EngineerIT

Businesses - step back and evaluate security posture

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Andrew Kirkland, Trustwave South Africa Nobody listens to the word "security" anymore. It's a used up, dried up, dripping tap of a word that can mean anything from one to a thousand different things.
And yet, for the modern business, it has never been as important. Stolen data, a corporate hack, down-time these translate into lost money and time, resources that are essential to corporate s

Front Cover Description Maintain peak efficiency throughout your system's life

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Maintenance and support services from Schneider Electric empower you to maximise system performance at every stage of its life cycle. We help you resolve everyday technical issues and simplify maintenance to deliver more uptime and efficiency for your automation assets including PLCs, drives, HMI, and SCADA. A service agreement ensures the high degree of security that is indispensable in all indus

Copyright

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

© 2013 - EE Publishers (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright of all material appearing in EngineerIT is vested in EE Publishers. In submitting any article for publication, the authors confirm that they own the copyright to the said article, which is ceded to EE Publishers for publication. The editor reserves the right to edit or shorten articles submitted for publication.
Editing and/or

Disclaimer

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Articles published in EngineerIT do not necessarily reflect the views of EE Publishers or the editor. In addition, views expressed by the editor do not necessarily reflect the views of EE Publishers or any other person or organisation associated with EngineerIT.
It is a condition of publishing material in EngineerIT that EE Publishers shall not be liable for any consequential or other damages a

Maintain peak efficiency throughout your system's life

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Information from Schneider Electric Maintenance and support services from Schneider Electric empower you to maximise system performance at every stage of its life cycle.
We help you resolve everyday technical issues and simplify maintenance to deliver more uptime and efficiency for your automation assets including PLCs, drives, HMI, and SCADA. Because each of our customers has different suppo

CEFIM presentations at MAREW '13

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Central Europe's premier radio and wireless peer-reviewed conference, the Microwave and Electronics Week (MAREW '13), was held in Pardubice, Czech Republic from 13 16 April 2013.
The conference was hosted by the University of Pardubice under the auspices of the IEEE Czechoslovakia Section, the Radioengineering Society and the Czech Electrotechnical Society. It showcased the latest developme

Young achievers rewarded

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A group of 60 bright young engineering bursary students from universities across South Africa who achieved 150 distinctions between them in 2012 received the Denel Dynamics Young Achievers Award for top academic performance. Jan Wessels, CEO of Denel Dynamics said that the young men and women working in advanced technology environments have the potential to create from ten to 1000 jobs wherever

X-CHANGE 2013 User Conference

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

X- CHANGE 2013 , Invensys Wonderware's 21st annual User Conference was held at Sun City, North West Province from 21 24 April. The conference was a marked success with the attendance of more than 300 industry professionals from South Africa and abroad. The conference focused on how Invensys solutions are geared towards helping individuals make their companies more successful. While there's no la

Order for 2400 robots

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

ABB has received an order for 2400 robots by BMW Group. Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig, Germany, as well as in Tiexi, China. The ABB robots will mainly be used for material handling tasks, as well as gluing and spot welding processes. BMW's choice of ABB for the blanket supply of so many robots is telling. This is not the first such or

ABB motor controller launch

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

ABB recently launched its new UMC100-FBP and UMC100 Atex universal motor controllers, as well as its new MTQ22FBP modbus TCP interface at the company's premises in E d e n v a l e , Johannesburg. In t e r m s of protection, the new voltage modules VI150 and VI155 can be connected to the UMC100-FBP to add voltage and power-based protection and supervision functions, as well as energy measurement.

Cloud-based MES/MOM

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

MESA International has announced that STISlimSoft has introduced a new initiative aimed at "bringing manufacturing operations management (MES/MOM) software to the cloud" during the recent MESA North American Conference. The intent, according to Andrew Waycott, CTO of STI-SlimSoft, is to open up the power of today's operations management solutions to a much broader set of customers. Most notably, h

inbox

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Send your letters to annette.thompson@ee.co.za and be in line to win a prize. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of EE Publishers, and we reser ve the right to edit letters.

