ECN-Electronic Component News articles from November 2006

ECN-Electronic Component News archives from November 2006

Winning sides.(Editor's View)
November 1, 2006... As many of you may be aware, ECN recently held the On the Side Design Contest sponsored by Mouser Electronics, where we asked readers to submit a product, device, gizmo or gadget that they designed and built as a hobby outside the scope of...

FRAM with high-speed SPI interface designed to increase data collection capacity.(Leading Off)
November 1, 2006... Ramtron International Corporation has introduced the FM25L512, a 512 Kb, 3V nonvolatile FRAM device with a high-speed serial peripheral interface (SPI). It is said to provide increased data collection and storage capacity in a small 8-pin...

White power LED challenges fluorescent sources in Efficiency.(Leading Off)
November 1, 2006... Cree has announced its XLamp[R] 7090 power LED that produces luminous flux of up to 95 lumens or 85 lumens per watt at 350 mA, and up to 160 lumens at 700 mA. Typical luminous flux is 80 lumens at 350 mA, yielding 70 lumens per watt. This LED...

Mini Card combines Bluetooth and Certified USB technologies on a single Card.(Leading Off)
November 1, 2006... Staccato Communications has announced its SC3224R combo Bluetooth[R] Mini Card reference design kit. It combines both Bluetooth technology and Certified Wireless USB onto a single PCI Express Mini Card form factor designed to provide a fully...

Inductors offer low RDC for DC/DC converter choke-coil applications.(Leading Off)
November 1, 2006... Taiyo-Yuden (U.S.A.), Inc. has announced its NR8040T series of 8 mm X 8 mm X 4 mm wire-wound power inductors for DC/DC converter choke coil applications in LCD and plasma TVs, automobile navigation systems and home video game consoles. The 13...

Compact embedded system on module runs Linux or Windows.(Leading Off)
November 1, 2006... Strategic Test Corp. has released its TRITON-270 SOM (System on Module) that includes a 312 MHz PXA270 processor, 32 MB SDRAM, 32 MB NOR Flash and a 200-pin SODIMM connector. Measuring 1.2" X 2.6" X 0.16", it is a complete PXA270 computer on a...

Ambient light photo sensor for controlling backlighting in consumer applications.(Leading Off)
November 1, 2006... Avago Technologies has introduced an analog-output ambient light photo sensor that helps to conserve power and extend the life of LCD screens in portable display devices. These sensors control the backlighting in portable LCD display...

Switches.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
November 1, 2006... A 32X16 video crosspoint switch from Intersil Corporation integrates a DC-restore clamp on each video input to eliminate black-level fluctuation, providing correctly balanced composit video with fewer external components. The ISL59534's...

Wireless sensors: devise a sensor network that makes waves.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 1, 2006... Many engineers may not know ZigBee exists as network software that builds on the IEEE 802.15.4 radio standard. "You only need ZigBee if you require advanced wireless networks based on a standard or products that interoperate with those from...

Dedicated multiphase controller ICs address processor power specs: digital power control highlights--Part one.(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... Power requirements for high-performance microprocessors have become increasingly demanding (see Figure 1). Prior to the Pentium class of processors, 5V directly from the AC/DC silver box was used as the processor core voltage. As core voltages...

IGBT for IH applications with 300 mJ of avalanche capability.(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... Fairchild has introduced a 1,200V/15A NPT-Trench IGBT with the ability to withstand as much as 300 mJ of avalanche energy in induction heating (IH) applications. This helps ensure "rugged" fail-safe operation of the system during abnormal...

Photovoltaic relays with low on-state resistance.(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
November 1, 2006... International Rectifier's PVN012A photovoltaic relays offer a 50 percent reduction of AC/DC on-state resistance and 37.5 percent increase of maximum AC/DC load current rating at full (100 percent) duty cycle, compared to its predecessor. The...

