Automation Parts

Marzocchi Pompe has produced a system of radial sealing at the shaft that is claimed to be able to bear enormous internal over-pressures without resulting in damage. This radial sealing is useful in single-direction hydraulic motors when, in certain conditions of use, high over-pressures will be generated at the motor output. With bi-directional motors, the area adjacent to the seal ring of the drive-shaft is maintained at atmospheric pressure by the drainage circuit. In single-direction motors, this area is directly connected to the output so any over-pressure impacts directly on the seal ring, causing the lip to turn over or the ring to be expelled from its seat with a consequent leakage of fluid. These products can also be supplied complete with anti-cavitation valves. The motors are supplied with an internal drainage circuit. In this case, the hydraulic motor always drains inside with a lower pressure; the combination of this product with a high-performance sealing ring increases

Blue Ridge Enhances Fluid Dynamics Software Blue Ridge Numerics has announced that the recent release of CFdesign 2010 fully supports NX 7. NX users are able to conduct computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies from the NX 7 environment. The winter release of CFdesign 2010 leverages the synchronous modelling tools found within NX 7 and provides tighter integration with CFdesign's multi-scenario design study environment. CFdesign provides a flexible workflow with full associativity with the NX 7 CAD platform. NX customers can begin a fluid flow or heat transfer design study without having to export geometry.

Open Design Alliance Announces World Conference The Open Design Alliance (ODA) has announced its second ODA World Conference in Orlando, Florida, from 4-5 May 2010. This conference will offer attendees the opportunity to discuss and learn about the latest advances in ODA platform technology and the technical graphics industry. Each day of the conference will include presentations by ODA member companies, ODA partners and other third parties, as well as offer workshops in the ODA Technology Exchange. The ODA Technology Exchange will provide more direct interaction, collaboration and 'how-to' sessions with technology leaders to address the specific questions and requirements of conference attendees. Topics will include the latest developments and advancements in the CAD industry, conceptual and practical implementations of ODA technology, and how to blend ODA components and third-party components to create a foundation for new solutions. The ODA is also asking its members, partne

Solidprofessor To Present Updated Content Solidprofessor will unveil its latest products featuring 2010 content at Solidworks World 2010, which will be held from 31 January - 3 February in Anaheim, California. Solidprofessor Standard, Professional and Premium include content specifically to address the needs of Solidworks users based on the version of Solidworks they are running. Solidprofessor will showcase content in German, French, Dutch and Spanish. These courses follow the same methodology as Solidprofessors' English products. The videos are created in a fully localised Solidworks interface, making the learning experience much more effective for native speakers of each language. 'Solidprofessor is able to deliver video-based training resources for design engineer,' said Nick Iwaskow, manager of alliances, DS Solidworks. 'Together, Solidprofessor and Solidworks 2010 will provide engineers with the tools and productivity to streamline product development,' he

ABB has won a contract to provide electrical and automation equipment and related services for a seamless-tube mill and pipe-production plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The project is a joint venture between Arcelormittal and the Saudi-based Bin Jarallah Group. ABB will deliver electrical infrastructure and equipment, including a 115kV gas-insulated switchgear substation, medium- and low-voltage switchgear, motors and variable-speed drives. The scope of supply also includes an automation system based on ABB's Extended Automation System 800xA for order management, production scheduling, storage management, production and quality reporting, and material tracking. In addition, ABB will provide engineering, installation, commissioning, operator training and other related services for the project. ABB has automation and power solutions to maximise the productivity, reliability and efficiency of manufacturing processes in a range of industry sectors, including energy-intensive appl

Energos Gasification For Energy-Recovery Plant Commissioning is underway at a second Energos gasification plant at Borregaard Industries, Sarpsborg, in Norway - the company's eighth energy-recovery facility (ERF) in Europe. The facility is owned by Hafslund Heat and Power AS, who appointed Energos to deliver the MandE package. The Energos process will recover in excess of 80 per cent of the energy contained in the non-recyclable waste. The plant will reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by an approximate total of 40,000 tonnes a year. A further six Energos plants - Newport, Irvine, Lincolnshire, Barry, Doncaster and Knowsley - have received UK planning permission and are targeted to open in 2013. In Europe, Energos is said to offer the only proven and commercially viable gasification technology capable of generating renewable energy from municipal waste and post-recycling residue. It offers a clean energy-recovery-from-waste solution that provides an alternative to mass-burn incineratio

Whites Relies On SKF Bearings For Bell Hanging Bell-hanging company Whites of Appleton is continuing to use SKF bearings, as it has been since the 1920s. At full swing, a church bell can exert a force equivalent to four times its own static weight. For this reason, the way it is mounted is crucial - to contain these forces and to deal with the way these bells hang idle in one position for a long time before being oscillated through 380 degrees. Whites of Appleton manufactures, supplies and installs most bell-related solutions, apart from the bell casting and tuning. It works all over the country and has many high-profile installations on its books, including St Paul's Cathedral, Windsor Castle and Canterbury Cathedral. According to Brian White, a partner in the company: 'The headstock design has changed significantly over the last century, with timber headstocks being replaced by those made from steel and cast iron, but the one thing that has not changed since the 1920s, fr

AEC-6811 Provides Cost-Effective Embedded Platform Impulse has launched a low-power fanless embedded PC from Aaeon, the AEC-6811. The model, from the Boxer range, is said to provide a cost-effective embedded platform while maintaining a high level of specification for vehicle, mobile and industrial applications. The AEC-6811 features the AMD Geode LX800 500MHz low-power processor and accompanies it with DDR400 RAM SODIMM (up to 512MB) system-memory support. It also includes one SATA/IDE Hard Disk Drive and one Type II Compactflash slot for flexible storage options. It also accommodates four COM ports and four USB 2.0 ports, along with two 10/100Base-TX Ethernet ports for network connectivity. The network function makes the AEC-6811 suitable for mobile and networking applications. This mini-size embedded PC also provides one MiniPCI expansion, making it suitable for industrial PC applications. The AEC-6811 includes a heat-spreading system and deploys a fanless and rugged aluminium