Winning letter to the editor Response to query on cloud computing in EngineerIT, March 2013

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Editor I am not sure what the official definition of cloud computing is, but I am pretty sure of what my IT needs are as a small business owner: backup and access.
Generally speaking the type of IT people you can afford as a small business owner understand IT (to a greater or lessor degree) but not much about its use. Its much the same in large companies, but in my corporate days we could

Response to "Education is everyone's business"

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Editor Mark Heywood, (EngineerIT, April 2013 lead editorial) is absolutely correct in his observations. We need to do all we can to try and improve the dismal state of public education inflicted on the majority of youngsters the government is repeatedly proving itself incapable of making the necessary effort and needs forceful support. Lowering the pass mark just doesn't help anyone in the

Comment by editor

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

I am not sure the above deal should be classified as second rate surely local electronics manufacture and assembly from kits is not a bad way to start. Of course we must try and maximise local content, and we must interrogate government industrial policy and hold them to account. Yes, the electronic components are manufactured elsewhere, but really, how many electronic components are or could be

SA not just a cheap labour pool

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Editor For the electronics industry 2013 started well. New life has been breathed into the manufacturing sector in the Western Cape with the opening of a plant that is assembling fully knocked down kits from the Far East.
The deal was made possible by the tireless work of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Industrial Development Corporation who also brought to the party a fair po

inbox

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Send your letters to annette.thompson@ee.co.za and be in line to win a prize. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of EE Publishers, and we reserve the right to edit letters.

Q&A: Ask an expert

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

This begins a series of Q&A on a variety of topics of interest to our readers, starting with Edmund Geldenhuys has a BSc (Hons) in mathematics and is the senior CAM engineer at TraX automation. discusses Greeff, Gerhard Interconnect. He related to printed Enterprise questionsManufacturing Solutions circuit boards. Association (MESA) e-mail edmund@trax.co.za Southern Africa answers the following q

In conversation with...

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Hans van de Groenendaal in conversation with Albert Kopp, CEO Avnet Kopp retiring end of June 2013.
I spent a great hour, over some good coffee, talking about the highlights and some failures over the past almost 40 years in the electronic component business. Way back in 1958 H Kopp & Co, a local representative for foreign manufacturers was started by Albert's father. Today it is one

Import duty hike rocks LED boat

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Mark Botha, EE Publishers A 20% import duty was imposed on LED lamps and fittings as of 1 January 2013, and a further application by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) for another duty increase is currently pending. How this would impact the SA LED manufacturing and distribution industry, the local energy efficiency drive

ICASA - damned if you do, damned if you don't

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Hans van de Groenendaal, features editor, EngineerIT The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has, over the past few years, been labelled by industry commentators as an organisation that has neither the teeth nor the will to enforce its own regulations or to regulate spectrum effectively, to take South Africa on the broadband highway. This changed when ICASA recently s

Panel discussion on EMC and EMI

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT We posed questions to a number of industry experts about electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), the branch of electrical sciences which studies the unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy with reference to the unwanted effects i.e.
electromagnetic interference (EMI) that such energy may induce. Technical standards On 2

Video and voice conferencing new dimensions

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Hans van de Groenendaal, features editor EngineerIT Electronic conferencing could become the new buzzword having gone through terminology such as teleconferencing, videoconferencing, voice-conferencing and telepresence. What they all have in common is that they claim to save time and money, reducing the need to travel and the latest buzz expression "reducing the carbon footprint". While we

CMMI - is it what it is made out to be?

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT The software industry in South Africa plays a substantial role in the enterprise industry through software solutions for business. There are many processes that need to be followed to ensure that operations are smooth and that the necessary tasks are undertaken to achieve service delivery. Are we doing enough in South Africa to keep our skills and to keep

What is CMMI?

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

CMMI is the acronym for capability maturity model integration. The Joburg Centre for software engineering (JCSE) defines CMMI as a process improvement model that is used to rate the maturity of organisations' processes. It was developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh in the USA to assist companies from a host of sectors improve their a

Telecoms developments in Africa

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Compiled by Matthew White, Iona Press Services Altech exits East and West Africa, looks eastward South Africa's Allied Technologies (Altech) has disposed of its loss-making East and West African operations that have hampered the company's performance over the past two years. Altech disposed of its 75% stake in Nigeria-based Altech West Africa under a vendor-funded preference share arrangement th

gadgets 4 geeks

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

1 Simply more than a smart phone Samsung Galaxy S4 is more like a laptop in a phone format, encompassing a larger screen size and battery, minimised bezel; all housed in the light (130 g) and slim (136,6 x 69,8 x 7,9 mm) shape. It is slimmer yet stronger with its body made from polycarbonate which is a durable, scratch-resistant yet lightweight material ideal for everyday use. Currentl

