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Measurement, Control and Automation Resources throughout the World
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News from the island of Ireland is indicated by the map or by a harp - the national instrument of Ireland! (right).
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Márta 2022 March
31/3/2022
Secure wireless battery management system. - Analog Devices has announced its Wireless Battery Management System (wBMS) is certified to the highest standard of automotive cybersecurity engineering and management. ISO/SAE 21434 is the new standard for cybersecurity risk management throughout the lifecycle of the vehicle from concept, product development and production, to operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of electrical and electronic systems.
Industrial Ethernet switches. -
Impulse Embedded now supplies the new Moxa EDS-4000 and G4000 series of Industrial Ethernet Switches. Systems integrators can now design futureproof industrial networks that strengthen operational resilience in industrial applications such as power, transportation, factory automation, rail, smart cities, ITS and marine.
Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. -
With the foundation of the new subsidiary Sensirion Connected Solutions, Sensirion has expanded its technology and product portfolio to cover the whole value chain from sensor technology to data analytics and complete solutions. Sensirion Connected Solutions combines sensor technology know-how with advanced data analytics, connectivity and cloud technology to offer easy-to-use and scalable products for emission monitoring and predictive maintenance.
30/3/2022
29/3/2022
Three-way miniature solenoid valve. - Emerson has expanded its ASCO™ Series 090 line of miniature solenoid valves, adding a new three-way Series 090 valve configuration to enable lighter, more space-efficient solutions for gas control in oxygen therapy, compression therapy and gas analyzer devices.
Why You Should Be Concerned About Ransomware - Over the past few years, we’ve all been hearing more about ransomware attacks (where a ransom is required to regain control of your data and systems) and manipulation of industrial control systems (ICS). Now, a recent study shows that these incidents may be more common than you think. (Automation World)
BNC connector developed. - A BNC connector version has been added to Cliff Electronics popular SLIMS FeedThrough Connector range. Widely used for RF, Test and Measurement equipment and security systems the BNC version is available in both 50ohm and 75ohm impedances.
Commitment to a sustainable future. - The European Clean Hydrogen Allianc (ECH2A) has been joined by Endress+Hauser. The company is thus supporting the development of a clean and competitive hydrogen industry in Europe. The goal is to achieve CO2 neutrality in the process industry by the middle of the century through the introduction of hydrogen technologies. Working together with other industry partners, Endress+Hauser wants to support the efforts being made toward a sustainable future.
All topics driving the process industry to be addressed at congress. - This year, for the first time, ACHEMA will fully integrate the congress into the exhibition programme. All congress sessions will take place either on stages directly in the exhibition halls or in the immediate vicinity of the exhibition groups. Another change to the Congress is that there will be five theme days instead of three this year. Daily highlight sessions within the respective topics will emphasize additional topics, ensuring that all topics driving the process industry are addressed.
Easily monitor process fluids in real time. - Many processes require fast reactions to changes or errors. LiquiSonic® from SensoTech GmbH reliably detects these deviations within seconds. Warnings can be issued via a variety of data interfaces - even by e-mail. Thus, users are always informed about the status of their process.
28/3/2022
Multi-turn absolute encoders. -
Wachendorff's WDGA series multi-turn absolute encoders are well-proven for their highly precise performance, robustness, and long working life for precision measurement and motion control applications across a broad range of industries.
Expanded testing and troubleshooting IP networks. -
The LinkIQ™ Cable+Network Tester has been upgraded to expand the tester's ability to test and troubleshoot IP networks, and support users in 12 languages. This new software is shipping in all new LinkIQ units and is available as a free upgrade to existing customers.
25/3/2022
How to quickly prototype 4x machine vision applications on one small embedded system. -
Embedded vision components are ever popular and being incorporated into a plethora of applications. What all these applications have in common is the need to pack more functionality into tight spaces. Often, it is advantageous for these systems make decisions on the edge. To enable such systems, including the ability to prototype quickly, Teledyne FLIR has introduced the Quartet™ Embedded Solution for TX2.
