Thursday 26 February 2015

Live rental instrument demonstrations at show!

A wide range of the latest air quality and emissions monitoring equipment will be on display at the Ashtead Technology exhibition stand at AQE 2015.


“Our objective for this event is to meet organisations that need access to the latest technologies, without the hassle and cost of maintaining their own kit,” says Josh Thomas, Regional Sales Manager. “We like to think of ourselves as our customers’ equipment partner, providing access to a very large fleet of fully serviced instruments; calibrated and ready for immediate use.”

The Ashtead Technology stand will feature popular examples from the company’s rental fleet including VOC analysers, toxic gas detectors, emissions and combustion analysers, indoor air quality meters, temperature and humidity meters, and dust/particulate monitors.

Alongside the live demonstrations, visitors to the stand will also have the opportunity to discuss their own application requirements with Ashtead Technology’s knowledgeable market managers.

Wednesday 25 February 2015

LCD touch screens.

Varitronix has announced the availability of a new range of Projected Capacitive LCD Touch Screens, for use with a stylus, a gloved finger or bare finger. The screens have been developed to operate with Varitronix-developed, in-house software which allows the "touch technology" to be optimised to differentiate between false and genuine touches.

The technology ensures that false touches are rejected, even when liquid is unintentionally present on the screen – the touch-sensitivity is fully restored when the liquid is removed. In addition, wet, damp (or sweaty), bare fingers are not a problem – accurate tracking is still ensured.

The Touch Screens are also gloved-finger compatible – the glove can be made from cotton, leather or plastic (eg for medical applications). A stylus can also be used, with a minimum diameter of 3mm - Touch Screens which support a stylus diameter of 2mm are currently under development. The screen size options vary from 1.77” to 17”.

With international certifications including ISO 9001 for general quality management and ISO/TS 16949 for quality management of automotive products, the new range of LCD Touch Screens are manufactured to very high quality standards, providing durability and long-life. The Touch Durability is 10M touches.

Two options are offered for the hardness of the screen glass – the standard glass is 6H and the harder glass option is 7H. A custom silkscreen can be applied to the surface of the glass.


Applications will include industrial, commercial, automotive and medical markets.

Power up to 12 load cells for large weighing applications.

Precision Digital Corporation has  announced the latest versions of the PD6100 Strain Gauge Meter and the PD8-6100 Explosion-Proof Strain Gauge Meter. Part of the ProVu® and ProtEX® families of digital panel meters, the PD6100 and PD8-6100 are digital strain gauge and load cell meters designed for weight, millivolt, and force measurement applications.

New features include the ability to power up to twelve (12) 350 ohm load cells. Enhanced programming buttons now closely resemble the operation of a typical scale, allowing for zeroing with one button push. The Tare/Reset Tare function enables the meters to compensate for anomalies, such as sludge buildup at the bottom of an empty tank. In addition, the dual-scale function means measurements can be displayed in two different units of measure.

"The PD6100 is the perfect choice for weighing applications in large bins, tanks, or scales, because the meter enables more load cells to be averaged to determine weight, volume, or level," said Jeffrey Peters, President of Precision Digital Corporation. "The PD8-6100’s NEMA 4X/IP68 rating makes it ideal for weighing applications in hazardous or harsh environments."

Both the PD6100 and PD8-6100 feature one-button zeroing of the display, auto-zero adjustment to prevent drift, and highly visible information displays in panel-mounted or rugged, field-mounted enclosures.

The explosion-proof PD8-6100 is rated NEMA 4X/IP68 and carries worldwide agency approvals (FM, CSA, ATEX, IECex, and CE) that allow it to operate in hazardous locations or in the field under the harshest environmental conditions, such as extreme cold.

The PD6100 and PD8-6100 Strain Gauge Meters can perform automatic unit conversions when switching between pre-defined units, such as pounds, kilograms, and tons, without the need for additional scaling. Both meters accept mV input signals up to 300 mV (unipolar) and ±250 mV (bipolar), and are rated for a max current of 350 mA @ 10V.

• Precison Digital Corp products are marketed in Ireland by PJ Bonner.


Tuesday 24 February 2015

Radio communication in hazardous areas.

The Series 9730 HFisolators from R. Stahl enable users to deploy any type of standard industrial antennas for radio communication in hazardous areas. These antennas can be connected via customisable cables with plug connectors. Using electrical isolation, this innovative solution shields the surrounding atmosphere from all ignition risks: only an intrinsically safe signal (Ex ia IIC) is transmitted to the external antenna. The antenna can therefore never be exposed to supply currents due to radio device malfunctions.
This new solution dispenses with the need for special antennas certified for explosion protection. Such special-purpose antennas are usually costly, only available in a limited range of types, and often depend on fixed cables without plug connectors that are difficult to modify. Instead, any standard antenna can be used and connected to the HFisolator via conventional coaxial connectors. Such antennas can therefore very easily be repositioned, serviced, or replaced. The HFisolator tolerates extremely rough climatic conditions with ambient temperatures ranging from ­60 °C to +80 °C. Using the ISM frequency bands around 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5 GHz, the HFisolator supports all wireless transmission standards commonly applied in industrial environments (WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n; WirelessHART; ISA 100.11a; Bluetooth; ZigBee; EnOcean).

In addition to type 9730 HFisolators, R. STAHL provides a wide range of Ex d and Ex p enclosures for radio systems. The explosion protection specialist is a trusted partner for wireless solutions in hazardous areas with many years of experience working in this field.

Stahl products are marketed in Ireland by Douglas Control & Automation.

Connector with rapid termination technology!

Harting has introduced a slimline version of its har-speed X-coded M12 connector equipped with HARAX® rapid termination IDC connection technology.
The new field-installable 8-pin M12 connector is the latest addition to their family of products for Gigabit Ethernet applications, and is intended for scenarios in automation technology where a cable needs to be attached quickly or adapted on site. 

In particular, the insulation displacement contact is designed to ensure an uninterrupted connection performance by maintaining the twisting of the STP cable for as long as possible when it is drawn deep into the mating face.

Green chairman re-elected!

The Green Rating Alliance has announced that Rob Wilkinson, CEO of AEW Europe, has been re-elected Chairman of the Green Rating Alliance for the year 2015.

