ENGINEERING NEWS IN BRIEF

======================================================================

                  ENGINEERING NEWS IN BRIEF
                        E-Mail Newsletter

                               No.61
             Issued by the Asian TOP Panel, January 2007

           The Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society (CMES)
           The Institution of Engineers, Indonesia (PII)
           The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME)
           The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (KSME)

======================================================================

    According to the agreement made in the 2nd Asian TOP Panel Meeting,
the ENGINEERING NEWS IN BRIEF (E-mail newsletter) has now been edited
by the CMES for the year 2007.

======================================================================

[Contents]

(1)Present Status of Optimizing Selection of Mechanical Engineering Materials
    (Source: CMES)
(2) Precise and Microminiature Manufacturing Theory, Technology and its Appliance
    (Source: CMES)
(3) Recent Development of Lifepo4 Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Bat
    (Source: CMES)
(4) Merely clothes, yet not just clothes (Source: JSME)
(5) Commercialization of Woody Biomass Gasification Power Generating System
     with Indirectly heating kiln (Source: JSME)

========================================================================

(1)Present Status of Optimizing Selection of Mechanical Engineering Materials

   CHEN Yunbo, Institute of Material Engineering, China Academy of Machinery
   Science and Technology
   YUE Lijie, School of Material Science and Engineering, Shandong University of
   Science and Technology,

Through listing the specific engineering application examples of modern materials selection methods, the elements of selecting engineering materials are summarized on the base of summarizing the new research progress of materials selection area. The different methods and features of materials selection are synthesized evaluated and optimized. It is demonstrated that the materials selection method according to fail resisting force indexes of structural members has important use value. It modifies the traditional customs of selecting engineering materials and makes selecting materials more and more scientific and quantitative. It is discussed that the action and efficiency of materials database and expert consulting system in materials selecting area. It can help users quickly and generally search the information of materials.

========================================================================

(2)Precise and Microminiature Manufacturing Theory, Technology and its Appliance

   ZHANG Zhijing, JIN Xin ZHOU Min,
   School of Mechanical and Vehicular Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology

With the goal of manufacturing meso-scale components and based on the traditional manufacturing technology, the concept and its connotation of precise and microminiature manufacturing technology are proposed. Firstly, precise and microminiature NC turn-milling technology is proposed, and further, technics and characters of complete manufacturing of microminiature components are studied based on the microminiature turn-milling MC. Secondly, high frequency group pulse (HGP) ECM manufacturing technology with high-power is proposed for microminiature metal components of fuzes. Thirdly, simulation theory and modeling method based on the manufacturing characters are proposed, and some examples are introduced. Last, computer aided microscope measuring technology based on the technics matching principal is proposed, and improvements of some key technologies are introduced.

========================================================================

(3) Recent Development of Lifepo4 Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    ZHAO Xinbing, XIE Jian Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027

A transformation for the market development of lithium-ion batteries could be expected from the applications oriented by portable electronic devices to the rapidly growing demands in mobile wireless mechanical products such as electric vehicles and power tools in the next years. These new applications require large lithium-ion batteries with even long life. Olivinetype LiFePO4 is considered as the most suitable cathode materials of lithium-ion power batteries, due to its low material prices, high cycling stability and excellent safety. The crystal structure and properties, the applications and the develo- pment on the synthesis of LiFePO4 cathode materials are out- lined in the present review. A novel synthesis route for LiFe PO4/C called "solid-state in-situ carbon-coating synthesis" using Fe3+ compounds as the iron source and hydrocarbon poly- mers as the carbon source and reductant are recommended and discussed. It is suggested that the solid-state in-situ carbon- coating synthesis could decrease the synthesis temperature, reduce the reaction duration, control the particle coarsening and could produce carbon coated LiFePO4 powders with high ele- ctrochemical properties as the cathode material for lithium-ion batteries.

=======================================================================

(4) Merely clothes, yet not just clothes

     Nobutoshi YAMAZAKI, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University

The elongation of elastic belt on body surface which occurs by postural change was made to be the power assisting source for posture support. When standing, the trunk tilts forward deeply before lifting off the buttocks from the seat, and the body surface distance from the waist to the knee joint increases. The elastic belt placed in the pair of trousers stores the energy during this elongation period, and assists extension muscle force of the knee joint about 7% with the released energy. It is also possible to apply the same idea to prevent back injury when giving nursing care. Elastic belts which crosses at the back of the vest type clothes generate the support tension when upper body bent in the nursing care motion. This assists 20% of the back muscle force while in motion. These functional clothes could be useful for agriculture and factory workers.

============================================================

(5) Commercialization of Woody Biomass Gasification Power Generating System
     with Indirectly heating kiln

     Hirotami YAMAMOTO, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD.

A woody biomass gasification power generating system started operation in 2005 at Mie Chuo Kaihatsu. This is the first utilized pyrolysis plant in Japan that adopted the indirectly heating rotary kiln and changes the woody biomass into electric energy. It consumes woody biomass of 4000kg/h and generates 1400kW and pyrolysis coke.The wood chip is heated indirectly and is decomposed into pyrolysis gas and coke. Pyrolysis gas is burned at high temperature and used for energy source for power generation. High-temperature and stable combustion enables clean exhaust gas of extremely low pollutant such as dioxins in cooperation with the simple gas treatment facilities. Pyrolysis coke is used not only as solid fuel but as reductant, adsorbent, snow melter, or soil improver.
The advantage of this system is stable and efficient gasification, easy operation, easy maintenance, simple structure and clean and nature friendly exhaust gas.The trial operation results have proved its good performance and high efficiency.This report introduces the outline of this plant and its characteristics.

============================================================
Editor : Tian Ruizhu
           The Dept. of Internationa Affairs
           Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society