Unified communications

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Unified communications describes integration of real-time communications services such as instant messaging, telephony, video, data sharing, unified messaging, etc.
both on a social and business level across multiple devices and media types. If you've answered work-related e-mails from the golf course, or discovered it's easier to respond to voicemails via a text message, that flexibility is po

Surge arrester for POE

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Copa's new COP907 7 surge arrester provides superior surgee protection for indoor 100/1000 Base-T Ethernet networks. The ble unit is fully compatible with industr ystandard powerover-Ethernet (PoE) devices, providing protection to both h Ethernet data pairs s as well as the PoE DC C power feed. COP907 07 protects all networks and most data appl

Rackmount modular managed Ethernet switches

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Moxa has unveiled the IKS-6728-4GTXSFP and the IKS-6726-2GTXSFP , two rackmount modular managed Ethernet switches that deliver Gigabit performance in mission-critical applications, such as ITS, oil and gas, and railway. These switches include key industrial certifications so integrators can build an industrial-grade network that spans from fields to the control room. These IKS switches introduce i

Software update for an award-winning app

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Kathea, a distributor of video communications solutions, has announced the availability of Polycom's open, standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), RealPresence Mobile 2.2, a software update for the award-winning app that lets customers securely extend video collaboration beyond the conference room to tablets and smartphones. This update now offers ease and simp

Public and private clouds

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Public clouds have served many companies well in recent years. But the question remains: Does turning to a private cloud make more sense for your particular business? And, if so, how do you deploy a private cloud? Fortunately, any company can leverage the benefits of the cloud cost, speed, and better utilisation of assets in a private cloud data centre. Engineered using scalable, standardised

Point-to-point wireless backhaul solution launched

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Cambium Networks, a leading provider of wireless broadband solutions for reliable connectivity in any environment, has launched the Cambium PTP 810, a new point-to-point (PTP) wireless backhaul solution.
Key features of PTP 810 include: it supports native E1/T1 and native Ethernet with high capabilities and optimal performance in a single configurable software system; operates in the 6 38 GHz

Engineered total flooding systems

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

One of the effective ways to protect key assets (i.e. server rooms, archive rooms, electricity supply components and switching centres) against fire is to use gaseous total flooding systems. Essentially total flooding means you flood the entire room (sealed), containing the asset with a gaseous medium that will inhibit combustion and ultimately extinguish the fire.
This method of fire protectio

Benefits of modular UPS topology

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

While demanding better protection than ever from their UPSs, users face unprecedented constraints on their budgets as well as pressure to "go green". Modular UPS topology is the answer for ICT operators facing these pressures and is currently the fastest growing segment of the 3-phase UPS market. ABB's UPS systems are based on decentralised parallel architecture (DPA), which means that each UPS mo

Optimising batteries' lifespan in UPSs

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

According to Teraco, the key to uninterrupted power within a datacentre lies in optimising the lifespan of the batteries. Optimisation is influenced by incorrect operating conditions within the battery room, and therefore the temperatures need to be kept at an optimum level and also in accordance with the battery manufacturers' recommendations. This will prevent a reduced life expectancy for the b

Quality and simplicity in one convenient package

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

With the deregulation of South Africa's communication sector over the past few years, the local telecoms environment is becoming more vibrant, with increased competition between providers offering consumers more options than ever before. Where one incumbent was once the sole provider of all telephony and internet access, today South African businesses and individuals can choose between a myriad of

New entry-level cameras

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Canon has unveiled two new additions to its entry-level consumer DSLR line-up the EOS 700D and EOS 100D.
Complemented by the introduction of a new standard zoom lens, the EF-S 18 55 mm f/3,5 5,6 IS STM, both new models, offer outstanding 18 megapixel resolution with simple touch screen operation, making it easy to capture and relive every moment in stunning detail, whatever your sk

Industrial WLAN access point/client

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

With its industrial WLAN Access Point/Client WLAN 5100, Phoenix Contact presents a new device for wireless communication in accordance with the WLAN standard IEEE 802.11n. The wireless component supports the multiple input multiple output (mimo) technology with three antennas. This represents a significant increase in the degree of ruggedness, range, and speed of wireless communication when comp

