Product Design & Development articles from November 2007

Product Design & Development archives from November 2007

A smarter, RoHs-compliant connection.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... C&K Components has enhanced their Smart Card Connector series with a more compact size, RoHS-compliant construction and greater security. The CCM01 and CCM02 units can handle 100,000 and 500,000 card insertion cycles, respectively, and feature...

New linear motor technology.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... Philips Applied Technologies recently unveiled a technique that allows standard linear motors to simultaneously provide movement along two axes. Looking at assembly equipment, Philips' 'NForcer Technology will allow designers to reduce the...

Sunlight-readable controller screen.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... Homer Advanced Products Group (APG) has introduced its XLt Operator Control Station. This new addition to their line of OCS Controllers represents one of the market's smallest all-in-one controllers with a built-in touch screen, I/O, networking...

High density, low footprint.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tyco Electronics' new picoSMD035F resettable PPTC (polymeric positive temperature coefficient) PolySwitch[TM] circuit protection device offers a more compact, surface-mounted option for the latest generation of high...

Hand-held scanning.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... Z Corporation has unveiled their new ZScanner[TM] 800, the second product in its line of handheld, self-orienting 3D scanners. Features include: * According to the company, the ZScanner 800 offers five times the resolution and more than...

No shock or vibration too small.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PCB Piezotronics (PCB[R]) has introduced their 357A19, a miniature charge output accelerometer designed for performing shock and vibration studies in space-restricted locations and on smaller, lightweight structures....

All about the interoperability.(First Look)
November 1, 2007... SpaceClaim introduces their Professional 2007 offering with benefits that include: * The ability to open 3D models from various vendors. * Geometric inferencing that works in real time to highlight design similarities. * Makes all...

Focusing on the how instead of the where.(At Issue)
November 1, 2007... One of my favorite musical groups is Aerosmith. And in one of my favorite songs by the group, Steven Tyler sings about life being "a journey, not a destination". It's an anthem not unfamiliar to the design engineer when looking at the product...

Strut-mount casters.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... U-Channel Strut-Mount Casters from E.R. Wagner Casters & Wheels are designed to mobilize equipment built with a strut channel. Additional caster features include: * A polypropylene stem that slides into a 1-5/8" x 1-5/8" 12- or 14-gauge...

PICMG 1.3 single-board computers.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to CyberResearch[R], their CEGA single-board computers bring 3 CB/s bandwidth and PCI Express (PCIe) capability to industrial computing. The CEGA CPU card includes: * PICMG 1.3 backplanes. * Dual...

Mini spring clips.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Universal Air Filter introduces a new, low-profile mini spring clip for electronics cooling air filters. According to the company, the spring clip makes the air filters easier to install and service, and improves the...

Adjustable electro-mechanical controllers.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fenwal now offers the Series 30000 THERMOSWITCH, an adjustable electro-mechanical controller with an on/off differential of [[+ or -] 1[degrees]F'([+ or -] 0.55[degrees]C). It also grants: * The absence of...

Protective vents.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] W. L. Gore & Associates now offers the Polyvent/M12 Protective Vent. Available in both plastic and metal, the Polyvent/M12 Vent allows air and gases to flow in and out of equipment housings. At the same time,...

Custom rubber molding.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Color, function and environmental features designed to specification are now available from Rubber Industries. The company develops and molds custom rubber parts in a range of materials and a full spectrum of colors,...

Wireless test systems.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LitePoint has unveiled the new IQmax multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system aimed at WiMAX devices with Wave 2 functionality. According to the company, the product features: * A pair of IQmax-500s plus a...

Hose clamps working double time.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Micro Plastics presents a new line of Double-Grip Hose Clamps. The fasteners feature a double-tooth interlocking jaw for additional strength, as well as: * A durable black nylon 6/6 structure for corrosion and chemical resistance. *...

Driving wireless: Freescale Semiconductor's work with Ford offers perspective on the growth and potential of wireless applications that lend from, but reach beyond traditional consumer product capabilities.(Wireless Design)(Cover story)
November 1, 2007... While some automotive sales figures might be lagging, new controls and capabilities continue to emerge on today's vehicles. These can range from the creature comforts of more precise or powerful cabin temperature controls, additional sensors...

