Instrumentation & Automation News articles from December 2004

Instrumentation & Automation News archives from December 2004

Operator interface enclosure.
December 1, 2004... The VIP 6000 operator interface enclosure system is available in five depths, offering added space for conventional monitors, pull-out keyboard drawers, disk drives, bus modules, electronic components and cooling devices. When a proper front...

Inspection sensor.
December 1, 2004... The elector dualis sensor provides 100% inspection testing throughout the assembly automation process. Through contour evaluation, the sensor monitors applications such as a missing part, good part/bad part, correct orientation, and right...

Safety light curtain.
December 1, 2004... EZ-SCREEN[TM] non-contact, point-of-operation machine guarding safety light screen now includes fixed blanking to accommodate materials and tooling inflow with no reduction of operator safety, a cascading option for connection of up to four...

Vision sensor.
December 1, 2004... Checker[TM] 101 is a simple, easy-to-use sensor that visually detects the presence of items during the manufacturing process. It can analyze over 400 images each second. The sensor provides illumination, optics, sensor, processor, memory and...

The reality of real-time industrial Ethernet.(Pool's Reflections)
December 1, 2004... Here I go again--another editorial about Standards. I hope I am not boring you, but there is so much significant work going on with industrial and automation standards these days, I just feel a need to share the information with you. The...

Terminal rail design software: for terminal rails.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... RailDesigner 2.3 software is the latest software version available to help you plan and order terminal rails. It features an improved database, customized enclosure design capabilities, HTTP Internet download capability and on-line order...

10/100 Base-TX-Switch: 6 ports for industrial applications.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... This D1N rail mountable EthernetSwitch DICOSWITCH MINI, designed for industrial applications, has 6 ports. This 10/100 Base-TX-Switch comes in a 22.5 mm wide plastic package with IP20 protection and all Ethernet functions, like...

temperature controller: designed to be embedded in OEM equipment.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The K1N customizable temperature controller is designed to be embedded in OEM equipment that does not require a visual display or operator interface. Key operating parameters such as set point, PID, alarm setpoint and other parameters, can be...

Combination I/O module: mixes I/O types.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... SixTRAK Combination I/O Module offers 12 discrete inputs, 8 discrete outputs, 8 analog inputs, and 4 analog out puts. It can be used when you have to mix I/O types, when panel space is limited, or when lowest cost is an important requirement....

Fieldbus interface cards: Profibus, DeviceNet and Canopen.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The AD-CIF series of dedicated Fieldbus communication interface cards supports three communications protocols: PROFIBUS, DeviceNet and CANopen and three PC interfaces: PCI-bus, PC/104 and PC/104-Plus. The series also supports remote input and...

Clear cover housings: for NEMA 12/4 OR 4X enclosures.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The ThruView[TM] housings act as convenient interfaces for NEMA 12/4 or 4X electrical enclosures. The interfaces extend the data ports of internally mounted devices from the inside, to the outside of control panels. Designed to meet shop floor...

Electronic circuit breaker: remotely resettable.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The ESS20-1 remotely resettable electronic circuit breaker provides selective circuit protection of DIN-rail factory automation equipment connected to switch-mode power supplies, components such as sensors, actuators, field bus couplers and...

Potentiometers: over 200 configurations.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The PL3000/310 series of miniature potentiometers offer a selection of shafts, housing, bushing, bearings and other components so that they can be configured to customer specifications. Built with multi-finger wipers, gold-plated solid pins and...

Radar level transmitters: both rod and horn antenna.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... This range of Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 2-wire loop-powered non-contact radar level transmitters are available with both rod and horn antenna to provide level measurement of liquids in extremely aggressive, toxic or difficult...

Proximity sensor: stainless steel with PTFE coating.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... These proximity sensors are available in a 8mm diameter sensor model with a range of 2mm and a 12mm diameter sensor with a 4mm sensing range. The body of all sensors is machined from stainless steel, including the thick sensing face. To ensure...

Industrial computer: with an integral LCD touch screen monitor.(Industrial Computers)
December 1, 2004... The Optima Touch industrial computer with an integral LCD touch monitor comes standard with the Windows[R] XP operating system and can be custom configured with several HMI software packages. It is available with a 15 or 10.4" TFT flat panel...

