IBase Offers IB945 CPU Card For High-End Platforms

IBase Technology, a manufacturer of industrial motherboards, has introduced the IB945 PICMG 1.0 full-size CPU card. It uses the latest Intel Q45 Express chipset, which supports Intel Core2 Quad processors to deliver energy-efficient performance across a variety of high-end platforms. With support for the new dual-channel DDR3 memory technology at 1,066MHz, it offers a higher bandwidth and better performance than DDR2, while operating at a lower memory voltage for lower DIMM power consumption.

With the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 and Chrontel CH7307C controller device, IB945 is claimed to provide good graphics performance with interfaces for a VGA CRT and a DVI display. It has six SATA ports to provide a faster transfer rate for improved data access and six USB ports that allow connection to various peripherals and computing devices. Other features of the IB945 include two gigabit local-area networks (LANs), two COM ports, IDE and parallel ports, ISA high drive, digital input/output (I/O), a watchdog and a Mini PCI Express socket for added expansion. Dimensions are 338mm x 122mm. Samples of the IBase IB945 PICMG 1.0 full-size CPU card are available now.

Kycon Offers Tab-Down Option With Build-In LEDs

Kycon has increased its modular jack offering by including a tab-down option with built-in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The GSLX and GSLGX combine the functionality of Kycon's RJ45 modular jacks with the signal capabilities of independent LEDs mounted within the jack housing. The expanded series allows for greater design flexibility for a number of applications, such as telecommunications, networking systems (hubs, switches, routers and gateways), security systems and multimedia set-top-box applications.

The single- and multi-port RJ45 right-angle connectors with LEDs are offered as non-shielded or fully shielded, with various optional grounding tabs for panel grounding and EMI/RFI protection. The LEDs are located at the bottom of the connector and are offered in a variety of single-colour LED options to facilitate the inspection of system activity.

Aimtec Offers Surface-Mount Switching Regulator

Aimtec has expanded its family of non-isolated, DC-DC switching regulator series with a surface-mount (SMD) version of the step-down switching regulators. Designed in a compact SMD package (15.24mm x 11.82mm x 7.25mm) to support automated assembly, the AMSRL-78-NZ series is suitable for low-profile circuit implementations such as portable- and standby-power applications. Versatile for a number of industrial applications, the AMSRL-78-NZ series is designed to operate at full output power without heatsinking or forced-air cooling below +71C and with output power derating up to +85C.

With four models featuring adjustable output voltages, ranging from 1.8VDC to 15.5VDC, the AMSRL-78-NZ series produces maximum output currents of 500mA at efficiency rates of up to 96 per cent, with low output ripple and noise (25mV p-p) for noise-sensitive applications. Ultra-wide input ranges (up to 6:1) extend from 4.75VDC to 28VDC and allow the products to be powered from unregulated sources. Other features include continuous short-circuit protection on the output and thermal shutdown for added protection in overheating conditions.

The AMSRL-78-NZ input specifications also feature a remote on/off function, which conforms to TTL logic levels. Priced at USD5.60 (GBP3.40) per 1,000+ pieces, the AMSRL-78-NZ series is made with high-quality, RoHS-compliant materials that undergo rigorous quality control to ensure reliability and performance. Samples are available from stock and can be ordered immediately.

Linear Offers LTC3569 Synchronous Buck Regulator

Linear Technology's LTC3569 is a triple-channel, high efficiency 3MHz synchronous buck regulator. It delivers 1.2A of continuous output current from one channel and 600mA from each of the other two channels. Using a constant frequency current-mode architecture, the LTC3569 operates from an input voltage range of 2.5 to 5.5V, making it ideal for single-cell Li-Ion/polymer or multicell alkaline/NiCad/NiMH applications.

Each of the three output-voltages are independently programmable by lowering the feedback voltage of each channel from 800 to 425mV (in 25mV increments) by toggling the EN pin, enabling dynamic adjustment of each channel's output voltage. Additionally, each of the 600mA regulators can act as slave power stages to each other or to the 1.2A channel to support higher currents, providing additional design flexibility.

The LTC3569's switching frequency can be programmed between 1 and 3MHz or set at 2.25MHz, enabling the designer to optimise efficiency while avoiding critical noise-sensitive frequency bands. The combination of its 3 x 3mm QFN-20 (or TSSOP- 16E) package and high switching-frequency keeps external inductors and capacitors small, providing a compact and thermally efficient footprint.

