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| The latest information on Electrical &
Electronic Components
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October 3, 2008
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October means pumpkin pie and hot
apple cider
It also means another E&E Monthly Newsletter is due. This month we
start with a look at NI Week, the user conference sponsored by National
Instruments in Austin, Tex. Then, just how secure is your industrial
network? Can hackers use it to send spam or break into other computer
systems? You don't know? Well you're not alone, so you better checkout
the article on industrial networks and ways to help keep them secure.
Emergency radio communications is almost useless underground, unless you
can make the tunnel work like a waveguide. See how engineers are testing
tunnels to try to find if they have RF sweet spots. We also look at a
new gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor that likes hot situations along
with a modular battery system that only generates electricity when
needed. This month's video pick is a bright idea: Clothes with embedded
LEDs bring wearable electronics one step closer.
-- Robert Repas
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Test instruments in Texas
The Austin Convention Center was transformed into a mecca of
technology, test, and instrumentation presentations by over 70 National
Instruments partners and collaborators. Among the news: The latest
version of NI’s flagship software, LabView 8.6; a single-board RIO
platform; a wireless data-acquisition (DAQ) adapter; and a 6.6-GHz RF
test instrument consisting of an RF vector-signal analyzer, a
vector-signal generator, and an 18-slot PXI Express chassis.
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Internet Spam From Industrial Networks? It’s
Possible
Internet bad guys might be able to use industrial networks as remote
terminals to send unsolicited e-mails known as spam and launch attacks
against other computer systems. Good security for plant networks depends
upon good people and policies.
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Finding a Tunnel’s RF Sweet Spot
Security forces and law enforcement agencies depend as much on
wireless communications as teenagers and plugged-in executives. So what
will they do when an emergency strikes in a tunnel or mine, and their
communications start breaking down?
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GaN transistor likes it hot
Move over silicon. A new gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor offers the
promise of low-power consumption and high efficiency in high-power,
high-temperature electronics such as motor drives for hybrid vehicles,
appliances, and defense equipment
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Scanning for Ideas: A Modular, Versatile
Battery
The Nanobattery keeps the electrolyte from touching the electrodes
until power is needed. Therefore, the battery is not making electricity
or running down. When commanded by a user or controller, the battery
releases the electrolyte from a honeycombed separator and begins
generating electricity.
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Video: Lighting up the catwalk
Take a video peek at these attention-seeking divas modeling Lumalive
clothing. The fabric of their clothes contains micro-sized
light-emitting diodes (LEDs) woven into the fabric to produce wearable
displays. It's said the LEDs don't affect the softness or comfort of the
garment and that it's both washable and durable. Other possible
applications include drapes, cushions, and sofa coverings.
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Plug-in PLC With Analog Input
The Solves-It! analog plug-in programmable logic controllers (PLC)
are targeted for small-system control and monitoring where speed,
pressure, or other analog processes are involved. Just like its digital
counterpart, the analog PLC programs in ladder logic with function block
using the EZ Ladder Lite software.
Divelbiss Corp.
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Voice-Capable Alarms Replace Ambiguous
"Beep"
 New
Announcer™ Series alarms from Floyd Bell play a pre-recorded audio
message up to ten seconds at an average of 85dB. The same size as a
standard piezo alarm, they provide the ability to replace an ambiguous
beep with voice instructions or warnings. Choose from standard warning
message, send us your own file, or have Floyd Bell provide the
production of the message. Various voltage ranges, quick connect
terminals. Floyd Bell Inc. 1-888-FLOYD-BELL
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Transparent screw covers
Transparent screw and hinged covers have been added to the Arca
product line. The covers are available for enclosure sizes ranging from
6 x 6 x 4 in. up to 14 x 12 x 7 in.
Fibox Enclosures
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Gold-plated bellows contacts
Gold-plated bellows contacts are an alternative to
spring-loaded-type test pins for high-frequency test applications.
Manufactured from electrodeposited nickel and gold plated, the contacts
provide extremely low dc resistance with a minimum of insertion loss,
and are rated for a 4-A maximum current.