Trends in industrial computers.(Industrial Computers)
December 1, 2004... Bringing PC-Compatible computing power to harsh environments is now commonplace across all industries. The ability to run a Windows application on a forklift, at a dock door, or on a manufacturing floor is bringing new efficiencies to all...

Industrial computer: wireless, good for mobile applications.(Industrial Computers)
December 1, 2004... The ARP-2015 wireless LCD panel computer has a front bezel that is NEMA 4/12 and IP65 compliant. The strengthened glass or resistive touch screen protects the LCD from scratching and it also has an aluminum bezel with heavy-duty reinforced...

Industrial computer: sunlight-readable, corrosion resistant.(Industrial Computers)
December 1, 2004... The Wolverine flat panel computer offers a NEMA 4, environmentally sealed enclosure. The standard unit has Class I, Div. 2; Zone 2; CE; UL; ATEX 3 approvals and operates at 0 to 50[degree]C. An Ultra-Brite[TM] display provides sunlight...

Industrial computer: large screen views; aluminum or stainless steel bezels.(Industrial Computers)
December 1, 2004... The Allen-Bradley VersaView 20" Flat Panel Monitor, designed to fit in a standard 9U-size cutout and act as a "drop-in" replacement for Allen-Bradley 6185-D and 6157-C, and Intecolor FP18 and E19 panel mount units allow you to take advantage of...

Industrial computer: survive factory floor environments.(Industrial Computers)
December 1, 2004... The DYNIworx IC Series integrated workstation for industrial environments features an Intel P4 processor, 15" industrial touch screen with 1024 x 768 display, heavy steel construction, modular design and easy serviceability. All units are...

Free 2005 NI Measurement and Automation Catalog.(Product News)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... The 2005 Measurement and Automation Catalog from National Instruments features new product information, comparison charts, key specifications, and related Web Links to ni.com, including: * NI LabVIEW 7.1 graphical development environment...

Machine Vision and Scientific Imaging Booklet and CD.(Product News)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... See how easy it is to create automated inspection applications. Request National Instruments Machine Vision and Scientific Imaging Booklet and CD today. This booklet covers popular software functions and how to apply them; product information...

Free Sound and Vibration Measurement Resource CD.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... Request the new NI Sound and Vibration Resource CD to learn how you can acquire, analyze, and present sound and vibration with 24-bit acquisition hardware and the open analysis capabilities of NI LabVIEW. The CD offers trial LabVIEW analysis...

Free 2004 PXI Product Guide.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... National Instruments PXI Product Guide is a complete catalog and technical reference for building measurement and automation systems. The guide features detailed product information, a tutorial on the PXI and CompactPCI specifications, a PXI...

Industrial Measurement and Control Brochure And Resource CD.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... National Instruments Industrial Measurement and Control Brochure and Resource CD provides information on how National Instruments hardware and software tools deliver advanced functionality and reliability for industrial applications such as...

Fiber on the factory floor.(Hot Trends In Automation)
December 1, 2004... Recent advances in fiber optic modem and interlace products have made it possible to build sophisticated data networks run entirely on fiber (see Figure 1). Ring, star, and bus structures can be run separately or combined for applications from...

Smart weight transmitter: for harsh environments.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The IND130 Smart Weight Transmitter allows general industrial users to secure stable scale readings in harsh environments. The industrial terminal allows users to connect information digitally from the weighing sensors to a PLC/PC. A...

Epic format SBC consumes only 5 W.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The Gecko EPIC form factor single board computer (SBC) is mid-way in size between EBX and PC/104. Featuring the GX-500, a new low-power processor from AMD, the single board computer typically consumes only 5 watts under normal operating...

USB-adaptor turns PC into oscilloscope.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... PicoScope 3206 is a PC scope adapter that is designed to replace desktop oscilloscopes for use in all areas of test and measurement in manufacturing. It has a 200 MHz analog bandwidth and a single-slot 8-bit sampling rate of 200 MS/s. Using...

Enclosures: desktop or 19" rack mount units.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The BMX/BMU Series cases include desktop or 19" rack mount enclosures for test and measurement/process control applications. The cases feature concealed fasteners to provide a clean look, and extruded aluminum side panel construction for...

Surge panels: real-time diagnostics; advanced monitoring.(Bus-Compatable Boards)
December 1, 2004... The 74000 and 75000 Series Surge Panels are designed for facilities with 3-phase WYE-configured (4-wire + ground) systems where surge protection for all seven modes in the AC distribution network is required. The units offer real-time...

