Handheld indicator.

"Precision on the move: one handheld device, infinite applications."

The DA110 Handheld Indicator supports engineers working within demanding industrial and metrological environments. This instrument from HBK is a portable device which simplifies complex set ups and helps maintain measurement accuracy across diverse systems.

The tool has been designed to address these challenges by providing a complete, versatile and configurable measurement chain. Engineered to seamlessly integrate with a wide variety of strain gauge sensors (full bridge, 4- or 6-wire, 80 to 5000 Ω) and transducers - including high-precision force, torque and weighing sensors – it transforms how mobile calibration, material testing, and asset monitoring are performed. Built-in Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) enables immediate sensor recognition, allowing technicians to switch between distinct measurement tasks instantly.

By bringing laboratory-grade precision directly to the field, the indicator offers several operational advantages, starting with standards-compliant traceability. The system can be calibrated by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) to operate as a fully traceable reference instrument within an organisation's existing calibration chain, ensuring audit-ready documentation, suitable for high-end reference and service use.

Traceability is also supported by exceptional technical capability - with an accuracy class of up to 0.01% of full scale at a 4.8 kHz sample rate, as well as high-speed sampling up to 19.2 kHz with 0.1% accuracy to capture rapid, dynamic force profiles reliably.

D110 simplifies the calibration of industrial machinery and complex weighing systems, enabling field technicians to perform precise, repeatable verification directly on stamping and forming presses, hydraulic workshop presses, press brakes, assembly machines and torque verification systems, without the need for expensive, time-consuming stationary lab setups.

When paired with industrial load cells, the device serves as a mobile reference system to verify weighing installations in silos, tanks and filling stations. This allows users to test individual load cells, verify summed signals and detect mechanical drift or settling, ensuring billing compliance and improving material balance control, without interrupting standard plant workflows.

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@HBMmeasurement @BruelKjaerUK @HBMPrenscia #PAuto

Handheld indicator & smart probes.

A new portable Vaisala Indigo80 Handheld Indicator designed for industrial spot checking, short-term data logging, field sampling, data analysis and diagnostics has just been launched.*

In conjunction with the Indigo80, the company announced the launch of the Vaisala HUMICAP Handheld Humidity and Temperature Probe Series HMP80 and the Vaisala DRYCAP Handheld Dew Point and Temperature Probe Series DMP80; both designed for portable use, operating seamlessly with the Indigo80 handheld indicator.

Indigo80 with probe HMP80

The Indigo80 handheld combines leading-edge technology and ultramodern industrial design. Special attention has been paid to its look and feel, customer experience, and usability. It must be easy to take along and operate reliably in varying measurement environments, while being as durable as fixed installed devices. The design features of the Vaisala Indigo80 received an honorary award last year in one of the most prominent design competitions in Finland, the Fennia Prize.

“We are very proud of the product design, as Indigo80 has much more than meets the eye: it is a perfect combination of simplicity, ease of use and the highest standards of technology, accuracy, and reliability. It has an impressive list of features, including support for up to two Indigo-compatible probes or transmitters simultaneously. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery ensures typically 10h operation time without charging, and its intuitive user interface support customers in 10 languages,” comments Product Manager Vuokko Lantz from Vaisala.

In addition to the two newly launched probes, Indigo80 operates together with Vaisala’s other Indigo compatible measurement probes and other selected Vaisala measurement instruments. Together with the selected probes, Indigo80 creates value by adding a portable measurement option in the Indigo product family for multiple parameters, including humidity, temperature, dew point, carbon dioxide, hydrogen peroxide vapor and moisture in oil, bringing ease of use and increased process efficiencies to the industrial customers.

The Indigo80 indicator’s datalogging capabilities enable the enhancement of industrial process efficiency by monitoring process conditions during the needed time period. Spot-checking helps to ensure that process conditions are within the required range to produce consistent and high-quality products.

Indigo80 can also be used for reference checking of the stationary installations of Vaisala measurement instruments, and for on-site calibration of the existing Vaisala fixed-mounted instruments to optimize process conditions.

“Industrial process optimization based on accurate data can lead to increased production efficiency, reduced waste and emissions, and improved resource utilization, which delivers a smaller environmental footprint,” Lantz concludes.