Consumer electronics (games & toys): integrated video filter drivers score big with gamers.(INDUSTRY FOCUS)
November 1, 2006... It wasn't long ago when "Pong" was the most popular electronic household game. At that time, moving two white vertical lines while hitting a square back-and-forth on a black screen kept consumers staring at their TVs for hours. Since then,...

Test & measurement software: boundary-scan tools extend beyond basic PCB testing.(Cover story)
November 1, 2006... Although introduced 16 years ago, the IEEE 1149 standard continues to help engineers who must test electronic products. The 1149 standard has the formal name, "IEEE Standard Test Access Port and Boundary Scan Architecture." Engineers often...

FPGAs fill interface gaps in automotive display applications.(An ECN special focus on Automotive Electronics)
November 1, 2006... With an increasing number of new applications to display in the automotive cabin, display technologies and their sources are reaching new frontiers. These applications include global positioning systems (GPS), DVD players, digital radios,...

Automobile SoC trends.(An ECN special focus on Automotive Electronics)
November 1, 2006... Auto makers are constantly reducing system costs through demands for better component integration and the use of miniaturization technologies. Moreover, to achieve the affordability requirements needed for commercial success, chip suppliers...

Four-port universal serial I/O and SYNC interface.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... United Electronic Industries (UEI) has announced its DNA-SL-501 serial I/O layer/board that offers four fully independent, isolated RS-232, -422 or -485 ports with maximum data transfer rates up to 1 Mbit per second in RS-422/485 mode. The...

Evaluation board for creating, testing programs.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... Keil's MCBXC88x Evaluation Board is suitable for creating and testing programs for Infineon XC88x 8051-based devices. It can be connected to a standard PC using the serial port (for Flash download) or with the OCDS interface using the company's...

Low profile cPCI bridges.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... Elma Bustronic has launched CompactPCI backplane low profile bridge modules that permit 33 MHz and 66 MHz systems to be expanded across two or even three backplanes. The flat design allows the bridge module to be plugged into the rear of the...

Media player kits for digital signage applications.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... Digital View has announced its line of interactive digital media players for the OEM and VAR channels. The M3-100 and M3-200 feature content scheduling via a real time clock and calendar, full playlist control, database capabilities, RS-232...

Video encoding motherboard.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... Telairity has announced that it is making its real-time H.264 HD compression technology available in the form of a motherboard that OEMs can use to create next-generation broadcast encoders that provide high-quality images at a low bit rate and...

Down converter for EW and ECM applications.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... Endwave Defense Systems has announced a down converter module that operates over a broad frequency range of 2 GHz to 18 GHz, making it suitable for Electronic Warfare (EW) and Electronic Counter Measures (ECM). The module down-converts the...

SBC for telecom and defense applications.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 1, 2006... Mercury Computer Systems has announced its family of single-board computers (SBCs) that use two Dual-Core Intel[R] Xeon processors ULV on a 6U single-slot module. Symmetric multiprocessing, or SMP, enables any processor to work on any task, and...

Long life fan features no surface contact between shaft and bearing.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 1, 2006... Jaro Thermal has announced the FDB Series of 'Fluid Dynamic Bearing' fans. The fan's design eliminates surface contact between the shaft and bearing. This creates a quiet, long-lasting product. The technology is available for a variety of...

Linear-Type Stepper Motor with a one-piece captive shaft.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 1, 2006... Nippon Pulse America has introduced the Captive Linearstep Series: Linear-Type Stepper Motor with a one-piece captive shaft. The anti-rotation cap allows the shaft to actuate without the external guide mechanism that is required with...

Motor drive with control chip for expanded functionality.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 1, 2006... Intelligent Motion Systems' MDrivePlus line is built on a patented advanced motion/machine control chip for expanded functions and capabilities. The drive's advanced integrated motion technology uses the patented M3000 motion control...

Open frame solenoids have magnetic latching capability.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 1, 2006... B16-L and B17-L latching open frame solenoids from Saia-Burgess feature an integral return spring, and they are specifically designed for latching applications such as security systems, office automation and medical devices. These compact...