Online transformerless UPS

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The T4 series (10 kVA 20 kVA) is a physically small on-line UPS but is said to retain all the features normally associated with double conversion technology meaning that the mains supply is rectified to a DC voltage and rebuilt into a very clean and regulated AC voltage, and that at all times your critical load runs from this clean no break supply. An advantage offered by th

Audio visual systems on display

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Extron Electronics is an international manufacturer of professional AV system integration products. With offices around the world and an EMEA office in The Netherlands providing long-standing support to the African ProAV market, the decision was made to establish a physical presence in South Africa to increase support and provide easy access to training. Staff from both the newly opened South Afri

Cellular service provider partner

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Porsche Design retail store in Johannesburg has selected Nashua Mobile as its exclusive cellular service provider partner for the Porsche design P9981 BlackBerry smartphone. Aficionados of luxury brands will be able to purchase voice and data contracts for this stylish premium device through Nashua Mobile when they visit Africa's first Porsche Design retail store in Hyde Park Corner, Johannesb

Cloud-based backup solution for Kenyan mobile users

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Gemalto has announced that Safaricom is using its LinqUs cloud backup solution to offer mobile subscribers in Kenya a comprehensive back-up service for phonebook contacts.
Compatible with most of the handset models, the solution ensures that Safaricom customers can easily protect themselves against the disruption caused by phone theft, loss, damage or replacement, through saving all t

Three-phase UPS systems for data centres

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Tripp Lite has introduced a new line of high-capacity three-phase UPS systems.
The SU80KX2, SU100KX2 and SU120KX2 are designed to protect critical s y s t e m s , eliminate downtime and lower costs in data centres and other high-density applications.
With advanced features like ideal power output, modular architecture and parallel capabilities, these new UPS systems p

Flooring cable management

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Legrand's cable management systems for flooring consist of a newly launched flexible low level cable flooring system, traditional raised access flooring and ducting, DLP and over floor trunking, surface or flush mounting floor units, as well as distribution columns power and lighting mechanisms. Flooring components also include a comprehensive range of specially designed accessories, including cab

How robots enhance lean manufacturing environments

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Information from ABB Traditionally, robots have not played a prominent role in the implementation of lean strategies. However, due to their repeatability, speed, accuracy and flexibility, the role of robots in lean implementations is constantly increasing. Automation equipment, which includes robots, is rapidly becoming a core component to lean manufacturing and the reduction of manufactur

Optimising PLC network performance and management

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Gary Chang and Mark Wu, Moxa USA Traditional fieldbus networks were, and some still are, isolated automation systems which require extensive local monitoring and routine onsite maintenance. To increase productivity and reduce operating costs, many manufacturers and plant operators have deployed industrial Ethernet to converge remotely isolated fieldbus systems for centralised control and moni

Servo motor range extended

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The new AM8500 series extends the Beckhoff servo motor range with increased rotor moment of inertia. This servo motor series is suitable for all applications with larger external mass inertias, in particular CNC applications in machine tools and woodworking machines. The AM8500 series covers a wide performance range with four sizes and three lengths with standstill torques from 1,38 to 29 Nm. A pa

New AC drive system introduced

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The new Allen-Bradley Powerflex 525 AC drive is not only compact but features a modular design which allows the control module to be separated for configuration while the power module is installed and wired. The unit includes an embedded port for Ethernet IP to support seamless integration into the logix environment and Ethernet/IP networks. The same control module accommodates the entire power

Wireless solution for industrial maintenance

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Engineering consulting expert Carab Tekniva has introduced the technologically advanced U-Fi wireless communication solution that is specifically designed to track and record maintenance and testing undertaken on power plant boilers. The U-Fi interface is a wireless communication solution developed by the Carab Tekniva Group and enables a seamless transition from the physical plant inspection to

Managed switch for challenging environments

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Available from IAC is the new RSP-Smart, an inexpensive variant to the tried and tested family of RSP switches in its Hirschmann product range. Like the other devices in the family, this managed switch is able to withstand electrostatic discharges, magnetic fields and strong vibrations. It offers six fast Ethernet Ports instead of eleven, and these are available for twisted pair cable (100 base-TX

Making wireless technology easier to deploy and operate

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Honeywell recently announced the availability of OneWireless Network Release 210, which incorporates several new features that make wireless technology easier to deploy and operate, and result in lower deployment and operational costs.
These new features in Release 210 include over-theair field device provisioning and a gateway general client inter face (GCI) made possibl