Rob Wilkinson
Rob Wilkinson said: "I am pleased to continue my work as Chairman within the Green Rating Alliance in 2015. The last year was a year of great achievements for the Green Rating Alliance. Resulting from a strong commitment by all members new projects and sustainable services have been developed to further assess and manage the environmental performance of real estate assets across Europe. We trust in continuing member support in the future and are delighted to offer innovative solutions that address the member’s requirements as well as the market’s expectations in 2015.”

New Executive Board
GRA’s Chairman Rob Wilkinson will be supported by a regrouped Executive Board in 2015.
Paul Lensing, Business & ESG Manager and member of the Green Team at CBRE Global Investors was elected as CEO succeeding Christoph Wildgruber, former Head of Sustainability at Allianz Real Estate. He will be supported by Xavier de Saqui de Sannes, Director - Asset Management, France & Belgium at Invesco Real Estate, as CFO and Gérard Biessy, Vice President Corporate Business Lines at Bureau Veritas SA, as General Secretary. Thierry Laquitaine, Sustainable Manager at AEW Europe and Eric Saint-Martin, Director of Asset Management projects at Gecina, act as Deputy CEOs.

Ex ic - Intrinsic safety’s new protection level!

Power management company Eaton has released a new whitepaper, Ex ic – Intrinsic Safety’s New Protection Level, that helps users and manufacturers understand more about Ex ic, the new intrinsic safety protection level for electrical apparatus in flammable environments. The paper is authored by Phil Saward, training and technical consultant, Eaton’s Crouse-Hinds Division. Phil Saward has 25 years’ experience in hazardous area products and applications and has served time on various FOUNDATION™ fieldbus committees.

“The concept of a third level of protection for intrinsic safety has existed for several decades,” said Phil Saward. “Only in recent years has it been formally adopted into the major standards systems in common use worldwide. Meanwhile, other methods of protection have filled the gap. In particular, Ex nL has provided a workable, but somewhat loosely defined alternative until its recent withdrawal from international standards. The paper therefore covers the essential differences between Ex ic and Ex nL, and discusses the pros and cons of the two techniques.”

The whitepaper deals primarily with the impact on countries that follow IEC and ATEX practice - but there are parallels with the ‘non-incendive’ technique that is adopted in North America. The paper is aimed at those who are familiar with the principles of explosion protection for electrical apparatus, but will also appeal to readers who are responsible for compliance to the ATEX Directive and relevant IEC standards. Topics covered include:

  • What is Ex ic?; 
  • The position of Ex ic in the Intrinsic Safety family; 
  • Changes to the IEC standards; 
  • Why things are changing now; 
  • Background and links to the ATEX directive.

One of the most helpful elements of the whitepaper is the inclusion of a case study which demonstrates how the new Ex ic standard can fundamentally change the design of a FOUNDATION™ fieldbus network, compared with implementations that were based on the Ex n standards. This practical illustration will help readers understand the potential impact in terms of network design and hardware selection.

VOCs – why speciate?

The Quantitech stands  at AQE 2015 in Telford (GB), the air quality and emissions show (22/23 Apl 2015)., will feature three different technologies for measuring individual organic compounds. This is extremely important because VOCs mostly exist in a mixture of more than one organic compound, so measurements can be misleading unless the individual compounds are speciated.

Firstly, AQE2015 will provide the first opportunity in Britain for potential users to see the new FROG-4000™, a rugged, portable PID GC capable of analysing trace levels of individual VOCs in air, soil and water. This technology enables fast on-site analysis in a range of environmental, health and safety applications, which is a major benefit because samples containing volatiles are notoriously difficult to transport.

Secondly, Quantitech will demonstrate a unique portable gas chromatograph toroidal ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-TMS). The TRIDION™-9 combines a high speed GC with a miniaturised TMS in a lightweight, field-portable instrument, designed to rapidly detect an enormous variety of chemical compounds in liquid, solid or gaseous samples.

At 10am on Wednesday 22nd April, Quantitech will run a workshop in Room 3 outlining the identification and quantification of individual VOCs in applications such as contaminated land, pollution incidents, fenceline monitoring and environmental impact assessments. This workshop will include practical demonstrations of both the FROG-4000 and the TRIDION-9.

Thirdly, portable Gasmet FTIR analysers will be on display, offering simultaneous analysis of multiple compounds. The Gasmet product line includes online stack and process monitoring heated FTIR systems, portable heated FTIR analysers and a unique ambient FTIR gas analyser, the Gasmet DX4040. Application stories for these analysers will be detailed in a free Workshop entitled: ‘FTIR applications in this world and beyond?’ at 11am on Thursday 23rd April.

Zone 1 and 2 hazardous areas enclosures!

As part of its new range of ATEX load cells, LCM Systems Ltd is launching the AEN ATEX/IECEx stainless steel Ex d enclosure. 

Designed for use in Zone 1 and 2 hazardous areas, the enclosure will contain an internal explosion and prevent the transmission of sufficient energy to ignite a potentially flammable atmosphere outside of the enclosure, making it ideal to house load cell amplifiers or act as a junction box in environments where explosive gases, mists, dusts or vapours are present.


The new enclosure is manufactured in stainless steel with a minimum thickness of 16mm to give maximum environmental protection, is environmentally sealed to IP67 and has an internal volume of 500m3. It has been designed to accommodate cable entries for M12, M16 and M20 threads, with the number of cable entries as per customer and application requirements. For ease of use and flexibility, the AEN ATEX enclosure can also be supplied with a mounting base for straightforward attachment to walls, floors and assemblies. 

Portable 3D body scanner for human metrics applications!

Security is sadly becoming a major factor in public buildings, plants and events as well as in travel. Visitors, and indeed sometimes staff need to be subjected to special scrutiny as they enter premises.
The world’s first portable 3D body scanner from Space Vision, (J), utilises nine board-level UI-1221LE USB cameras from IDS Imaging Development Solutions. Designed to be easily set up in a space of 198 x 230 x 222 cm, the body scanner is used in the human metrics business, where precise measurements of the human body are used in various applications, such as measurements for made-to-order clothes and in dress pattern making software or monitoring body shape as part of dieting and exercise regimes.

The system consists of 3 lightweight portable towers, each containing 3 of the board level cameras. The person to be measured stands in the middle of the space and a safe, low-intensity red laser light pattern is projected onto the body. Changes in the pattern due to the shape of the body are captured and the images analysed to generate around 1 million 3D data points within 2 seconds. All control and analysis software runs on a separate PC.


