Industrial Factory Automation

The new A4 servo is the next generation of Panasonic's MINAS product line. It sports a fast frequency response of 1KHz, improved real time auto gain tuning, new vibration control features, and 2Mpps command input. The size has also been reduced up to 30% compared to Matsushita Panasonic Electric Work's older A-Series, and along with the UL and CE certifications, the A4 Series servo drive & motor is also in compliance with SEMI F47 Standard. Key Features: Motor types: Super low, low, middle and high inertia Speed response frequency 1kHz Incremental encoder (2500p/r) Absolute Encoder (17bit) available Vibration control Real-time auto tuning Pulse and analog command input Fast response and positioning Position, velocity and torque control

NXP Semiconductors has unveiled intelligent switches supporting the HDMI 1.4 specification. The NXP TDA19997 and TDA19998 smart switches support the Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature, an option introduced in the HDMI 1.4 release, which reduces the number of cables required to deliver audio upstream for processing and playback. Building on the success of previous HDMI smart switches from NXP, the TDA19997 and TDA19998 include support for all mandatory 3D over HDMI features. NXP is the one of the first semiconductor companies to deliver silicon supporting HDMI 1.4. The Audio Return Channel specified in HDMI 1.4 enables HDTVs directly receiving audio and video content to send the audio stream to an amplification system over the HDMI cable, eliminating the need for an extra cable. The NXP TDA19997 and TDA19998 smart switches also include built-in auto-adaptive equalisers that can handle up to four HDMI 1.4 inputs, automatically maintaining audiovisual quality over HDMI cables up to 30m i...

EASIC has announced the availability of two ASIC-in-a-Box design kits that enable ASIC design to be widely accessible. Through simplifying the design flow, the design kits allow engineers who are unfamiliar with ASIC design to quickly complete designs. Nextreme ASICs are constructed to help simplify design, verification and silicon processing steps within the overall flow. The ASIC-in-a-Box design kits provide software and documentation for completing and implementing Nextreme chip designs, and also deliver board design and debug guidelines for designing systems that incorporate Nextreme devices. The kits contain: EASIC's eTools software suite that includes utilities for configuring PLLs/clocks, assigning pins/pads, generating memories and post-placement configuration; and DRC Magma DA's Blast RTL software for performing synthesis and placement; documentation and design tutorials to accelerate design implementation; JTAG programming cable for configuration and debug; and techn...

Ophir-Spiricon has announced the 10kW Power/Energy Sensor, said to be the first detector to directly measure very high powers and power densities. Designed for material processing applications such as welding and metal cutting, the 10kW measures YAG and fibre lasers in the 1040-1100nm range, and CO2 lasers at 10.6um. An aperture of 45mm allows for measurement of broad beams. The maximum power for concentrated beams is up to 10kW/cm2 and the maximum energy density for a 10ms pulse is up to 150J/cm2. Ephraim Greenfield, chief technical officer, Laser Measurement Group, Ophir-Spiricon, said: 'The 10kW power/energy sensor uses a reflective cone to deflect the laser beam over the peripheral circumference of the sensor. 'This increases the radiated area and reduces the power density to manageable levels.' The 10kW Power/Energy Sensor features Ophir Smart Connector technology that automatically configures and calibrates connected displays, including the company's Orion PE, No...

Linear Technology has announced the H-grade version of the LTC3824, a 4V to 60V input range, low quiescent current step-down DC/DC controller in a small thermally enhanced MSOP-10 package. This H-grade device is guaranteed up to a 150C operating junction temperature range and is suitable for automotive and industrial applications subjected to high ambient temperatures, demanding a small solution size for output voltages ranging from 0.8V to Vin at up to 5A. The device's 4V minimum input voltage supports automotive cold crank and the 60V maximum input voltage survives inductive load dumps without the need for external clamping circuits. The LTC3824H can be configured for Burst Mode operation, which reduces the controller's no-load current draw to only 40uA and safely powers pre-biased loads. The shutdown current is 7uA. With 100 per cent duty cycle capability, the LTC3824H has a very low dropout voltage, allowing Vout to approach Vin, a feature that extends the run time in batt...

Yamaichi Electronics is now offering the FPS009-2910-0 push/push SD card connector with stand-off. The FPS009-2910-0 card reader has been developed on the basis of the established top-mount component FPS009-2901-0. It offers the same features as the top-mount component, but also has a stand-off of 1.2mm to allow for mounting of other components underneath/below the reader. As a top-mount component, it is designed for the assembly on the top side of the PCB. A close metal cover together with four grounding tabs ensures good EMC behaviour. The reader is equipped with two card brakes that avoid the fling-off of the card. Further features include: smooth push-in/push-out card insertion and extraction mechanism with defined ejection; soft lock mechanism for the SD card; automatic card detection; and a write-protection switch. The card reader FPS009-2910-0 is packaged and delivered on tape reel belts. This component for Flash memory card applications suits wireless communication, portable c...

