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Air Liquide Welding launches NERTAJET HP – CPM 400/450. This equipment is designed for plasma cutting applications on carbon steels and stainless steels in workshop, machining, boiler making and shipbuilding applications.

The main features are as follows:
• Quality:
o dimensional and geometrical accuracy of cut parts and/or holes in a wide range of materials,
o consistent surface condition and quality of the cut faces.
• Productivity:
o adjustment of electrical power to suit the speed required for each thickness,
o facility to combine several ranges of speed in a single geometry,
o possibility to combine cutting and marking operations with the same torch.
o higher cutting speed (+35% at equivalent power)
o maximum thicknesses 35 mm for mild steels and for stainless steels (piercing)
o user friendly HMI (Human Machine Interface) with a touchscreen monitor
o efficient nesting software to optimise the cutting process
• Operating costs:
o extension of the life of consumable parts or reduction of the number of consumables,
o lower gas consumption
o lower electrical consumption
o Direct weldability of cut parts

Finally, regarding other plasma technologies, the CPM 400/450 torch shows a wide range of benefits which make the difference:
• Higher cutting capacity (thicknesses and materials)
• Range 3-4 cutting quality according to standard ISO 9013
• Cut with no attached burrs
• Improved productivity with threefold cutting speed
• Versatility of marking and cutting operations
• Ease of use due to a removable torch and digital process HPC control
• Longer life of consumables

The NERTAJET HP – CPM 400/450 installation can be mounted on the following cutting machines of the Air Liquide Welding range: OPTITOME 15 – OXYTOME – PLASMATOME – ALPHATOME – CYBERTOME

Plus d’informations sur www.airliquidewelding.com

French government forwarded a bill that prohibits wearing any form of clothing to hide the face in public. President Nicolas Sarkozy strongly believes it is against the fundamental right of citizenship the country observes. A full covering of the face, he reiterated, is a threat to the values of human dignity. “Citizenship has to be lived in an uncovered face. There can therefore absolutely no solution other than a ban in all places.”

Although they are not directly addressed in the bill, Muslim women obviously are no exception. There are around 5 million women living in the country, only 2,000 wear burka or niqab. Sarkozy stressed the ban is not a form of discrimination and disrespect for a particular religion. Justice Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie argues the prohibition has already been practiced in some Islamic countries even in Mecca.However, in a statement presented in Reauter’s blog, this is not the case. Niqabs are allowed in Mecca.

“Those who breach the ban will be fined 150 euros (£129) or sent on a course to learn the values of French citizenship. Those who force someone to cover their face because of their sex will be jailed for a year and fined 15,000 euros (£12,900),” cites Telegraph.

Related posts:

1. Obama Urges UN Sanctions on Iran
2. The French President threatened to pull France out of the EU
3. Battle of Puebla: French Intervention in Mexico

Last year, we brought you the story of tech company AeroVironment’s life-size artificial hummingbird, that flies solely by flapping its wings. Now, a group of Japanese researchers has successfully built and flown a flapping-wing-powered swallowtail butterfly. Besides looking incredibly cool, the life-size “ornithopter” has also proven a principle that could have big implications in the field of aerodynamics…
Continue Reading Japanese researchers create artificial butterfly

Tags: Aerodynamics,
Aircraft,
biomimetic,
Butterfly,
Flight,
Insect,
UAV,
Wings

Related Articles:

• Da Vinci’s Ornithopter ready to fly after 500 years
• World’s smallest camera carrying Micro Aerial Vehicle takes flight
• Locusts give up aerodynamic secrets of insect flight
• Imitating nature in flight: University of Michigan research explores flap-wing micro UAVs
• Video: AeroVironment Nano aircraft
• Replicating nano structure of butterfly wings could lead to better solar cells

More details are trickling in for Def Jam Rapstar. It looks like Europe will be getting some snazzy tracks exclusively.
 
 
 
 

You’ve got to feel for the Cleveland sports fan these days. The Cavaliers punched the city in the gut, LeBron James Paranoia is going to last into the summer, and now it’s the Indians putting bad news on the doorstep: the franchise player is hurt, the shortstop is injured as well, and there’s the ninth inning to worry about. If you’re from Northeast Ohio and want to skip this entire blog post, feel free.

Indians reliever Kerry Wood(notes) entered 2010 as a closer on the brink and that theme has stayed with him every step of the way. A back injury from spring training cost him six weeks; his hefty contract makes him a constant trade candidate; and his performance on the field hasn’t been a treat either.

Wednesday night Wood blew a save in bombastic fashion, allowing four hits and five runs to the Royals of all teams. There was nothing cheap about the rally – Kansas City collected two doubles and a triple, and most of the balls were hit sharply. Wood was still getting decent velocity on his fastball – routinely in the 95-to-97 range – but the pitches were straight and the Royals were connecting.

