www.applianceDESIGN.

com July 2010

INSIDE
sg itt e
cd Tw c

:
n er
ln n ian

14 Gas Technology
ap o pl
@ GN ap

18 Motors
I w
ES lo
D Fol

24 Controls & Sensors

 We are up to speed and up to the task.
(Things are looking up.)

ENERGY STAR® program requirements are changing. Qualification and Verification testing is becoming more
rigorous. Here’s the good news. We’ve already ramped up global capacity to handle this new challenge and
help you make a smooth transition. Plus, you can bundle additional energy efficiency requirements such as
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Add our ETL safety certification, Satellite Data

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Intertek’s labs are ISO 17025 accredited, and we’re

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call or visit our website today.

1-800-WORLDLAB (967-5352)
www.intertek.com/energystar
 design and engineering
solutions for the global
residential and commercial
appliance industry
July 2010, volume 58, no. 7

DEPARTMENTS FEATURES
2 Editorial
3 Shipments/Forecasts
14 Gas Technology
14 Choosing the right blower can
4 News Watch help deliver an efficient, maximum
air-to-fuel ratio.
27 Design Mart's
31 Advertiser’s Index
32 Association Report: AHAM
Motors
18 With today’s available technology, cost
and accessibility are no longer factors
in the production of EMI filters.
20 The process of specifying electric
motor technologies can present
significant challenges for the appliance
designer. Selecting an electric motor
for an application, involves evaluating
the differences among motor
technologies.

18 Controls and Sensors

COVER
Combining blowers with specialty gas
valves, venturi, burner technologies and
evolving electronic controllers, allow
for a more accurate and optimal air-to-
fuel mixture than ever before. For more
information, see the story on page 14.
Photo: Ametek
24 On the surface, choices among micro
air flow pressure sensors may seem
similar, but tradeoffs are always
present, and even subtleties such as
device orientation can introduce errors.

New Products
NEXT MONTH 24 29 Check out some of the latest products
available on the market for the design
4Joining
and manufacture of white goods,
4Switches & Relays electronics and lighting.
4Plastics
4Software

EXCLUSIVE ONLINE CONTENT

Log on to
www.applianceDESIGN.com
to see industry-related content:
4New Blog! Kevin Henry’s The Essential Kitchen
ONLINE 4Web Extra Feature: Japanese White Goods
4AD’s Remix Blog

www.applianceDESIGN.com

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 1

EDITORIAL
Culture of Sustainability
A
ccording to the recent forecast pub-
lished by the U.S. Energy Information
Administration—the statistical agen-
cy of the U.S. Department of Energy—world
energy consumption is expected to jump
almost 50% by 2035, and developing nations
such as China and India will lead the way in
the world’s economic and energy demands. As
consumption increases, Asia will account for
most of the energy-linked pollution blamed
for global warming.
In 2007, China and India together account-
ed for about 20% of total world energy con-
sumption. By 2035, the forecast expects
the countries to account for 30% of global
consumption. The projected share of world
energy consumption in the United States, the
world’s biggest energy user at present, would
drop from 21% in 2007 to about 16% in 2035.
Currently, home appliances, including heating
and cooling, account for a combined 85% of
total energy consumption in the home.
So, although we are more educated than
ever on global warming and the consequences
of energy consumption, as a global society we
face a challenging, uphill battle. While govern-
ments and organizations continue to spread
the word about energy usage—individual
consumer’s adoption of responsible energy
practices can only go so far. As many compa-
nies are keenly aware of already, the pressure
to use sustainable, responsible practices to pro-
duce energy-saving, global-changing products
as a business grows stronger every day.
Manufacturers are already focused on
this issue—(see, “Smart Appliances Aid
Consumers and Utility Companies” on
page 4 of this issue, for example)—and as
standards become even tighter over time,
they will rise to the occasion with smarter,
more efficient products.
A culture of sustainability within every
 s &AX  

manufacturing and supplier company
seems to be the way toward reaching a goal
of combating global warming and curbing
the consequences of energy consumption.
Take the fast food industry. After con-
tinued pressure from watchdog groups
and consumers to provide healthier alter-
natives to high-fat and high-cholesterol
| HVAC | Majors | Water Processing | Housewares | Commercial Appliances |
| Vending | Medical | Lab | Test & Measurement | Lawn & Garden | Electronics |
| Computers | Communications | Business Equipment |
2 applianceDESIGN July 2010
www.applianceDESIGN.com
foods, many restaurants have made sig- publishing staff
nificant changes over the last few years. Thomas A. Sloma-Williams (703) 538-6633
Taco Bell removed all transfats from its Group Publisher williamst@bnpmedia.com
foods; Starbucks removed transfats from its Maggie McFadden Shein (630) 694-4388
baked goods and offers reduced-fat items; Editor sheinm@bnpmedia.com
McDonalds offers carrots and fruit as alter- Daryl Delano (508) 746-7986
natives to French fries; Panera offers calo- Economics Editor dhdelano@comcast.net
rie counts for all items right on its menu Lindsay Nagy (248) 244-6438
boards. While the end choice comes down Production Manager nagyl@bnpmedia.com
to the consumer, chain restaurants have MaTT Britcher (248) 486-7800
Art Director britcherm@bnpmedia.com
made more choices available.
Many consumers seek products that
contain natural ingredients, energy- circulation
saving properties or eco-friendly footprints.
Christina Kopah (248) 244-6435
Companies need to focus on sustainable busi- Audience Development
ness practices—reducing their carbon foot- Specialist kopahc@bnpmedia.com
print, implementing recycling programs and Alison Illes (248) 244-1730
encouraging new ideas. Corporations such as Corporate Fulfillment Manager Illesa@bnpmedia.com
Best Buy are already on the right track with Catherine M. Ronan (248) 244-8259
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Audit Manager ronanc@bnpmedia.com
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For manufacturing companies, imple- Robert Liska 800-223-2194
List Manager robert.liska@edithroman.com
menting sustainable business philosophies
encourages eco-friendly ideas to become part
of the design and manufacture of products, marketing
and can help lay the focus on energy-saving Karin Pitrone (248) 244-1727
features and materials used during the manu- Marketing Director pitronek@bnpmedia.com
facturing process. Jennifer Torres (248) 786-1694
Technology such as smart grid and pro- Trade Show Coordinator torresj@bnpmedia.com
grams such as Energy Star continue to play
a part in the way of appliance manufactur-
ers offering newer, energy-saving products
on all levels. And, in the current market, it’s
these features that may give one company a BNP Media Helps People Succeed
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FORECASTS SHIPMENTS
Product Apr-10 Apr-09 %Chg 4 Mos. '10 4 Mos. '09 %Chg
DVD PLAYERS/RECORDERS – Shipments
(Thousands of Units) MAJOR APPLIANCES (Thousands of Units)
TOTAL 6,272.9 5,596.5 12.1% 21,504.5 21,164.6 1.6%
Qtr: 2009 2010 2011 Cooking-Total 1,381.6 1,223.1 13.0% 5,336.8 5,370.6 -0.6%
1 4388.5 5878.5 6148.9 Electric Cooking - Total 386.1 328.1 17.7% 1,464.3 1,350.8 8.4%
Electric Ranges 303.5 259.7 16.9% 1,151.1 1,066.1 8.0%
2 6447.2 7814.0 8134.4 Electric Ovens 49.4 42.2 17.0% 196.4 174.5 12.6%
3 7286.1 8007.4 8511.9 Surface Cooking Units 33.1 26.2 26.6% 116.8 110.3 5.9%
Gas Cooking - Total 226.6 189.5 19.6% 882.9 791.2 11.6%
4 12,557.3 13,474.0 14,659.7 Gas Ranges 192.0 164.7 16.6% 762.0 686.0 11.1%
For 2010, a 14.7% increase to 35.174 million units Gas Ovens 3.6 3.2 10.1% 14.8 14.5 1.6%
For 2011, a 6.5% increase to 37.455 million units Surface Cooking Units 31.1 21.6 44.2% 106.1 90.7 17.0%
Data Source: CEA Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights Microwave Ovens 768.9 705.5 9.0% 2,989.7 3,228.6 -7.4%

ELECTRIC RANGES & OVENS – Shipments Home Laundry - Total 1,233.1 1,092.5 12.9% 4,933.7 4,739.1 4.1%
Automatic Washers 685.2 617.0 11.1% 2,689.0 2,623.1 2.5%
(Thousands of Units) Dryers - total 547.8 475.5 15.2% 2,244.7 2,116.0 6.1%
Electric 433.3 385.8 12.3% 1,825.5 1,711.9 6.6%
Qtr: 2009 2010 2011 Gas 114.5 89.7 27.7% 419.2 404.1 3.7%

1 1022.7 1078.2 1164.5 Kitchen Clean Up - Total 902.1 833.0 8.3% 3,640.1 3,455.9 5.3%
Disposers 406.6 402.3 1.1% 1,723.9 1,734.4 -0.6%
2 1043.8 1146.1 1203.4 Dishwashers - Total 492.3 427.0 15.3% 1,901.1 1,704.5 11.5%
3 1131.7 1212.1 1269.0 Built-In 486.1 421.4 15.3% 1,876.8 1,678.8 11.8%
Portable 6.2 5.6 11.4% 24.3 25.7 -5.4%
4 1135.2 1187.4 1261.0 Compactors 3.2 3.8 -14.3% 15.1 16.9 -10.8%
For 2010, a 6.7% increase to 4.624 million units
For 2011, a 5.9% increase to 4.898 million units Food Preservation - Total 1,031.2 771.7 33.6% 3,401.2 2,949.8 15.3%
Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights Refrigerators 859.4 625.9 37.3% 2,795.2 2,351.6 18.9%
Freezers - Total 171.8 145.8 17.8% 606.0 598.1 1.3%
RESIDENTIAL GAS WATER HEATERS – Chest 106.1 89.6 18.4% 367.0 379.2 -3.2%
Shipments (Thousands of Units) Upright 65.7 56.2 17.0% 239.0 218.9 9.2%

