See Archive Page for earlier news.

30/4/02

Aibreán - 2002 - April
• Control and Visualisation in one for manufacturing - Mitsubishi Electric recently launched a rack mounted industrial Personal Computer module (QPC), to follow the successful launch of the QN series PLC. Filling the gap between the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and PC control, the QPC module allows greater integration with the existing automation solution, enabling manufacturers to leverage the benefits of e-manufacturing.

• Voltmeter with IP67 protection - Lascar Electronics has extended its range of 1P67-rated digital panel meters with the introduction of a new 3 1/2% digit, LCD voltmeter. Designed with programmable decimal points, LED backlighting, auto-zero & auto-polarity, a range of annunciators and Low Battery Warning, the DPM 750S-BL is also waterproof to a depth of one metre when fitted with an optional 1P67-rated alloy bezel.
• Balanced mix of medium-sized and large companies on both the supply and demand sides on plan world's biggest I&C show - There are two years to go before INTERKAMA 2004, the World's leading fair for automation in process industries (16 to 20 February 2004), but its committee is already lined up. Apart from exhibitors, there are numerous user industries covered by Interkama's scope on the committee. "This ensures a significantly stronger representation of interests for the user side of our committee", explained Armin Stader (left), the project director. "Alongside market leaders, there are medium-sized and smaller companies, meaning that the committee can take into account the expectations of all exhibitor groups when defining the show's specific framework. In all, a balanced mix of representatives from the supply and demand side has been chosen for the committee, which will help Messe Duesseldorf make INTERKAMA 2004, the No. 1 fair for process automation, a resounding success."

• ADSL loop tester for field troubleshooting - The new LX100 from Yokogawa Martron is a comprehensive portable test tool for the field troubleshooting of ADSL services over copper cable. The LX100 provides a graphical display of all the essential test data required for effective troubleshooting, including attenuation, noise, TDR measurements, burst noise waveform and complex impedance. Applications of the LX100 include verifying the signal/noise margin necessary for ADSL services, determining the locations of loading coils and bridge taps, estimating the source of crosstalk noise and burst noise, analysing NEXT (near-end crosstalk), extended time noise logging, and impedance measurement.

• Award for NEW Combined Raman and FTIR - Jobin Yvon, leaders in Raman microscopy have announced the introduction of the unique LabRam IR. This instrument combines for the first time upon a single benchtop system both confocal Raman microscopy and FTIR micro-spectroscopy. The instrument has been jointly awarded the Pittcon GOLD award for the most innovative new product for analytical measurements, with itīs simplicity in operation, high performance and compactness being of particular note.
• New product guide published - Right before the Hanover Fair Industry the CAN in Automation published a new CANopen Product Guide. The 186 pages catalogue has an updated introduction and is available at CiA office free of charge in any required number. CANopen is a CAN-based user layer, which is especially good for machine controlling. But CANopen is also used in medical devices, in railways and public transportation, in maritime applications and in building automation as well as in off-highway vehicles.

• New sales company established in Portugal - The Endress+Hauser Group has established its own sales company in Portugal under the name 'Endress+Hauser - Produtos de Medicaoo e Automacao Lda.' after acquiring the measurement and automation technology sector of its former sales representative Tecnisis Lda. Carlos Neves, previously managing director of Tecnisis, was appointed director of the new E+H Group company.

• DAD joins the signpost - The latest company to advertise with the Instrumentation Signpost is I+E Systems Ltd from Australia with their product DAD. This is software for the design and documentation of wired systems. It is completely data based, no CAD packages are required. DAD drawings are produced directly from the data by an internal graphics engine, this improves both design efficiency and documentation accuracy. See their advert on our Home Page. s

• Facilities receive approval to supply control valves and instruments for installation in Europe in compliance with PED - Emerson Process Management has announced that six of its Fisher control valve manufacturing facilities worldwide have met a critical deadline for supplying equipment to process industries in Europe. Factories that manufacture Fisher valves in Cernay, France; Szekesfehervar, Hungary; Marshalltown, Iowa, U.S.A.; Sherman, Texas, U.S.A.; North Stonington, Connecticut, U.S.A. and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S.A. have received CE Certificate numbers - meaning that these locations are approved to produce equipment which complies with the essential safety requirements of the European Pressure Equipment Directive. These Fisher facilities have met the end of May 2002 deadline set by the European Union requiring that all applicable equipment (including Fisher control valves, instruments, and regulators) must comply with the Pressure Equipment Directive in order to be sold in Europe.