Wood saved his best throw for last – as he was removed from the game, he chucked his glove into the stands, where it was caught by an Indians fan. Perfect mechanics, perfect location – it was just seven batters too late.

Maybe this rocky outing was just a blip on the Wood radar, but given his history of physical problems we have to at least put him under the microscope. If you’re hedging the Indians bullpen behind Wood, consider that lefty Tony Sipp(notes) hasn’t allowed a run over his last 13 appearances and Chris Perez(notes) hasn’t given up an earned run over his last 12 games. They did their jobs Wednesday – Perez worked a scoreless seventh, while Sipp posted a bagel in the eighth – and they’re both widely available in mixed leagues. Your speculation needs will vary; the save chase is different for all of us.

The Cleveland faithful will get over this Wood collapse, but the Grady Sizemore(notes) injury is enough to send the entire city into a depression. Sizemore has a left knee bone bruise and hit the disabled list Wednesday; it’s possible he might need surgery to fix the knee. It’s going to be a while before we know what the timetable is here. Post-hype outfielder Trevor Crowe(notes) is getting time in Sizemore’s absence and deserves consideration from the AL-only and deep mixed-league players; he’s off to a 7-for-20 start with a couple of steals, and he’s getting a look in the leadoff spot.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera(notes) had surgery on his broken left arm Wednesday and will be out 8-10 weeks. Jason Donald(notes) joined the team Tuesday and is 2-for-7 through two games, batting in the bottom third of the order. Donald was hitting .277 with two homers and 10 steals when he was promoted from Triple-A.

There’s your lead (or lede) item from Wednesday, amigos. Check back in a little bit and I’ll add 800-900 words to the fray.

Adding a third wheel to bicycles not only improves safety, but also betters handling on rough terrains. Moreover, the addition of an extra wheel adds some more space which can be used for a second seat or a canopy for wet days. Since bicycles are often expected to rule the streets once fossil fuels sources are dry, modifications in existing designs will always be saluted. Here is a list of 15 such tricycles that do add more sense to pedal-powered transport.

• Urban Commuter Trike:

The Urban Commuter Trike by Tim Tobola features solar panels that can recharge the onboard batteries in just 2 hours, providing a 30-mile range. When the battery supply runs out, the user can go back to the conventional pedal mechanism.

• BamTrike:

Designed by Monash University student Alexander Vittouris, this zero-emission personal mobility vehicle is constructed from sustainable materials including bamboo. Dubbed the BamTrike, the recumbent trike also features side storage pockets that are sufficient to carry your personals. The use of bamboo not only betters the eco-credentials of the trike, but also betters safety as bamboo compares to fiberglass in woven form.

• Trik.E:

The Trik.E comes from the design house of Speed Studio Design and includes features that can allow it to be a true alternative to cars for around-town transportation. The Trik-E comes with weather protection to allow you to drive it year-round. The designers don’t state the operating range the vehicle is expected to have, but with the pedal-power system available as a backup, you’ll never be left stranded without a charge.

• Twin Trike:

The Twin Trike concept by designer Cikaric Dragan uses the additional wheel to make space for a second seat. The concept has been designed for those who love to share their green efforts with their family or friends. All the controls of the tricycle are operated by the front rider, while the tricycle features two transmissions to ease the commute. Most of the parts of the trike are to be made from carbon-fiber, making the concept extremely lightweight and durable.

• Tringa:

The Tringa is a collapsible trike for urban commuters. Designed by Gyula Tiszai, the Tringa has an alternative swinging level drive and a rope transmission that makes the vehicle easy to drive and more comfortable.

• Valetudo:

The brainchild of designers Alexander and Inga Peterson, the Valetudo is a three-wheeled commuter bike made from recycled plastic. The bike has a one-piece frame that has been made from recycled plastic. The plastic casing all over the bike’s body not only makes it look stunning, but also prevents the metal parts inside that include the gear and pedal mechanism, from rust. Rubber saddle bags are attached to this bike to keep your groceries and other items safe.

• STEM:

The STEM by Tobias Bexten is an electric commuter bike running on three wheels. The onboard electric motors are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which can be charged via a city-wide network of charging spots. The vehicle can also be rented to daily commuters, which allows them to do their bit for the environment without actually purchasing the vehicle.

• Try-Cycle:

The Try-Cycle has been conceptualized by the folks at Humo Design. The trike has been designed to displace the front wheel to incline the vehicle for changing direction, provoking new experiences of displacement.