Matched linear actuator and digital drive minimize machine cycle times.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 1, 2006... Copley Controls has introduced a subsystem for fast response position control applications that consists of a direct drive ServoTube actuator, driven by the company's high power density Micro Xenus controller. Actuator and controller create an...

Control platform for Automated Guided Vehicles.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 1, 2006... Danaher Motion has introduced Version 1.3 of its NDC8 control platform for Automated Guided Vehicles. Because it makes use of the Soft PLC, CANopen and WLAN standards, integration with third-party applications is simplified. Highly complex...

Software development kit for programming multicore processors.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 1, 2006... The MultiCore Plus[TM] SDK 1.0 (Software Development Kit) from Mercury Computer Systems provides a complete, intuitive programming environment for products based on the Cell BE and other multicore processors. Combining software tools and...

Eight-gigabyte CF card operates from -40[degrees]C to +85[degrees]C.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 1, 2006... WinSystems has introduced 4 GB and 8 GB RoHS-compatible Compact Flash (CF) cards, which are said to be the largest densities currently available that operate from -40[degrees]C to +85[degrees]C. They are designed to work with SBCs, instruments,...

Virtualization software supports new embedded Dual-Core processors.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 1, 2006... TenAsys' real-time hypervisor software supports the Intel[R] Core[TM] Duo processor E6400 and the Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7400. Using Intel Virtualization Technology, the hypervisor maintains precise control over interrupt latency by...

Embedded flash drive with high read/write speeds.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 1, 2006... msystems has announced production of its mDOC H3 embedded flash drive. The company has already achieved write speeds of up to 7 MB per second and read speeds as high as 25 MB per second. The high system performance is enabled by its advanced...

Chipset integrates graphics, audio, memory, storage, HDTV support.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 1, 2006... The VIA CX700M integrates premium graphics, audio, memory, storage and HDTV support all in a single chip design. This unified design enables the creation of smaller form factor designs, reduced power consumption, and easier cooling. It measures...

Power MOSFET for primary switching of DC/DC converters.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
November 1, 2006... Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., (TAEC) has announced a 100V power MOSFET designated TPCA8022-H, for primary switching applications in insulated onboard DC/DC converters and switching regulators. The device is targeted for use in...

Design Verification Test (DVT) software.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
November 1, 2006... LitePoint announces Design Verification Test functionality for its IQfact[TM] Test Program family. Each IQfact DVT program is individually designed to operate with a specific 802.11a/b/g legacy or WiFi MIMO chipset. It is said to automatically...

Encoder and decoder ICs for RKE and remote control applications.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
November 1, 2006... Linx Technologies has introduced its CipherLinx[TM] security technology for Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and remote control devices. The encrypted remote control technology is based on a core algorithm that will never send or accept the same...

SMT temperature compensated Zener diode in SOT-363.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
November 1, 2006... Central Semiconductor's CMKTC825A temperature compensated (TC) Zener diode is packaged in an ULTRAmini[TM] SOT-363 surface mount case. This device is said to be the world's first TC Zener in a plastic surface mount package. Using a proprietary...

Low current single mode dual wavelength laser diode.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
November 1, 2006... The RLD2WMUV2 single mode dual wavelength laser diode from Rohm Electronics features desirable low current characteristics, making it suitable for DVD players. It uses original monolithic technology in order to offer low threshold current...

Ruggedized displays for industrial applications.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
November 1, 2006... Sharp has announced an expansion in its line of small, ruggedized liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for the industrial OEM market. These LCDs offer desirable display options for brightness, contrast, temperature ranges and low power consumption....

High power infrared SMD LED for imaging applications.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
November 1, 2006... American Bright Optoelectronics has introduced the BIR-PP8-DSS-1 NovaLED IR emitter for CCD-based imaging applications such as machine vision, security, military, night vision and advanced automotive. The miniature package provides outputs at...

High-brightness SMT white LED.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
November 1, 2006... Avago Technologies has announced a line of miniature LEDs that are suited to operate under severe environmental conditions in automotive and electronic sign applications as well as a variety of home and office applications. The ASMT-SWBM...

