The project,
which took nearly 30 years and exceeded
$14.6 billion, was built to untangle an extraordinary
traffic mess that worsened
each year.
The Central Artery, a
six-lane elevated highway,
opened in 1959 and comfortably
handled the 75,000
vehicles that used it each
day. As time went on, the
number of cars rose to
more than 200,000, making
it one of the most congested
highways in the U.S.
The solution: Replace
the highway with an 8-to-
10-lane underground expressway directly below the existing one. The
expressway would culminate at its northern limit in a 14-lane, two-bridge
crossing of the Charles River. The larger of the two, the Leonard P. Zakim
Bunker Hill Bridge, is a 10-lane cable-stayed hybrid bridge. It is the widest
ever built and first to use an asymmetrical design.
Donated plastic
send robots into
“overdrive”
igus Inc. is continuing its support
of the multinational FIRST (For the
Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition
by donating plastic machinery components.
This year’s game, “FIRST Overdrive,” challenges the more than 1,500
students to build a robot that can carry or kick 40-in. inflated balls around a
circular indoor field, as well as knock down and move the balls around the
field by passing them over or under a 6-ft, 6-in. overpass constructed of gymnasiumlike
rings. Teams earn bonus points by putting the balls back onto the
overpass before the 2-min, 15-sec match ends.
A platinum-level supplier for three years running, igus has donated Energy
Chain cable carriers; iglide J and M250 plastic bearings; iglide MCI
plastic clip bearings; igubal spherical bearings, including rod-end, pillowblock,
and flange designs; DryLin R linear bearings, DryLin N linear-guide
systems, and DryLin S aluminum shafting. Donating these items lets igus
promote science and technology as well as educate students about the benefits
and merits of plastic components.
For more information about FIRST go to www.usfirst.org.
Blog bytes
Go to community.machinedesign.com and check out:
Leslie Gordon –
From Shop
Floor to Software
* Want a free computer?:
Userful says it’s giving away its
Desktop Multiplier software,
which turns one computer
into several. All users need do
is connect an extra monitor,
USB keyboard, and mouse to a
PC, and the software lets more
than one user work on the PC
at the same time. The software
creates up to 10 independent
workstations from a single PC.
The company says the software
is being used in schools,
libraries, hotels, and businesses
around the world. Download a
free two-user license.
* Artistic EDM: The Medical Design & Manufacturing show is
being held again in Anaheim, Calif.
Last year, I blogged about the artistic
creations of James Kim, applications
engineer at a company then called
Charmilles. It has since merged
with Agie to form AgieCharmilles.
In addition to electrical discharge machinery, the company
now provides
high-end, multiaxis machine tools
for high-speed machining. The new
company can CNC and EDM parts
(electrically conductive materials
cannot be EDMd).
James has been at work again on his beautiful creations.
The sculpture
of the arms twisted together (left,
lower corner) signify the marriage
of Agie and Charmilles. And the
twisted “Charmilles” sculpture
(right, upper corner) is one James
did last year.