Home Comfort - Total 1,724.9 1,676.3 2.9% 4,192.6 4,649.3 -9.8%

Qtr: 2009 2010 2011 Room Air Conditioners 1,438.2 1,309.7 9.8% 3,354.7 3,726.3 -10.0%
Dehumidifiers 286.7 366.6 -21.8% 837.9 923.0 -9.2%
1 991.3 1086.9 1074.9
2 923.2 990.6 996.5 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).
3 864.2 905.7 931.0
4 982.0 988.9 1046.2
For 2010, a 5.6% increase to 3.972 million units
For 2011, a 1.9% increase to 4.049 million units
HVAC - Shipment figures for unitary air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and water heaters can be found at www.ahrinet.org.
Data Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights

UNITARY AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT

PUMPS – Shipments (Thousands of Units)       
  
      
Qtr: 2009 2010 2011
1 968.8 1031.3 1022.0
2
3
1808.0
1475.8
1813.4
1489.1
1826.1
1523.3
TOWER
4 918.6 885.5
For 2010, a 0.9% increase to 5.219 million units
919.2 THERMOSTATS
For 2011, a 1.4% increase to 5.291 million units
Data Source: AHRI Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights
e have manufacturing
facilities in China, and all
DISPOSERS – Shipments of our thermostats are
(Thousands of Units) 100% factory calibrated.
You will receive full
Qtr: 2009 2010 2011 engineering and sales
support from our Rhode
1 1332.2 1317.3 1388.4 Island based headquarters.
2 1265.8 1288.6 1350.4 Choose from a variety of
3 1341.7 1380.6 1437.2 standard design options
4 1280.1 1322.3 1369.9 including miniature, non-
For 2010, a 1.7% increase to 5.309 million units adjustable, snap-action,
For 2011, a 4.5% increase to 5.546 million units tip-over shut-off and
Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights more. Or let us custom
design to your specs.
REFRIGERATORS – Shipments
Our European snap-
(Thousands of Units) action thermostats have
VDE and SEMKO approvals
Qtr: 2009 2010 2011 as well as UL/CSA.
1 1725.8 1935.8 2017.1 Customer service from our
2 2302.9 2733.5 2823.7 USA headquarters for quick
3 2434.5 2563.5 2735.3 satisfaction.
4 1934.2 2003.8 2180.2
For 2010, a 10.0% increase to 9.237 million units 
 
 
   

For 2011, a 5.6% increase to 9.756 million units %' 0   0 #%*#)
Data Source: AHAM Forecast Source: Delano Data Insights
 &#$! &()")''# 4 . 3 &#$! &($"%)$#
Note: All forecasts begin in Q2/2010  -"/ +  ,21

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 3

NEWS WATCH
Smart Appliances Aid Consumers
and Utility Companies
n response to the smart grid move-
I ment, GE developed a line of
“smart” appliances that react to
pricing signals from the utility com-
pany and delay or reduce wattage of
high-consumption tasks until lower-
cost, off-peak periods. Such products
can help consumers manage their util-
ity bills and help utilities manage peak
demand.
Because home appliances, including
heating and cooling, account for a com-
bined 85% of total energy consumption
in the home, improved energy manage-
ment is a particularly important issue
for design engineers when designing or
improving appliances.
Through enhanced communications
delivered through smart-grid-based
electrical meters in the home, utility
companies can communicate price sig-
nals to smart appliances. During high-
4 applianceDESIGN July 2010
cost periods, the GE appliances, which
are set to customer preferences, will
avoid energy usage or operate on a low-
er wattage, potentially reducing a con-
sumer’s electricity bill. Consumers can
override any of the company’s smart ap-
pliance functionalities at any time.
“With smart appliances, consumers
can set their preferences and walk away,
letting the technology work for them.
This ‘set-it-and forget it’ functionality
is good for both the utility and the cus-
tomer and will be critical for ensuring
long-term engagement and smart grid
success,” said Kevin Nolan, vice presi-
dent of technology, GE Appliances &
Lighting.
GE’s smart refrigerator delays the
defrost cycle from occurring dur-
ing peak hours and goes into energy-
saving mode. One participant in a Lou-
isville, Kentucky pilot program showed
more than a 20 percent reduction of
energy usage during peak hours over
10 weekdays.
The GE GeoSpring hybrid water
heater operates only in heat pump
mode during periods of peak costs, re-
ducing wattage by more than 80 per-
cent compared to a standard electric
tank water heater.
Several utilities are currently work-
ing with GE on residential smart appli-
ance pilot programs to test energy sav-
ings potential. Reliant Energy in Texas
is testing GE’s appliances as part of a
home-based smart energy program.
The appliances also are part of a test
program on Martha’s Vineyard called
The Vineyard Energy Project, and a
pilot in Masdar City, which is targeted
to be the world’s first carbon-neutral,
zero-waste city being built in the UAE’s
capital of Abu Dhabi. <
For more information on suppliers in this issue, take the
at www.appliancedesign.com/taxi
 NEWS WATCH

FORECAST PREDICTS SALES

GROWTH FOR APPLIANCES
Retailers of electronics and appliances
in the U.S. are expected to grow sales by
$953 million in June, July and August,
according to an analytics-based forecast
produced by IBM. The forecast represents
a 4% increase compared with the same
period last year.
In producing the forecast, IBM uses
economic data gathered by the U.S. Cen-
sus Bureau. The data is derived from a
survey of retailers engaged in electronics
and appliances as their major line of busi-
ness. Products include TVs, cell phones,
personal computers and tablet comput-
ers, radios and stereos, refrigerators, dish-
washers, ovens and other devices.
Here’s the month-to-month breakdown By converting to natural gas boilers, Duke University’s campus has reduced its
of the forecast (numbers in billions): coal usage by 30,000 metric tons of CO2.

June July August 3-month total

2009 (actual) $7.791 $7.740 $8.131
2010 (forecast) $8.034 $8.069 $8.512
The IBM forecast uses statistical and
analytical software to evaluate long-term
sales trend and seasonal peaks.
Jeff Gordon poses for a WaterFurnace
advertisement, after installing heat pumps
from the company in his North Carolina
home.
JEFF GORDON GOES GREEN
Four-time NASCAR Cup series champion
Jeff Gordon recently selected a geother-
mal comfort system from WaterFurnace
International Inc. to heat and cool his
$23.662
$24.615
DUKE UNIVERSITY INSTALLS BOILERS
TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Duke University’s $25 million renova-
tion of its East Campus steam plant
included converting to natural gas
boilers. For about 50 years, the plant’s
coal-fired boilers supplied steam
through underground pipes and tun-
nels to heat campus buildings until the
plant closed in 1978. The new plant
has 15 Miura LX series gas-fired steam
boilers, which provide 35 percent more
steam capacity to the campus, and will
simultaneously reduce the University’s
environmental footprint.
The gas boilers require less water and
time to produce steam—and at lower
emissions of greenhouse gases than coal.
Instead of using lots of energy to fire up
one to three large coal boilers, the plant
can calibrate among 15 smaller gas boil-
ers based on demand.
“We can have [the boilers] on cold
standby and have them come on as
necessary, which creates a significant
reduction in the energy losses associ-
ated with a typical start-up, purge and
warm-up cycle of a boiler,” said Rus-
sell Thompson, director of utilities
and engineering for Duke Facilities
Management.
At full capacity, the Miura boilers in
the East Campus steam plant will pro-
vide Duke with a 110,000 lb.-per-hour
base load year-round and up to about
130,000 lbs. during peak-need times.
Another benefit for the campus is
that the boilers produce BHP outputs
comparable to larger units, but with
less water consumption and a more
compact footprint. This enabled Duke
to install the boilers in the steam plant
without having to expand any part of
the historic brick building.
“From a total production stand-
point, we have gone from producing
95% of our steam with coal to produc-
ing 85% of our steam with natural gas,”
Thompson said. That reduced coal us-
age translates to a reduction of 30,000
metric tons of CO2. “It is our first
big step in our Climate Commitment
Challenge to reduce our carbon foot-
print,” he added. The steam plant con-
version is part of Duke’s overall goal to
become a climate-neutral campus.

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 5

NEWS WATCH

PEOPLE NEWS
DANFOSS NAMES THREE ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Danfoss, a manufacturer of electronic and mechani-
cal components and control systems for refrigeration
and air conditioning, heating and motion controls, an-
nounced three U.S. account managers to its sales force to
support its growing customer base in the industry. Mike
Rodgers will serve aftermarket and OEM customers in
Rodgers Paege Marston
the Great Lakes region. Gary Paege will serve customers
in the South-Central region, and Dennis Marston will
serve customers in the Southeast region.

home in Charlotte, N.C.
WaterFurnace manufactures residen-
tial, commercial, industrial and institu-
tional geothermal and water source heat
pumps. The Envision line of products,
which is being used in the Gordon house-
hold, uses ozone-safe R-410A refrigerant
to meet EPA requirements. They are avail-
able in seven single-speed sizes and five
dual-capacity sizes, and feature efficient
Copeland Scroll compressors and coated
air coils that resist corrosion and increase
equipment life.
SUPPLIER RECEIVES AWARD FROM
POWER ONE
Fairchild Semiconductor, a supplier of
high-performance power and mobile
products, received a Strategic Supplier
Award from Power One, a provider of
renewable energy and energy-efficient
power conversion and power manage-
ment solutions.
“Renewable energy is a fast growing
market, with an annual growth rate pro-
jected at 25% through 2013. [Fairchild
was] selected for this award due to their
ability to provide accurate forecasting,
excellent supply chain capabilities and
superb design-in support,” said Gerard
Kelleher, Power One’s vice president glob-
al supply chain.

 
 
   
 
    


 

 
 
    
     
      
      
 
 
 
   
 
  
 

 
   
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6 applianceDESIGN July 2010 For more information on suppliers in this issue, take the
at www.appliancedesign.com/taxi
 Satisfy your customers’ most demanding
long-term steam & hot water needs.
Count on smiling customers everywhere from commercial laundries and
dishwashers to manufacturers of commercial cooking equipment. The
Series 8220 steam and hot water valve from ASCO is the hottest new thing
in its class. Its high-flow design provides unequaled throughput, with up
to 60 percent more flow. Its ultra-reliable construction endures the rigors of steam and
hot water service up to four times longer than other valves. It even reduces inventory by
eliminating the need for separate valves for steam and hot water service. Use the Series
8220 to satisfy nearly every steam and hot water application you’ve got!