Food-grade control solution

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

For applications in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries as well as in packaging technology, Beckhoff offers a complete control solution in "Hygienic Design," consisting of Panel PCs, I/O modules and the servo motors from the AM8800 series, all in a stainless steel finish.
The new stainless steel planetary gears from the AG2800 series supplement the AM8800 servo motors to form compl

Radio signal connection protocol

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

I/O signals from Phoenix Contact's Radioline systems can now be connected directly to control units via the Modbus RTU protocol. For this, the radio master wirelessly collects I/O signals from up to 250 radio stations and maps these to a centrally located Modbus register.
This means that the entire radio network can be addressed via one single Modbus slave address. Communication with the cont

Automated and accelerated machinery safety system design

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A set of time-consuming tasks can confront design engineers evaluating and selecting safety automation products. It can be an arduous process of printing out machinery layout drawings, drawing hard and movable guarding, and identifying potentially hazardous access points. Rockwell Automation is addressing this challenge with two new tools that automate and accelerate best-in-class safety functiona

New large digit loop powered indicators

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

BEKA has launched its fourth generation models. These new instruments are UK designed and manufactured and are based on the accumulated experience gained from thousands of installations coupled with the latest electronic, production and certification technology, resulting in larger digits, improved visibility, more standard features and even higher reliability plus significant economic advantages.

Modern LVDT linear position sensors in industrial process applications

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Lee Hudson, Macro Sensors, USA Today's industrial process control applications increasingly use automated systems to optimise operations and ensure a safer, more productive process. Linear position sensors used in these automated systems provide highly accurate feedback on product parameters, control states and outputs to machine controllers. Whether implemented as a standalone component or

Handheld techniques for time domain measurement technologies

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Information from Agilent Technologies At EngineerIT we often receive interesting application notes which due to their length cannot be published in full. However, to alert you to new developments in test equipment and applications we present a brief summary and provide a link to the full document for downloading. Testing and qualifying components and systems that function as part of

What is a vector signal transceiver?

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Erik Johnson, National Instruments Software-defined RF test system architectures have become increasingly popular over the past several decades. Almost every commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) automated RF test system today uses application software to communicate through a bus interface to the instrument. As RF applications become more complex, engineers are continuously challenged with the d

New scope and digital multimeters

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Comtest has added two new models to its 190 series II range of handheld scopemeters, the Fluke-190-502 and the Fluke-190-502S. With a bandwidth of 500 MHz they are both said to be superfast achieving a 5 GS/s sample-rate, providing greater accuracy and clarity of shape and amplitude of waveforms. This new model was specifically designed to ensure that engineers and technicians are able to init

Electromagnetic converter for water

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

In the future, water will become a rare resource. Therefore reliable measurement of water flows is extremely important even under difficult environmental conditions where robust devices are needed. In addition, different requirements call for different output signals. This is where the new electromagnetic converter IFC 050 comes into action. In combination with the Optifluc and Waterflux series it

Spirit of innovation leads to better products

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Endress+Hauser applied for 230 patents in 2012. More than 240 innovators from across the group gathered at the 2013 Innovators' Meeting held in Switzerland, to introduce their developments and share their experiences with their colleagues. Four highlysuccessful patented solutions received awards, while three teams were also recognised for significantly improving business processes. Awards were giv

Ultrasonic level flow transmitter

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The LST400 is an ultrasonic level transmitter capable of measuring liquid level or solid applications up to 15 m, or flow rates in all types of open channel flow applications. The transmitter has a single 4 20 mA DC analogue output with Hart 7 and five relay outputs. A transducer is fitted to the top of a silo or tank, facing down towards the material being measured. The transmitter's micropro

Higher flow rates for mini Coriolis flow meters

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Bronkhorst Cori-Tech B.V. has released a new model in its series of compact Coriolis mass flow meters/controllers for accurate measurement and control of (very) low flow rates. With the introduction of mini-Cori-Flow model M15, the maximum flow range of this product line is extended from 0 30 kg/h to 0 300 kg/h. The instruments are suitable for both liquid and gas flow applications, and the un

Sensor for washdown housing

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Turck is extending its successful uprox+ sensor range with a robust washdown variant in a Q80 housing. The non-flush inductive proximity switch detects all metals with the same high switching distance of 75 mm. The sensor can even be mounted partially embedded or fully flush, as its switching sensitivity adjusts itself to the mounting conditions accordingly. With this degree of flexibility the Q