Wireless connectivity line.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... New from Weidmuller is a line of industrial wireless products. As an alternative to signal and data wiring, this line is designed to provide secure and reliable wireless connectivity solutions for a range of applications, according to the...

Tubular-key cam locks.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Southco[R] PT tubular-key cam locks provide increased security in cam lock applications. According to the company, the cam locks also offer: * A 7-pin tumbler lock design and tubular keys. * Die-cast zinc housings with a...

Constant velocity.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Trust Automation's programmable TA2230 constant-velocity drive is designed to run a brushless motor at a constant velocity using the motor's Hall sensors for velocity feedback. Using an RS232 interface, the drive can be programmed at startup to...

Electro-mechanical swinghandles.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... DIRAK presents the E-LINE BASIC Series of electro-mechanical swinghandles to monitor access to server cabinets. According to the company, the E-LINE BASIC offers: * A status LED. * A flexible interface to enable integration into...

LCD controllers.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Digital View introduces the HE Series of commercial off-the-shelf LCD controllers, which feature tolerance power supplies that range from 12 VDC. [+ or -] 25 percent; locking connectors and low-mass tantalum capacitors for tolerance to shock...

Hybrid stepper motors.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MAE[R] brand hybrid stepper motors from AMETEK Technical & Industrial Products are engineered to deliver open loop control for high-performance positioning. MAE offers 3 series of motors in NEMA frame sizes,...

Dome cap cable glands.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Remke Industries recently unveiled an expanded line of NEMA 6P and IP68-rated Dome Cap Cable Glands that are designed to withstand continuous flexing and bending. The glands can be used with a range of indoor and...

Vibration isolators.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... A new series of silicone gel pad vibration isolators from Advanced Antivibration Components provides increased damping performance. According to the company, the V10Z61MSN Series features: * A design for loads from 0.5 to 2.0 KGF (1.1 to...

Snap-action switches.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Custom Sensors & Technologies' sensor product line now includes miniature and subminiature snap-action switches from their Crouzet division. According to the company, the new product line features the VS, a fully sealed IP67 subminiature,...

Thick-skinned foam.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Chemline recently developed their new Flexible Integral Skin polyurethane foam--the CHEMFOAM 7756. This flexible polyurethane integral foam combines a lightweight, flexible foam core and a dense, tough skin. According to Chemline, while the...

Ethernet connectors.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Amphenol Socapex now offers the RJF range of harsh-environment Ethernet connectors. According to the company, these connectors include: * A steel shell. * A 10-G vibration resistance at 10 to 500 Hz, 3-axis....

Enhanced security features.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... According to Banner Engineering, their DX70 SureCross[TM] Wireless Network is a robust wireless sensing solution with high-performance capabilities. The company also says the DX70 delivers a dedicated wireless industrial I/O system, providing...

Grizzly ruggedized keyboards.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Advanced Input Systems recently introduced an extreme ruggedized keyboard designed to reliably operate in harsh environments. Dubbed the Grizzly, this waterproof, dustproof and chemical-resistant keyboard features...

Stacked motor bearings.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... A new load-equalizing thrust bearing that can be stacked to accommodate axial loads in diametrically limited spaces has been announced by RIDE Technologies. According to the company, the Stacked Motor Bearings feature: * Multi-stack,...

Wire termination.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The newest member of WAGO's LEVER-NUTS[TM] 222 Series of compact connectors is the 222-412, a 2-conductor splice joining the 3- and 5-conductor models. LEVER-NUTS, according to the company, features: * A UL/CNL listing up to 600 V/20 A. ...

Pressure transducers & switches.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Gems Sensors & Controls recently released a new Pressure Folder showcasing pressure transducers and switches. The folder contains individual product specification sheets for each Gems Pressure Sensor in addition to technical descriptions of...

Loaded with more load capacity.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Omron Electronic Components' G7Z power relay can provide up to 40 A of switching capacity per pole on the normally open (NO) contact, as well as: * A resistive load rating of 40 A at 440 VAC for the NO contact and 25 A at 440 VAC for the...