Parker Particle Detection For RAF Aviation Fuels The latest Icount PD particle-detection technology from Parker Hannifin is being trialled by the RAF as part of a programme to enhance the quality and safety of its aviation fuels. Fitted to refuelling vehicles, the Icount PD detection units provide an immediate indication if fuel quality falls below a set threshold, helping to identify contamination caused by particles or moisture and improving productivity while potentially reducing operating costs. The RAF has initially fitted several Icount PD units for evaluation and these are mounted on the outlets of the monitor filter housings on each refuelling vehicle, with the monitor filters being used to remove contamination from the fuel as it is pumped into each aircraft. An integrated probe device is used to extract a sample from the flow of fuel. The sample is then automatically fed through the particle counter for analysis before being returned to the fuel dispenser slop tank. Eac

Mogensen Supplies Sizer Machines For Crushed Chalk Singleton Birch has installed a Type S2056EL Mogensen Sizer to replace a machine. The Sizer, a 2m, five-deck machine fitted with Mogensen-designed electric heating to the two lowest decks, is handling 70tph of crushed chalk from 0-10mm and removing 63tph of material finer than 3mm. The range of machines installed by the customer includes 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 3m Sizers, two small conventional Mogensen screens and two large vibratory spreader feeders. The processing duties comprise the screening and feeding of a variety of relatively fine sizes of crushed chalk and burnt lime. Most feed sizes are less than 15mm and the separations are principally 4.5 to 1mm - an exception involves the difficult duty of screening of 30tph of burnt lime to remove 7tph of fines less than 0.15mm.

Puls Power Supply Has Three Micro Controllers Puls has launched its latest Q-series unit, a 40A, three-phase power supply. The QT 40 measures 110 x 124 x 127mm and weighs 1.5kg Two versions of the QT 40 are available - 24V 40A and 48V 20A - both delivering 960W with efficiency of 95.3 per cent. The QT 40 uses three micro controllers to maintain optimum efficiency at all levels of load. This also makes power sharing easy by allowing multiple units to be mounted side by side on the DIN rail without the need for fan cooling. Other features include near-zero inrush at switch-on, shut-down input with high Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) values and built-in mains fuses. Puls' Bonus Power overload design provides 150 per cent current reserves for up to 4sec to help start demanding loads. The QT 40 is suitable for industrial bulk-power applications, such as control systems for large electric motors powering production equipment, conveyors and machine tools. It is also suitable for o

Kistler Measuring Chain Records Melt Pressure The melt-pressure measuring chain from Kistler enables the precise measurement and recording of melt pressure when moulding components to tight dimensional tolerances. The chain is made up of a factory-calibrated sensor, matched amplifier and cable designed to measure and record the melt pressure in injection-moulding machines and hot-runner systems, and is also suitable for measuring static pressure in polymer pumps. The sensor allows the melt pressure and temperature signals to be integrated into the moulding machine's control system. The very stable, high-temperature-resistant, piezoresistive measuring element is protected by a robust diaphragm, allowing the sensor to be mounted directly in the flow of the material to eliminate the time lag inherent in indirect measuring systems. A temperature signal derived from the piezorestive element is used by the amplifier to compensate for temperature variations. The sensor displays high

SP Arranges Freeze-Drying Seminars And Discussions SP Industries has announced the first dates for its 2010 road show, entitled 'Freeze Drying of Pharmaceuticals: Principles and Practice'. Drawing upon speakers from the Freeze Drying Group at Erlangen University in Germany, SP Industries has organised a series of one-day programmes of seminars and discussions. The talks are targeted at anyone involved with pharmaceutical freeze drying and lyophilisation, at all levels of experience. Seminar topics include: an introduction to freeze drying, putting principles into practice; formulation and understanding the physical properties of materials; overcoming the challenge of formulating colloidal materials; freeze-drying microscopy and its relevance to process design and optimisation; a review of PAT tools for freeze drying; an introduction to MTM and Smart freeze-dryer technologies; and heat and mass transfers in freeze drying and scale-up, the fundamental concepts. The seminars

Stahl Compiles Oil-Rig Camera-Surveillance Package Stahl has compiled a scalable package of cameras and recording systems for camera surveillance in hazardous areas on gas and oil rigs. In addition to making operations safer, it enables users to carry out a thorough study of causes and fix any problems in the case of incidents. The system supports live monitoring at HMI stations and complete documentation of events. The standard package includes four cameras whose video signals can be recorded manipulation-proof for up to ten days. This network-compliant solution, which also permits authorised remote access to images via the internet, can be expanded to include twice or four times as many cameras. The recording capacity, which as a standard is covered by a 500GB hard disk, can be easily expanded to meet a specific application's requirements. Resolutions of up to 4 CIF, as well as a full PAL format with 704 x 576 pixels, can be selected for the H264 compressed digital-video file

Ashtead Provides NDT Instrumentation For Refinery Ashtead Technology played a key role in providing Non Destructive Testing (NDT) instrumentation for inspection work carried out by SGS during the shutdown of two European oil refineries. Following an evaluation of the SGS requirements, Ashtead increased its stock of Panametrics 37DL Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges so that SGS could hire 14 of the instruments for month-long inspection projects at the BP Europoort site in Rotterdam and the Total Vlissingen refinery. A digital gauge combining measurement features with data-acquisition and output capabilities, the 37DL is suitable for applications involving pipes, tanks and other metal structures subject to corrosion or erosion. It includes features for true metal thickness, even when the exposed surface is coated or painted, such as the Oxide/Scale option, which also measures and displays build up of residue inside boiler tubes and helps to predict tube life. For the most recent inspecti

