Appliance Design - April 2008 - (Page 11)

NEwS watch tOYS DROP NIcKEL caDMIUM. Toys “R” Us Inc. and Mattel Inc. plan to phaseout the use of nickel-cadmium batteries in their toys. The nickel cadmium batteries, commonly found in remote-control toys, pose no health risks to children who play with the toys. But, the batteries have been a target of environmental and workers-rights groups. The joint venture, based in the central Chinese province of Anhui, will be 95 percent owned by Midea and have annual production capacity of 5 million compressors. Toshiba Carrier Corp will hold the remaining 5 percent. Midea will inject 309 million yuan into the venture. atMEL acQUIRES QUaNtUM. Atmel FDa OK ShIELDS DEVIcES. An 8-1 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court limits state lawsuits against medical device manufacturers. The court ruled that state law cannot be used to sue a medical device maker over a device that had received approval by FDA regulators. The case was Riegel v. Medtronic, 06-179. cOMPRESSOR VENtURE. China’s Midea Electric Appliances Co. will form a refrigeration compressor-manufacturing venture with a unit of Toshiba Corp. NEw tV StaR. The Environmental Protection Agency has revised the Energy Star specification for televisions. Effective Nov. 1, 2008, TVs that carry the Energy Star label will be up to 30 percent more efficient than conventional models and will save energy while they are on and when they are turned off. According to recent market research, North American shipments of TVs will top 36 million units in 2008. These TVs will typically be larger, in use more hours a day, and offer more vibrant pictures and other features than their predecessors. However, these enhancements can come with a hefty energy price tag. Corp., San Jose, Calif., has acquired Quantum Research Group Ltd., U.K., a developer of capacitive touchscreen technology. The acquisition of Quantum provides Atmel with an immediate presence in touch sensing. Capacitive sensing products are rapidly penetrating the overall touch sensing technology market, which is expected to grow from more than $1 billion in 2007 to more than $3 billion in 2011. Touch sensing in mobile phones alone is expected to grow from 50 million units in 2007 to 400 million units by 2011, the company says. chINESE aPPLIaNcES MORE cOStLY. Higher raw material costs are forcing Chinese appliance manufacturers to raise prices. Haier has raised its prices on goods, mainly clothes washing machines and refrigerators, by 5 percent to 10 percent. The price rise was due to increased Connections Evolved ETCO’s patented, revolutionary Flat-Snap product has evolved to the next level of innovation. In addition to the unisex connection, the Flat-Snap can now be connected to a UL male combo tab* that provides greater surface contact and significant performance advantages. In addition, either Flat-Snap will stay connected in high vibration environments better than standard connections. open barrel design with a high-integrity “f” crimp Secure connection not affected by vibration New male tab provides more surface contact locking clip prevents bendback Manufactured by: Call 401.467.2400 or email sdunn@etco.com for a product sample. ETCO Incorporated 25 Bellows Street : Warwick, RI 02888 *the male tab also accepts traditional “push on” quick-connects and in-line disconnects. For more Information Enter 103 AD04084Etco.indd 1 www.applianceDESIGN.com applianceDESIGN 3/12/08 2008 AM April 9:43:18 11 http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - April 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch A Variant of Thermoacoustic Refrigeration Known as Acoustic-Stirling is Expanding Its Range Outside Cryocooling Into More Conventional Applications Such As Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Free-Piston, Stirling Coolers Are Now Showing Up in Mainstream Applications As Costs Come Down and Heat Transport Solutions Are Devised Heat Exchanger Innovations Are Helping To Improve the Overall Efficiency of Vapor Compression Systems Environmental Concerns Have Once Again Ignited a Debate Over Refrigerants A New Glass Ceramic Material for Induction Cooktops Can Be Decorated In a Variety of Glimmering Metallic, 3-D Looks That Can Employ a Number of Shades, Patterns, Styles, Colors, Intensities, and Textures Colorful, Reflective Coatings for Glass Create a Variety of Design Options To Help Designers Establish a Unique Look for Their Products Appliance Designers Faced With Different Motor and Drive Options Need To Understand the Differences and Tradeoffs Before Choosing A New MEMS Valve Offers a Number of Advantages Over Solenoids In Certain Applications, Including the Opportunity To Cut Energy Use The AHR Expo Set Attendance Records and Showcased Thousands of Innovative New Products Classifieds Design Marts Advertiser’s Index Association Report: CEA

Appliance Design - April 2008

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