See Archive Page for earlier news.

• Low-cost proving unit tests indicator lamps - A low-cost professionall.y specified proving unit for testing the integrity of 240 V neon test lamps and indicators is now available from Black Star Instruments. Current Health & Safety practice dictates that all neon voltage indicators should be checked for correct operation from a known voltage source before and after every use. The proving unit has been specifically designed for this purpose.
• New Australian premises opened - FCX Pegler Beacon, one of AustraliaÕs leading flow control specialists, has relocated its Perth offices to state of the art premises in Canning Vale. The company already has premises in five other locations throughout Australia but the new premises should further enhance the companyÕs reputation in Western Australia, according to State Manager Peter Francis.
• Transparent RS232 to Ethernetllnternet Connectivity - There are millions of intelligent devices installed in numerous applications with Serial RS232 interfaces providing valuable information but are limited to a serial point to point connection. Captec have just released the NPort Express Server which allows any R5232, 422 or 485 device to connect transparently to any PC over an Ethernet TCP/IP LAN or WAN. The NPort server acts as a transparent bridge allowing serial devices to be totally visible over a Network enabling any networked POs to communicate with remote R5232 devices even though they are not directly physically connected to them.

• New fluoremeter - LI-COR has introduced the new 6400-40 Leaf Chamber Fluorometer. This exciting addition transforms the LI-6400 Portable Photosynthesis System into the most powerful, fully integrated Portable Fluorescence and Gas Exchange System available.

• New benchtop test tools catalogue - Agilent Technologies has published a new 36-page catalogue covering a range of low-cost, professional benchtop instruments available through distribution channels. Available from Agilent Distributors throughout the UK, the free publication covers basic instruments for signal measurement, and power and signal sourcing, as well as various connectivity products.
• The book no trouble-shooter, technician or engineer should be without! - Fluke has just released its Test Tools 2001 Catalogue. The 48-page full-colour book is available free of charge, and contains complete descriptions of features and specifications for FlukeÕs full line of electrical test tools. Sections include handheld digital multimeters, basic electrical testers, ScopeMeters, insulation resistance testers, process calibration tools, power quality tools, clamp meters, digital thermometers and accessories.
• New Instrumentation Software - Windmill Software's versatile new instrument driver handles almost all equipment that can be connected to the PCÕs COM port. Bundled with their fully-featured data logging, charting and control applicationsÑthe package provides a complete instrumentation system. Users can also send data to other Windows programs like Excel spreadsheets. Furthermore, they offer free technical support for life, and the ability to try before you buy.

• Co-operation to bring solutions - National Instruments and the Automation and Drives Group of Siemens AG have broadcast a cooperative effort to develop measurement and automation solutions for a wide range of applications requiring precise measurement and control of manufacturing processes. The announcement was made at the annual Hannover Messe. The working relationship brings together Siemens strength in manufacturing automation and control with the leadership of NI in automated test and measurement. Officials from both companies said that this initiative is aimed at enabling engineers to make more sophisticated measurements on their processes and to feed that information back to their control systems. In turn, they can make more informed decisions that ultimately improve overall manufacturing quality and efficiency.
• Latest single-slot 6U VME board released - Concurrent Technologies has announced the release of its latest single-slot 6U VME board - a high performance CPU board featuring a choice of a 850MHz or 700MHz Pentium¨ III CPU with up to 1Gbyte on board DRAM, all within a single slot format. These features make the VP CP1/Pxx the ideal choice for the main CPU board within a VME system.
• Intelligent Temperature Transmitter passes first step to fullull IEC 61508 safety certification - Moore Industries' Model TRY is the process industryÕs first intelligent temperature transmitter available with Failure Modes, Effects, and Diagnostic Analysis data issued by a third-party reliability and safety assessment firm. The company can now provide verified Safe Failure Fraction (SFF) and failure rate data to customers interested in evaluating the TRY transmitterÕs suitability for their application. While they emphasize that their TRY is not yet approved to IEC 61508, the FMEDA is a vital first step in the companyÕs mission to achieve full functional safety certification for the device for use in IEC 61508 Safety Related Systems (SRS). A fact sheet and complete copies of the TRY PC-Programmable Temperature Transmitter FMEDA report are available from Moore Industries upon request.

