be included. Also expected this year, will be new product designs incorporating smart grid capability, and further industry talks on standardization. Once standards are agreed upon industry-wide, more companies will be able to ‘get in the smart grid game’ and design appliances to communicate with the grid. Although this surely will be a long, evolutionary process that we will be discussing for years to come, consumers, manufacturers and smart grid advocates will be looking to evaluate smart grid test cities and sites this year to gain insight into what the future may look like. Email your comments to me at sheinm@ bnpmedia.com. And, follow our daily industry news on Twitter @aplncdsgn. <

(248) 244-6438 [email protected]

MaTT Britcher Art Director

(248) 486-7800 [email protected]

circulation Rita Foumia Corporate Strategy Director Christina Roth Audience Development Coordinator

(248) 786-1687 [email protected] (248) 244-6435 [email protected]

Alison Illes Multimedia Specialist

(248) 244-1730 [email protected]

Catherine M. Ronan Corporate Audience Audit Manager

[email protected]

(248) 244-8259

Robert Liska List Manager

(800) 223-2194 x726 [email protected]

Shawn Kingston

(800) 409-4443 x828 [email protected]

marketing Lisa Moore Marketing Director

(248) 244-8261 [email protected]

Michele Raska Trade Show Coordinator

(248) 786-1694 [email protected]

editorial advisory board Bob Brown Vice President, Marketing & Sales, North America, Emerson Industrial Automation Brad Cleveland John Davis

President and CEO, Proto Labs Inc.

Business Development Manager, Traulsen

Kevin Henry

President, Group42

Joseph McGuire

President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)

Andreas Schuessler

Maggie McFadden Shein, Editor E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @aplncdsgn

[email protected]

Lindsay Nagy Production Manager

Richard Watson

Product Designer, BSH Bosch and Siemens Founding Partner, Essential

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

| HVAC | Majors | Water Processing | Housewares | Commercial Appliances | Vending | Medical | Lab | | Test & Measurement | Lawn & Garden | Electronics | Computers | Communications | Business Equipment | APPLIANCE DESIGN (ISSN 1552-5937) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $161.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $198.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $211.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2010, by BNP Media. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2148, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to APPLIANCE DESIGN, P.O. Box 2148, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

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SHIPMENTS

FORECASTS DVD PLAYERS/RECORDERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 5878.5 8400.0 8779.3 13,180.4

2011 6261.2 9013.1 9209.5 14,168.9

2012 6705.7 9806.3 9881.8 15,160.7

For 2010, a 17.0% increase to 36.238 million units For 2011, a 6.7% increase to 38.653 million units Data Source: CEA Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

ELECTRIC RANGES & OVENS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1078.2 1147.8 1049.8 1160.2

2011 1107.3 1194.9 1125.4 1224.0

2012 1163.8 1261.8 1192.9 1282.7

For 2010, a 2.4% increase to 4.436 million units For 2011, a 4.9% increase to 4.652 million units Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

RESIDENTIAL GAS WATER HEATERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1086.9 1033.0 916.9 1004.6

2011 1077.1 1050.5 973.7 1064.9

2012 1128.8 1105.1 1011.7 1100.0

For 2010, a 7.5% increase to 4.041 million units For 2011, a 3.1% increase to 4.166 million units Data Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

Product

Oct-10

Oct-09

%Chg 10 Mos. '10 10 Mos. '09

%Chg

MAJOR APPLIANCES (Thousands of Units) TOTAL

4,239.2

4,217.0

0.5%

51,985.1

50,544.0

2.9%

Cooking-Total Electric Cooking - Total Electric Ranges Electric Ovens Surface Cooking Units Gas Cooking - Total Gas Ranges Gas Ovens Surface Cooking Units Microwave Ovens

1,333.7 370.8 294.5 52.1 24.3 237.5 210.1 3.6 23.9 725.3

1,458.7 367.4 288.6 50.1 28.7 233.3 202 3.8 27.5 857.9

-8.6% 0.9% 2.0% 3.9% -15.5% 1.8% 4.0% -7.4% -13.3% -15.5%

13,580.3 3,646.6 2,871.7 495.9 279 2,261.2 1,963.5 34 263.7 7,672.5

13,807.3 3,565.6 2,840.3 445.9 279.4 2,113.5 1,838.1 34.9 240.6 8,128.1

-1.6% 2.3% 1.1% 11.2% -0.2% 7.0% 6.8% -2.6% 9.6% -5.6%

Home Laundry - Total Automatic Washers Dryers - Total Electric Gas

1,140.9 613.7 527.3 421.9 105.4

1,092.9 589.4 503.4 399.5 103.9

4.4% 4.1% 4.7% 5.6% 1.4%

11,937.5 6,580.2 5,357.3 4,304.2 1,053.1

11,697.0 6,437.3 5,259.7 4,222.9 1,036.8

2.1% 2.2% 1.9% 1.9% 1.6%

Kitchen Clean Up - Total Disposers Dishwashers - Total Built-In Portable Compactors

882.7 438.2 441.2 436.9 4.3 3.3

851.7 405 443.1 437.4 5.8 3.7

3.6% 8.2% -0.4% -0.1% -25.6% -10.6%

9,219.9 4,469.7 4,714.1 4,661.3 52.8 36.1

8,876.2 4,344.7 4,492.0 4,433.6 58.4 39.4

3.9% 2.9% 4.9% 5.1% -9.6% -8.5%

Food Preservation - Total Refrigerators Freezers - Total Chest Upright

813.6 672.7 140.8 74.6 66.3

801.4 645.2 156.2 89.3 67

1.5% 4.3% -9.8% -16.4% -1.0%

9,558.6 7,965.1 1,593.5 916.2 677.3

8,830.3 7,108.4 1,722.0 1,036.5 685.4

8.2% 12.1% -7.5% -11.6% -1.2%

Home Comfort - Total Room Air Conditioners Dehumidifiers

68.4 40.2 28.2

12.3 -45.5 57.8

454.2% N/A -51.2%

7,688.9 6,190.5 1,498.4

7,333.3 5,731.0 1,602.3

4.8% 8.0% -6.5%

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.

UNITARY AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1031.3 1917.8 1521.5 850.6

2011 1011.7 1914.0 1600.7 911.9

2012 1094.7 2061.4 1701.5 962.0

For 2010, a 2.9% increase to 5.321 million units For 2011, a 2.2% increase to 5.438 million units Data Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

DISPOSERS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1317.3 1305.9 1408.3 1327.5

2011 1373.9 1345.1 1461.8 1403.1

2012 1426.2 1400.2 1527.6 1457.9

For 2010, a 2.7% increase to 5.359 million units For 2011, a 4.2% increase to 5.584 million units Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

REFRIGERATORS – Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 1 2 3 4

2010 1953.9 2798.5 2540.0 2025.1

2011 2006.7 2823.7 2694.9 2170.9

2012 2084.9 2990.3 2821.6 2281.6

For 2010, an 11.0% increase to 9.318 million units For 2011, a 4.1% increase to 9.696 million units Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights Note: All forecasts begin in Q4/2010

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applianceDESIGN

January 2011 5

NEwS watch

heat-Powered Ecofan Saves 14% on home heating fuel costs

h

eat-powered portable fans designed to circulate warm air generated by residential wood stoves, reduce home heating fuel costs by approximately 14%, according to a collaborative study with representatives from University of Waterloo. Researchers from the faculty of engineering at the University of Waterloo and Caframo, manufacturers of the Ecofan, collaborated on a scientific study to measure the reduction in firewood needed to maintain comfort with the use of the fan. Ecofans help circulate the warm air generated by a wood stove, which can make a room more comfortable using less fuel, the study confirmed. “Ecofans have the added benefit of reducing the amount of trees used and particulates released into the air,” said Elliott Good, sales and marketing manager for Caframo. Ecofans work when thermoelectric technology converts heat to electricity. The ENErGy StaNDarDS for rEfrIGEratorS rEflEct INDuStry coNSENSuS

Advocacy groups and appliance manufacturers hailed a 25% increase in energy efficiency for most new refrigerators, starting in 2014, thanks to new efficiency standards that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced in September 2010, continuing a 40-year trend of improving energy efficiency. The new standards are the first step in the department’s implementation of the recommendations they proposed to DOE in July of the same year for new minimum efficiency standards, tax credits and Energy Star incentives for smart appliances affecting six major categories of home appliances. 6 applianceDESIGN