The compact UI-1221LE board level camera is an ideal choice for this application, with dimensions of 36.0 x 36.0 m x 20.2 mm and weighing just 16 g. It is equipped with a 752 x 480 pixel CMOS sensor. IDS implemented some slight modifications to the connector for Space Vision together with some additional features in the uEye API. The IDS Cockpit application, part of the IDS Software Suite supplied free with all uEye cameras, is used by Space Vision to adjust individual camera parameters and to check images after the set-up procedure is completed.

Monday 23 February 2015

Duct mounting HVAC transmitters.

The new EE150 humidity & temperature transmitter has been optimised specifically for use in the HVAC and building technology sectors and impresses with an outstanding price/performance ratio.

The clever housing concept, the compact design and the 6mm diameter probe simplify mounting of the transmitter, which results in minimized installation costs. The IP65/NEMA 4 enclosure provides optimal protection of the electronics and the capacitive E+E humidity sensor element guarantees long-term stable measurement results.

The transmitter features a particularly installation-friendly design. Thanks to the external mounting holes it is not necessary to open the housing for mounting. This means that the electronics are protected against construction site pollution. For duct mounting the RH/T probe of just 6mm in diameter does not require a hole any larger than a standard T probe. The mounting flange further simplifies installation of the transmitter. The benefits are shorter mounting times and thus minimized installation costs.

The PTFE filter cap protects the sensing head against contamination, ensuring excellent long-term stability. The measured values are issued via two 0-10V or 4-20mA analog outputs. Using an optional configuration kit and the free software, the user can set the output scaling and perform a 1 or 2 point adjustment for humidity and temperature.

• E+E products are marketed in Ireland by Instrument Technology.

Emissions analyser helps manage power station!


When one considers how much chicken is eaten every year its hardly surprising that sufficient poultry litter is available to fuel power stations. Thetford for example, is Europe’s largest poultry litter fuelled  power station and this story describes how the plant’s emissions monitoring equipment is not just utilised to demonstrate environmental compliance, but also to manage the plant’s efficiency.
A multiparameter emissions monitor at Thetford power station (GB) is being used to demonstrate to the Environment Agency that the plant is performing within the conditions of its environmental permit. However, the data from the analyser, which was supplied by based Quantitech, also performs a vitally important role in helping to manage the plant. “Individual gas readings are displayed in almost real-time in the control room,” says Plant Manager Andrew Corbyn, “which enables our staff to respond quickly to the changes resulting from variations in our feedstock. This ability to continually adjust the process ensures that we operate the plant efficiently; generating the maximum amount of renewable energy whilst maintaining a good clean burn.”

Thetford Power Station Stack
Background
Commissioned in 1999 and operated by Energy Power Resources Ltd (EPR), Thetford Power Station has a net installed capacity of 38.5MW and generates enough electricity for many thousands of homes. The plant is the largest poultry litter fuelled power station plant in Europe.  All of the plant’s feedstock is biomass and comes from sustainable sources and in comparison with a coal-fired power station, the plant makes a significant contribution to the fight against global warming.

Around 40,000 tonnes of combustion ashes generated by the plant are marketed and sold as Fibrophos fertilizer, which is high in phosphate, potash and trace elements.

Heat from the combustion process is used to generate steam which drives a turbine that generates power exported to the local distribution network. Emissions from the plant are effectively abated through careful combustion control; however, the plant also operates a bag filter system for particulates and injects bicarbonate into the waste gas stream to remove acid gases such as HCl and H2SO4.

Emissions monitoring
Thetford Power Station operates under an environmental permit and as such the plant has to provide the Environment Agency with continuous monitoring data including half hour and daily averages for HCl, SO2 and TOC (total organic compounds). Monitoring data for CO, NOx and dust are also reported to the Agency.

Quantitech has supplied and installed an MCERTS approved Gasmet FTIR and an MCERTS approved 3006 FID to continuously monitor all of the gaseous emissions.

Thetford operates a second FTIR analyser to ensure that there is no possibility of expensive downtime. EPR Group Environmental Manager Kevin Williams says: “We originally purchased the portable Gasmet DX4000 analysers as a an emergency back-up unit, but the core measurement components of a DX4000 are exactly the same as the Gasmet CEMS, so it made sense to run both analysers simultaneously so that we always had a ‘hot’ back-up.”

The Gasmet CEMS employs an FTIR spectrometer to obtain infrared spectra from the exhaust gas by first collecting an ‘interferogram’ of the sample signal with an interferometer, which measures all infrared frequencies simultaneously to produce a spectrum from which qualitative and quantitative data are produced.

Over a number of years, Gasmet has established an extensive library of FTIR reference spectra that now extends to simultaneous quantification of 50 gases or identification of unknowns. This means that it is possible to reanalyse produced spectra with the instrument’s PC based software (Calcmet) and thereby to identify and quantify unknown gases. However, this feature is not particularly important for the Thetford plant because, while the moisture content of the feedstock varies significantly, the chemical composition does not, so the main issue from a monitoring perspective is to measure the parameters that affect process control and those specified in the site’s environmental permit.

Gasmet FTIR technology was chosen for the Thetford plant because of its ability to monitor multiple gases simultaneously. Operations Team Leader Richard Bloomfield says: “The system has performed very well, with very little maintenance required. Zero point calibration with nitrogen (background) just takes a few minutes each day and is fully automated. Water vapour calibration is conducted at least once per year, but under normal circumstances no other calibration is necessary.”

Gas monitoring for process control
Richard continues “The Gasmet analysers are our eyes and ears; providing us with almost real-time information on conditions inside the combustion chamber. We have a display in the control room that provides recent trends in addition to the live data, so that we can take steps to ensure optimal combustion efficiency, whilst maintaining compliance with our emission limits.”

There are a number of ‘tools’ with which the combustion process can be managed. For example, it is possible to adjust the feed rate, the distribution on the grate, the grate speed and air flow from below (primary air) and from above (secondary air).

The plant operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week and the control room staff therefore work in shifts. Paul Dunthorne has worked at the plant for over 15 years. Initially employed as a part-time night worker, Paul has worked his way up the company and is now highly experienced in managing the process. “I love this job,” he says, “it takes quite a while to learn how to control the process, but with the benefit of the gas measurements, we can make the necessary changes to the process and watch the effects of our actions, which is very rewarding.

“We also like to make sure that the process is running well when we hand over to the next shift so, with the variability in the feedstock, every day presents a new challenge.”