3D Mice Support Topsolid 7 CAD/CAM Software 3D Connexion's range of 3D mice now supports the Missler Topsolid 7 integrated computer-aided-design/computer-aided-manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software solution. The 3D mice are intended to give Topsolid 7 engineers increased productivity and a more intuitive way to interact with their 3D designs for modelling, simulation and production. They also give Topsolid 7 professionals a range of design performance and productivity benefits, including: improved control and navigation, allowing users to simultaneously pan, zoom and rotate models or simulations without stopping to select commands; greater productivity with customisable programmable buttons that provide quick access to commonly used Topsolid 7 commands; advanced design performance by aiding in the detection of design flaws and enhancing design review, verification and presentation; and increased comfort, with traditional mouse clicks reduced by up to 50 per cent. Topsolid 7 is compatib

Traceparts To Showcase 3D Library Of Catalogues Traceparts, a member of the Trace Software Group, will join the 2010 Solidworks World Conference, which is due to be held in Anaheim, California, from 31 January to 3 February. The productivity benefits of the Traceparts 3D library of suppliers' catalogues will be demonstrated in the Partner Pavilion in Booth 109. With more than 100 million native 3D computer-aided-design (CAD) models for Solidworks, the Tracepartsonline.net portal eliminates the time-consuming process of finding and modelling international standard and manufacturers' components. This allows the designer to spend more time on the critical stages of the design process. Traceparts leveraged the Solidworks openness to develop a library of standard Solidworks-native 3D parts. Designers from all industries, particularly those involved in industrial machinery, tooling, automotive and aerospace design, benefit from all the most commonly used components from the mec

At ATX 2010, taking place in Anaheim, California, from February 9-11, Renishaw will focus on its latest range of motion-control products. These include a true absolute optical encoder for rotary and linear applications, a track-mounted linear-encoder-scale system and magnetic-encoder chip. Also on show will be the QC20-W wireless ballbar, which assesses machine-tool positioning and servo-control performance, and now includes a volumetric testing capability, plus a range of touch probes and probe software that increase machine-tool automation and improve process control. For visitors sourcing offline measurement products, there will also be the opportunity to discuss Renishaw's retrofit service for coordinate-measuring machines (CMMs), including Modus - the company's first metrology software. Resolute is a true absolute optical-encoder system featuring dirt immunity and a specification said to break new ground in position feedback. Resolution is 1nm at 100m/sec for linear-enc

Amplifier Compliments Standard Mounting Systems The Series AP5103 DIN-rail amplifier is a low-cost, general-purpose, single-channel signal conditioner that is compatible with standard DIN-Rail mounting systems. It is designed for input of pressure, force, torque, weight and other variables measured by standard DC-excited strain-gage transducers. The AP5103 allows the user to select filtered analogue output of +/-5V DC, +/-10V DC or 4-20mA and will accommodate a range of DC strain-gage sensors with bridge resistance of 120 to 10,000Ohm. The amplifier includes front-panel-accessible settings for mode, volts, current, filter, excitation and zero. A wide zero and span adjustment and switch-based shunt-cal feature make the versatile suitable for a variety of applications. DIN-Rail design permits easy access to screw-terminal connections for power, analogue-output, shunt and sensor signals. The AP5103 provides high signal stability and accuracy over a range of sensor inputs, and a powe

Accelerometers Offer Resolution Down To 0.05mg Sherborne Sensors has launched the A200 Series of high-precision, gravity-referenced linear servo accelerometers, offering measurement resolution down to 0.05mg. The accelerometers are available in ranges from +/-1 to +/-20g and are designed to reliably operate over a temperature range of -55 to 95C (-67 to 203F). The design of the A200 series incorporates a closed-loop balance-torque mechanism, allowing sensors to reliably measure vector acceleration and operating as a complete servo-measurement system. By adjusting servo-amplifier parameters and related electronic networks, operating characteristics of the A200 series can be optimised to suit particular application requirements. A200 series units are available with connector or solder-pins versions as standard, with the option for custom units that may be manufactured and tested to meet specific military-conformance standards. Flight-qualified versions are also available. Incorpora

Siemens Software Enables Vehicle Development Siemens PLM Software claims that its technology enabled the development of more than 90 per cent of the vehicles that automakers are exhibiting at the North American International Auto Show. The software was used to plan, evaluate and coordinate the development and manufacturing engineering of these vehicles. Siemens PLM Software provides OEMs with managed collaboration across complex engineering functions and throughout the extended supply chain. In 2008, there were 68 million cars produced globally by the top 50 Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and of those vehicles, Siemens PLM Software's technology was used in 64 million, the company said.

Heason Introduces Ethernet-Based Servo Drives The new Kollmorgen AKD range of Ethernet-based servo drives is now available from Heason Technology. With common interfacing and hardware from 1.1kW to 64kW continuous output power and featuring multiple Ethernet connectivity and a choice of fieldbus communication options, the new servo drive is capable of providing a solution for a variety of motion control applications, from single-axis indexing through to fully synchronised multi-axis position control. The AKD servo-drive range is available in five modular sizes for panel mounting with peak current ratings from 9A to 48A on 120/240VAC single-phase or 240/480VAC three-phase supplies. Higher-current versions up to 192A are due for release during 2010. Setup, diagnostics and programming are all made straightforward with a PC-based graphical user interface featuring icons and screen flow navigation with auto-tuning and guided manual tuning. Online troubleshooting and verification is av

Ultrasonic Leak Detector Produces Energy Savings Logis Tech is offering its EP2400 ultrasonic leak/stethoscope detector - a hand-held, portable, highly sensitive device that is designed to produce energy savings and reduce plant-maintenance costs. The EP2400 ultrasonic detector is designed to produce savings in engineering plants by detecting leaks in compressed-air or gas systems and in airlines, vacuums, steam traps, tanks and window seals; by detecting mechanical malfunctions, such as worn bearings, gears and mechanical movable parts within casings; and by locating arcing and corona discharges in electrical systems.

