Using EMP To Punch Holes In Steel

angrytuna writes "The Economist is running a story about a group of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology in Chemnitz, Germany, who've found a way to use an EMP device to shape and punch holes through steel. The process enjoys advantages over both lasers, which take more time to bore the hole (0.2 vs. 1.4 seconds), and by metal presses, which can leave burrs that must be removed by hand."

an alternate past

[drDugan]

The article focuses on how this is a more "peaceful use" for the EMP. I disagree: when the robot apocalypse finally arrives, and a rogue T800 drives after you in into a steel mill, it will be damn useful to have an EMP device used for shaping steel rings handy to stop the cybernetic killing machine. As an added benefit, an EMP would destroy the cpu, meaning no Cyberdyne Systems, and I get my 5 hours back wasted on T3 and Terminator Salvation!

The mechanical press was, like, so 1984.

Re:stop the cybernetic killing machine

[snikulin]

He is our governor now, you insensitive clod!

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[mcmonkey]

You're the sort of wet blanket who during the space battle scenes of Star Wars leans over and whispers, "There's no sound in space," aren't you?

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[Anonymous Coward]

(...and urine also is VERY salty.)

uhh, thanks for sharing.

Re:stop the cybernetic killing machine

[TheLink]

Better check whether the state's budget problems are due to a slightly excessive allocation to Cyberdyne Systems via front companies or dummy government departments.

Re:Weapon?

[The Wild Norseman]

Humans are not usually very magnetic.

Are you sure? There are some humans that I have found to be highly repulsive...

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[gandhi_2]

humans can not be punched with the EMP punch at present energy levels.

There, weaponized that for you.

Re:Metal presses

[fahrbot-bot]

Small pieces may be burnished, rotoblasted, or vibratory finished. Still takes time, I guess.

I once had a girlfriend like that - and you guess correctly.

Re:Article Has No Meat.

[adamofgreyskull]

Have you considered working for NASA?

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[TapeCutter]

A real scientist would get a post-grad student to taste his urine.

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[TapeCutter]

You must be popular at rave parties...

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[AmonTheMetalhead]

A real scientist would get that post-grad student to taste the urine of the whole staff, to see if there is a difference between gender, age, race and diet. Oh, and he'd get more then one post-grad to do that, or else your pool of results would be to insignificant

Re:stop the cybernetic killing machine

[mforbes]

Could be worse. You could have the governor where I live... you know, the one whose staff thought he said "I'll be hiking the Appalachian Trail" when what he actually said was "I'll be getting some Argentinian Tail."

Re:What if EMP leaks out of the factory?

[ColdWetDog]

Eerie choirs in space are even more dramatic.

Especially if you can stick them all in the airlock at once and then toss them out.