Improve meter read rates.

Texas Metering & Device Company (TMD), a premier provider of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and services for electric, water and gas utilities and The Antenna Company have a robust solution for improved wireless connectivity of off-network smart meters for electric utilities.

This collaboration combines TMD’s AMI expertise and industry knowledge with The Antenna Company's innovative high-efficiency LTE antennas (AC94541-01 -right) and RF Coupler solution (AC20424-01) to solve the connectivity problem of off-network utility smart meters. TMD will serve as a US distributor for The Antenna Company’s products included in the smart meter retrofit kit.

“As utilities increasingly enforce 100% meter read rates, the demand for reliable utility smart meter wireless connectivity continues to rise. TMD and The Antenna Company have combined their strengths to deliver a proven wireless range extension retrofit solution for the smart meter market,” stated Steve Swenke, President of TMD.

Key benefits of the solution include:

1. Immediate availability: The smart meter retrofit kit is available now. Installation will result in improved meter read rates for cellular 4G LTE/P-LTE, including Anterix™ 900MHz spectrum, and short-range/mesh networking connectivity, reducing the need for expensive, time-consuming manual meter reads.
2. Fast return on investment: Eliminate the high cost of truck rolls for manual meter reading by deploying this innovative range-extension solution.
3. Comprehensive support: Customers can expect comprehensive technical support and expertise from TMD, ensuring successful implementation of the smart meter wireless range-extension solution.

“We are delighted to partner with TMD as our integration expert and distributor for the US utility smart meter market,” said Norm Smith, Vice President of Sales for The Antenna Company. “Today’s joint announcement by TMD and The Antenna Company marks a strategic alignment and immediate availability of this retrofit solution that will drive a much-needed improvement in smart meter remote-read rates.”

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@antennacompany @TEXASMETER @SRSTechPR #Communications #Power 

DC energy meter for EVs.

LEM will use PCIM 2023 to give the global e-mobility market advance notice of its new DC energy meter for DC wallbox chargers of electric vehicles (EVs). Offering compliance to the latest metrology regulations, the DCBM 100 energy meter will be introduced to the EU market in Q3 this year.

Florent Balboni

“Rapid deployment of new products and technologies is crucial to meet the diverse demands of EV charging applications," says Florent Balboni, LEM Global Product Manager for energy metering solutions. "Ensuring fairness and transparency for all users, kWh-based billing is essential for technology acceptance. DC meters must therefore be tailored to EV charging applications such as DC wallboxes which will play a significant role in charging infrastructure and the development of advanced V2G services.”

 

With the continuous growth at a rapid rate of the e-mobility sector, the new DC energy meter is expected to be of particular interest to manufacturers of EV chargers to enable kWh-based billing when charging in public or semi-public areas. To allow for kWh-based billing of charging sessions, energy metering solutions must be integrated into destination DC chargers, following calibration laws. kWh-based payment is increasingly required and enforced because it promotes accessibility, fairness and transparency of prices for all users during the charging process of electric vehicles.

EVs have the option of being charged using either AC or DC power. DC charging through a wallbox offers several advantages over AC charging because it overcomes the power limitation of the on-board charger used in AC charging. This results in shorter charging times and enables easier access to services like vehicle-to-grid (V2G).

With destination charging applications, where the charging time is typically between one to two hours, an average charging power in DC in the range of 30kW is usually adequate to recharge most EVs. To meet this demand, DC wallboxes are a crucial component of the charging infrastructure and provide reasonable charging times at an acceptable cost for charging point operators (CPOs). 

With its powerful bi-directional energy metering enabling V2G, the DCBM 100 DC energy meter is designed to ensure full transparency and enable end-users to have confidence in the fairness of their kWh-based charging experience. The future-ready DCBM 100 has been developed specifically for 11kW to 30kW DC wallbox applications, delivering Class B accuracy and 1000V DC and 80A rating in temperatures from -40°C to +80°C. Charging cables can be directly connected to the new meter.

