Industrial Factory Automation

Hitachi America, Ltd., Industrial Systems Division, today announced the availability of Pump Sleep Mode functionality in its X200 and SJ200 Series Microdrives. The functionality is implemented utilizing only the inverter’s built-in PID control, logic and timing functions as a basis. Together with parameter settings, external jumper wiring is all that is required to realize the sleep mode operation. Hitachi X200 Series AC Drives Contactor-style package (power in at top/motor out at bottom) Emergency stop function Improved trip avoidance Advanced logic and calculate functions Suitable for side-by-side mounting Patented micro-surge voltage suppression Non-stop operation after instantaneous power failure Built in RS-485 Modbus/RTU Ratings ¼ to 3 hp, 230 V, single or 3-phase; 5 to 10 hp, 230 V, 3-phase; ½ to 10 hp, 460 V, 3-phase Hitachi SJ200 Series VFD Inverters New Intelligent Sensorless Vector Control - NO Autotuning Required! Up to 200% Starting Torque Most

Gefran has expanded its ADV200 line of high-performance, field-oriented control (FOC) vector inverters, adding three larger frame sizes with heavy duty overload power now available up to 1.2MW. The modular range now includes four panel-mount and three cabinet-housed drives for continuous service, constant torque power output applications from 0.75kW to 355kW at 400-480VAC. With heavy duty and light duty overload management and with a choice of open loop, closed loop with speed feedback, or V/F control, the ADV200 range provides maximum application flexibility with up to three front-mounted option card slots for a mixed combination of encoder and fieldbus interfaces or I/O expansion cards. The ADV200 is aimed at system builders and OEMs requiring an inverter drive platform that is able to meet the needs of the widest possible range of speed control applications. Based on a high-performance 32-bit microcontroller providing a closed-loop speed regulation up to 0.01 per cent and a speed r

Softinway has announced that its next free webinar, entitled 'Designing the Flow Paths of Mixed-Flow Compressors', will be held on 15 September 2009 at 10:00 and 16:00 EST. The webinar addresses the challenges that engineers working in the oil-and-gas, power-plant and air-engine industries face while designing mixed-flow compressors.  The goal of the webinar is to provide an effective, feature-rich solution to overcome these challenges and accelerate the product development process using Axstream software. The programme includes an overview of the industries involving mixed-flow compressors and benefits of such machines, for example, the possibility of achieving higher pressure ratio at smaller size, which is critical, taking into account today's trend to increase pressure ratio. The theory is followed by Axstream presentation, including mixed-flow compressor design, 1D/2D analysis and optimisation, 3D structural analysis and 3D flow analysis. After that, the turbomachiner

Switchboard supplier EMS has selected switchboards in Eaton 's Moeller Modan range to assist in the completion of an upgrade to a Heygates flour mill in Tring, Hertfordshire. The task of upgrading the electrical equipment in the mill posed two key challenges. The first was that the space available to accommodate the new switchboards was extremely limited. The second was that, as the mill operates continuously and downtime is costly, it was necessary for Heygates to be able to carry out maintenance and fault-finding work on, for example, individual motor starters, without shutting down the whole plant. EMS knew from its work on previous projects that switchboards from Eaton's Moeller Modan range would provide a complete and cost-effective solution to both problems. While the Modan switchboards are available in a variety of configurations, for this application the engineers chose the Modan W. Because Modan W uses withdrawable and removable plug-in units, function modules can be e

Sensor Systems has added a range of Hall-effect rotary position sensors to its ST350 series. The company said the sensors simplify customer use by providing the CANbus outputs needed for new-generation control systems. An operating range up to 360deg gives customers greater control and system accuracy by allowing them to select a range more closely suited to their application. Supply voltage up to 30VDC and the CANbus DS301/DS406 profiles up to 1Mbits/s improve compatibility with a variety of control systems. Linearity of +/- 0.50deg with a resolution of about +/- 0.09deg provides customers with increased measurement precision. Thermal drift lower than 100ppm/C allows applications under adverse ambient conditions. Different connector choices (for example, AMP Superseal or Deutsch) satisfy customer connection requirements. The ST350 series sensors use solid-state Hall-effect technology, providing non-contact operation, enhancing service life and reducing wear-out mechanisms. This serie

Pump Engineering has announced that the Ponndorf PK40 compact double-head hose pump is now available. The Ponndorf PK40 high-pressure twin unit is capable of providing flows up to 15,000 litres/hr at pressures up to 15 bar. The versatile, self-priming, pumps offer the advantages of peristaltic pumping, which are particularly relevant to the food-processing and water-treatment industries. For example, shear-sensitive, delicate liquids or those containing solids remain unaffected by the pumping process. The absence of seals, glands and valves reduces the likelihood of component failure and resulting downtime, sometimes associated with demanding pumping applications, such as those involving abrasives and other similar aggressive media. Cleaning and washing is also simplified because only the hose has contact with the process fluid, therefore quick and effective cleaning is achieved simply by flushing through the hose. The pump is fully reversible and is supplied with a selection of hose