800-972-ASCO (2726) www.ascovalve.com/smile e-mail: info-valve@asco.com

NEWS WATCH

allow design engineers to evaluate design

concepts and test models for form, fit and
APPLIANCE DESIGN LAUNCHES NEW BLOGS! function.
Don’t miss Appliance Design’s new blogs. Three blog channels cover the indus-
The company’s cleaning system requires
try with different perspectives and encourage industry professionals to share their
no gloves, goggles or other protective
opinions and experiences with peers.
wear, and the pH level of the cleaning
4AD’s “Remix Blog” is updated several times each week with commentary from
solution generally meets drain water
Appliance Design’s editorial staff and guest bloggers on the latest products,
requirements worldwide. The product
trends and industry events.
was developed to make the 3-D printing
4“Paul’s European Perspective,” by Paul Roggema, is a twice-monthly blog cover-
process easier. The system, designed to be
ing the appliance industry around the globe.
as easy to use as a residential dishwasher,
4“The Essential Kitchen” by Kevin Henry is a new monthly blog that touches on
automatically fills with water and drains
market trends and industry direction in the kitchen industry.
at the end of each cycle. It weighs 36
Visit www.appliancedesign.com/blog for the latest postings.
lbs. (16.40 kg), has a footprint of only
18.24 by 17 in. and requires less than 20
Fairchild provides Field Stop IGBT ous RMB 850. minutes of setup time prior to operation.
technology for the Aurora Solar Inverter In addition to air conditioning units, Additionally, the system uses a hands-
family, an alternative energy application. sales of large-size, flat-panel TVs have ris- free process, has an 8 by 8 by 6 in. part
The IGBT technology is ideal for solar en since April as well, due to the impact of capacity and has selectable 2 or 4 gallon
inverters, UPS, SMPS and PFC applica- the World Expo and the upcoming World water levels.
tions where low conduction and switch- Cup, the company reported. Frbiz’s statis-
ing losses are essential. tics show that entering April, the sales of
LCD TVs rose 300% year-on-year.
MEETINGS
JULY
6TH ANNUAL MIDWEST PRODUCT
SAFETY CONFERENCE
July 14-15, Chicago
E-mail: info@randallgoodden.com
Web site: www.randallgoodden.com
THE GOURMET HOUSEWARES
SHOW
July 31 – Aug. 2, San Francisco
AIR-CONDITIONER/TELEVISION Phone: (800)272-7469
SALES IN CHINA SEE LARGE E-mail: marc_delman@glmshows.com
INCREASE Web site: www.thegourmetshow.com
Sudden warm weather in May, along with AUGUST
other factors including the implementa-
2010 IDSA NATIONAL
tion of an energy-saving air-conditioning
CONFERENCE & EXPO
subsidies policy, caused air-conditioning Aug. 4-7, Portland, Ore.
sales to grow ahead of schedule—and on- Cleaning system for CAD users requires no Phone: (703)707-6000
gloves or protective wear. Web site: www.vending.org
line buying of household appliances to
become more widespread, according to CLEANING SYSTEM OFFERS 2010 POWDER COATING
Frbiz.com, an e-commerce online shop WORKSHOP
NO-HANDS ALTERNATIVE Aug. 10-11, Pittsburgh, Pa.
in China. Dimension 3D Printing, a brand of Strata- Phone: (317) 298-5072
The first two weeks of air-conditioning sys Inc., introduced WaveWash, which is E-mail: kwalters@itwgema.com
sales in May increased as much as 300%, an eco-friendly cleaning system that dis- Web site: www.itwgema.us/
growth of 210% year-over-year. This is powdercoatingworkshop
solves the support material from mod-
the largest increase in sales of household els made with Dimension 3-D Printers. SEPTEMBER
appliances online. The company’s printers offer computer-
Before this, the Ministry of Finance, IFA 2010
aided-design (CAD) users a networked Sept. 3-8, Berlin, Germany
National Development and Reform Com- alternative for building functional 3-D Phone: 49 30 30 38 22 42
mission issued a notice that after June 1st, models from the desktop. Models are E-mail: ifa@messe-berlin.de
subsidies for energy-saving air condition- Website: www.messe-berlin.de <
built layer-by-layer using ABS plastic, and
ing dropped to RMB 250 from the previ-

8 applianceDESIGN July 2010 For more information on suppliers in this issue, take the
at www.appliancedesign.com/taxi
 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, visit www.ebmpapst.us or contact an application engineer at
860.674.1515.

The engineer’s choice

NEWS WATCH

PRINTING METHOD BRINGS DOWN
COST OF SOLAR CELLS AND
MICROCHIPS
An article from the “Technology Review”
describes a new method for making large-
area devices from gallium arsenide that
bring down costs by eliminating manu-
facturing steps and wasting less materials.
Researchers have used the method to make
image sensors, transistors and solar cells.
Gallium arsenide solar cells convert
twice as much of the energy in sunlight
into electricity compared to silicon cells,
said John Rogers, professor of materials
science and engineering at the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who
led the research. The material could also
be a potential replacement for silicon in
microchips.
Previously, gallium arsenide solar pan-
els were inefficient and expensive to make,
but a new method developed by Rogers
and his research team grow multiple lay-
ers of devices at one time.
A company called Semprius is using
the process to make multilayer, micro-
scale concentrated solar modules with ef-
ficiencies as high as 37%, according to the
article. The company has funding from
the U.S. Department of Energy and a de-
velopment agreement with Siemens.
MR. COFFEE SAVES ENERGY
Even hours after shutting it off, the Mr.
Coffee Optimal Brew Thermal Coffee-
maker keeps coffee hot. At the beginning
of the product’s development, designers at
TEAMS Design took a leading European
coffeemaker and reverse engineered it to
analyze how it heats water and keeps cof-
fee hot. The resulting design went through
third-party testing and revealed a brew that
is hotter and faster than other competitors.
In a traditional coffeemaker, water is
routed underneath the heating plate to be
boiled. With this design, water is quickly
heated to the ideal temperature in a small
boiling chamber. A traditional heating
plate is also meant to keep the pot of cof-
fee hot; however it commonly overheats
the remaining coffee, imparting a less-
than-ideal flavor. Instead of a heating
plate, the Optimal Brew uses a double-
walled, vacuum-insulated, stainless steel
thermal carafe.
The brewing process and lack of heat-
ing plate allow the coffeemaker to use less
energy than competitors, and, to save ad-
ditional energy, the display dims when
not in use.
HOW DOES CONDITIONING AFFECT
CONSUMER CHOICE?
According to a study in the “Journal of

HOUSE PASSES
HOME STAR ACT
The U.S. House of Representative’s passed the Home Star
Energy Retrofits Act (H.R. 5019) that will provide on-
the-spot rebates for homeowners who make energy effi-
ciency home improvements. The act could create as many
as 168,000 American construction jobs over the next two
years.
Home Star will provide rebates to homeowners who
retrofit their homes with energy efficient equipment and
materials, including insulation, windows and heating and
cooling equipment. The legislation creates two rebate pro-
grams, one for specific improvements and one for whole-
home energy-use reductions. The first category of rebates
would be for up to $3,000 per home, and the second for up
to $8,000.
“While the average U.S. household could save up to 20
percent on its home energy bills with energy efficiency up-
grades, in today’s economy many have not had the finan-
cial wherewithal to do so,” said Kateri Callahan, president
of The Alliance To Save Energy. “By helping to ‘buy down’
the cost of energy efficiency home improvements, Congress
can create a ripple effect that will be felt across our entire
economy.”

10 applianceDESIGN July 2010 For more information on suppliers in this issue, take the
at www.appliancedesign.com/taxi
 NEWS WATCH

Consumer Research,” consumers are
greatly affected by images attached to
brands—even when they are exposed to
conflicting information about products.
Consumers were repeatedly exposed
to brands paired with various images in
one form or another—from logos on the
sides of buildings to televised commer-
cials, according to the study’s authors
Melanie Dempsey, Ryerson University,
and Andrew A. Mitchell, University of
Toronto. Though the consumer may not
be able to recall the actual brand name
or claims from the brand, he can still
leave with a positive feeling, that he may
not even be consciously aware of.
The study determines what would
happen when consumers are condi-
tioned to like or dislike brands and
then are exposed to conflicting product
information. To create this effect, an
evaluative conditioning task was used
where hundreds of images of several
hypothetical brands, pictures and words
were randomly presented, individually
and in pairs on a computer screen.
One target brand was paired with 20
negative images and words and the oth-
er target brand was paired with 20 posi-
tive images and words. According to the
study, participants were unable to rec-
ognize that a particular brand had been
paired with either negative or positive
images. “Therefore, we were able to cre-
ate an ‘I like it, but I don't know why’
effect,” the authors stated.
In a follow-up experiment, the re-
searchers presented participants with
product attribute information that
contradicted their earlier impressions
about pens. “We found that they se-
lected the pen with the inferior attri-
butes that was positively conditioned
even though the product attribute in-
formation was available in memory,”
they reported.
The study concluded: “Choice deci-
sions of consumers are not only deter-
mined by evaluations of rational in-
formation (product attributes) but are
also driven by forces that are generally
outside of rational control.”
CELANESE ACQUIRES
TWO PRODUCT LINES
Celanese Corp.’s Advanced Engineered
Materials business acquired two product
lines: DuPont Zenite liquid crystal poly-
mer (LCP) and Thermx polycyclohexy-
lene-dimethylene terephthalate (PCT),
from DuPont Performance Polymers.
“These two products broaden the
company’s Ticona Engineering Poly-
mers offerings, enabling Celanese to
respond to a globalizing customer base,
especially in the high growth electrical
and electronics application segments,”
said David Weidman, chairman and
CEO of Celanese.
Many manufacturers are discontinu-
ing the use of halogenated compounds
in their products in favor of more envi-
ronmentally friendly components. The
acquisition will broaden Ticona’s LCP
product portfolio to make available addi-
tional environmentally friendly electrical
and electronics product solutions. These
“green devices,” made out of LCPs, ensure
the highest levels of product performance

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www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 11

NEWS WATCH

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
ideas as part of the University’s ecoREMOD project, a recently
begun demonstration of energy-efficient renovation of a his-
toric home.