Also, the DCBM 100 provides in real time additional data (voltage, current, power, temperature) that will be essential to developing the kinds of predictive maintenance tools needed to minimise EV charger downtime. As part of LEM’s larger family of direct current billing meters, the DCBM 100 also ensures easy software integration and secure data handling using the latest Open Charge Metering Format (OCMF).

@LEM_Inc @NapierPR #PAuto #Electrical #Automotive

Gas detection for safety.

In a strategic move to further expand its portfolio of high-performance gas detection instrumentation, ION Science has launched a range of cost-effective, low maintenance, disposable ARA Single Gas Detectors for compliance monitoring and worker safety. The personal, wearable instruments enable workers to monitor their exposure to toxic gases as well as oxygen enrichment and depletion, alerting them when safe levels are exceeded.

Duncan Johns, Managing Director at Ion Science comments: “The ARA single gas detector range offers our customers a winning combination of safety and functionality whilst being low-maintenance and simple to operate. An affordable solution for safety-critical, life-saving scenarios, it further strengthens our product range and reinforces ION Science’s position at the forefront of gas detection technology.”
 

Ideal for petrochemical site plant workers and on-site contractors, the small, lightweight ARA single gas detector comprises six models including four gas types: hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide, oxygen and sulphur dioxide. The low maintenance, disposable instruments offer two-year continuous run time as standard. The carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide options are also available as additional hibernation models with a three-year run time.

These ARA single gas detectors are designed for use as safety compliance devices to be worn throughout daily shifts within a range of industry sectors including oil & gas, chemical, manufacturing, water, aerospace and power generation, and across a variety of applications such as site-wide safety, confined space entry, plant shutdown processes and first response safety. The instruments help workers carry out their work safely and cost-efficiently, alerting the wearer to the presence of unsafe gas levels.

User set low and high alarms will alert the wearer and surrounding colleagues to the presence of hazardous gas exposure. When an alarm occurs, the user must exit the hazardous area or put on PPE, in line with their company or local health and safety guidelines.

The low-maintenance ARA single gas detector is easy to use and operate with one button operation. The user simply switches the instrument on from receipt and it will run continuously for two years displaying real-time readings and instantaneous alarms to protect the workforce within hazardous environments. Hibernation models allow the device to be placed on standby to extend battery life up to three years (based on i minute daily alarm).

An additional benefit of the ARA single gas detector is its lifetime remaining countdown feature that helps users to plan for future projects and site shutdowns.

ARA’s self-test feature tests the audio, visual & vibrating alarms, giving users confidence that they are in safe hands. Easy to perform in a single button press and with user-configurable reminders, the self-test reassures users that their device is in safe working condition.

The ARA single gas detectors can be connected to PC software via the ARA IR link, to set bump test and calibration reminders as well as low / high user adjustable alarms. The ARA PC allows users to download 30 recent event logs and configure user settings.

@ionscience @elhcomms #PAuto 

Loop powered indicators.

The VPM2000 Series of loop-powered display meters with process current output and alarm capabilities is the latest addition to the Acromag Verty ™range. They supplement the digital indicator functions of a panel meter with optional 4-20mA isolator output and/or alarm trip solid-state relays. A dual-line LCD display has large 0.7 inch digits, an optional bargraph, and a backlight for clear visibility in bright sunlight or dim lighting. The backlight glows red and flashes under alarm condition. No separate power supply is required for easy installation almost anywhere. They are even UL/cUL approved for use in hazardous locations requiring intrinsically safe, non-incendive devices.

“These versatile instruments combine the functionality of a 4-20mA signal isolator, a dual-relay limit alarm, and a digital display in a single unit that is powered off a process current loop” explained Robert Greenfield, Acromag’s Business Development Manager.

The VPM2000 displays are simple to set up and install. USB connection to a PC makes setup fast and easy with the free configuration software which can save the file for copying to other units. Front-panel pushbuttons can also set operating parameters and serve as function keys to change the display or acknowledge alarms. A shallow-depth 1/8 DIN enclosure with a NEMA 4X IP65 front panel facilitates mounting. Internal PCBs are conformal coated for protection from the elements while a -40 to 75°C operating range enables use in extreme environments.