Monitor, manage and protect your fuel

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

With the ever-escalating cost of fuel, the siphoning-off of fuel from vehicles for illicit sale in commercial fleets and industry is said to be on the increase. Rototherm uses the proven Canongate technology. Tank-i has been developed for level measurement on the vehicle fuel tank, and is a solution that allows fleet operators to monitor, manage and ultimately protect their fuel. A small, non-in

Pressure transmitters with mathematical compensation

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Keller AG claims to have redefined the state-ofthe-art in high precision pressure measurement technology with its Series 33X and 35X pressure transmitters. A floating measurement cell, totally digital signal processing, compensation with mathematical accuracy and a highly dynamic microprocessor these assets produce reference accuracies of up to 0,05% FS error bandwidth. The floating piezoresisti

Multiple light beam safety sensors

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Leuze multiple light beam safety sensors (MLD series) were designed for efficiency right from the start by Leuze Electronic, and these sensors have now been equipped with new functions as part of a further development.
Effective immediately, the user can increase or reduce the operating range of the Leuze MLD units from 50 m to 20 m in one simple action. This increased functionality is particul

Temperature transmitters for the process industry

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The new TAD091 temperature transmitters from Ifm Electronic feature integrated drift monitoring, as well as a diagnostic and backup function that monitors temperatures with the very high accuracy of 0,2°K.
at -10 to 100°C, otherwise 0,3°K. The use of two different sensor elements which monitor each other in the process ensures that a developing sensor drift is immedi

Distributor of the year appointed

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

EBV Elektronik, an Avnet company and a specialist in EMEA semiconductor distribution, was awarded ''EMEA Distributor of the Year 2012'' by its supplier partner Atmel, for highest growth in demand creation and best POS performance for the second time. Additionally EBV was awarded "Distributor of the Year 2012" for Italy, France, Germany and Nordic.
According to the company, EBV El

High-port density rack mount PoE+ switch series

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Allpronix announces the new Kornix JetNet 5728G high-port density rack mount PoE+ switch series which now supports IPv6 protocol to improve network management of high-end surveillance applications.
The IPv6 protocol supported in the new firmware of the 8, 16 and 24-port PoE switches includes all the mandatory core protocols of IPv6 protocol, and is compatible with other IPv6 compliant equip

Smart wireless shock detection

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

BeanAir, a French wireless sensor networks company, produces a wireless tri-axial accelerometer for shock detection and vibration monitoring for application on trains and transport vehicles, crash and impact testing, ride quality measurement, drop testing, transport monitoring as well as health and usage monitoring systems. The BeanDevice AX-3DS integrates an embedded data logger which can be us

Current transducers up to 50 A

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

LEM introduces its new HLSRseries of current transducers, that provides an alternative to resistive shunt/optocoupler configurations for insulated current measurements up to 50 A. The five new HLSR transducers will satisfy application requirements in, for example: industrial inverters and motor drives; switch-mode and uninterruptible power supplies; specialist power supplies suchas weldin

Remote, simultaneous, recordable wireless test tool system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Comtest has introduced Fluke CNX, a customisable, troubleshooting tool-set of wireless test tools that work together, recording live measurements remotely and simultaneously on a single screen.
CNX Modules measure AC voltage, temperature and AC current with a standard clamp or flex clamp. Possible applications include: detection of power interruptions; single phase measurement; determining curr

Emergency stop button with illuminated base

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Banner Engineering has introduced new illuminated E-Stop buttons. The new US patent-pending 30 mm mount emergency stop pushbutton combines safety operation and high visibility status indication in one housing for the first time. Models are also available for flush mounting. With no assembly, individual wiring or additional enclosure required, the E-Stop enhances productivity as well as safety. The

One-box connectivity solution

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Agilent Technologies recently announced the Agilent E5810B LAN/GPIB/ USB gateway, the nextgeneration replacement for the E5810A with added USB capability. The new gateway allows users to connect and control, over a standard local-area network, up to 14 GPIB instruments, up to four USB instruments via a selfpowered hub, and an RS-232 instrument. With the gateway's improved GPIB transfer

Customised capacitive fluid-level sensors

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Molex recently introduced customised capacitive fluid-level sensors, a low-cost measuring solution with disposable sensors and reusable electronic circuitry. Designed for measuring fluid or granular material in non-metallic containers, the patent pending sensor electrode design and configurable software provide higher accuracy with lower hardware cost and easier installation.
Capacitive fluid