EMERGENCY HEATING ASSISTANCE A BY-PRODUCT OF

The winning project at the University of Virginia Student
Sustainability Project Competition was a proposal to better edu-
cate local homeowners on saving energy. Photo: Sarah Oehl
HOME ENERGY EDUCATION PROJECT WINS STUDENT
SUSTAINABILITY COMPETITION
Top honors in the second annual University of Virginia Stu-
dent Sustainability Project Competition went to a proposal to
better educate local homeowners on saving energy. The win-
ning students presented a plan to partner with Charlottes-
ville’s Local Energy Assistance Program, and turn data gained
from home energy audits and energy meters into educational
materials and recommendations to homeowners on how they
can improve energy efficiency.
The team will develop their project over this year’s sum-
mer months with the support of a Jefferson Public Citizens
grant and their $750 prize money. They plan to showcase their
ONE GROUP’S SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT
Seven Rhode Island middle school students were awarded the
2010 President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) for their
“TGIF” project: Turn Grease into Fuel. The sustainable project
collects waste cooking oil, refines it into biofuel and distrib-
utes it.
The students presented the project to their local town
council and convinced them to place a grease receptacle at the
town’s transfer station to collect the waste cooking oil from
residents. They also convinced 64 local restaurants to donate
their waste cooking oil, a by-product of fried food. To collect
the waste oil from the restaurants and the transfer station, the
students collaborated with a company to collect it and bring it
to a waste cooling oil/biodiesel refiner. The proceeds from the
refiner were used to purchase “bioheat” from a local distribu-
tor to give to local charities.
The project has collected more than 36,000 gallons of waste
oil or 30,000 gallons of biodiesel produced a year, which offset
600,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide from being released into the at-
mosphere. The project has donated 4,000 gallons of bioheat to
local charities and has helped 40 families who need emergency
heating assistance.

without the use of halogens. LCPs are
used in switches, connectors, memory
module sockets, in-play consoles, laptops,
televisions and mobile phones and other
electrical and electronics devices.
Revenues of Zenite LCP and Thermx
PCT were approximately $40 million in
2009. The acquisition price was not dis-
closed.
ONE STEP CLOSER TO
IP-BASED SMART OBJECTS
The IPSO Alliance announced the suc-
cessful interoperability of two new ele-
ments of the IPv6 protocol for small,
resource-constrained embedded devices
known as “smart objects.” The interop-
erability of RPL—the emerging, IETF-
specified, IPv6 routing protocol for low
power networks—and 6LoWPAN-HC—
a header compression format for highly
efficient IPv6 packet delivery over IEEE
802.15.4 low-power wireless personal area
networks (WPAN)—are key to connect-
ing smart objects such as meters, sensors
or control devices, and smart appliances
over the Internet.
“The interoperability of these two ele-
ments, running on top of three different
media, brings us another step closer to
reaching our goal of creating IP-based
smart objects,” said Geoff Mulligan, chair-
man of the IPSO Alliance.
Both RPL and 6LoWPAN-HC are cur-
rently being standardized by the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF) and are
large components of the smart grid infra-
structure that includes advanced meter-
ing and energy monitoring. The industry
demand to employ Internet Protocol for
smart objects has led to growing adoption
of the protocols. For more information,
visit www.ipso-alliance.org.
TOUCH PANELS
SEE LARGE INCREASE
Touch Panel Market Analysis research
from DisplaySearch reports that total
touch screen shipments increased 29%
in 2009 over the same time last year, to
606 million units. As the previous 2009
report forecasted, projected capacitive
shipments have increased substantially.
With the iPad adopting it in 2010,
projected capacitive technology will pass
resistive touch technology to become the
leading touch technology in 2010, mea-
sured by revenues, projected the study.
Resistive touch technology is still the
leading technology in terms of unit ship-
ments, with 90 companies supplying the
technology. However, 56 companies are
already supplying projected capacitive
technology, nearly twice as many as last
year’s 27 suppliers, according to the re-
search. <

12 applianceDESIGN July 2010 For more information on suppliers in this issue, take the
at www.appliancedesign.com/taxi
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 These blowers can achieve a maximum sealed
pressure of up to 25 in. of H2O and maxi-
GAS & BLOWERS mum open flows to 800 cubic feet per
minute (CFM). Photo: Ametek
P
remix gas blowers on modern fur-
Reap rewards with naces are just one component of a
collection of interconnected technol-
blowers that ogies that drive combustion in an efficient,
safe and environmentally friendly manner.
deliver a maximum Combining blowers with specialty gas
valves, venturi, burner technologies and
air-to-fuel ratio. evolving electronic controllers, allow for a
more accurate and optimal air-to-fuel mix-
ture than ever before. This means that a
burner’s output is determined by increasing
and decreasing blower speed, while the air-
to-fuel ratio remains constant—and not by
varying or turning off the burner. Blowers
are designed to consistently deliver the 10:1
air-to-fuel ratio that is considered the magic
number for optimum fuel combustion.
Today’s gas premix blowers use improved
electronics, mechanics and other features
to reduce emissions of regulated chemicals
and increase output capability, which allows
smaller blowers to produce the same output
by larry adams requirements as their larger forebears.
14 applianceDESIGN July 2010
Long gone are the days when a burner
system would use a single-firing burner with
an on/off method to heat output. This is
a method in which the burner fires until it
reaches the desired temperature, then shuts
off until the temperature falls back below
that level and it restarts—essentially, a tem-
perature yo-yo. The on/off system made it
simple to deliver the proper fuel mixture, but
it also meant that the furnace would cycle on
and off, wasting energy and fuel, and gener-
ating emissions including CO2, which can
occur with each cycle start and stop.
Eventually, two-speed blowers became
available, but that was about the extent of
a designer’s choice. The two-speed blowers
were a step forward that allowed burners to
kick on high or slow as it approached the
temperature set point. However, even with
the increased modulation, additional cycling
would occur, and, with each cycle, pre- and
post-purge airflow removed heat from the
boiler, up and out the stack—resulting in
www.applianceDESIGN.com
 GAS & BLOWERS
Newer blowers can
reach 4 million BTUs.
Photo: ebm-papst

energy losses, slow response times to load

changes, and additional stress on the boiler
components.
In the recent past, turndown rates were
around 4:1 and 5:1. A typical boiler uti-
lizing a standard burner with these turn-
down ratios could cycle as frequently as
288 times a day, according to Boilers and
Heaters: Improving Energy Efficiency from
the CANMET Energy Technology Centre,
Ontario. More
Today, 10:1 ratios are readily available advanced
with the gas premix blowers. Brushless BLDC blower types
direct current premix gas blowers such as use more sophisticated controllers
the Nautilair from Ametek Technical and to control blower speed. This includes a
Industrial Products, Kent, OH, can achieve With DC-high and low voltage, pulse width modu-
that level. The Nautilair line is available in a this configura- lation, mechanically with a potentiometer,
range of sizes and capacities, including a new tion, the air-to-fuel ratio and, most recently, blowers digital signal pro-
12.3-in. model. The line can deliver full-speed remains somewhat con- cessing capabilities to enable more program-
modulation and airflow monitoring, accord- stant. mable control.
ing to Jodie McLay, east coast sales manager Some BLDC blower Some models such as Nautilair, adjust
for Ametek. types were then engineered with a two-wire blower speed in multiple ways including the
The 12.3-in. blowers also can achieve a control scheme mounted on the motor. The onboard potentiometer, an external PWM or
maximum sealed pressure of up to 25 in. of wires serve as a DC power supply connec- the traditional DC control system. The con-
H2O, and maximum open flows to 800 cubic
feet per minute, depending on the model.
Versions can accept line voltage input of 120
Volts alternating current (VAC) and 240 VAC.
Internal electronics convert the AC to DC. Today’s gas premix blowers use improved
Brushless DC motors help achieve commuta-
tion electronically via a permanent magnet, electronics, mechanics and other features to
wound stator and rotor-position sensing.
These new generation blowers can operate reduce emissions of regulated chemicals
with high efficiency of up to 85 percent, and
operate for up 40,000 hours.
and increase output capability, which allows
Improved Controllers
Blower control has improved dramatically smaller blowers to produce the same output
in the last few years in part because of new
controller technology. Previously, a common requirements as their larger forebears.
control method was a pneumatic, negative
regulation system called “neg-reg.” With this
method, as the blower speeds up and slows
down, the intake pressure rises and falls. As it tion and the blower’s speed is directly pro- troller actively varies blower performance
falls, negative pressure is created in the blow- portional to the supply voltage, meaning and eliminates the need for complex air
er’s intake that pulls fuel through a valve. As that a separate speed command signal was intake damper systems, says McLay. Available
pressure fluctuates, more or less fuel is drawn. not necessary. add-on expansion cards and other options