Other advanced capabilities add further value. Two open collector outputs and a digital input are standard. The discrete outputs are useful for alarm indication or pulse output. The discrete input can trigger or reset alarms. Square root, exponential, and linearizer calculations perform scaling for flow and volume computation. The two-line display can show the measured process value in different scales such as tank height on the top line and volume on the bottom. Pushbuttons toggle display of min/max values or other units. Dual relays enable a variety of alarm trip configurations for high/low, high/high, and low/low limit triggers. Relays can also be used for process on/off control and pump alternation applications with display of runtime and cycle counts.

@Acromag #PAuto 

Flow in biogas applications.

Owners, operators and system designers of biogas production and recovery systems will want to explore the innovative ST80 Series thermal flow meter from Fluid Components International (FCI).

These users will find the new Model ST80 flow meter provides optimal performance and the necessary features required for accuracy and repeatability in demanding biogas flow measurement applications. The unit is an easy to install, safe biogas flow meter that delivers a truly best cost
solution.

In anaerobic digester produced biogas, for example, gas flow measurement can be challenged by the dirty, wet nature of this gas. Biogases are also a potentially explosive, mixed composition gas comprised primarily of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), with traces of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other gases that require stringent safety approvals to protect people, equipment and plants.

Furthermore, the residuals and particulates in the biogas, along with the H2S component, is a corrosive condensate that deposits itself on the pipe wall and instruments in the pipe, which can clog or foul orifice, vortex shedding, PD, turbine and most other technology sensors. The flow of rates of biogas varies widely too—based on fluctuating plant process demands and seasonal variations in temperature and humidity, requiring low flow sensitivity and wide turndowns.

Thermal mass flow meters using constant power technique, such as the ST80 Series, with their robust, open and cleanable, no-moving parts sensor design provide an ideal biogas application solution in this demanding environment. Furthermore, their international approvals for Div.1/Zone 1, on the entire instrument, ensure safe installation in hazardous biogas processing areas.

The measurement principle of thermal mass flow meters involves heat transfer caused by gas flow. Any moisture or condensate in the gas stream that intermittently contacts the sensors, however, can cause a sudden, momentary change in the heat transfer rate that can result in spiking or fluctuating readings.

Standard thermal flow meters using the constant temperature ∆T (CT) measuring technique are particularly reactive to moisture droplets, while constant power (CP) technique thermal meters, because of their slightly heated sensor that elevates the dew point, are less so.

The ST80 Series flow meter features FCI’s Adaptive Sensor Technology™ (AST™), which is an
innovative, patented hybrid sensor drive. This measuring technique combines, for the first time, both of the industry’s highly proven constant power (CP) and constant temperature (CT) thermal dispersion sensing technologies in the same instrument.

Complementing this new measurement drive technique are a choice of four different flow sensor element designs to further ensure best installed performance, including FCI’s new wet gas solution.

The Wet Gas MASSter™ sensor developed for the ST80 Series optimizes the sensor head design and installation to prevent condensation droplets, or rain, from contacting the sensors.

The ST80 Series flow meters are suitable for pipe diameters from 1 inch to 99 inches [25 mm to 2500 mm] and air/gas temperatures up to 850°F [454°C]. They feature accuracy of ±1% of reading, ±0.5% of full scale and repeatability of ±0.5% of reading with flow rates as low as 0.25 SFPS up to 1000 SFPS [0.07 NMPS to 305 NMPS] and 100:1 turndown.

This meter’s outputs and user interface choices are extensive to interface with virtually any control system and/or set-up or configuration devices. Standard outputs include dual, NAMUR NE43 compliant 4-20 mA analog outputs, HART (version 7), Modbus 485 and a USB port. Foundation Fieldbus or PROFIBUS PA or DP can be optionally added. The optional backlit LCD display provides digital and bar graph readouts of the flow rate and temperature, totalized flow, alarms, diagnostics feedback and even a user-defined label/tag field.