Nick Gooden is responsible for running the instrumentation.  “If the CEMS starts to report unusual figures, it is tempting to blame the analyser, but with the benefit of a duplicate FTIR system, we usually find that the second analyser is reading exactly the same, which helps us to identify the true cause of the issue.”

Summarising, Quantitech’s Dominic Duggan says: “The main reason for installing an FTIR analyser at Thetford was to demonstrate compliance with the environmental permit. However, whilst that is certainly being achieved, the major return on investment for multiparameter emissions monitoring has been in the process management that it enables.”

Processing signals.

Pentek has announced the Model 7070 PCIe FMC carrier with a Virtex-7 FPGA. As a stand-alone signal processing board, it provides an ideal development and deployment platform for demanding DSP applications. 

How can the technology be utilised:
The 7070 has many useful capabilities. The optical transceivers provide a direct pipeline to the FPGA for very high bandwidth links to remote sensors or systems. The powerful Virtex-7 handles the most challenging DSP tasks, and installing an FMC transforms the 7070 into a complete I/O subsystem. Combined with any of Pentek’s FMCs, it creates a complete radar and software radio solution.

Model 7070 design features:

The Flexor Model 7070 features a high pin-count VITA 57.1 FMC site, 4 GB of DDR3 SDRAM, PCI Express (Gen. 1, 2 and 3) interface up to x8, optional 12x user-configurable gigabit serial I/O and optional LVDS connections to the FPGA for custom I/O.  The Flexor Model 7070 delivers new levels of I/O performance through the built-in gigabit serial interface with optional optical transceivers, making 12 full duplex optical lanes available to an MTP connector. With the installation of a serial protocol in the FPGA, this interface enables a high bandwidth connection between 7070s mounted within the same chassis or over extended distances between chassis.

Simple & accurate adjustment with wire-wound variable resistor.

The VRH320 Variable Wire Wound Resistor available from ARCOL Resistors, has a wide range of applications for voltage and current adjustment including industrial machinery RPM adjustment, instruments, automated control installations, load simulation and educational modelling.

The VRH320 has been ergonomically designed to enable simple and accurate adjustments by use of its top mounted slider. It is encapsulated in an IP20 rated lacquered metal casing which has dimensions of 446mm x 93mm x 160mm.

There are six resistance values available in this range encompassing 10Ω to 10KΩ. Key specifications of the ARCOL VRH320 include a 320VA continual loading with a 640VA overload capability for a period of 15mins. As with all ARCOL products the VRH320 is RoHS compliant.

Sunday 22 February 2015

New Global Power MD appointed

Stadium Power has appointed Gary Howse to the role of Managing Director, Global Power. The appointment builds on recent positive developments in Stadium’s power products business.

Gary Howse
Based primarily at the Stadium Power facilities in Diss and Norwich, Norfolk, Gary will be responsible for managing the global power business with facilities in Britain and China.

Charlie Peppiatt, CEO of Stadium Group, comments, “I am delighted to welcome Gary to Stadium Group plc . He joins us with a proven track record of business turnaround and significant experience in the global electronics industry working in operational, commercial and general management roles. His previous senior positions include UK Managing Director at PartnerTech AB, Managing Director at Hansatech Ltd, Commercial Director at Ultra Electronics CEMS and Director of Sales Europe at Jabil Inc.”

With more than sixteen years working in senior management in manufacturing and engineering environments, Howse has successfully led and grown a number of electronics businesses. He has in-depth experience of product development, supply chain and purchasing, company finance, costing, budgeting and operations management.

Stadium Power is a major supplier of high power density open frame power supplies, LED power supplies and DALI drivers, commercial and MIL-STD EMC filters, plug-top and open frame medical power supplies for portable and system use, DC-DC converters, AC-DC power supplies from 5-1500W, battery chargers and EN54 Fire and Security power supplies offering the industry standard 13.8Vdc and 27.6Vdc outputs.

Stadium Power has over 30 years of experience in the manufacture of custom, standard and medical switch mode power supplies, programmable power supplies and converters, LED drivers and EMC Filters to international standards including EN, IEC, CSA and UL.


The company can offer a complete design and build custom power supply service including in-house Design, Engineering, NPI, PCB assembly and box build services. Offshore manufacturing for high volume products can be provided the wholly owned facility in Asia.

Friday 20 February 2015

Saving 500 tonnes of CO2 per year at new sustainable housing development.

500 tonnes of CO2 per year is expected to be saved at Kingston Heights, a new sustainable housing development in south west London (GB), thanks to its pioneering use of water from the River Thames to supply heating, hot water and cooling. When completed, this state-of-the-art estate will be heated and cooled by a pioneering open water heat pump system, with virtually no on-site carbon emissions. When it came to choosing a drive solution for this highly-efficient system, automation provider Electraspec specified WEG’s innovative variables speed drives (VSD). The company installed four highly-efficient CFW11 VSDs within the control panel that will operate the heat pumps.

Kingston Heights is a €95million (£70 million) development in Kingston-Upon-Thames that will comprise 137 residential units, including 81 private apartments, 56 affordable homes and a 142 bedroom hotel. The development relies on a sustainable open water heat pump system, which provides heating, hot water and cooling to the buildings.

The system works by recovering the solar energy which is naturally stored in the Thames, with up to 150 litres of water a second being extracted after passing through a two-stage filtration process. The water then passes through heat exchangers to harvest the low grade heat before being returned to the river with a temperature change of no more than +/- 3°C. The process is totally environmentally-friendly and produces zero on-site carbon emissions, in contrast to the estimated 500 tonnes of CO2 that would otherwise be emitted by a combustion-based system, and is expected to reduce energy bills on the development by around 16% per annum.

To reach these ambitious energy saving targets a drive solution was needed that ensured reliability while offering ease-of-use. Thus, the company turned to automation company Electraspec, who designed a bespoke pumping system control panel, equipped with two 18.5 kW and two 30 kW CFW11 drives. “Kingston Heights is an ambitious and pioneering project, so we were keen on providing WEG’s VSDs because of their efficiency, reliability and ease-of-use,” comments Eric Knight of Electraspec. “By effectively controlling the flow according to temperature, WEG VSDs will contribute to boosting the pump system’s energy efficiency and will play a key role in helping Kingston Heights achieve its ambitious energy saving targets”.

WEG’s CFW11 drives are designed to ensure a precise control of pressure, flow and temperature while optimising power consumption through speed control, particularly in applications such a pump control systems. With intelligent thermal management features providing automatic cooling to the internal components, the CFW11 also ensures reliable operation.