Deliveries of the Vaisala Indigo80 Handheld Indicator and the launched probes start gradually in Q2 2023 in selected countries.

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* To coincide with the launch, Vaisala has also published a Blog: Spot-checking measurements of environmental conditions!

@VaisalaGroup @_Enviro_News #PAuto  #Environment

Indicator for all.

Most process loop indicators do an adequate job in indicating a process variable in the field. But what happens when signals are from level transmitters that sit on vessels where the level is not linear with volume and the loop indicator needs to display the volume? Or what if yesterday’s installation area was a Div 2/Zone 2 location and today it’s a Div 1/Zone 0/1 location? And what happens when you need to setup 50 loop indicators with tedious push button set up or a small HART handheld screen?

If you think all of this is too complicated and costly, meet the PSD – Moore Industries PC-Programmable 4-20mA Loop Display (2-Wire). Loop powered by less than 2.3 Volts, the PSD can be installed on burdened loops. When placed in one of Moore Industries’ rugged explosion-proof enclosures, the PSD has 3600 flexible mounting, letting you mount it at any angle.

The LCD is an easy-to-read display featuring two rows of large characters and supports five characters for EGU (engineering units). A handy front push button allows the operator to view the lower and upper EGU and shows the actual current on the loop that the PSD is reading.

The PSD is simple to program and comes with free PC Programming software allowing configuration in less than a minute with excellent support for custom curves. The software allows you to build up to an 85-point linearization curve, or you can build your own curve in Microsoft Excel then quickly and easily import it into the PSD.

For critical loops an optional LMD (loop maintenance diode) is available. The LMD allows the removal of the PSD from the current loop without breaking or bringing down the loop. The PSD is not only feature- rich with an easy-to-read customizable display, it is cost effective and an excellent choice to keep on hand in your stockroom for future needs.

 #PAuto @MII_Worldwide

Explosion-proof flow measurement.

A new member to Fluidwell's E-Series family, the E115 explosion-proof bi-directional flow rate indicator/totaliser which detects the flow direction with quadrature signal inputs. Such applications can be found by loading and unloading of ships where one bi-directional flowmeter is used. Another application is the correction of back-flow due to shocks in a pipeline caused by piston pumps or valve behavior. It requires two pulse signals from the same flowmeter which are 90° or 270° degrees out of phase.

The E115 saves time, money and hassle; is designed to withstand the toughest conditions and is simple to use. Daily operations and plant operations for running work permit procedures are no longer interrupted and even (partial) plant shutdowns can be avoided as the covers do not need to be opened. Operating and setting the display functionalities is fast, safe and easy thanks to the through-glass keypad. This unequalled bi-directional flow rate indicator/totaliser delivers user-friendliness in the toughest conditions.

The robust stainless steel 316L E-Series housing is designed to guarantee safety. It takes the E115 bi-directional flow rate indicator / totalizer beyond the legislative requirements for hazardous areas. In the harshest conditions of punishing weather, desert and maritime climates and extreme temperature fluctuations, the durable E-Series consistently delivers accurate measurements. A solid die cast aluminum housing with the same ingress protection rating is available for cost-effective applications.

The E115 is extremely practical in use. The through-glass keypad enables you a safe and effortless operation of all functionalities without having to open the cover. The menu, display and navigation structure are designed according to the Fluidwell “know one, know them all” principle, which enhances easy and intuitive control of various Fluidwell totalizers, flow computers and other displays.

@Fluidwell  #PAuto #EX

Network function added to digital indicator.

A network function has been added by Yokogawa, to the UM33A digital indicator with alarms, a product in the UTAdvanced controller series, and will be released to the market early next month.

Features

1. Easy to introduce/improved monitoring of data.
The enhanced UM33A supports the master function and the data monitoring function of the Modbus/RTU communication protocol, and is able to connect up to eight sensors and sequentially display data from those devices. The UM33A is thus able to monitor data from multiple field sensors without requiring the installation and engineering of a separate device with user interface and controller functionality. It can also function alongside already installed systems that employ such specially configured hardware. With its ability to remotely connect with multiple sensors throughout a site, the enhanced UM33A makes it easier for plant personnel to check measurement data from these devices.