The ST80 Series transmitter enclosure is NEMA 4X/IP67 rated, selectable for NPT or metric
conduit port threading and is available in both aluminum and stainless steel and may be remotely located up to 1000 feet [305 m] apart from the flow element. The instrument also carries an independent, thirdparty evaluated SIL compliance.

#PAuto #FCI

DC energy meters certified!

LEM has become the first company to receive the German certification for the EM4TII (Energy Meter For Traction) DC energy meters.

In the 21st century, the world faces a huge challenge to reduce CO2 emissions. The impact of CO2 on global warming has been proven, and the progress of new technologies in power electronics and battery chemistry is accelerating. The introduction of an alternative to the combustion engine driven car, the electric vehicle (EV) is a massive advance in technology and the market is undeniably booming.

The steadily increasing battery capacity has helped the EV market grow, but the most appealing use cases remain short journeys in an urban setting. To make electric vehicles the vehicle of choice for the wider market and to reduce the carbon footprint of private transport, a network of fast chargers must be installed, allowing users to make long trips without worrying about range or the charging time. Energy suppliers have already started to deploy fast charger networks (30min, 150kW) and expect ultra-fast chargers (>10 min, 350kW) by 2020. Fast and ultra-fast chargers provide direct current (DC) as they are directly connected to the battery.

As from April 2019, new regulations will enter in force that require energy providers to only charge energy delivered to the car (it is normal not to pay the losses related to the performance of the charger). Today only certified AC energy meters exist for billing electricity to the end user.
As DC solution, LEM proposes the proven DC meter for railway applications called EM4TII which has successfully passed all required tests and has obtained the type approval certification, the Baumusterprüfbescheinigung by PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) last month. In parallel, for the future requirements of the market, LEM will introduce soon a new ‘LEM Direct Current (DC) Meter’, much more compact than the previous version of the EM4TII. This new meter will be as accurate and universal, whatever the topology of the charging station (up to 600 kW).

Mr Mathieu Béguin (Product marketing engineer) summarises, “Originally developed for railway applications, we identified an opportunity to adapt the EM4TII DC Meter to comply with German regulations. Information about the new DC Meter will follow in due course.”

@LEM_Inc #PTB @NapierPR

Desktop & handheld meters.

JPR Electronics has been appointed as the official distributor in Britain for the Uni-Trend range of handheld and desktop Measuring Instruments.

Paul Raynor, Director of JPR Electronics, told Read-out, “Uni-Trend manufactures a very wide range of high quality multimeters, clamp meters, oscilloscopes and other handheld and desktop measurement tools at affordable prices. These will be welcomed in the electrical installation and test and electronics design, manufacture and service markets. We also have a large number of customers in the educational sector who will find Uni-Trend products very attractive.”

Uni-Trend Technology (China) Co., Ltd. is one of the leading Test and Measurement solutions providers in Asia and a prestige test meter brand in China. Uni-Trend manufactures innovative, reliable, high quality, safe to use, and user friendly T&M products. Internationally Uni-Trend has established collaborations in over 90 countries with more than 600 partners for product distribution and services.

From their modern ISO 9001 accredited 50,000 square metre facility in China Uni-Trend designs and manufactures test meters and instruments which meet all international safety agency requirements.

Product areas covered include Industrial Meters for electrical and industrial markets including electrical test, digital clamp meters, power quality analysers, thermal imagers, infra-red temperature measurements.

General measuring instruments including digital multimeters digital clamp meters environmental testers, socket testers voltage detectors, voltage and continuity testers, circuit breaker finders, component testing tools, thermal imagers, cable testers and USB Testers.

And a wide range of handheld and benchtop instruments including ultra-phosphor oscilloscopes, digital storage oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers, waveform generators and laboratory DC power supplies.

 @Jprelec #PAuto #TandM

Laser power detectors.