January 2011

generated electricity propels the fan blades, circulating warm air generated by the stove without noise. It does not require the use of batteries or electricity. Good said that the company has long received anecdotal feedback that customers burn a reduced amount of firewood when using the product. Caframo leadership wanted to quantify those results so they entered into a collaborative relationship with representatives at the University of Waterloo to develop a study. Conducted under controlled conditions, tests were designed to maintain a human comfort level of 22.5-deg. C (72.5-deg. F), as defined by the ASHRAE 55 Standard. The test facility was constructed as a room within a room. The inner room was set up similar to a living room with a wood stove, a couch, finished floors, ceilings and walls; and the outer room was set up to control the outside temperature, accurately modeling the heat loss from a typical house. The facility included a customized “The consensus standards not only save consumers a huge amount of energy and money, they also save DOE the energy, time and money that a contentious rulemaking process can require,” said Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP). “The appliance industry has a strong history in reaching agreement with a broad base of energy and water efficiency advocates, as well as consumer groups, to develop energy conservation standards for home appliances,” said Joseph McGuire, president of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). According to the proposed rule, a typical new 20-cubic-foot refrigerator with the freezer on top would use about 390

ventilation system that allowed controlled temperature situations to conduct comparative tests. Within the facility, 54 temperature sensors were placed throughout the test facility to measure air and surface temperatures during each test burn. Each sensor had an accuracy of 0.2-deg. C. Tests were completed in pairs with comparable conditions and burn rates between wood stove operation with and without an Ecofan. The maintenance of the designated comfort temperature and the total weight of wood burned were the determining factors in establishing the wood usage outcomes. < kilowatt hours (kwh) per year, down from about 900 kwh/year in 1990 and about 1,700 kwh/year in the early 1970s. On a national basis, the standards would, over 30 years, save 4.5 quads of energy, or roughly enough to meet the total energy needs of one-fifth of all U.S. households for a year. Over the same period, the standards will save consumers about $18.5 billion. “This big step forward for refrigerator efficiency proves that the well of innovation leading to energy savings is very, very deep,” said David B. Goldstein, energy program director for the Natural Resource Defense Council and winner of a MacArthur Prize for his work on refrigerator efficiency. “These standards pave the way for manufacturer investments in a next genwww.applianceDESIGN.com

NEWS WATCH eration of products that demonstrate everincreasing energy and cost savings.” Based on the July agreement, home appliance manufacturers and efficiency, environmental and consumer advocates have agreed to jointly pursue with Congress and the administration new standards for six categories of home appliances (refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers and room air conditioners), a recommendation that Energy Star qualification criteria incorporate credit for Smart Grid capability and a package of targeted tax credits aimed at fostering the market for super-efficient appliances. While DOE or Congress can act on the standards, the extension of the manufacturers’ tax credit for super-efficient appliances requires new legislation. As part of the new refrigerator standards, ice maker energy consumption also will be reflected in product energyuse ratings, giving consumers a better way to gauge actual energy use when making a choice among refrigerators. “Even though refrigerators have become much more energy efficient, they still account for about 10% of household electricity use,” observed Alliance to Save Energy Vice President for Programs Jeffrey Harris. “With the new standards, consumers will not only save energy, they’ll also have a better picture of total energy use, because the ratings will include automatic ice makers.” Several prior refrigerator standards, including those put in place in 1993 and 2001, are also the result of joint industry/ advocate agreements. “This kind of joint recommendation can expedite new standards,” said Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “By moving quickly to adopt the agreement, DOE encourages all parties who are willing to work in a collaborative way to agree on new standards.”

CLIMATETALK ALLIANCE LAUNCHES NEW STANDARDS FOR ZONING

The ClimateTalk Alliance announced the development of a Zoning Profile to drive interoperability with HVAC systems also

www.applianceDESIGN.com

developed to ClimateTalk Standards. The new Zoning Profile will leverage the ClimateTalk information model for seamless integration with compatible thermostats, furnace/air handlers and air conditioners/heat pumps in addition to providing the installation, performance and diagnostic benefits of ClimateTalk enabled equipment. The Zoning Profile development activity was kicked off at a member meeting held at the end of October 2010. At the Fall member meeting, the ClimateTalk Alliance also welcomed new members eControls, Honeywell and Jackson Systems. Membership in the ClimateTalk Alliance is open to companies committed to developing standards for machine to machine communications that address the need for simple to install, plug and play solutions. The ClimateTalk standards provide solutions that minimize energy consumption thru advanced control and maximize system performance with diagnostics and enhanced user interface.

One of four configurations, the Tippmatic Timer for filter type coffee machines is an auto power-off switch with integrated electronics.

JOHNSON ELECTRIC LAUNCHES ENERGY-SAVING SWITCHES FOR COFFEE MACHINES

Johnson Electric’s Tippmatic product line of intelligent auto shut-off switches for coffee machines complies with Europe’s eco-design directive for energy using products (EuP). The Tippmatic product line is designed to improve the energy efficiency of a wide range of coffee machines from the basic filter type to fully automatic espresso machines for domestic or com-

The Way to Go to Avoid Shipping Delays, Quality Problems and Increased Pricing.

TOWER

THERMOSTATS We have manufacturing facilities in China, and all of our thermostats are 100% factory calibrated. You will receive full engineering and sales support from our Rhode Island based headquarters. Choose from a variety of standard design options including miniature, nonadjustable, snap-action, tip-over shut-off and more. Or let us custom design to your specs. Our European snapaction thermostats have VDE and SEMKO approvals as well as UL/CSA. Customer service from our USA headquarters for quick satisfaction.

TOWER MANUFACTURING CORPORATION 25 Reservoir Avenue, Providence, RI 02907 Tel. (401) 467-7550 • Fax (401) 461-2710 or E-Mail: [email protected]

applianceDESIGN

January 2011 7

NEwS watch

pEoplE NEwS Global SpEcIalty SolutIoNS appoINtS DIrEctor of corporatE MaNufacturING

Global Specialty Solutions Inc. appointed James C. Hoyt to director of corporate manufacturing. Hoyt will be responsible for developing and implementing operational strategies to strengthen hoyt and grow the manufacturing performance of Global Specialty Solutions Inc. companies: North American Tool Corporation (South Beloit, Ill.), Gaylee Saws (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Bitner Tooling Technologies (Sterling Heights, Mich.), and Allen Benjamin Inc. (Mesa, Ariz.). <

mercial use. It is made to simplify coffee machine design and assembly. The product line comprises four configurations to address the functional requirements of different coffee machine designs.

MorGaN tEchNIcal cEraMIcS aNNouNcES NEw cEraMIc MatErIal

Morgan Technical Ceramics (MTC) announced its magnesia partially-stabilized zirconia, Nilcra PSZ, a ceramic material

for a wide variety of demanding industrial environments, including materials handling, oil and gas, chemical, metal forming, and pulp and paper. Components made from Nilcra PSZ feature very high mechanical strength and fracture toughness combined with excellent wear, abrasion, corrosion and thermal shock resistance, according to the company. MTC’s Nilcra PSZ is a ceramic alloy of high purity zirconium and magnesium oxides with a carefully controlled, unique microstructure. The microstructure results in

a material toughening mechanism called transformation toughening, creating a combination of exceptional material properties. Nilcra PSZ has comparable thermal expansion to that of steel, enabling it to be used as a direct replacement for hardened steel/metal alloy components. Nilcra PSZ is available in two grades: Nilcra MS Grade PSZ for the majority of applications where maximum strength is required, and Nilcra TS Grade PSZ for environments where higher thermal shock resistance is necessary.

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FOR MORE NEWS FROM THIS ISSUE: WWW.APPLIANCEDESIGN.COM AND CLICK ON NEWS WATCH.

DUALIT UNVEILS CHUNKY TOASTER

Dualit USA of Marietta, Ga. has unveiled its four-slot Lite commercial toaster in an updated “chunky” shape, combining classic toaster styling with a soft touch finish and stainless steel cover. A Peek & Pop function allows consumers to check the bread while toasting without cancelling the toasting cycle giving greater browning control. It incorporates bagel function toasting and warming, as well as defrost selection. 