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 15

GAS & BLOWERS
can be incorporated to customize blower
performance for specific application require-
ments. Control systems help monitor and adjust
One of the most sophisticated control- blower speed in near to real time to get an
optimum air-to-fuel ratio.
lers to hit the market is the LambdaConstant
Photo: ebm-papst
from ebm-papst, Farmington, CT. The
LambdaConstant is available on certain ebm-
papst gas premix blowers, and independent-
ly controls the air and fuel flow, says Tom
Costello, sales manager for blowers.
Each blower features a restrictor on the air
intake side that diverts air to a digital mass
flow sensor for measurement. A laminar flow
element with an extremely low-pressure drop
ensures a stable signal sensor over the entire
modulation range. Fuel is also measured to
determine its levels. Additionally, sensors on
the burner measure flame temperature. The
measurements are transmitted via a digital
bus system from the blower to the burner
controller. The measured values are used to
regulate the fan exactly to the specified air
volume. This is done in near- to real-time.
The low pressure drop in the laminar flow
elements allows the same gas blowers to be used
with higher air supply and exhaust pipe lengths,
with the same pipe lengths, and the gas blower
power consumption. Because of this, the air-to-
fuel ratio can be held constant no matter the
type of gas in use, and no matter the conditions
in which the furnace is located.
For instance, a furnace at sea level would MegaWatt blower, model G3G250-MW. are regulated by federal and state agencies
have different air and fuel values than at a It can provide heat outputs from 10 kW to in the U.S., and governments throughout
5,000-foot elevation. At the higher eleva- approximately 1 MW or 4-million BTUs. Europe. NOX is primarily formed in two
tion, there is less oxygen per cubic foot so the The blower uses a three-phase brushless DC ways: thermal NOx and fuel NOx. Thermal
blower must run faster to provide equivalent motor that accepts AC voltage input and NOx is formed when nitrogen and oxygen
oxygen, says Costello. Likewise, the fuel’s then rectifies it internally to DC voltage. It in the combustion air combine with one
heating value will drop and so the gas valve has a low-voltage speed-control circuit that another in the high temperatures of the
would need to be opened wider to allow for accepts either PWM or a 0 ~ 10 VAC signal. flame. Thermal NOx makes up the major-
additional cubic feet per minute of gas flow. According to Costello, the MegaWatt is going ity of NOx formed during combustion. Fuel
to be available in two voltage ranges: 200 ~ NOx is formed by the reaction of nitrogen in
Wider BTU Capabilities 240 VAC and 380 ~ 480 VAC. Both models the fuel with oxygen in the combustion air. In
One new trend in gas premix blowers is will feature a power factor controller so the fuel containing significant amounts of fuel-
increasing voltage capabilities. The gas pre- operation of the motor will remain constant bound nitrogen, fuel NOx can account for up
mix blower market started in small BTU sizes regardless of the voltage. to 50% of total NOx emissions.
and has consistently gotten more powerful— “It is an interesting argument,” McLay says.
rising from a top of 2.5 million BTUs, to 3 The Trade Off “Everybody was to have lower NOx levels,
million BTUs. Now, soon-to-be introduced Constancy in air-fuel mixtures is some- and they want higher operating efficiencies.
models will reach 4 million BTUs. thing that might help designers with an But, one is the opposite of the other.”
Bigger and more efficient blowers mean ongoing dilemma. In the past, designers were In striving to optimize blower control,
that smaller units can be used while still faced with a trade-off in terms of efficiency increase efficiencies, and reduce emissions,
achieving the same heat outputs, according vs. emissions. Traditionally, to assure com- consideration has flowed naturally to pre-
to McLay. A basic rule of thumb for burner plete combustion, boilers were fired with mix blowers as practical solutions, he says. By
applications is that 500,000 BTUs require 100 excess air. Too much air is a main factor in working to ensure that the blowers provide
cubic feet per minute of airflow. While not an the formation of nitrous oxide emissions the correct air-to-fuel ratio to the burner,
exact comparison, a BLDC blower used for a (NOx). Excess levels can increase NOx for- better combustion occurs and fewer chemi-
400,000 BTU system could meet the airflow mation because of the additional nitrogen cals are emitted. <
requirements with a 5-lb. blower—a quarter and oxygen that is found in the air.
of the typical weight of previous units. NOx emissions are considered culprits in For more information, e-mail: jodie.mclay@ametek.com
One model coming soon is ebm-papst’s the production of ozone and acid rain. They or jperkins@us.ebmpapst.com

16 applianceDESIGN July 2010 www.applianceDESIGN.com

 Hungry For Change? Your Customers Are.
They want great features offered in the refrigerated products they buy, like
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SUSTAINABLE | ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN | ENERGY EFFICIENT | HYGENIC ALLY SAFE

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ecomate by Foam Supplies, Inc. | © 2010 All rights reserved

insulation for various types of refrigerated products, like walk-in

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green – and a competitive replacement for all blowing agents.

Ecomate meets all current and future regulatory requirements, being

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which is 3x more than any competitor.* So, be kind to the environment
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www.ecomatesystems.com
MOTORS With today’s available technology, cost and accessibility are no longer
factors in the production of EMI filters. Photo: LCR Electronics Inc.
CAPACITOR
CONUNDRUM
N
o matter what the application or
New technology brings electrical system in question, elec-
tromagnetic interference (EMI)
better reliability and an tends to be a nuisance. Because EMI can be
directed back into the power network or
alternative to three-layer, radiate through the air with the potential
to cause disturbances and malfunctions to
oil-impregnated paper other sensitive electrical equipment, it needs
to be mitigated to avoid system failure or dis-
capacitors. ruption to the operation of electrical equip-
ment. Filters designed specifically to prevent
electrical noise from electrical and electronic
equipment are often used to prevent these
disturbances caused by EMI.
The European Union (EU) and many
other countries have enforced stringent reg-
ulations limiting the level of interference an
electrical apparatus may generate or radi-
ate. The EU’s electromagnetic compatibility
by rafik stepanian (EMC) regulations cover all electrical appa-
ratus, however the United States—through
Rafik Stepanian is vice president of engineering the Federal Communication Commission
at LCR Electronics, Norristown, Pa. (FCC)—limits the type of apparatus cov-
18 applianceDESIGN July 2010
ered and does not include general house-
hold appliances, for example.
Typical Filter Design
Passive EMI filters are traditionally
designed with single or multiple stages of
coils and capacitors. These capacitors can be
subjected to excessive and repetitive voltage
spikes from the power line. Voltage spikes
can cause a degradation of the capacitor
dielectric, especially over long periods of
time and could cause the capacitor to fail or
rupture. Therefore, capacitors used in EMI
filters and other “across the line” applications
are designed to meet more stringent interna-
tional standards.
EMI filters for typical laundry appliances
tend to be treated differently than many
other household appliances permanently
connected to a wall socket such as microwave
ovens, refrigerators and televisions, in that
laundry-appliance manufacturers typically
www.applianceDESIGN.com

subject those
EMI filters to
more stringent
safety and life test
requirements. Research
has not really shown the rea-
son why, but historically, EMI
filters for laundry equipment were con-
structed utilizing capacitors with a three-
layer oil impregnated paper dielectric, since it
was likely the most reliable technology avail-
able when these machines were invented.
Three-layer Paper Capacitors
Being porous, paper has random micro-
scopic holes throughout so multiple sheets of
paper were used in three-layer paper capaci-
tors to misalign the holes across the length
of the stacked sheets. Since paper absorbs
moisture, the capacitor windings were heat
EMI filters for typical laundry appliances tend
to be treated differently than many other
household appliances—manufacturers
typically subject these EMI filters to more
stringent safety and life test requirements.
and vacuum treated to remove moisture and
air that was trapped between the dielectric
sheets, while the paper was impregnated with
oil or another impregnating material to fill
any voids and keep the paper moist to pre-
vent it from becoming brittle.
Some studies found that thermal stress
or over-voltage in certain applications could
cause degradation of the dielectric during
long periods of operation—possibly result-
ing in a dielectric break down and a short
circuit between the electrodes as well as a
rupture of oil impregnated paper capacitors,
subsequently causing a fire or explosion.
Originally, standard paper capacitors were
commonly used in antique radio equipment.
Impregnated paper capacitors started to find
their way into motor-start or high-voltage
www.applianceDESIGN.com
EMI filters using metalized
capacitors provide reliability and
safety, at similar price points of
those with paper capacitors.
power applications. While such capacitors
fit the applications at the time, paper capaci-
tors haven’t evolved along with the rest of
the electronic components industry. Radios
themselves don’t even use this technology
any longer, so why would other equipment
that has increased in sophistication over the
past several decades use it?
Sure enough, eventually many sup-
pliers stopped offering three-layer oil-
impregnated paper capacitors making it dif-
ficult and expensive for laundry equipment
manufacturers to include this type of capaci-
tor in their machines to stay within the com-
pliance laws of their respective countries.
New Technology
Brings Reliability
Even with the introduction of newer dielec-
tric materials, paper (or film) foil-capacitor
construction has the distinct disadvantage of
a larger size and—more importantly—a lack
of self-healing capabilities that could prevent
a short-circuit failure.
At one time, the use of paper dielectric was
MOTORS
Photo: LCR Electronics Inc.
acceptable because other dielectric material
was either very costly or simply unavailable.
If an appliance manufacturer was working on
a cost-sensitive project, these types of
capacitors were overlooked. But
with today’s available technol-
ogy, cost and accessibility are no
longer factors in the production of
EMI filters.
Capacitors utilizing metalized
film technology are smaller and safer
than paper-based capacitors, at relatively
the same cost. Should these capacitors fail,
they do so in an open-circuit mode, eliminat-
ing the risk of fire or explosion. The metal-
lization over the film evaporates should a
failure occur, eliminating the chance of elec-
trodes of opposite polarity coming in contact
with each other and causing a short-circuit
condition.
For some white goods manufacturers,
metalized polypropylene is the capacitor
of choice, because of its extremely low dis-
sipation factor, high dielectric strength, low
moisture absorption and high insulation
resistance. In recent years, EMI filters using
this type of construction have been replacing
the older, oil impregnated paper capacitors at
an accelerated rate.
In the past, there were some concerns that
metalized polypropylene capacitors were
more susceptible to transient over voltages
than oil impregnated paper types. However,
by applying specific, enhanced manufactur-
ing techniques to the metalized polypro-
pylene capacitors and EMI filter construc-
tion, these filters now comply with the most
stringent laundry equipment manufacturers’
accelerated and enhanced safety specifica-
tions, including high-voltage combined ring
wave tests. In addition, these EMI filters have
passed tests in other related industries.
With only a limited number of compa-
nies still producing multi-layer impreg-
nated paper capacitors, the product is
quickly becoming costly and hard to find.
EMI filters featuring metalized capacitors
are effectively used as direct-form, fit-
and-function replacements for the impreg-
nated paper capacitors of the past. <
For more information, visit: www.lcr-inc.com
applianceDESIGN July 2010 19
MOTORS
TURNING TO ELECTRIC
MOTOR SELECTION
T
he process of specifying electric
Evaluating the motor technologies can pres-
ent significant challenges for the
differences among key appliance designer. Off-the-shelf motors
tend to serve as starting points, because
motor technologies every particular application will involve
varying design and performance crite-
can help narrow the ria. For some applications, high motor
speeds and long service life may be cru-
field when selecting an cial, while other applications may call for
reduced audible noise and vibration as
electric motor. an overriding requirement. Other oper-
ating parameters inherently come into
play as well.
When selecting an electric motor
for an appliance application, evalu-
ating the differences among key
competing motor technologies can
by mike lefebvre help narrow the field. Insights into
permanent magnet (PM) brush-
Mike Lefebvre is a motors engineering manager commutated DC servo motors, brush-
at Ametek Technical & Industrial Products Inc., less DC servo motors, and hybrid stepper
Harleysville, Pa. motors can help with decision making.
20 applianceDESIGN July 2010
Brushless motors achieve com-
mutation electronically via a
permanent-magnet rotor, wound
stator and rotor-position sensing
scheme. Photo: Ametek Technical &
Industrial Products Inc.
As a practical matter, generalizations
about motor characteristics should nev-
er be considered absolute—there will
always be exceptions and lines may blur,
especially since customized motor solu-
tions often can be recommended and
engineered to overcome perceived “defi-
ciencies” relative to application need.
Motor Operating Dynamics
All PM brush-commutated and brush-
less DC servo motors operate by convert-
ing electrical energy into mechanical
energy through the interaction of two
magnetic fields. One field is produced by
a permanent magnet assembly; the other
field is produced by an electrical current
flowing in the motor windings. The rela-
tionship between these two fields results
in a torque that rotates the rotor. As the
rotor turns, the current in the windings
is commutated, or switched, to produce a
www.applianceDESIGN.com