• Byess Go-One Evolution:

The Go-One Evolution features superior ventilation, a canopy providing room for tall riders, less chain noise and a more sensitive and comfortable rear suspension. Just like its predecessor, the Go-One3, the Go-One Evolution also features an outer shell made from lightweight carbon fiber composite.

• Catrike 700 Recumbent Tadpole Tricycle:

The Catrike 700 Recumbent Tadpole Tricycle is light, low and has a 700c rear wheel for lower rolling resistance and smoother riding. The 700 has a direct steering and its longer wheel base helps eliminate brake steer.

• Whike:

The Whike is essentially a tricycle attached with a 1.6m sail. It can ride on routes meant for bikes as well as normal roads. While the novelty factor with a Whike alone gives sportspersons their share of excitement, it proves an excellent alternative to petrol-driven bikes, cars and even public transport.

• The Hauler:

The Hauler is an all-terrain, mountain-bike style recumbent tricycle, which sports its own solar panel powering an onboard motor that provides electric assist riding. The tricycle can carry a load of up to 300 pounds and can hit speeds in excess of 20mph.

• DIY Solar Powered Trike:

The DIY Solar Powered Trike features three wheels and a set of solar panels that power onboard batteries. This renewable electricity can take the trike to a top speed of 18mph depending on the weight of the rider.

• INNESENTI Tricycle:

The INNESENTI Tricycle might not look to be the most comfortable tricycle you’ve ever ridden on, but does ensure that your backbone is able to rest on the comfortable cushioned chair. The trike is powered entirely by the pedal mechanism. The company states that they will be able to adjust and customize the seating system for each customer.

• XE Tricycle:

The XE is the brainchild of industrial designer Omer Sagiv and aims to double as an exercise cycle. The pedal mechanism charges the onboard battery pack, which can later be used as an electric tricycle.

Luke Timmerman wrote:

Get ready for a double-dose of your usual Seattle biotech roundup, as I was too slammed to give you the regular weekly shot of news last Thursday.

—Six months after Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) wrote a big check to Bothell, WA-based Alder Biopharmaceuticals, we can see why. Xconomy had the exclusive on how ALD518 generated “outstanding” results in a mid-stage trial of 124 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in the words of the lead investigator. This story was based on an abstract posted online in advance of the European League Against Rheumatism conference next month in Barcelona.

—Rheumatoid arthritis may be the really big market on the horizon, but Alder didn’t give away the whole store in the Bristol deal. Alder has retained the full rights to ALD518 for cancer, and the company is getting ready to present some other important mid-stage trial data next month at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference. The idea is that ALD518 can tamp down the excess inflammation that plagues cancer patients, making them vigorous enough to withstand more chemotherapy that kills tumors, which might help them live longer.

—Leroy Hood coined the term “P4 Medicine” as the tagline for his vision of predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory medicine about seven years ago. Now he has clinched the first partnership with a major U.S. medical school, Ohio State University, which is setting up a demonstration project to put this idea to the test. The deal is for two years, and calls for Ohio State and the Institute for Systems Biology to contribute $1 million each to make this work.

—One intriguing Seattle connection jumped on my radar during my last trip to San Diego, when I met with Nobel Prize-winning chemist K. Barry Sharpless of The Scripps Research Institute. Sharpless is well known as a proponent of “click chemistry,” in which scientists seek out the simplest, easiest, most reliable, irreversible reactions possible for industrial processes, rather than just trying to do what’s most cool or exotic to impress their peers. This technology is at the heart of a prototype device that Lee Hood’s Seattle-based Integrated Diagnostics is using to gather reliable measurements from a pinprick of blood.

—Ikaria, the Clinton, NJ-based biotech company with an R&D operation in Seattle, is gearing up for a $200 million IPO to be underwritten by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and others. The company is profitable because of a drug that treats respiratory illness in infants, but its big swing for the fence is with technology licensed from Mark Roth’s lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that seeks to induce a reversible hibernation-like state that could someday buy more time for doctors to treat traumatic injuries, or perform heart surgeries. Arch Venture Partners has a 10 percent stake in Ikaria, so Bob Nelsen is rooting for this to be a big win.

—While all this news was breaking, we somehow found a way to organize an event on health IT innovation at the Frye Art Museum, with support from event host Swedish Medical Center and a number of sponsors. You can catch up on what happened by checking out this photo gallery, the speakers’ slides, and Greg’s roundup of some of the pithy insights we picked up.

—Seattle Biomedical Research Institute has been itching …Next Page »

Eco Factor: Low-emission bi-fuel vehicle powered by CNG.

General Motors India has unveiled the CNG version of its Chevrolet Aveo mid-sized sedan. The Aveo CNG is a bi-fuel vehicle with a full-size petrol tank and is billed as one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles available in India. The company stated that the launch is a testament to the importance that GM India attached to green technology and environmentally friendly mobility solutions.