2. An enhanced field digital solution.
In plants, progress is being made in the introduction of field digital solutions that rely on digital communications between intelligent field devices and control systems. Field digital solutions allow the transmission of significantly greater amounts of data, including not only data on process parameters but also instrument status information. The ability to monitor this information online improves maintenance efficiency. Thanks to its functional enhancements, the enhanced UM33A can handle both digital and analog communications with sensors, and is well positioned to facilitate the introduction of field digital solutions at plants.

With this network function, a single UM33A digital indicator can receive, process, and sequentially display data from up to eight sensors. The enhanced UM33A is an easy to install and cost effective solution that enables the monitoring of data from multiple field sensors. By improving the functions of its UTAdvanced product line, Yokogawa aims to satisfy the latest customer needs and expand its controller business.

In recent years, there has been a growing need to strengthen the monitoring of data from field sensors. For safety and other reasons, operators need the ability to remotely monitor data from sensors that are installed high up, in confined spaces, and other locations where it is difficult to visually check the readings on the sensor displays. The UM33A digital indicator that Yokogawa offered until now accepts analog data from sensors that measure parameters such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate, converts this data into digital signals, and displays the readings. It can also issue an alarm if an input signal falls outside a preset range. However, it is only able to accept data from a single sensor. To check data from multiple sensors, it is necessary to install and configure other equipment such as a touch panel with an embedded controller or some other type of user interface used in combination with a programmable controller (PLC). This equipment is both expensive and requires large amounts of engineering.

Yokogawa has strengthened the functions of the UM33A to satisfy the needs of customers who want to check measurement data from multiple sensors in the field. The enhanced UM33A can be installed easily and at a lower cost.

Companies that design and manufacture machinery, air conditioning systems, power equipment, tanks, and other items for use in industries such as electrical equipment, machinery, chemicals, foods, semiconductors, and automobiles will find this useful.

It will be used for the display of temperature, pressure, and flow rate; alarming; and display of operating conditions in heating, cleaning, sterilization, cryogenics, refrigeration, wastewater treatment, and other manufacturing and R&D processes.

Safety programmable loop display.

The SIL 3 capable SLD Functional Safety Programmable Loop Display for use in Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) has been released by Moore Industries. The SLD has been certified by exida® with full Functional Safety approval after rigorous evaluation to ensure conformance with strict IEC 61508 standards for safety-related applications.

The SLD is part of the FS Functional Safety Series family and the loop-powered SLD provides reliable and accurate display of real-time process status in mA, percent, or any designated 5-character Engineering Units (EGU). Built for Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF), the SLD can be taken out of the loop with the –LMD option (Loop Maintenance Diode) without affecting the integrity of the safety function.

The SLD Functional Safety Programmable Loop Display is DTM programmable with user oriented basic configuration for fast and accurate setup. The SLD can be programed with any FDT compliant host or program such as PACTware utilizing Moore Industries’ DTM and USB communication cable. DTM programmability allows the SLD to be custom scaled to display percent or scaled directly in engineering units to show process measurements such as pressure, temperature, level, or flow. Additional settings for display such as span, zero, input range, display range, and filtering frequency are easy to program. The free software allows users to select square root or linear curve from the library, or quickly create a custom one or even import a curve from Microsoft Excel.

The SLD flexibility doesn’t end there; it is loop-powered using less than 2.3 Volts, includes robust RFI/EMI protection and has an easy-to-read display with two rows of large characters. With 360 degree mounting, the SLD can be mounted at any angle in almost any environment using one of the Moore Industries’ explosion-proof and flameproof housings..

SIL 3 capable third-party certified SLD Functional Safety Programmable Loop Display is the perfect reliable solution to accurately display process status in a safety loop. The SLD has superior accuracy reading any 4-20mA signal, displays information with phenomenal accuracy of ±0.012% of input scale, and flexible enough to mount anywhere. The SLD continues to support Moore Industries’ reputation for reliability and customer satisfaction with exceptional accuracy and long-term stability with up to 5 years between scheduled calibrations.

@MII_Worldwide  #PAuto 

Indicator with process filtering.

The INT4-P is the latest version of Applied Measurement's  INT2-P featuring improved process filtering from your pressure transducer, level transmitter or depth sensor. The INT4-P is directly compatible with the INT2 series as it features the same front panel designs, dimensions and connections, for easy integration.

