ECN-Electronic Component News articles from February 2006

ECN-Electronic Component News archives from February 2006

Side orders.(Editor's View)
February 1, 2006... As some of you know from reading this column or from speaking with me, my father is a retired electronics engineer. As a young child, I wasn't quite sure what he did every day at the Naval Research Laboratory on the Potomac River in Maryland...

Single-chip, PoE device controller for low-voltage auxiliary power sources.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2006... National Semiconductor Corporation has announced a Powered Device (PD) interface and DC-DC converter IC specifically designed for Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices that operate from alternative power sources or the PoE-enabled network. The...

Portable data station.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2006... Yokogawa Corporation of America has introduced a network-enabled portable multi-channel datalogger, certified for IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6). The Datum-Y[TM] measures and records environmental data in the field or in the plant such as...

Fiber optic panels provide backlighting for test gauges.(Leading Off)
February 1, 2006... Lumitex's patented Woven Fiber Optic[TM] panels enable design-in of a backlight that provides a bright and uniform illumination for monochrome LCD displays by using one 5 mm LED. This technology allows readability of data in psi, [degrees]C and...

Small displays.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
February 1, 2006... Arista Corp. has introduced an industrial 6.4-inch LCD Panel Computer, the ARP-2606AP. Designed to meet the demands for mission critical, high performance and reliable operation, the unit is appropriate for factory automation, facility...

Small displays.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
February 1, 2006... Optrex America, Inc. Sharp Microelectronics Industrial TFT 3.5" Advanced-TFT Mobile Display Product Line with Sharp Microelectronics' Expanded Temperature...

EPIC single board 733MHz P3 with COM, ENET, USB2, and video.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... * VIA 733MHz or 1GHz C3 processor [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * PC-compatible supports Windows[R] XP, CE, Linux, and other RTOSes * EPIC-compliant SBC * Up to 512MB PC133 SDRAM * Up 1GB bootable DOC[R], 512KB SRAM, or 1MB EPROM...

PC/104-Plus wireless 802.11 adapter.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... * Supports Intel, Broadcom, Atheros and other 802.11 miniPCI modules [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Available with or without a miniPCI card installed * RP-SMA external antenna connector * Optional diversity second antenna connector...

Embedded development tools: Eclipse shines.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2006... My first experience with development tools--circa 1973--involved writing code for a microprocessor on a PDP-8/L minicomputer, punching a paper tape in Intel BNPF format and loading the tape into a Pro-Log EPROM programmer that wrote 256 bytes...

DSPs: Digital Signal Controllers enable embedded speech applications.(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
February 1, 2006... Improving voice quality and speeding up voice transmission have long been a requirement in the telecommunications industry. In other market segments, such as the consumer-appliance and automotive sectors, speech recognition is fast becoming the...

Medical electronics: FPGA-based systems emerge in medical imaging applications.(INDUSTRY FOCUS)
February 1, 2006... Sensor technology is evolving at a rapid pace, with each generation providing higher quality images at faster frame rates. At the same time, research is advancing techniques for processing raw image data. The algorithms being used are becoming...

Digital drive provides single axis motion control.(New Products)
February 1, 2006... Performance Motion Devices' ION[TM] Brushless DC Drive modules provide network connectivity, power amplification and advanced motion control features in a rugged package. They are available for brushless DC, DC brush and microstepping motors,...

Water proof fans meet harsh environmental applications.(New Products)
February 1, 2006... Sunon, Inc. has announced a family of waterproof fans that are rated for reliable performance in a variety of harsh environments including dust-proof and water-spray proof models that meet or exceed requirements per IEC 60529 specifications and...

Power: batteries; Batteries go flat out.
February 1, 2006... If you plan to develop miniature portable electronic devices that can run on small amounts of power, new flat and thin-film battery technologies offer great potential. Although battery output ranges from 10's of microamps to a few milliamps,...

