Why People Are Suddenly Freaking Out Over California’s Exhaust Laws: Explained

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Writer

On Jan. 1, 2019, a new rule went into effect changing the way California cops can bust you for exhaust noise violations and the car community seems to be freaking out about it. The legislation in question is California Assembly Bill 1824, here’s a rundown of what it really means.

The short story is that A.B. 1824 is not as big a deal as some forum posters and YouTube clips have made it out to be, largely because California’s exhaust laws have been strict for a long time. Even as a Californian myself, I didn’t realize how many people wanted to discuss this until I saw a popular thread on Reddit’s r/cars and a cascade of videos on YouTube about it.

That said, it did become easier to get fined for being loud this year.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) spells the situation out pretty plainly in a press release:

California Assembly Bill (A.B.) 1824, which was signed into law by then-Governor Jerry Brown in June of 2018 went into effect on January 1, 2019. The bill has generated significant concern amongst the online enthusiast community. Despite what is being circulated, enactment of A.B. 1824 does not change existing laws pertaining to exhaust noise or sale and installation of aftermarket exhaust systems.

Under existing law, exhaust systems installed on motor vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, may

Article source: https://jalopnik.com/why-people-are-suddenly-freaking-out-over-californias-e-1831620651

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Got a drone? Watch where you fly it in the village of Summit. The village has a new ordinance to regulate them.

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Writer

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Article source: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/news/oconomowoc/2019/01/14/village-of-summit-parks-are-now-the-designated-area-to-fly-model-airplanes/2569063002/

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The What, Why and How of Industrial Robot Simulation Software for Offline Programming (OLP)

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Writer

When it’s time to program an industrial robot on the production line, the line has to stop. Because this downtime can cost upwards of thousands of dollars, offline programming (OLP) is an attractive option for many manufacturers. Using simulation software, it’s possible to digitally recreate robots, tools, fixtures, and the entire cell, then define a program complete with motions, tool commands, and logic. That program can be processed and downloaded to the robot, similar to the process of programming any CNC machine with CAM software.

Even if line stoppage isn’t a problem, however, there are still cases where designing a robot program in simulation is preferable to manual programming. For example, in a palletizing application involving dozens or even hundreds of boxes, a typical program could include hundreds of points. Teaching all these points manually would be tedious and time consuming. In these cases, OLP comes into play.

According to Heikki Aalto, founder and executive vice president of Delfoi, the ubiquity of CAD models in today’s manufacturing world means that programming in simulation can begin even before the first product rolls off the line. “When you are designing something, you have the design available for programming at a very early stage. You don’t have the car, the airplane, the product ready yet, but you can do everything based on CAD model beforehand,” he said. “Once you have your components on the shop floor, you have done your program already.”

Choosing the right robotic simulation software involves several important considerations. 

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Restoration: The 1912 Olmstead Pusher | History

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Writer

Karl Heinzel is fiddling with a C-clamp fastened to a wing of the 1912 Olmsted Pusher so he can mount the wings on what he calls “Frankenstand,” an adjustable support he designed to display the fragile pieces of a century-old aircraft. Designing the display mount is just the latest task in his year-long effort at stabilizing this unusual airplane, one of more than 40 he has worked on during his 34-year career at the National Air and Space Museum. That career was to have ended in 2008, when Heinzel, then deputy shop supervisor, retired at 57. But he has now become that rare person who can legitimately quote Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Part III: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” Two years after his retirement, “they”—the rare, historic aircraft in the Museum’s collection—pulled him in to continue, unpaid, the work he was paid to do for more than three decades.

It’s hard to imagine Heinzel doing anything other than restoring aircraft. The 67-year-old has been around airplanes “pretty much from day one,” when he was tasked with crawling into the belly of his father’s gull-wing Stinson to retrieve wayward nuts and bolts.

His first restoration was a North American F-86 under the direction of then-lead mechanic Joe Fichera. “He was a no-foolin’-around mechanic,” says Heinzel. “He didn’t tolerate second-rate work.” Fichera’s crew assembled many of the aircraft displayed in the Museum for its 1976 opening on the National Mall. During that period, Heinzel gained

Article source: https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/one-of-a-kind-times-two-180971216/

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VSU Hosts Science Saturday January 26

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Writer

January 15, 2019
19-11

Jessica Pope
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator

VALDOSTA — The College of Science and Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, and Department of Computer Science at Valdosta State University will present Science Saturday: Adventures in Mathematics and Computer Science from 9 a.m. to noon on January 26 in Nevins Hall.

Science Saturday: Adventures in Mathematics and Computer Science is ideal for students in the middle grades. However, all ages are invited to take advantage of this fun-filled and educational opportunity, which will include discovering how Pi (π) is related to MM’s candy, learning programming through games, making a robot move, using Weebly to design a website, constructing model airplanes and buildings from cardboard, Math-Magic and magical cards, and more.

Refreshments will be served. There will also be hourly raffles for templates for model airplanes to build, as well as a one-time raffle for an iPod.

Science Saturday is supported by VSU’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Initiative and is part of an ongoing effort to inspire the next generation to want to learn more about these areas. Faculty in the College of Science and Mathematics understand that the nation’s future economic prosperity is closely linked with student success in the STEM fields. 

“All young people should be prepared to think deeply and to think well so that they have the chance to become the innovators, educators, researchers, and leaders who can solve the most pressing challenges facing our nation and our world, both today and tomorrow,” according to the United States Department of

Article source: https://www.valdosta.edu/about/news/releases/2019/01/vsu-hosts-science-saturday-january-26.php

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Don Chadwick Went from Building Model Plans to Creating Silicon Valley’s Favorite Seat

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Writer

Don Chadwick, 82, is an industrial designer and co-creator of Herman Miller Inc.’s Aeron chair. The ergonomic office seat was introduced in 1994 and first became popular with technology and Internet firms in the late 1990s. It is included in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. He spoke with Marc Myers.

My first chair was nothing special. I was 12 when my parents bought me a standard desk and upholstered chair. Furniture design wasn’t a passion yet. I was more focused on building model trains and airplanes.

…

Article source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/don-chadwick-went-from-building-model-plans-to-creating-silicon-valleys-favorite-seat-11547566871

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Want to fly your drone in Summit? Go to the park, new village ordinance says

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Writer

VILLAGE OF SUMMIT – After several complaints from residents about the flying of model airplanes, helicopters and other airborne devices, the village has taken action.

On Jan. 10, the village board unanimously approved an ordinance that made the village parks the designated area for hobbyists to fly, operate and make use of any remote or radio-controlled model airplane, helicopter, drone, or any other airborne device.

“We’ve had a couple different complaints from people who live adjacent to our village park,” said Summit Police Chief Michael Hartert. “Those complaints were about model airplanes. They’re outside with their families, and these airplanes are flying over, and the noise is so loud. They think it’s disorderly, and it bothered their privacy.”

Hartert said that, after researching the topic, he discovered that the complaints revolved around airborne devices without cameras.

RELATED: Merton Fire Department’s new drone can assist in fire and rescue missions across Waukesha County

“We’re not in that realm (of devices with cameras), so now it’s just an annoyance,” Hartert said. “There is a federal law where you can’t really regulate airspace unless it’s for health and safety reasons.”

Before the village board passed the ordinance, Hartert sent an email to Summit officers stating if someone flew something with a recording device, it is already prohibited by state law. Otherwise the

Article source: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/news/oconomowoc/2019/01/14/village-of-summit-parks-are-now-the-designated-area-to-fly-model-airplanes/2569063002/

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