I/O wireless.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Sealevel Systems has added wireless capability to the SeaI/O family of data acquisition solutions. The SeaI/O W-Series communicates over 802.1 lb/g wireless networks using WEP, WPA-TKIP and WPA2-AES encryption standards. According to Sealevel,...

Digital-to-analog audio converters.(From the Cover)
November 1, 2007... Cirrus Logic introduces the 24-bit CS43L22 low-power stereo digital-to-analog converter with integrated Class D speaker amplifiers and stereo headphone drivers. The company believes the CS43L22 uses low-power circuit design to minimize power...

Wireless Sensor Modules.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New from Oceana Sensor is the WSeM[TM] Wireless Sensor Module designed to use current 802.11 wireless network infrastructures. The WSeM contains: * An analog-to-digital converter/filter, an onboard processor and...

Thinking about upgrading to 3-D?(Software: Suite)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To meet the ever-increasing requirements of the market, Ulma Packaging replaced their 2-D design tool with a 3-D solution. Now, the company has an automated design workflow in which manual tasks, once a source of...

Designing for profitability.(Software: Suite)
November 1, 2007... There is immense pressure to control costs, increase profit margins, streamline designs and understand where your costs originate. Companies need to make informed decisions to identify and reduce costs throughout a product's lifecycle....

Speed characterizes Multiphysics 3.4.(Software: Suite)
November 1, 2007... COMSOL has released Multiphysics[R] 3.4, an enhanced version of their modeling and simulating software for physics-based systems. According to the company, new multicore processor support provides engineers with better performance, solver speed...

Faster, more productive.(Software: Suite)
November 1, 2007... AboutSolidWorks.com has published two tutorials emphasizing the new functionality of SolidWorks 2008. These tutorials demonstrate some of the ways in which SolidWorks 2008 can simplify and speed up everyday part creation. The first...

Gaining insight into your design.(Software: Suite)
November 1, 2007... Now available from MathWorks is Simulink[R] Design Verifier, which generates tests and proves design properties for Simulink[R] and Stateflow[R] models using the Prover[R] Plug-In from Prover Technology. According to the company, developers of...

Modeling fuel slosh.(Software: Suite)
November 1, 2007... Shortly after it reached orbit in 1969, NASA's spin-stabilized Applications Technology Satellite 5 (ATS5) began to wobble, sending the spacecraft into an unplanned flat spin and crippling the mission. It was later found that this event was...

End-of-life indication.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Tadiran Batteries has improved their PulsesPlus[TM] battery, which features end-of-life indication. These improvements come in 2 distinct families: a 3.6-V system with a 5 percent end-of-life indication, so when the battery uses 95 percent of...

USB hardware modems.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... According to Radicom Research, their new line of USB hardware modems feature: * Modular and stand-alone configurations. * Data processing using its own hardware, so as to avoid using any processing power from the host computer. *...

Transformer oil pumps.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Unifin now offers a line of transformer oil pumps manufactured under the company's Cardinal brand. According to the company, tile Cardinal pumps feature: * A continuous duty operating temperature rating from...

Hydraulic integrated circuits.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sauer-Danfoss now produces 4 types of ready-to-mount hydraulic integrated circuits (HICs) designed to precisely fit 7 Sauer-Danfoss low-speed, high-torque motors. The new family of standardized, off-the-shelf HICs...

ISO Metric.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Pacific Bearing recently released their Simplicity[TM] ISO Metric Linear Ball Bearings. According to the company, the 1-piece polymer ball cage coupled with the hardened bearing steel shell provides minimal friction and higher load capacities....

Wireless sense & control networks.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... GreenPeak Technologies recently announced a new product portfolio for ultra-low-power wireless sense and control networks. The new company now offers open standard wireless communications devices for sensor applications that can operate without...

Emergency stop switches.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EAO Switch now manufactures a range of emergency stop switches that can be relied on in panic situations, according to the company. These switches boast of: * An actuator that instantly releases normally closed...