Micromech Assists With Drive Programming Micromech Systems offers on-site assistance for programming drives and controllers. The company's engineers have full technical experience of stepper drives, servo drives and controllers from a range of manufacturers. These include Parker Motion, Danaher/Kollmorgen, Yaskawa, Delta Tau, Isel, Stogra, Trinamic and Trio.

Tyco Webinar To Focus On Pluggable I/O Solutions Tyco Electronics is to present a webinar entitled 'Pluggable I/O Solutions: Enabling Leaps in Bandwidth' on 28 January 2010. Topics for discussion will include: pluggable I/O solutions, interface options and challenges for next-generation designs. Interested parties should register for the webinar at www.tycoelectronics.com/products/pluggableIOWebinar?s_cid=2242. Tyco Electronics has introduced new options, including integrated light pipes for port indicators, connectors with improved signal integrity, enhanced EMI springs for increased EMI suppression, and riding heat sink technology for thermal management. The pluggable I/O interface is said to offer significant advantages as a high-speed interconnect in networking, storage and telecom applications. It includes standard equipment I/O interface, and with the flexibility of pluggable modules and cabling, comes with options for fibre and copper links. It supports various dat

Radiall Launches Co-Axial Connectors For Studios Radiall has introduced its BNC 75ohm HDTV co-axial connector series, which can handle data rates up to 3Gbps or higher while supporting the broadcast industry's SMPTE 292M and 424M standards. These connectors feature gold-plated centre and outer contacts, which provide good electrical performance with a frequency range of up to 6GHz, optimised at 3GHz. In addition, they are intermateable with standard 50ohm and 75ohm BNC products, and offer better mechanical performance and durability, with 1,000 mating cycles guaranteed. Connectors are also field-installable on most co-axial cables using hand-crimping tools and coloured cable boots available for easy coding of video signals. Radiall's BNC 75ohm HDTV co-axial connector series, high-frequency F connectors, high-density DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors, fibre-optic systems and other interconnect solutions have been developed for use in broadcast studios and broadcast transmission syste

TTI Adds Harvatek LEDs To Component Portfolio TTI has added Taiwanese LED manufacturer Harvatek to its discrete-components portfolio. Harvatek produces up to 500 million SMD LEDs monthly, with devices also available as light bars. As well as its standard LED portfolio, the manufacturer will also launch infrared devices and LED modules in 2010. Harvatek's product portfolio covers standard SMD LEDs including PLCC2, PLCC4, PLCC6 and 0402, 0603, 0805 and 1206 size chipleds. Power LEDs (Harvaleds) up to 3W, leaded products, displays, light bars and custom solutions are also available. Devices come in all standard colours, bi-colour and RGB.

Amphe-EX Connectors For Hazardous Areas PEI-Genesis has expanded the range of products it stocks from Amphenol Operations to include the Amphe-EX series of Atex-approved, multi-pin hazardous area connectors. With its inventory of connector piece-parts and automated assembly machines, PEI-Genesis said it is able to assemble, test and despatch the Amphe-EX connectors in less than 48 hours from receipt of order. Designed for use in harsh environments, such as those associated with oil and gas exploration, petrochemical plants and fuel storage sites, Amphe-EX is a versatile miniature connector that accepts copper, co-axial or fibre-optic contacts. The connectors can also be specified with RJ45 or USB inserts for applications such as data acquisition, process control, communications systems and embedded computers. The Amphe-EX connectors feature machined aluminium components plated with a hard anodic coating for superior resistance to heat, corrosion and scratching - this enables the

LSI has announced the addition of the multicore-capable PowerPC 476 microprocessor core and high-speed, embedded DRAM memory blocks to its portfolio of custom silicon intellectual property (IP). The processor core and memory blocks are designed to accelerate the development of leading-edge networking and storage system-on-chips (SoC) used in applications such as enterprise-class switches, routers, RAID storage, servers and base stations. Custom multicore integrated circuits are said to allow OEMs to develop highly differentiated, high-performance solutions for compute-intensive applications. The PowerPC 476FP offering from LSI, available on the TSMC 40G process, operates at clock speeds in excess of 1.4GHz, delivering 2.5 Dhrystone MIPS per MHz. The embedded DRAM block operates at up to 500MHz, which is essential for real-time video processing and high-bandwidth networking applications. LSI claims to minimise custom integrated circuit (IC) development cost and risk by providing OE

Home-Appliance Buyers Prioritise Energy Efficiency Energy efficiency is the number-one attribute that consumers seek when purchasing new home appliances, according to a survey by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). While more than half of US homeowners (57 per cent) ranked energy efficiency as one of their top two considerations, safety was not at the top of the list. The majority of respondents admitted that they do not always look for a third-party safety certification, such as the UL Mark, on new appliances. Products that bear the UL Mark have been tested to UL's rigorous safety standards and are found to be free of foreseeable safety hazards. In the coming months, many consumers will consider purchasing new appliances thanks to the US government's USD300m (GBP183m) rebate programme, encouraging the purchase of energy-efficient appliances. The state-run programmes will offer cash rebates to consumers who buy new qualified home appliances. Homeowners and other consumers can

Femtolasers Introduces Fusion M1 Laser Oscillator Femtolasers has introduced Fusion M1, a member of its ultra-compact Ti:Sapphire oscillator range. Fusion M1 is claimed to deliver maximum stability, ease of operation and excellent laser parameters from a compact laser oscillator. These attributes are achieved through an integrated high-reliability pump module in combination with a low-loss high-efficiency cavity design. All Fusion models make use of Femtolasers' patented Dispersive Mirror technology, which is specifically designed for broadband intracavity group delay dispersion compensation. Mode-locked average output power exceeding 1W is now available with all features of an ultra-fast laser. Fusion M1 features Femtolock repetition rate stabilisation, tunability in bandwidth and custom centre wavelength control. It is designed for demanding applications such as seeding amplifier chains, material processing, coherent THz generation, time-resolved spectroscopy and multi-phot