Variable frequency AC drives for motor control applications.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2006... Carlo Gavazzi has launched a line of compact AC drives called the VariFlex Series, suitable for most industrial motor control applications. These drives can handle most general purpose three-phase motor control applications from 1/3 hp to 5 hp....

Digital Signal Conditioner board with auto-identification.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2006... Electro Standards' CellMite[TM] Model 4326A Digital Signal Conditioner board with TEDS-Tag[TM] Auto ID can be built into a load cell, extensometer or pressure sensor. Its integrated electronic tags allow the Cell-Mite to select the correct...

Compact USB 32-channel module for high-speed digital control.(BOARDS & MODULES)
February 1, 2006... ACCES I/O Products, Inc. has announced the Model USB-IIRO-16, an embedded digital I/O board packaged in a small, rugged, industrial enclosure. The unit is dense, portable and embedded for digital monitoring and control. The unit contains an...

Motor control center offers ethernet connectivity.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... The Square D[R] Model 6 Intelligent Motor Control Center (iMCC) provides real-time monitoring and remote control of motor functions, allowing users to optimize equipment use, increase reliability and reduce energy costs. Advanced motor...

Medium/high capacity toggle switches.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... NKK Switches has announced a line of medium/high capacity, standard size toggle actuated switches. The S series encompasses many circuit configurations with options that include singlepole through four-pole models in two and three positions....

Brushless motor provides high torque without a gearhead.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... The Maxon EC 45 four-pole motors are powerful four-pole neodymium magnets that provide high torque without a gear-head. These motors are electronically commutated, thus enabling long motor life since there are no mechanical brushes to wear out....

RoHS compliant switch series.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... CIT Relay & Switch has introduced its NL Series Ultra-Subminiature Bi-Color Illuminated Switch. It contains two embedded, independent LEDs with any color combinations of red, green, yellow or blue. At 2 mm in height, this surface mount switch...

Electric belt drive rodless actuator.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... TOL-O-MATIC has introduced its B3W Series rodless cylinder electric belt drive actuator. In most applications the B3W can be used as a direct drop-in replacement for TOL-O-MATIC's B3B actuator, allowing users to accelerate larger loads faster....

High torque bipolar step motor.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Lin Engineering's SilverPak 23DE integrated Nema 23, high torque, 1.8[degrees] bipolar step motor, microstepping driver and encoder is designed for an array of step motor applications that need high torque. This step motor is 2.25" in width,...

Scalable embedded controllers.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2006... The S-MAX 50xx VLC and ILC 350 VLC embedded controller platforms from Phoenix Contact provide control features and Steeplechase VLC flowchart programming for low cost control applications. They combine secure PLC control functions with PC-based...

Add-on Mini PCI modules.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2006... The PER-V01B module from AAEON converts DVI to TTL signals. The form factor is Mini-PCI, and this revision supports up to 1,600 X 1,200 pixel resolution. It can be bundled with the company's PCM-3538T to convert DVI to LVDS signals. The...

GPS receivers with network assist.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2006... NavSync has added two models within its CW25 Series of GPS receivers. The CW25 Series are complete GPS receiver modules in a small SMT format (25 mm X 27 mm X 4 mm), with an embeddable architecture that requires minimal external components,...

Embedded Linux development kit for industrial applications.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
February 1, 2006... WinSystems has announced Blue Collar Linux for its -40[degrees]C to +85[degrees]C EPIC, PC/104, PC/104-Plus, and EBX single board computers (SBCs). "Blue Collar" Linux is WinSystems' implementation of GNU/Linux that provides a way to embed...

Low noise L-Band GaAs HJ-FETS.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
February 1, 2006... California Eastern Laboratories has announced the availability of two GaAs HJ-FETs from NEC. Designed for use as LNAs and driver amplifiers in satellite radio antennae, GPS antennae and other L-Band applications, the NE3508M04 and NE3509M04...

