[REBORN FROM THE ASHES][comment][01.21]

windandrain2004UID: 2597690

Electromagnetic manufacturing
It's a knockoutEngineers find a new way to punch holes through steel
Jan 14th 2010
From The Economist print edition


Shutterstock
ELECTROMAGNETIC pulses (EMPs) are usually associated with warfare.The idea is to use a blast of energy to fry the enemy’s computers andtelecommunications gear. One common way proposed to do this is with anatomic bomb. In a less extreme fashion, however, EMPs have peacefuluses. They are already employed industrially to shape soft and lightmetals, such as aluminium and copper. Now a group of researchers at theFraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology inChemnitz, Germany, has found a way to use an EMP device to shape andpunch holes through industry’s metallic heavyweight—steel. This couldtransform manufacturing by doing away with the need to use large, heavypresses to make goods ranging from cars to washing machines.
    Verena Kräusel and her colleagues performed their trick by beefingup an existing electromagnetic-forming machine. Such machines use abank of capacitors to discharge a current rapidly through a coil. Thecoil converts the current into a powerful magnetic field. When thecomponent to be worked is placed next to such a machine, the coilinduces in it a corresponding field. Like poles repel, and therepulsion between the two fields is strong enough to make the metaldistort.
    Dr Kräusel and her colleagues boosted the power of their machine bystrengthening its coil and speeding up the rate at which the capacitorsdump their charge. The result is an extremely strong field—one thatdelivers enough pressure when it hits the steel to punch out thematerial next to it, leaving a hole behind. The impact pressure on thesteel is about 3,500 atmospheres. That is the weight of three smallcars pressing on an area only a centimetre or so square.
    The result is that the machine is able to punch holes 30mm indiameter through the type of sheet steel used to build car bodies,which is usually around 1mm thick. The group have also used theirmachine to punch holes in hardened steel, including stainless steel.And, besides punching holes in steel, such a machine could also be usedto form shapes out of the metal without the need to use a mould or adie.
Firms such as Germany’s giant carmaker Volkswagen are sponsoring theproject because forming steel components with an EMP device provides anumber of advantages. Although using a heavy press to bend metal andcut holes in it is fast, the tearing action at the edges of the holesleaves ragged, sharp tailings, known as burrs. This means that partsstamped out this way have to be cleaned up, usually by hand, whichincreases production costs. The need to keep replacing the stamps anddies used by the press, as they become blunt, also adds to the expense.
    Lasers are one alternative. They can cut cleaner holes in steel, butthey are slower than stamping because they need to burn their wayaround the part. They are also expensive to operate. An electromagneticpunch, however, stamps its hole without tearing the metal, which meansno burrs are left behind, and it never gets blunt. In fact, says DrKräusel, her machine can punch a hole clean through a sheet of steel ina fifth of second—compared with the 1.4 seconds needed by a laser.
    The team members are now carrying out further development work onthe coil. They expect factories to take up the idea quickly, because itis a modification of equipment that is already familiar. The size ofholes that can be cut depends on the size of the coil, so specificcoils will be needed for each application. Specific punches, however,are needed for traditional presses, so this would not seem to be adeterrent—especially as an EMP device should be able to deliverconsistently accurate blows without wearing itself out. A hole, newtechnology, as it were.


http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15268879&source=hptextfeature

doodaUID: 2712643

Words and Terms:
knockout击倒的，摧毁性的，引人入胜的，杰出的
In a less extreme fashion 以一种不那么极端的方式
employed industrially 利用到生产中
heavyweight:特别重的人或物，绝顶聪明的人
metallic 金属的
beef up  加强 补充人数或兵力
capacitors 电容器
component to be worked 要处理的元件
giant  巨大的庞大的
ragged粗糙的, sharp tailing残渣 下脚料
burr 机器加工留下的毛口 毛头
Specific pouches 特殊孔。Specific 详细具体的意思还有特殊的意思。
deterrent威慑 震慑  例如nuclear deterrent 核威慑力量

Comment:

EMP, known as electromagnetic pulses, an applied physics technology which were used in military area now have been developed in industrial areas which need to punch holes or shape metal sheet. EMP has it’s own advantages than old methods.

Heavy press has been widely used in shaping metal or make hole on sheet steel. But such a method will leave burrs on components which need take additional manpower to clean them. Also, the maintenance fee for replacing those blunt parts is high.
While the other more accurate way is laser. Although laser can burn a more beautiful hole than punch machine but its speed is slow and the operation cost is high.