MEETINGS JANUARY 2011 INTERNATIONAL CES Jan. 6-9, Las Vegas, Nevada Website: www.cesweb.org 29TH IMA: INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR FOR AMUSEMENT AND VENDING MACHINES 2011 Jan. 11-18, Dusseldorf, Germany Website: www.ima-messe.com LIVINGKITCHEN 2011 Jan. 18-23, Cologne, Germany Website: www.koelnmesse.de INTERPLASTICS: INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR PLASTICS AND RUBBER Jan. 25-28, Moscow, Russia Website: www.interplastica.de/ 2011 ASHRAE WINTER CONFERENCE Jan. 29-Feb. 2, Las Vegas, Nevada Website: www.ashrae.org/events/ page/2650 AHR EXPO 2011 Jan. 31-Feb. 2, Las Vegas, Nevada Website: www.ahrexpo.com/

February PACIFIC DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING Feb. 8-10, Anaheim, California Website: www.canontradeshows.com/ expo/pac10/ 

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applianceDESIGN

January 2011 9

DESIGN MART

AHR EXPO

PREVIEW “The Little Compressor That Could!” Aspen’s DC refrigeration compressor is exceptionally compact yet has up to 2,000 BTU/h cooling capacity. This little gem provides more capacity than compressors 10 times its size. It’s perfect for mobile or portable refrigeration, cooling electronics, and in high-value appliances. Aspen Compressor, LLC Phone: 508.481.5058 Ext.112 Web: www.aspencompressor.com

Visit us at AHR Expo, booth N4111

Visit us at AHR Expo, booth N5356

Want to see YOUR Product here? appliance DESIGN’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

Visit us at AHR Expo, booth N4568 10 applianceDESIGN

January 2011

www.applianceDESIGN.com

Chic Domestique

Compliments of

NOVELIS HIGH RECYCLED CONTENT ALUMINUM Something old is new again. Novelis recycled aluminum products are designed to offer sustainable solutions that deliver all the features of standard alloys. This product line has high post-consumer recycled aluminum content with a minimum of 70% for anodized quality and 80% for painted applications. Let Novelis help you design sustainable products for tomorrow. Simply Sustainable. Visit www.ipg.novelis.com.

Meets the ISO 14021 standard for post-consumer recycled content.

PlaStIcS

DESIGNING with

Plastic

the hinged cap of the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel demonstrates plastic’s ability to create integrated parts with seamless, permanent assembly. Photo: Eastman Chemical Co.

Through the use of plastic materials, designers are able to create innovative, intricately designed parts not possible with glass.

by fred colhoun and alan phillips Fred Colhoun is market development manager and Alan Phillips is senior research engineer at Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, Tenn. 12 applianceDESIGN January 2011

F

rom the early stages of product development, design engineers and manufacturers have a broad range of material specification options. While materials ranging from metal to glass to plastic strive to meet the requirements for a particular small appliance design—such as durability, design flexibility, ease of processing or coloring options—rarely does one material accomplish it all. Instead, design modifications often are made to accommodate a material’s limitations. A material that balances the positive processing and performance properties of materials common in the industry today—including glass, polycarbonate (PC) and styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)—has the potential to broaden design possibilities and differentiate products. With innovative materials such as copolyesters, designers have the opportunity to create functional and distinctive products without compromising design innovation or performance characteristics.

Differentiating with Plastic For years, glass has served as standard material for appliance design. An attractive option for designers, glass provides a quality and eye-catching aesthetic for products throughout the home, and its clarity offers users the opportunity to view contents

inside. However, in many ways, plastic resins provide increased potential compared with glass for cutting-edge design and product innovation. Vibrant coloring. Because most colorants cannot survive the extreme temperatures required to process glass (1,400 to 1,500 deg. Celsius) using plastic materials provides designers with a wider selection of vibrant product colors. Plastics permit an increase in color options because organic colorants are less likely to degrade during material processing at much lower temperatures of 250 to 300 deg. Celsius. In addition, the economic and processing advantages of coloring plastic resins strongly outweigh those of coloring glass. During production runs, manufacturers working with glass often experience difficulty changing or mixing colorants, limiting the variety of a product line. Further, the lengthy changeover process required to clean glass processing equipment between production runs of different tints limits the ability to differentiate products via colors in a timely and cost-effective way. With plastic, these limitations do not exist, so designers and brand owners can distinguish products by creating the same design in a broad range of colors. Intricate design. Through the use of www.applianceDESIGN.com

PlaStIcS

caSE StUDY: PROtOtYPING WItH PlaStIc

this blender prototype includes an aluminum base, jar and cover made of Tritan copolyester. Photo: The Design Academy and Eastman Chemical Co.

Recognizing the inherent benefits of designing with plastic and eager to experiment and push its limits, The Design Academy Inc., collaborated with material supplier Eastman Chemical Company for a range of small appliance products. Chuck Pelly, initial founder of BMW Dreamworks USA and current partner of The Design Academy Inc., began working with Eastman to test the capabilities of Eastman Tritan copolyester though conceptualizing and prototyping appliance designs. Through their work, Pelly and The Design Academy introduced several small appliance prototypes, including a blender, juicer, kettle and beater at the International Home and Housewares Show in March 2010. Setting it apart from other thermoplastics, Tritan copolyester is manufactured without BPA, as the material’s chemistry ensures the resin is free of BPA and estrogenic activity. The material also features shatter, wear and high-impact resistance, dishwasher durability and sound dampening properties. The blender prototype designed by Pelly, including an aluminum base and a jar and cover made of Tritan copolyester, has a contemporary, futuristic appearance, which combines clarity and a metallic luster with defined, crisp edges and smooth surfaces. Designing with plastic provided The Design Academy control of complex surfaces and textures of the blender jar and lid to create drastically different cuts ranging from gentle curves to sharp, defined corners. In designing the blender prototype, the designers sought to emulate fluidity and water, therefore requiring the flexibility to cut and shape the material in unique ways. Using plastic allowed the designers to create double radii curves, producing a wavelike blender lid and a cascading side panel. With the freedom to manufacture parts of significant thickness using the copolyester, the designers created thick-to-thin wall

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this juicer prototype uses circular shapes and concave profiles for its handle, carafe and cap. Photo: The Design Academy and Eastman Chemical Co.

transitions within the blender jar. With some materials, achieving thick sections or sharper thickness transitions can create variable residual stress in the molded part, often leading to cracking in the dishwasher. To reduce the stress that can lead to part failure, extended processing cycles, or time- and energy-intensive external annealing processes are required. However, the lower residual stress formed during the molding of Tritan helps eliminate this need for post-processing procedures. Also, despite the thickly molded plastic walls, the blender jar remains lightweight, approximately half the weight of a comparable glass jar and easily manageable, even when filled to capacity. Experimenting with the ability to tint plastic a wide variety of colors, the blender prototype also exhibits the coloring options possible with copolyester materials. Merging color with glasslike transparency, the prototype puts function on display so users can clearly see the appliance at work. One of the other prototypes, a juicer, was designed to combine both functional and aesthetic material qualities, and to demonstrate a successful integration of design and material selection. The manually operated juicer uses circular shapes and concave profiles for its handle, carafe and cap. The juicer cap has four positions to allow varying levels of pulp filtration depending on filter design. Each filter level—pulp, medium, fine or no pulp—is clearly indicated on the juicer cap through embossed labels. In addition, the juicer prototype is dishwasher durable. As an appliance product with the potential to undergo frequent high-temperature washing cycles and exposure to acidic juices, the prototype exhibits copolyester’s durability against everyday household use, as well as to harsh or aggressive dishwashing chemicals.<

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January 2011 13

PlaStIcS

Plastics can be textured in a variety of ways, including checkerboard and wave textures to achieve unique aesthetics. Photo: Eastman Chemical Co.

