The ability of water to conduct electricity is exploited by Electrolux-Wascator in its new generation of tumble dryers. This technical approach is reported to provide more energy-efficient drying, reduced wear in washed garments and less need for monitoring.

Two new software packages from ABB are set to make commissioning, monitoring and process control of the company's ACS 600 AC drives as straight forward as operating a mouse, claims the company. DriveWindow simplifies commissioning and DriveLink allows ACS 600 drives to be controlled via Windows applications.

Long term accuracy, and linearity limitations of piezoresistive pressure sensors has restricted applications to relatively stable environments until now. Advances in EG&G IC Sensors' silicon, micromachined pressure sensors have reduced temperature dependence by a factor of 5, enabling wider applicability in portable instruments and process environments.

The world's most powerful low speed high torque (LSHT) gearless drive units. This is how Swedish Hägglunds Drives describes its latest and largest members in the Marathon heavy duty, hydraulic motor series. The Marathon MB 3200 and MB 4000 are based on the company's hydraulic piston motor technology and feature maximum torque levels of 1.1 million and 1.4 million Nm respectively. They can be mounted directly on the driven shaft or machine without intermediate gears. The use of hydraulic motors is said to eliminate a number of problems normally associated with electromechanical drives in heavy industrial applications.

Absolute precision while machining bulky work pieces can be achieved by a new method that combines the Swedish Tricept robot with a vision system for CCD camera positioning, reports Neos Robotics of Sweden. Scrapping of expensive components due to exceeding error tolerances is completely eliminated with this new technology, that goes under the name of TI2. This method is believed to have great potential within aircraft manufacturing. America's Boeing has recently negotiated delivery of the first robot cell. 

Satellite pictures of your area can now be obtained over the Internet thanks to a new service called Spacepix from satellite image company, SSC Satellitbild in Sweden. Anyone with a home computer and access to the Internet can take advantage of the new service for a small fee.

A new powder spray system from Nordson Corporation offers multiple modes to provide optimal coating of parts in widely varying configurations. The CE compliant system, named Sure Coat, provides a full-featured standard mode and three special modes for difficult applications. Enhanced productivity and operator comfort features are included.

The availability of LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) beams is now increasing. These consist of peeled veneers, laminated and with all plies and grain parallel to the length, to produce components for load-bearing structures, that are said to combine low weight with steel-like strength. These characteristics and the many applications for such beams translate into increased product demand. The Swedish manufacturer Vänerply AB has received type approval for its Swedlam LVL beams in several countries, where they will now be introduced. These differ, according to the manufacturer, from competitive products in that the short ends of the veneers are scarf-jointed with transparent glue for a more aesthetic result.

Battery manufacturer, Gylling Optima Batteries AB, is launching a new range of high-performance batteries. The OrangeTop battery is a long-life, robust and maintenance free battery specifically designed for the European automotive market.