Sensorless digital controllers.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The 1-Q-EC Amplifier DECS 50/5 (Digital EC Controller Sensorless) is a new controller from maxon motor for driving brushless DC motors without Hall sensors. According to maxon, the DECS features: * An input voltage range from 10 to 50 V....

Battery Interconnect Systems.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Technical Materials now produces a weldable Battery Interconnect System made of copper-based composite materials to replace solid nickel interconnect strapping for battery packs. According to the company, the materials offer the weldability of...

Explosion-Proof Transmitters.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The EPT (Explosion-Proof Transmitter) recently introduced by OTEK eliminates the need to have 2 or more instruments in the process control chain, according to the company. Furthermore, the EPT features: * An explosion-proof copper-free...

Message received: while less glamorous than its consumer counterpart, wireless design in the industrial sector continues to grow in importance and capabilities.(Wireless Design)
November 1, 2007... The first wireless transmitters were put to use in the early 20th century, using radiotelegraphy, or Morse code, as their mode of communication. Later, as modulation made it possible to transmit voices and music via a wireless transmission, the...

Brushed Ironless DC Motors.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The 25-mm Brushed Ironless DC Motor from Portescap, a Danaher Motion company, now showcases a carbon brush commutation method. According to the company, this commutation method, coupled with a metallic front end and optional integrated electro...

Servo drives for harsh environments.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Copley has extended the XENUS offline servo drive's temperature, humidity, vibration and shock ranges to meet military commercial off-the-shelf requirements. The Series R10 hardened drives feature: * Operation in stand-alone and...

Mini infrared transmitters.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... New from OMEGA ENGINEERING is the OS100E Series of miniature infrared transmitters that can measure a temperature range of-18[degrees] to +538[degrees] C (0 to +1,000[degrees] F). According to the company, these transmitters boast of: * A...

Foundation Fieldbus output.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... MTS Systems has developed a Foundation Fieldbus output for their Level Plus[R] line of liquid level sensors. The Model MG digital sensor will incorporate the optional Foundation Fieldbus output, currently in beta testing, and is expected to be...

Automatic fastener installation.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The new PEMSERTER[R] Series 3000[TM] automatic fastener-installation press from PennEngineering provides full servo electro-mechanical actuation. According to the company, the PEMSERTER features: * The elimination of hydraulic fluids: ...

Higher operating efficiencies.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Murata Power Solutions' new 78SR Series 2-A switching regulators can provide operating efficiency for applications requiring 3.3- or 5-V outputs at 2 A or less, from 8- to 32-V inputs. The company says at a...

Dielectric relays.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... CIT RELAY & SWITCH has announced the availability of the J115 Series relay. The new relay is offered in 3 versions: PC termination, combination PC and QC for contacts, and panel-mount style QC for both coil and contacts. According to the...

High-speed pulse.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Microchip Technology now produces the MCP1631 2.0-MHz high-speed PWM--a highly integrated device that contains a 1-A integrated MOSFET driver, a high-speed comparator for overvoltage protection, and both...

Motion & distributed control capabilities.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The new Allen-Bradley CompactLogix L45 controller from Rockwell Automation offers scalability and integrated motion control capabilities. Controlling up to 8 axes of motion, the L45 is an extension of the Logix Control Platform. The L45 also...

Extending battery life.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National Semiconductor recently introduced 5 precision operational amplifiers for portable test and measurement that requires signal-conditioning and sensor interface accuracy at gains of 6 V/V or higher. The LMP7707...

Compact stopper blocks & brackets.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Misumi USA recently unveiled new compact stopper blocks and stopper brackets, joining the company's line of configurable and fixed blocks, brackets, plungers, guides and other locating components. Characteristics include: * A composition...

More robust interfaces.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... HEIDENHAIN has retained a more robust Vpp interface (from a 11 [micro]App interface) for their LS 688C linear encoders to give designers more flexibility, such as in manual machine tool applications with digital readouts. According to the...

Right-angle speed reducers.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... An expanded series of 41 miniature inch (A 2Z23 Series) and metric (A 2Z23M Series)right-angle speed reducers recently introduced by Stock J Drive Products are designed to operate in reverse, same or dual output directions. According to Stock...