Tackling climate change in Germany. - A new "50 Global Sustainability & Climate Leaders" programme demonstrates how the leading companies in Germany are relying on EnOcean technology to deliver carbon-neutral strategies. The campaign offers a platform for companies to provide sustainable and green solutions, and thus campaign against climate change.
23/3/2022
Compressor booster performance. - An advanced test cell has been developed to monitor the functionality and performance of a compressor manufacturer’s compression boosters prior to dispatch. Humidity measurement represents a key element of the testing procedure and the company’s engineers have therefore deployed the latest Indigo-compatible, plug-and-play Vaisala humidity and temperature probe HMP4. Developed specifically for high pressure applications, the HMP4 is ideal for applications of this nature.
Graphics-rich computing platform. -
The new AMD-based Kontron D3714-V/R mini-STX single board computer (SBC) is now available from Review Display Systems (RDS). Able to support four independent displays, with resolutions of up to 4K, the highly integrated Kontron D3714-V/R is ideally suited for use in a wide range of embedded systems such as digital signage, information terminals, ticketing kiosks, medical displays, thin clients, and ultra-small industrial PCs.
Getting under the skin of sausage manufacturing efficiency - As the popularity of sausages continues to grow, manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to improve speed, efficiency and quality by utilising artificial casings. Markus Huuhtanen from Vaisala explains how these advantages can be gained by using in-line refractometers to monitor and control sausage casing processes.
22/3/2022
Miniaturized CO2 sensor. - The SCD42 is Sensirion's newest addition to the SCD4x product line. Specifically designed for products that fall under California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24), the SCD42 offers unmatched cost effectiveness for the US HVAC market.
  Neil Baker promoted as TSC Printronix Auto ID's EMEA Manager Consumables.
21/3/2022
Wine, Spirits in paper bottles! -
A collaboration between Festo and PCE Automation has helped recyclable packaging experts Frugalpac Limited to achieve the high throughputs and precision assembly necessary to meet increased demand for its innovative paperboard Frugal Bottle. Frugal Bottle is the world's first paper wine and spirits bottle.
Precise dip coating. -
With its own in-house motion system design and integration service, and distribution partnerships with globally leading motion control component suppliers, Heason Technology has the capability and a strong reputation for application customised motion control solutions. A recent example where their motion expertise played a significant role in a manufacturing project involved the design and supply of a single-axis servo motor driven actuator and control system for a novel thin-film dip coating process.
Photoluminescence spectrometer upgrade. - Edinburgh Instruments has introduced a new upgrade for its photoluminescence spectrometers, designed and manufactured at their global headquarters in Scotland.
18/3/2022
Is there an object on the conveyer belt? -
The new ODT 3C sensor from Leuze transmits both switching and measuring information to the machine control system via IO-Link – an efficient and economical 2-in-1 solution. It can handle both measuring and switching tasks and thus is suitable for a wide range of automated industrial applications.
Workstation memory enhancement. -
Innodisk has announced the debut of their new industrial-grade DDR5 memory in workstations, which are powerful computers intended for specialized technical and scientific use cases. This new technology gives early adopters the chance to demonstrate the real-world speed, and performance gains that were promised during the hype surrounding the announcement of DDR5 in 2021.
17/3/2022
Lá 'le Phádraig - St Patricks Day - Ireland's national day.
16/3/2022
Networking to help futureproof industrial automation. - The EDS-4000/G4000 Series Ethernet Switches from Moxa, includes 68 models that will help Moxa's customers build futureproof industrial networks to strengthen operational resilience in industrial spaces such as power, transportation, maritime, and factory automation.
Monitoring tyre tread depth. -
A new collaboration with between Sensata Technologies with NIRA Dynamics AB delivers an accurate and robust tyre Tread Depth Monitoring (TDM) 'virtual sensor' system for automotive OEMs that optimizes tyre health and improves vehicle safety, efficiency and uptime. The TDM solution, powered by NIRA Dynamics' tread wear estimation software, is designed to give vehicle OEMs, drivers and fleets timely alerts when tyres have worn to unsafe levels and need servicing.
