(Mahr Inc.: Providence, RI) -- Mahr Inc., a leading provider of dimensional metrology solutions, has introduced the Precimar SM 60, an easy-to-use length measurement instrument for fast and precise external measurements on shop floor parts, with a measuring range of 60 mm.

The SM 60 is configurable with Mahr readouts, such as digital indicators or linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) probes, to provide a system tailored to the performance level required for the measurement application. The SM 60 incorporates a 25 mm sensitive contact and a fixed reference jaw with a 35 mm adjustment to obtain the full 60 mm measurement capacity.

The robust construction of the SM 60 demonstrates its design for use in the production environment—right at the point of manufacture of precision parts. “This system fills the demand for high-performance gauging at the point of manufacture,” says George Schuetz, director of precision gages at Mahr. “It allows a machinist to easily set up and adapt for new workpieces, while allowing the system to act as either a long-range measuring system or as a very high-performance comparator for sub-micron applications.”

Pickleball is arguably the fastest-growing sport in the United States, especially among baby-boomer retirees. This game is similar to tennis, but is played on a smaller court (44 ft × 20 ft) with a solid paddle and a perforated polymer ball much like a wiffle ball.

Pickleball’s popularity may be due in part because it is a very sociable sport (men and women can play equally well), and it is much easier on the body than tennis. Many high schools as well as colleges and universities have included pickleball in their physical education programs.

Pickleball was invented by a family on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 1965 and has gradually spread across the United States and around the world. The sport now has more than two million players worldwide, including the USA Pickleball Association, the first professional pickleball league.

Transporting cargo over long distances has always been a logistical nightmare, but when the goods are of a delicate nature, the whole operation becomes significantly more challenging. Perishable foods, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, and other delicate goods all need special treatment during transportation to keep them in optimal condition; in many cases, constant monitoring of the cargo’s temperature is necessary to ensure its integrity until delivery.

Luckily, thanks to the technological advances of the last two decades, logistics companies no longer have to rely on rudimentary methods such as manually inspecting the cargo hold, which used to be a cause of excess downtime and loss of productivity, and wasn’t particularly reliable.