Laser Lines has explained the key advantages of laser welding. Nylon welding processes are split into two categories: low-energy-density, and high-energy-density processes. Low-energy-density processes are those such as traditional arc and resistance welding technologies that rely on heat conduction through the material from a surface point to provide melting. High-energy-density processes using lasers create a heating filament, known as the keyhole, which penetrates the depth and offers 2D line heating, causing a highly efficient heat transfer into the weld joint. The key advantages of laser welding are a small heat-affected zone (HAZ), accurate control of heat input, and the ability to direct the beam precisely to the weld point. This means reduced thermal distortion, the ability to weld close to heat-sensitive parts, and precision welding capabilities. Major applications for sub-kilowatt lasers are in precision-welding and heat-sensitive welding processes, such as hermetic sealing,

Omron has launched the NQ series of compact human-machine interface (HMI) terminals that it says are ideal for small- and medium-size machines. The full-colour touch screens of the NQ series comprehend a complete set of HMI functions to enable rapid creation of intuitive HMI applications. Available in colour or blue-mode monochrome versions, NQ HMIs display clear and sharp pictures, buttons, messages, and graphs on an attractive, modern touch screen with a few additional function keys. The NQ HMI terminals come with high-brightness, quality displays and USB ports for simple programming and data transfer. The serial ports allow connection to many popular PLC families and other devices such as inverters and temperature controllers. The NQ software offers many features needed for creating effective applications that are easy to use. Besides the basic HMI functions, there are also extra buttons, lamps, graphics, and meters, including real-time and historical trending and logging. Trends a

TCP/IP-compatible servo drives from Baldor Electric have simplified the construction of an automotive component tester from Dynamic Testing and Equipment (DTE). The new machine fully automates the accelerated life testing of the flexible boot seals used to protect ball joints in automobile steering assemblies. The use of programmable AC servos - instead of conventional hydraulic actuators - provides a high level of control flexibility, enabling test parameters such as joint articulation angles to be varied on the fly. Capable of testing up to six boot seals simultaneously, testing regimes can include continuous articulation of the ball joints, hot and cold brine sprays, elevated humidity levels and air temperature cycling from -25C to +80C. DTE's boot-seal testing machine employs two motorised movement axes - one vertical and one horizontal - each driven by a Baldor Motiflex e100 three-phase servo drive and servomotor fitted with a multi-turn absolute encoder. The precise feedbac

Minitec UK has compiled and written a 72-page reference guide on machine framing system design and applications. The pocket-sized hard copy book is entitled 'Profile Systems for Mechanical Engineering' and covers a range of information from materials analysis and structural design considerations to time and cost benefits for extruded aluminium systems versus traditional steel fabrication. 'Profile Systems for Mechanical Engineering' takes a broad view to help machine builders make considered decisions about materials selection, structural design, adaptability of profile systems, application diversity, fastening technologies and design software. An applications section covers some real examples in different fields of mechanical engineering where Minitec's Profile System has enabled shortened design and assembly times and reduced development costs for fully modular and easily scaled machine designs

Synqor has expanded its Milqor product line of 270V input DC/DC converters and complementary EMI filters, which has been designed specifically for high-reliability applications. The MQFL-270 series of DC/DC converters utilises Synqor's high-efficiency synchronous rectification technology to achieve efficiency levels of more than 88 per cent. This effectively reduces the dissipated heat by half as compared to other 120W converters in the industry-standard full-size (FL) package. Fully encased using Synqor's Qorseal technology, the MQFL-270 series is constructed to withstand and survive the harsh environments and long-term storage requirements of avionics, missile and other flight applications. Hi-Rel MQFL-270 DC/DC converters operate at full power from -55C to +125C and accept continuous input voltages of 155-400V, while permitting higher transient input voltages of 475V for one second. Single-output modules are offered in 11 versions ranging from 1.5V to 28V, including 1.5V, 1

Nihon Superior , a supplier of advanced soldering and brazing materials, has announced that a new presentation about the challenges and issues in lead-free soldering is now available on its website. Copper erosion, voiding and tin whiskers are only a few of the problems in the field of lead-free soldering. Nihon Superior claims that it has has experience with and good knowledge of SN100C, which can reduce bridges with uniform eutectic solidification, provide good through-hole fill and reduce voiding, resulting in low defect manufacturing and high reliability. Additional performance features of SN100C include excellent melting performance, the prevention of shrinkage cavities, good ductility, reduced copper erosion and stabilised IMC. It provides a long service life in thermal cycling conditions, a good impact resistance in BGA applications and vibration resistance.