Conventional brush-commutated DC motors use brushes—
typically graphite with metal content—as part of the com-
mutation process. Photo: Ametek Technical &
Industrial Products Inc.
continuous torque output.
Conventional brush-com-
mutated DC motors use brushes
(typically graphite with metal con-
tent) as part of the commutation process,
while brushless motors achieve commu-
tation electronically via a permanent-
magnet rotor, wound stator and rotor-
position sensing scheme.
Hybrid stepper motors combine the
operating principles of two distinct step
motor types: permanent magnet and
variable reluctance. One or more pairs
of laminated stacks featuring many sets
of teeth along the outside diameter are
positioned on the rotor shaft. A perma-
nent magnet between each stack within a
pair creates a north pole and south pole
along the axis.
Like all stepper motors, hybrid steppers
convert electrical pulses into mechanical
movements. Whereas conventional
brush or brushless DC motors
rotate continuously, a stepper
motor, when pulsed, rotates,
or steps, in fixed angular incre-
ments. Step size, or step angle,
is determined by the number of
teeth, motor construction and
type of drive scheme used for con-
trol. The most commonly speci-
fied step resolution is 1.8-deg., or
200 steps per revolution, resulting
from 50 pole pairs generated by 50
teeth on each rotor lamination.
Selection Factors
All of these motor technologies
invite comparisons. Initial factors
usually considered by appliance
designers include:
Type of Load. Brush and brushless
DC servo motors can accommodate a wide
range of loads, whether loads are con-
stant, variable, high intermittent peak or
www.applianceDESIGN.com
unpre-
dictable.
Hybrid stepper
motors are less toler-
ant of overload conditions.
In fact, high peak loads can
cause missed steps and stalls. Stepper
types should be specified for applications
only where near constant or predictable
torque loads can be anticipated.
Physical Size and Power Density.
High thermal impedance in PM brush DC
motors due to windings located on the
armature or rotor, creates a less efficient
thermal path and diminished rate of heat
dissipation. Therefore, a larger brush
motor may be necessary when compared
with a brushless motor to achieve a given
continuous output torque. This larger
motor size may be offset by the potential
elimination of associated drive electron-
ics, which can be a primary consider-
ation when component space
is limited.
MOTORS
Lower thermal impedance in PM
brushless DC motors (windings located
in the stator) delivers an efficient ther-
mal path and high rate of heat dissipa-
tion—offering the potential for a smaller
motor to achieve a given continuous out-
put torque.
Even though hybrid steppers exhibit
thermal paths similar to those of brush-
less DC motors, steppers must be sized to
accommodate “worst-case” peak loading,
which can require a relatively large pack-
age. Since steppers are good at produc-
ing high torque at low speed, they offer
the potential to eliminate the need for a
gearbox, yielding an overall smaller or
more convenient package size.
Case Heating. For a given motor size
and load point, brushless DC motors
tend to run at lower internal tempera-
tures than the other two types, due to
the higher thermal impedance levels in
brush types and the continuous drawing
of full current for hybrid step-
Whereas conventional
brush or brushless DC
motors rotate continuously,
a stepper motor rotates or steps
in fixed, angular increments when
pulsed. Photo: Ametek Technical &
Industrial Products Inc.
applianceDESIGN July 2010 21
MOTORS
pers. Steppers are typically designed
to draw full current constantly.
Steady-state case temperature for
PM brush-commutated DC motors
is often significantly less than the
winding temperature. Case tempera-
ture for brushless models often corre-
sponds with the winding temperature
and steppers will run hot relatively
constantly.
Speed. Generally, PM brush-
commutated DC motors should be
operated in excess of 1,000 rpm to
prevent brush particle accumulation
in the slots between commutator
segments that could result in short-
ing. Recommended operating speeds
above 10,000 rpm are atypical, due to
limitations inherent in brush-com-
mutator systems, suggesting that where
high speed must be realized, brush DC
motors carry limitations. Speeds below
1,000 rpm can be realized with a gear-
box.
High rotational speeds for brushless
DC motors often will be limited only by
the mechanical integrity of the rotor con-
struction, speed-related internal losses
impedance winding may slight-
Designers can calculate speeds of brush ly increase the maximum speed.
or brushless DC motors by applying this Torque capability is quite high at
equation: low speeds and steppers can tol-
erate operation at multiple speeds
through wide ranges.
Efficiency. Gearboxes and brush-
and-contact resistance can lower
the efficiency of brush DC motors.
ω = motor rotational speed in rpm Improvements may be gained from
V = supply voltage in Volts ironless motor construction and
TL = load torque in oz-in precious metal brushes, although
KT = motor torque constant in oz-in/A subsequent tradeoffs in power den-
I0 = motor no-load current in Amps sity and life can be expected.
RT = motor terminal resistance in Ohms Gearboxes and drive electron-
KE = motor voltage constant in V/krpm ics will likewise decrease efficiency
in brushless DC motors, although
slotless construction techniques
and bearing selection. Speeds in excess of can help compensate by reducing
10,000 rpm are possible with appropriate cogging, hysteresis and viscous losses.
designs, and speeds below 1,000 rpm can Hybrid steppers represent the least effi-
be handled with a gearbox or directly, cient among these motor types, because
depending on drive capabilities. of continuous current draw.
Because of their high pole count, Holding Torque Capability. Whether
hybrid steppers typically are selected for brush or brushless, an un-energized
low-speed operation below 1,000 rpm. motor’s ability to hold a load will depend
Usable torque begins to drop off quickly on its cogging and friction torque, which
in this range, although specifying a low usually are low. Holding capacity can be

Servo Grade Brush Commutated DC Motor Servo Brushless DC Motor Hybrid Step Motor
Type of Load Constant or variable with high intermittent Constant or variable with high intermittent Constant load preferred, peak loads can
peaks peaks cause missed steps and stalls
Speed Medium (1000 to 10000 rpm) or low (<1000 Medium and high (>1000 rpm) or low Low (<1000 rpm) without need for gearbox
rpm) via gearbox (<1000 rpm) via gearbox
Size Medium (higher thermal impedance results in Small (lower thermal impedance results Large (must be sized to accommodate
lower continuous torque capability in a given in higher continuous torque capability in a worst-case peak loading), but may offer
size), but may offer overall small package size given size) overall small package size if it eliminates
if it eliminates drive electronics the need for a gearbox
Efficiency Medium to high (lower if gearbox is required) High (lower if gearbox is required) Low (typically designed to draw high cur-
rent at all times)
Heating Medium (relatively high thermal impedance Low (relatively low thermal impedance due High (typically designed to draw high cur-
due to winding location on armature) to winding location in stator) rent at all times)
Holding Torque Capability Low as motor, medium with gearbox, high Low as motor, medium with gearbox, high Low as de-energized motor, high as
with brake with brake energized motor
Audible Noise Medium as motor, high with gearbox, can be Low as motor, high with gearbox, can be Low to high depending on motor design
improved with brush material and bearing improved with bearing selection as well as and operating speed with respect to reso-
selection as well as armature balancing rotor balancing nant regions, can be improved with drive
scheme (e.g. microstepping)
Electrical Noise High, can be improved with brush material Medium Medium
selection and filters
Life & Maintenance Good (<5000 hours typical), limited by Excellent (>5000 hours typical), limited by Excellent (>5000 hours typical), limited by
mechanical commutation and bearings, can be electronic commutation and bearings bearings
improved with proper brush material selection
Application Integration Simple (commutation is done automatically by Complex (commutation is directed by rotor Medium (motor is driven open loop and
mechanical means), can be driven directly by postion feedback from motor, requiring commutation is commanded, requiring
simple DC power supply or battery drive electronics) drive electronics)
This chart shows comparative data on motor properties and performance. Source: Ametek Technical & Industrial Products Inc.

22 applianceDESIGN July 2010 www.applianceDESIGN.com


increased using a gear reducer to amplify
the holding torque reflected to the load.
For superior holding capacity, brake
installation is recommended.
An un-energized hybrid stepper’s abil-
ity to hold a load depends on its detent
torque, which is similarly low. Since step
motors are designed to operate continu-
ously at full current, however, they can
produce high holding torques indefi-
nitely.
Audible Noise. Primary sources of
audible noise in brush DC motors can
include armature imbalance, bearings
and brushes yielding moderate overall
noise levels. Primary sources in brush-
less DC motors include rotor imbalance
and bearings for lower overall noise lev-
els. Noise in both motor types increases
when a gearbox is introduced. Solutions
such as rotor balancing and appropriate
bearing and brush material selection can
be employed to reduce noise.
In hybrid steppers, audible noise arises
from vibration caused by resonances and
bearings to create low to high overall
noise levels. These levels can be improved
by avoiding operating speeds that lead to
NEED
E PR I NTS?
ÕÀœ«i]
È> >˜`
R %LCO 2USSIA
Have you or your company been
featured in a recent issue of
Appliance Design? Reprints can be
a single sheet or multiple pages. They
are available in color or black and
)0 3ERIES

white in quantities of 500 or more.
resonances or instabilities and by intro-
ducing alternate drive schemes, such as
microstepping.
Electrical Noise. For brushless DC
and hybrid stepper motors less electri-
cal noise is generated compared with
brush DC motors, due to the nature of
the mechanical commutation system in
brush motors. Noise can be mitigated in
brush types by adding suppression devic-
es and filters and appropriately selecting
brush materials.
Life Expectancy. In general, brush-
less and hybrid stepper motors will serve
much longer than brush-commutated DC
motor types. Life expectancy for brush-
commutated DC motors is limited pri-
marily by the life of the brushes, bear-
ings and gearbox. Life expectancies in the
range of 2,000 to 5,000 hours of opera-
tion are common, although actual ser-
vice life can vary greatly depending on
the motor design and operating current,
voltage, speed and other conditions.
For brushless DC and hybrid stepper
motors, life expectancies are in excess of
10,000 hours and will be limited essen-
tially by bearing life and related radial
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7ˆÌ… LÀ>˜V…ià >˜` v>VˆˆÌˆià ëÀi>` ˆ˜
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and axial loads, temperature and envi-
ronment.
Ease of Integration. Brush DC motors
are relatively simple to engineer into an
application, in part because commuta-
tion is performed mechanically without
requiring additional components. These
motor types can be driven directly by a
DC power supply, including a battery,
and more advanced drive and control
schemes can be integrated for functional-
ity beyond basic operation.
Applying brushless DC and hybrid
stepper motors can be somewhat more
complex. Drive electronics for elec-
tronic commutation will be required for
both types, although onboard solutions
can help simplify the job for system
designers.
With all the parameters to consider
and particular application requirements
to satisfy, partnering with an experienced
engineering resource can help point the
way toward realizing a motor technol-
ogy’s full potential. <
For more information, visit:
www.ametektechnicalproducts.com
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www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 23