Big news! - Reflecting its expansion into industry-specific engineering, consulting and project management services, Fisher-Rosemount is changing its name to Emerson Process Management. The company's expanded services and solutions offering complements Fisher-Rosemount's historic reputation for best-in-class products, technologies and revolutionary automation architecture. The new name and immediate adoption of a new logo also reinforce the company's link to its parent, St. Louis-based Emerson, supporting a corporate wide branding strategy launched by Emerson in December 2000.

• Fieldbus documents available - The Profibus Group has announced the availability of a number of new publications for immediate purchase or for members to download from the Web at www.profibus.com. These important new documents cover time stamping, PROFIdrive, HART on Profibus, Fluid Power Technology and the full architectural description and specification for PROFInet.

• Canadian shows! - No need to leave your desk or workstation to attend the Spring flurry of Canadian trade shows and industry events!... instead click on Manufacturing AUTOMATION's site to read our exclusive reports on Calgary ISA, Hamilton ISA, Assembly Canada, Canadian High-Tech Show, Software Solutions and others

• Rugged IP67 Angle Sensor With EMC Immunity - Elobau 424W angle sensors from Relec Electronics offer 1P67 protection, a non-contact Hall-effect design, EMC immunity and a rugged double ball-bearing construction. The market for angle sensors continues to grow, but fewer and fewer manufacturers seem to be able to offer affordable, high-quality, rugged designs. The Hall-effect design avoids the use of a mechanical wiper mechanism, significantly improving reliability and avoiding shock and vibration problems. The double ball-bearing construction not only provides the rigidity essential for off-road or agricultural applications, but it also provides reduced wear and a very long life.
• Unique alarm management function block featured - Horner Advanced Products Group (APG) introduces an upgraded version of CscapemÕ Software, version 4.5, which features over 25 new functions and programming enhancements. Cscape offers a unique environment for programming, managing, and debugging Operator Control Station (OCS) industrial control devices. The OCS is a highly integrated control product that offers control, operator interface, 110, and networking capabilities in a single industrial component. One of the many new features in Cscape 4.5 is an Alarm Management Function Block. This new feature provides traditional alarm handling but implements the alarm management function using a unique ladder-based function block.

• Sports action camera breakthrough is powered by smart motion box - 2001SSS Innovative motion control technology incorporated in Camera Tracking Company's latest mobile camera system is providing the first close-up filming of vertical sports action such as pole vaulting without track-side operators or cranes. Housed inside a 14cm-high case with a vertical slide for the video camera, the system is controlled remotely over a network from a terminal which can be sited up to half a kilometre away. Used for the first time at the Sydney Olympics to cover pole vault, shotput and football goalmouth action, the system sets new standards for compactness and remote controllability. At the heart of the unit is the 'smart' MintDrive from Baldor which integrates the usually separate motion controller and electric motor drive into one compact box, and provides a fieldbus interface for communicating with it via a network.
• New agency - The HIOKI CORPORATION of Japan have appointed ASM as exclusive distributor for their high quality instrumentation in the UK and Ireland. Founded in 1935, Hioki have received many awards for their innovative products including the design, development and production of a multi-tester unit for the United States Air Force.
• Solid state safety relay- Another first in safety technology - Pilz, leaders in automated safety technology, has introduced PNOZelog the first range of electronic safety relays. The PNOZelog safety relays can be used for all safety applications including emergency stopping, safety gates and light curtain monitoring, from category 2 up to and including category 4, EN 954-1. Each device in the PNOZelog range combines the advantages of the well-known classic electromechanical PNOZ with those of modern electronics. Safe and robust, the PNOZelog is wear and tear free, maintenance-free, vibration-proof, has long service life and high reliability. The PNOZe1p, the first relay in the range, with its slim line housing and plug in terminals handles the range of safety applications.