The INT4-P meter displays physical variables, such as weight, load, force and torque, providing you with a 24V regulated excitation supply, capable of providing up to 40mA of current to power a wide range of sensors and transducers. Improved accuracy is guaranteed with its 10 point user configurable lineariser, which is a standard feature on the INT4-P indicator.

The INT4-P is easy to configure with its new single layer menu for a simpler setup. The readout is provided by a 6-digit LED display (also configurable with 3, 4 or 5 digits if preferred) coupled with an ultra-high resolution 20-bit A/D converter and highly stable strain gauge bridge excitation source which provides superb resolution and stability in any application. The front panel has a 7 segment window for displaying the measurement allowing decimal point and minus sign characters to be included and has 4 alarm annunciators to show the status of each alarm relay.

Peak and valley memories allow you to view the maximum and minimum recorded measurements. Also, the meter can give alarm outputs, scaled and isolated analogue output and isolated serial data retransmission, when fitted with option boards.

A lockout switch on the rear of the meter saves your configuration settings in non-volatile memory, which has a 10 year guaranteed storage period. When the lockout switch is set to ON, your settings cannot be accidentally altered.

@AppMeas #PAuto

Flat panels and panel PCs.

19-inch widescreen Flat Panels and Panel PCs with all-round IP65 protection are the latest addition to the Siemens glass-front portfolio. Fitted with a rugged aluminum enclosure, the new devices are designed especially for use at the machine level in harsh industrial environments and can be mounted either from the top or the bottom on a stand or supporting arm system.

Simatic IFP1900 PRO Flat Panels and Simatic IPC477D PRO Panel PCs have crystal-clear, scratchproof, 100% glass fronts that are highly resistant to chemicals. Highlights include a special industrial anti-glare surface, excellent legibility even at large viewing angles thanks to the high image resolution and brightness, and the automatic detection of inadvertent touching or operation, for example, caused by catching the screen with the ball of the hand or the build-up of dirt on the panel surface. Projected-capacitive touch technology (PCT) enables single and multi-touch or gesture-based operation, even when wearing thin protective gloves, and images can be panned, zoomed, or hidden components shown both intuitively and quickly.

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.

Melt pressure indicator/controller!

Invensys Eurotherm has launched the new piccolo™ P304i Melt Pressure Indicator and P304c Controller. Monitoring and control of the pressure in plastics manufacture leads to higher quality end product with lower scrap, and can prevent damage to machinery caused by overpressure conditions. The latest addition to Eurotherm’s range of products offers versatile solutions with advanced features and a wide range of hardware options that make them ideal for all types of plastic processing.

Eurotherm of course has decades of knowledge and understanding of the needs of plastics producers and machinery builders, combining this insight with its leading control and automation expertise, the company has developed products, solutions and services for precision control in plastics processing.

This new, innovative Melt Pressure Indicator and Controller is ideal for extrusion and injection moulding in plastics processing as Tim Linnell, Product Portfolio Manager at Invensys Eurotherm explains: “Compatible with industry standard probes and strain gauges including Dynisco, the P304 uses automatic standard shunt calibration procedures making it ideal for new installations and retrofit. It has been designed to monitor and automate the pressure of molten plastic being forced through a die or into a mould. Usually a screen is used to filter out impurities, and as these build up on the screen, the pressure needed to push plastic through increases. If not carefully monitored and controlled, this pressure can cause damage to equipment.

“P304 combines the most advanced features for management of melt pressure of any instrument in its class with simplicity of use and a high speed 50ms cycle time so that rapid changes in pressure can be monitored and dealt with.”

Key features aimed at improving operational efficiency include:

• Easy to integrate and use in new and legacy applications
• Fast-acting alarms to protect against overpressure
• Responsive, precision PID control with overshoot inhibit
• Easy, effective auto-tune
• Universal + strain gauge inputs
• Second input for differential pressure indication / control
• Analogue retransmission
• Easy and flexible configuration via PC software or front panel
• Modbus RTU digital communications
• High visibility three colour LED display
• Wipedown, customizable front fascia
• High reliability and quality
• Three year warranty
• Global expert support available

The P304 is the latest from Eurotherm’s piccolo range which has been designed for plastics and small furnace applications and provides advanced precision PID control in an easy to use and very cost effective format. Plastics extrusion applications benefit from specialised algorithms designed to optimise use of water, fan or oil cooling, and the fast reacting overshoot free control assures continuous high quality production without waste. The units are quick to commission and apply with industry standard connections to sensors and actuators and a quick code guided configuration.