Additionally, the drive offers a user friendly HMI with large character graphics, enabling quick and easy installation. The product also features the SoftPLC function that attributes PLC functions to the inverter and can be operated remotely. This function contributes to reducing maintenance and associated costs thus enhancing productivity and efficiency. “We are able to control the system from our laptops and are immediately alerted if there is a problem,” comments Eric. “For example, this function enables us to operate speed and run commands without having to be physically on site”.

Thanks to its Multi-pump Control feature, the CFW11 is able to control up to five pumps and keep constant pressure regardless of flow fluctuations. The VSD also monitors suction pressure and tank levels, alternating the pumps according to their operating time, and ensuring uniform wear and tear for motors and pumps.

Optical spectrum analyser offers higher performance and new functions.

A new version of Yokogawa's AQ6373 optical spectrum analyser has been released It incorporates a new monochromator with a sharp passband filter edge plus a number of new features including a double-speed measuring mode, a multipeak/bottom search function and a data-logging function.
The new AQ6373B is designed for measurements in the short wavelength region, from 350 nm to 1200 nm, and is based on the same proven platform of the AQ6373, featuring a fast start-up time - about two minutes including self-calibration - and fast measurements, with only 0.5 sec for a measurement covering a 100 nm span. The sharper passband filter edge of the new monochromator is helpful for clearly separating spectral signals in close proximity to one another.

Like the AQ6373, the AQ6373B offers a high resolution of up to 0.01 nm in the 400-470 nm range, a high close-in dynamic range of up to 60 dB, and a high sensitivity down to -80 dBm in the 500-1000 nm range. It also includes a free-space optical input, enabling the instrument to accept optical fibres with core diameters from 9 µm to 800 µm, and a colour analysis function for determining the exact colour of the input light, as experienced by the average human eye sensitivity (according to the CIE 1931 XYZ standard). Wavelength calibration on the AQ6373B can be performed using the emission line of a common low-cost xenon lamp.

The AQ6373B is ideally suited to testing optical devices and systems over the visible spectrum (from 380 to 700 nm) and the first window of optical communications (around 850 nm). 

In the visible spectrum, the AQ6373B can be used to test and characterise LEDs used in the lighting, automotive, consumer electronic and signage industries and LASERs used in the optical storage sector (DVD and Blu-Ray disc readers and writers), in medical applications such as ophthalmology, surgery, dental and skin treatment and thermotherapy, in computing devices such as optical mice and barcode readers, and in devices for entertainment including laser shows and games, laser beamers and laser pointers. .

In the first window of optical communications, the AQ6373B can be used to test and characterise the laser transmitters emitting around 850 nm, which are the most common transmitters installed in the multimode short-distance communication networks over glass or plastic fibres deployed in intra-building communication systems over FTTH networks.


The AQ6373B should also be very useful for the R&D activity associated with new technologies for optical communications based on wireless transmission, including Visible Light Communication (VLC), Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) or Free Space Optical (FSO) communication.

Dual input Smart HART temperature transmitters.

The THZ³ and TDZ³, Moore Industries' next generation of Smart HART temperature transmitters have been released. These products feature durability and reliability combined with several new features that increase usability and functionality including a new dual sensor input.

The THZ³ and TDZ³ 2-wire (loop powered) transmitters provide an isolated and linear 4-20mA output proportional to input. They configure quickly and easily to accept a direct signal input from a wide array of sensors and analog devices including:
  • 14 RTD types and nine thermocouple types
  • Resistance and potentiometer devices
  • Direct millivolt sources
The dual sensor input allows the THZ³ and TDZ³ to offer backup and fail-over protection, with either of the sensors or inputs designated as the primary measurement and the secondary input acting as a backup sensor in case of a primary sensor failure. Additionally, by utilizing this dual input capability, 15 THZ³ or TDZ³ transmitters can be multi-dropped on one digital HART loop to monitor 30 temperature points. This substantially lowers wiring costs.

Other benefits associated with the dual input sensors include:
  • Average and Differential measurement to average the two input measurements or select either the differential (A-B or B-A) or absolute difference between the two inputs.
  • High-Select and Low-Select features which enable the transmitter to continuously monitor two separate inputs and designate either the highest or lowest input as the source for the analog output or PV.
  • Dynamic Variable Mapping that permits the user to assign either the input or the calculated result of the inputs to any of the four HART variables (PV, SV, TV and QV) that can be read by any HART-compatible host system.
The THZ³ and TDZ³ come with Device Intelligence, a series of features for smarter control and monitoring including:
  • Sensor drift and corrosion detection that checks and alerts users when the sensor is drifting out of a preset range or when the resistance due to corrosion exceeds set parameters.
  • Smart range alarms with four HART alarms – set to any input or calculated input – that detect when the variable is within or outside of user preset limits.
  • A High Availability option that enables the selection of how the AO behaves when there is an input failure or out-of-range value detected by the transmitter. This prevents nuisance alarms on startups or batch process shutdowns.
  • Input simulation capability allowing manual input of a direct or calculated value. This essentially simulates a real input, allowing users to test the AO or any HART diagnostic and range alarms.
Users can rely on the accuracy and dependability of the THZ³ and TDZ³. Their input-to-output analog accuracy of up to ±0.014°C (±0.025°F) utilizing sensor matching and trimming over a 100°F span is the absolute best in the industry. The transmitters feature 20-bit input resolution and deliver exceptional input accuracy for all sensor types.

Plus, Moore Industries’ patented continuous sensor diagnostics feature can save you from costly lost production and hours of troubleshooting. Advanced RFI/EMI protection and ambient temperature compensation guard against environmental factors that can quickly degrade measurement accuracy, while long-term stability provides up to 5 years between scheduled calibrations.

The THZ³ and TDZ³ transmitters are HART 7 compliant with exception-based reporting and dynamic variable mapping. They are HART and DTM programmable with user-oriented basic configuration for fast and accurate setup. Utilizing the HART DD they can be configured and interrogated on the 4-20mA loop via any HART handheld communicator or HART compatible host. Users can also program or monitor the transmitters with any FDT compliant host or program, such as PACTware using the THZ³/TDZ³ DTM.

Succesful Food & Pharma Symposium completed!