The LTC3569's internal synchronous switches offer efficiencies as high as 95 per cent, while burst mode operation minimises quiescent current to 100uA (all three channels) in no-load conditions. For applications demanding the lowest possible noise, the LTC3569 can run in a pulse skipping mode to minimise output ripple.

The LTC3569 offers a power-good indicator and is synchronisable to an external clock (1.2 to 3MHz). Other features include internal compensation, over-temperature and short-circuit protection. The LTC3569EUD is available in a 3 x 3mm QFN-20 package and the LTC3569EFE is offered in a 16-lead thermally enhanced TSSOP package. Industrial grade versions, the LTC3569IUD and LTC3569IFE, are tested and guaranteed to operate to the -40C to +85C operating junction temperature.

PCIe-7350 Offers Data Throughput Of Up To 200MB/s

Adlink Technology has released the PCIe-7350, the latest addition to its series of PCI/PCI Express high-speed digital I/O cards. The PCIe-7350 offers 32 channels of bidirectional parallel I/O lines with a data throughput of up to 200 MB/s and a clock rate up to 100MHz. The PCIe-7350 offers a low-cost, high-throughput architecture with flexible acquisition/generation timing and triggering features - making it an ideal solution for high-speed digital pattern acquisition and generation for use in ATE, IC testing, image sensor testing, and video image recording/playback.

The PCIe-7350 is based on the PCI Express interface (x1 lane), supports a selectable input/output direction per group of eight bits, and provides eight channels of auxiliary programmable I/O. An onboard FPGA provides addition I/O features such as triggers, clock signals, handshaking lines, and I2C and SPI control interfaces. These on-board interfaces enable the PCIe-7350 to communicate with external image sensors via I2C and SPI, without the need for a external control interfaces.

The PCIe-7350 supports selectable software voltage levels of 1.8, 2.5, and 3.3V (5V compatible), which provides the flexibility of interfacing with a variety of ASICs or external devices. The PCIe-7350 also supports a 16-step phase-shift feature to ensure accurate sampling timing and prevent invalid timing issues during data transition.

Aerco Offers Seaguard DS Cable Products

Aerco now supplies Seaguard DS cable products from Habia Cable that are designed to comply with the requirements of naval applications. Fire performance, size and weight, fluid and oil resistance, flexibility, abrasion resistance, strength, and screening effectiveness are all factors that are considered in addition to electrical performance when designing cables for naval systems.

Seaguard DS cable complies fully with the criteria set out in the UK Defence Standard 61-12 (Part 9)/5, (Part 18)/l5, (Part 25)/4 and (Part 31)/2, as well as other national navy standards. Seaguard DS cable products include screened and unscreened, multi-core and multi-pair cables, as well as coaxial cables for use in virtually all naval applications.

Custom-designed cable products can be supplied when standard products do not provide the ideal solution or when a customer requires to incorporate various power and signal wires into hybrid cables.

Steatite Offers In-Vehicle Installation Service

Steatite Rugged Division is now able to offer its customers a comprehensive, specialist in-vehicle installation service. Steatite recognises that a mobile device or computer within a vehicle can help businesses achieve better workforce efficiencies and provide improved customer service. For the emergency services it can give access to information and facilitate communications that can improve and speed the response to an urgent situation.

These factors have created a customer demand to which Steatite has reacted by establishing its installation service. The capability uses Steatite Rugged Division's experience and expertise in supporting computing requirements for harsh environments. As installations are generally required to be completed at the customer's premises, Steatite's service provides nationwide coverage.

Offering a single source for the supply of a semi-rugged or fully rugged computing solution plus the carefully planned installation and set-up of that solution ready for use, can greatly simplify matters for the customer with minimum disruption of day-to-day operations.

A full vehicle installation can be complex and may encompass a pre-installation survey to understand customer requirements for the positioning of hardware. Docking and mounting arrangements and sometimes the need for peripheral devices such as printers and antennae may also need to be considered at this stage.

ST Offers RWT310/320 And RWT330/340 Torque Sensors

Sensor Technology's digital RWT310/320 torque sensors with integrated electronics and RWT330/340 torque sensors with separate electronics include the latest Torqsense (SAW) technology. The introduction of the new RWT310/RWT320 offers a compact transducer together with the electronics integrated within the body.

This has been achieved by developing swept electronic technology, which provides the advantages of a higher bandwidth. The RWT310 is offered in a variety of sizes for those that wish to measure torque from 100mNm to 10,000Nm, and possibly beyond with the option of 4-20MA or 0-20MA current outputs.