Quality management at the click of a mouse

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Memosens is based on non-contact data transmission between sensor and cable that makes the system absolutely robust against external influences such as moisture, corrosion and salt bridges. Unpleasant surprises from measuring point failures caused by these factors are a thing of the past and maintenance work such as calibration and sensor replacement can be planned in advance. Moreover, sensors

Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) temperature sensor

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) temperature sensor is composed of a Pt 100 element, a stainless steel body and stamped welded tube together with an integral connector. The Pt 100 element is potted close to the probe tip to provide a fast time response sensor. The sensor element is connected to the integral connector using high temperature insulated wires.
Features include: Pt 100 Class B el

Electromagnetic compatibility and the Square Kilometre Array

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Dr. Braam Otto, Paul van der Merwe and Prof. Howard C. Reader, MESA Solutions The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the most sensitive radio astronomy receiver ever constructed. It is therefore essential that its infrastructure and systems are kept electromagnetically "whisper-quiet". A local company is working on ensuring that this happens. Since 2006, MESA has been involved in EMC and

Inside Bluetooth low energy technology

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Kjartan Furset, Nordic Semiconductor, Hong Kong Bluetooth low energy wireless technology employs some clever technology to minimise its power consumption. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has recently formally adopted the latest variant of the popular short-range wireless technology, known as Bluetooth Core Specification Version 4.0 ("Bluetooth v4.0"). The muchanticipated ultra-lo

Compact, multi-channel analogue data logger

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

With its colour monitor and internal memory, the GL220 is a compact, lightweight, multichannel data logger that provides ten analogue measurement channels, in addition to four channels each of discrete logic and pulse inputs. It also supports one external trigger input and four alarm outputs. The GL220 is equipped with a 2 GB internal flash memory to allow the direct capture of acquired d

Front end power supplies

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

RFE1600 to be used in a variety of customer specific applications including battery charging. Operating from a universal input of 85 to 265 V AC, the RFE1600 maintains over 90% efficiency, thus minimising heat dissipation. The RFE1600-12, -24, -32 and -48 models can be used individually or up to ten units can be connected in parallel to form an N+1 redundant power system with internal ORing Mosfet

Conduction-cooled version of AC-DC power system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Vicor has introduced a new conduction-cooled version of its high-efficiency Westcor MicroPAC power factor corrected AC-DC power system, enabling system designers to forego fan and forced-air cooling in power systems designed for demanding military, industrial, telecommunications and other applications requiring fanless and/or noiseless operation in restrictive enclosures.
These new power system

Flash memory portfolio expanded

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Microchip announces an expansion of its SPI Flash memory portfolio, with the introduction of the SST25PF020B, SST25PF040B and SST25PF080B devices. Offering 2-, 4- and 8-Mbit of memory, respectively, these devices are manufactured with Microchip's high-performance SuperFlash technology, a split-gate, NOR Flash design with thick-oxide tunnelling injector for superior quality and reliability. With th

Reconfigurable DC arc detect reference solution

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

At the recent Applied Power Electronics Conference, Texas Instruments introduced the industry's first fully programmable DC arc detect reference solution. The RD-195 makes it faster and easier for designers to address a growing need to safeguard high-power DC systems, such as automobile and aircraft battery management systems, industrial factory equipment, and photovoltaic units, against the catas

Low-cost microcontroller joins portfolio

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Microchip announces a new addition to its PIC12/16F15XX 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) family. The low-cost, low pin-count PIC12LF1552 is Microchip's smallest (2 x 3 mm UDFN package) and lowest-cost PIC MCU with hardware I2C support, and includes a four channel 10-bit analogue-todigital converter with hardware capacitive voltage divider (CVD) support for capacitive touch sensing. In addition,

Bringing professional laser distance measurement to the mass-market

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Leica Geosystems brings professional laser distance measurement to the mass-market using Nordic Semiconductor nRF8001based Bluetooth low energy link to smartphones. The Leica Disto D510 from Leica Geosystems is designed to take laser distance meters traditionally used by professional surveyors and engineers into the mainstream using the simplicity of a smartphone app user

Microphone for hearing aid applications

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Analog Devices has recently introduced a high performance MEMS microphone developed specifically for hearing aid applications. When compared to legacy solutions like electret condenser microphones (ECMs), the ADMP801 is not only smaller in size at only 7,3 mm3, but also offers greater performance stability over time, temperature, and environmental changes. It produces very low equivalent input noi