Nearly 130 professionals within the automation and control field and the pharmaceuticals and food industries gathered in Philadelphia last week to explore solutions to the critical challenges relating to automation in food processing and drug manufacture and distribution.
The second annual ISA Food and Pharmaceutical Industries Division (FPID) Symposium delivered best-practice insights and approaches to leaders of pharmaceutical and food processing companies seeking to improve quality, safety, reliability, profitability, cost control and production throughput.

The meeting’s content-rich technical program, titled a “Pharmaceutical Automation Technology Update: Control, Optimization, Measurement, and Serialization,” highlighted the latest trends, innovations, strategies and techniques in process automation through expert-led technical sessions and numerous roundtable discussions.
A spectrum of technical sessions covered key topics and issues of importance, such as:
  • Measureable Business Value Improvement from Automation Investments
  • Implementing Electronic Record Systems - Through an Operations Information Infrastructure
  • Benchmark Summary of Automation in Pharmaceutical and Biotech Manufacturing Operations
  • Automation, Disposables, and Factory of the Future: What Does it Mean to Automate a Flexible Facility?
  • How to Pick an MES or Batch Execution System
  • Using Data to Optimize the Product Life Cycle
  • Serialization Training
  • Serialization Case Study with Global perspective
  • Recent Trends in Data Integrity
  • Compliant Optimized Business Processes within a Regulated Industry
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) – A Perspective
  • Integrated Factory Infrastructure - Mitigating Security Risks (Cyber Security)
  • Alarm Management Reflection and Update
  • The Future is Now - Integration of Process, Electrical and Process Control Engineering
Other valuable components of the 2015 FPID Symposium included:
  • Featured presentations by two visionary experts in automation and control: Paul McKenzie, Ph.D., (Vice President of Manufacturing and Technical Operations at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) and Peter Martin, Ph.D., (Vice President of Business Value Solutions at Schneider Electric). Dr. McKenzie’s presentation, titled “Using Data to Optimize Product Life Cycle,” illustrated how organizations are recalibrating their knowledge management strategies through better use of information technologies. Dr. Martin’s presentation, titled “Applying Control Theory to the Real-Time Value Chain,” revealed how industrial companies can more effectively apply automation strategies and solutions to achieve optimum results.
  • A vendor exhibit featuring the products and services of 19 leading companies.
  • The opportunity to gain professional development hours (PDHs). Each attendee  could obtain up to 16 PDHs.
“I want to take this opportunity to recognize the pharmaceutical and food industry subject-matter experts—particularly the end-user presenters—the event speakers and the ISA professionals and volunteers whose time and contributions made the symposium so rewarding and successful,” said Bill Dugary, the Conference Chair of the 2015 ISA FPID Symposium. “I also want to sincerely thank the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), the Philadelphia Drug Exchange (PDE), other sponsors and the many automation companies and suppliers on hand for their involvement and vital support.”

Dugary, a Life Member of ISA who serves as an automation consultant and Senior Business Development Manager at Applied Control Engineering, Inc., emphasized that ISA is committed to continually enriching the content and broadening the appeal and reach of its FPID event.

“First of all, there is no substitution for a live, in-person gathering,” he insists. “Attending, in person, an event provides the personal interaction and emotional resonance that are so essential to learning and building relationships. The feedback I received from attendees at this year’s FPID Symposium made that clear.”

Dugary encouraged all professionals in the automation community and throughout the pharmaceutical and food industries to explore ways that they can contribute to next year’s FPID event.
“FPID is a unique opportunity because, to great degree, it’s designed to furnish the real-world perspectives of end users, to illustrate what challenges they’re facing and what solutions they need,” he explained. “Whatever your role—supplier, system integrator, engineering firm or other—we invite you to get involved, whether it’s by attending, volunteering, sponsoring or speaking. Our focus is on continuing education and learning and bringing value to everyone.”

• ISA’s 2016 FPID Symposium is tentatively scheduled to take place 15-16 March 2016 in Cork (IRL). Symposium organisers are already recruiting volunteers, participants and speakers for the event.


Thursday 19 February 2015

Error-free configuration and ordering of pneumatic systems.

The new Festo Design Tool 3D configuration software reduces the risk of errors when designing and ordering pneumatic actuator assemblies. Specifying system modules as a complete package with a unique product key simplifies design, logistics and assembly operations.

The Festo Design Tool 3D allows users to select their required pneumatic drive easily and then automatically places any chosen accessories on the cylinder in accordance with their needs. The tool can be simply installed with a few easy-to-follow steps by visiting the website.

The new CAD configuration tool can be accessed through the Festo online shop suite or downloaded for offline use. It offers users, including engineers, buyers and installation technicians, more confidence and a reduced workload. Featuring a simple graphic overview, the tool enables automatic and error-free selection and placement of accessories such as mountings, clevises, sensors and fittings and eliminates the need for individual file downloads. FDT 3D is a highly efficient way to place an order, saving time for all involved.

“Until now there was always a risk when selecting, configuring, modelling and ordering all the individual parts surrounding pneumatic drives,” says Steve Sands, Product Manager at Festo. “Many individual system components have to be placed manually by CAD designers, compiling long bill of material lists to be ordered with plenty of potential for error. Using the Festo Design Tool 3D, these inadvertent errors can be avoided and the days of ordering each individual component are over. Producing complete assembly models in a wide variety of native CAD formats significantly reduces the number of CAD model downloads and the time to produce a complete drawing of the assembly.”

Once the order is complete, the FDT 3D generates a product key for each complete solution as opposed to one for each component. Designers are then given a choice of how they would like to receive all the parts - either pre-assembled in accordance with their design or as a ‘PrePack’ of individual components ready to assemble in-house. Online they can immediately obtain their company’s pricing and delivery lead time information.

“Offering users zero configuration errors, a single part number per solution and just one package for all components, the Festo Design Tool 3D is the modern, lean and efficient way to order cylinder assemblies with accessories,” concludes Sands.

Airborne pathogen measurement!

Many traditional methods for detecting airborne sources of contamination rely on the deposition on these materials on to a surface. For example, surface swabs might be taken, or bioaerosol sampling might be undertaken with a sampler that relies on the impact of biological particles on to a solid growth medium. “These methods are unable to deliver an accurate measurement of airborne load,” says Air Monitors MD Jim Mills.In contrast, the ‘Coriolis µ’ employs a wet-walled cyclone technology that improves bioaerosol sampling for bacteria, pollen, endotoxins, viruses and fungal spores.”

By passing sample air through liquid in a cyclone, the Coriolis µ is able to collect airborne particles in a liquid at a high flow rate (300 l/m) with validated efficiency. The liquid containing the particles can then be tested using one of a number of the latest rapid microbiological analysis methods.