Low-Pressure Gradient Professional IC Option Metrohm's 850 Professional Anion MCS Low Pressure (LP) Gradient (2.850.2210) is suitable for new method development. The use of gradient chemistry (whereby the eluent strength is increased during the run) facilitates shorter retention times for late eluting peaks. Metrohm believes that correct selection of the column and optimum mobile phase allows most separations in a routine environment to be solved isocratically. Any gradient separation also requires an additional equilibration step at the end of the separation, where the mobile phase is returned to its original (weaker) state. The 850 Professional IC Anion MCS LP Gradient can be operated with sequential, chemical or without suppression for complete flexibility. The low-pressure gradient unit is suitable for method development as it can be used as an eluent selector for automatic switching between three different eluents so method development can be automatically performed overn

Dionex Releases Sample Pre-Treatment Cartridges The Inguard multiuse in-line sample preparation cartridges for ion chromatography are packed with a range of resins that can automatically remove matrix interferences. The interferences covered include anions; cations, including transition metal; and hydrophobic contaminants, including lipids. Pretreatment helps extend column life and improves separations. Reproducible ppm-level determinations are possible even in samples with concentrated matrices. Cartridges can be used multiple times, singly or in series, and in some cases can be regenerated (depending on the samples being treated). Inguard cartridges are plumbed directly after the injection loop and before the concentrator column, thus making sample pre-treatment automatic and saving time and labour of off-line sample preparation. Each cartridge can be used multiple times before requiring regeneration or replacement. Standard 10-32 fittings make installation simple and secure. C

Anaspec Introduces Its Longest-Wavelength Dye Anaspec has brought out the Hilyte Fluor 750 dye, which, though spectrally similar to Cy7, is the longest-wavelength dye the company currently offers. Its fluorescence emission maximum at 778nm is well separated from commonly used far-red fluorophores, including Hilyte Fluor 647, Hilyte Fluor 680 or allophycocyanin (APC), facilitating multi-colour analysis. Extinction coefficient is 275,000 M-1cm-1, with a quantum yield of 0.12. With a peak excitation at up to 753nm, conjugates of Hilyte Fluor 750 dyes can be excited by a xenon-arc lamp or dye-pumped lasers operating in the 720 - 750nm range. The Hilyte Fluor 750?s near-infrared spectra render makes it the ideal candidate for in vitro and in vivo tissue imaging.

Midi 40 CO2 Incubators Provide Bench-Top Culturing Thermo Fisher Scientific has brought out a smaller capacity Thermo Scientific Midi 40 CO2 incubator, which delivers the reliable culturing performance of a full-sized incubator in a small footprint. The Midi 40 is ideal for researchers requiring separate undisturbed incubation conditions due to the contamination risk associated with shared incubators or lack of available space. Additional benefits include reduced energy and gas consumption, as well as lower heat output, which helps laboratories lower operational costs and conserve resources. The incubation parameters of the Midi 40 can be easily managed using the incubator's IntrLogic II user interface, which features a bright, highly visible vacuum fluorescent display and an easy-to-navigate membrane touchpad. The unit also incorporates a non-corrosive stainless-steel chamber, with 1.4 cubic feet (40 litres) of culture space, and a heated humidity pan to generate relative hu

Pixavi HD Camera Is Certified For Hazardous Areas Pixavi has introduced an explosion-proof version of the Xcaster 5000 high-definition (HD) camera series. The rugged camera is certified for Zone One areas, both for Atex (Europe) and IECEx (international). The company has applied advanced, intrinsically safe camera technology to enable communication from any Zone One or Zone Two environment on an international level. With the recent launch of the Xcaster ST5000 HD communication device, Pixavi claims to have redefined mobile collaboration with the introduction of HD video conferencing live from virtually any location. By introducing the Xcaster EX 5000, a Zone One certified version of the Xcaster 5000 series, Pixavi said it is bringing this technology to customers within chemical plants, oil and gas, shipyards, mines and other environments requiring strictly certified electronic equipment. Featuring HD video capabilities and Laser collaboration technology as well as video conferenc

Profibus Supports Smart Instrumentation Seminar The Profibus Group has announced that it has become a supporting partner of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) seminar on smart instrumentation. The seminar will take place in Birmingham on 27 April 2010. The IET will in turn support the Profibus Conference at the end of June 2010. The smart instrumentation seminar will provide a forum for safety-critical industries to discuss how to overcome technical and security hurdles associated with employing smart instrumentation in equipment. Key topics for debate include wireless devices and interoperability, implementing and sharing reliability testing tools, monitoring asset performance with smart instruments, SIL levels using smart instruments, and how to use smart instruments in a system.

Jaguar Reduces Costs With Compair Compressors Jaguar has worked with Compair to upgrade the compressed air networks at its West Midlands-based plants, using an ongoing programme of energy audits to reduce air power consumption. The company said air power consumption was reduced by 26 per cent per annum with a maximum two years' payback at each site. In order to calculate the energy savings that could be achieved with a new compressed air system, Compair first carried out a simple air audit on the existing units. A data-logging device was fitted to each machine to analyse a number of parameters including air use, pressures and energy consumption. With readings taken every second over a two-week period, Compair engineers were able to build an accurate overview of Jaguar's compressed air requirements and could demonstrate a number of cost savings that could be made by upgrading to newer models. As a result, Jaguar chose to upgrade the network to two fixed-speed and one variabl

Combustion Services Prevent Fires At Coffee Plant Stelter And Brinck has announced that it provides combustion services to a coffee bean manufacturing plant to prevent fires. Stelter and Brinck provides an annual service on the plant's combustion equipment, which includes burner tuning for efficiency, NFPA and insurance safety checks, a system leak test against gas leaks, burner and pilot inspection to check the operation reliability, supply and fitting of any necessary replacement parts, and preventative maintenance. The company has also carried out plant upgrades and new installations on process air heaters, burners and valve trains, when this was recommended for improved efficiency.

