Design News articles from June 2003

Design News archives from June 2003

Head of the class. (My View).
June 2, 2003... VIRTUALLY EVERY ENGINEER ON THIS PLANET remembers taking at least one "weed out" course. You know, the one when on the first day the instructor says, "Look to your right. Look to your left. Half of you won't be here at the end of the semester."...

My alma mater: the hardware store; it's a great learning institution--and the tuition is cheap. (FlipSide).
June 2, 2003... EVERYTHING I KNOW I LEARNED AT A hardware store. Okay, that's somewhat of an exaggeration--on two counts. First, the statement implies that I know a lot of cool stuff. I don't. Second, it discounts all the stuff I've learned from school,...

Mail.
June 2, 2003... Readers Sound Off THE REAL WORLD ISN'T LAKE WOEBEGONE, WHERE ALL OF THE CHILDREN ARE ABOVE AVERAGE. MAY I TAKE YOUR ORDER? You make some good points in your editorial, "Bring a Number Two Pencil, Please" (My View 04.21.03). There...

PLM's time has come: it's the real deal, not a fad, and it can boost competitiveness. (Slant).
June 2, 2003... PLM--product lifecycle management--has been called a critical tool for man aging product development by some, and just another fancy acronym that means nothing by others. So, which is it? IBM's Christine Lemyze weighs in with her opinion on...

You need desktop PLM: escape the quicksand in design engineering. (Rant).
June 2, 2003... WE'VE ALL KNOWN ABOUT THE PERSON IN quicksand who sinks deeper the harder he tries to get out. That scenario is not unlike manufacturers today who struggle to increase efficiencies by just keeping their head down, trying to get their products...

Robot dreams. (B.M.O.C).(Hagen Schempf)(Interview)
June 2, 2003... No offense C-3P0, but robotics researcher Hagen Schempf doesn't like droids like you. His goal is to develop simple, reliable, and affordable robots. PRESENT POSITION: Senior Systems Scientist, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon...

Hybrid scooter under development. (Buzz).(Vectrix Corp. and Parker Hannifin Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Fuel cell as on-board charger Engineers at Vectrix Corp. are working on the industry's first hybrid fuel cell/electric-powered scooter, due out in approximately 3 years. An all-electric version will be introduced within the next 18 months....

Angst rises in Boeing ranks. (Buzz).(Boeing Co. layoffs)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... There are a lot of unhappy campers in the aerospace engineering community these days, and no wonder. In the past 18 months, the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company has sent pink slips to 31,000 employees, approximately 2,000 of which held...

New fad: 3D faxing. (Buzz).(Z Co.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 2, 2003... Enterprising engineers use it to shave cycle times Rather than creating physical prototypes and sending them halfway around the world for review and evaluation, some companies are drastically cutting development cycles by transmitting merely...

Smooth operator. (Flash).
June 2, 2003... GN Netcom's 1000 Remote Handset Lifter (RHL). Perhaps a mixed blessing, but you won't have to miss calls when you step away from your desk to hit the water cooler. Via 2.4[GH.sub.z] spread-spectrum transmission, users of cordless headsets...

I've just seen a face. (Flash).
June 2, 2003... Vialta Beamer Phone Video Station. You can look in on your family and friends, near or far, every day over the Beamer. According to Lead Engineer Edward Chan, because of its custom single-board integration, the compact Beamer delivers color...

Yes we can scan (by hand). (Flash).
June 2, 2003... Wizcom QuickLink[R] SuperPen Text Scanner and Translator. Now you needn't be cowed bye menu in French or any document in many foreign languages (Roman alphabet and Hebrew). The SuperPen relies on three integrated technologies to work,...

Discs go as you like. (Flash).
June 2, 2003... Infinite Data Storage Ltd. Komodo[TM] CD-RW & DVD-ROM Drive. It may look like a portable CD player, but the Komodo can also store data to CDRs and RWs, and access DVDs. The device, which stores 800 Mbytes of information on CD, uses a...

Band in a box. (Flash).
June 2, 2003... Madwave MadPlayer[TM] Music Composer. Anybody can get a handle on being a Handel, thanks to this handheld digital music composer based on an architecture consisting of Atmel's ARM processor plus a Dream DSP for sound synthesis. And it's...