Tim concluded: “Continuing a thread of Eurotherm product innovation that spans 50 years, 2014 will see an ambitious product release schedule. Our philosophy is to package advanced control and automation algorithms in cost effective ways so that our industrial customers benefit from the latest advances but with products that are easy to use and apply.”

Panel indicators

Marl International has added many multi-voltage LED panel indicators, providing universal options for applications in harsh and demanding environments. Marl’s vast range of standard and customised LED panel lamps includes components that have an operating voltage input range from 12V- 48V AC/DC (a true bi-polar product) and 110-240V AC.

According to Marl Managing Director, Adrian Rawlinson, “The new multi-voltage LED panel indicator range is easier to design in and more tolerant of fault conditions in the circuit environment, and eliminates the need for many customers to order and stock 12V, 24V and 48V versions of the same LED.”

The wide voltage option is available across a wide range of Marl panel indicators, in all the popular colours including red, green, blue, yellow and clear. Lens options included smoked, diffused or water clear. A key feature of Marl LEDs is their long life and physical endurance. Most are specified with a service life of 100,000 hours and can be supplied with full environmental protection including sealing to IP67. They are assembled in robust anodised aluminium housing, and are offered with a range of mounting options to suit the customer’s enclosure. Electrically, Marl LEDs can be supplied with reverse polarity protection, or as fully bipolar components. Terminations available include flying leads, solder tags, screw terminals or solder pins.

Since Marl assembles all panel LED components at its manufacturing site in Cumbria (GB), it is able to offer a high degree of customisation. Specific requirements in terms of electrical characteristics, housing configuration and other specifications can be readily accommodated. The Marl standard and bespoke panel indicator range includes components suitable for specialist and demanding environments, including high vibration, marine,and portable applications.

Digital panel meters for processes

Yokogawa has released the ProPlus Digital Panel Meter series which was designed according to their well known and rigorous engineering and high quality standards. The ProPlus Digital Panel Meter series is available in the following 8 different models with up to 24 feature enhancing options.

• YPP6000 – Process Meter
• YPP6060 – Dual Input Process Meter
• YPP6100 – Strain Gauge Input Meter; Available Winter 2012
• YPP6200 – Analog Input Flow Rate/Totaliser
• YPP6210 – Input Batch Controller
• YPP6300 – Pulse Input Flow Rate/Totaliser
• YPP6310 – Pulse Input Batch Controller
• YPP7000 – Temperature Meter


Key features include:
• Dual-Line 6-Digit Display
• NEMA 4X, IP65 Front
• Universal 85-265 VAC or 12/24 VDC Input Power
• Sunlight Readable Display Models
• Programmable Displays & Function Keys
• 2 or 4-Relay plus Isolated 4-20 mA Output Options
• External 4-Relay & Digital I/O Expansion Modules
• USB, RS-232, and RS-422/485 Serial Communication Options
• Modbus® RTU Communication Protocol Standard
• Free ProPlus Software for Operation, Monitoring, and Programming
• CE and UL Certification
• 3 Year Warranty

Process application examples for the ProPlus Digital Panel Meter series include tank level, pump control, batch size plus many more. The ProPlus Digital Panel Meter series is available from Yokogawa distributors and representatives.

The elegance of climate monitoring

New data logger for humidity, temperature, CO2 and air pressure

The new HUMLOG20 data logger from E+E Elektronik does not need to hide in any application. The state-of-the-art, elegant housing and the large display make the data logger a real attention-grabber. The current measurement values can be read off easily thanks to the large display, even from a distance of several metres.

The excellent price-performance ratio and the corresponding optics make the HUMLOG20 the optimal choice for numerous applications. Typical fields of application include the monitoring and recording of humidity, temperature, CO2 and air pressure in museums, conference rooms or classrooms as well as climate monitoring in clean rooms, greenhouses, storage rooms or calibration laboratories.