The Coriolis µ offers advantages for sampling air with a high bioaerosol burden (which would saturate traditional solid media) because the liquid can be divided into multiple agar plates. However, this technology is also ideal for cleanroom applications in which air has a low burden, because the Coriolis µ can sample for an extended period.

Summarising, Jim Mills says “This technology is ideal for a wide variety of applications including pharmaceutical manufacture, hospitals, surgeries, care homes, cruise ships, animal housing, composting and any other facilities in which airborne pathogens represent a risk.”

CPD Accredited Employer standard awarded to Irish PSU company.

Excelsys Technologies has been awarded the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Accredited Employer standard by Engineers Ireland.
(LtoR) Shane Callanan, Excelsys Director of Applications Engineering, Diarmuid Hogan , Excelsys R&D Manager, Excelsys Brian Mulcahy, Product Development Manager, John Power, Director General Engineers Ireland , Sinziana Cionca, Excelsys Design Engineer.
Excelsys, a leading power supply manufacturer and designer of high efficiency, low profile power supplies for a variety of markets, recognise the value of CPD as essential in achieving growth and success.  

Commenting on the achievement, John Power, Chartered Engineer and Director General of Engineers Ireland said: “Investment in professional development is essential for engineering organisations to gain a competitive edge and achieve results on both a local and international level. Well done to all those at Excelsys who have dedicated time and resources into securing the CPD Accredited Employer status.”

Speaking about the award, Gary Duffy, CEO said, “At Excelsys we have an uncompromising commitment to maintaining technology leadership and ensuring employees are equipped with training in sustainability issues. Our employees play a vital role in the organisation’s success and it is important that they are fully involved in delivering the group’s organisational vision and goals. The Engineers Ireland CPD framework provides support to assist us in achieving these goals. And we are proud to be accredited.”

Centre of excellence awarded! #PAuto

MCP has been awarded Centre-of-Excellence status by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for providing high quality training courses for electrical installers and contractors.

The Institution recognises training providers that consistently achieve high standards of training delivery for electrical installers and contractors on a range of courses at craft and technician levels. One of the many benefits for customers is that this means MCP’s courses will develop and deliver skills and knowledge that can be efficiently transferred to the workplace.

Universal LightProbe tests colour and intensity of LEDs.

The Universal LightProbe Spectra USB Sensor from Optomistic Products, designed for the colour and intensity testing of LEDs, is now available exclusively in Britain from Peak Test Services

Universal LightProbes are small, highly versatile programmable sensors for the reliable testing of LEDs, addressing many different LED test environments and requirements - whether a simple check for a specific colour, or identifying the correct colour and intensity from a wide spectrum of colours, including white LEDs - while offering the choice of digital or analogue outputs.

Optomistic has recently introduced a version of the Universal LightProbe Sensors with a serial digital output and a sleek user-friendly USB interface incorporated into the sensor. Without losing the ease of use of the existing range, the new Universal LightProbe Spectra USB Sensor delivers a fast and simple serial-digital output directly to a PC. 


Universal LightProbe sensors have the unique advantage of operating at any voltage from +5 V to +40 V, and they can withstand reverse polarity up to -18 V without suffering permanent damage. The range also includes one of the smallest sensor sizes on the market today, making it ideally suited to the requirements of high-density fixture designs. 

Web pages renewed and introduce new products!

Fluke has renewed and extended its Solution Centre web pages. Now there is even more information on choosing and using thermal imagers, as well as full details of Fluke’s Performance, Professional and Expert Series thermal imagers. The all-new Solution Centre introduces several new models, and has an interactive screen to show the best camera for a particular application.

Introducing new Fluke thermal imagers 
• For engineers, researchers, designers and advanced thermographers, Fluke’s latest top-of-the-range Expert Series  shows stunning images up to 640x480 pixels. The cameras have an extra-large 14.5cm articulating colour TFT LCD display with daylight operation. They are for advanced applications like R&D, quality control and predictive maintenance, and particularly for demanding sectors like industrial, oil & gas, utilities, medical and biological/ sciences. Field swappable lenses extend applications.
• For professional, in-house, contract and service thermographers, the Professional Series  gives you crisp, detailed images for more in-depth studies like reliability inspections. These models show high quality images and advanced features like LaserSharp™ Auto Focus. They have a one-handed easy-to-use touch screen interface.
• For routine maintenance by technicians and contractors, the affordable Performance Series models show images up to 160 x 120 pixels. The cameras feature easy operation for quick scans and/or intermittent inspections.
All models have Fluke’s IR-OptiFlex™, IR-Fusion® with AutoBlend™, Fluke Connect™, and SmartView® software. 

Choosing and using thermal imagers 
The Center outlines eight reasons for choosing Fluke thermal imagers, lets you work out ROI with a useful calculator, gives advice on where to buy, and provides a link to request a demo.

There are short videos on how to prevent downtime, how to predict equipment faults, and how to ensure equipment is energy efficient. Webinars summarise how to perform a qualitative electrical inspection, how to detect electrical energy losses, and how to inspect electromechanical equipment. There are links to detailed data sheets and application notes to help you get the best from your thermal imager.

Industry's broadest range of card edge connectors.


EDAC has enhanced its already extensive range of card edge connectors to include 8,000 standard styles and 435,000 customised variations in what is today the broadest range of card edge connectors available in the industry.

EDAC cardEDGE+ connectors offer a choice of 2 to 188 contacts in single and dual rows, with contact spacing spanning 1.27mm through to 5.08mm. Version are available with or without card guides. These connectors tolerate operating temperatures from -65oC to 105 oC and require an insertion force of only16oz (4.45N), which ensures high contact reliability and connection retention. Contact resistance is as low as 10mΩ.

The cardEDGE+ connector range also offers specialised contact options, including PCB through-hole, wirewrap, solder eyelet and extender board tail - and to meet customer-specific interconnect design requirements - and includes devices with extra row spacing, multiple PCB footprints, polarising options, extra mountings, additional high temperature insulators, multiple insulator colour& dimension options and extra contact plating.

According to Alex Grout - who took over as EDAC's European Managing Director last April - the cardEDGE+ and cardEDGE+ Press Fit products enable electronics designersto include more options in an interconnect model tailored for specific interconnect requirements: "cardEDGE+ products are priced to enable designers to affordably include the differentiating features they need in space constrained power supplies, storage devices, navigational equipment, industrial controls and medical equipment."