Adder , a developer of KVM switches, extenders and KVM-over-IP solutions, has announced the availability of the CCS4USB command-and-control switch. Command-and-control installations are said to be critical to environments such as law enforcement, aviation, space exploration, power generation and heavy industry. As such, when new equipment is deployed into them, system integrators need the assurance that the equipment chosen will perform reliably from the moment it is plugged in. The CCS4USB is designed to give control to a single operator across four connected computers. This is achieved by switching keyboard and mouse between the computers to shift control of each computer. The monitors bypass the switch completely, so the CCS4USB can be deployed alongside DVI, VGA, Display Port or any video standard chosen. Integrated USB2.0 switching is powered using Adder's new USB True Emulation technology, which means the device can connect instantaneously to almost any USB interface (HID) de

KIC Thermal Profiling has unveiled its Spectrum thermal process optimisation software: the third and final link to the company's range of technologies for increased solar-cell efficiencies. According to the company, the solar-cell manufacturing industry links higher cell efficiency to the ability to manufacture the solar wafers in the 'sweet spot' of the thermal process window. Spectrum automatically identifies the correct furnace setup that achieves a thermal profile that is positioned within the 'sweet spot' of the established process window. The prediction software uses the information from a single profile pass to evaluate the millions of possible furnace setups. Each possible furnace recipe will yield a profile and Spectrum identifies the fit between the profile and the established process window. Within seconds, the software can complete a ranking and present its recommendation for the furnace recipe (zone temperatures and conveyor speed) that yield the optim

Comtech AHA Corporation has unveiled its latest high-speed GZIP data compression board, which supports data throughput of more than 10Gbit/s for high GZIP compression. The AHA367-PCIe allows network transmission and network storage appliance customers to reduce the amount of data that is transferred through or stored within their systems. Along with reducing latency, bandwidth and storage requirements, it also eases the loading of precious resources inside these appliances by offloading the data compression task from the core central processing units (CPUs). The system is based on the company's AHA3610 design: a GZIP compression and decompression integrated circuit (IC), which offers up to 2.5Gbit/s throughput via hardware, while also saving power over GZIP software compression. The architecture of the AHA367-PCIe card facilitates migration for current customers of the existing AHA363-PCIe card with little or no changes to the existing software drivers required. Based on the open-

The Ha-VIS RFID integrated radio-frequency-identification (RFID) system from Harting offers a high degree of flexibility to simplify the implementation of scalable solutions in various applications. The new system combines rugged, high-performance RFID readers with powerful data pre-processing to ensure high-speed data transmission and optimum dynamic network performance. Overall control is provided by the Ha-VIS RFID Suite: a software solution that allows the scaling of RFID solutions from individual readers through to enterprise-wide solutions across different locations. As an aid to integration of the RFID transponding functions, all the readers provide ultra-high-frequency (UHF) and high-frequency (HF) technology as standard features. Their rugged design and construction allow them to be used in a range of industrial environments, including mounting on metal surfaces. The Ha-VIS RFID Suite administers the interfaces to the RFID reading devices and printers, as well as to barcode r

IBase Technology , a manufacturer of industrial motherboards, has introduced the IB945 PICMG 1.0 full-size CPU card. It uses the latest Intel Q45 Express chipset, which supports Intel Core2 Quad processors to deliver energy-efficient performance across a variety of high-end platforms. With support for the new dual-channel DDR3 memory technology at 1,066MHz, it offers a higher bandwidth and better performance than DDR2, while operating at a lower memory voltage for lower DIMM power consumption. With the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 and Chrontel CH7307C controller device, IB945 is claimed to provide good graphics performance with interfaces for a VGA CRT and a DVI display. It has six SATA ports to provide a faster transfer rate for improved data access and six USB ports that allow connection to various peripherals and computing devices. Other features of the IB945 include two gigabit local-area networks (LANs), two COM ports, IDE and parallel ports, ISA high drive, digital input

All PSU has launched a range of ultra-compact high-efficiency 240W power supplies. The AQF240 series of power supplies is available with the option of either a fully enclosed case or a U-channel chassis. All units are in a compact case size of 150mm x 106mm x 35mm for both enclosed and U-channel versions and have screw terminal connections for input and output. The AQF240 series also benefits from full-range universal AC input and a high efficiency of up to 93 per cent, which enables the power supplies to be convection cooled to full power at up to +50C. All units have full international safety approvals and come with a two-year warranty.

