Instrumentation
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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Stay Flexible In Tight Situations
January 18, 2010 9:16 am | Product Releases | CommentsA new line of continuous-flex, interconnect motor cables are now available from igus (East Providence, RI), harnessed in accordance with leading manufacturers, including Siemens, Rexroth, Fanuc, and Allen Bradley. These interconnects are ideal for continuous-flexing applications in an Energy Chain cable carrier.
Washdown-Friendly, Loves The Heat
January 18, 2010 6:30 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Enviro checkweigher bench scales from Hardy Instruments (San Diego, CA) meet the needs of food and chemical manufacturers for sanitary electronics that withstand high-pressure, high-temperature washdown environments. The Enviro is made out of 304 stainless steel and features an IP69K-rated instrument, making it easy to clean and sanitize.
Intel Brings Brains And Brawn
January 18, 2010 6:29 am | Product Releases | CommentsGE Intelligent Platorms (Charlottesville, VA) has announced the CT12 6U CompactPCI single board computer, based on the latest 2.53 GHz Intel Core i7 processor technology. The new Intel chip is designed to deliver high performance with low power consumption and heat dissipation, and is future-proof, allowing for further processor upgrades as new chips become available.
Dimmable LEDs In Harsh Environments
January 14, 2010 6:08 am | Product Releases | CommentsA new dimmable LED power supply from Foster Transformer (Cincinnati, OH) features short circuit and overload protection, making it ideal for industrial facilities wishing to control the output of LED lighting. Encapsulated in epoxy and housed in a 304 stainless steel enclosure, the power supply is resistant to dirt, moisture, and corrosive elements.
Get Everything In Line
January 14, 2010 6:07 am | Product Releases | CommentsPinpoint Laser Systems (Peabody, MA) announces a new storage display to be used with the Microgage 2D family of products, enabling the operator to record readings right on the factory floor. The measurement readings can then be uploaded to a laptop PC running the Pinpoint Capture software for analysis, plotting, and storage.
Thermal Printing, Worry-Free
January 12, 2010 7:55 am | Product Releases | CommentsTharo Systems (Brunswick, OH) has extended the warranty for its H-400 Series of thermal transfer printers. Effective immediately, the new warranty will cover the H-427 and H-436 printers for two years. In addition, Tharo will warranty the printhead for two years/two million inches for thermal transfer, or 500,000 inches for direct thermal applications.
Get Positioned To Save Compressed Air
January 11, 2010 8:39 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe TZIDC Digital Positioner from ABB Instrumentation (Warminster, PA) provides low air consumption at a steady rate: 0.015 scfm, regardless of the air supply pressure. The low air consumption means the positioner is more economical, increasing energy savings. The unique design of the TZIDC current-to-pneumatic conversion component can lead to 50 times less air consumption at steady state, according to the company.
Wide-Range Motion Detection
January 4, 2010 7:55 am | Product Releases | CommentsBaumer (Southington, CT) has developed the Long-Range ParCon for sensing applications involving distances as far as 200mm. The analog optical line sensors project a continuous 24mm-wide beam of parallel light to a reflector, creating a reliable detection of moving parts as small as 0.
More Than Just Flowmeters
January 4, 2010 7:55 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe MassTracker Insertion Turbine Multi-Variable Flow Meter from Spirax Sarco, Inc. (Blythewood, SC) combines measurement of mass or volumetric flow, density, temperature, and pressure into a single instrument. Typical applications include flow monitoring of steam or natural gas, flue gas for environmental compliance, or measurement of other liquids in line sizes from 3 to 80”.
pIon Fluoride Measurement
December 21, 2009 9:18 am | Product Releases | CommentsHighly-accurate Fluoride ion (F−) measurement for applications including semiconductor fabrication and glass manufacturing is now available with the S10 and S17 pIon Sensors from Electro-Chemical Devices (ECD, Irvine, CA) The S10 and S17’s specific (pIon) electrode cartridge measures the activity of “free” Fluroride ions in solution in concentrations from 0.
Automatically-Adjustable Distance Sensoring
December 21, 2009 9:16 am | Product Releases | CommentsBaumer (Southington, CT) has introduced IP69K-rated laser distance sensors, featuring corrosion-resistant stainless steel housings, for use in harsh applications, such as washdowns or exposure to caustic compounds. The OADR 20 sensors have a PMMA front screen that is safe for use in food and beverage processing.
Temperature Sensing With One Hand
December 18, 2009 9:24 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe TM 100 Type K/J Single Input Thermometer from Extech Instruments (Waltham, MA) features an ergonomic design operation and weighs in at just 7 oz., making it ideal for use by HVAC and maintenance professionals where simple, one-hand operation is required. A high accuracy ±(0.
Totally Tubular Sensors
December 17, 2009 11:05 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe GlobalProx line of tubular inductive sensors from Balluff (Florence, KY) allows for a wide range of choice and flexibility in sensor selection with tubular M8, M12, M18, and M30 sensors in multiple varieties of 3- and 2-wire DC outputs. The most recent expansion includes additional 3-wire DC PNP and NPN models for more control variations and more metal porthole models for robust applications.