LED driver for compact portable electronics.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
February 1, 2006... ON Semiconductor's NCP5603 white LED driver is designed to drive high brightness LEDs in torch or flash applications for camera phones. It provides power conversion by means of a charge pump structure, using two external ceramic capacitors, and...

Industrial LCD Panel Computers feature a detachable LCD monitor.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2006... Arista has introduced its ARP-1720AP Panel Computer that features a NEMA 4 Panel Mount 20.1" Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). It has a modular computer unit that is detachable and easily removed from the display. This provides the user easy...

High intensity LED modules.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2006... American Bright's NovaBrite[TM] 3W LED unit packaging is capable of displaying 6,500K (IF = 350 mA) with an input power of 3.0W (PD) in standard colors, and a brighter white, 120-lumen unit capable of handling up to 4.0W. Applications include...

Flat panel monitor has a direct-VGA port.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
February 1, 2006... The Industrial Automation Group of Advantech has introduced its FPM-2150GB, an industrial-grade 15" TFT LCD flat panel monitor with an IA-Mg front panel. It is 1.92" thick and weighs eight pounds. It provides industrial-grade features such as a...

FH Connector System available with gold plating.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Tyco Electronics' .8 mm FH Connector System is now available with 30 [micro]" gold plating. A right angle plug in both 60 and 80 positions is also available. This product is intended for stacking applications in high end computer,...

Snap cover terminal blocks provide electrical safety.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... BlockMaster's Series C34/C44 terminal blocks feature integrated permanently attached snap-on terminal safety covers that avoid the loss or misplacement of covers, and they provide additional finger-tip safety in hi-power or similar situations....

Heat-cured adhesive for OEM assembly.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Devcon's SC 2002 NS (non-sagging) one-part epoxy adhesive bonds to a variety of substrates including dissimilar ones such as fabrics, wood, steel (stainless, mild-carbon, galvanized, tinplated, or unfinished), aluminum, ceramics, glass, and...

Connector system for portable electronics.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... FCI has developed RoHS-compatible versions of the Conan[R] 1.0 mm-pitch, low-profile, board-stacking connector system. Designed to provide a mechanically secure, high-density electrical interface between parallel printed circuit boards, this...

Connector for incremental encoders.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Turck, Inc. has introduced its E-WKC 8T-PX3-930-* Kubler encoders that have three LEDs housed in a translucent molded right-angle connector for indication of channels A, B and Z. Green LEDs indicate channels A and B, while amber is used for the...

SMT jumper Series is RoHS-compliant.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Components Corp. has announced its RoHS-compliant SJ Series of low profile jumpers. Engineered to safely and reliably interconnect traces on densely populated PC boards, the demands to maximize board real estate, optimize manufacturing...

Stackable enclosure.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... The ZN Series from Polycase is a desktop enclosure with an interlocking design that allows for multiple enclosures to be stacked. This design is appropriate for device networking technology, wireless servers and is suitable for large handheld...

Epoxy adhesive features high shear and high peel strength.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Master Bond, Inc. has introduced a structural adhesive for industrial applications. Called Supreme 11F, this two component system has a one-to-one non-critical mix ratio by weight or volume. Solidification occurs in five to seven minutes after...

MEG-array[R] high-speed mezzanine connectors.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... High-density BGA connectors support device-to-board connections for optical transponders and transceivers, processor cards and memory cards, and board-stacking applications in routers, data storage systems, and medical diagnostic equipment. ...

PwrBlade[R] power distribution connector system.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... Ideal for servers, storage systems, fault-tolerant computers, uninterruptible power systems, and redundant power distribution systems. The one-piece PwrBlade connector mixes power and signal contacts. PwrBlade connectors are available in solder...

DDR2 memory connectors.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... DDR2 sockets accept standard memory module assemblies to enable convenient memory expansion in desktop PCs and servers. These 240-position, vertical connectors are available with solder tail options that support use on 1.58mm (0.062") to 2.36mm...