Plastic is overmolded onto stainless steel mesh in Teastick Gems by Gamila Products. Photo: Eastman Chemical Co.

plastic materials, designers are able to create innovative, intricately designed parts not possible with glass. Design elements enabled by plastics include tight dimensional tolerances, crisp lines, surface textures and, depending on the plastic characteristics, undercuts. With plastic, manufacturers also have the increased freedom to create integrated parts that are joined together for seamless, permanent assembly. Multiple material integration. For designs featuring multiple types of materials in one product, plastics can create connections not easily achieved with glass. For example, while fastening a metal blade to a glass blender jar requires the use of plastic screw fittings, plastic can be overmolded onto metal components to create an assembled part without fasteners. The ability to use multiple materials in appliance design increases the freedom to leverage materials’ inherent advantages. For example, one product called the Polar Pitcher takes advantage of metal’s high thermal conductivity for the internal metal cooling cylinder that holds ice to keep beverages chilled. The metal cooling cylinder is encapsulated by plastic, allowing the pitcher to simultane-

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PlaStIcS ously utilize the low thermal conductivity of plastic to insulate the contents of the pitcher, achieving performance not attainable through a single material. Similarly, when manufacturers have a desire to create plastic product handles with an ergonomic, comfortable grip, they can take advantage of the fact that soft-touch elastomer materials such as rubber and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) can adhere to plastic substrates. Reduced weight. Aside from plastic’s design-enhancing qualities, the lightweight advantage of plastic provides added value for ease of use and ergonomics compared with similar products made of glass. For appliances and many other household items, the added weight of glass can decrease ease of use and negatively impact overall product effectiveness. For example, the plastic jar of a Cuisinart PowerEdge 1000-Watt Blender filled to capacity is significantly lighter in weight and therefore more ergonomic and easier to handle or pour than a similar glass jar, while maintaining a glass-like aesthetic. Lightweight plastics also provide sustainability advantages by reducing overall pack-

age weight. Decreased fuel consumption due to the ability to fit more lightweight products into a truckload with weight limits can sustain resources while cutting total system costs. Decorative details. The potential to print on plastic resins provides product differentiation opportunities for product design. Logos, patterns or design-enhancing symbols can be printed directly on plastic to build brand awareness and expand product line variety, through silk screening and embossing. Plastics also can be textured in a variety of ways, including checkerboard and wave textures to achieve a unique aesthetic.

Plastics as the Future

the integration of plastic and metal parts allows the Polar Pitcher to leverage both materials’ inherent advantages. Photo: Eastman Chemical Co.

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Designs previously thought of as unachievable are now becoming reality with plastic materials such as copolyester and other thermoplastics. Through the ongoing collaboration of designers and resin suppliers, the appliance industry will continue to be transformed by innovative thinking and equally innovative designers working with a one-of-a-kind plastic material. < For more information, visit: www.eastman.com

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January 2011 15

PlaStIcS

High-Performance Plastics Drive Metal Replacement Replacing metal with plastics has many benefits, and, in many cases, fewer compromises than ever before.

by jeff mccoy Jeff McCoy , a chemical engineer, is senior business manager for the North American Engineered Plastics Business Unit of A. Schulman Inc., Akron, Ohio. 16 applianceDESIGN January 2011

t

here was a time when metal replacement was useful only for limited applications, such as reducing parts weight, for example. Such attributes often came with significant limitations—most notably in the areas of performance and the ability to be machined. Fortunately, newer classes of engineered plastics and the ability to customize them are taking metal replacement to a higher level. Opportunities for “designed-in” metal replacement can be found in many industries and applications. Engineered plastics applications cover only approximately 15% of their potential for metal replacement. Designers, customers and end users will notice, and value, the significant productivity improvements or product differentiations that are possible. Enhancements can be found in product performance, total costs, manufacturing efficiency, durability and aesthetics—enhancements that are all often simultaneously achieved with far fewer tradeoffs than in the past. Given the wide variety of properties and opportunities, plastics suppliers have the added opportunity to be collaborative problem-solvers. Customized solutions are in high demand, and the ability to “engineer in”

a unique combination of attributes is a significant competitive advantage for appliance designers and manufacturers. The co-development of unique, multifunctional solutions is good for both materials suppliers and customers, and is a requirement in today’s environment of optimizing the balance between cost and performance.

Opportunities The typical view of metals and plastics is that they come from two very different worlds. Plastic offers design freedom, the ability to integrate functions, low density and low weight, no corrosion, color and transparency. Metal is very stiff and strong, can be machined and welded, offers tight tolerances, and can be used at high temperatures. Higher-value engineered thermoplastics that have been particularly useful for metal replacement include nylon or polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), acetal or polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyarylamide (PARA), polyphthalamide (PPA), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The mechanical performance of these polymers, which offer intrinsically high tensile strength and flex modulus, can be significantly extended when the materials are reinforced with compounds www.applianceDESIGN.com

PlaStIcS Instead of aluminum, a 50% glass fiber-reinforced nylon 6,6 custom compound has been used for the structural brackets of an overhead panel on a bus. Photos: A. Schulman

such as glass fiber. The gaps between plastic and metal are closing, which is speeding up the adoption of engineered plastics for metal replacement, primarily to address the following needs: Design freedom. This is one of the primary benefits of metal replacement because engineered plastics, through injection molding, extrusion and blow molding, can be created in almost any shape or form, with various corners and edges, at a relatively low cost. Although able to be machined, metals do not offer as much shape and form flexibility. Furthermore, various additives and fillers can be incorporated into the polymer resins to “design in” exact performance attributes, while metals do not offer such customization options. Performance. Plastics offer a variety of important performance benefits, including weight reduction, impact and chemical resistance, sound and vibration dampening, low corrosion potential and the ability to tailor conductivity (e.g., with antistatic, electrostatic dissipative or electrically conductive properties). Weight reduction in particular has been a primary driver of metal replacement in the transportation industry for a long time. As a result, the weight of some parts in transportation has been reduced by more than 20 to 30%, which impacts all-important fuel economy performance. However, it is worth noting that weight reduction using plastics may also be accompanied by a requirement to increase the part size or wall thickness. For example, with bicycle frames, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic frames are significantly thicker than aluminum ones because the mass must be increased to meet stiffness and strength www.applianceDESIGN.com

requirements, though they still weigh less and offer a variety of styling options. E f f i c i e n c y. Metal replacement can significantly enhance design and manufacturing efficiency by reducing the need for secondary operations and subassembly. With a systems view, several functions that were previously dependent on individual parts can be molded into one part. For example, control panels have been redesigned to include integrated housings, rather than having to install separate brackets. One dishwasher manufacturer has reduced the number of control panel subassemblies from six to four by using integrated housings made of engineered plastics. Styling. The styling and aesthetic qualities of plastic are diverse including color, transparency, metallics, textures and special trims. Colored plastics offer significant operational benefits, as they eliminate the need for out-

tant in several appliance-related markets. Products that help companies meet their commitments to recycling, green manufacturing and sustainable development are in high demand. The ideal applications for metal replacement are those that put a high premium on addressing two or more of the attributes described above.

caveats It is better to focus metal replacement efforts on high-potential opportunities than to try to find a way to pursue metal replacement at all levels. The pitfalls come in not focusing efforts on high-probability areas and not understanding the property range and limitations of plastics. For example, success is more likely when trying to use engineered plastics to replace cast metals and alloys such as aluminum, brass, zinc and magnesium alloys, rather than steel. Plastic-metal hybrids should also be considered. The use of finite element analysis, molding process simulation and proper part performance testing is critical to achieving the desired results. As mentioned above, the needed stiffness

“The ability to ‘engineer in’ a unique combination of attributes is a significant competitive advantage for appliance designers and manufacturers.”

dated, inefficient and/or environmentally challenging painting operations. There are also important sales and marketing ramifications, as the ability to slide in color panels on home appliances and electronics enables designers and manufacturers to offer a much wider range of color changes and special effects—and, of course, such panels protect the metal underneath. Sustainability. Plastics support recoverability and end-of-useful-life initiatives, which are becoming increasingly impor-

and tensile strength for parts is an especially important consideration. For example, the typical modulus range of plastic is 1,000 to 2,000 MPa, compared with 210,000 MPa for steel. Tensile strength for plastics typically falls between 20 and 40 MPa, compared with 300 to 500 MPa for steel. Highly reinforced, engineered plastics can deliver a modulus of 10,000 to 24,000 MPa, and a tensile strength rating of 150 to 200 MPa. Those ratings are still not equal to steel, but the fact is that most applications for steel require less stiffness and applianceDESIGN

January 2011 17

PlaStIcS tensile strength than steel actually delivers; in fact, a safety factor of 50% or more is not uncommon for steel. Still, based on the data and taking into account the safety factor, even highly reinforced plastics continue to have a difficult time replacing metal in stiffness-driven applications. Many more opportunities can be found in applications primarily driven by tensile strength and durability, especially where a significant safety factor is not necessary. In addition, metals still have significant advantages over plastics in thermal and electrical conductivity and flame retardance. That is unlikely to change anytime soon, as metals have proven to be very effective and the primary benefits of metal replacement are not really in line with the needs of such applications.