Restore Power Anywhere
December 15, 2009 5:12 am | Product Releases | CommentsBridgeport Magnetics (Shelton, CT) has developed the PhazeSaver Model PS8000, a transportable 8000VA transformer to restore 240VAC power from a single 120VAC and a neutral source. The PhazeSaver restores power to businesses that lose partial service — either 120VAC or 208/240VAC — until permanent repairs can be completed, without the use of shunts or bridging utilities.
Pipe Weld Inspection, For Any Size
December 15, 2009 5:11 am | Product Releases | CommentsOlympus NDS (Waltham, MA) introduces a suite of tools for the inspection of circumferential welds in pipes with a diameter as small as 0.84”. Integral in the solution is the COBRA, a manual scanner specifically designed to inspect welds in small diameter pipes. The COBRA is used in conjunction with the OmniScan MX Phased Array flaw detector and OmniScan MXU software to provide a portable inspection solution.
Miniature Circuit Breakers
December 14, 2009 7:59 am | Product Releases | CommentsAutomationDirect (Cumming, GA) now offers Fuji Electric’s BW series of molded case circuit breakers, which take up a small amount of space and offer standard type and high-interrupting capacities in identically-size housings. The three-pole non-adjustable magnetic trip breakers, in sizes up to 800A, are also suitable for reverse-feed applications.
Independent Video Monitoring
December 14, 2009 7:56 am | Product Releases | CommentsSatel-West (Cupertino, CA) has announced the WIPAT Remote Patrol and Monitoring System, a long-range wireless video monitoring system that provides video clips, still images, multiple digital sensor inputs, and a suite of event logging tools. While operating on public safety channels — with options for satellite connection and solar power — WIPAT allows industries to monitor critical areas without relying on phone lines, fiber optic cable, or hardwired networks.
Versatile Motion Controllers
December 11, 2009 9:53 am | Product Releases | CommentsTMC-3D, the multi-axis motion controller from Technosoft (Bevaix, Switzerland) has now been adapted to execute G-code commands, which execute various movements such as piece cutting, profile shaping, or drawing. The G-code information is translated into TML commonds through the C-code to TML converter integrated in the EasyMotion Studio software.
Air Velocity And Temperature In One
December 10, 2009 8:12 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe HHF143 handheld rotating vane thermo-anemometer from Omega Engineering (Stamford, CT) provides accurate air velocity and temperature measurements in harsh environments, and features a minimum and maximum recall, analog voltage output, and a low speed sensitivity. NIST calibration is also included.
Maximum Cabling Flexibility
December 10, 2009 8:10 am | Product Releases | CommentsWilcoxon Research (Germantown, MD) has broadened its line of MaxFlex cables for portable data collects to include an optional safety connections that break away if the sensor or cable becomes entangled. If more than 10 pounds of pull force is exerted, the cable will disconnect to protect the operator, and cannot be reconnected until the sensor and cable are safety retrieved from the monitoring point.
High-Temperature Solids Sensors
December 8, 2009 5:04 am | Product Releases | CommentsBinMaster Level Controls (Lincoln, NE) announces the SmartBob-SH and SmartBob-SHT sensors, which are designed for measuring the level of solid materials in storage and processing bins at high temperatures. The HT model is for applications up to 500°F, while the SHT model can handle temperatures up to 900°F, with bursts up to 1,685°F.
Automate Anything, Even Productivity
December 7, 2009 6:04 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Productivity3000 Programmable Automation Controller is the newest generation of industrial controllers from AutomationDirect (Cumming, GA), and consists of a modular, rack-based system of up to 116,000 I/O points with local, expansion, and remote I/O bases, along with a full lineup of discrete, analog, and specialty I/O modules.
Simple, Predictive Hoist Maintenance
December 4, 2009 10:44 am | Product Releases | CommentsR&M Materials Handling, Inc. (Springfield, OH) has added the HoistMonitor to the option list of its RX and QX Quick Delivery offerings, which adds functionality to supervise and record key data that allows for more efficient planning and scheduling of predictive maintenance, inspections, and repairs.
Fast And Flexible Cabling
November 30, 2009 10:57 am | Product Releases | CommentsTURCK (Minnapolis, MN) announces new A-Size 3 and 4-pin 7/8 16UN powerfast connectors that provide up to 600 volts and 15 amps of power, providing a modular wiring system designed to handle high current applications. The cordsets are available with a tray rated, exposed run PVC flexlife cable, with or without STOOW rating, and 14 AWG wires that allow for replacing hard wiring with a robust, quick disconnect system that saves time and money.
Measure Your Pressure
November 17, 2009 11:16 am | Product Releases | CommentsAutomation Products Group, Inc. (APG, Logan, UT) has released the PG7 Digital Pressure Gauge, which has been engineered for outdoor conditions. The PG7 is available with ranges from vacuum up to 500 psi, and from 0 up to 10,000 psi, at ±0.25 percent accuracy of full scale.