Trends in power supplies.(Bus-Compatable Boards)
December 1, 2004... "Two trends I see are "Power-over-Ethernet" and "Styling". P-o-E is a rapidly growing technology in which power is supplied over an Ethernet CAT5 cable. Voice over Internet is powered by P-o-E, causing increased demand for embedded ac-dc power...

Power supplies: industrial DIN rail mountable.(Bus-Compatable Boards)
December 1, 2004... The DIN rail mountable Delta Industrial Power Supplies are UL/cUL, CE/TUV and FCC approved. They can be used in various industries, such as packaging, food, plastics and automotive. The full line of 24V switched DC power supplies come in the...

On-line UPS: protect sensitive equipment with dual outputs.(Bus-Compatable Boards)
December 1, 2004... The SG Series 2 and 3 kVA UPS Plus[R] feature a small footprint with 230 Vac input and dual output of isolated 120 Vac and 208/220/230/240 Vac. They provide power protection for sensitive equipment that requires dual outputs, including...

3-phase power conditioner: protects inductive loads.(Bus-Compatable Boards)
December 1, 2004... The SOLATRON[TM] Plus 3-phase power conditioner protects common power problems by providing true voltage regulation, surge protection, and noise isolation--even though inductive and poor power factor loads exist. It uses enhanced voltage...

UPS: ensures continuous operation.(Bus-Compatable Boards)
December 1, 2004... The Quint Buffer and Quint DC-UPS Uninterruptible Power Supplies ensure continuous operation of all 24 V devices in electrical installations during power interruption. This prevents unstable power grids from causing failures in international...

Sensor Solution Kit: provides full vibration monitoring system.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... This Sensor Solution Kit contains 4 accelerometers and all the complimentary parts required for installation of a vibration monitoring system. It is designed to assit engineers ordering sensors by combining the accelerometers and mounting...

Clamp meter: built-in IR thermometer.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... Series 1000A clamp meters offer a built-in non-contact infrared thermometer with laser pointer to monitor temperature and locate hot spots on motors and electrical devices. Each 1000A features a Min/Max, a Data Hold feature that "freezes" the...

ETX embedded module: uses Intel i815E chipset.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The ETX-P3T ETX (Embedded Technology extended) module provides complete PC functionality in a component that plugs into an application-specific carrier board. The computer on module (COM) uses the Intel i815E chipset and Intel[R] Celeron[R]...

Linear displacement transducer: fully programmable.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The CEMCO[R] 955 BRIK Gen 111 Series programmable linear displacement transducer uses magnetostrictive position-sensing technology for use a a continuous position feedback device in continuous machine control, actuation devices and material...

Gas analyzer: trace moisture detection in hydride gases.(Chemical & Gas Sensors)
December 1, 2004... The MTO-LP-[H.sub.2]O is a trace moisture analyzer designed to measure moisture in hydride gases, such as ammonia, phosphine and arsine. It is suited for low-temperature epitalial applications, specialty gas production, and semiconductor...

Trends in chemical and gas sensors.(Chemical & Gas Sensors)
December 1, 2004... In harsh applications such as chemical and petrochemical processing, sensors can represent significant costs. Innovations in materials, such as pH glass formulation, reference electrodes, and mechanical housings are extending sensor life from...

Oxygen analyzer: modular construction; process diagnostic tools.(Chemical & Gas Sensors)
December 1, 2004... Model AV550 O2mation multi-channel, averaging oxygen analyzer, with color touch screen operation, includes predictive calibration dates, cell asymmetry alarms and detector validation features. These process diagnostic tools use historical...

Portable gas detector: operates over 30 hours on alkaline batteries.(Chemical & Gas Senssors)
December 1, 2004... The mini-G Portable Gas Detector is a multi-gas detector with interchangeable sensors for configuration flexibility in a single device. Designed for hazardous areas with low lighting conditions, the gas detector weighs only 12 ounces and...

Gas calibrator: for charging, bump testing and calibration.(Chemical & Gas Sensors)
December 1, 2004... The AutoRAE is an integrated charging, bump testing and calibration system designed for volatile organic compound exposure, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, lower explosive limit and breathable oxygen level. This is the first release that...