CONTROLS & SENSORS

   
   



 


     


 Medical applications in human respiration, requiring measurement of air flow in
or out of human lungs during breathing, typically measure flow in a breathing tube
indirectly by sensing flow-induced differential pressure in a shunt configuration at two
ports positioned along the side of the tube. Often, this flow-induced differential pressure
(ΔP) is enhanced by a flow-restrictive element, such as a baffle. Source: Microbridge
  Technologies

CONSIDERATIONS
FOR MICRO AIR FLOW
PRESSURE SENSORS
ment that contributes to the successful

When designing
systems using micro
air flow differential
pressure sensors,
don’t ignore the hidden
specs.
by dr. les landsberger
Dr. Les Landsberger is CTO at Microbridge
Technologies, Sunnyvale, Calif.
W
hile sleep apnea has been
observed for more than 200
years, it was only relatively
recently that members of the medical pro-
fession recognized that patients who had
had a tracheotomy, exhibited a marked
improvement in their sleep apnea condi-
tion. This set in motion a series of events
that lead to the invention, and further
refinement, of continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) machines for treatment
of this condition.
In 1902, Willis Carrier developed a
machine called Apparatus for Treating Air.
It was built for a publishing company in
Brooklyn, N.Y. and used chilled coils filled
with ammonia to cool the air and lower
humidity. This too set in motion a series
of events that lead to the refinement of the
work environment and home comfort.
At first glance, it is difficult to connect
these two events. However, over the years,
technology refinement and environmen-
tal concern have brought them ever closer
together. Today, there is a common ele-
deployment of both CPAP machines, and
residential and commercial HVAC systems.
The connection lies in a low-cost, simple-
to-use, sensing element called a micro-
flow-based differential pressure sensor.
Available from several different manu-
facturers, these types of devices have found
permanent homes in medical and industri-
al applications. A more in-depth investiga-
tion of each application reveals some com-
mon threads that bind them together.
Consider typical medical applications
in human respiration, requiring measure-
ment of air flow in or out of human lungs
during breathing, such as artificial lung
ventilation equipment, spirometers, sleep-
apnea treatment apparatus, CPAP equip-
ment and variable positive airway pressure
(VPAP) equipment.
Typically, these techniques measure flow
in a breathing tube indirectly, by sens-
ing flow-induced differential pressure in
a shunt configuration at two ports posi-
tioned along the side of the tube. Often,

24 applianceDESIGN July 2010 www.applianceDESIGN.com

 CONTROLS & SENSORS

Comparative tests were performed using

sensors with normal flow impedance (at
far left) and high flow impedance (at left)
after which the sensors were opened to confirm
contamination problems with low, pneumatic-
flow impedance devices. At left you can see
dust accumulation on the inner surface of the
opened sensor, while the MB-LPS sensor hous-
ing at right showed no evidence of dust. Photos:
Microbridge Technologies

     #  "  

"       
     
$  
 !    
!   "   
 "    "   "  
    "   "
$    "   
 
this flow-induced differential pressure
 $       
(ΔP) is enhanced by a flow-restrictive ele-
ment, such as a baffle.
  "    
Since it is important not to interfere with
- ,
lung function, it is advantageous that the
,
breathing tube, and especially the baffle, do
 0 
not offer too-high flow-resistance during

5
normal breathing. The overall breathing
tube and baffle are designed to offer low
4 3

flow-resistances, roughly 200 Pascals (Pa)
4 3 

or less per liter of breathing flow.
6 2 0%
With air flows in the range from several
liters for spontaneous respiration—up to      .10   
15 liters for forced-expiration—the dif-    &.10"&
ferential pressures sensed in a shunt con-  "    #  
figuration are still very low, in the range of "   
hundreds to thousands of Pa. These levels      "   "
of differential pressures (ΔP = P2 – P1) are
     "    "
typically too low for membrane-type dif-
      " 7 
ferential pressure sensors to be practical
and cost-effective in high volumes.
Due to the physics of gas dynamics, the
differential pressure seen at the two pres-
sure ports increases roughly as the square * 4 /  2  3 (*)'(
of the main flow in the breathing tube. (800) 527-4362   +    w w w. l c r- i n c . c o m

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 25

CONTROLS & SENSORS
 
Therefore, micro-flow sensors can be used
as sensors for differential air pressure, as long
as the pneumatic impedance of the micro-
    flow channel is consistent enough unit-
to-unit, and high enough not to overly
affect the ambient pressures, P1 and P2, at


the two ends of the channel and minimize

air leakage through the channel.
HVAC systems introduce a new set of
problems. No longer does the air oscillate;
it is now a continuous unidirectional flow
of either warm and possibly humid air or
  cool dryer air.
  Consider, for example, a sensor being
 used in a shunt configuration to sense dif-
ferential pressure (ΔP = P2 – P1) across a
  
flow-restrictive baffle in an air duct, there-
by inferring measurement of air flow in the
duct. The particular type of element-gen-
erating differential pressure as a function
of gas flow is not important in this analy-
sis as baffles, Venturi tubes, Pitot tubes, or
Lilly or Fleisch elements used in medical
apparatus may be used to generate differ-
 ential pressure.
 First, the sensor must be connected to the
duct, such as by connected tubes or hoses.
Non-zero gas flow through the sensor and
the tubes corresponds with a pressure drop
(ΔPt) across the tubes, and therefore the
In a shunt application, the sensor must be connected to the duct, such as by tubes or
hoses. Non-zero gas flow through the sensor and the tubes corresponds with a pressure drop actual pressure (ΔPs) measured by the sen-
(ΔPt) across the tubes, and therefore the actual pressure (ΔPs) measured by the sensor is sor is: ΔPs = ΔPd – ΔPt, which is lower than
ΔPs = ΔPd – ΔPt, which is lower than the differential pressure (ΔPd) generated in the duct. the differential pressure (ΔPd) generated in
Source: Microbridge Technologies the duct. The higher the flow impedance of
the sensor, the smaller the flow in the con-
nection tubing, and therefore the smaller
the pressure drop (ΔPt) across that tub-
ing, and the smaller the comparative error
This severe non-linearity, places extreme of very low differential pressures. A more caused by the tube connections. Rough cal-
demands on the differential pressure sen- accurate approach is to measure differ- culations estimate the flow impedance of
sor to accurately measure low flows. In ential pressure by a “pressure-from-flow” typical connection tubing as:
practice, in order to offer overall resolu- strategy, using a basic thermo-anemome- 41 meter of ¼-in. ID tubing: ~ 0.5 Pa /
tion of ~1% in measurement of the main ter-type micro-air-flow sensor. (ml/s)
flow in the breathing tube, it is necessary to Thermo-anemometer-type micro- 41 meter of 1/8-in. ID tubing: ~ 8 Pa /
measure ΔP over a dynamic range of ~104x air-flow sensors have been well known for (ml/s)
or greater. several decades. A flow-channel guides 41 meter of 1/16-in. ID tubing: ~ 120 Pa
Beyond the stringent requirements air over a central heating element, which / (ml/s)
for dynamic range, and measurement of locally heats a small volume of gas. The To enhance the immunity of the sensor
low-breathing flows, medical respiration heated volume is displaced by the flow vs. particulate contaminants and humidity,
applications bring tough standards regard- in one direction or the other, in turn it may be desirable to use filters. If the flow
ing resistance to contamination. In other unbalancing the temperatures in a pair impedance of the sensor is comparable to
words, the sensor must allow effectively no of temperature-sensors, positioned sym- the flow-impedance of the connecting tubes
flow-through leakage. metrically on each side of the heating or filters, then this will affect the pressure-
Taken together, and with the additional element. drop across the sensor—effectively degrad-
requirement of low-cost, high-volume The speed that the air flows through the ing the sensor’s ability to sense the real dif-
mass production, the aforementioned set of flow channel is determined by the differ- ferential pressure in the main air duct.
requirements constitutes an unprecedented ence in pressure between the two ends of the Due to the high flow-through impedance
challenge for sensor manufacturers. flow channel, and by the flow-impedance of the MB-LPS sensors, any filter-induced
Membrane-type differential pressure of the flow channel, measured in pressure- change in air flow through the sensor (and
sensors are not practical for measurement difference per flow rate in ml/s. therefore the change in the sensor’s sen-

26 applianceDESIGN July 2010 www.applianceDESIGN.com

 CONTROLS & SENSORS

 
 

DESIGN MART
 
 
This appliance DESIGN Design Mart section brings you
information on new products and services available through
The air in thermo-anemometer-type micro-air-flow sen-
sors (top view and side view) travels through a flow-channel print and online. To receive more information about the
that guides the air over a central heating element, locally heat-
ing a small volume of gas. The heated volume is displaced the products and services in this section, visit appliance
by the flow in one direction or the other, unbalancing the
temperatures in a pair of temperature-sensors, positioned DESIGN online at www.applianceDESIGN.com.
symmetrically on each side of the heating element. Source:
Microbridge Technologies