The running cost of the Aveo CNG is expected to be 54 percent less than a similar vehicle powered by gasoline and 25 percent less than a similar vehicle powered by diesel. The Aveo CNG has a range of about 200km on a full tank of CNG. The Chevrolet Aveo CNG is equipped with next-generation computer-controlled CNG injection technology from Italy. In an industry first, all “critical to quality” CNG kit components are fitted at the factory – including the CNG injectors, selector switch, modified wiring and suspension – to ensure high-quality and trouble-free service.

Via: GM India [Press Release]

Just yesterday, Famistu announced Namco Bandai’s latest IP, Knights Contract. They didn’t wait too long to show us what’s in on it.
 
 
 
 

Since the launch of RIM’s own-developed app, I’ve flitted between it and UberTwitter, due to a couple of minor issues. Those problems will be null and void soon, as RIM’s update fixes everything I could’ve wanted done—and more. More »










BlackBerry – Smartphone – Twitter – RIM – Handhelds

Eco Factor: Sustainable stadiums designed to harvest solar energy and conserve resources.

Qatar 2022 along with Albert Speer & Partner GmbH has unveiled five stunning stadium proposals for the FIFA World Cup 2022, should the country win the bid to host the event in 2022. Designers have unveiled not one or two, but a collection of five stadiums, each of which is expected to exploit the extreme environmental conditions in Qatar by channeling sunlight to generate a large portion of the stadium’s power using solar technology.

(more…)

Here’s yet another reason to have one of those shiny American Express cards with your name on it. Ford’s being generous to American Express users, and has slashed their prices into half, if you own a card like this one. A nice way to promote green technology, taken that, a American Express card can buy you a Ford Fusion Hybrid for half the price.

Now here’s something that might sound a bit disappointing. There are just two cars like these for sale, and you need to be really lucky to get one of these. Just click on the “I Want It” button when the car goes on sale, and if Lady Luck has a thing for you, the car might just be yours for half the price! The base model of the Ford costs $28,675, though a lucky American Express cardholder could have it for $14,337. So make sure you’re up and ready on the day of the sale, when the sale time will be released, and make sure you please Lady Luck in some way till then. Good Luck!

[Gas2]

A total of $58 million was raised by start-up electric car company Coda in its latest financing round. New investors included EDB Investments, an investment firm based in Singapore, and Leslie Wexner, CEO of Limited Brands Inc. Coda, which is based in Santa Monica, Calif., will soon be setting up an engineering and design office in Singapore. Coda said that its invested capital amounts to over $125 million. With the money raised, Coda will support the entry of its all-electric sedan into the market. Previously, Coda has said that it will be selling a fully electric car with a range of up to 120 miles and that this will bear a price that’s in the low $30,000s. Coda aims to deliver 14,000 of the electric cars in California by the end of 2011. The office in Singapore is intended to help design its car for right-hand drive markets in Europe and Asia. Coda will be competing against small players like Tesla Motors as well as big carmakers such as Nissan, Ford and General Motors (which all have plans to launch electric cars or electric hybrids).

[via autonews – sub. required]

Source: Car news, Car reviews, Spy shots

Good idea: spot for briefcase on a bike. Bad idea: bike costs $1300
Woah, these laptop bags made from recycled fire hose look awesome
Mitsubishi installs five 80-person capacity elevators at office building in Osaka
Squishy batteries that fit A through D – probably not going to happen
Contest: 10 free copies of Armored Core: Last Raven for PSP

If the truth be told, the world has a love affair with Britain – its history, culture and a style all its own. The British Empire is perhaps one of the greatest the world will ever see and this wonderful video celebrates 75 years of Jaguar: now owned by a company from a country that was a former British colony. But perhaps Tata Motors from India is one of the better placed companies to appreciate that class that English cars seem to have, with a combination of Indian know-how and a country with its own turbulent but noble history.

The models shown in this celebration of 75 years of Jaguar include: the original SS100, then the XK120, XK150 and the legendary race cars of the C and D-Type. We also get a look at the famous MKII sports sedan from the 1960’s, and also the E-Type. The 1970’s are represented by the XJ and the XJS coupé, and the XJR sports prototype.

These days, under Tata leadership, Jaguar is dedicating itself to some of the sexier sedans and coupés we’ve seen recently, with the strategic XF, the new XJ and the coupé and spider XK models. While we see less of pure racing pursuits in the company, Jaguar looks to embark on a new heyday which will include hybrid options in this modern era of environmental consciousness. Check out the video above for a look at historic Jaguar models in its 75th anniversary year.

Join us for this presentation where you will get a behind the scenes peek at how we manage our numerous, globally-based data centers