• Fieldbus organisation continues to grow - The Fieldbus Foundation's 2001 General Assembly, held last month in Vancouver (CDN), provided clear evidence that end users, in growing numbers, are adopting FF technology as the industry standard fieldbus solution. A crowd of more than 100 attendees heard numerous speakers describe how FOUNDATION fieldbus is fulfilling the promise of a new, revolutionary technology for plantwide data integration.
• Revolutionary design PD flowmeter - Flow Technology today announced the introduction of VECTOR (TM), a unique positive displacement flowmeter providing higher flow throughput and lower pressure drop than many conventional PD meters. Intended for liquid service in its initial configuration, VECTORTM incorporates a patented, double helical, three-lobe impeller design featuring large pockets between the impeller lobes. Aside from lowering pressure drop, this design creates no axial, side or end loads, and allows the flowmeterto be used with both high- and low-viscosity liquids.
• New sales office in Korea - FCx Manufacturing has announced the opening of a brand new regional sales office for Asia in Busan, South Korea.. This office serves the growing number of their customers in Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The manager is Phil Vosper.

• Program generates complex arbitrary waveforms - Waveform Manager Plus, new from TTi (Thuriby Thandar Instruments), is a Windows based program for the creation, editing, translation and management of waveforms. It can be used with any of the TTi range of arbitrary waveform generation products. The program incorporates a complete suite of tools for waveform creation and editing, including standard waveforms, mathematical expressions and freehand drawing. Virtually any waveform can be created using combinations of these tools.
• Acquisition - Nematron Corporation, leading provider of PC-based industrial control solutions, has acquired 100% of Optimation, Inc. a company that develops, produces and markets industrial communications and display products for industrial automation.
• A new and versatile "node-box" IPC from the market leader - Xycom Automation, the market leader in Industrial PCs announces the new 1510 Industrial PC. With the 1510, Xycom answers a common need to separate the display from the PC. The 1510 is a ÒnodeÓ box (without integrated display) with up to 700 MHz Pentium III performance for demanding factory automation applications. Coupled with the Xycom 3015 LCD flat panel monitor, the 1510 gives the user an array of options to choose from.

• More speed, memory and storage space - Control Technology has released the Model 2703AP module, a significantly upgraded CPU for its popular 2700 series of automation controllers. The 2703AP features increased speed: controller programs run 8 - 14 times faster in the new CPU than in the previously available model, expanded capacity for larger programs, larger data tables and more concurrent tasks and on-board quadrature encoder input channel and high-speed registration inputs for advanced, high-speed registration applications.

• One of the best! - National Instruments Web site, ni.com, is among the top three manufacturer Web sites that engineers visit on a weekly basis, according to a major electronics industry survey. The NI site finished ahead of such electronics industry leaders as IBM, Intel, and National Semiconductor, according to the recent survey in North America conducted by Cahners Research and EDN magazine, a leading electronic design magazine distributed to more than 160,000 engineers in the United States.

• New intrinsically safe pressure transmitters - Danfoss has expanded its range of market leading pressure and temperature measurement components with a new range of four intrinsically safe pressure transmitters for use in areas with potentially explosive gases or steam.

• Stainless steel trackerball For medical, food and laboratory environments - Penny and Giles Computer Products, a division of Devlin Electronics has developed an autoclaveable trackerball based on their already successful range of trackerballs. The new trackerball has been designed and developed, such that sterilisation by autoclaving can be carried out on parts of the product that come into contact with the contaminated environment. The design makes the product ideal for use within the medical field, food industry and laboratory environments.
• Users Group Gets Back To Business - The Open Modular Architecture Control (OMAC) Users Group is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a renewed focus on business issues, a new management team, and overt receptivity to supplier involvement. Each of these developments will help accelerate the groupÕs progress and contribute to higher visibility for business objectives. In particular, the division of focus between technical and administrative concerns will boost return on investment for involved members, member participation in working group activities, and overall OMAC membership.

