The thermal imaging specialist Flir has announced the first in a series of premium test and measurement tools designed to complement its Extech brand, which will continue to serve the mass market. The first six T&M products to carry the Flir brand include clampmeters and digital multimeters designed to be used in electrically noisy environments near variable speed drives (VSDs).
The German remote maintenance specialist MB Connect Line has developed what is claimed to be the world’s first device that can detect viruses and malware, such as Stuxnet, on Siemens S7 PLCs.
Red Lion Controls has announced a range of PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controllers that provide tight, reliable control over variables such as temperature, flow and pressure, from one model. The PXU series controllers have large, easy-to-read displays and are available in 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 DIN sizes.
The German circuit protection specialist E-T-A Circuit Breakers has announced an electronic overcurrent protection product that provides selective disconnection of 24V DC loads in automation systems. The 12.5mm-wide 16A ESX10-TB circuit-breaker is claimed to be the first device capable of protecting groups of loads with a total current of up to 16A using a single circuit protector, thus cutting costly downtime and danger to production line personnel.
The German sensor-maker wenglor has announced a configurable image-processing sensor that can be used to read 1D or 2D codes, to track objects in 3D, or to operate as a smart camera. The company claims that the compact weCube device incorporates components – such as LED illumination and a choice of communication interfaces – that are external components on other vision systems.
Siemens is pushing forward with its Integrated Drives Systems theme with several developments that it plans to unveil at the Hannover Fair in April. For example, it will launch a distributed inverter designed to be used as a motor-integrated inverter for its Simogear geared motors, and will present a series of integrated geared motors with planetary gearboxes.
Thomson Industries has announced a new generation of precision electric linear actuators for continuous-duty applications which, it claims, offer the highest power density in their class. It adds that the PC series actuators offer many advantages over traditional pneumatic linear actuators, including simpler machine designs, reduced maintenance, higher performance and much lower energy costs.
The German transformer and power supply specialist Block has developed a pair of electronically operated circuit-breakers for 24V DC circuits which can switch individual circuits selectively via only two lines, and perform diagnostics. It says that the Power Mini and Power Compact breakers can be integrated into control and monitoring processes at low cost to improve the switching of high-capacity loads and to open up new protection possibilities.
At the Hannover Fair in April, Siemens will be unveiling a new generation of its Logo! logic modules, with built-in Ethernet ports and Web servers. The Logo! 8 modules, which replace the current series 6 and 7 devices, are said to be smaller and easier to use, with new functions for remote operation and access, and will offer more digital and analogue I/O as well as improved price-to-performance ratios. The range includes eight new core modules and a variety of add-on devices.
Rockwell Automation has announced a family of MCCBs (moulded-case circuit breakers) and control-circuit and load-protection devices that will be available in more than 80 countries around the world. The products meet global certifications – including CE, CSA, CE and CCC – and many are IEC-compliant.
The Danish specialist in integrated servo and stepper motors, JVL, has announced an integrated servomotor aimed at mobile and remote applications such as robotic vehicles and remote positioning systems. The MAC402 motor operates from 12–48V DC supplies, such as batteries, and can deliver up to 400W rms (1,200W peak) at speeds of up to 3,000 rpm.
US-based Acces I/O Products has produced a circuit board that allows Android devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to communicate directly with RS-232 devices. The two-way Android-232 data port allows external hardware to control the Android device, or the device to control external hardware.
The Californian motor manufacturer NovaTorque has announced 7.5hp (5.6kW) and 10hp (7.45kW) versions of its electronically commutated permanent magnet motors, which it claims are 3% more efficient than Nema Premium induction motors.
The Israeli company ACS Motion Control has developed a range of switching PWM (pulse width modulation) servodrives that, it says, cost less than linear servodrives, but offer better performance, as well as being smaller and more robust. The NanoPWM drives deliver sub-nanometer position jitter performance, and nanometer following errors when moving at low speeds.
Yokogawa has announced the first in a series of multi-protocol wireless adaptors that will allow wired field instruments and sensors to be used as ISA 100 wireless devices. The first two models are aimed at wired Hart and RS-485 Modbus devices, and the company is planning to release further models that comply with other wired field communications standards, including Foundation Fieldbus and Profibus.