Get up, stand up. (Flash).
June 2, 2003... FENA Design Vertran[TM] Wheelchair. Brainchild of company founder Jay Johnson, who was paralyzed in an auto accident, the Vertran (Vertical Transportation) is a standing-capable powered-mobility unit. VP of R&D and Operations Gregg...

Security blanket. (Flash: Electronics).
June 2, 2003... VIA Technologies C3[TM] Processor. (www.via.com.tw) Enter 582 With smaller features and overall size due to a0.13-micron lithography process, the x86-based C3 processor can run cooler and 'quicker. But while this microprocessor runs...

Low-power demo board. (Flash: Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Microchip Technology PICDEM[TM] 4 Demonstration Board. (www.microchip.com) Enter 583 This $129 tool able to evaluate and demonstrate the widest range of the company's PIC microcontrollers in 8-, 14-, and i B-pin configurations. These...

How low can you go? (Flash: Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Texas Instruments MSP430F169 Low-Power Signal-Chain-on-Chip. The low-current draw in this MCU-based signal chain on chip comes about from tight integration of an 8-channel 200 ksps 12-bit A/D converter; twin 12-bit D/A converters (DACs),...

MCU for all seasons. (Flash: Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Motorois MPC555 and 566 32-bit Microcontrollers. These latest additions to the PowerPC[R] microcontroller line extend their operating temperature range down to-55C, 15 degrees below the previous limit. Upper operational boundary is still 1...

Redundancy redux. (Flash: Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Performance Technologies Redundant Host. This platform, featuring twin ZT5524e Single Board Computers ISBCs), uses a hardware-based failover architecture that activates in single digit milliseconds for always-on applications, such as...

EIGHT bit, boosted performance. (Flash: Electronics).
June 2, 2003... ZILOG eZ80Acclaiml![TM] F91 Microcontroller. Aimed at "low cost of ownership," this microcontroller has 8-bit cost and implementation ease but 16-bit performance, according to Senior Principal Design Engineer Steve Pope. "Features includes...

Tight wads. (News).(companies have short payback period)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Wonder why you can't get any funding for anything these days? Blame the bean counters. According to a recent Design News on-line survey, 42% of the respondents reported that their company requires a payback period of under 1 year for projects....

Casting the net. (News).(humor web sites)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... TOP 5 HUMOR SITES www.theonion.com Chances are you already know what a great website this one is. www.satirewire.com A great place to go for your daily humor fix. www.somethingawful.com DO NOT MISS Photoshop Friday's...

What traffic jam? As Boston's Big Dig nears completion, it's unsnarling one of the nation's worst cities for traffic--thanks to a control system that keeps cars moving. (Big Dig).(public transportation project)
June 2, 2003... BOSTON, MA--People in Boston either talk about how the Red Sox are doing or the traffic. But since the I-90 tunnel extension to South Boston opened in January and the 1-93 northbound tunnel beneath downtown opened in March--two major elements...

Infrared cameras look to stop SARS. (News: Electronics).(severe acute respiratory syndrome)(Singapore's Changi airport using thermal imaging)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... While the slowing economy is deterring orders for high-tech devices, makers of thermal imaging cameras have received enquiries of their products as airports worldwide are beginning to install the cameras to help halt the spread of Severe Acute...

Out but not down. (News Electronics).(optoelectronics industry)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... The lousy economy has slowed the advent of many technologies, particularly optoelectronics and embedded passive components, according to the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative. NEMI (www.nemi.org) has revised its Road Map outward,...

Crystalline memories. (News: Electronics).(Motorola Inc.)(storage techniques)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Motorola hopes that it's come up with ways to keep on shrinking flash memory cells, which may not downsize to very small IC geometries. Silicon nanocrystals are the basis of thin-film storage techniques that were recently demonstrated in a 4...

Lack of standards slows Adoption: large companies are waiting for interoperability. (Biometrics).(biometric technologies)
June 2, 2003... NEWTON, MA -- Driven by security concerns in several fields, biometric technologies such as finger p tint sensing and facial recognition are taking off after a lengthy development period. The emergence of standards has helped facilitate...