The HUMLOG20 data logger offers multiple customer benefits.
Seamless data logging over a period of more than a year is possible thanks to the long battery life and a memory capacity of 3.2 million measurement values.
The current measurement data are always available in the network, as the data logger is compliant with the network thanks to the integrated Ethernet interface. The data can be queried, displayed and saved on a PC in real time.

A simple analysis and visualisation of the measurement data is possible with the SmartGraph3 software included in the scope of delivery.

A fast response to possible deviations is supported by a visual and acoustic alarm function.

E+E are reprresented in Ireland by Instrument Technology!

Robust and NVIS compatible LED panel indicators

Marl International has extended its industrial and defence LED panel indicator range with two robust series featuring exceptionally high EMC screening. One of the new LED indicators offers NVIS (Night VISion) radiance, making it suitable for use by operators wearing military night vision goggles.

Marl 677 and 697 panel indicators are specifically designed to address the most demanding applications. Both series benefit from an exceptionally high degree of EMC protection, with an internal stainless steel mesh behind the lens to provide continuity of screening as well as a conductive panel seal. Sealed to IP67, the lamps are supplied in robust chrome plated aluminium housings and are fully potted for high vibration applications. They have a smoked lens to give a good on/off contrast ratio.

The 677 series is offered in red, yellow, green, blue and cool white in 12V and 24V versions and has an internal reverse protection diode fitted as standard. The 697 series is available in green only, and is specifically designed for military panels where operators may be wearing night vision aids. It emits radiance to Mil-85762A standards, for compatibility with NVIS panel displays used by operators wearing night vision aids.

Flow rate, running time, fuel theft & more...

The rising cost of diesel means it is a valuable commodity for bulk commercial users across a variety of industries, making it vital to ensure that expensive fuel is used wisely, not wasted or pilfered. So the launch of the new multifunctional Fuel-View digital meter from Bronkhorst UK, which monitors flow rate and fuel consumption, engine operating times, diesel theft volumes and other parameters, should be of considerable interest to owners and operators of commercial vehicle fleets, construction plant, civil and military aircraft tow tractors, leisure boats, diesel-powered factory equipment, standby generators, heating boilers and diesel-fired burners.

Their new Fuel-View series of flow meters, for fuel flows between 1 and 400 litres per hour, offers a compact, lightweight and cost-effective solution for measuring diesel consumption and operating times of road vehicles, agricultural and aircraft tractors, construction plant, marine vessels, generators and all types of mobile and static engines, at competitive prices from stg£200 ex VAT. The design’s unique features for preventing the theft of fuel, protecting against the overstatement of readings and any interference with compressed air, magnetic fields and disconnection, make Fuel-View one of the best multi-purpose instruments available on the market.

The standard configuration is a ‘blind’ instrument, with integrated cable for the remote digital processing of signals. As an option, Fuel-View also comes with an on-board LCD readout, displaying such information as actual flow, total consumption and engine operating time in idling, overload and optimal modes. The instrumentation is either operated with an external power supply or, on LCD models, via an embedded standby battery, which provides autonomous running of the flow meter for up to 2 years.

The Fuel-View series operates on the principle of a rotary piston, which is mounted in a chamber, and the rotating speed is measured by electronic sensors that record magnetic pulses, the number of pulses being proportional to the actual flow rate. This distinctive design allows mainstream fuel flow even if the measuring chamber becomes clogged up, although a filter does protect the chamber from contamination and can be removed and cleaned without dismantling the flow meter itself.

Mounted in a strong, moulded zinc-aluminium alloy case, with full IP54 protection, the Fuel-View can be fitted in any position and withstands both vibration and hydraulic shock. There are a dozen different models with wired outputs, integral LCDs, or combinations of both, for various flow rates and engine power output. The smallest model, DFM-50, has a nominal flow rating of 25 litres per hour, with a minimum of 1 l/hr and a maximum of 50 l/h, for diesel engines up to 80kW (108 hp). The highest rating model, DFM-400, has a nominal flow rate of 200 l/hr (min 30 / max 400 l/hr), for engines over 300 kW (400 hp).

