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posted by cmn32480 on Sunday January 08 2017, @05:19PM   Printer-friendly
from the things-that-make-you-go-boom dept.

Hackaday has an interesting article about explosions that save lives rather than take them.

Normally, when something explodes it tends to be a bad day for all involved. But not every explosion is intended to maim or kill. Plenty of explosions are designed to save lives every day, from the highway to the cockpit to the power grid. Let's look at some of these pyrotechnic wonders and how they keep us safe.

Explosive Bolts

The first I can recall hearing the term explosive bolts was in relation to the saturation TV coverage of the Apollo launches in the late 60s and early 70s. Explosive bolts seemed to be everywhere, releasing umbilicals and restraining the Saturn V launch stack on the pad. Young me pictured literal bolts machined from solid blocks of explosive and secretly hoped there was a section for them in the hardware store so I could have a little fun.

"Eject! Eject! Eject!"

Holding back missiles is one thing, but where pyrotechnic fasteners save the most lives might be in the cockpits of fighter jets around the world. When things go wrong in a fighter, pilots need to get out in a hurry. Strapping into a fighter cockpit is literally sitting on top of a rocket and being surrounded by explosives.

Behind the Wheel

There's little doubt that airbags have saved countless lives since they've become standard equipment in cars and trucks. When you get into a modern vehicle, you are literally surrounded by airbags — steering wheel, dashboard, knee bolsters, side curtains, seatbelt bags, and even the rear seat passenger bags. And each one of these devices is a small bomb waiting to explode to save your life.

Grid Down

We've covered a little about utility poles and all the fascinating bits of gear that hang off them. One of the pieces of safety gear that lives in the "supply space" at the top of the poles is the fuse cutout, or explosive disconnector. This too is a place where a small explosion can save lives — not only by protecting line workers but also by preventing a short circuit from causing a fire.


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  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday January 09 2017, @12:43AM

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Monday January 09 2017, @12:43AM (#451254)

    All in all, SawStop is not asking for unreasonable royalties - a single minor accident costs far more than the whole SawStop table saw. That they can't reach agreement with industrial tool suppliers is more of a failure of big industry to embrace change; change for the better, according to the thousands of people who lose digits and limbs to saws every year.

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  • (Score: 2) by VLM on Monday January 09 2017, @01:00PM

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Monday January 09 2017, @01:00PM (#451423)

    Yeah the problem is the company founder is a patent lawyer (literally) so you can assume bad faith right from the start.

    a failure of big industry to embrace change

    LOL a week after the patents expire they'll all have a sawstop.

    Last I read he was hoping for patent licensing fees over $100 per saw sold, which is insane.

    Nothing holds back progress quite like the patent system.

    • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday January 09 2017, @06:53PM

      by JoeMerchant (3937) on Monday January 09 2017, @06:53PM (#451563)

      Didn't know that part, disconnect from reality is kind of a deal-breaker.

      I've heard similar stories from non-troll inventors, like the guy who invented hydraulic power steering assist (as was used from something like WWII up through just recently) - he built one, installed it on his model T, patented it (in that order, I think) and drove to Detroit - all the manufacturers blew him off, then introduced it in the first model year after his patent expired.

      Takes money to make money, even with patents.

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