Rugged RTUs.

Red Lion has launched two new programmable Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), VT-MIPM-138-D and VT-MIPM-248-D. Equipped with onboard I/O and designed for uncompromising performance in extreme environments, these industrial controllers are ideal for a wide range of rugged, process-oriented applications in water and wastewater processing, oil and gas production and other advanced automation settings.

The new RTUs deliver maximum standalone control over today’s toughest industrial processes. Automatic datalogging and timestamping, as well as logging of trends, alarms and sequences of events, give operators full visibility on their applications. A robust IEC 61131 programming and configuration environment in Red Lion Workbench provides extensive programming and troubleshooting capability. The unit also supports ISaGRAF for backward compatibility and has a true open system design, with Ethernet TCP, Modbus, Linux® and more.

An ideal platform for water, wastewater and oil and gas processing facilities, the VT RTUs come pre-certified, letting operators add applications as desired, program and configure as needed and scale up easily, from 1 to 1000+ stations. Multi-user connectivity is enabled via 10/100 Ethernet ports, RS232 and RS485 and up to 4 communications ports. Onboard I/O is a mixture of DI, DO, AI and AO. Advanced communication capabilities include report on exception, store and forward and peer-to-peer networking.

“The VT-MIPM-138-D and VT-MIPM-248-D units represent the ultimate RTU upgrade for extreme industrial settings,” said Jacob Colegrove, Product Manager. “For operators moving from an existing Sixnet series, it’s the obvious choice. They share the same footprint, has equivalent I/O count, offer comprehensive data logging and networking functionality, plus programmable features for full flexibility.”

Suitable for hazardous areas and extreme temperatures, the controllers are rated for operating temperatures of -40°C to 70°C and have UL Class I, Division 2, CE, and ABS Type certifications.

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• Red Lion products are marketed in Ireland through Instrument Technology.  

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Remote I/O Modules for RTD measurement.

Acromag’s newest addition to the Busworks® NT Series of expandable remote Ethernet I/O modules is the NT2620 Series RTD/resistance module. Designed to be a cost-effective modular solution, it supports four RTD/resistance inputs and two bidirectional discrete digital I/O channels to monitor temperature limits with conditional logic. NTE Ethernet I/O models have dual RJ45 ports and a webserver with Modbus TCP/IP or EtherNet/IPTM communication to monitor or control the internal I/O channels.

“Now Acromag can interface a wider variety of temperature sensors and offer discrete signals to monitor threshold levels or control alarms,” states Robert Greenfield, Acromag’s Business Development Manager.

The Modbus TCP/IP or EtherNet/IPTM communication is field-selectable saving costs of additional modules. An integrated DIN rail bus allows a connection of up to three NTX expansion I/O modules. The space-saving design requires only 25mm of DIN rail per module. Ethernet I/O modules distribute 9-32V DC power along the DIN rail bus to expansion modules. Hazardous location approvals, high noise immunity, and -40 to 70°C operation make this I/O ideal for use in harsh environments.

Profinet communication is planned for release soon. Each module will support all three protocols which are selectable using any web browser to configure the network settings and I/O operation. The modules typically function as a network slave, but also offer Acromag’s i2o® peer-to-peer communication technology to transfer data between modules directly without a host or master in between. Multicast capability is included.

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Water resistant Pt100 surface temperature sensor

OMEGA’s New range of Pt100 surface temperature sensors, feature a water resistant flexible silicon patch and moulded lead wire.

The patch has a strong silicon adhesive backing for easy and secure mounting on flat or curved surfaces. The aluminium strip also ensures a fast temperature response. Simply peel off the backing and stick to a clean, dry surface. One hour after application the sensor and adhesive will resist moisture to IP67 standards, making it suitable for many outdoor or wet environments.

For use in temperature ranges from -30 to 150°C with a 4 wire construction and precision 100Ω class A platinum element.

Available off the shelf in standard lengths from 1 to 5 metres or contact us for custom availability. Self-adhesive cable ties are also available for long cable runs.

New RTD signal conditioners with USB configuration

The initial offering in Acromag’s new ST130 series of low-cost, temperature transmitters is an ASIC-driven RTD signal conditioner, Model ST131. Units combine the simplicity of a digital USB setup and calibration interface with the inherent performance advantages of analog signal conditioning. Selling for just $89 with free Windows configuration software, this DIN Form B head-mount instrument will convert the input signal from any 100 ohm Platinum RTD sensor to a highly accurate, loop-powered 4-20mA output. A ruggedized design features -40 to 80°C operation, electrical noise immunity, and surge protection. CE and UL/cUL Class 1 Division 2 Zone 2 approvals are pending.

“Our new ST131 RTD transmitter employs the best of analog and digital technologies at a very attractive price,” states Don Lupo, Acromag’s sales and marketing director. By maintaining a fully analog signal path (i.e. no digitization), the transmitter delivers optimal accuracy, noise resistance and response speed. Additionally, the unit supports digital calibration to eliminate zero/span pots, DIP switches, and pushbuttons for easy programming of ranges, over/under scale thresholds, and fail-safe settings.

Despite their tiny size and economical price tag, ST131 transmitters are full-featured. These transmitters provide sensor excitation and perform advanced signal linearization, lead-wire compensation, and sensor fault detection functions. Units can also support any 100 ohm Pt RTD sensor (alpha = 375-393) or 0-900 ohm input. Designed for harsh environments, the unit’s ASIC exhibits very low drift across wide ambient temperatures and is highly resistant to RFI, EMI, ESD, and EFT effects. Simultaneous differential sampling and auto-zero techniques yield further accuracy improvements. Another benefit, the output is non-polarized and reverse polarity protected. Factory calibration is also available.

A variety of options add greater flexibility. Programmable over/under range and fault/alarm levels enable identification of a “runaway” process or broken sensor. Selectable up/downscale failsafe modes ensure a safe, predictable shutdown with a NAMUR-compliant fault response.

For easy installation, Acromag sells a variety of mounting and wiring accessories. A USB-to-USB isolator protects equipment from ground loops, electrical noise, and surges during configuration. For convenience, a kit supplies the software, isolator, and USB interface cables. Numerous connection head enclosures are also available through Acromag. Select from stainless steel, aluminum, and cast iron housings with explosion-proof or general-purpose ratings. A DIN rail adapter adds more mounting options.

Acromag is an international corporation that has been developing and manufacturing measurement and control products for more than 50 years. They offer a complete line of industrial I/O products including process instruments, signal conditioning equipment, data acquisition boards, distributed I/O modules, and network communication devices.