Instrumentation and Control News

The links on these old News Pages may be changed or expired since the page first appeared. Little if any editing is done on these.

News is also accessible from back numbers of Readout see the Readout Home Page.

Earlier editions may be found through the archive.

• Fully appreciate your boiler efficiency - Small yet effective is how the new Lancom 2001 portable gas analyser from Land Combustion is described. Small and easy to carry the entire unit weighs less than 3Kg. It is build around a powerful microprocessor based system and claims to be the ideal tool for all forms of flue gas monitoring. It displays O2, CO2, NO and SO2. More details from David Bellamy on +44 1246 417691.

• New brochure on leading 32-bit SCADA Software - Now available from industrial automation software vendor Intellution is a new brochure on their leading FIX 32-bit SCADA package for windows 95 and Windows NT.

• Conference on web - The Pittsburgh Conference on analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy is on the web at http://www.pittcon.org. This is the largest annual conference and exposition on laboratory equipment and chemical analysis.

• Carrier Board for CompactPCI-Based Systems - GreenSpring Computers, the leading manufacturer of ANSI/VITA-4 standardized IP modules, introduced today the cPCI-200, a new IndustryPack carrier board which offers a broad range of off-the-shelf I/O solutions for high performance industrial, COTS and telephony applications on 6U CompactPCI-based systems.

• Challenge to mid-range electrochemistry market - The price/performance of potentiostats is claimed to have been redefined by Solartron with the introduction of their 1285 interface.
• 25 Years service - Labfacility report a very successful 25th year. Their Tempmaster-100 is now regarded as the best selling precision thermometer in Europe.
• Instrument manifolds to optimise reliability for process OEMs and users - Parker Hannifin has introduced a range of three-way, direct-mount instrumentation manifolds with integral tubing connections, halving potential leak paths and assembly labour requirements compared with conventional products. In addition to saving costs, the manifolds are ideal for use in any application involving hazardous fluids, or where reliability is paramount.

• Power contract in Russia - The latest overseas contract to be picked up by ESB International, the consulting arm of the ESB (Ireland's Electricity Supply Board), is in Russia. The IRP1m project, which ESBI will carry out in conjunction with Greek and Danish companies, will take two years to complete. ESBI will be assisting Russian utility companies and academic institutions in the development of their energy industry. The EU is funding the project as part of its TACIS programme.

• Practical Guides - Thre new volumes have been added to the ISA's Practical Guide Series. These are titled Analytical Instrumentation, Batch Control and Continuous Process Control.

• Update for the analyst - Hach's News and Notes Vol 10 No 1 has been issued and features a Phosphate Analyser application in Alberta (Cdn). It also lists new products and a section on new methods and procedures.
• Fresh look at impact of PC-based SCADA and fieldbus - Starting with the January issue, Control and Instrumentation, one of Britains leading magazines will be focusing afresh specifically on the fast changing world of system integrators, system building and the impact of PC-based SCADA and fieldbus. They hope to cover everything from specifying projects, software, hardware, networking, panel building rtc to project management - for systems large and small in all industries in their new series of monthly supplements. Details from Brian Tinham at Control & Instrumentation in London.

• World's smallest accelorometer - Endevco has launched the model 25b, claimed to be the industry's smallest piezoelectric accelorometer with integral electronics. Ideal for measuring vibration on extremely small objects, the 25B is five times smaller than competing products and weighs only 0.2 grams. Talk to Paul Marchant on +44 1763 261311.
• Primary flow elements fast - Thermocouple Instruments now offers primary flow elements for the process industries to complement its traditional temperature sensors. Oriface plates, averaging pitots, flow nozzles and venturies in stainless steel, exotic alloys such as monel and hastelloy or plastics such as PTFE and PVDF are designed and produced in house on short delivery. contact Richard Cornelius on +44 1222 734121.
• 1997 Register - The American Export Register is revised and updated with more information in this 1997 edition now available. It is described as the easy access guide to US products and services. This is published by Thomas Publishing Company.
• New 10000 ohm sensor - Now, according to MINCO EC of Switzerland, for the first time ever you can get a sensitivity of 38.5 Ohms per Deg C in a platinum RTD. This sensor allows precise 2-wire measurements over wide or narrow temperature intervals using simple RTD input circuits. Before now only thermistors were the only viable option for 2-wire applications so this appears to be a new option. Full details are availlable from Willi Knellwolf on +41 71 969 4390.
• 1MHz Data acquisition boards support Windows 3.1, 95 and NT - the WIN 30 series of data acquisition boards from Amplicon Liveline are multi-function analog and digital I/O boards designed for PC-AT compatible computers. They support Windows 3.1, 95 and NT software.
• New software package allows unattended Data Logging - Fluke Corporation has introduced a new data logging software package to extend the problem solving and troubleshooting capabilities of the Fluke Model 41 and 41B power Harmonics Analyser.
• Keep up-to-date in optics - Artech House Books of Boston and London, have issued a new brochure on their latest publications in optical engineering and semiconducters including Optical Fibre Amplifiers, Smart Sensors, Optical Fibre Sensors and DFB Laser Diodes.
• Control valve suits very low flows - Fisher Controls have entered the speciality low flow (below 0.02 Cv) segment of the control valve market with a new device called the Baumann Modell 51000. It is claimed to be the most compact unit of its type available.
• Electrochemical software to bring advanced analytical technigues to semiconductor and battery research - Solartron has released a significent set of enhancements to its portfolio of advanced electrochemistry experiment management software.

• Data Acquisition and Control Software - Users can download two free Windows software demos from the new web site established by Windmill Software Ltd.

The Internet Directory of Instrumentation is the world wide Directory of Instrumentation and Control launched by BDI in May 1995.

The Instrumentation Signpost has interesting pointers for the I&C Professional.