“As a multifunctional system, the Fuel-View has many interesting commercial applications,” says Bronkhorst UK’s Managing Director, Andrew Mangell. “For engine design and testing, it will give instantaneous and totalised fuel flow rates, engine operating times and data on optimal running and overloads. Leisure boat owners will want to know about fuel consumption and any incidents of diesel theft, for billing purposes, as well as engine statistics for preventative maintenance. Engine overload times, fuel pilfering and possible engine interference statistics are also useful for operators of construction plant, commercial vehicles and aircraft tugs, tractors and pushbacks. While hospitals and factories with standby diesel generators can tell whether the engines are running efficiently, when the next planned service is due and check that fuel isn’t being siphoned off or simply leaking away. Similarly, factory owners can gain valuable data about the carbon footprints of fork lifts and heating plant.”

“These instruments are relatively inexpensive, easy to fit, extremely robust in use and will introduce a high level of management control over diesel fuel inventories,” he adds.

Display technology migrates from demanding OEM applications

Hitachi DPG introduces high performance 5.8” TFT

Hitachi Display Products Group (DPG) has announced the introduction of a new 5.8” TFT display module featuring IPS-Pro technology. IPS-Pro is the latest derivative of Hitachi’s established IPS (in-plane-switching) display technology which enables a 176 degree viewing angle in all directions. The new compact TX15D02VM0CAA display module features WQVGA (400 x 240 pixels) resolution and compliments existing Hitachi wide format aspect ratio displays whilst providing a market leading product specification.

Commenting Mark Stephenson, Product Marketing Manager Hitachi DPG said, “The addition of the new 5.8” TFT display module with IPS-Pro technology provides exceptional optical performance and further enhances our medium size display offering. The TX15D02VM0CAA also implements display technology enhancements that have been developed for harsh industrial environments and automotive applications. The introduction of this display reinforces the advantage Hitachi maintains working within demanding OEM market sectors and ensures benefits that can be passed on to industrial customers.”

The compact TX15 features a mechanical footprint of 145mm (w) x 90mm (h) x 12.5mm (d) while the design in process is aided with the implementation of an industry standard 40-pin 18-bit RGB CMOS interface supporting up to 262K colours. Market leading optical performance is achieved with a contrast ratio of 800:1 and LED backlight featuring a specified lifetime of 70Khours and a brightness of 450cd/m². Extreme environment operating conditions are ably supported with an operating temperature range of -30°C to +80°C.

The new 5.8” TX15D02VM0CAA display is available immediately through Hitachi Display Products Group distribution partners across Europe.

Shaker level

4B Braime have launched a new type of rotary level indicator, the RLI “Shaker”. A rotary paddle switch, to detect high / low levels of bulk granular solids in bins, tanks and silos, the RLI "Shaker" can also be used to detect plug conditions in spouts, where long life and failsafe detection is required.

Utilising a unique stepper motor drive, the RLI “Shaker” rotates clockwise, then counter-clockwise and then shakes to shed any excess material build up.  If the paddle rotation is impeded at any time by the bulk material then the electronic circuit provides a signal for level indication or control.

The RLI “Shaker” uses fewer mechanical parts compared with standard rotary level indicators. No gearbox or clutch is required as the stepper motor drive is directly coupled to the output shaft and is practically indestructible and cannot be damaged by forced or backwards rotation. Also, an adjustable torque control allows one unit to cover many different densities of material, and provides easy on site calibration without having to change paddles.

 The RLI Shaker is ATEX certified.

In the pink!

Marl has taken the unusual step of adding a pink version to its 676 series of standard indicator LEDs. These rugged IP67 sealed LEDs are extremely popular for panels and status indication applications due to their wide viewing angle.

With the addition of a pink version, the range of colours offered by Marl in the 676 series is increased to six: red, yellow, green, blue and cool white. The pink LED offers designers more opportunity to customise the appearance of their system, and to assign different colours to different types of status and warning indication.

The pink LED is identical to the standard 676 series, except that it is fitted with a clear rather than a smoked lens to allow the colour to be seen clearly. Offered in both 12V and 24-28V versions, 676 series LEDs feature an internal reverse protection diode to reduce the risk of damage in the event of incorrect connection. Specifically designed for demanding environments, the LEDs are internally potted to help withstand high vibration, and sealed to IP67 to protect against dust and liquid. The housing is black anodised aluminium and the domed lens helps ensure a wide viewing angle.