A family of three fanless touch-screen panel PCs from Datasound Laboratories uses the Intel Core2 Duo processor to provide up to 1.66GHz of processing power. This is complemented by a maximum of 1Gb of RAM. Available with 15in (AHM-6156), 12in (AHM-6126) and 10.4in (AHM-6106) LCD displays, the system can incorporate Compactflash and, optionally, a 2.5in (6.4cm) SATA hard disk. Onboard features include a 10/100Mbps local-area network (LAN), two COM ports, two USB 2.0 connections, audio (line out) and PS/2 keyboard and mouse interfaces. The AHM-6xx6, which supports Windows XP Pro, XP Embedded and Windows CE NET 5.0/6.0 operating systems, has an IP65 sealed front panel with a resistive touch screen. The system supports input voltages from 11V to 28V and has been constructed from black aluminium alloy. RoHS compliant and meeting CE and FCC Class A certification, the AHM-6xx6 range has an operating temperature of 0C to 50C and offers VESA or panel mounting.

Axiomtek has launched a powerful 3.5in (8.9cm) Intel Atom embedded board, expanding its Atom embedded solution. The SBC84832 embedded SBC uses the Intel Atom N270 processor combined with the Intel 945GSE chipset and ICH7M Southbridge, which offers optimised power and a robust performance per watt for cost-effective embedded solutions. The onboard 1.60GHz Intel Atom N270 processor is claimed to provide good performance with low power consumption and fanless operation. The Mobile Intel 945GSE Express chipset comes with the Generation 3.5 Intel Integrated Graphics Engine and the Intel GMA 950, which provides enhanced graphics support over the previous-generation graphics and memory controller hubs. Moreover, the SBC84832 supports CRT (2,048 x 1,536) and LVDS LCD (1,600 x 1,200) dual-view displays and delivers flexible high-bandwidth expansion capability with one PCI Express mini card for custom system configurations. The small-footprint embedded board provides a solution for digital sign

Avalue , an industrial computer manufacturer, provides tiers of panel PCs for a variety of applications. Typical applications include industrial-level rugged electronic devices, handheld terminals, infotainment displays, human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and outdoor ticket machines. With its Intel Atom component, Avalue leverages its panel PCs to thinner, wider and greener applications. At present, Avalue has brought a full range of screen-sized Atom-based panel PCs into its product categories. These include: the LPC series, a slim industrial automation HMI touch-panel PC, which features 8in (20cm), 10in and 12in panel displays; the FPC series, a modularised touch-panel PC, which features an 8.9in- to 22in-wide panel display; the PPC series, a thin-client all-in-one cost-effective touch terminal, which features 15in-, 17in-, and 22in-wide panel displays; and the MTP series, a medical-grade multi-functional touch-panel PC, which features a 12in to 17in panel display. Avalue also offers co

Kycon has increased its modular jack offering by including a tab-down option with built-in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The GSLX and GSLGX combine the functionality of Kycon's RJ45 modular jacks with the signal capabilities of independent LEDs mounted within the jack housing. The expanded series allows for greater design flexibility for a number of applications, such as telecommunications, networking systems (hubs, switches, routers and gateways), security systems and multimedia set-top-box applications. The single- and multi-port RJ45 right-angle connectors with LEDs are offered as non-shielded or fully shielded, with various optional grounding tabs for panel grounding and EMI/RFI protection. The LEDs are located at the bottom of the connector and are offered in a variety of single-colour LED options to facilitate the inspection of system activity.

Aimtec has expanded its family of non-isolated, DC-DC switching regulator series with a surface-mount (SMD) version of the step-down switching regulators. Designed in a compact SMD package (15.24mm x 11.82mm x 7.25mm) to support automated assembly, the AMSRL-78-NZ series is suitable for low-profile circuit implementations such as portable- and standby-power applications. Versatile for a number of industrial applications, the AMSRL-78-NZ series is designed to operate at full output power without heatsinking or forced-air cooling below +71C and with output power derating up to +85C. With four models featuring adjustable output voltages, ranging from 1.8VDC to 15.5VDC, the AMSRL-78-NZ series produces maximum output currents of 500mA at efficiency rates of up to 96 per cent, with low output ripple and noise (25mV p-p) for noise-sensitive applications. Ultra-wide input ranges (up to 6:1) extend from 4.75VDC to 28VDC and allow the products to be powered from unregulated sources. Other featu

Anritsu Corporation has rolled out three software applications, strengthening the functions of the company's MG3700A vector signal generator and MS269xA signal analyser series. The new software packages are the MX370110A LTE TDD IQproducer for generating waveforms used by the MG3700A vector signal generator, the MX269910A waveform generation software and the MX269022A downlink measurement software used by the MS269xA signal analyser series. Aimed at the Chinese market for next-generation 3GPP LTE TDD mobile communications systems, the MX370110A supports the evaluation of the Rx characteristics of 3GPP LTE TDD base stations, mobile terminals and chipsets using the MG3700A. MX269910A and MX269022A applications are designed to evaluate 3GPP LTE TDD Tx/Rx characteristics using a single MS269xA signal analyser. The Chinese government approved the start of 3G mobile-phone services in January 2009 and the construction of 3G networks is said to be progressing rapidly. A number of manufact