Craic's Thermal Stage Controls Sample Temperatures Craic Technologies has added the ability to control the temperature of samples being analysed spectoscopically to its microspectrophotometers. Heating and freezing stages have brought many benefits to scientists wishing to visualise a sample under different temperature regimes. The company has added this capability to its microspectrophotometers for spectral analysis of microscopic samples throughout the UV, visible and near-infrared regions. Additionally, samples can be imaged from the deep-UV to the near-IR with this new product. The Craic Thermal Stage adds to the microspectrophotometer capabilities offered by the company. It also opens up new research capabilities for everything from biotechnology to materials science to nanotechnology. The Craic Technologies Thermal Stage package, depending upon its configuration, enables a scientist to analyse the transmission, reflectance or fluorescence spectra of microscopic samples

Maintec Reveals 2010 Keynote Speaker Line-Up The keynote speaker line-up for the Summit at Easyfairs Maintec 2010 - set to take place on 2-4 March at the NEC in Birmingham - has now been confirmed. Scheduled for 3 March 2010, the Summit - chaired by Steve Morris, deputy president of the Institute of Asset Management - includes papers and case studies from experts in the fields of best practice, human factors, continuous improvement and sustainable energy. Between them, the speakers will address the key challenges and opportunities impacting on the asset management and maintenance functions going into the next decade. Joining Morris is Sean Hennessy, MEETA and board member of the European Federation of National Maintenance Societies, who will deliver the 2010 industry address. Hennessy will provide an asset management and maintenance overview. Throughout the day, there will be case studies from Wessex Water and Artesis, OEE and Andon Signalling, Chivas Brothers and Idhammer Systems.

Mettler Toledo Launches Freeweigh.Net Software Mettler Toledo has launched Freeweigh.Net - a software solution for statistical quality control and statistical process control. Freeweigh.Net enables users to prove compliance with Average Weight and other industry legislation while benefitting from the financial benefits of reduced give-away and an efficient sampling process. The solution provides real-time feedback from the production line to the QA laboratory. Freeweight.Net allows users to: ensure their process is in control with the Statistical Process Control (SPC) module; integrate third-party measuring equipment with the Device Integration module; undertake visual quality checks with the Attributes and Test Plans Module; empower staff to take traceable corrective action for test failures with the Error and Intervention module; and track the performance of individual filling heads with the Multi-Head Analysis module. With Freeweigh.Net users can create custom reports to meet

Axion Trials Show Carpet Recycling Potential Trials by Axion Consulting have shown waste polypropylene carpets can be recycled into good quality polymer pellet for re-use in new applications such as injection-moulded products. According to Axion, the findings could stimulate the UK's fledgling carpet recycling industry and develop new markets for PP recyclate with associated environmental and economic benefits. The project was initiated by Carpet Recycling UK, which secured funding to investigate recycling options for post-consumer carpets and possible new end-use markets for PP products made from recovered material. Processing stages involved size reduction, screening and extrusion. Tests showed that while post-industrial extruded polymer had potential for use in a range of applications including injection moulding, further work was needed to verify its suitability. Post-consumer material could be recycled for medium- to lower-grade applications such as plant pots, compost bins or

Turbine Flowmeter Suitable For Heavy Equipment Flow Technology has launched the FT-HE (heavy equipment) turbine flowmeter solution designed for hydraulic fluid applications. The company's FT series turbine meters are now offered with SAE J1453 fittings with O-ring face seal, which is said to simplify installation in hydraulic lines onboard tractors, combines and other heavy equipment. In the off-road industry, there is an increasing emphasis on reducing both the number of potential leakage points and the incidence of leakage from hydraulics systems on machinery. This requirement is addressed by the SAE J1453 standard covering material, dimensional, and performance requirements of steel O-ring face seal fittings for hydraulic tubing, as well as the O-ring face seal interface and nut portion of hose stem assemblies. The FT-HE solution is said to provide accurate and repeatable flow measurements in a host of hydraulic and pneumatic applications. Units employing SAE J1453 flat-fa

Robin Engineering Offers Translation Services Robin Engineering Services offers exporters translation and interpretation services into and from all European languages as well as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian. Judith Pegg, director of Robin Engineering, said: 'Many companies looked to boost their sales and thereby ensure a more secure future by increasing their efforts in overseas markets to offset the downturn in UK activity. 'When these efforts pay off and orders are won, operating and maintenance instructions in the language of the country of the purchaser are usually required. 'Very often, the export salesman deals only with a company director or other highly placed individual. 'More often than not this person will have, at minimum, a working grasp of English, will be able to make his requirements known without difficulty, and sort out areas of doubt satisfactorily. 'However, the fitter on the factory floor, who will actually operate the machine, will

Kavlico Releases LPG And CNG Pressure Sensors Kavlico has released a line of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) pressure sensors to support vehicles and industrial equipment using alternative fuels. These fuel options are being adopted by municipalities and other governmental agencies as an option for fleet vehicles such as cars, buses, trucks and fork lifts. Typical applications include monitoring and measuring low pressure for fuel rail, high pressure for tank pressure or combined pressure and temperature. The sensors are utilised to optimise fuel metering and control combustion, improving emissions and engine performance. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) will design in a Kavlico fuel rail sensor to measure the absolute pressure of the fuel at the inlet of the injectors. Kavlico's stainless-steel LNG and CNG sensors utilise a thin-film (TiON) sense element and are available in pressure ranges up to 250barG. Operating on 5VDC, the sensors

Kaspro Introduces Falcon Industrial-Grade Monitors Kaspro USA has introduced the Falcon series of industrial-grade monitors. The Falcon series offers panel-mount, chassis, rack-mount, IP65 and open-frame options. The monitors are available in a range of housing options. The company is offering the 15in (38cm), 17in and 19in models in its basic portfolio; however, screen sizes up to 50in are possible on demand.