Zirconium dioxide sensors: measuring range of 0-1 ppm of oxygen.(Chemical & Gas Sensors)
December 1, 2004... The ZO23 zirconium dioxide sensors are designed for measurement of oxygen in pure gases of air separation plants. They are capable of registering minimal measuring ranges of 0-1 ppm of oxygen. This makes the AO2000-ZO23 analyzer particularly...

Free 2005 NI measurement and automation catalog.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... The 2005 Measurement and Automation Catalog from National Instruments features new product information, comparison charts, key specifications, and related Web Links to ni.com, including: * NI LabVIEW 7.1 graphical development environment...

Free NI DIAdem evaluation software.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... National Instruments DIAdem software is an interactive data analysis, report generation, and data management tool specifically designed for engineers and scientists. To learn more about the professional report generation and powerful visual...

Free sound and vibration measurement resource CD.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... Request the new NI Sound and Vibration Resource CD to Learn how you can acquire, analyze, and present sound and vibration with 24-bit acquisition hardware and the open analysis capabilities of NI LabVIEW. The CD offers trial LabVIEW analysis...

New PCI data acquisition technologies for industrial control.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... The new digital I/0 and analog output modules extend the reach of PC-based data acquisition to mission-critical industrial applications, and they are powered by NI-DAQmx software technology for dramatic improvements in I/O performance and ease...

Industrial measurement and control brochure and resource CD.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2004... National Instruments Industrial Measurement and Control Brochure and Resource CD provides information on how National Instruments hardware and software tools deliver advanced functionality and reliability for industrial applications such as...

Digital drive system: eliminates need for a tradional PLC on small machines.(Motors & Drives)
December 1, 2004... The IndraDrive M incorporates this company's servo-drive and frequency-converter technology into one platform. With an optional drive-integrated, IEC61131-3-compliant PLC on board, plus built-in safety technology and motion function-block...

Trends in motors and drives.(Motors & Drives)
December 1, 2004... AC motor drives have established themselves as the future in variable speed applications with smaller sizes, easy-to-use set-up software, more intelligent control, and increased communication options. It wasn't that long ago that...

Micro AC drives: for basic industrial applications.(Motors & Drives)
December 1, 2004... The Simple Economy (SEI) and Simple Wireless (SWI) S-Series of micro AC drives, for basic industrial applications, share a common set of parameters. The first 13 parameters meet 80% of users' most common needs, says the company, and make...

Multidrive: precise control of multiple-motor applications.(Motors & Drives)
December 1, 2004... The multidrive ACS800 family is based on the modular configuration of small inverter modules. The modular design provides control of multiple motors across a 1 to 7,000 HP power range, from 380 to 600 Vac. A single rectifier unit can be...

Variable frequency drive: controls motors from 1 To 800 HP.(Motors & Drives)
December 1, 2004... The F700 series of variable frequency drives can control motors ranging from one to 800 HP. The drives use a proprietary energy optimization software for energy savings. Designed for general purpose applications that involve a motor, ranging...

Medium-Voltage AC drives: drives-to-drive technology delivers a transformerless option.(Motors & Drives)
December 1, 2004... The Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 700 Medium-Voltage AC drive uses a new Drive-to-Drive technology that allows you to connect utility power directly to the drive without an isolation transformer. The Direct-to-Drive technology incorporates three...

Motion control cards: 3-dimension circular interpolation.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The PC1-1241, PCI-1242 and PCl-1261 PC-based motion control cards have been designed to meet the requirements for increased I/O points and axes in machinery and manufacturing processes. 2D and 3D interpolation for linear, circular and even arch...

Strain gage I/O module: for PLC applications. (Product News)O.
December 1, 2004... The PTM-1 module is a universal single channel strain gage input module for PLC applications. It provides both track and peak outputs, making it suited for signature analysis using this company's Mariner AD software. The module can be used with...

Tension control: for web and strand processing.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... This Tension Controller provides control over both unwinding and rewinding in web and strand processing applications. At the front end of the control system, strain gage and LVDT load cells measure the actual tension of the product, thus...

Process Calibrator: additional HART support.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The 744 Documenting Process Calibrator--HART has been upgrade to include additional HART calibration and configuration support for Micro Motion Coriolis Mass Flow Devices (models 9712, 9701, 9739, 2700, 2700_IS) as well as improved support for...