NAB show pushes digital editing forward: PCs, data compression systems debut. (Broadcasting).(National Association of Broadcasters)
June 2, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- The broadcasting world is rapidly changing over to digital technologies, spurring the need for faster equipment that handles more data streams. At the recent National Association of Broadcasters conference, vendors unveiled a...

Dotcom cash. (News: Electronics).(prepaid cards from AT and T Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Another solution for making money on the Web comes from AT&T, which unveiled the PrePaid Web Cents Service. Disney Online and Speedway SuperAmerica are among the consumer companies using these prepaid cards to pay for Web services such as...

Consumer virtual keyboards may have industrial appeal: sensors, software snatch inputs from mid air. (Vision Systems).(Canesta Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 2, 2003... SAN JOSE, CA -- A technology designed for one market will often prompt interest somewhere else. A case in point is Canesta Inc. (www.canesta.com), which has come up with a 3D vision sensing system. The technology is economical enough to give...

Good vibe. (News Fluid Power).(Anver Corp.)(Captured O-Ring Barbed Fitting)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... A machined groove for the O-ring that doesn't break or flare out when tightened makes the new Anver Captured O-Ring Barbed Fitting (www.anver.com) vibration proof, says the company. Engineers there say it provides a leak-proof, tight fitting...

Corrosion? No problem. (News Fluid Power).(Dwyer Instruments Inc.)(new pressure gage)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Dwyer Instruments (www.dwyer-inst.com) says its new Series 7000B Spirahelic Pressure Gage with Diaphragm Seal would laugh, if it could, at severe applications with high cycle rates, continuous vibration and shock, or pressure surges and spikes....

Trusty in dusty places. (News Fluid Power).(Busch Inc.)(dry vacuum pump)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Two non-contacting, claw-type rotors in an oil-free chamber provide the vacuum for the Busch MM Series (www.bushpump.com) dry vacuum pump. Busch engineers say it's for applications where dust particles are present. The non-contacting design...

Hydraulic components help deliver water to Los Angeles: rack-and-pinion actuators drive 30 butterfly valves. (Hydraulics).(Parker Hannifin Corp. products)(water tower construction)
June 2, 2003... ORANGE COUNTRY, CA -- Cylinders, valves, pumps, and accumulators head the list of hydraulic components featured in a new seismic-rated concrete tower that is helping deliver water to Los Angeles. The new 132-ft-tall tower, erected as a...

Tiny photos improve machining. (News: Materials + Joining).(Quadrant Engineering Plastic)(digital-microphotography technology)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Digital-microphotography technology being developed by Quadrant Engineering Plastic products promises to help predict the machining characteristics of the high-performance plastic board materials used to make CSP test sockets, which will have...

Get the lead out. (News: Materials + Joining).(DSM Engineering Plastics' experiments)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... With their extra jolt of heat, lead-free solder processes can be tough on the engineering plastics used to make connector housings. DSM Engineering Plastics, whose Stanyl nylon 46 resins go into many types of connectors, recently undertook an...

The survey says. (News: Materials + Joining).(automotive engineers' concerns)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 2, 2003... What's on the minds of automotive engineers? According to the ninth annual DuPont Automotive survey of engineers attending the SAE World Congress, cost topped their list of concerns, with alternative fuel issues and emission regulations taking...

Gold cools cars: electroplated gold foil could insulate fire walls and exhaust systems. (Coatings).(Epner Technologies)
June 2, 2003... BROOKLYN, NY -- "Space race" has taken on a whole new meaning at Epner Technologies (www.epner.com). The 93year-old plating house has read sent its high-tech infrared coatings into space on satellites and various NASA vehicles. But racetracks...

New twists on Torlon: thinner walls and a lower price make for a perfect fit. (Engineering Plastics).
June 2, 2003... ALPHARETTA, GA -- Torlon polyamide-imide (PAI) from Solvay Advanced Polymers already has a good reputation for strength, toughness, and resistance to wear, heat, and chemicals. Those properties, however, don't come cheap. Per pound prices for...