Market and customer Focus Given the attributes and limitations above, which markets and applications deserve the most attention? Where is metal replacement already a mature market and what areas provide the greatest potential? Metal replacement has been successfully

occurring and is significantly advanced in areas such as large home and business appliances, small appliances, consumer electronics, medical instrumentation, and transportation (including automotive, truck, bus and aerospace). Typical applications include handles, knobs, housings, trim, facings, structural mounts, door frames, panel frames, light fixtures and hinges. For example, a 50% glass fiber-reinforced nylon 6,6 custom compound has successfully replaced aluminum for the structural brackets of an overhead panel on a bus. Primary areas of opportunity include home and business appliance segments such as refrigerators and air conditioners, home laundry appliances, vending machines and heating equipment, and industrial automa-

tion equipment. In addition to focusing on these particular areas, collaborative problem-solving among designers, materials suppliers and end customers is one of the best ways to assess the possibilities for metal replacement. Work with partners to first identify the essential properties and then consider additional attributes as needed. To truly appreciate the possibilities for metal replacement, there is no substitute for having actual parts that demonstrate the design freedom, lighter weight and aesthetic benefits of plastics. Where engineered plastics are the best fit for particular applications, the results will speak for themselves. < For more information, visit: www.aschulman.com

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ElEctroNIcS

Efficient Motor control for HVAc Appliances

Shown is the implementation of a typical power factor correction (PFc) stage for an HVAc appliance. The system has two feedback loops and is controlled by the microcontroller using the feedback signals and pulse width modulation (PWM) outputs. Such an implementation can also compensate for differences between the measured and true average current values under discontinuous mode of operation. Not shown is a phase management block which could be added to facilitate phase-shedding and current balancing between multiple phases to increase efficiency and system reliability. Source: Texas Instruments

Manufacturers can reduce costs by integrating an entire dual-motor system with active PFC on a single microcontroller.

by hrishikesh nene and bilal akin, ph.d. Hrishikesh Nene and Bilal Akin, Ph.D., are applications engineers at Texas Instruments, Dallas. 20 applianceDESIGN January 2011

A

ppliances including heaters, ventilators and air conditioners provide an opportunity for manufacturers to differentiate their products through increased performance, better power efficiency, and lower prices. Moving to a sensorless implementation, for example, eliminates the need for incremental encoders, resulting in lower component and installation costs. Many HVAC systems also need multiple motors to compress and ventilate air and, ideally, developers can implement control of these motors on a single microcontroller to simplify design and further reduce system cost. Controlling motors without sensors and with variable-speed drives, however, requires compute-intensive algorithms such as fieldoriented control (FOC) to achieve the best efficiency. Adding further complications to design are the increasing number of local regulations that manufacturers must follow, such as the IEC-60730 standard.

Finally, since motor control must be performed in real-time, lower cost cannot come at the expense of reliability. This article will explore the challenges of real-time motor control and discuss how manufacturers can reduce HVAC appliance cost by integrating an entire dual-motor system with active power factor correction (PFC) on a single microcontroller.

Increased Efficiency through Software Increasing system efficiency often comes at the expense of increased software complexity. For example, simple motor control techniques provide efficient operation for only a limited range of speed. Employing more complex control algorithms, such as FOC, allow for the use of more efficient variable speed drives, and allow manufacturers to design power and drive circuits that optimally match an application’s capacity needs www.applianceDESIGN.com

ElEctroNIcS

Maintaining real-time Performance

M

any HVAC applications use a separate microcontroller for each motor, as well as a third microcontroller to manage PFC. Today’s advanced microcontrollers have the capacity to support dual-motor control with active PFC, as well as complex control algorithms such as FOC on a single microcontroller. Such systems are both cost-effective and efficient.

Motor control task Ramp controller

Number of cycles required to complete 29

Clarke transform

28

Park transform

142

I_Park transform

41

Sliding mode observer

263

Speed estimator

72

Phase volt calculation

115

3 x PID

167

Space vector generator

137

PWM driver

74

Context save, etc.

53

Total number of cycles

1121

CPU utilization at 60 MHz

18.7%

First Motor

18.7%

Second Motor

18.7%

PFC

21.6%

Total CPU utilization @ 60 MHz

59.0%

Available headroom for system-level tasks including monitoring, protection, and signal conditioning

41.0%

System-level utilization @ 60 MHz for sensorless Foc-based control of two permanent magnet motors operating at 10 KHz and active PFC with a switching frequency of 100 KHz and a control loop frequency of 50 KHz. Source: Texas Instruments. Source: Texas Instruments

The above table shows system-level utilization numbers for a dual-motor system with active PFC. For this implementation, Texas Instruments’ (TI) 32-bit fixed-point Piccolo (TMS320F28035) was used to control both motors and the PFC stage. The Piccolo MCU has hybrid ADCs provided the flexible conversion needed while supporting continuous sampling up to 5 Msamples/second. High-resolution PWMs provided duty-cycle modulation up to 150 ps. The microcontroller also integrates two internal oscillators that provide redundancy and a three-tier clock protection mechanism as required by IEC-60730. To speed development and minimize the number of cycles required to execute PFC and motor control, digital motor control libraries were used for functions such as proportional integral derivatives, Park transform, Clarke transform, space-vector generation, and sliding mode observation. In addition, the Code Composer Studio integrated development environment compiler automatically optimized these functions for certain operating conditions, resulting in shorter code that requires fewer cycles to execute. Such optimizations are critical because the microcontroller must have enough headroom to reliably control two FOC-based motors and a high-frequency PFC control loop, as well as perform system-level tasks such as monitoring, protection, and signal conditioning. <

www.applianceDESIGN.com

across all speed ranges. FOC also reduces issues such as torque ripple and vibration, resulting in smoother performance and longer operating life. Manufacturers also can decrease system cost by shifting functionality from hardware to software. A common method for tracking rotor position is to use an incremental encoder. For many HVAC applications, however, accuracy to within 50 rpm provides sufficient accuracy. As a result, these systems can operate without sensors to reduce both component and assembly costs. System processing load is also increased through the need to meet local regulations. The IEC 61000-3-2 standard defines what harmonic components an electronic load can inject into the supply line, thus requiring systems to minimize low-order harmonics. For this reason, PFC has become an integral part of most rectifier designs. PFC is an important technology because it allows systems to smooth out their power draw to reduce input current harmonics that do not contribute to active power. It achieves this by ensuring that the current waveform follows the voltage waveform, while also maintaining a constant output DC voltage regardless of any changes in the load. PFC can be implemented in a passive fashion, but such an implementation is inflexible because it locks the system into a single operating mode with limited ability to react to changes in load. Passive implementations also result in bulky designs. Given the variable speed and load of appliance motors, PFC is ideally implemented in an active fashion where it can greatly reduce phase shifts between voltage and current for changing operating conditions. It also considerably reduces system size. A digitally implemented PFC can intelligently compensate for large dynamic loads, such as when an air conditioner is about to turn on its compressor, as well as reduce the number of power transients generated. For a multi-phase interleaved PFC system, higher efficiency can be achieved by phase-shedding during lowload conditions, which is easy to implement in a digitally controlled PFC system. Furthermore, a digitally controlled PFC applianceDESIGN

January 2011 21

ElEctroNIcS system can easily adjust its output voltage based on load conditions to improve overall system performance. By performing tasks such as rotor speed estimation and PFC in a digital fashion, component count can be reduced to decrease cost while eliminating a point of failure and improving system reliability. Operating in the digital domain also allows for more efficient control algorithms, which can optimally meet the capacity requirements of an application across the different speed ranges and operating conditions. For applications operating dual motors, having both motors controlled by the same microcontroller also results in better performance and efficiency through coordination of PFC for both motors as well as coordination of how quickly each motor ramps up relative to the speed of the other.