Comparing with above two existing method, we can draw the conclusion that EMP is the most efficient and cost effective way to punch holes and shape metals. EMP, balanced the speed and accuracy, provided low maintenance cost, will be widely employed industrially in the future.

splendidsunUID: 2723757

1-21
Comment：
Today's article introduces a new technology "electromagnetic pulses (EMPs)" that could punch holes on the steel. Prior to the traditional stamping pressure, EMPs could punch holes with smooth fringe without tearing the metal. And its high efficiency makes it outstanding when comparing with the laser methods.
The principle of this new technology is widely known. It makes use of the discharge from the capacitors to produce a strong current which is able to punch a hole on a piece of 30mm-diameter steel.
In my viewpoint, there are many classical principles in different fields that could be dug out to find new applications. That's one route to discover new inventions. And then the inventors just need adjust the principles to the new functions.

错字：
Techonology—technology
Digged-dug

a blast of
do away with 清除，废除
beef up 加强
coil线圈
repel排斥
stainless steel不锈钢
Volkswagen 大众汽车
burr 毛边
blunt钝的，不锋利的
stamping冲压，冲击制品

zhengchangdianUID: 2563082

Comment：

New finds give man more power to dominate the nature. Two sects in the kingdom of science——abstract science and applied science——have laid the foundation of such an  advanced modern civilization since the Industrial Revolution inaugurated a new era. This passage introduces a new applied technology functioning at punch holes through steel without burning the metal. Not only does the finding imply a new way for cutting metal, it also ventures a step toward transforming materials with tenderness. The harmony of man and nature, the blend of the ancient and the iron-and-cement-made metropolis need planer and designer to endow them spirit. Similarly, science is guiding mankind to a more gentle world.

错字： inaugurated

jinziqiUID: 2387034

copper 铜
laser 激光
coil 一圈
deterrent 威慑的

This could transform manufacturing by doing away with the need to use large, heavy presses to make goods ranging from cars to washing machines.

This is a piece of news of new technology about ELECTROMAGNETIC pulses (EMPs). It is used to shape and punch holes through industry's metallic heavyweight--steel. The traditional way, using a heavy press to bend metal, has some disadvantages for the reason that it will leave ragged, sharp tailings at the edges of the holes, which will increase production costs. On the contrary, an electromagnetic punch stamps its hole without tearing the metal. So, there will not be any burrs left behind and the hole will not get blunt. Further, scientists are developing it on the coil.

miki7catUID: 2533330

Electromagnetic manufacturing
It's a knockout
Jan 14th 2010
From The Economist print edition
Engineers find a new way to punch holes through steel
knockout【If you describe someone or something as a knockout, you think that they are extremely attractive or impressive. (INFORMAL)】

ELECTROMAGNETIC pulses (EMPs) are usually associated with warfare【n.战争(状态)；斗争，冲突】. The idea is to use a blast of energy to fry the enemy’s computers and telecommunications gear. One common way proposed to do this is with an atomic【a.(关于)原子的；原子能(武器)的】 bomb. In a less extreme fashion, however, EMPs have peaceful uses. They are already employed industrially to shape soft and light metals, such as aluminium and copper. Now a group of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology in Chemnitz, Germany, has found a way to use an EMP device to shape and punch holes through industry’s metallic【a.金属(制)的；有金属特性的，像金属的】heavyweight—steel. This could transform manufacturing by doing away with the need to use large, heavy presses to make goods ranging from cars to washing machines.

Verena Kräusel and her colleagues performed their trick by beefing up【If you beef up something, you increase, strengthen, or improve it.】 an existing electromagnetic-forming machine. Such machines use a bank of【A bank of things, especially machines, switches, or dials, is a row of them, or a series of rows.】 capacitors【A capacitor is a device for accumulating electric charge.】 to discharge a current rapidly through a coil. The coil converts the current into a powerful magnetic field. When the component to be worked is placed next to such a machine, the coil induces in it a corresponding field. Like poles repel, and the repulsion between the two fields is strong enough to make the metal distort.

Dr Kräusel and her colleagues boosted the power of their machine by strengthening its coil and speeding up the rate at which the capacitors dump their charge. The result is an extremely strong field—one that delivers enough pressure when it hits the steel to punch out the material next to it, leaving a hole behind. The impact pressure on the steel is about 3,500 atmospheres. That is the weight of three small cars pressing on an area only a centimetre or so square.