• Industrial Computer to be launched at Irish show - Pilz, who recently opened their manufacturing facility in Ireland, are to launch the PITOP 15, a new rugged industrial computer with the compact design of an operator terminal, at this yearÕs ISA Ireland 2001. This unit has a resistive touch screen integrated into the front panel enabling direct screen operation even with a gloved hand. A display with a clear and sharp view even in problematic environments is provided by the 138cm TFT screen which has an XGA resolution of 1024 x 768, with 64,000 colours.
• Leading Italian servo drive and motor manufacturer acquired - Parker Hannifin Corporation has announced the acquisition of S.B.C Elettronica SpA - one of ItalyÕs leading motion control companies. S.B.C specialises in the manufacture of digital servo drives and motors and has a particularly strong presence in the Italian automation market, with annual sales revenues approaching $20 million. The Milan-based company will now form part of the Electromechanical Division of ParkerÕs Automation Group.

• Relaunch bucks trend - In recent years the I&C publication niche in Britain has been reeling from a series of mergers, downsizing and closures. Here is an announcement which bucks the trend! Industrial Networking and Open Control has been dormant for a year while its new owners have been busy putting their plans in place. Now, it has been relaunched. INOC is accompanied by a new web site, http://www.industrialnetworking.co.uk/, and coming soon, we are told, will be an annual technology guide and directory special supplements and reader surveys. Other ground-breaking innovations will be announced within a month or so.
• New $7 million plant will be main European manufacturing centre for A C/DC power supplies - Artesyn Technologies, leading suppliers of power products and power system solutions to the comms industry, has just opened a new, world-class, power supply manufacturing facility in Hungary.

• Newsletter - PEMA have published a new issue of their newsletter. Among items of news included is their move to much larger premises, new staff and a major revamp of their web site. Lots of meaty product developments are also included. Pema is a leading supplier of instrumentation for Ireland's communications, test and measurement users.
  PEMA are advertisers on our Standards Page
• New filters developed for power line communication integrity - Schaffner is launching a new design and manufacture capability for specialised decoupling filters for use in domestic and industrial power line communication (PLC) systems.
• Krall Named ISA 2001 Honorary Chair - Gary Krall, President & COO of Reichhold Inc., has been named ISA 2001 Honorary Chair. Reichhold is a global producer of a wide variety of high-performance resins and specialty chemicals for the adhesives, coatings, and composites industries. Recently, Reichhold and The Dow Chemical Company announced plans to form a joint venture, Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex LLC, by combining the specialty latex businesses of ReichholdÕs and Dow's Emulsion Polymers unit. ISA 2001 is scheduled for 10-13 September in Houston, Texas. For more information on ISA 2001 go to toobigtomiss.com.

• What exactly IS bluetooth? - Bluetooth is a standard for low-cost, short-range (10 meters) wireless technology. They have just relaunched their website. Named after Harald Bluetooth, a 10th century Viking king, BluetoothÕs early Development was spearheaded by Ericsson, a Swedish telecommunications company. Since then, 3Com, IBM, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, Motorola, and Nokia have joined the list of companies that are driving this technology to market. Bluetooth appeared at both ISA and COMDEX last year, and while its potential is still controversial, it holds future promise for HMIs and other manufacturing applications.
  Extracted from Control Technology Corp's winter newsletter.
• Manufacturing engineers reduce testing costs - Production and manufacturing engineers now can decrease test time and decrease the cost to test their products with the flexible, powerful parallel testing in National Instruments TestStand Version 2.0. With TestStand 2.0 users can automatically test multiple units in parallel to increase test throughput, lowering their cost to test and increasing their profit margins. Eight of the top 10 electronics companies listed on the Electronic Business Global EB300 (1999) use TestStand to test a variety of products, such as fibre-optic components, automotive multimedia electronic systems, and handheld wireless devices.
• New web-site launched - Although GE Fanuc advertise on this site, the link is to their European site. They have now launched a dynamic new site at www.gefanuc.com.
• New pH and conductivity analysers cut installation and set-up time - Designed for OEMs and set builders, Yokogawa's new EXAxt 150 Sieries of pH and conductivity analysers dramatically cut installation and set-up time using an innovative integral mounting system and simple termination.