Service wire splice closures.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
November 1, 2006... Tyco Electronics has introduced its Certi-Seal service wire splice closures that provide aerial termination for two-pair, or two- or six-pair telephone cable in non-tension drip loop and sheath repair applications. A high-compression, impact...

Sensor distribution boxes available in 4, 6 or 8 ports.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
November 1, 2006... Automation Systems Interconnect, Inc. has announced their sensor distribution boxes, available in 4, 6 or 8 ports with or without a molded cable and in both the M8 and M12 connector sizes. The boxes come with a molded PUR main cable or one for...

Plug connector system offers choice of connection technologies.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
November 1, 2006... Phoenix Contact has introduced its Combi plug connectors, a modular "plug-and-play" system available in three connection technologies: screw, spring and IDC. These connectors plug into any DIN-mounted pluggable terminal blocks, regardless of...

Desktop test chassis supports VITA 46/VPX and VITA 48/REDI.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
November 1, 2006... Hybricon Corporation has announced its line of open frame desktop test chassis that are designed for high power VPX REDI boards. The OF-XC Series chassis has open side access for debugging the industry's latest VPX REDI boards. Designed to the...

High-stability TCXO enhances tracking of GPS signals.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
November 1, 2006... C-MAC MicroTechnology has launched a range of miniature, RoHS compliant TCXOs that offer frequency stability of [+ or -]0.5 parts per million over the -40[degrees]C to +85[degrees]C temperature range. Packaged as a standard 5 mm X 3.2 mm SMD,...

Non-magnetic inductor for magnetically sensitive applications.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
November 1, 2006... Gowanda Electronics has introduced the "MG" inductor series that, according to the company, is manufactured using an approach that assures the inductors have non-magnetic characteristics. The MG Series is available in both through-hole leaded...

Low profile power inductors for small spaces.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
November 1, 2006... C & D Technologies has introduced its 8200 Series of miniature, surface mount, I-core power inductors. The series is suitable for use in designs with restricted PCB space and height. Typical applications for the 3.2 mm X 2.5 mm X 2.3 mm devices...

Medically approved power supplies.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Lambda has extended its HWS family of power supplies to include medically-approved versions. The HWS/ME Series single-output supplies are appropriate for powering non-surgical medical equipment that requires long, reliable field life. The units...

AS-Interface power supply.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Wago offers a power supply designed for the AS-Interface fieldbus protocol. The 787-692 is said to meet AS-Interface specification version 2.1, and it carries certification number of 64001. It offers an input voltage range of 97V to 264V...

Molded Sheet Jumper cordset.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Interpower's Sheet E/C5 Jumper cordsets are for equipment rated 2.5A with service up to 250V AC. The cordsets have North American and European approval, and they are available with an IEC 60320 Sheet E plug connector, 3 mm X 0.75 mm2/18 AWG...

Internal 20W power supply.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Condor GEC products from SL Power meet international performance requirements and safety standards, including UL, CSA, CE, and CISPR 22. They are also EMC and RoHS compliant. The GECA20 is a 20W internal power supply with commercial wide-range...

DC/DC converter provides 1,500W.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Absopulse's Model BAP765F DC/DC converter for operation in industrial and other heavy-duty applications uses field-proven push-pull topology to provide up to 1,500W from a 6.3" X 11.5" X 2.4" chassis. The standard version provides 24V, 36V,...

Single chip POL regulators.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Ericsson's PMD Series POL regulators for low-current applications feature highly integrated functionalities in a single-chip control IC less than 2.4 [cm.sup.2] (0.37" square). The PMD4000 is a 3A POL regulator providing an output range of 0.9V...

Medical desktop switching power supplies.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... GlobTek, Inc. has introduced a series of 100W to 120W desktop power supplies with output voltages from 3.3V to 48V in 0.1V increments in a single-platform design. This family of desktop-style power supplies is housed in an impact-resistant...