• Small profile brushless servos and steppers offer drive and control capabilities in a standalone, integrated package - GE Fanuc has introduced the S2K Series of brushless servo and stepper devices which feature Profibus and DeviceNet” communications, all-digital drive technology, and extensive control capabilities in a standalone integrated package. When used in conjunction with the automation software, CIMPLICITY Machine Edition, the new S2K Series offers standalone motion solutions for a wide range of applications including handling, wood working machinery textiles and packaging.
• Ultra slim FPC connector saves space and assembly time - Omron has added an ultra low profile connector for FPC/FFC applications, reducing total height to 1.2mm above the board. Despite its low profile, the 0.3mm pitch Omron XF2B features twin contacts to provide a stable connection force and relieve the need to distinguish between upper and lower FPC contacts during assembly.

• Digital technology added to handheld waveform monitor - Tektronix, provider of waveform monitors for the broadcast market, has announced a handheld waveform monitor for broadcasters, network operators, and content providers who need a fully portable instrument that can monitor both digital and analogue signals from a single tool. While the industry undergoes the digital transition, many facilities need to be able to monitor both analogue and digital signals. The Tektronix WFM90D/91D is a handheld, battery-powered, composite analogue and SD-SDI component digital waveform monitor that provides flexibility, portability, and powerful monitoring to users dealing with equipment installation, maintenance, and field production.

• Manufacturing test costs lowered by market first - NI Switch Executive, the market's first open switch management software, assists with the routing and organization of switching systems in automated test applications. With this software, National Instruments continues to lower the cost of test by reducing switch maintenance and improving test performance. This enables engineers to quickley build flexible, high-density switching systems without the hassle of programming switching routs and manually managing the system according to a company spokesman.
• Free software helps monitor sewage outflows and Chlorophyll-a depletion - Marine scientists are mapping the dispersion and dilution of sewage in coastal waters. They release a stable, non-toxic, dye immediately downstream of the effluent outfall pump, then monitor the fluorescence and location of the dye. To capture this data to a PC they are using Windmill software, which they obtained for free from the Internet.
• Show postponed for one year - Messe Muenchen has rescheduled the launch of FiberComm, international trade fair and congress for optical information and communications technology, to 24-26 June 2003 It was originally planned to hold the first event from this June, but it will now take place from 24 to 26 June 2003. The organizers and the advisory council, made up of representatives from the exhibiting industry, came to this decision as a consequence of the continuing business climate in the fibre-optics business. The FiberComm concept was developed in close cooperation with leading firms in the field of optical information and communications technology, including Siemens, Marconi, Nortel, JDS Uniphase, Tecos, Laser 2000, Infineon, and Acterna. These companies still assess the scheme positively, but the majority are not expecting a consistent upswing in demand until 2003. Launching FiberComm in 2003 should therefore result in a considerably larger number of exhibitors and an increased interest on the part of visitors.

• History published is a first for Europe 25 Year History-ISA Ireland Section 1977-2002 is a labour of love for ISA Ireland Section's Historian Bob Shine. In it he traces the evolution and development of the section over the first 25 years. An interesting well illustrated look at the story of one of Europe's oldest ISA sections punctuated with many anecdotes. This 218 page volume is possibly a first for a European branch of this worldwide body.
  Well worth a look!

• Linear variable displacement transducers - A new comprehensive range of high quality (LVDT), linear variable displacement transducers, manufactured by Peltron Ltd from Poland are now available from sensing and instrumentation specialist Vydas International Marketing.

• Two channel Gigabit Ethernet PMC Fiber adapter - Concurrent Technologiess has announced the release of a new addition to its Gigabit Ethernet range of networking PMC mezzanine cards - the CL PMC/GB2. The CL PMC/GB2 is a two-channel Gigabit Ethernet adapter that utilizes a multimode optical fiber interface. The adapter is targeted at applications that require high data throughput and low latency.

• Level purchase from ABB breathes new life into Iong-establlshed products - Lee-Dickens has acquired two families of conductivity and capacitance level probes from ABB Automation Ltd. Series 80 and Series 81 families originated with the Fielden company in 1978 and are used in applications ranging from solids handling to process control and from bore holes to tank farms. The two ranges were acquired by ABB Automation via the Foster Cambridge and Kent companies. Lee-Dickens has purchased all stock, goodwill and current order books. Manufacturing and test facilities have been transferred to Lee-Dickens site in England. Existing orders are now being met from this plant and new orders are already being accepted so there is be no interruption to business, according to Gyles Dickens, Sales and Marketing Director.