Interleaving Motor control and PFc Most HVAC applications require a motor control loop with an operating frequency no higher than 20 KHz. A typical operating frequency for PFC, however, is on the order of 100 KHz. The first figure in this article shows the implementation of a PFC stage for an HVAC appliance. The system has two feedback loops and is controlled by the microcontroller using the feedback signals and pulse width modulation (PWM) outputs. The current controller operates at 50 KHz (half the PFC switching frequency) while the voltage controller operates at 10 KHz. Such an implementation can also compensate for differences between the measured and true average current values under discontinuous mode of operation. If required, manufacturers can add phase management to facilitate phase-shedding and current balancing between multiple phases to increase efficiency and system reliability. To achieve good dynamic performance and input power factor, the current control loop for the PFC stage typically runs at a period equal to the PWM switching period or at some small integral multiple of it. Guaranteeing good dynamic performance to meet system specifications for such a system can be challenging given that the PFC and motor control loops run at different frequencies. Thus, the microcontroller must have the capacity to maintain two, high-frequency, interleaved control loops quickly and efficiently. In addition, the microcontroller must operate with minimal latency to prevent the lower fre22 applianceDESIGN January 2011

Both the motor control and PFc control loops can be managed through the same interrupt clocked at the higher PFc frequency. Each interrupt executes the PFC control loop. Using time-slicing techniques, a portion of the motor control algorithm is completed with each iteration, thus reducing the maximum latency of the motor control loop. Both control loops also complete well within real-time deadlines, allowing a slower, background state machine to manage system-level tasks like instrumentation, soft start/shutdown and communications. Source: Texas Instruments

Synching the PWMs at every inverter PWM cycle ensures that calculations are finished and duty cycles updated before the time-slicing engine is next executed to guarantee cycleby-cycle duty cycle control of the motor control stage. Flexible ADCs and PWMs also allow inputs to be precisely sampled at the midpoint of the PWM signal to minimize switching noise. Source: Texas Instruments www.applianceDESIGN.com

ElEctroNIcS quency motor control loop from disrupting the higher frequency PFC control loop. A common approach to this issue is to dedicate an interrupt for each loop. This approach has its drawbacks, however, since multiple interrupts can occur simultaneously. Even though the microcontroller can prioritize the interrupts, in certain situations the slower motor control loop requires complex calculations that can delay execution of the faster PFC control loop for one or more cycles. The impact of such delays depends upon the application. An alternative approach is to manage both control loops through the same interrupt. The interrupt is triggered at the rate of the faster PFC control loop, which executes each iteration. Using time-slicing techniques, a portion of the motor control algorithm also is completed. In the example system, the interrupt triggers with a frequency of 50 KHz. Time-slicing increases system reliability by reducing the latency impact of the motor control loop. Utilizing a single interrupt also eliminates prioritization conflicts and reduces context-save overhead. Also important, is to maintain ADC signal integrity because low signal integrity can negatively impact performance and efficiency. Even when filtering signals to remove noise, inputs should be sampled at the mid-

point of the PWM signal—i.e., as far from the MOSFET switching as possible—to minimize switching noise. To achieve this, flexible ADCs and PWMs are required to enable the microcontroller to precisely trigger ADC conversions. The PWMs are synched at every inverter PWM cycle to ensure that the calculations are finished and the duty cycles updated before the time-slicing engine is next executed to guarantee cycleby-cycle duty cycle control of the motor control stage. With today’s highly-integrated microcontrollers and design tools, developers can implement dual motor control with interleaved PFC on a single microcontroller. The result is lower cost systems with fewer critical components and smaller passive devices that provide the long-term reliability required for HVAC appliances. In addition, developers can improve efficiency through more complex control algorithms while precisely regulating power through PFC to meet regulatory requirements. Finally, with the extensive development tools and libraries available, companies can shrink development cycles to quickly bring new products to market ahead of the competition. < For more information, visit: www.ti.com

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January 2011 23

CoatINGS aND FINIShES

MaChINING PartS rElIably aND CoSt EFFECtIvEly

the precision electrolytic machining (PEM) process uses a coordinated combination of short DC pulses and a reciprocating electrode to allow high current to flow for short periods while the electrode is approximately 10 microns from the surface. This machining concept advances the electrode tool in a reciprocating motion to the work piece (curve S) and a current pulse is produced while the electrode is in close proximity to the work piece surface (I), as shown in this figure. Source: PEM Technologies

The ability to target metal removal and the methodology applied to focus the metal removal current, enables PEM as a production process.

by donald risko Donald Risko is vice president of PEM Technologies, LLC, Ridgefield N.J. 24 applianceDESIGN January 2011

t

he precision electrolytic machining (PEM) process is an advancement of electrochemical machining that incorporates a pulse power and oscillating cathode tool that can machine even hard metals to less than a thousandth of an inch. This method allows a machining electrode to maintain a gap as small as 10 microns to the work piece surface. Precise shapes, such as gear teeth, with excellent surface finish can be created with the PEM process. Benefits that can be achieved with PEM include the following: Machining tough materials. PEM is a metal machining process. Materials such as stainless steel, tool steels, alloys such as Inconel, and unique materials like Nitinol are easily machined. Hardened material is machined just as easily as softer material due to the electrolytic process. Precision tolerance. This machining process can produce repeatable machining tolerance as good as 15 to 20 microns. This tolerance capability results from the ability of the process to machine with a precision electrode-to-work piece spacing of 10 microns. Excellent surface finish. The two aspects of surface finish—roughness and

brightness—are material dependent with the PEM process. Surface roughness resulting from the PEM process is a function of the machining parameters, electrode surface roughness, and the grain structure in the work piece. A homogeneous, tight grain structure will result in a smooth finish because the micro structure at the surface allows for uniform atom-by-atom electrolytic dissolution of the surface. Surface finishes as good as 2 Ra are achievable. Surface brightness is a function of chrome content, much the same as electropolishing. Burrless machining. The electrolytic material removal process is a completely burrless process. Since the PEM process removes material by an electrolytic atomby-atom ionization mechanism, material is literally subtracted from the surface. Conventional machining methods such as milling and grinding chip or cut away at the surface and can smear or push material. Long tool life. PEM uses a mirror image electrode that does not touch the work piece. The mirror image takes into account the surface geometry and a machining gap that is typically in the range of 10 to 20 microns. As a result, the electrode tool is not consumed in the process, unlike conventional machining www.applianceDESIGN.com

The PEM process can be significantly faster than single point machining because it is a full form precision machining process that removes material as an area machining process. Therefore, machining usually starts with a solid blank or a per-form of the component geometry. In this example, a turbine wheel with 45 airfoils is machined from a blank. The electrode is a thin, stainless steel plate with the airfoil shapes wire EDM’d as a negative of the turbine wheel geometry less the machining gap for electrolyte. Eight turbine wheels are machined in one, 45-minute machining cycle. Photo: PEM Technologies

COATINGS AND FINISHES

tools or electrical discharge machining (EDM) electrodes. Simultaneous multiple part machining. Since PEM is a full form electrode machining process, multiple electrodes can be used to simultaneously machine as many as 40 to 60 parts, depending on surface geometry and total surface area.

The Process Electrolytic machining is an application of Faraday’s Law to metal removal. The electrolytic process is controlled metal removal via electrolytic dissolution, which usually requires a shaped conductive tool to form a small gap between the tool surface and the work piece; flowing conductive electrolyte in the gap; and a DC current conducted between the two adjacent surfaces. The conductivity of the electrolyte solution allows electric current from a low voltage DC power source. Electrolytic current flow will cause atoms to be removed from targeted areas on the work piece and enter the electrolyte solution. It is the ability to target metal removal and the methodology applied to focus the metal removal current that enables PEM as a production process.

ECM and PEM PEM machining is a full form precision machining process that removes material as an area machining process. Conventional electrochemical machining (ECM) has been www.applianceDESIGN.com

Punch dies are another example of the machining efficiency that PEM machining offers. Hardened punch blanks are machined to final form and surface finish for a variety of shapes. Not only can PEM machine these in the hardened state, a uniform undercut of the full geometry can be machined as is the case with the dies of the image on the right. The undercut is accomplished by varying parameters in the part program. Photos: PEM Technologies applianceDESIGN

January 2011 25

CoatINGS aND FINIShES a linear ball guide with gearing made of 400 series stainless steel is machined to final tolerance and surface finish. Six parts can be machined simultaneously in approximately 25 minutes. Photo: PEM Technologies

used for many years in automotive, aerospace, and medical manufacturing for machining components to tolerances of a few thousands of an inch. However, ECM relies upon an equilibrium gap established by the electrochemical parameters, resulting in a machining gap in the range of 0.005 to 0.01 inch. The PEM process has the ability to control the gap to a value as small as 10 microns or 0.0004 inch. The PEM process uses a coordinated combination of short DC pulses and reciprocating electrode to allow high current to flow for short periods while the electrode is approximately 10 microns from the surface. This machining concept advances the electrode tool in a reciprocating motion to the work piece and a current pulse is produced while the electrode is in close proximity to the work piece surface. A salt water electrolyte is injected between the electrode and work piece to provide current conduction without the electrode contacting the work piece. As electrons cross the gap during the pulse, material on the work piece is electrolytically dissolved forming a mirror image on the work piece.