Measuring with Piezoelectric Sensors has never been so easy!

The new Kistler LabAmp Type 5165A is an  amplifier designed specifically to combine impressive flexibility with convenient usability for the measurement of dynamic signals. Compatible with piezoelectric, Piezotron® (IEPE) and voltage output sensors, the input signals can be routed to a choice of either 24-bit digitized data via Ethernet or analogue outputs.

The new measuring amplifier provides exceptional flexibility for dynamic measurements with universal sensor inputs, integrated data acquisition and an intuitive user interface to allow quick results and a lean measurement setup. The new LabAmp has been designed for use in research, development and laboratory applications where dynamic signals need to be measured precisely and with high signal quality. Typical applications include acceleration and vibration measurements, pulsating pressure applications and force measurements of fast machining processes.

Advanced signal processing technology offers impressive flexibility. The frequencies of the highpass, low-pass and notch filters can be directly entered as numeric values in Hertz and virtual channels allow mathematical calculations in real-time. The input signals and the virtual channels can be flexibly routed to the analogue outputs.

Ethernet communication with the one or four-channel amplifier permits user-friendly operation in a conventional web browser – the simplest method for rapid configuration of the Kistler LabAmp. The standard software interface to the widely used LabVIEW™ graphics development tool simplifies the integration of the amplifier directly with an existing application to process the flow of data. Users who prefer to use the analog ±10V output signals, will appreciate the fully flexible 2-point scaling capability.

The technical specification of the new amplifier is impressive. Its wide charge and frequency range, the 24 bits digitization plus the extensive filter options make it a versatile partner for laboratory work. Processing measurements using piezoelectric sensor charge signals is easier than ever before. In addition the amplifier practically configures itself when connected to Piezotron sensors (IEPE) with integrated TEDS.

The Kistler LabAmp Type 5165A is not only an outstanding low-noise charge amplifier for dynamic signals but also a powerful data acquisition device delivering the digitized measurement values directly to a host computer for further analysis. It is configured and operated in a web-interface, conveniently accessible by a standard web-browser.

Wednesday 18 February 2015

"Technology Modernisation of Plant Automation Systems" ISAIreland Seminar filling up!


Spaces are limited, early booking is advised.


ISA Members are eligible for a 50% discount on registering. 

Please use discount code ISAMAR15 when prompted on Eventbrite.


Time capsule burial marks start of construction of tank gauging/management products facility!

Construction has been started of a new €22 million (US$ 27m)  office and manufacturing centre to be built in Gothenburg (S) for Emerson. The new facility is part of the company's ongoing commitment to expand its manufacturing operations and increase the availability of local support, training and services for its customers.
Holding the straps of the time capsule buried during Emerson’s  groundbreaking ceremony  (from left to right), Rasmus Johansson, MD Rosemount Tank Radar AB, Stephan Woodbridge, regional manager from Veidekke (the construction company), Ed Monser, president and COO of Emerson, and Maria Kornevik Jakobsson, chairman of the municipal council in Härryda'
“This new facility will provide users of our tank gauging and tank management products within the terminals, processing and shipping industries, with faster deliveries and an enhanced range of services and support,” said Rasmus Johansson, ‎managing director of Emerson’s Rosemount Tank Radar business. “Gothenburg has been the centre of excellence for our tank radar-based products for many years and this investment demonstrates our continuing commitment to our growing number of customers.”

The new facility will comprise two buildings with a total area of approximately 17,000 m2 including offices, training and conference facilities, customer inspection and testing areas, and an extensive production area. The facility will be built in accordance with Sweden’s Green Building standard and will support a range of services including sales and marketing, engineering and development, and production.

“The new building provides more flexible and efficient production facilities and it offers opportunities for expansion as demand warrants,” said Johansson. “The facility is being designed to meet the latest regulations for air freight which, combined with its proximity to a major international airport, will help to speed the delivery of customer orders.”

The company held a groundbreaking ceremony in December 2014 which was attended by senior Emerson executives and local dignitaries. These included Ed Monser, president and COO of Emerson, Maria Kornevik Jakobsson, chairman of the municipal council in Härryda and Stephan Woodbridge, regional manager for Veidekke, the company constructing the new building.


The new facility in the Härryda municipality to the east of Gothenburg will replace Emerson’s existing manufacturing unit in Gamlestadsvägen.  When it is opened in January 2016, it will accommodate about 420 employees.

Successful audit!

Following a three day on-site audit Stadium United Wireless, a leading provider of connected M2M (machine to machine) wireless solutions, have been re-awarded ISO/TS16949 certification - a global capability for their customers in the niche automotive sectors.
Stadium United Wireless's Craig Helm, Managing Director; Paul Lomax, Quality Manager; Tony McFadden, Managing Director 
ISO/TS16949:2009 applies to the design, development and production of products in the automotive space, a strategically important market sector for the company which delivers end-to-end connectivity solutions for OEMs in automotive, telematics, fleet management, asset tracking, handheld devices, infotainment and security systems.

Stadium United Wireless has unparalleled knowledge and experience in developing and manufacturing world class GSM and GPS wireless devices for automotive OEMs.
Tony McFadden, Managing Director at Stadium United Wireless, comments, “The TS16949 re-accreditation demonstrates that we can provide our automotive sector customers with agile wireless product manufacturing and delivery of highly flexible, complex supply chain solutions to ensure competitiveness on a global scale. Our engineers work closely with our customers to help launch new wireless product designs that are leading edge and competitive while supporting their global requirements for volume manufacture and associated cost down strategies, a particular focus in the automotive sectors.”

The accreditation also demonstrates Stadium Group’s commitment to becoming a fully integrated, design-led global technology group as the capabilities at Stadium United Wireless are closely aligned to those of the wider group operations. Stadium’s China operation in Dongguan has also achieved TS16949 accreditation assuring customers consistent quality and expertise from Britain and China.
Stadium’s global footprint allows the company to provide their customers with seamless transition from concept through to rapid prototyping, or low/medium to high volume manufacturing from the region that provides the best landed cost or near-to-market geography to meet the customer’s dynamic requirements at their point of need.

TS16949 is an ISO technical specification aimed at the development of a quality management system that provides for continual improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain. It is based on the ISO 9001 standard and the first edition was published in March 2002 as ISO/TS 16949:2002. It was prepared by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) and the "Technical Committee" of ISO.