The RWT320 offers as standard: analogue output; RS232 output; high-speed USB output; built-in peak torque sampling, storage and averaging; self-diagnostics test package; and the option of a user-selectable current-output to enable 4-20mA or 0-20mA output. The new RWT310/RWT320 series has been designed for low cost and OEM use, but is also suitable for use as an advanced transducer.

Parker Gearhead Offers Optional Output Faces

Parker's Electromechanical Automation Division has announced an expansion to its line of PV gearheads. The PV115 offers a wide assortment of output face options along with high radial load and output torque performance. The output face options have the same output face dimensions as Parker Bayside's PX series, Alpha's LP series, Neugart's PLE series, Stober's PE series, as well as standard NEMA output face dimensions.

The PV115 also supports larger belt actuators, including Parker's HPLA120 and HLE150. The PV gearhead's design achieves high radial loads by using precision taper roller bearings.

With high input speeds and efficiency up to 97 per cent, PV gearheads are suitable for industrial requirements, including belt and pulley, conveyor and production machinery; automotive production and inspection equipment; medical and life science applications, including lab instrumentation, device manufacturing and pharmaceutical requirements; packaging; and many other commercial applications. The PV115 is covered by a three-year warranty.

Stemmer Offers Printqual Image Processing Tool

Stemmer Imaging has unveiled the Printqual Image Processing Tool for print quality inspection, as part of the Common Vision Blox hardware-independent imaging toolkit. Printqual allows a monochrome or colour test image to be compared quantitatively against a specified reference image for applications in every sector of print inspection.

It is an ActiveX control that can be used to inspect a wide range of print substrates such as paper, cardboard and labels, as well as overprints. Even highly complex work pieces, such as lead frames and printed circuit boards can be inspected for errors. Work with Printqual is divided into a learning or training phase, and the subsequent automatic inspection of the items. Acceptance thresholds can easily be determined by one or more acceptable test images.

The thresholds can be adjusted for the images to be accepted. The test image is position and distortion-corrected, and a comparison is made in terms of small, medium and large-scale structures within the image. All images producing a quality score below the determined acceptance thresholds will be rejected by Printqual. Unlike conventional correlation methods, Printqual makes it possible to distinguish between a large number of small errors and a single large error. The algorithm is so sensitive that errors of only a few pixels in size can be identified.

Curtis Offers Traction/Hydraulic System Controller

The Curtis Model 1298 integrated AC traction and hydraulic system controller combines AC traction motor control with solid-state DC hydraulic pump and proportional valve control. The Model 1298 is designed primarily for Class III material-handling vehicles that require variable-speed or soft-start and soft-stop control of the lift-and-lower functions.

Fully-featured generic software is included for Walkie and Walkie-Stacker applications. Other applications can be easily supported with alternative VCL programming.

Features include: high-frequency, silent operation; powerful operating system for parallel processing of vehicle control tasks, motor control tasks, and user-configurable programmable logic; Curtis field-orientated vector control algorithm for peak torque and optimal efficiency across the entire operating range; full regenerative braking and precise zero-speed control; in-vehicle motor characterisation for easy tuning of the controller to any AC motor; half-bridge pump output for regulation of pump motor speed and current demand; built-in battery state-of-charge algorithms and hour meters; field-programmable; special features and I/O for electromagnetic brake, DC pump motor, and hydraulic valve control, for economical control of the entire vehicle system; software-selectable options for variable-speed lift-and-lower or single-speed lift-and-lower; Curtis vehicle control language (VCL) for easier system design - alternatively, the user can quickly and easily write their own functions and algorithms; CANbus connection for communication with other CANbus-enabled system components such as the Curtis TH-1 tiller head - the protocol meets CANopen standards, or is customisable through VCL; easy programming through the 1311 handheld programmer or 1314 PC programming station; insulated metal substrate (IMS) power base provides effective heat transfer for increased performance and reliability; fail-safe power component design; redundant hardware and software watchdog timers; reverse polarity protection on battery connections; short circuit protection on all output drivers.

Flexsystems Offers Metrology Gauge Interfaces

Midwest Flexsystems presents a range of metrology gauge interfaces. The range includes gauge interfaces, gauge displays, gauge cables, foot switches, hand switches and operator-alert light poles, for efficient quality control operations.