Eriez Launches Grate Magnets For Processing Sector Eriez Magnetics Europe has announced the launch of its Prograde range of grate magnets. The line includes grate magnets available in Xtreme Rare Earth magnetic strength, suitable for applications in all processing industries. All Prograde products are available for immediate despatch. The Prograde Square, Rectangular and Round permanent magnetic grates are designed to remove ferrous contamination in hoppers, chutes, floor openings and other areas where free-flowing materials are present. They are of a sanitary construction, which makes them suitable for the food industry and other processing applications. The Prograde Easy to Clean Grate in Housing is also available; consisting of two rows of staggered magnets, it is designed to enable operators to quickly remove accumulated fine iron contamination and clean the magnets. All of the grates in the Prograde range are manufactured with a glass bead surface finish and stainless-steel co

New Scale Technologies has introduced the Squiggle RV reduced-voltage linear drive system, which consists of an SQL-RV-1.8-6-12 Squiggle motor and an NSD-2101 drive ASIC. It is a miniature piezo motor drive solution with a driver chip that is smaller than the motor and driven directly from battery power as low as 2.3VDC, without the need for a voltage boost. The Squiggle RV motor is New Scale's next-generation piezo micro motor, using multi-layer piezo technology from TDK-EPC to reduce the input-voltage requirements of the motor. The NSD-2101 driver was developed for this new motor in partnership with Austriamicrosystems using advanced integrated-circuit (IC) designs and patented control systems. This smart IC measures 1.8 x 1.8mm and drives the Squiggle RV motor directly, without the need for an external boost circuit. The Squiggle RV linear drive system is more than five times smaller and uses 40 per cent less power than comparable electromagnetic linear drive systems, accordi

OSM Safety Unit Monitors Motor-Rotation Speed Omron Scientific Technologies has introduced the G9SX-LM Low-speed Safety Monitoring Unit. Consisting of two proximity sensors and a G9SX safety controller with fault diagnostics, the G9SX-LM is a Category 3 (EN954-1), SIL 3 (IEC/EN 62061) certified redundant safety system that monitors and confirms motor-rotation speed to facilitate safe machine maintenance. The system can also provide standstill monitoring. The G9SX-LM allows an operator to access the machine for maintenance work while the machine is running at a safe, maximum set operating threshold of 10Hz. Should the motor speed exceed the preset speed, the G9SX-LM will stop the machine immediately. An optional A4EG Enabling Grip Switch provides an additional layer of safety protection that, if pressed or released, will also immediately stop the machine. The G9SX-LM is certified to all relevant North American and International safety standards and is engineered to deliver reliabl

Stepper-Motor Controller Mounts 42mm Flange Motor The TMCM-110-42 is an intelligent stepper-motor controller and driver module designed to be mounted directly on a 42mm flange motor. The module converts the motor into a compact mechatronic device with bus-oriented or standalone control. The motor, switches, power and multi-purpose I/Os can be connected with small plug-in connectors. The module comes with the PC-based software-development environment TMCL-IDE for the Trinamic Motion Control Language (TMCL). Using predefined TMCL high-level commands, a rapid development of motion-control applications is guaranteed. There are two inputs for reference, stop switches, one general-purpose digital or analogue input and one output. The TMCM-110-42 can be controlled via an RS-232, RS-485, IC or CAN interface and communication traffic is kept very low as all time-critical operations are performed onboard. The programme can be stored in the onboard EEPROM for standalone operation and the fi

Parker Actuators Target Demanding Applications Parker Hannifin has enhanced and extended its range of high-speed, high-power linear actuators. The ET Electro Thrust Actuators have been developed for demanding movement, positioning and clamping applications in the packaging, process and materials-handling sectors. They incorporate a precision-class C7 ballscrew, driven either directly by an inline motor or indirectly via a toothed belt from a motor mounted to the body of the actuator. The ballscrew can be supplied with a pitch of 5 to 50mm/revolution and effectively acts as a high-performance feed unit, to move a piston and rod assembly at speeds of up to 1.3m/sec over stroke lengths of between 0.05 and 2.4m. The system is capable of providing a maximum force of 44,500N, yet offers repeatability of within plus or minus 0.01mm, with backlash of just 0.02mm when used with an inline drive. The ballscrew-nut assembly incorporates a recirculating ball system, which reduces frictional los

Vehicle Power System Uses Mattei Vane Technology Mattei is demonstrating the durability and energy efficiency of vane technology through a partnership with Winton Engineering. Winton's onboard-power system utilises the power of a vehicle's engine to drive auxiliary tools and equipment. These modular systems utilise the Mattei vane compressor and can be supplied with a 6kW 110/240V generator. The complete module is powered through the Winton Drive Line Power Take Off (DLPTO). Winton systems are installed under the vehicle and deliver compressed air up to 160cfm. These systems are installed on a range of vehicles and are predominantly used by civil-engineering and utilities companies to power equipment such as road drills, breakers and site lighting. Andy Gear, Winton Engineering, said: 'We chose Mattei compressors as we believe vane-compressor technology is more efficient than traditional screw- or piston-driven compressors; it reduces the demand on the vehicle's eng

