How to build machines from liquid metal
Small blobs of liquid-metal alloy can replace troublesome moving parts
GEARS ABRADE, pistons crack, pumps clog. If engineers had their way, machines would have no moving parts at all. Alas, a sedentary lump of metal would be a paperweight, rather than a useful machine. So, perhaps just one moving component would be an acceptable compromise.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Liquid engineering”
From the December 11th 2021 edition
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