CableOne Industrial Automation Blog

Intersil has introduced three tiny razor-thin real-time clock (RTC) products that are ideal for low-voltage and portable applications. Intersil's ISL12057/8/9 devices simplify the design of utility E-Meters, multi-function printers, digital photo frames and many other devices. The smallest of these breakthrough products, the ISL12057 and ISL12058, require just 2 x 2mm, a 73 per cent reduction in board space against their closest competitors. At only 0.55mm thick, these eight-lead devices are 45 per cent thinner than similar products on the market. The ISL12057 is available in a 2 x 2mm eight-lead uTDFN plastic package, which offers enhanced ruggedness and durability in portable applications. For added design versatility, the devices are also available in a 3 x 3mm eight-lead TDFN and popular MSOP and SOIC package choices. In addition, the ISL12058 offers package choices in the 2 x 2mm uTDFN, 3 x 3mm TDFN, eight-lead MSOP and eight-lead SOIC options. The ISL12059 is available in th

Amplicon 's Test Systems Division provides system integrators and end-users with the widest range of test-system hardware at a competitive price. PXI, compact PCI (cPCI), LXI and PC-based systems, along with an extensive product-integration service, provide customers with a finished hardware platform that allows them to concentrate on their specific area of expertise - typically the addition of a bespoke test software application. John Hayward, product manager for Amplicon's Test Systems Division, said: 'In a recent application, Amplicon's PC-based test system provided a saving of over GBP100,000 compared with in-house development, at a major oil and gas instrumentation specialist.' In the current trend of out-sourcing non-critical functions, many companies have reduced knowledge and manpower for implementing new test systems and upgrading existing lines. Factors that must be considered when designing a suitable test-system solution include: power calculations for P

Mouser Electronics has released Freescale Semiconductor's MMA7660FC, a three-axis +/-1.5g I2C digital capacitive accelerometer with integrated embedded intelligence and reduced power consumption. The Freescale Semiconductor MMA7660FC features programmable functions such as orientation, tap, and shake detection, as well as a unique auto-wake for extended battery life. Packaged in a small, low-profile 3 x 3 x 0.9mm DFN, it enhances portable electronic user interfaces for mobile phones, small appliances and gaming. The MMA7660FC uses I2C communication and programmable interrupt functionality to provide direct communication to the main system processor with simplicity and flexibility.

Real Intent 's Ascent functional verification product now includes an automated solution to ensure X-robust designs, available through the Ascent Path-Based Verification (PBV) product. Explicit and implicit X sources (X assignments in RTL and non-resettable flops, respectively) in the designs can lead to many challenging issues for design verification, such as masking real design errors and causing RTL-to-netlist simulation mismatches. Depending on coding styles, simulation results can be X-pessimistic, which lead to unnecessary unknown values; or X-optimistic, which result in known values when they should have been unknown. Design and verification teams write properties to trap Xs or instrument two-value simulation with random initialisation to avoid X ambiguity in order to detect design errors. However, these approaches take a considerable amount of manual and computational resources without offering the complete confidence of X robustness. Ascent PBV offers a multi-faceted solut

The new P4ELA from BVM is a powerful SBC conforming to the Micro ATX 244 x 244mm form factor. It is suitable as a platform for high-performance systems in industrial workstation, industrial control and automation, POS, gaming, print imaging, digital signage, digital surveillance, network security and similar applications that require processing horsepower and fast graphics capability. The board uses the Intel Q45 + ICH10D0 Express chipset and supports Intel Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo and Celeron processors conforming to the LGA775 pin-out, with an FSB up to 1333MHz. The built-in Intel Graphics Accelerator 4500, operating through a bandwidth-optimising enhanced backbone architecture, supports Microsoft DirectX 10 and OpenGL to give outstanding 2D and 3D rendering, enabling support for the highest levels of Windows Vista experience. In addition, eight USB2.0 ports, five RS232s, one RS232/422/485 port and two GigaLAN ports are provided, as are six SATA interfaces supporting RAID and Intel M

Accelonix will sell Essegi Systems ' kitting solutions in the UK, Spain and Portugal after being appointed distributor for the Italian manufacturer. Essegi's kitting systems provide an affordable method of reducing change-over down-time, which can be considerable for low-volume contract manufacturers in industrial and military sectors. Feeding the system with a bill of materials generates an entire kit; the software can handle all the materials on the board, including mechanical and electronic components. While the system automates reels it can also handle other components, keep track of them and tell the user where to find them, providing accurate inventory control and the location of manually handled components. Essegi's kitting solutions have an extremely small footprint, enhance production rates by increasing automation and provide complete component traceability. Systems are easily expanded; linking multiple units means that an unlimited number of reels and trays can b