• Motion control products - With a range of powerful motion control products and a team of highly skilled, multi-disciplined engineers, Quin Systems provide complete solutions for a wide variety of applications for factory automation such as pharmaceutical, packaging, paper converting, printing, textiles, automotive, confectionery, grinding and many other special purpose machinery. Quin are able to undertake projects which include mechanical design as well as systems and both linear and rotary motion control through their worldwide network of distributors.

• New Managing Director - Phil Harrison has been appointed Managing Director of Yokogawa Martron Ltd., the UK electronic test & measurement instruments subsidiary of the Yokogawa Electric Corporation of Japan. Phil Harrison has been involved with the test & measurement industry for over 30 years, and has held senior sales and management positions with Hewlett-Packard, Datron and Marconi Instruments. He was responsible for establishing Datron's operation in the United States prior to the company's acquisition by Wavetek.

• Versatile burst pulse generator moves from the lab to the field - Available now from Schaffner EMC Ltd, the NSG 3025 is the latest in the company's family of burst generators. The self-contained portable simulator is equally at home in the development lab and in the field, and is fully specified for compliance testing to EN61000-4-4 and all relevant product-specific standards.
  Burst tests are a key part of any EMC test regime: they can be used to verify complete systems and identify disturbances in installations, in addition to their statutory role in type approval testing. The high-frequency components of burst pulses help diagnose immunity weaknesses caused by bad cabling or system configuration and can also help to isolate earthing problems.
• Acquisition expands optical portfolio aimed at optical parametric testing - Tektronix has signed an agreement to acquire Profile Optische Systeme GmbH, a technology leader in optical component test and measurement. Profile will be integrated with Tektronix' optical business, expanding the company's portfolio of products focused on physical layer test and providing the technology building blocks for future optical network test solutions. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

• Modular stream switching system redefines performance of automated sampling systems - Parker Instrumentation has announced an innovative valve system for automated stream switching in gas and liquid analysis applications. The new product - R-max uses surface-mounting techniques to dramatically reduce the size of control systems for process analysers and gas chromatographs, and to provide modularity for assembling compact switches for any quantity of fluid streams.

• World's fastest logic analyser with revolutionary probing technology - Tektronix has announced a range of ground-breaking logic analyser and probing products that will enable engineers to test their digital designs with unprecedented speed, increased accuracy and reduced cost. When troubleshooting and debugging a digital system, one of the first and most challenging tasks for an engineer is obtaining a clear signal to analyse. Until now, design engineers using a logic analyser were typically forced to install permanent connectors on their circuit boards in order to probe the system. Also, to access both the analogue and digital characteristics of each signal, an increasing need as designs become faster and more complex, multiple connectors and probes were required.

• New version of remote viewing software for data recorders - Eurotherm has introduced a new version of its Bridge 5000 remote viewing software package, enabling remote workstations to access and control any of its 5000 Series data recorders over unlimited distances. This latest version provides a powerful, user-friendly interface via a direct connection, Ethernet link, Local Area Network or the Internet, with a number of new features and greater functionality. It will allow full remote operation, historical data review and even remote configuration of instruments.
• Low cost Coriolis flowmeter announced for the food & beverage industries - The Micro Motion B-Series Flowmeter is the First Low-Cost Coriolis Meter to Receive EHEDG Certification and 3-A Authorisation. The high accuracy and high reliability of Coriolis technology is now available at a low cost for hygienic food and beverage applications. Micro Motion, a division of Emerson Process Management, has announced the first and only low-cost Coriolis meter that is both EHEDG certified and 3-A authorised. Emerson Process Management support the Signpost with an advert on our Fieldbus pages

• Universal level switch for all liquids - Vibration technology is the most universal measuring principle for the detection of liquid level. Are you familiar with Vega's new generation star VEGASWING 60? The short tuning fork of only 40 mm is a special feature of this vibrating level switch which ensures universal application in all liquids and independent of the mounting position. The instrument is virtually unaffected by the physical or electrical properties of the liquid. The switch ensures safe and reliable detection when reaching a certain level. High level switching, pump dry running protection and overfill protection to WHG are typical applications. The size of a sensor is very often important for its application. A smaller and compact sensor may be more universally applied.