Features The PEM process has the capability to machine in three modes: roughing, finishing and polishing. Depending on the material, feature size, dimensional requirements and surface finish, the machining rates can vary. Typically, a full-form, electrode Z-axis

movement is in the 1 to 1.5 mm/min range. The volumetric machining rate would depend on the tool electrode configuration. Since the PEM process has the capability of machining with multiple identical tool electrodes simultaneously, the average perpart machining rate is amplified by the number of parts being machined per cycle. The process has a theoretical maximum material removal rate of a tenth of a cubic inch per minute. Feature size is geometry dependent and is sometimes governed by the ability to fabricate micro electrodes. For instance, grooves a few microns deep by 10 of microns wide are possible. Features that are 100 microns or more in one direction and millimeters in another are typical. However, both material and geometry play a major role in determining what the process is capable of producing. Typical tolerance for this process is in the 10 to 15 micron range which implies the limitation of feature size capability. The PEM process machines without mechanical forces and produces excellent surface finish and

stress free features that do not exhibit micro cracks or metallurgical defects. The unique application of mechanical oscillation and electrical pulse to the proven ECM process has resulted in a manufacturing process that has found its niche in almost every market. The ability of the process to meet requirements for full-form, high-volume machining with non-consumed tooling, is very attractive. Application possibilities for PEM range from critical components that are subjected to high stress to functional parts requiring superior surface finish. Some typical examples are component features such as heat transfer surfaces, nozzle geometry, fluid and gas path features, and surgical and implant component surface geometry. Among the advantages of the process, are reduced work-in-process; improved component strength; increased production and fewer rejects; fast machining time; and excellent, stress free surfaces. < For more information, visit: www.pemtechnolgies.com or e-mail: [email protected]

Mold inserts and marking dies are examples of the feature detail and surface finish possible with PEM. Typical machining rates are 0.001 to 0.002 inches per minute while machining six to 10 parts simultaneously (depending on total surface area). Photos: PEM Technologies 26 applianceDESIGN January 2011

www.applianceDESIGN.com

4,469@<7.9(+, Connolly Bove attorneys understand the technological advances of the 21st century and how they relate to IP and your ever-changing business needs.

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DESIGN CoNCEptS & trENDS

Stopping the Trends in Recalls and Lawsuits One of the key issues involved in the numbers of product recalls are defects in design.

by randall goodden Randall Goodden is the founder of Randall Goodden International. He is an author and conducts seminars and conferences on Product Safety & Product Liability Prevention. 28 applianceDESIGN January 2011

t

he economic landscape has been very challenging for manufacturers and other industries for the past five years. Operating costs, profitability and worldwide competition have all taken tolls: funding is harder to come by and bankruptcies are at record highs. Those manufacturing companies that were able to survive 2009 continue to look at ways of cutting costs and increasing sales and profitability. Popular management focus areas for the past 15 years have included lean manufacturing, ISO certifications and Six Sigma, but when the barometers of how well manufacturing management teams are actually performing as related to the quality, safety and reliability of their products are monitored, one will notice that the number of product recalls in every type of industry are increasing each year as well as the number of product liability lawsuits that follow. The number of product recalls just within the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has increased every year since 2003 with 2009 only showing a slight decrease over 2008 because of improvements in toys. The same negative trend occurs with the Rapid Alert System for Non-Food Products (RAPEX) recall statistics in Europe.

In the U.S., manufacturers of industrial or commercial products aren’t represented by these regulatory agencies, so those recall statistics aren’t captured in a tracking program, but you can be assured that they are following similar recall trends. Many of these same companies had certified quality programs, Six Sigma, or lean manufacturing efforts in place, to no avail. These kinds of failures not only have a major effect on profitability, their company and brand name, but such failures have also caused manufacturing corporations, importers and distributors of products, to go bankrupt. In just one high-profile situation that created national attention in 2009, the General Motors bankruptcy, financial records showed GM budgeted $1 billion in both 2007 and 2008 just to cover product liability lawsuits—a line item in an operating budget that is the equivalent of total sales for other large international corporations.

Defects in Design One of the key issues involved in the numbers of product recalls are defects in design. The engineering of the product was defective to begin with, the defect ultimately lead to accidents and injuries, and now the product has to be recalled or the company is www.applianceDESIGN.com

DESIGN CoNCEptS & trENDS being sued for product liability. How do these things continue to happen? ISO certifications and most other quality models in a nut shell basically accept the design specifications developed, and move to ensure that all of the products will be produced in compliance to those specifications. It will be argued that within some programs there are requirements for design reviews and product testing to validate the design for the intended application, but there is no specific direction regarding how these activities should be carried out. In a certification audit, each company: merely explains how it addresses the requirements within its own system; proves that the procedures and processes are being followed; and ultimately gets certified. Such certification programs help to assure the buyer that the product was made in compliance to the specification, and doesn’t contain any manufacturing defects. But within this focus area, the following question arises: “Who said the spec was right to begin with?” Some products in specific industries, such as consumer products, food, automobiles and pharmaceuticals have to be designed and manufactured in compliance to that industry’s regulatory requirements, which is sometimes wrongly viewed as the only safety requirement. But complying with regulatory standards is no guarantee that a particular product is then “safe.” The legal community looks at regulatory requirements as minimum requirements, and fully expects the manufacturer to not only comply with the regulatory requirement, but to go above and beyond any regulatory requirement to ensure their product will be safe and reliable for its intended use, as well as “foreseeable misuse.” There are unique elements related to the design of any specific product that the regulatory agencies aren’t going to review or be aware of, to determine if those elements could potentially be harmful. This is what the government agencies and legal community expect the manufacturer to determine. When defective products are a result of design defects, then the question should focus more on the management team as opposed to, “Why didn’t the Regulatory Agency prevent this product from entering the marketplace?” Often, defective conditions have to be identified and corrected by the manufacturer’s design review team or product safety team, because a government agency can’t be expected to conduct a full hazards analysis – risk assessment of every product design being produced www.applianceDESIGN.com

by any company. Here lies the reason why regulatory requirements are viewed by the legal community as minimum standards for safety, and place a greater expectation on the manufacturer’s management team.

A Few Examples Many manufacturers, whether large international companies or small local operations, continue to miss the mark. If you read the CPSC recall notices and understand the defective condition identified, the majority of the recall situations point to a design defect that the manufacturer should have recognized and caught before the product was ever manufactured and marketed. A hazards analysis – risk assessment, or product testing, can help stop this from happening. Although it is publicized that 60% of consumer products recalled are manufactured in China, the same principles still apply, because the majority of the product designs given to Chinese manufacturers are from the engineering departments of American or European corporate customers and were defective by design to begin with. When you begin to review products being recalled, you see things such as “one million baby strollers being recalled because when the owner unfolds and opens the stroller the hinge in the center of the frame can cut-off a child’s finger”—and in fact did so to 12 small children. Recognizing potential pinch-points is a simple product safety hazard to identify. Where was the team that reviewed the design or the product safety team that should catch and prevent such mistakes from happening? Consider another recall program where 167,000 walk-behind lawnmowers didn’t even comply with the mandatory federal safety requirements that were in place, because the blades continue to spin even after the operator lets go of the power handle grip. How did the manufacturing company fail to catch that? Didn’t the company have a regulatory expert on staff and know the regulatory design requirements? Or wasn’t the management team paying any attention to what was actually being produced to quickly recognize that the drive systems weren’t disengaging? Maybe everyone was too busy focusing on lean activities to increase profits as opposed to what was actually being produced and what it was going to cost to recall and repair 167,000 of their defective lawnmowers.