Infineon Technologies AG has introduced a single-chip linear voltage regulator with integrated diagnosis and car-radio system protection functions. Designed for active antenna applications in automotive infotainment systems, the TLF 4277 low drop out (LDO) voltage regulator has adjustable output voltage to support the majority of standard active antennas, including FM/AM, DAB and the XM and Sirius satellite radio bands. With its integrated current monitor and adjustable current limitation, the TLF 4277 enables a reduction in the number of discrete components for active antenna applications by approximately 50 per cent. More than 95 per cent of cars now feature active antennas for radio-programme reception. Active antennas are small enough to fit into the windscreen, front bumper or the stub antenna on the car's roof. According to current market researchers, about 52-55 million cars are expected to be produced globally in the year 2009. On average, cars are typically equipped with

Isabellenhuette Heusler has introduced a sensor module (IVT) that measures current and voltage during lithium-ion battery charging and discharging periods. It can be configured according to customer requirements. It is suitable for use in hybrid and electric vehicles. The IVT (shunt measures 20 x 85mm, board measures 20 x 40mm) can perform measurements within a current range of +/- 1,500A at a resolution of 50mA. The sensor module records voltage within a range of +/- 20V at a resolution of 1mV. Measurements are taken via a 100-u-ohm-shunt and measured values are logged by the four-channel 16-bit data-acquisition system ISA-ASIC. For this pre-calibrated sensor module, customer calibration is no longer necessary. Both supply voltage and SPI signal are electrically isolated.

KIC , a provider of thermal process development and control products, has released the second-generation Wave Surfer: a self-contained measurement system for wave solder machines. The system provides critical data on wave solder machine setup and its process. As a wave solder machine profile fixture, Wave Surfer features five embedded thermocouples and works in conjunction with a KIC profiler to facilitate profiling and wave solder machine setup. Made of a material similar to typical wave solder pallets, Wave Surfer can withstand thousands of passes. The fixture holds the profiler in place during each run to measure the pertinent process data in the wave solder machine, including peak temperature, dwell time, parallelism and conveyor speed.

Atmel has introduced the AT697 Revision F, a radiation-hardened Sparc processor for space applications. It delivers 90MIPs at 100MHz over full temperature and voltage ranges for only 0.7W. More than 1600 flight models of the AT697 Revision F's predecessor, the TSC695E, have been sold globally. The AT697 Revision E has proven its computing power efficiency of 90MIPs. It exhibits the following radiation performance characteristics: total dose tested up to 100 Krad; SEU and SET induced error rate better than 10-5 errors/device/day in worst-case conditions; and no single event latch up below an LET threshold of 95MeV.cm/mg at 125C. The AT697E has demonstrated the capabilities of the Sparc V8. More than 100 flight models will be delivered this year. The AT697 Revision F, the radiation-hardened version, achieves 100MHz operation for only 0.7W. It features: total dose tested up to 300Krad; extreme reliability against single-event upset and transient (SEU and SET induced error rate better

ITT Interconnect Solutions has developed a switching coaxial connector for customers that need to verify antenna or circuit-board performance. Designated LPC CP1/CP2 and detailed in a recent application note, the connector delivers an effective solution to passive switching between an internal circuit and external device such as test equipment, or an antenna. Critical attributes that the connector fulfils for customers include high reliability RF switching, low signal loss of less than 0.3dB, a minimum mating cycle count of 12,000 and return loss VSWR of 1.2:1 at 2GHz. With a frequency range up to 2GHz, the connector is ideal for a variety of applications, including mobile phones, two-way radio, military radio and wireless modems. A range of accessories is available for connection to the switching coaxial connector in order to address different test requirements. A cold pin minimises RF emissions in unmated scenarios. Further benefits include a low-profile test port of 5.6mm and the a

Converting CMOS imager Bayer-pattern pixel data to RGB pixel data can be readily accomplished using low-cost FPGA technology devices. Pixels within modern CMOS image sensors are typically arranged in a Bayer colour pattern. Image data is scanned from left to right and from top to bottom. Each scanned raw pixel is actually a monochrome colour element, either red, green or blue. Inherent characteristics of the human eye make it advantageous to have twice as many green pixels as red or blue ones. To render a CMOS imager's output human-viewable, a conversion from the Bayer image-data format to an RGB image-data format is necessary. A common method of converting Bayer image data to RGB data is the bi-linear-interpolation method, in which a 3 x 3 Bayer-pixel matrix is mathematically combined into a single pixel with separate red, green and blue data-component values. Thus a 3 x 3 matrix of monochrome pixels is transformed into a single pixel with three component values. The mathematics f

Semrock has published a 76-page, full-colour 2009-2010 master catalogue of optical filters and related products. It contains technical and product notes along with four new product ranges and many new filter products optimised for fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy and other laser analytical instrumentation applications. The new product ranges include the Image Splitting Dichroic Beamsplitters, which offer superb image quality for transmitted and reflected light due to a high degree of flatness. They feature wide transmission and reflection bands (from 350 to 950nm for every filter). New Brightline multi-laser fluorescence filter sets are designed for advanced microscopy systems (including TIRF and confocal microscopes) and are available for the most popular laser combinations including 488/561nm (ideal for live-cell imaging with GFP/mCherry, for example) and 405/488/561/635nm wavelengths. This edition also features the debut of a range of filters for controlling the polarisation of lig