Gentec-EO’s latest high-power series of PRONTO measurement tools is now available at Laser Components. These new models are going to replace the successful FLASH series, while also featuring some major improvements such as factory-provided calibration for wavelengths between 250 nm and 2,500 nm and an optional calibration for 10.6 μm.

The improved control and display unit has been equipped with a color touchscreen for easier control, allowing the user to set all necessary parameters with just a few clicks. The devices also feature micro USB interfaces for the transmission of measurement data to any connected computer. Gentec-EO also announced that computer-to-PRONTO transfers and USB-based “remote control” are soon to be available.

The new series provides the same measuring performance and high detector damage threshold users already know from the FLASH series. Its four models cover a power range from approximately 2 W to a maximum of 10 kW and offer a particularly low noise level (0.1 W for PRONTO-500) to guarantee maximum precision. Measuring is completed within a few seconds, allowing several measurements to be made before the device has to cool down. The PRONTO high-power series works without water cooling, which makes it the tool of choice for service technicians who conduct precise measurements with high-power industrial lasers.

@LaserComponents #PAuto #Power

New features and options for watermeter!

Krohne has introduced several new features and options for WATERFLUX 3070. As water meters are often installed in remote locations, reducing the frequency of visits to the sites and the time spend on set-up and maintenance is crucial. This relies on aspects such as a simplified installation, integrated diagnostics, a long battery lifetime, remote communication options and low overall maintenance requirements of the meters. All new features and options for the WATERFLUX contribute to these targets.

In terms of installation, the polycarbonate converter housing with protection class IP68 rating is now standard for both compact and remote version, e.g. for temporarily flooded measuring pits. It features IP68 waterproof plug and play connectors that do not require wiring on site, and a small installation footprint to fit into electrical cabinets.

For locations where mains power is available, WATERFLUX 3070 is now available with an external FlexPower unit  to connect the meter to a 110…230V AC or 10…30V DC power source on site, e.g. an electrical grid, a solar panel or a small windmill. The FlexPower module also has an internal battery that serves as a battery backup in case the external power source fails.

The integrated pressure and temperature sensor is a new option to allow the use of WATERFLUX for various tasks in drinking water networks: Flow and pressure measurement data are an important input for pressure monitoring, maintaining the water balance, district zoning (DMA), and for leak detection in drinking water networks when comparison of pressure and flow values is used as method. With WATERFLUX, Krohne now offers the first all-in-one water meter for this application, eliminating the installation and wiring of separate flow, pressure and temperature sensors. Pressure and temperature values are available via the display or via Modbus, e.g. temperature data can be used for quality monitoring of potable water. Alarms can be generated via the status output or via Modbus when critical limits for pressure and or temperature are exceeded. The integrated pressure and temperature sensor is available for diameters DN50…200 / 2…4".

The communication options have also been extended to meet water companies increasing demand for more measurement and status data from water meters. The new Modbus RTU output offers an alternative to the two pulse and two status outputs, transferred data includes measurement data (sum, forward and reverse counters, flow rate), status data (battery lifetime, meter status), actual values for pressure and temperature, and alarms. Modbus RTU can be provided via a low (battery) power and a high (mains) power version. The low power Modbus version is unique to the market and can be used for data communication between a stand-alone battery powered WATERFLUX 3070 version and a data logger GPRS module. When mains power operated with FlexPower, the high featured Modbus option can be used for data transfer to automation and process control systems.

For the sensor, thread connections G1” for DN25 and G1,5” for DN40 are now a regular option for small nominal diameters, When ordered with flanges, nominal diameters DN25…200 / 1…8" are equipped with stainless steel flanges as standard. Previously only available for smaller diameters, WATERFLUX with large nominal diameters up to DN600/ 24" can now also be verified to OIML R49 and MID MI-001 with 0 DN / 0 DN straight inlet / outlet.

• Introduced in 2009, the WATERFLUX battery powered water meter remains a very successful product in the drinking / clean water market, and is continuously updated to keep up with modern requirements. Certified to MID MI001 and OIML R49, it features a unique rectangular measuring tube design. Because inlet or outlet sections are not required, the sensor allows for a compact installation and a small overall installation footprint. There is no need for grounding rings because as standard the flow sensor has a reference electrode for grounding. A special coating allows for subsoil installation of the sensor.