Mars planes. (News: Motion Control + Power Transmission).(NASA Langley Research Center contract)(Aurora Flight Sciences Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... NASA Langley Research Center has ordered a full-scale Mars airplane prototype from Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. (www.aurora.aero) as part of the Mars Scout Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey project. Designed to demonstrate...

Sensing pedestrians. (News: Motion Control + Power Transmission).(Siemens VDO Automotive technology)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Siemens VDO Automotive (www.usa.siemensvdo.com) has recently presented findings of contact sensing technologies for active pedestrian protection systems. According to new European legislation, carmakers must pass a series of tests on frontal...

Boeing wins in-space propulsion job. (News: Motion Control + Power Transmission).(NASA contract)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Boeing Electronic Dynamic Devices (www.boeing.com) has won three NASA contracts for advanced xenon ion propulsion technologies. The projects include the NASA evolutionary xenon thruster system, the carbon-based ion optics project, and the...

Engineers push Ethernet further on down the food chain: Beckhoff says its new technology can scan an amazing 1,000 I/O. (Industrial Automation).
June 2, 2003... points in 30 microseconds HANNOVER, GERMANY -- The "world's largest industrial fair" was a bit quieter this year, say most observers. Fear of SARS, the war in Iraq, and the general economic downturn took their roll, according to fair...

Look ma, no prototypes. (News: Software + Hardware).(Watershot Inc. designed a new underwater camera)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 2, 2003... Engineers at Watershot Inc. (www.watershot.com) recently designed a new underwater camera housing without first building costly prototypes. The enabler: CAD software. The company used Solid-Works to develop the Zuccarini underwater camera...

They tapped value of 3D. (News: Software + Hardware).(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 2, 2003... Alumasc Dispense, one of Europe's leading producers of mountings for beer taps, faced a formidable engineering challenge: Design the mountings for the taps that were distinctive enough to overshadow the competition. Decision: Convert their 2D...

Test the water before you dive in: if you're changing software, pilot first, say the experts. (Great Moves).
June 2, 2003... WICHITA, KS -- Jeff Schiesser, director of business integration and product development at Cessna Aircraft, has high hopes for his company's Conversion to Version 5 of CAD product CATIA (www.3ds.com). "It's going to make our design process...

How to fit a square peg in a round hole: software shows the easiest path for fitting assemblies together. (The Big Parts Squeeze).(Kineo CAM )
June 2, 2003... PARIS -- Ah, the joys and possible pitfalls of engineering, and the wonders of software! With the right software, engineers can easily create the most complex subassemblies in a digital mockup. But when the parts are built, someone still has to...

Ask the Search Engineer.
June 2, 2003... The Search Engineer finds solutions to all your questions, problems, and dilemmas. Occasionally, he could be wrong. But he doubts it. Sticking a circuit... Bonding to alloy... Dry ball bearings... Howdy Partner: I need a...

Slick slidin: how Palm's open-and-close PDA turns less into more. (Cover Story).
June 2, 2003... ERIC FUHS IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE MECHANICAL ENGINEER. HIS TEAM OF ENGINEERS AT PALM designs not just PDAs, but Palm's premium, high-fashion" PDAs--the company's smallest, sexiest, top-of-the-line hand-held devices that are not only packed with...

Balancing act. (Engineering Software).
June 2, 2003... Prompted by demands of users, CAD developers are trying hard to find the right mix of features that make software easy to use and powerful at the same time Keep it simple, stupid! That could well be the mantra for CAD developers today as...

Subtle traps degrade sensor signals: careful attention to cabling and shielding makes the difference between success and failure in data acquisition systems. (Measurements in the Design Flow).
June 2, 2003... The mathematician Bertrand Russell said, "There must be an ideal world, a sort of mathematician's paradise where everything happens as it does in textbooks." People involved with data-acquisition systems hope for a similar nirvana. Although...

Integrated power module meets wide needs: component integration, material configuration spur versatility. (Motion Control).
June 2, 2003... Government regulators and consumers alike are pushing for more energy efficient appliances. International Rectifier (El Segundo, CA) says that motors consume about 50% of the world's electricity, with washing machines, air conditioners, and...