Adlink Technology has announced its ETX-AT computer-on-module has been verified for use with Virtium's SSDDR SODIMM dual-function memory modules. The ETX-AT, based on the Intel Atom N270, maintains full backwards compatibility with standard SODIMM memory. Virtium's SSDDR combines a NAND Flash Serial ATA Solid State Drive (SATA SSD) and DDR2 memory on a single SODIMM module by utilising reserved pins on the SODIMM for SATA interface signal transfer, thereby remaining fully JEDEC compatible. This allows the SSDDR modules and standard DDR2 modules to be fully interchangeable within the same SODIMM socket. SSDDR is SATA SSD and system memory on a single SODI. Virtium Technology is a manufacturer of memory and storage products for specialised computers in demanding environments. Virtium's SSDDR solution allows system designers to take advantage of the higher data throughput and decreased boot-up times of SATA SSD over other embedded SSD and interfaces such as USB, CF (Compact F

Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the MAX2172 digital radio tuner for FM and digital audio broadcast (DAB) signals, with a high sensitivity for the FM, VHF and L-band frequency ranges. This device integrates all components necessary to implement a complete tuner solution, including LNAs, mixers, an IF filter and a fully synthesised local oscillator. Additionally, the IC integrates a front-end tracking filter to eliminate interference between the UHF, VHF and FM bands. An on-chip received signal-strength indicator (RSSI) and temperature sensor ensure fast and accurate scan and seek functions. The RSSI provides +/-2dB accuracy and outputs the measured level in digital form through the I2C bus. FM sensitivity is -111dBm (typ) and FM adjacent-channel performance meets ETSI EN 55020. Drawing 61mA (typ) from a single 3V supply, the MAX2172 strikes an excellent balance between performance and power consumption, making it ideal for consumer and automotive applications. The MAX2172 util

Opulan Technologies has introduced broadband-access solutions that consist of 10Gbps EPON (Ethernet passive optical networks), OpconnT and cableTV SOCs and ASSPs. The Opulan 10Gbps EPON solution has successfully passed chip-level interoperability testing organised by China Telecom. The main benchmark testing performed included - MPCP discover, register and ranging; DBA; scalable OAM; and backward compatibility with 1G EPON - the key requirements in IEEE802.3av and China Telecom specifications. Opulan's solution is FPGA based and achieved downstream data flow at 9Gbps and upstream at 950Mbps under an asymmetric model. After smooth testing, Opulan's Opconn 1G EPON SOC will commence full production.  The Opconn is a client-side ONU SOC of an EPON solution. Opulan's engineering team has completed thorough product and interoperability testing against IEEE802.3ah and China Telecom EPON standards. The ONU SOC features an embedded MIPS4kec processor for board-level control and ma

Gore has introduced a low-profile QSFP direct-attach copper-cable assembly for QDR Infiniband and 40GbE aggregate applications. Gore Low-Profile Copper Cable, which the company claims is fibre-like in size, fulfils the needs of dense, higher port-count switch installations while providing an even more reliable interconnect for high-performance computing (HPC). This cable was provided to major switch vendors and computing OEMs for testing over the past six-to-eight months and was tested for compliance and interoperability in spring 2009. Gore Low-Profile Copper Cable was developed for Gore QSFP assemblies and Infiniband QDR applications. With a diameter of 0.170in for a four-channel, eight-pair cable, the cross-section saving is 37 per cent compared with alternative Gore cables and 58 per cent compared with typical industry offerings. This low-profile cable is targeted at high-performance computing applications, where a large percentage of high-density port-count interconnects are two-

Hall Research has released the U97-Ultra, an all-in-one UTP console extender. It is used to send dual-screen video, stereo audio, RS-232 and up to three independent USB ports from a PC to a remote location 500ft (152.4m) away over standard CATx twisted-pair cables. Local outputs for the A/V signals and USB ports are provided on the sender so that the system can be accessed automatically from two locations. The remote receiver unit provides digitally controlled high-frequency compensation and RGB skew correction for both video heads. It features line-level and amplified audio outputs for directly driving passive speakers. The U97-Ultra includes built-in video test-pattern generator, which enables the user to precisely adjust and verify the video alignment without any external test equipment or video sources. Other features include EDID (Extended Display ID) support, internal power supplies and up to three separate and independent USB extensions. One of the USB channels provides a two-p

