Engineering recognition for ThinGap Design
By Jennifer M. Walkup -- 2/24/2004

Micro Motors Inc. won top honors last night in the Ninth Annual Engineering Awards sponsored by Product Design and Development magazine. The company, located in Santa Ana, CA, received the Gold Award for its HealOzone II Dental Device.

The Silver Award recipient was Reactive Metals for its N-Abler 5 Function Wrist, and the Bronze Award was presented to Kerk Motion Products for its Mini Series Lead Screw used in the Deltec Cozmo Pump.

These companies were honored for their engineering contributions in an awards ceremony at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel. Product Design and Development magazine, which is circulated nationally to 160,000 design engineers, uses the awards program to recognize engineers and their design ideas that offer the most innovation, creativity, and promise for improving our world.

Readers of Product Design and Development served as judges of the contest. Selections were made from 50 finalists featured in the magazine's December issue. Voting was done through reader ballots, which were verified prior to tabulation.

Kathy Quinlan, publisher, and Len Vermillion, managing editor, of Product Design and Development, presented the awards during a reception in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom. In addition to a crystal globe, a symbol of how engineering is improving our world, each company was given a monetary award. Micro Motors Inc. received $2,500; Reactive Metals was presented with $1,500; and Kerk Motion Products received $1,000.

Seven other products were recognized last night for engineering creativity, innovation, and usefulness to society. Listed below are the runners-up in this year's contest.

4th place: TracVision A5 satellite TV antenna from KVH Industries Inc. in Middletown, RI
5th place: The Protokey Rapid Prototyping Service from Datakey Electronics Inc. in Burnsville, MN
6th place: The Adventure Ambulatory Aid Tip from Keen Mobility in Portland, OR
7th place: The Aberdeen Hi-Arc Pulldown Kitchen Faucet from Moen Inc. in North Olmsted, OH
8th place: The Cure dental LED from Spring Health Products in Norristown, PA
9th place: The Miller Edge fall protection system from Miller Fall Protection in Franklin, PA
10th place: The TG3300 Series Brush DC Motor from ThinGap Motor Technologies in Ventura, CA