Flow switch: brass, stainless steel. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Model 2000 flow switch is engineered to monitor liquid flow or no flow conditions in such applications as steam cleaners, lube oil systems, and coolant systems. Featuring an orifice design, it allows for low-pressure drops to pass large...

Oil Cooler and Filter: high temperature applications. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Engineered to reduce bearing wear and extend oil life, the Oil cooler and Filter System can reportedly reduce oil temperatures by 30F, which also means fewer oil changes. This free-standing system needs 11 5V ac, 50/60 Hz power input for...

High-pressure pumps: for abrasive, corrosive materials. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... High-pressure pumps, designed specifically for abrasive, higher solids coatings, have wear-resistant, metallic-ceramic plungers and housings. PermaFlo [R] Series pump components are twice as hard as chrome plating and reportedly Offer up to ten...

Barcode reader offers precise position. (Designer's Corner).
June 2, 2003... Optically determining position offers freedom from mechanically wearing parts and elimination of slipping. In addition, the BE-90 barcode-based measurement system from TR-Electronic can handle non-linear movement and can be used on circular and...

Shock absorber caps: material handling, packaging equipment. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... The design of steel button/urethane cap miniature shock absorbers reduces noise for quiet machine operation. Available in most of the company's model MA, MC, SC, and MVC absorbers, shocks are reportedly ideal for applications such as small...

Solenoid air valves: removes easily, no additional wiring. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... All valve components are encapsulated in the Isonic[R] MOD 3 Series air valve. All connections are integral to the valve body, including internal wiring, built-in PCB connector and fittings. No other mounting parts are required, which...

Pressure relief valves: built-in solenoid, continuous duty. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Ultra-inert pressure relief/control valves feature a variety of technologies for applications in high purity and aggressive fluids control. The 075RS Series of valves features a built-in solenoid, a continuous duty coil, and factory-set...

Static eliminator: fits in tight spaces. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... The 3-inch super ion air knife produces a sheet of airflow that floods a surface with static-eliminating ions. The air knife also cleans surfaces of particles, dust, and dirt, improving surface cleanliness, production speed, and product...

Bar feeder: feeds stock at high speeds. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... The Mini-Rhinobar[R] hydrodynamic bar feed system is designed for high-speed feeding of small stock and quick feed tube changeover. Feed tube sizes range from 1/6 to 1 5/8 inch, and feed stock ranges from 1/16 to 1 5/8-inch diameter, in 6-or...

Elastomer seals: temperatures to 300F. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Carboxylated HNBR combines the temperature-resistance of highly saturated nitrile with the durability of carboxylated nitrile. Seals made from this elastomer have very high tensile strength, high heat resistance, and exceptional resistance to...

Hydraulic cylinders: ranges to 3,000 psi. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... The CDT4 Series of hydraulic cylinders offers pressure ranges to 3,000 psi, a single removable rod bearing, and a variety of settings. Reduced guide clearance provides unified load distribution. Features include polyurethane seals and optional...

Gas analyzers: operates on a single hub. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Real time, quantitative gas-phase analysis systems include an industrial FTIR spectrometer system, gas cell, sample manifold, valve-control electronics, and software. The Titan-OL system offers hardware enclosed in NEMA enclosures. Fiberoptic...

Solid-front gauge: works like liquid-filled gauges. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... The SOLFRUNT[R] model 1981 capital advantage, multi-purpose pressure gauge features a dampened movement option that offers the benefits of liquid-filled gauges. A self-contained, movement-dampening capsule minimizes the effects of shock and...

Nox recirculation sensor: reduces diesel engine NOx emissions. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... The Model P321 diesel engine exhaust-gas re-circulation sensor is available in pressure ranges 0-5 through 0-10 psid. The sensor helps automotive manufacturers meet EPA standards for lower diesel engine emission requirements. Built to withstand...

Flow sensors: integrate easily into new products. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Air and gas flow sensors, which have a five millisecond response time and low-pressure drop, are designed to measure air or oxygen in embedded applications. Model 840201 and Model 840202 flow sensors are accurate to [+ or -]2.5% of reading, an...

Large-diameter pipe: reduced beads and crevices. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Large-diameter pipes for chemical, slurry, and water distribution systems are available in 75,90 and 110mm. Designed for use with the company's BCF[R] plus fusion machine, these pipes are made of chemical-resistant PP-n. Applications include...