Leak testing: moving beyond the most popular methods.(Hot Trends in Automation)
December 1, 2004... Leak testing is an essential element in product quality testing for a wide range of industries. From the automotive industry to HVAC manufacturers, countless products and parts have to be tested for tightness in order to meet specifications and...

Industrial Ethernet cable: 2-pair and three 4-pair 5e cables.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... One 2-pair and three 4-pair Category 5e industrial Ethernet cables have been added to this company's DataTuff[R] line of data cables. Designed to operate even in the presence of EMI and RFI, these cables withstand harsh industrial conditions...

Graphic/character LCDS: five configurations.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... These monochrome graphic and character LCDs offer a range of display solutions for matching information display to the look and feel of the application. Features include a high-contrast black background, a variety of display colors to choose...

Sunlight-readable displays: for outdoor, high ambient light.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... These sunlight-readable LCD displays are transflective devices that use the power of light to increase the readability of the display. The sunlight is captured by the display and reflected back through the screen to improve contrast even under...

Industrial software: now with WinCE-to-SGL connectivity.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... This upgrade to InduSoft Web Studio[TM] includes an embedded interface to SQL relational databases such as SQL Server, Oracle, MS Access, MySQL and others--directly from Windows CE devices. In addition, this new upgrade offers redundancy...

Pneumatic fieldbus manifold with Ethernet I/O includes per point diagnostics for troubleshooting and predictive maintenance.(December Automation Excellence Awards)
December 1, 2004... The G2-2 series of fieldbus manifolds combines the functionality of a scalable modular I/O system with a modular pneumatic valve. Designed for applications requiring Ethernet I/O and pneumatic valve manifolds, the G2-2 series acts as a slave on...

Complete flow solution[TM] is engineered and assembled for precise measurement of liquid, gas and steam flows.(December Automation Excellence Awards)
December 1, 2004... The Complete Flow Solution[TM] from Meriam Process Technologies is engineered and assembled by the company. It consists of an Accutube[TM] averaging pitot tube, a three valve manifold and a multivariable transmitter. The system produces a mass...

xCoupler[TM] enterprise transaction modules simplify data communication between the factory floor and the enterprise.(December Automation Excellence Awards)
December 1, 2004... The xCoupler[TM] enterprise transaction modules are intended for secure and simple two-tier communications between various plant floor devices and a range of enterprise server types. These modules eliminate the need for a patchwork of complex...

Cable entry system: snap-in-place connection system.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... Cabtite Easy Entry System is designed to help panel builders avoid splicing pre-wired cables. It lets you pre-assemble wires into a cabinet without having to splice the cable. This easily configured snap-in place connection can be used with...

Industrial computer chassis: wall and rack mount types.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... This series of industrial computer chassis includes wall mount and rack mount types. The AMC-280 is a 8-slot wall-mount industrial computer chassis for space-limited applications. It is mainly designed for system integrators or users who have...

Wireless device server: connect serial or Etnernet devices.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The DeviceMaster[R] AIR wireless device server enables users to connect serial or Ethernet devices to an Ethernet network either "wirelessly" using the 802.11b industry standard or using standard wire. The product can wirelessly connect serial...

Safety light curtain: explosion-proof perimeter access guarding.(Product News)
December 1, 2004... The explosion-proof Perimeter Access Guarding Device PA4600-EP is a long-range, multi-beam safety light curtain with an operating range of 30 meters and wide beam spacing. It is suitable for torso detection and a good choice for the perimeter...

Density for Liquids & Slurries.(Literature Review)
December 1, 2004... Dynatrol[R] Density Systems provide immediate and continuous measurement of density, specific gravity or percent solids at process conditions for both liquids and slurries. Built in the USA. Supported by our Design and Service Teams. ...

Process Wiring Solutions.(Literature Review)
December 1, 2004... This 80 page catalog details TURCK's complete offering of quick-disconnect wiring solutions for process industry applications. Cords with molded connectors, receptacles and junction boxes all offer substantial savings for installation and...

FREE 2005 NI Measurement and Automation Catalog.(Literature Review)
December 1, 2004... The 2005 Measurement and Automation Catalog from National Instruments features new product information, comparison charts;, key specifications, and related Web links to ni.com, including: * NI LabVIEW 7.1 graphical development environment...