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Metal Velcro

Posted by michael on from the rough-edges dept.

RotJ writes "British scientists have developed technology that can grow structures up to 2 millimetres high and 0.2 millimetres in diameter on metal surfaces. Dubbed Surfi-Sculpt, it 'will act like ultra-strong Velcro to form much tougher joints between metals and lightweight composite materials'."

19 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Velcro by whiteranger99x · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well we can now that everything in society is being held together only by Velcro :P

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  2. Let me be the first to say... by Scorpion_1169 · · Score: 4, Funny

    OUCH!!! I really wouldnt want to accidentally sit on that stuff. Think cactus spines that refuse to come out.

    1. Re:Let me be the first to say... by whiteranger99x · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'd hate to see if they ever made toilet seats or even toilet paper out of that stuff! OUCH!!!!

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    2. Re:Let me be the first to say... by Hannes+Eriksson · · Score: 3, Funny

      Or maybe one could cover it with some sort of pigment before getting seated: instant tatoo!

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    3. Re:Let me be the first to say... by metlin · · Score: 3, Funny

      The most they'd probably do is get suck on you and itch like crazy.

      And that is not bad how? ;-)

  3. Rods huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Did anybody else notice a striking resemblence between those 'rods' and some other 'rods' that ~50% on the planet's population have? *cough*

  4. Sounds familiar by INeededALogin · · Score: 1, Funny

    To make a projection, researchers focus a beam of electrons in a vacuum chamber at the point on a metal surface where they want it to grow. The metal melts at the centre of the beam. When the beam is moved sideways, surface tension pulls the molten metal into a droplet.

    Sounds like me with a soldering iron

  5. Mi5? (Re:Fast to create as well) by otisg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Q is alive! Q is alive!

    Regards,
    Moneypenny

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    Simpy
    1. Re:Mi5? (Re:Fast to create as well) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I thought MI-5's main purpose was to investigate itself for traitors?

  6. Very Clever. by tbjw · · Score: 3, Funny

    Since I don't enjoy looking stupid, I'll wait for metal shoelaces, thank you very much.

    1. Re:Very Clever. by Demanche · · Score: 2, Funny

      Finnaly..
      ...something that will truely keep me stuck to my computer desk...

      Then again that might hurt a little.

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  7. Re:Isn't the point of velcro by FFFish · · Score: 2, Funny

    No drying/curing time, for starters. No mess, no poisonous chemicals. No mis-calculating the ratios of the base and catalyst. No jigging.

    Imagine the amount of work that must go into gluing a Boeing 747 together.

    Then imagine how much easier it would be to just velcro it all together.

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  8. Re:Fast to create as well by AndroidCat · · Score: 4, Funny

    Check the link I gave for a picture of an earlier version, Whitcomb Judson's clasp locker. Now I ask you, would you wear one of those on the crotch of your pants? Didn't think so!

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  9. Sweet tech! by lpangelrob2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I RTFA, and this is really sweet and promising technology that'll be in use in only a few years. However, not even babelfish could tell me what "gobsmacked" meant.

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  10. Spiderman, Spiderman.... by Wandering+Wombat · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does whatever a spider can,
    Bonds to lightweight
    Composites
    Or other metal
    Surfaces

    Watch out!
    Here comes the Spidermaaaaaan!

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  11. Re:Fast to create as well by nih · · Score: 2, Funny

    MY EYES!

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  12. Re:Heatsinks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    IANAP (I am not a physicist)

    WDYJTWYMD (Why don't you just type what you mean dumbass?)

  13. Re:Fast to create as well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "The goggles do nothing!!!!" - Simpsons

  14. Re:Isn't the point of velcro by stienman · · Score: 3, Funny

    Then imagine how much easier it would be to just velcro it all together.

    Then imagine how quickly the average two-year-old could disassemble it.

    In flight.

    -Adam