Components for industrial networking

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Microsens now offers a new series of high performance products for industrial networking in a compact design. The Entry Line compact series includes copper/fiber optic media converters, switches, and power-over-Ethernet injectors and splitters. All of them just cover the surface area of a modern smartphone and can be directly assembled on the DIN rail or via a mounting bracket on the wall. Due t

Energy-saving in electronic systems

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Silica, an Avnet company, has announced a strategy to establish itself as the power experts in European semiconductor distribution. The new strategy is being rolled out under the brand Power 'n More, and builds on Silica's strong ability to support end-to-end designs both at system and device level. According to the company, with the continuing trend for energy saving in electronic systems, design

Isolated DC-DC converters for medical applications

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

SynQor announces the expansion of its family of medical grade products. The CFQor DC/DC converters are designed to provide isolated DC power for applications requiring CF body contact and defibrillation pulse withstand capability as specified in EN60601. These fixed-switching frequency converters use SynQor's synchronous rectifier based technology to achieve extremely high-efficiency. The

NASA'S Kepler discovers its smallest "habitable zone" planets to date

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

NASA's Kepler mission has discovered two new planetary systems that include three super-Earth-size planets in the "habitable zone," the range of distance from a star where the surface temperature of an orbiting planet might be suitable for liquid water.
The Kepler-62 system has five planets; 62b, 62c, 62d, 62e and 62f. The Kepler-69 system has two planets; 69b and 69c. Kepler-62e, 62f and 69c a

High capacity broadband satellite

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) announced that it has selected Space Systems/ Loral (SSL) to build what will be the world's highest capacity broadband satellite Jupiter 2/EchoStar XIX. With over 150 Gbps throughput, the new Ka-band satellite will have 50% greater capacity than that launched on 5 July 2012. Planned for launch in mid-2016, the new satellite is being designed with a nextgenera

AeroSpace and Beyond Hubble takes a closer look at Comet ISON

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of Comet (C/2012 S1) ISON was photographed on 10 April 2013, when the comet was slightly closer than Jupiter's orbit at a distance of 386-million miles from the sun (634-million km from Earth).
Even at that great distance the comet is already active as sunlight warms the surface and causes frozen volatiles to sublimate. A detailed analysis of the dust coma

SANSA's Hartebeesthoek is key space player

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in South Africa is the Hartebeesthoek satellite tracking station tucked away in the hills of the Magaliesberg near the Hartebeespoort dam, west of Johannesburg. The facility has grown from two antennas originally belonging to NASA, to more than 20 antennas on site.
These include full-motion telemetry, tracking and command antennas and five remote sensing sys

SA radio amateurs face frequency challenge

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

by Hans van Groenendaal, features editor, EngineerIT In this monthly feature, Hans van de Groenendaal ZS6AKV, executive chairman of the South African Amateur Radio Development Trust (SAARDT), looks at various technologies and activities that drive amateur radio. SAARDT is dedicated to the development of amateur radio in South Africa with a special interest in the youth. The organisation is funde

FRANCE

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Barging in the south of France Canal du Midi by Julia Pullen Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Canal du Midi ows from Toulouse in the south-west of France to Sète on the Mediterranean coast, a distance of 240km. This complex system of locks, aqueducts and bridges is a truly remarkable feat of engineering, built by the Béziers salt baron Paul Riquet. Completed in 1681, it encourage

Upcoming events

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

3 5 July 2013 Cape Industrial Trade Show Cape Town Convention Centre.
Contact Mandy Prince, Tel 021 685-0845, info@impactexpo.co.za 7 19 July 2013 Mediatech Africa The Coca-Cola Dome, Northgate, Gauteng.
Contact Simon Dobinson, Tel 011 025-3180, simon@mediatech.co.za 16 17 July 2013 Call for Papers LTE Africa 2013 Cape Town.
Contact Emily Martyr, emily.martyr@informa.com or corrie

New appointments

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Niven Maraj has been appointed BCM advisor, ContinuitySA. Vally Padayachee has been appointed director for business development and marketing, Powertech. Vic Prins has been appointed, director aviation, Royal HaskoningDHV. Brendon Pronk has been appointed executive for strategic development, Teraco. Sara Ross has been appointed marketing manager, ACDC Dynamics. David Bollaert has been