WiMAX technology enables last-mile broadband access.(POWER SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... Transistor Devices, Inc. (TDI) has addressed the challenge of delivery of last-mile wireless broadband access with WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) power products based on the company's Remote Power System Series (RPS)....

14.1 megapixel image sensor.(SENSORS & ACTUATORS)
November 1, 2006... Foveon's 14.1 megapixel X3 DSLR image sensor provides image quality suitable for professional photographers and incorporates design and process enhancements to improve performance at long exposures and high ISO speeds. This sensor incorporates...

IR thermometers read temperatures of remote objects.(SENSORS & ACTUATORS)
November 1, 2006... Melexis' MLX90614 non-contact infrared thermometer family provides a fully calibrated, digital temperature reading of a remote object. It integrates an infrared sensor and a custom signal conditioning chip in one TO-can package. The MLX90614...

Transformer turns Counter/turns ratio tester.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
November 1, 2006... Alpha-Core Inc. has introduced its Model HBC-2 Turns Counter, a high-precision instrument that accurately counts the number of turns of magnet wire in toroidal and other types of closed core transformers of both low- and high-frequency designs....

Five-Way Alligator to Sheathed Right Angle clips.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
November 1, 2006... Pomona Electronics has announced its 5-Way Alligator to Sheathed Right Angle clips designed for easy piercing of wire insulation to contact the inner conductor for measurement. These clips, available in red and black, include a bed of nails and...

Breaking through barriers.(Editor's View)
November 15, 2006... I was traveling recently in an area where English is not only not a second language but basically non-existent. To communicate, I relied primarily on hand gestures (no, thank you, I would prefer not to eat that side of beef you are showing me)...

Embedded PC supports M2M applications with a variety of connectivity options.(Leading Off)
November 15, 2006... WinSystems has introduced its LBC-GX500, an integrated, single board computer (SBC) that is designed for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications with a variety of wired and wireless connectivity options. Among them are 802.11 wireless Ethernet,...

Precision sensor monitors battery state in automobiles.(Leading Off)
November 15, 2006... Analog Devices, Inc. has announced its ADuC703x family of highly integrated, precision battery sensors. Based on the company's precision analog microcontroller technology, this product family measures battery voltage, current and temperature,...

Bridge IC offers combination of features.(Leading Off)
November 15, 2006... Pericom Semiconductor Corporation has announced its PI7C9X130 PCIe to PCI-X Bridge IC that addresses a range of applications that include blade and motherboard based servers, HBA and NIC cards, data storage, switch and router control planes,...

Mid-power DC/DC converters have many industrial uses.(Leading Off)
November 15, 2006... Vicor has announced the addition of eight mid-power Maxi DC/DC converters to its 24V DC input family: a 3.3 [V.sub.out], 200W model and 300W models at 5, 12, 15, 24, 28, 36 and 48 [V.sub.out]. The modules incorporate the company's patented...

Ethernet transceiver enables low cost metro Ethernet and FTTx equipment interconnects.(Leading Off)
November 15, 2006... Vativ Technologies has announced its Model VTV1110, a single-chip 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) copper transceiver that is certified for operation in harsh industrial/telecom environments of -40[degrees]C to +85[degrees]C. This transceiver...

Silicone-free Thermal Interface Material serves as a gap pad.(Leading Off)
November 15, 2006... W.L. Gore & Associates (Gore) has introduced its POLARCHIP[R] SF3000 Silicone-Free Thermal Interface Material, a soft silicone-free thermal gap pad for silicone sensitive applications. This highly compressible, thermally conductive material is...

ESD protection.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
November 15, 2006... Two low-jitter, signal-conditioning buffer-repeaters from National Semiconductor feature on-chip termination and what is said to be the industry's highest ESD protection. The DS15BR400 and DS15BR401 four-channel LVDS buffer-repeaters...

Software testing: early testing benefits consumer electronics.(EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
November 15, 2006... Although consumer-electronics products do not demand the high reliability and availability of, say, communication switches, they still require a high level of testing. And today's short product life cycles require developers to test thoroughly,...