• Krohne products are marketed in Ireland by DWN Instrumentation.

#PAuto @KROHNE_USA

Panel meters, explosion proof meters at Canadian show!

Precision Digital Corporation will demonstrate its newest flow, level, temperature, and pressure meters at the ISA Calgary Show 2015 (April 22-23, 2015 Alberta, Canada).

The Precision Digital Team will demonstrate the company's new products, including Modbus® Scanners, explosion-proof indicators, and NEMA 4X/IP65 field-mounted displays. Featured will be the ProtEX® PD6800-0L1, an explosion-proof process meter with a segmented bargraph, ideal for oil & gas level applications using the metric system, and the ProtEX® PD6830, a field mounted flow indicator designed for accurate display of and quick access to local or remote process information in hazardous areas or in the harshest safe area applications.

"Our ProtEX explosion-proof instruments and Vantageview family of field mounted meters are designed for what operators need most...meters that are easy to read, display important information about their process, and can be seen from wide angles and a distance, especially in hazardous areas," said Jeffrey Peters, President, Precision Digital Corporation. "Precision Digital meters are designed for readability and ease of use, from large character displays to automatic unit conversions." 

• Precision Digital products are marketed in Ireland by P J Bonner & Co.

New member for digital meter family!

Precision Digital Corporation has announced the latest member of the ProVu® family of digital panel meters, the PD6400 High Voltage and Current Meter. An 1/8 DIN size unit, the PD6400 provides reliable measurement of high voltage, current, and apparent power. Independent, field-selectable current and voltage inputs accept up to 300 V and 5 A, AC or DC.

The user-configurable, dual-linedisplay features easy-to-read LED digits and warning lights with adjustable brightness. Modbus® capability (Slave) allows seamless integration into existing networks. The PD6400 is NEMA4X/IP65 rated for use in a panel or in the field under harsh environmental conditions; it also carries CE and UL listings.

The PD6400 High Voltage and Current Meter can be easily installed into virtually any application requiring high voltage measurement up to 300 V, high current measurement up to 5 A, or measurement of apparent power. The meter can also accept current transformer inputs for even higher current measurements. AC or DC voltage or current can be measured, and is field-selectable. The displayed voltage, current, or apparent power level can be clearly labeled with a custom tag and unit. The voltage and current can also be scaled to represent different engineering units.

Programming the PD6400 is easy with the company’s free MeterView® Pro software, which streamlines meter setup and eliminates most button pushing.

Options for the PD6400 meter include up to four (4) relays, a 4-20 mA analog output, and a 24 VDC power supply.  Expansion modules add an additional four (4) relays, two (2) 4-20 mA outputs, and eight (8) digital I/O.

• Precision Digital products are marketed in Ireland through PJ Bonner & Co

Company vision "Control. Manage. Optimize." epitomised in new branding!

Badger Meter has rebranded of its flow measurement and control product line, which has expanded through product development and acquisitions. The new Badger Meter Flow Instrumentation name reflects broad solutions for the global industrial and commercial markets, which help keep plant processes and precision-based operations efficient, profitable, and safe.

Badger Meter Flow Instrumentation incorporates respected brand names such as Data Industrial®, Hedland®, Flo-tech, Blancett®, Cox®, Preso®, Dynasonics®, Flow Dynamics®, and Research Control® Valves (RCV). The comprehensive product offering includes almost all major mechanical and electrical flow metering technologies, including electromagnetic, differential pressure, impeller, oval gear, positive displacement, turbine, ultrasonic, and vortex. These solutions meet the needs of industrial process, manufacturing, commercial fluid, and building automation applications where flow measurement and control are critical.

According to Marketing Director Beth Thomas, Badger Meter has established a vision for its industrial customers based on the theme, "Control. Manage. Optimize." The company has also updated the brand identity for its flow instrumentation products with new logos, product branding color schemes and web content.