Hydraulic motors: high-torque, continuous service. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... A series of low-speed, high-torque hydraulic motors features standard Roller-Stator[R] design, high-pressure shaft seal, heavy-duty drive link, and needle roller bearing. The RG hydraulic motor is designed for heavy applications that may...

Cable sealing solution: sizes to 30mm, multi-diameter. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Sealing single cable penetrations in cabinets and enclosures is reportedly done more quickly and efficiently without cutting expensive cables, using the CRS T round seal and threaded sleeve combination. The product's multi-diameter technology...

Sealless metering pumps: leak-free, no dead spaces. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Sealless diaphragm metering pumps handle carbon dioxide at high pressures. The LEWA E Series pumps are designed for water-free systems and feature leak-free, smooth internals, no dead spaces, and low-pump head volume. Units conform to 3-A,...

Ultrasonic controller: large, bulk storage applications. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Echopump[TM] ultrasonic level pump controllers provide measurement to 33 ft and include advanced display, control functions with five relays, and configuration for alternating, lead-lag, and duplexing pump control. A wall-mounted controller...

Pump controller: replaces several control components. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Control, monitor, and protect pump operations using the MPC pump controller that has built-in alternation, process input retransmission, and pump run time indication, all in a standard 1/4 DIN package. Designed for use with nearly every level...

Protective baseplates, guards: Protect in harsh environments. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Hydra-Cell heavy-duty protective baseplates and guards for motors used in harsh industrial environments aid pump installation, while protecting workers. Available in sizes 56 through 326 NEMA motor frames, the guards can be configured...

Flow swith: flow, no-flow conditions monitored. (Fluid Power).
June 2, 2003... Simple operation is the hallmark of the Model 1600 in-line flow switch used to monitor liquid or gas flow. Settings are factory-calibrated in water from 0.1 to 1.5 gallons per minute, or in air from 0.5 to 40 SCFM. Water and air switches both...

Converter chip sets: eliminates feedback circuitry. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... A single IR2085S control IC, a pair of primary, and secondary-side HEX-FET[R] power MOSFETs make up a dc bus converter chip set for 48V-input, 150Wboard mounted power converters. The chip set offers 96% efficiency at 20A/150W out and can be...

Ethernet power management: for Ethernet-powered systems. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Two power management integrated circuits allow direct current power and data to be delivered over a single Ethernet cable. The resulting "Power over Ethernet" system offers lower cost with greater capability and reliability, the company...

I/O modules: integrated diagnostics, external addressing. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Fieldline IP67-rated, machine-mountable I/O modules can be implemented on DeviceNet, CANopen, Profibus DP, and more. Modules support several installation and mounting options, and can be set externally with a screwdriver. Actuators connect...

Embedded modem: for medical, security, utility systems. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... The ISOmodem[TM] compact embedded modem, the Si2401, provides connect rates to 2,400 bps and reduces board area, power usage, and component count. The product provides a programmable line interface that can be used worldwide. The modem aids the...

Laser distances sensors: self-contained, no external amplifier. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Programmable, precise analog laser distance sensors offer resolutions to 4 microns and measurement distances to 1 m. The sensor, measuring 50 x 65 x 20 mm, triangulates distance, is self-contained, and requires no external amplifier. Units...

Digital multimeter package: inexpensive real-time DAQ. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Wavetek's Meterman[R] data acquisition package includes a digital multimeter with Windows-based data logging software. The package can export information to a Microsoft Excel format. Applications include plant maintenance, HVAC, R&D, and field...

Flash starter kit: for low-pincount microcontrollers. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... Seamless development environment PICmicro[R] flash development and evaluation starter kits are available for the company's 8- and 14-pin microcontrollers. The printed circuit board features a USB-powered programming tool, 8 LEDs, a...

Surface-mount relays: for RF applications. (Electronics).
June 2, 2003... RF Series GRF100 and GRF103 non-latching electromechanical relays are designed for surface-mount applications. The products increase RF signal repeatability and use a butt-lead mounting scheme. A ground shield insulates each lead for excellent...