Millipacs[R] HM 2mm connectors.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... The 5+2 (signal + shield) row and 8+2 row high-density connectors in FCI's Millipacs modular backplane system are designed for use in switches, transmission equipment, base stations, embedded computers, and medical equipment. The Millipacs...

Unfiltered connector modules for LAN and telecom products.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Pulse, a Technitrol Company, has introduced its line of unfiltered connector modules for networking and telecom infrastructure equipment such as switches and routers. The connectors are also used for networked terminal devices such as printers,...

Coax cable with connectors for signal monitoring.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Emulation Technology (ET) has announced its high-speed, Momentum[TM] coax cables with 38-pin MICTOR[R] connectors. The cables allow easy access and probing capability for individual and hard-to-reach signals in high-speed electronic designs....

Mounting Bracket for photoelectric sensors.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Pepperl+Fuchs has introduced its OMHVL18 Mounting Bracket that is designed for use with 18 mm cylindrical photoelectric sensors. This threaded metal bracket has three spring-loaded screws that are easily adjusted to move the sensor up and down,...

Ethernet cables for patch and networking installation.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Weidmuller has developed a full range of electrical and fiber optic Industrial Ethernet Cables for both patch and network installation. The company can also provide custom cables for specific application requirements. These electrical cables...

Connectors meet signaling requirements for Flat Panel Displays.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
February 1, 2006... Molex[R] Incorporated has introduced a range of high-density FFC/FPC connectors for Flat Panel Displays (FPD), Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) television applications and others. These large circuit size connectors offer robustness, and...

Lead-free tantalum chips provide high cap values in small case sizes.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2006... AVX Corporation has met RoHS environmental requirements with a new low-profile TAJ "R" case size tantalum capacitor. Designed for applications with board-level height, design constraints, the TAJ "R" offers height options of 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm and...

Pushbutton interface on audio-taper digital potentiometers.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
February 1, 2006... Maxim Integrated Products has introduced its MAX5456/MAX5457 dual, 32-tap, audio-taper digital potentiometers that features a debounced, simple push-button interface for volume and balance control. The potentiometers are available with a...

DC/DC converter with 20k V isolation.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Absopulse Electronics has announced the HIS120, a high voltage isolated DC/DC converter developed for high power gate drivers and similar applications in oil and gas, mining, railway track-side and industrial environments. This 120W,...

600W wide input power converter.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Schaefer, Inc. has introduced the C1500 Series of 600 W, 6U high, VME/Eurorack compatible DC/DC and AC/DC converters. The C1500 Series is available in eight single input ranges. All outputs are isolated, adjustable and fully regulated to 0.2...

High power combiner.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Innovative Power Products, Inc. has announced the Model IPP-1000, an in-phase four-way power combiner covering the 400 MHz to 1,000 MHz frequency range. The IPP-1000 combines four signals with up to 750W CW of total output power, and is...

Low profile, power factor corrected 1500W AC/DC supply.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Power Sources Unlimited has introduced the Cotek Electronics 1K5U Series of 1500W AC/DC power supplies. The units are housed in an 8" X 11" X 2.5" enclosure and are suitable for communications, instrumentation and industrial control...

0-350 Watt 4" x 8" Power Supplies meet medical / ITE Applications.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... GlobTek's GT(M)200P350 series delivers up to 350W of Continuous Output Power Design has Regulated Output Voltages Ranging from: 3.3V to 48V in 0.1V increments with Remote Sense Available. This High Efficiency, 85% typ., Series of Power Supplies...

Interchangeable blade power supplies meet RoHS & Energy Star standards.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... GlobTek's GT-41052 series of Wall-Plug-In North America, Europe, U.K., Australia Class II, Double-Enforced Insulation Mechanical Configurations, Regulated Outputs voltage from: 5V to 24Vdc in 0.1V increments, up to 15W of continuous output...