Aaeon has released the EMB-9658T embedded motherboard, which adopts the Intel GME965 + ICH8M chipset. The EMB-9658T is an advanced embedded motherboard that features PCI-Express and IAMT2.5. It comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo/Celeron M (socket-P based) processor based on the Intel GME965 + ICH8M chipset (the ICH8ME is optional for RAID support) for a high-performance computing platform. This model supports two 200-pin DDRII SODIMM modules with support for a total of 4GB maximum at a speed of 533/667. The EMB-9658T equips Intel 82566MM and Intel 82573L chipsets for two 10/100/1000Base-TX Ethernet RJ-45 connectors. For the expansion interfaces, one PCI, one Mini PCI and one PCI-Express x4 through a riser card are available. The EMB-9658T supports LCD/CRT, LCD/DVI, LCD/TV, CRT/DVI, TV/DVI, simultaneous/dual-view displays with LCD and CRT resolution support of up to 2,048 x 1,536 to meet abundant interface requirements. It features up to 24-bit dual-channel LVDS, one DVI-I and SDVO. Displa...

United Biscuits has specified Vicote coatings from Victrex to reduce the downtime required for the recoating of a compression roller and doctor blade deployed in its cake manufacturing facility. The compression roller, which is 1,200mm long and 355mm in diameter, is used for pressing biscuit crumbs, an abrasive and sticky food compound. The doctor blade scrapes the excess compound off the roller. Traditionally, both the roller and the blade were coated with a stainless-steel reinforced fluoropolymer-based coating. The Vicote F810Blk coating is based upon Victrex Peek polymer. Working with plant engineers at United Biscuits, the coater, Metalcraft Plastic Coatings, saw the potential for Vicote coatings to enhance the longevity of the roller and blade. United Biscuits is now using the FDA-compliant Vicote F810Blk to coat the doctor blade and roller and is said to be benefiting from enhanced wear resistance combined with good release properties. A key benefit of Vicote F810Blk coating in...

Toshiba Imaging Systems Division has added the miniature remote CMOS IK-HR1H camera head to its high-definition (HD) camera suite. It can be configured with either of two camera control units (CCUs): the IK-HR1CD and the IK-HR1CS. The ultra-small, lightweight remote camera head is approximately 1.18 x 1.37 x 1.41in and weighs 1.76oz (without lens). Toshiba's 1/3in CMOS sensor is said to be ideal for imaging applications where space is critical and the remote head can be linked to the CCU via a standard, power-over- camera-link (PoCL) cable. Two output versions of the IK-HR1H are available to deliver added flexibility. The IK-HR1CD camera control unit offers a DVI-I with 720p/1080i/1080p and the IK-HR1CS CCU features an HD-SDI with 720p/1080i video signal outputs. With the optional auto and manual white balance controls plus optional auto and manual electronic shuttering, the cameras are well-suited for scientific/life sciences, microscopy, and diagnostic imaging. Other application...

The BNZ series oil-water cooler from JBJ Techniques features aluminium fins and a rigid tube stack. The company said advantages include an extended cooling surface, compact design, low pressure loss, integrated test ports, cooling capacity up to 500kW flow rate up to 850l/min. The standard BNZ series offers four shells with available lengths of up to 2,200mm. Newcool also offers tailor-made solutions to the most arduous applications and according to customer specification. BNZ coolers are suitable for all industrial and marine environments.

A consortium led by Prodrive has developed an approach to the configuration of DC/DC converters that will reduce the cost, weight and package space associated with electric vehicle battery packs. The system is said to address the spiralling costs of energy storage by increasing the voltage available at the traction motors. To improve efficiency, electric motors require ever wider speed ranges; as speed is proportional to voltage, electric vehicles and hybrids are progressing from 300V to 600V systems. This creates a challenge because battery chemistry dictates the voltage per cell, so doubling the voltage with the same battery chemistry means doubling the number of cells, incurring cost, weight, and packaging penalties. More cells, or a switch to an alternative chemistry, may also exacerbate challenges such as thermal management, availability, environmental protection and end-of-life recycling. To address this challenge, the consortium (which also includes the University of Manchester...

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms has announced the availability of Proficy Cimplicity Globalview. Proficy Cimplicity Globalview is a scalable application that is said to deliver the power of Cimplicity to remote clients, enabling real-time monitoring, data analysis and plant-floor control from within a web browser. Globalview provides a full-featured HMI/Scada client delivered over the web so operators, engineers and managers can view, react, and operate from wherever they are. This enables efficient response to situations avoiding downtime, lost batches or catastrophic events. It also transforms the way teams work and collaborate because with Globalview, multiple users can connect to the same system to analyse the situation and make quick, fact-based decisions. The company added that ease of installation makes Globalview a quick add-on for existing and new systems. Globalview also introduces Relay Server, which makes deploying HMI/Scada on a large scale possible. With a Relay Server de...