"Badger Meter Flow Instrumentation understands that companies cannot manage what they cannot measure," said Thomas. "We leverage more than a century of flow measurement expertise and advanced, yet proven technology to optimize the most demanding applications. Badger Meter offers an extensive portfolio of products, services and solutions to measure and control whatever moves through pipelines, including water, air, steam, oil, and other liquids and gases."

Thomas indicated the Badger Meter Flow Instrumentation re-branding will focus on helping industrial and commercial firms reap greater value from flow instrumentation to ensure product quality, control costs, maintain safer operations, and meet regulatory requirements.

Typical markets for Badger Meter Flow Instrumentation range from oil and gas, petrochemical, and water and wastewater, to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), food and beverage, agricultural irrigation, and automotive and aerospace manufacturing.

EX programming software for flow meters!

Precision Digital Corporation has announced MeterView EX Programming Software for the Vantageview PD6730 and ProtEX PD6830 Pulse Input Flow Rate / Totalizers. MeterView EX provides plant operators with full control of the meter configuration process using an intuitive layout and an easy-to-understand interface. Clearly labeled menus enable quick programming of the powerful functions provided in the PD6730 and PD6830 meters. The software is available at no cost from their website!

MeterView EX features tabs that present the logical location of specifically related functions and programming elements. Tabs include K-Factor, Display, Pulse Output, 4-20 mA Output, Data Logging, and more. Within each tab, the features are organized by related item. Drop-down menus help to avoid confusion when selecting settings. Copying one meter configuration to another, as well as saving or retrieving meter configurations, is a straightforward process. Configurations can also be printed in list form.

An on-board meter data log holds up to 1024 records and can be downloaded to the PC. Each logged record contains the date, time, rate, total, grand total, and log number.

MeterView EX eliminates a lot of button pushing and minimizes confusion when setting up a Vantageview PD6730 or ProtEX PD6830 Explosion-Proof rate / totalizer. A PDA8068 meter-to-USB adapter is available for quick & easy connection to a PC for programming the meter. RS-485 to RS-232 or USB adapters are also available for those meters with the on-board RS-485 option installed.

• Precision Digital products are marketed in Ireland by P J Boner & Co.

Optical wavelength meters

The new Yokogawa AQ6150 and AQ6151 optical wavelength meters are fast, accurate and cost-effective instruments for carrying out measurements in the telecommunications wavelength range from 1270 to 1650 nm. They are the latest additions to the company’s market-leading range of optical test instruments, and have many features in common with Yokogawa’s highly successful AQ6370 family of optical spectrum analysers.

They feature a high wavelength accuracy (±1 pm for the AQ6150 and ±0.3 pm for the AQ6151), and can carry out simultaneous measurements on up to 1024 channels. They maintain this high performance even in low-level input, and can cope with modulated light and optical filter measurement.

The high acquisition and measurement speed of the new instruments makes them particularly suited to the production testing of active optical devices such as tunable lasers for telecommunications applications. Typical acquisition time is 0.3 sec, and up to five measurements per second can be carried out in repeat mode. GPIB and Ethernet interfaces are supported, and the meters are SCPI compatible.

The enhanced throughput resulting from improved measurement speed leads to a reduction in lifetime costs for production test set-ups by extending the reference laser replacement cycle and reducing replacement costs.

User-friendly operation results from proven design and operability features inherited from Yokogawa’s established range of optical spectrum analysers. The AQ6150 and AQ6151 feature an easy-to-view, 5.7-inch bright colour LCD display with a variety of viewing modes including single, multiple or delta wavelength modes and an optical spectrum display.

USB Ports are provided for data storage devices, mouse and keyboard. Direct operation can be carried out with a mouse, and data access is possible via the LAN interface.

Efficient built-in measurement and analysis functions include drift analysis, Fabry-Perot laser analysis and average measurements.

Target market sectors include manufacturers of optical active devices, optical subsystems and transmission systems, as well as universities, institutes and R&D departments researching topics associated with these products.