The result is that the machine is able to punch holes 30mm in diameter through the type of sheet steel used to build car bodies, which is usually around 1mm thick. The group have also used their machine to punch holes in hardened steel, including stainless steel. And, besides punching holes in steel, such a machine could also be used to form shapes out of the metal without the need to use a mould or a die.

Firms such as Germany’s giant carmaker Volkswagen are sponsoring the project because forming steel components with an EMP device provides a number of advantages. Although using a heavy press to bend metal and cut holes in it is fast, the tearing action at the edges of the holes leaves ragged【a.褴褛的；不规则的；粗糙的】, sharp tailings, known as burrs. This means that parts stamped out this way have to be cleaned up, usually by hand, which increases production costs. The need to keep replacing the stamps and dies used by the press, as they become blunt【a.钝的】, also adds to the expense.

Lasers are one alternative. They can cut cleaner holes in steel, but they are slower than stamping because they need to burn their way around the part. They are also expensive to operate. An electromagnetic punch, however, stamps its hole without tearing the metal, which means no burrs are left behind, and it never gets blunt. In fact, says Dr Kräusel, her machine can punch a hole clean through a sheet of steel in a fifth of second—compared with the 1.4 seconds needed by a laser.

The team members are now carrying out further development work on the coil. They expect factories to take up the idea quickly, because it is a modification of equipment that is already familiar. The size of holes that can be cut depends on the size of the coil, so specific coils will be needed for each application. Specific punches, however, are needed for traditional presses, so this would not seem to be a deterrent—especially as an EMP device should be able to deliver consistently accurate blows without wearing itself out. A hole, new technology, as it were.

My comment
I can draw an example from this article, that is the two contrary applications of electromagnetic pulses, which might be the example for the two aspects of things. Usually associated with warfare, however, EMPs have peaceful uses. These two opposite uses drive me to remind a sentence I read before: things are known not according to their natures but according to the nature of the one who is comprehending them, and some alteration can make the sentence an appropriate thesis statement: things to be advantage or disadvantage are judged not from their natures but from the natures of the purposes they are used for.

123runfordreamUID: 2697608

ELECTROMAGNETIC pulses (EMPs) (电磁脉冲)


In a less extreme fashion


doing away with (to put an end to : ABOLISH)


beefing up (to improve something or make it more interesting, more important etc)


A hole, new technology, as it were.（这句话...？）


Comment:
It is an intranduction of EMPs, that is electromagnetic pluses, which are used in warfare but could be associated with the industries now. Electromagnetic-forming machine could sharp forms without the need to use a mould or a die, punch holes through the heavy-weight metal, which are thicker than normal, and tear the metal without burrs left and never gets blunts. The team members who are carrying out on this divice (device) tell us that it is just a modification of gear which we have been familiar with.
It connects with the cost. The industries should have concerned about the price they would like to pay then decide it, even they have better effects. As the saying in the end of the article, an EMPs device should be able to deliver consistently accurate blows without wearing itself out. Lower cost, higher benefits.

adammaksimUID: 2675466

beef up 加强

comments:

I'm happy to see a technology once used to destroy computers and telecommunication system, now may lower the price of cars and benefit our society. As a students majoring in EE, I'm familiar with the physical process of generating an EMP, or known as electromagnetic pulse. And the principle of it has been discovered many years ago by Faraday. However we always need some great practicer to transform those mighty theoretical tools into gears and devices that can bring convenience to our daily life. And the use of EMP in auto industry is a good example.

tequilawineUID: 2702008

warfare  

n.
战争, 冲突, 作战

do away with
废除, 消灭, 去掉
beef up

〈口〉加强,补充(人数、兵力)等

repel
[re·pel || rɪ'pel]

v.
击退; 拒绝; 驱除; 排斥; 使人厌恶, 使人反感; 抵抗; 相互排斥

1 One common way proposed to do this is with anatomic bomb.
2 The result is an extremely strong field—one that delivers enough pressure when it hits the steel to punch out the material next to it, leaving a hole behind.
3 Lasers are one alternative.

Comment:
Coin has two sides. Nothing is extremely bad or good only depending on us how to utilize the tool, for worse or better, it’s your choice, not the objective matter. And we learned a good instance form the article.

To exert the value of this mechanism, our lab team has successfully transformed this military weapon into an industrial machine, ironically in fact, we create one thing for massacre at the beginning, thank goodness, on the behalf of interest our scientist tried their best to accomplish the gigantic invention. Marvelous at propel of money.

Maybe, we should concentrate more on the skill itself. Comparing with present ways, it has obvious advantage. It curtail the expanse of the product expense and working time, in addition, precise it is more than others that promise us more efficiency.