"GlobTek" Desk-Top/wall plug-in/open frame switching power supplies, 36-50 Watt single-output series; Medical IEC 606-1.(Advertisement)
February 1, 2006... GlobTek Inc.'s improved single-output family, GTM21097(CC) series is a Desk-Top Class I, Protective Ground, Double-Enforced Insulation Mechanical Configuration series. Output voltage from: 3.3V to 48V in 0.1V increments, from 36W to 50W maximum...

Commercial AC/DC converter has wide operating temperature range.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Bear Power Supplies has announced its BPl Series power supplies in an industry standard, PCB-mountable package. Operating from -40[degrees]C to +70[degrees]C, these encapsulated power supplies are suitable for harsh applications such as outdoor...

Standalone Li-Ion coin cell charges without overheating.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Linear Technology has introduced its LTC4065L, a fully integrated standalone linear battery charger that charges single coin cell Li-Ion batteries up to 250 mA without overheating the device or surrounding components. This C offers a 4.2V [+ or...

Sealed lead-acid battery family offers more than 75 models.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... GC Electronics' GC family of sealed lead-acid batteries includes more than 75 models, with input voltages of 4V, 6V, 12V and 24V in capacities ranging from 1.2A hours to 230A hours. This family is suitable for use in UPS systems, fire and...

Full-brick DC/DC converters for RF power amplifier applications.(POWER SOURCES & CONDITIONING DEVICES)
February 1, 2006... Artesyn Technologies has launched a series of high-efficiency full-brick isolated DC/DC converters designed for use with RF power amplifiers. The RFF Series of converters comprises five 28 V output models, offering a choice of two input voltage...

Candlestick sensor measures temperature and air velocity.(SENSORS & ACTUATORS)
February 1, 2006... Advanced Thermal Solutions has introduced its MS 1000-CS-WC, a flexible, robust candlestick-design sensor that measures both temperature and air velocity for characterizing thermal conditions in electronic systems. This candlestick sensor is...

Pressure transducers have amplified outputs.(SENSORS & ACTUATORS)
February 1, 2006... Designed to withstand vibration and shock, Omega's PX209 (cable style) and PX219 (connector style) transducers deliver consistent accuracy in small, stainless steel cases with either 0V DC to 5V DC, 0V DC to 10V DC, or 4 mA to 20 mA outputs....

Pre-amplified 3V pressure sensors.(SENSORS & ACTUATORS)
February 1, 2006... Servoflo is offering a line of pre-amplified 3V pressure sensors from Fujikura of Japan. Accepting a supply voltage of 3V [+ or -]0.15V DC, the X3 Series comes in a variety of models including differential, gauge and absolute pressure versions....

Oscilloscope combines large display, small footprint.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
February 1, 2006... LeCroy's WaveRunner[R] Xi Series oscilloscopes offer 10.4" displays and 6" of depth for crowded workbenches. They have sample rates of up to 10 GS/s (interleaved) on the 600 MHz unit, and standard 2 Mpt/Ch memory (with optional memory up to 24...

Test and Measurement Product Catalog.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
February 1, 2006... Keithley Instruments, Inc. has announced the availability of its 2006 Test and Measurement Product Catalog. This desktop reference guide offers details and specifications on Keithley's general-purpose and sensitive sourcing and measurement...

Emerging technologies.(February Issue)
February 1, 2006... Emerging technologies are on everybody's lips, almost regardless of the industry. That said, one of the things that caught my eye on my last trip to Las Vegas was an article in the Las Vegas Tribune entitled, "Casinos Ready to Bet on the...

Question of the month ...(PEER to PEER)
February 1, 2006... How concerned are you about the possible privacy issues that some popular and enabling technologies (i.e. RFID) can create? a.) What privacy issue? b.) Not an issue to me c.) I have only minor concerns d.) Need to develop...

Responses to "speaking informally".(January's Responses)
February 1, 2006... Mr. Israelsohn is right on target with his comments. After more than 20 years in the electronics industry (in both defense and commercial industries), I am still stymied by the lack of true interdepartmental communications within world-class...