Pepperl & Fuchs Offers Compact Ident Interface

Pepperl & Fuchs has released the Ident control compact interface unit, which supports RFID readers with 125kHz, 250kHz, 13.56MHz, 868MHz and 2.45GHz frequencies. Two versions are available to support one or two readers. The interface options include Ethernet, Profibus, RS232 and RS485.

The metal IP67 housing measures 137 x 62 x 41mm, stabilising it against electromagnetic influence. It can be mounted in any orientation to suit the application. Two LEDs provide commissioning and maintenance information for the read/write heads and two LEDs for bus communication and diagnosis. Further commissioning and testing is performed with the free RFID-Control software. Connection to the unit utilises M12 connector plugs for the bus, power and read/write heads.

Pepperl+Fuchs Offers Corrosion Monitoring System

Pepperl+Fuchs has introduced the CorrTran Corrosion Data Logging System. This Division 2/Zone 2 system complements the CorrTran MV online corrosion monitoring transmitter, allowing users to access real-time corrosion data via Ethernet, USB, SD card, or locally via videographic chart recorder. The corrosion data logging system is packaged in a portable, stainless steel enclosure weighing less than 20lbs
The transmitter outputs a 4-20mA HART signal that is used to scale the corrosion rate in a PLC or DCS system.

The rate of corrosion can now be evaluated with all other relevant process signals. The corrosion data logging system includes Pepperl+Fuchs' KFD2-HLC-EX1.D HART loop converter. This device receives HART data from the CorrTran MV corrosion monitor and delivers three distinct 4-20mA outputs that represent general corrosion, localised corrosion and conductance. These three variables can then be recorded and displayed on a paperless data recorder that features a full-colour touch-screen display, up to 16 analogue inputs, multiple types of media retrieval, and a Class I/Div 2, Zone 2 Ex-hazardous rating.

A Type 4X stainless steel enclosure allows for the most severe of installations. The lightweight construction also permits easy mobility for the system to be moved from one location to another, where a PLC/DCS might not be available.

Track Offers Robust Transportation Option

Machine Building Systems' new item transport track allows heavy goods to be transported easily and quietly. The transport track system tolerates soiling and is easy to assemble and can be added to any profile construction. Elevated transport tracks and suspended constructions are also possible.

A typical assembly would comprise an aluminium-profile constructed carrier onto which is mounted four D60 PU roller units, which run in a parallel pair of track profile 8 80x40s. The modular design means that the carriers can be made to any size and the track profiles placed accordingly.

The roller units (each with a load-bearing-capacity of 800N) are fitted with ball-bearing mounted polyurethane-tyres for smooth and quiet running and with spring-loaded lateral guide-wheels to provide sideways support.

The roller units offer a choice of fixing positions which can provide either a ride height which is flush with or 4mm from the track profile. The rollers can be used independently of the roller units and will run easily without the track profiles on level surfaces.

Connector Offers Performance/Price Compromise

Hansford Sensors has selected an alternative 12mm connector style, the M12, as offering the best combination of performance and price. The result - today, you can specify either the standard MS series or the M12 Connector on most of their range of vibration sensors. The main advantages of the M12 connector are its smaller size and the fact that its associated cable assemblies have a tighter bend radius.

It is a well accepted and proven connector used across many industries including process control, automation and sensing. They are particularly suitable for use in vibration monitoring equipment, the IP67/68 sealing making them usable in difficult environmental conditions often found in maintenance condition monitoring applications. With its wide use in industrial electronic equipment, the cost-effective connectors and numerous cable assemblies are readily available from electrical distributors worldwide making off the shelf delivery a reality.

Hansford Sensors has applied the connectors across the HS-100, HS-100S, HS-420 and HS-421 series of vibration sensors. All models are constructed in robust welded stainless steel and offer either top or side entry for the electrical connection. The M12 mating connector is available in both a straight or right-angle version. The HS-100 sensors are industrial accelerometers offering a 100mV/g AC output with a top entry connection, whilst the HS-100S is a low profile unit with a side entry connection.

The HS-420 is a PLC accelorometer with integral circuitry providing a 4-20mA output proportional to the velocity level. The HS-421 model offers a dual output of 4-20mA for velocity and AC g suited for the many commercially available data collectors. For those needing to measure both vibration and temperature levels at the same monitoring point, Hansford Sensors has also introduced dual-output versions of the HS-100T (100mV/g output) and the HS-420T (4-20mA output) sensor models, both fitted with M12 connectors as standard.