Servometer – PMG LLC
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Power supply
These low-profile ATX computer power supplies are open-frame ac/dc
supplies that target server and industrial computer applications. Five
voltages are available for today’s high-end industrial computers: 3.3,
5, 12, –12, and 5 V (standby). The units are 1U rack and enclosure
mountable.
Lambda Americas Inc.
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Rev up your interdisciplinary design skills
What happens when a microcontroller turns on a power FET, sending a
current pulse to a motor coil that develops a magnetic field which turns
the rotor shaft, advancing a timing belt that drives a pair of nip rolls
suspended on bearings in a web-processing operation on a form, fill, and
seal machine installed on a potato chip line at a Frito Lay plant in
central California? And how can you be sure that the encoders, prox
sensors, and other feedback devices you plan to use will accurately see
and report every relevant motion, machine state, and process condition?
And will the signals get through the networks fast enough, without being
corrupted, giving the controllers time to execute their algorithms as
intended? It's a lot to think about, and it only scratches the surface
of what many engineers grapple with today. If you happen to be one of
them, then the place for you — where you can find answers and meet
others with similar concerns — is www.Mechatronic-Design.com.
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Electronics, Mechatronic-Design.com is the interdisciplinary engineer's
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Experience National Instruments Technologies From
the Comfort of Your Own Computer!
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than 200 on-demand webcasts, videos, interactive
tutorials and demos available for users of any experience level, it is
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CAD Library offers advanced CAD Resources
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Sponsored
by:
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UPCOMING IN-PERSON EVENTS
Design-2-Part Shows are America's longest running and most trusted
events for sourcing custom parts and services.
Ten shows covering the country offer OEMs, engineers and purchasing
personnel the opportunity to meet job shops and
contract manufacturers face-to-face.
UPCOMING WEBCASTS
Thermal Management: Heat Balance Control via IR Sensing
Exergen Corporation
DATE: October 7th, 2008
TIME: 2:00pm ET/11am PT
Thermal management using heat balance control can boost production line
speed for a myriad of applications. Explore how this technology can work
for your operation.
Learn the fundamentals of IR temperature sensing:
Infrared physics and math
Emissivity (high and low)
Principles of the IRt/c in noncontact temperature measurement
Heat transfer physics and math
Apply IR temperature sensing to heat balance control:
Principles of the heat balance in time and space
The speed boost equation
Balanced heat input via IR Control
Applications (laminating, drying, printing, heat sealing, color
copying)
High-speed event detection
Click here to learn more and register!
Motion Control Cards: Options and Architectures
Advanced Features and Application Design Challenges
Sponsored by PMD
DATE: October 16th, 2008
TIME: 2:00pm ET/11am PT
What form factor to use?
Over the years there have been a number of motion control card
implementations, mainly based on some version of a PC-bus.
Today the most common ones are based on PCI, ISA, and PC/104 formats.
In that last couple of years a stand-alone card format with serial
communication has become common, adding value by reducing the dependence
on the PC chassis and saving space.
There have also been a lot of improvements in motion control cards’
capabilities and performance that allow for much better system
optimization. In this presentation we will explore these advances in
card technology and how it affects motion control system architecture
and design.
Click here to learn more and register!
Why Vent?
Improve Reliability for Rugged Electronics
Sponsored by Gore
DATE: October 22th, 2008
TIME: 2:00pm ET/11am PT
Your customers want to use electronics anytime, anywhere, and under any
conditions, so product reliability is crucial. Yet designing a sealed
housing to withstand harsh environments is challenging. Over time, seals
can become damaged and compromise product performance because the
underlying cause of these issues is not addressed – pressure
variations caused by the environment. This presentation investigates the
causes of product failure and how venting alleviates many of these
issues.
In this webinar you will learn about
the challenges of designing reliable products for rugged
applications
the causes and effects of pressure differentials
the impact of these issues on sealed enclosures used in harsh
environments
the latest technology to extend product life by alleviating pressure
variations
Click here to learn more and register!
ARCHIVED WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING
Click Here for a list of archived Machine Design
webcasts.
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Minco Flexible Heaters Design Guide
Order a FREE Flexible Heaters Design Guide to learn how flexible heaters
can benefit your design. Also get tips on selecting the right heater for
prototyping. Get your copy today: www.minco.com/heaterguide
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