As the U.S. economy continues to claw its way out of recession, investment in manufacturing and services is on the rise. Watching the electronic and automation new product releases may give us an insight into the direction of our industry and what these component manufacturers see as growth areas.
Brushless servomotors
Starting off this month's summary, Baldor, known industry-wide for motors and drives, has released a new series of stainless-steel brushless servomotors. The SSBSM Series servomotors are designed to IP67 and for 1,500 psi washdown conditions and can be used in harsh, corrosive food or liquid and high-hygiene environments. They are available in standard and low-inertia models, as well as in five different frame sizes, and provide torque up to 280 lb-in. Baldor Electric Co., P.O. Box 2400, Fort Smith, Ark. 72902; www.baldor.com.
Computers and accessories
B&B Electronics, which offers communication and communication-related products, has released a new universal serial card. Many pieces of equipment require RS232, RS422, or RS485 communication, and current PC technology is moving away from 5-volt to 3.3-volts. B&B's Miport universal serial card allows for configuration between any port type, and by operating at the 5-volt level provides for extended range with RS522 and RS485. Other serial cards in this series are available as well. B&B Electronics, 707 Dayton Rd., Ottawa, Ill. 61350; www.bb-elec.com.
CyberResearch is releasing new CPET single-board computers, the fastest the company has ever offered. Based on a P4 CPU, 800 MHz bus, these single-board PC's come with 256 MB up to 2 GB RAM. Standard connections are two to eight USB 2.0 ports, dual LAN, and a CompactFlash socket. The Pentium 4 series of boards also support hyper-threading, allowing multi-threaded applications to utilize idle segments of the P4 CPU. CyberResearch, Inc., 25 Business Park Dr., Branford, Conn. 06405; www.cyberrresearch.com.
Control components
Wilbrecht Electronics has designed a new series of panel-mount LED's for 120 VAC applications. The LED's come in four different colors-blue, green, red, and yellow-and have brightness levels suitable for daylight applications. A series of mounting hole sizes are available from 0.187 inch to 0.312 inch. Wilbrecht Electronics, Inc., 1400 Energy Park Dr., St. Paul, Minn. 55108; www.wilbrecht.com.
Astec Power, a division of Emerson, has announced the release of a low-profile model 1U, 175-watt quad output power supply suitable for single-board computer, medical, or other applications. These are switching power supplies, accepting 85-264 VAC. The IPQ173 has a small footprint and is only 1.5 inches high. High-current outputs are adjustable from 3.3V to 5.5V. Astec Power, 5810 Van Alien Way, Carlsbad, Calif. 92008; www.astecpower .com.
Also under the power supplies category, but directed toward industrial control panels, Automation Systems Interconnect has introduced new types of switching power supplies in the CSF-10. Specifically designed for industrial use, they can accept input voltage from 120-230 VAC with 24-volt adjustable output. ASI, P.O. Box 1230, Carlisle, Pa. 17013; www.asi-ex.com.
For printed circuit board design, Micro Plastics, Inc., is now offering a square standoff LED mount. The product adds to the company's existing line of circuit board hardware. The LED mount is designed to provide secure mounting for two- and three-lead devices and to protect from heat and shock of vibration. Micro Plastics, Inc., P.O. Box 149, Highway 178 North, Flippin, Ark. 72634; www.microplastics.com.
BK Precision, a recognized name in test equipment, has released its new Model VSP4030, a high-output switching d-c power supply communicating via a RS-232 serial port. The supply is capable of 0-40 VDC at 0-30 amps and has low noise output. The unit can be tuned via the panel-mount ten-turn potentiometer, the RS-232 interface, or a remote analog signal. Units may also be cascaded to produce up to 10 kW of d-c power. BK Precision, 1031 Segovia Circle, Placentia, Calif. 92870; www.bkprecision.com.
Sensing devices
There are only two new sensing devices of note for this issue. First, Macro Sensors of New Jersey is offering a new line of AC/DC-operated linear variable displacement transducers, or LVDT's, for dimensional or positioning information. They can be used for large shaft TIR measurements, metal fabricating, or other automation applications. The GHSAR/GHSDR 750 Series units are constructed entirely of stainless steel and operate in harsh environments. Electronics and coil-windings are hermetically sealed against hostile environments to IP-68 standards. Precision is 0.000025 inches with ±10 volts d-c output designed for PLC applications. Macro Sensors, U.S. Route 130 North, Bldg. 22, Pennsauken, NJ. 08110; www.macrosensors.com.
LMI Technologies has introduced a new series of single-point laser sensors designed for thickness measurement, profiling, and positioning. These units, the DLS-2000 line of laser displacement sensors, are also lower in cost than comparable sensors, according to LMI. Offset distance from the sensor can be 4.0, 10.0, or 19.7 inches, with sensing range measurement maximums of 11.8, 24, or 188 inches and deliver a 25-micron resolution. The sensors offer RS-232 and RS-485 interface, as well as 0-10 VDC or 4-20 mA analog outputs. LMI Technologies, 21455 Melrose Ave., Suite 22, Southfield, Mich. 48075; www.lmint .com.
And finally this month, in our "most interesting" category, Electronics Workbench has introduced programming and simulation software, Multisim 8, designed to do simulation for electronic circuits. It allows for capture of repetitive tasks so that the designer can be more free to create. Using Tektronix Virtual Instruments, Multisim 8 allows for dynamic probes to be inserted into the circuit design to show a simulation of circuit performance. An unlimited number of probes can be programmed. Further design notes and annotation can be inserted into the tests and saved. This software is intended for concepting and simulation of a design and can be integrated with board layout and other system simulations. Electronics Workbench, 60 Industrial Park #068, Cheektowaga, N.Y. 14227; www.electronicsworkbench.com.
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