Long reach Ethernet extenders. -
Advantech's IMC-150LPC series hardened PoE long-reach Ethernet extenders are available for order now. This innovative device uses extant coaxial cables to deliver both power and data to locations up to 300m away. These capabilities are buttressed by an LFPT mechanism that augments transmission quality. This combination of attributes and features make the IMC-150LPC an excellent choice for industrial and rail network infrastructure upgrade projects with limited power and network resources.
15/3/2022
Pyrometers for mono, ratio, and application measurement of metals. - AMETEK Land offers one of the widest ranges of single-spot pyrometer types for mono, ratio, and application measurement of metals. Mono (or monochromatic) pyrometers operate on a single wavelength, which relies on a clear view of the product and knowing the emissivity of the surface to obtain an accurate temperature measurement. Ratio pyrometers operate at two separate wavelengths, correcting for dust, dirty windows, and obstacles in the optical path.
Calibration & maintenance service partner anounced. - esz AG calibration & metrology and Anritsu Corporation have signed an agreement to appoint esz AG as a new, official Anritsu Certified Service Partner (ACSP). Under the agreement, esz AG will perform DAkkS and ISO17025 calibrations of Anritsu systems in Germany and Europe. In addition, esz AG will also offer functional testing, maintenance, repair and recalibration services for this equipment in the future.
Make digital twins an integral part of a sustainability program - Sustainability is gaining in importance for many companies across a wide range of industries. Digital twins and hybrid models are a particularly useful tool to help companies make progress toward their sustainability goals, for operational excellence and integrity and supply chain optimization and planning. (Automation.com)
Ultrawide band RF amplifier. -
The new R&S BBA300 family from Rohde & Schwarz, provides a single amplifier solution that eliminates the need to switch instruments or bands during a test. This facilitates testing on automotive and ultrawide band wireless communication radios for example.
Decarbonization technology proven at Waste-to-Energy plant. - Danish researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to remove most of the carbon dioxide (CO2) from the emissions of a waste incinerator, and by demonstrating the viability of the process, the researchers believe that they have developed a key technology in the fight against climate change. A pilot plant has been operational in Copenhagen for several months and a novel gas monitoring technology has enabled the optimization of plant efficiency.
14/3/2022
Design for the future. -
Mouser Electronics is sponsoring the 20th Create the Future Design Contest, a global challenge to engineers and innovators around the world to design the next great thing. Mouser, which has sponsored the contest for many years, is joined again by manufacturers Intel® and Analog Devices as co-sponsors. The contest is produced by SAE Media Group, an SAE International Company. COMSOL is also a principal sponsor of the contest.
Additive manufacturing and the climate crisis - Additive manufacturing allows industry to be more sustainable, efficient, versatile, and affordable over traditional manufacturing methods. In the face of rising concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, additive manufacturing provides a necessary advancement for industry to better meet requirements set forth to fight climate change by reducing emissions and waste byproducts. (AEC Advisory)
Helping to meet regulatory emission requirements now and in the future. - Servomex has launched the Laser 3 Plus Environmental helping plant operators meet with legislative requirements With integrated auto-validation software to ensure highly consistent measurement accuracy, the Laser 3 Plus Environmental Tunable Diode Laser (TDL) analyzer is a compact, reliable solution for accurate continuous emissions measurements of ammonia (NH3).
11/3/2022
Determining moisture in Oil. -
The E+E humidity sensing elements used in the MOP301 are characterised by their long-term stability and resistance to contamination. They form the basis for high-precision and reliable humidity and temperature measurement.
Electric vehicle systems business acquired. - NI has officially closed the purchase of Heinzinger Automotive GmbH, the Electronic Vehicle (EV) Systems business of Heinzinger electronic GmbH, a European leader in high-current and high-voltage power systems. This acquisition further expands NI's portfolio of electrification, battery test, and sustainable energy capabilities, and broadens reach to customers.