Twin-Rod Air Cylinders.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Humphrey Twin-Rod Air Cylinders are highlighted by precise, non-rotating linear motion. According to the company, the twin-rod design has less than 1/3 of a degree of rotation. Furthermore, these twin-rod air cylinders include: * A...

Switching regulators designed for high-brightness LEDs.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... ON Semiconductor recently released the NCP3065 switching regulator designed to efficiently drive high-brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs) typically used in low-voltage lighting, solar lighting, Halogen bulb replacements and more. A 1.5-A monolithic...

SpecCheck/encoders.
November 1, 2007... SpecCheck/ENCODERS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SICK STEGMANN RENISHAW As part of the VFS60 motor The company feels these feedback...

Stand-alone Operation.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Applied Motion Products says their STS-Q Stepper Drive not only provides stand-alone operation, but also can be quickly programmed with the robust Q programming environment, which delivers a number of benefits, such as register manipulation,...

Optical Encoders.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... RENCO Encoders has introduced an Optical Encoder that showcases a locking connector choice. According to the company, the new RENCO RE200 Series encoders provide more than 8 different connector configurations using industry-standard connector...

Thru hole tact switch.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... E-Switch believes their new TL1150 Series thru-hole tact switch features an operating life of 1,000,000 cycles and a 2-lead, 6 x 6 mm design. According to the company, additional features include: * A 50 mA at 30 VDC contact rating. *...

PSTN-to-GPRS converters.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The BridgeD130 from eDevice is a PSTN-to-GPRS converter that connects wired modems to wireless networks. According to the company, the plug-and-play gateway does not require changes on the equipment to be connected. Other extras include: *...

Installation flexibility.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Phoenix Contact's DUPLICON product range now offers the new T-Box and M12 Adapter Cover for installation flexibility. According to the company, the T-Box features: * A removable cover. * A contact insert...

Accurate current measurement.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Zetex Semiconductors introduces the ZXCT1020, a high side current monitor that produces a current output signal with up to 1 percent accuracy, according to the company. The ZXCT1020 also features: * A 5-pin SOT23 package. * A 2.5- to...

Spring-applied brakes.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... New from INTORQ, a Lenze-AC Tech partner, is the Series BFK458-L spring-applied brakes that are released by applying DC voltage to an electromagnetic coil. The BFK458-L features: * A cast iron casing construction. * 4 different sizes...

All-in-one Motion Control.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The MDrivePlus product line from Intelligent Motion Systems now includes new MDrivel4Plus Motion Control, which utilizes a NEMA size 14 brushless 1.8[degrees] motor in a 1.9" x 1.4" x 2.0" (48 x 36 x 52 mm) footprint. According to the company,...

Analog input stations.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... TURCK has added an analog input station capable of supporting 4 analog inputs on the DeviceNet network to their line of fully encapsulated I/O stations. TURCK believes the station exhibits: * Analog inputs that can be configured for either...

Pneumatic Valve Series.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... The new LS04 Pneumatic Valve Series from Rexroth offers a 10-mm width and a flow rate of 200 1/min (0.2[C.sub.v]) up to a maximum of 330 l/min (0.33[C.sub.v]). Features include: * A standard valve with a flow rate of 250 l/min...

MXE electric actuators.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... Tolomatic recently released their MXE electric actuators* According to the company, this family offers: * Durable bearings incorporating a profiled rail design that uses THK[R] Caged Ball[R] technology to reduce friction and extend actuator...

Positioning stages.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] H2W Technologies says their single-rail positioning stages with a small footprint feature: * Speeds up to 6 M/s (240"/s). * Acceleration up to 12 G. * A resolution to 0.1 m m (0.00000 ). * A...

Safety spec toggle switches.(New Products)
November 1, 2007... APEM Components has been granted QPL certification for their 12000X778 Series of professional-grade toggle switches. The toggle switches feature: * QPL certification to MIL-DTL-3950G under M3950/15, M3950/16 and M3950/17--covering 2-, 3-...