Design and Safety reviews There are some discussions that take place between engineering and manufacturing management, and the design engineer sometimes conducts a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) on the design at some point. But if such minimal efforts were adequate, we wouldn’t constantly see product recall numbers rising along with product liability lawsuits. The fact is, this isn’t adequate, and in many cases such minimal efforts aren’t really taking place anyway. Manufacturers should have a design review team that consists of engineering, regulatory, manufacturing department heads, purchasing, process engineering, quality and sales, and they should review concept drawings and any preliminary engineering to determine how best to design and manufacture the proposed product from the perspectives of manufacturability, reliability, serviceability and usability. By team consensus, the group should be able to come up with the most reliable design. In addition to the larger design review team, there should be a smaller product safety team of other engineers, such as product safety engineers and quality engineers, to perform a hazards analysis/risk assessment review of the preliminary drawings to identify any potential safety hazards or other potential product failures. As the product safety team recognizes design changes that should be made to head-off hazardous conditions, they then pass recommendations and design changes back to the design review team to reconsider the proposed changes from manufacturing and reliability perspectives. Likewise, as the design review team comes up with design simplifications and other design changes, they pass the revised design over to the product safety team to ensure they haven’t introduced any new hazards that weren’t previously present.

the Same Sheet of Music Defectively designed products and product recalls can be financially devastating to companies as is the growing trend in product liability lawsuits that can follow. All the efforts that need to be in place, each individual’s role and responsibility on the various teams, and all the other related procedures and processes that need to be developed, need to be understood by executive management. < For more information, visit: www.randallgoodden.com or e-mail: [email protected] applianceDESIGN

January 2011 29

appliance DESIGN’s

24 ANNUAL TH

EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS PROGRAM

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Enter your latest product that excels in the areas of aesthetics, ease of use and creativity! The awards are open to OEMs and design firms worldwide. Winners are recognized in the June 2011 issue of appliance DESIGN.

Entries Deadline: February 4, 2011 For online entry forms and more information visit:

Questions? Contact: Maggie McFadden Shein P: 630.694.4388 Eff. Jan. 1, 2011: 847.405.4066 [email protected]

www.appliance DESIGN.com/EID Winners will be announced and featured in the June 2011 issue of appliance DESIGN. A $150 entry fee must accompany each submission. Late submissions will be accepted until February 11, but must be accompanied by an additional $75 late fee. Winners will be selected from the following categories: Business Machines, Commercial/Vending Appliances, Electronics, Major Appliances/HVAC, Medical/Test & Measurement Equipment, Outdoor/Leisure Appliances, Small Appliances and Lighting.

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applianceDESIGN January 2011 31

ASSOCIATION REPORT: ASHRAE

Smart Grid: The Energy Internet Lynn G. Bellenger, P.E.

Partner, Pathfinder Engineers and Architects LLP, Rochester, N.Y. 2010-11 President, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

32 applianceDESIGN

A

s we move into the New Year, it’s important to identify trends in our industry that will impact how we use energy in buildings. Buildings account for 72% of all electrical energy consumption—40% commercial and 32% residential—and maintaining an adequate, secure and reliable power supply underlies the development of the smart grid. The traditional electric grid features one-way communication, with power being generated, transmitted and distributed to consumers. A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using twoway digital communications, which enables businesses and homes to respond to signals from the supplier when there is a need to reduce demand. In many cases, appliances and equipment will respond to these signals automatically, and this will reduce demand and increase grid reliability. Smart grid has been likened to the “Energy Internet” where there will be a two-way flow of electricity and information. The Department of Energy is charged with modernizing our nations’ electric grid. Since 1982, growth in peak demand for electricity—driven by population growth, bigger houses, bigger TVs, more air conditioners and more computers—has exceeded transmission growth by almost 25% every year. Smart grids rely on smart meters, which in turn rely on smart systems. As the smart grid adjusts to suit load distribution and maintain power quality and reliability, one of the steps will be to communicate with building metering systems which will communicate with building systems and equipment. This ties into demand response (DR) control to reduce peak demand. Multiple studies have demonstrated the potential for peak load reduction in commercial and residential buildings as an answer to DR signals. These studies show that automated tools have a large impact on potential response. Appliances will respond to utility signals (voltage drop) and reduce load or shut down for a period to help the grid recover. One day in the future, we likely will have real-time pricing with dramatic differences in power costs dependent upon the time of day or grid load. Similarly, BACnet, a data communication protocol for building automation and control networks developed by ASHRAE, can be an enabler for commer-

January 2011

cial building automation technologies and can play an important role in a future smart grid. Standard BACnet objects can be used to monitor electricity consumption and track minimums and peaks in demand. In a typical demand response scenario, a load shed signal from an electric utility is received by the building automation system, which then commands different building subsystems or devices to reduce load based on pre-programmed strategies. Under a national smart grid effort, ASHRAE and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) are jointly developing a standard that will provide a common basis for electrical energy consumers to describe, manage and communicate about electrical energy consumptions and forecasts. ASHRAE/NEMA Standard 201P, Facility Smart Grid Information Model, will define an object-oriented information model to enable appliances and control systems in homes, buildings and industrial facilities to manage electrical loads and generation sources in response to communication with a smart electrical grid and to communicate information about those electrical loads to utility and other electrical service providers. The standard is part of ASHRAE’s supporting efforts for the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, a public-private partnership initiated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to speed development of interoperability and cyber security standards for a nationwide smart electric power grid. The proposed standard will coordinate with the North American Energy Standards Board to develop a basic energy usage data model standard and create a facilities data model that provides additional energy usage data elements for commercial and industrial buildings. This includes lighting, heating, HVAC&R and other electrical loads. In 2011, our technology must match out nation’s rapidly increasing demand for energy. Smart grid technology gives us the opportunity to do just that by enabling profitable building energy management using intelligent control strategies combined with storage and local generation. This year, new technology and a newly proposed standard will help guide and shape the future of energy efficient design. < www.applianceDESIGN.com

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0111MAG

NAFEM Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 www.thenafemshow.org Novelis Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 www.ipg.novelis.com Pacific Design & Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 www.pacdesignshow.com Proto Labs Inc., Protomold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 www.protomold.com Saint Gobain Advanced Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 www.igniterproducts.saint-gobain.com TDK-EPC, Epcos AG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 www.tdk-epc.com Tower Manufacturing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 www.towermfg.com Underwriters Laboratories Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 www.ul.com/energystar  View our premium Buyers Guide listing online at www.appliancedesign.com/buyersguide 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. sales team Dawn LeRoux [email protected] Phone: (248) 633-4818 Fax: (248) 283-6558 AK, AZ, CA, HI, IA, IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, NM, NV, OK, SD, TX, UT, WI. Western Canada Brad Glazer [email protected] Phone: (216) 233-6943 Fax: (216) 803-6151 AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV. Eastern Canada Jennifer Nagel [email protected] CO, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY. Design Marts, Reprints & Buyers Guide Phone: (248) 244-1729 Fax: (248) 244-2040 international Dawn LeRoux [email protected] Europe & U.K. Phone: 1-248-633-4818 Arlen LUO [email protected] China & Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan Phone: 0086-10-88579899 Fax: 0086-10-82160061

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January 2011 33

State-Of-The-Art

Today... (Integrated Venturi) Tomorrow! (LambdaConstant™)

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. Learn how our products can benefit your applications today and tomorrow at www.ebmpapst.us, or stop by booth #1375 at the 2011 AHR Expo in Las Vegas!

The engineer’s choice

Being ready for ENERGY STAR® means having a testing lab that’s ready for ENERGY STAR® ENERGY STAR® program requirements have changed, requiring more rigorous Qualification and Verification testing. We’ve ramped up our 18 Energy Efficiency laboratories around the world with greater capacity to get you to market faster. With our core of expert reviewers ready to roll, barring any unforeseen non-compliance, you’ll get ENERGY STAR certification in 24 hours after testing is complete. Plus, you can bundle additional energy efficiency requirements such as DoE, NRCan, ErP and SASO for greatest efficiency. Add our ETL safety certification, Satellite Data Acceptance Program, and performance testing expertise and it’s no wonder things

Intertek has the testing capacity and industry expertise to add

are looking up.

value immediately. We’re ready. That means you’re ready.

Intertek’s labs are EPA and ISO 17025 accredited, and we’re an EPA-recognized Certification Body. For more information or to start your project immediately, call or visit our website today. 1-800-WORLDLAB (967-5352) www.intertek.com/energystar Come visit us at Booth # C554 at AHR