10/3/2022
Easier monitoring and optimising plant health. - Emerson's device management software is the first host software to be fully registered by FieldComm Group® to support the Field Device Integration (FDI) standard. This is a further step in their ongoing efforts to reduce the time and effort spent installing and configuring the field devices plants rely on to achieve their digital transformation goals.
Global logistics operations centre for Ireland. - The Endress+Hauser Group will soon be managing its worldwide logistics network from a single operations centre in Ireland. A small team of logistics specialists is tasked with managing the day-to-day operation and enabling the smooth and sustainable movement of goods.
Beware of accidental convergence. - Modern industrial and critical infrastructure organizations rely on the operational technology (OT) environment to produce their goods and services. Beyond traditional information technology (IT) operations that use servers, routers, PCs and switches, these organizations also rely on OT, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), distributed control systems (DCSs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) to run physical plants and factories. While OT devices have been in commercial use for more than 50 years, a complete transformation has occurred, changing the way people operate, interact with and secure the OT environment. (Control Engineering/Tenable)
Avoiding catastrophic failures in industrial facilities. - IMI Critical Engineering, has launched IMI Insyt, a new digital service to improve performance, reliability, and efficiency in industrial plants. This is a digitally based prescriptive engineering service that can prevent structural integrity issues such as cracks and leaks in pipes and equipment. It works to protect industrial processes by optimizing plant operations and minimizes costly and unexpected plant downtime.
9/3/2022
Process industry sectors supplier joins larger group. -
IPP Irish Power & Process Ltd has agreed to be acquired by The Brennan & Co Group. IPP emphasise that key components of their offering will not change. The company will continue to run and be managed by the current team in Kilkenny. They will continue marketing automation leaders like Yokogawa, Fluke, Burns Engineering, Camille Bauer and Raytek.
Testing Wi-Fi 6E devices. -
EMITE and Anritsu Corporation have added the 6 GHz band to their newly integrated testing system, allowing testing to the new IEEE 802.11ax WLAN standard. The new band adds to the already available 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
Off grid power supply. - The latest addition to Laser Components' range of accessories makes FLEXPOINT ® -laser modules with M12 connectors fit for mobile use. The M12 USB cable connects the laser module to any compatible power source via a USB-A connector. This can be a commercially available power bank, a power supply unit, or the USB port of a computer.
A long-term global partnership for Industry 4.0. - SERO GmbH has selected the Aegis Software FactoryLogix IIoT-based MES solution across their factories in Germany, Slovakia, and for new operations in the USA, across multiple disciplines, each with stringent requirements.
Touch panel HMI. -
IDEC Corporation has expanded its HMI product family with the new HG2J Series 7" touchscreen HMI. Hardware and software advancements incorporated into this HMI make it easier to integrate and use for any type of industrial application.
8/3/2022
7/3/2022
24V Nonstop Power. -
Power failures? Brownouts? Flicker? The intelligent DC emergency power supply UPSI-2412DP3 from Bicker Elektronik reliably protects safety-relevant 24VDC applications against system failure and data loss. For buffering of the 24VDC supply voltage, Bicker Elektronik relies on the particularly safe and durable LiFePO4 battery technology.
Securely streamline power substation networks. - Moxa has introduced the new MGate 5119 Series IEC 61850 gateway, which simplifies system integrations and enhances communication security for power substations.
Capping pharma products. - Over the years Sensor Technology has worked with many OEMs to develop high precision, high speed machines for use in pharmaceutical plants and a range of other applications. One of these, an Oxfordshire neighbour of Sensor Technology, has for over 10 years incorporated TorqSense units into its capping machines.
Engineers choose C&I and automation catagories. - The 35th Control Engineering Engineers' Choice Awards shines a light on 19 categories of control, instrumentation and automation products, revealing the best of those introduced in 2021 as chosen by the Control Engineering print and digital audience.