Intelligent touch screen display

Anders Electronics has added a 5.7” VGA (640 x 480 pixel) resolution display to its popular UMR 5 Series of products. The new Anders 5.7” display platform offers manufacturers of industrial and medical devices a standard form factor with high-end optical specifications, guaranteed long term availability, and easier, more cost-effective integration of colour, touch and other embedded functionality.

The display component of this newest member of the UMR 5 Series is a 5.7” VGA amorphous silicon-based TFT display with LED backlight, produced by a tier-1 manufacturer with guaranteed long lifetime availability. The display is suitable for a wide variety of demanding industrial and medical applications, offering high colour saturation, excellent brightness (400 cd/m2), high contrast (600:1), ultra-wide viewing angles (up to 75/70/50°), and integral 4-wire resistive touch functionality.

The UMR 5 Series embedded system features PXA270 Intel XScale® architecture, ARM5TE ISA with WMMX extension, running WIN CE 5.0 with options of 312 MHz or 520 MHz clock speeds, 64 or 128 MB SDRAM and 128 or 512 MB NAND FLASH. The embedded systems offer standard interfaces such as I2C, SPI, GPIO, serial ports, 10/100-Base-T Ethernet, and USB Host and Slave. Together with the Anders Software Development Toolkit and sample code for the various on board interfaces, the UMR 5 Series embedded system enables rapid development, testing and deployment of end user applications.

Designed with device end user experience in mind, the Anders UMR 5 Series of intelligent displays provides a unified platform for rapid creation and integration of the iPhone™-like user interfaces that device manufacturers need to differentiate their offerings. The unique Anders IDS (Interface Development Suite), comprising a desktop interface builder and embedded vector graphics engine, enables rapid creation of feature-rich user interfaces. Integration of the Anders IDS with evC++ and Visual Studio enables interaction between embedded system physical interfaces and screen objects with minimum effort.

“We launched the 5.7” UMR Intelligent display specifically to meet the demands of clients seeking upgrade legacy industrial monochrome or CSTN products with colour and touch functionality,” said Ian Ritson, Business Development Manager, Intelligent Displays. “Anders Intelligent Displays let manufacturers avoid the hassles of upgrading the display experience, while still delivering friendly, easy to use devices that excel not only in performance, but also in usability,” he concluded.

Invisible displays?

High performance, cost-effective sunlight readability, together with outstanding indoor colour saturation

Anders Electronics has announced the availability of its newest sunlight readable 2.8” TMR TFT display. Specially designed for portable applications like mobile handsets, remote monitoring systems, industrial and metering products, portable measuring devices, and medical devices, the Anders 2.8” TMR TFT offers excellent indoor and outdoor optical specifications, superb guaranteed availability, and unprecedented cost-performance advantages.

Traditional sunlight readable products rely on either a power-consuming bright backlight, unsuitable for portable applications, or cost-prohibitive transflective technology. The newest Anders display leverages highly cost-effective transmissive micro reflective (TMR), a recognized and viable alternative to transflective displays for designers of indoor/outdoor OEM products.

For outdoor use, TMR displays are comparable in performance with transflective displays. For indoor use, the TMR display’s high transmission rate actually results in better colour saturation and better performance compared with transflective technology.

Anders’ portrait mode TMR TFTs are currently available in 2.8”, 4.3”, 5.7” and 7.0” screen sizes, with a resolution of 240 x (RGB) x 320 pixels, 262K colours, and an integrated backlight. The displays offer a display surface luminance of 300cd/m2, a contrast ratio of 300:1, and a 12 o’clock viewing angle. Designed for rugged industrial and outdoor use, Anders’ TMR TFTs offer operating temperatures from -20C to +70C and storage temperatures from -30C to +80C.

“Our TMR TFTs offer all the advantages of transflective TFTs – in terms of performance, durability, and sunlight readability – at a significantly lower cost to OEM designers than transflective displays,” said Mike Logan, Product Manager at Anders Electronics. “In today’s competitive environment, this gives our clients better value, with no compromise on quality – ultimately translating into increased sales,” he concluded.