Linear-Rail System Has Self-Adjusting Mechanism The SBI range from Jena Tec offers low noise and high rigidity, coupled with a smooth movement and self-adjusting mechanism. According to the company, an increase of load-carrying capacities of up to 40 per cent can be achieved compared to standard block and rail systems. Compared to conventional linear rail cross sections, the SBI range is approximately 10 per cent lower, with a wider through section of nearly 20 per cent, Jena said. Its improved lower cross-sectional centre point offers greater structural rigidity, improved straightness during manufacturing and straightness in application. Heat treated to HRC60, the SBI range is highly stable, while shorter cross-sectional areas mean grinding time and plastic deformation are reduced. Linear blocks are constructed from a hardened-steel rigid structure with the same lower cross-section centre as the rail and slightly longer block length meaning a greater number of balls with a smooth

Fanuc Robots Automate Green Pallet-Handling System Fanuc Robotics has revealed that two of its robots are being used in a Green Solutions system that manufactures pallets made from paper pulp. The manufacturing process is automated from the input stage, where the paper is in a slurry form, right through to the output stage where the finished pallet is ready for use. Central to the process are two Fanuc Robotics robots, which handle the mould and moulded pallet and also control the system process. Green Solutions supplies the complete manufacturing system to businesses requiring either one-way or multi-transport pallet use for their product deliveries. As systems can be supplied anywhere in the world, sourcing a reliable handling solution for the moulding process was important as it forms the core of the process. Samey, an Icelandic automation business, worked with Green Solutions to design the handling system. Thorkell Jonsonn, managing director of Samey, said: 'Robots were the

Barber Insys Offers EC060 Thermal Imaging Cameras Trotec's EC060 hand-held low-cost thermal imaging cameras, available from Barber Insys, incorporate a 160 x 120 pixel un-cooled micro bolometer, flip-out display and visual camera option. There are three models to choose from: the EC060 standard, which has two measuring spots, one auto hot/cold spot and one movable; the EC060V, which has an integrated digital camera and five spots, four movable and one auto hot/cold; and the EC060V+, which has an integrated digital camera and Bluetooth software (including headset and real-time IR video incorporated in the camera, real time software optional), nine movable spots and one auto hot-/cold-spot, integrated profile and area analysis. All three models have a 50/60Hz image refresh rate, so rotating machinery is not a problem. The EC series is an ideal entry-level camera for engineers and surveyors.

Cliplight AC/R Sealant Repairs Pre-Existing Leaks Cliplight has distinguished its original Super Seal air-conditioning/refrigeration (AC/R) system reactive leak-repair sealant as Super Seal Classic. This differentiates it from Super Seal Total, a preventative leak product that combines a sealant, drying agent and UV-dye tracer. The Classic line of Super Seal Commercial Super Seal (one 3oz can for systems over 5 tons); HVACR Super Seal (one 3oz can for systems between 1.5 and 5 tons); and ACR Super Seal (one 1oz can for systems under 1.5 tons); is formulated for repairing a pre-existing system leak. Super Seal Total 1 (for systems up to 5 tons) and Super Seal Total 2 (for systems over 5 tons) have only a preventative-maintenance dose of Classic sealant, Cliplight's Dry R drying agent and Flash UV tracer dye in a single can. 'The introduction of Super Seal Total 1 and 2 is not a replacement or improvement of the original Super Seal, but rather a preventative-maintenance product

Multipix Imaging To Demonstrate 3D Technology Multipix Imaging is to hold its annual technology day on 11 March 2010, where Machine Vision Software Halcon 9.0 and the latest 3D Vision technology from MVTec will be demonstrated. Basler VC will also present its latest Mega Pixel camera ranges.

Marble-Slab Manufacturer Uses Araldite Adhesives Araldite engineering adhesives from Huntsman Advanced Materials are being used by Stonedil, an Italian manufacturer of thin marble slabs for the European building and construction industry. Stonedil has been producing materials for use in the facades of grand buildings across Europe. Combining traditional materials, such as stone and marble, with highly advanced manufacturing methods, Stonedil claims that it has devised a building solution using Araldite adhesives that gives architects and builders the design edge when it comes to choosing and using marble and stone materials. The Italian construction company has been using a 'slicing' technique that enables marble to be cut for use in a much wider range of interior renovation projects, including the refurbishment of lifts as well as floor and ceiling structures. Using a metal thread, Stonedil cuts marble into very thin, lightweight slabs, which are just 3cm thick. The compan

Torque Arms Improve Production During Assembly The new EZ-Slider torque arms from Mountz are designed to improve production and quality control during the assembly process. The ergonomic design of the torque arm is intended to reduce repetitive motion injury and carpal tunnel syndrome. The handling of the torque arm provides comfortable tool operation and increased production. The Mountz torque arm eliminates the torque reaction of power and pneumatic tools. Crafted with a lightweight durable carbon fibre, the EZ-Slider torque arm slides up and down and provides X- and Y-axis mobility. A gliding rail system from Mountz gives the EZ-Slider torque arm the freedom to travel horizontally (side to side) on a production floor. Combining these two items give manufactures the ability to set up a slide-and-glide movement with the EZ-Slider. The torque arm is suitable for multi-tool applications such as a moving production and assembly line where balancers are fixed to a trolley system. Th

Biodoc-It Systems Boost Bio-Imaging Capabilities UVP has brought out upgraded Biodoc-It Imaging Systems to boost gel-imaging capabilities. The Biodoc-It makes it easy for researchers to capture and save gel images. The system is now available with a choice of scientific-grade CCD cameras, including a new 1.3 megapixel camera for high-resolution image capture. The stand-alone design, with a built-in processor, requires no external computer and reduces space requirements. The touch screen and easy-to-use software interface enable quick-touch control of preview, capture and save functions. The built-in USB drive (with 1GB USB stick) provides easy access to saved images. Users can also transfer images via network connectivity. Two versions of the Biodoc-It are now available: the Biodoc-It 220, with 1.3 megapixel CCD camera (darkroom includes side-access doors); and the Biodoc-It 210, with 0.3 megapixel CCD camera (no side-access doors).