Shrouded sockets. -
Cliff Electronics manufacture PCB mount 4mm shrouded sockets which can mate with both safety shrouded and unshrouded plugs. The right-angled design reduces strain between the PCB and the lead, increasing reliability and product lifetime.
4/3/2022
Analog and digital integrated circuits to expand. - Analog Devices, one of the biggest and longest established tech companies in Limerick (IRL), has announced a €100 million investment at its plant at Raheen. The investment will see it add an additional 250 employees to its workforce over the next three years. (RTÉ)
Efficient irrigation. - A Pumping Station Powered by Delta CP2000 Frequency Drives is Delivering Efficient Irrigation in South Africa. Five low-energy Delta CP2000 frequency drives drive the six underground well pumps and ensure that the water brought to the surface is transferred on to the higher tank. The CP models feature a PID controller with feedback that allows the water level in the tanks and boreholes to be monitored and corrected.
Test engineering highlighted. -
Fluke, a global technology leader in the manufacture of compact, professional electronic test and measurement tools and software, has today announced the launch of an exclusive video series to celebrate engineering innovation in recognition of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.
3/3/2022
Thermal cameras for efficient data analysis. - When decision makers seek to integrate new hardware into their automation process, they are often looking at a few key areas: the ease of use, price point, features, and the ability to utilize the hardware at multiple points throughout their system. The new FLIR A50 and A70 thermal cameras come in three options—Smart, Streaming, and Research & Development to fit the needs of professionals across a variety of industries—from manufacturing to utilities to science.
Smart falls short! -
Moxa's Oliver Wang explains why smart manufacturing initiatives often fall short of expectations. - Eesearch has shown that even after years into implementing smart factory initiatives, over 85% of companies are unable to achieve successful deployments. Moxa mantains that one of the major obstacles holding them back is IT/OT.
  Dr Ziad Melhem has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Intelliconnect's CryoCoax division.
Datacenter support. -
The Network Master Pro 1040A, from Anritsu, now supports tests of 400GBASE-ZR standard optical modules facilitating low-cost datacenter interconnects (DCI). In addition, Anritsu has also developed the optional Ethernet 4x100G N Port BERT and Ethernet 2x200G N Port BERT M1040A software solutions for breakout-type communications quality tests to reduce DCI test workloads.
2/3/2022
Effortless connections and splicing. - Additions to Dinkle International's 0229 Series portfolio of connectors have been announced. These may be used to provide pluggable connectivity between wires for inline splicing, and from wires to PCBs.
No-Code industrial control programming basics -
Industrial automation and control has been ahead of the latest computer industry buzz about no-code development platforms (NCDPs) since 1969 with visual ladder logic programming and evolving into the IEC 61131-3 International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard, first published in 1993. (Automation.com)
Valve technology dramatically reduces energy consumption. -
Festo has developed piezo valve technology for gas handling that simplifies the replacement of traditional solenoid valves, facilitates integration and can reduce energy consumption by as much as 95%. Extremely low energy consumption, coupled with silent, no-heat operation, makes piezo valve technology particularly attractive for laboratory and medical device applications.
Self drive vehicle safety industry first. - Teledyne FLIR has announced the release of an expanded free thermal dataset for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and self-driving vehicle researchers and developers. The expanded starter dataset nearly doubles the original, industry-first free dataset and features more than 26,000 annotated images from the US, England, and France in day and nighttime conditions.
1/3/2022
Thirty years a testing! -
Fluke Networks launched its first tester in 1992, sticking to what professionals had come to expect from Fluke—a rugged, reliable, and portable tester with advanced measurement capabilities. The company will celebrate by giving new and returning customers a deal on 30 of their most popular fibre products.
Slag detection. -
The AMETEK Land SDS-640 slag detection system is helping Celsa Steel UK to improve yield during the tapping process.
Feabhra 2022 February
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