Consontrate
concentrate

番茄斗斗UID: 2720914

They are already employed industrially to shape soft and lightmetals。
Verena Kräusel and her colleagues performed their trick by beefing up（加强） an existing electromagnetic-forming machine.
a bank of capacitors一系列的电容器
Lasers are one alternative.
industry’s metallic heavyweight—steel

Comment:
This article explains us a novel idea of EMPs,which conquers the warfield, now is adopted in industrial of steel. Combined with a bank of capacitator, the repulsion between the two fields enables the distortion of the metal. What's more, by strengthening the coil and the accelerating speed, the impact on the metal grows exponentially. Firms like Volkswagon now appreciate the benefit brought by the EMPS and become the sponsorship of its development, even thought it still shares some drawbacks. Cutting hole clean as they can, they still laggard behind in stamping. With leftovers to clear manually, expense is none the less increased. Thus, the use of EMPs is far from mature, and this inquired the advanced technology.

plukaUID: 2721764

COMMENTThis article introduced a new way to shap heavy metals. Interestingly, this new method, known as EMPs, used to be applied in warfare. This again proved the saying that there is no evil in the atom but in human's heart; we can take advantage of EMPs in industrial field, or get hurt in battle field. The article then explained the process of the EMPs method and offered one alternative, lasers. Err, well, I'm not good at making comments on scientific topics.

敛寒影UID: 2613052

Comment:

This essay introduces EMPs,which can shape and punch holes through industry’s metallic heavyweight—steel and hardened steel, including stainless steel. And, besides punching holes in steel, such a machine could also be used to form shapes out of the metal without the need to use a mould. The shortcoming is although stamping is quicker than Laser,it is material costing.So the EMP should decrease production costs.None but improving its practicality,should the EMP be applied widely in other fields.

qxn_1987UID: 2610437

beef up（[口]加强，补充（人力，兵数等））
stainless steel（不锈钢）

Comments:

Nowadays the technology develops dramatically. EMPs is one of the good example, which is usually associated with warfare, now is spotted have peacefull uses, that is forming steel components. The speaker reckons forming steel components with an EMP device provides a number of advantages, which can reduce the expense as well, by comparing with other approaches, such as laser. We may expect the EMPs has a bright and brilliant future.

======
brilliant

海王泪UID: 2673613

My Comment

Today’s article tells us something about the use of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). Once it was always used for warfare; but now people use it in peaceful way such as industry’s metallic production. This article focuses on the new method of shape and punch holes through metal, which could be an alternative way to make goods by using large, heavy presses.

Well, I have not much thing to talk about the technique itself. But about the application of scientific development, I think I could run several essays to express my reasons and emotion.

Scientific development itself has no personality. It does not tell apart kind heart and evil mind. All stunning or seamy consequence are from human being’s proper use or misuse. Melamine, a substance created in science research, was used by businessmen to make available disqualified milk pass the protein test. Nuclear power, which has long been blamed for its ability to kill countless people in short time, could be use for electricity production. And to EMPs, people think it is horrible when associate it with warfare for destroying enemy’s computers and telecommunications gear; in fact, the group of researchers at an institute of Germany recently finds a way to make the reshaping of metal more easy and costless.

Since scientific achievement is innocent, we should be inspired with almost all new inventions. But the application of it should be cautious, should be restricted, should be guided to proper use. Governments are in need. They should realize one of the most responsibilities is to assigns rewards to the good and punishments to the wicked. Such as the EMPs’ old application, government should restrict is as warfare. And about the new application in metal reshaping, government could consider about giving some prizes, no matter material or spiritual, to play a role of ethic guidance. Certainly, if the new application could make a lot of money it need not to be compensated.

Well, my comment is a little bit far away from today’s topic.

dingyi0311UID: 2627919

My comment
This article introduce us a new kind of technology that can punch out whole on metal plate with electromagnetic. The theory is that a bank of capacitors discharge a current rapidly through a coil. The coil then converted the current into a magnetic filed. Since the magnetic filed was very strong and can press the metal and press out a hole, it can also be used to distort the shape of the metal if the coil was arranged in a proper way. This new techonolgy, as it was introduced in the article, have many advantages. The conventional fashion to make a hole will produce a ragged and sharp burrs that need workers to clean up. Laser, as an alternative choice, that can also punch hole have its disadvantage in too slow and expensive in operation. However, this new technology is far from perfect: it need to change the coil once the size of the coil was changed and specific punches are needed for traditional presses, so this will be not seem to be a deterrent.