The Flir i7 infrared camera is designed to investigate faults in building fabric and operations, and check for electrical and mechanical faults. It can detect missing insulation, check the efficiency of heating and electrical systems or investigate energy waste. The Flir i7 extends the specifications of the i5 compact range to include 120 x 120 pixels resolution with increased field of view and higher thermal sensitivity. It is designed for tough onsite use and has a double-moulded construction. Weighing 340g it meets IP43 dust/splashproof standards, has a shock rating of 25G and a vibration rating of 2G. A rechargeable battery allows more than four hours of continuous operation. Images are viewed on the camera's 71mm high-resolution colour LCD and their transfer to a PC is accomplished via the microSD card or USB connection. Flir's radiometric JPEG format allows temperature data to be analysed directly from a common image format using Flir's Quickreport software that is s...

SRB bearings and housings may be mounted in a variety of Revolvo support units according to the application and loading constraints. A number of variants are available as standard types with other unit types available on request. SRB can also offer a design and manufacturing facility to produce bespoke units to cover more specialised applications. SRB flange units also allow bearings to be mounted against horizontal or vertical faces. The use of Grade 250 cast iron ensures a durable unit. Hanger units are a compact unit used for supporting screw conveyors or similar equipment. Take-up Units are sliding units that can be used to tension conveyor and elevator systems. Both pull and push types are available.

Tyco Electronics has introduced a grounding connector that shortens the installation time of a ground wire to a solar panel frame. The threaded connector is inserted through a hole in the frame and uses two hex nuts to help provide a reliable connection. The connector handles six and 8AWG (13.3 and 8.4mm2) solid uninsulated copper wire. In connecting to the frame, the connector body and the one-piece lock washer nut penetrate the surface of the aluminium frame, helping to create a reliable ground path. In the six-second short-term current test, the connector handles 1,530A with a 6AWG ground wire. With an 8AWG ground wire, a four-second test concludes that the connector handles 1,180A. In UL 486A/B pull-out testing, the connector provides 100lb (45.3kg) with a 6AWG wire and 90lb (40.8kg) with an 8AWG wire.

Wolfram Research has introduced Webmathematica 3, a powerful new version of its technology for adding dynamic content to the web. Webmathematica 3 lets users quickly and cheaply build and deploy websites with interactive calculations and visualisations. Webmathematica 3 integrates the capabilities of Mathematica 6 and 7 with the latest web-server technology, making it suitable for creating websites where users can compute and visualise results directly in a web browser. Webmathematica 3 is the chosen deployment technology for Wolfram|Alpha, a computational knowledge engine. Webmathematica 3 makes the calculations performed by Wolfram|Alpha possible by allowing users to tap into Mathematica's computational and graphic abilities without having Mathematica experience or installing it locally. Webmathematica 3 features expression language and custom tags. It comes with support for a more concise way to call to Mathematica from web pages. It also contains a library with many useful tag...

Impress Sensors & Systems has introduced the XMD range of smart differential pressure transmitters for process-industry applications. The transmitters can be used for level measurement of closed, pressurised tanks; pump and filter control; or for closed-pipe flow measurement in conjunction with an orifice plate, Venturi or nozzle. The XMD range is ideal for flow applications due to the device's ability to switch the output from a standard linear output to a square-root extraction where flow rate can be output. Target industries include chemicals, paper and pulp, petrochemicals, energy and power, food and dairy and pharmaceuticals. The XMD has a differential pressure range from 75mbar up to 2 bar and with a static over-pressure capable of 130 bar line pressures. The calibrated pressure range can also be turned down 10:1 times, which means that a 75mbar range can give a full-scale output at 7.5mbar, while still maintaining the 130 bar line pressure. A 5:1 turn-down ratio maintai...

United Biscuits (UB) recently specified a new coating to reduce the down time involved in re-coating a compression roller and a doctor blade used at its Halifax cake-manufacturing facility. The compression roller is used for pressing biscuit crumbs, an abrasive and sticky food compound. The doctor blade scrapes the excess compound off the roller. Traditionally, both the roller and the blade were coated with a stainless-steel reinforced fluoropolymer-based coating. The new coating, Vicote F810Blk , is part of a new range of coatings from Victrex Polymer Solutions and is based upon Victrex Peek polymer. Working closely with plant engineers at UB, the coater, Metalcraft Plastic Coatings, saw the potential for Vicote Coatings to enhance the longevity of the roller and blade. Today UB is using FDA-compliant Vicote F810Blk to coat the doctor blade and roller and is benefiting from enhanced wear resistance combined with good release properties. Gary Hull, managing director of Metalcraft, said...

Airchannel is helping companies comply with legislation that phases out and removes the refrigerant R-22 from their compressed-air systems. Under EU Ozone Regulation EC2037/2000, the use of virgin R-22 refrigerant will be banned from the end of this year, as it contains ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). R-22 is used in a range of industries. From January 2010 to January 2015, recycled HCFCs will be permitted but it is expected that supplies will be limited. For companies using R-22 within their compressed-air system, this could result in a significant operational headache. The likelihood of compressed-air systems using R-22 as a coolant increases significantly for equipment that is more than 10 years old. However, the legislation also represents an opportunity to help resolve two major issues facing industry - the rising cost of energy and environmental compliance. Andrew Barraclough, national sales manager for Airchannel, said: 'R-22 will be totally phased out fro...