December 1996
Volume 2, Number 4

Features

The fundamentals of heat exchangers
An industry insider presents a guide to the science of selecting a suitable heat exchanger for any particular heat-transfer requirement, along with a handy list of technical tips – Dean Bartlett

TRIZ: The methodology of inventive problem-solving
In the third article that The Industrial Physicist has run on this subject, the authors recount the underlying principles developed 50 years ago by Genrich Altschuller – Semyon Savranksy and Craig Stephan

News

The gigachips are coming!
Semiconductor chips with a billion bits are predicted for the year 2001, but major challenges remain in three manufacturing areas – lithography, capacitance and wiring – Hank Hogan

How smart are smart materials?
Smart structures and materials are experiencing a resurgence of growth and interest, bolstered by a handful of high-volume commercial applications, including smart skis that dampen vibrations – Jennifer Ouellette

Do collision avoidance systems work? Current research into developing collision-avoidance systems for automobiles is concentrating on keeping cars from running off the road and preventing intersection crashes – Michael Wofsey

Departments

Editorial
Reengineering thinking – Ken McNaughton

Materials
Putting quasicrystals to work – Diana Lutz

Environment
Cryogenic cutting and cleaning – Marcela R. Stacey

Industry/Academia
Incubating entrepreneurs at Caltech – Jennifer Ouellette

Forum
Everything's up to date in Kansas City – Craig Davis

Careers
How to Net yourself a job – Todd Waymon

New Products