Microchip has released the MCP4728 digital-to-analogue converter (DAC), a 12bit Quad DAC that includes non-volatile EEPROM, enabling the DAC's configuration to be loaded automatically during power-up. The on-board EEPROM, coupled with an internal voltage reference, four-channel architecture and rail-to-rail precision output amplifier, enables the MCP4728 DAC to reduce the size and component cost in a variety of battery powered and power-constrained applications. Through the integrated I2CTM serial interface, designers can configure the MCP4728 DAC's input codes, configuration bits and I2C address bits. This configuration information is stored in the non-volatile EEPROM and therefore retained after power is removed, making it available immediately after power is re-applied and reconfiguring the DAC during power-up. The architecture of the MCP4728 also allows each of the four channels to be individually shut down, thereby reducing power consumption to as low as 40nA, helping des

Linear Technology 's LTC3569 is a triple-channel, high efficiency 3MHz synchronous buck regulator. It delivers 1.2A of continuous output current from one channel and 600mA from each of the other two channels. Using a constant frequency current-mode architecture, the LTC3569 operates from an input voltage range of 2.5 to 5.5V, making it ideal for single-cell Li-Ion/polymer or multicell alkaline/NiCad/NiMH applications. Each of the three output-voltages are independently programmable by lowering the feedback voltage of each channel from 800 to 425mV (in 25mV increments) by toggling the EN pin, enabling dynamic adjustment of each channel's output voltage. Additionally, each of the 600mA regulators can act as slave power stages to each other or to the 1.2A channel to support higher currents, providing additional design flexibility. The LTC3569's switching frequency can be programmed between 1 and 3MHz or set at 2.25MHz, enabling the designer to optimise efficiency while avoidin

Keithley Instruments has expanded its series 3700 system switch/multimeter and plug-in card range with the addition of a plug-in switching card, the Model 3731 6x16 high-speed, reed relay matrix card. The model 3731 is a two-pole, six row x 16 column reed relay matrix card. High-speed dry reed relays (<0.5ms actuation times) make it a good choice for applications that demand a combination of high throughput and long switch life. The model 3731's relay contacts are rated for more than one billion no-load switch operations. As a matrix card, the model 3731 offers users the flexibility to connect any of up to six differential instrument channels to any combination of 16 devices under test (DUTs). Any row can be connected to the series 3700 mainframe's analogue backplane by using the analogue backplane connection relays. This allows for easy matrix column expansion. A single model 3706 mainframe can support a matrix of up to six rows by 96 columns when six model 3731 cards are

Napatech today extended its In-line range of adapters to support 1Gbps networks. The NT4E In-line and NT4E-STD In-line adapters provide full line-rate throughput at 1Gbps with zero packet loss, no matter the packet size. This allows vendors of network appliances, such as intrusion-prevention systems (IPS) or WAN Optimization solutions, to build high performance products based on cost-effective, standard server platforms. Erik Norup, president of Napatech, said: 'It is no longer necessary to build proprietary hardware to achieve high performance. 'Cost-effective standard servers can be used with the NT4E and NT4E-STD, providing the data-processing horsepower and throughput to guarantee that all traffic can be analysed at full line-rate, in real-time.' There will still be a need for in-line network appliances that monitor, analyse and secure the 1Gbps links into 10Gbps networks. One can expect that these links will be fully utilised, requiring full 1Gbps line-rate performanc

The Wordsworth division of Steatite , a Microsoft Gold Partner, has enhanced its range of embedded systems with the introduction of new products that utilise the latest Intel Atom processors. The new products include single-board computers (SBCs), embedded systems and panel PCs. The Intel Atom N270 processor brings a range of user benefits to the latest generation of Steatite Wordsworth's products for industrial-computing applications. The devices offer 1.6GHz CPU power but with low power consumption. High efficiency gives good thermal performance and allows fanless operation. This absence of moving parts helps improve overall system reliability and means that customers do not need to make provision in their design for vents. It also allows equipment to be used safely and reliably in dusty environments. Atom N270 processors are mass-produced devices for the embedded market, which helps make them cost-effective. A long product life-cycle road-mapped for between three and five years

Chord has introduced the HDMI Active, which enhances picture and sound quality. This product features heavy gauge silver-plated oxygen-free signal conductors. Signal attenuation has been reduced with the use of 26AWG conductors. Overlapped foil shielding around all critical signal paths minimises crosstalk. Double outer foil and high-density braid combine to minimise the levels of external interference. The exciting aspect of the Chord HDMI Active is the inclusion of a high-frequency filter on all lengths. The filter reduces the intra/inter channel skew between the four pairs of TDMS signals. The HDMI Active cable improved all aspects of the picture in tests using Denon, Arcam, Yamaha and Playstation 3 DVD and Blu-ray players. When compared with the Chord HDMI Silver plus 1.3, the Chord Active produced a more detailed, dynamic and musically coherent sound. The improvement in performance was such that in tests, participants consistently chose a 15-metre Chord Active HDMI cable over a s