One Source
Ellsworth Adhesives is a full-service
distributor of Adhesives, Sealants, Coatings,
Encapsulants & Dispensing Equipment from
sitivity) is small-to-negligible. If a filter is used, even as the leading manufacturers.
filter’s characteristics change over time and use, the change
- Global Operations
in the filter’s flow-impedance will still be small-to-negligible
- Leading Supplier Partners
compared to the high flow-impedance of the MB-LPS sensor.
- Guaranteed Shelf-Life
In applications such as HVAC where dust particles may be
- Product Documentation
present in the main air flow, the question may naturally arise
- Custom Packaging/Labeling
whether such dust presents a reliability hazard to thermal-
- Glue DoctorTM Specialists
anemometer-based sensors. Since normal function of the sen-
sor involves air flow through the flow-channel, it is certainly
plausible that such air flow may carry dust particles into the 69 t
sensor’s flow channel. Thus the hypothetical dangers from w G t T

dust particles are that one or more particles could enter the
sensor’s flow-channel, causing:
1. A change (increase) in the sensor’s internal flow-impedance
and a change (decrease) in the sensor’s calibrated sensitiv- Want to see YOUR
ity. This would be seen as a reduction in the sensor’s output
voltage, for a given applied ΔP and a loss of calibration. Product here?
2. A complete blockage of the sensor’s internal flow channel appliance DESIGN’s Design
(functional failure). Engineering readers are interested,
active and always looking for
3. Dust to adhere on or near the sensitive microstructures
information to help them design and
that make up the sensing element inside the channel, caus- specify products and services to use
ing a change in calibration. in the creation of their appliances.*
Regardless of the end application, accuracy in flow mea-
surement depends on many variables associated with the
sensor being considered. For very small differential pres-
Contact
sures, thermo-anemometer type devices offer performance
Jennifer Nagel
advantages. On the surface, choices may seem similar but at 248-244-1729
tradeoffs are always present: even subtleties such as device or nagelj@bnpmedia.com
orientation can introduce errors. Study your spec sheets
for more information.
carefully before making a decision. <
*AM Editorial Readership Study, August 2004

For more information, visit: www.mbridgetech.com

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 27

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C&K COMPONENTS
This new series of low-profile rotary DIP
switches are available in surface mount and
through-hole models. The RTE Series DIP
switches feature SPDT, SP3T and SP4T rotary
functions as well as rotary binary-decimal
and hexa-decimal coding. Two versions are
available. RTE B switches have markings with
improved contrast; the RTE HR switches pro-
vide increased reliability to withstand aging
tests that are the equivalent of 20-year usage,
according to the company. Designed to with-
stand an accelerated life test of 3,000 hours at
150-deg. C (the equivalent of 20-year usage),
the RTE HR DIP switches feature a whisker-
free contact plating for increased reliability.
For more information, visit: www.ck-components.com
 " " 
NEW PRODUCTS
LAIRD TECHNOLOGIES INC.
The Maxblade internal wireless device
antenna operates in the 2.3-6 GHz
WiMax frequency band with gains of
2.1 dBi and 4 dBi. Specifically designed
to be embedded inside devices for aes-
thetically pleasing integration with
high durability, the antenna features
wide bandwidth that augments wire-
less applications with a single antenna
design including 802.11 a/b/g, 802.16,
and Bluetooth. Its polarization provides
a vertical and omnidirectional radiation
pattern at all frequencies with increased
gain in the upper bands for optimal cov-
erage. The antenna is RoHS compliant
and includes a coaxial cable pigtail with
various connector choices.
For more information, visit: www.lairdtech.com
Our pumps for more efficiency!
     " 
CANFIELD CONNECTOR
The TMLT is an all solid state electron-
ic timer, housed in an environmentally
resistant composite encapsulated pack-
age. The timer’s standard microprocessor
is programmed according to customer
specifications. It features 16 timer modes
of operation and 14 time ranges, from
0.5 to 2,000 seconds and comes with one
voltage range of 24 to 240 VAC 50/60Hz
and 12 to 240 VDC. The onboard light
aids diagnostics and troubleshooting.
The product is resistant to dust, vibration
and humidity. <
For more information, visit: www.canfieldconnector.com
 
  
 
 ! 
  %
 
    !! 
 "

  "
 
$ !  "



 # !  
  

   "  
 
 


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4*--1+- 9  ? < ).2 '/,,( 00* ? 6 > ).2 '/,,( 00*-+
3 *! ? !!! *!

www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 29

 AD INDEX
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(Check one only) Manufacturers of Consumer, Commercial and Business Appliances (including Corporate Headquarters, R&D/Testing Labs, Design/Engineering Facilities)
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09 Q
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12 Q
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Test and Measurement Equipment 89 Q All Others Not Classified Above bsgrep@aol.com
06 Q Consumer Electronics Equipment (specify) ___________________________________ Phone: (216) 233-6943
Fax: (216) 803-6151
7. IN THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR JOB, WHICH OF THE TYPES OF PRODUCTS LISTED AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA,
BELOW DO YOU RECOMMEND, SPECIFY, APPROVE OR PURCHASE (Check ALL that apply) MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC,
33 Q Motors, Fans, Blowers, Pumps, Motor Controllers 43 Q Plastics, Elastomers TN, VA, VT, WV.
45 Q Heating Elements/Igniters 37 Q Seals, Gaskets & Gasketing Equipment Eastern Canada
47 Q Connectors, Cords, Wire, Cable, Terminating Machines 36 Q Coatings, Paints, Finishing & Finishing Equipment
34 Q Controls, Sensors, Thermostats 35 Q Decorative Products Jennifer Nagel
28 Q Switches, Relays, Thermal Cutoffs, Circuit Breakers, Fuses (Trim, Nameplates, Glass, Labels, Graphic Overlays) nagelj@bnpmedia.com
29 Q Displays, Indicators, Lamps, LEDs 38 Q Software CO, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY.
39 Q Microcontollers, Integrated Circuits, 32 Q Assembly Equipment & Tools, Welders, Design Marts, Reprints & Buyers Guide
& Other Electronic Components Clinching Machines, Brazing Machines, Fastners, Phone: (248) 244-1729
46 Q Solenoids, Valves, Actuators Dispensing Equipment, Adhesives & Tapes Fax: (248) 244-2040
31 Q Metal parts (Stampings, Castings, Powder Metal 42 Q Test & Measurement Equipment,
Parts, Springs, Hinges) Testing & Certification Labs/Services international
44 Q Plastic Molding/Forming Services 48 Q Other (specify) ______________________________
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Prefinished Metals) 49 Q None of the above lerouxd@bnpmedia.com
Europe & U.K.
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www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN July 2010 31

ASSOCIATION REPORT: AHAM
Path to Sustainability
I
Joseph M. McGuire began talking about sustainability in this column
President two years ago as AHAM was preparing its first edu-
Association of Home cational session focused on what individual mem-
Appliance Manufacturers
ber companies were doing to make their companies
and products sustainable. The conversation continued
within AHAM and led to inclusion of a specific goal in
our 2009 strategic plan for the association to define its
role in sustainability.
Over the past two years in my discussions with the
business leaders of AHAM member companies it was
stated that AHAM’s expertise could benefit consum-
ers and the trade by helping to establish metrics for
AHAM products. These conversations led the Board
to dedicate the association’s annual meeting this year
to the topic of development of such measures for the
industry.
Two major initiatives resulted from this ongoing
dialogue. The first initiative is the development of
AHAM sustainability standards for home appliances.
It is a decision backed unanimously by our Board of
Directors and by an overwhelming consensus of the
member companies’ top management.
No one doubts the existence of the significant inter-
est in sustainability in the appliance industry supply
chain. Attendees at AHAM’s annual meeting in April
confirmed sustainability’s growing importance. During
an interactive session on the subject, 78% of attendees
indicated that sustainability is now, or in the near future
will be, a requirement of their company’s stakeholders.
In addition, when asked if sustainability metrics should
be developed for the appliance sector, 79% of respon-
dents indicated AHAM was the most appropriate entity
to develop them.
The strong preference for AHAM leadership in sus-
tainability standards development emerged with an
understanding by industry leaders that other entities,
including retailers, have indicated a desire to develop
specific sustainability requirements. The industry’s
objective is to address the growing interest in sustain-
able products by consumers, retailers and regulators
with a responsible solution that can meet the needs of
all stakeholders.
It also addresses the matter of “green washing,”
which involves exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims
of environmental performance by companies. This
practice provides false information to consumers, con-
tributes to confusion and misunderstanding over rel-
32 applianceDESIGN July 2010
evant sustainability metrics for given products and can
create a loss of confidence in manufacturer’s claims in
the environmental arena—it is also illegal.
To reflect the different environmental profiles of
various home appliances, AHAM will consider the
products in its three regular membership divisions
(majors, portable and floor care) separately. AHAM
supplier members will also participate in the sustain-
ability initiative. A kick-off meeting of interested major
appliance manufacturing members will occur in July to
lay out the process to develop these sustainability stan-
dards or metrics. Member task forces will be formed,
and we will develop timelines and plans for reaching
out to stakeholders.
This commitment to provide accurate, environ-
mental information to customers is also the basis for
AHAM pursuing an independent testing program to
verify the energy claims of refrigerator and freezers.
This program, which will be voluntary and open to
AHAM members and non-members alike, is aimed at
boosting the confidence of consumers and retailers in
the validity of energy claims made by manufacturers of
refrigerators and freezers sold in the United States and
Canada.
AHAM’s Refrigerator, Refrigerator-Freezer and
Freezer Verification Program is also designed to
assist the Energy Star program, managed by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in its approv-
al and monitoring of qualified appliances and the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) in surveillance testing of
refrigerators and freezers for compliance with national
minimum energy efficiency standards. In addition, the
program will be coordinated with Canada’s national
appliance efficiency requirements.
Both EPA and DOE are taking a more proactive
role in the qualification and market surveillance of
consumer product energy claims. AHAM has admin-
istered third-party rating claim certification and verifi-
cation programs for decades. Programs currently exist
for room air conditioners, dehumidifiers and portable
room air cleaners.
The decisions to pursue these initiatives reflect the
growing interest and sophistication from the public
about the environmental attributes of consumer prod-
ucts as well as the recognition by AHAM members of
the power of collective action in serving the needs of
the public and the members simultaneously. <
www.applianceDESIGN.com
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