Parameters of MOSFETs in automotive applications: motor drives in bridge configurations.(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
November 15, 2006... Power MOSFETs are used in a number of different automotive subsystems, and one of their most common applications is for motor drives. Choosing the right device for the application depends upon a number of different variables, but one constant...

Distribution: distributors for distributors.(INDUSTRY FOCUS)
November 15, 2006... We are past the mid-point of the first decade of the 21st Century. As exciting as that sounds, we still don't have the flying cars we were promised, and the only Esperanto making its way into the lexicon is "Roe-Haass." Not lacking in the new...

Power management techniques: multi-phase converters rely on digital control.(Cover story)
November 15, 2006... To address the need for higher currents in dynamic systems, power-system designers interleave DC/DC power stages that produce currents at equally spaced phase angles. Designers implement the multi-phase technique to reduce the power-handling...

Enclosed drive controllers for HVAC applications.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... Schneider Electric has released its Square D[R] brand E-Flex[TM] enclosed drive controllers that are used in commercial and industrial HVAC pump and fan applications. They are well-suited for HVAC systems in buildings, hospitals, schools,...

Data Bus Compass Module for heavy duty applications.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... Ametek Dixson has expanded its precision instrumentation and cluster product lines to include a Data Bus Compass Module that is an accurate sender unit featuring a built-in two-axis magnetic sensor that converts the data to a 360-degree value...

X-band synthesizer meets defense Satcom requirements.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... Endwave Defense Systems offers an X-band synthesizer that meets the requirements of Satcom environments. This synthesizer operates over the X-band Satcom range of 6.410 GHz to 7.545 GHz and can be customized to meet step size requirements from...

Mini-ITX mainboard has dual LAN support.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... The EPIA EK Mini-ITX from VIA Technologies, Inc. is powered by the VIA Luke CoreFusion[TM] processor platform and features dual LAN support. This Mini-ITX mainboard is available with the 1 GHz or fanless 800 MHz processor platform with...

Ethernet interface for software defined transceivers.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... Lexycom Technologies has announced an Ethernet interface for its software defined radio transceivers. The Tiamis-800 software defined radio transceiver (SDR), when equipped with the Ethernet interface option, requires almost no initial...

iSCSI bridge with HVD SCSI interface.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... Paralan Corporation has announced its iSCSI to HVD SCSI Bridge. The iS500 HVD family can be used to locate HVD SCSI devices at any distance from the servers via any Ethernet port using iSCSI protocol, making it possible to connect HVD SCSI...

High speed USB-to-serial UPort hubs.(BOARDS & MODULES)
November 15, 2006... Moxa has introduced its series of USB-to-serial hubs that come with the patented COM Preserver[TM] technology. COM Preserver allows the USB-to-serial hub to be unplugged and re-plugged (either in the same or a different computer) without...

Tactile switches are RoHS compliant.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 15, 2006... BI Technologies Electronic Components Division has introduced a complete line of RoHS-compliant tactile switches. Designated the SWT Series, they are available in multiple sizes, as well as surface mount and through-hole configurations....

Servo drive system addresses control issues.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 15, 2006... The XtraDrive[R] servo system from YET US, Inc. has an adaptive control structure which eliminates system re-tuning by automatically accommodating changing load requirements. The nonlinear technology achieves zero settling time, optimizing...

Solenoid offers magnetic latching linear actuation.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 15, 2006... Saia-Burgess, Inc. has introduced a solenoid to its PMA family of magnetic latching linear actuators. These solenoids use permanent magnet technology to produce linear force without the need for any magnetic steel components. They can be used...

Bipolar chopping driver offers 1/16 microstepping.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
November 15, 2006... Nippon Pulse America has introduced the NPAD10BF, a bipolar chopping driver board that can offer up to 1/16 microstepping. It offers an input voltage range from 12V DC to 30V DC. With an output current up to 1.2A/phase (peak), this driver board...