TOC analysers Distributership announced.

ErsaTec GmbH, the manufacturer of gas analysers for the measurement of organic gases (TOC) such as solvents and fuels, has appointed Quantitech as exclusive distributor of their products in Ireland and Britain.

Designed and developed by former employees of Bernath Atomic (manufacturer of the well-known Bernath 3006 FID), the ErsaTec analysers employ Flame Ionisation Detectors (FIDs) to measure total organic carbon. The product range includes both continuous and semi-continuous analysers for use in a wide variety of industrial applications.

“We are delighted to be given this opportunity,” says Sales Director Dominic Duggan. “Quantitech has been selling FID instruments for around 20 years and we are very excited to be able to offer a choice of fixed and transportable versions.

“The ErsaTec products are ideal for Part B Processes and Test Houses; offering advanced FID technology at highly competitive prices. The range offers a number of very attractive advantages; for example, the SmartFID instruments have internal dataloggers and are very easy to set up and run with an intuitive touchscreen.”

FID analysers require a fuel source and with dual range capability (low range to 10ppm and high range to 100,000ppm) the ErsaTec FIDs can operate on either hydrogen or a hydrogen/helium mix. However, hydrogen consumption is very low and this is the most economical choice.

• Under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010, local authorities must regulate certain types of factory. This is to reduce any pollution they may cause and, in particular, to help improve air quality. Businesses which operate these premises must seek a permit and in doing so, will need to demonstrate compliance with emission limits, so for most of these (over 17,000) processes monitoring will be necessary, and for many of them that will include the measurement of organic gases such as solvents.
The British Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published Process Guidance Notes for a wide range of affected processes.

@Quantitech #ERsaTech #PAuto #Britain #Ireland

Increased demand for XRF analyser hire.

Steve Drake, NDT Market Manager at Ashtead Technology believes that XRF is one of the most important technologies in the company’s fleet of NDT and environmental testing instruments. 

“With a small amount of training, almost anyone can implement detailed inspections in a wide variety of applications, and with most instruments being lightweight and robust, XRF analysers are among the most popular rental items. We have therefore invested in a selection of the leading XRF equipment so that customers are able to choose the instrument and mode that suits their application best.”

XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) analysers enable the chemical, non-destructive analysis of metals and alloys in a wide variety of materials. A simple point-and-shoot method means that even relatively inexperienced users can analyse metals content quickly and easily, following the requisite introductory course that is provided by Ashtead Technology’s Radiation Protection Supervisor, Will Russell.

Typical applications for XRF include Positive Material Identification (PMI), recycling of waste metal and compliance with the WEEE and RoHS Directives, quality control in manufacturing, and environmental applications such as contaminated land investigation.

Summarising, Steve Drake says: “As customers find new ways to utilise XRF technology, the demand for these instruments continues to grow and with the benefit of our in-house training, new users are able to operate safely and provide reliable measurements.”

@ashteadtech #PAuto #TandM

Enhanced level measurement technology for bulk solids applications.

New functions and certifications expand the range of applications for Rosemount™ level measurement devices, helping to provide greater control of inventory and manufacturing processes

Further addressing the tough challenges of accurately measuring level and volume of bulk solids and powders in large vessels, bins and silos, Emerson Process Management has enhanced its range of level measurement devices. A number of new functions and certifications will help to minimise maintenance, enable easy integration and expand the range of suitable applications.

“Uneven surfaces, irregular build-up and harsh, dusty and potentially explosive environments make measuring the level of solids in large vessels problematic, impacting inventory control decisions,” said Asael Sharabi, technical director at Emerson Process Management. “Emerson’s enhanced Rosemount instrumentation meets these challenges to provide users with greater control of inventories and entire manufacturing processes, with significant financial benefits.”

Supporting manufacturers’ need for improved inventory control, the Rosemount 5708 Series 3D Solids Scanner, which uses acoustic measurement and 3D mapping technology to provide highly accurate continuous level and volume measurement, is now suitable for a broader range of applications. The device is now ATEX/IECEx certified for installation in areas with potentially explosive atmospheres, often found in solids measurement applications. A new mounting adaptor also allows the device to be installed within electrostatic precipitator (ESP) hoppers. By using its 3D visualisation capability to map out the surface of the fly ash that builds up in the hopper, operators can optimise the process, reducing cost, risk and wear and tear on the hopper.

To overcome the difficulty of installation and integration, Emerson has introduced full SCADA integration support for the solids scanner. Users can now seamlessly integrate 3D visualisation of the surface level into Emerson’s Ovation™ or DeltaV™ distributed control systems, delivered directly to control room operators.

For remote solids applications or where there is no existing cable infrastructure, wireless can be the key for a successful project. Both the solids scanner and the Rosemount 5402 Non-contacting Radar, which provides bulk solids level measurement for applications with smaller sized vessels, can now be connected to a WirelessHART® network using a Smart Wireless THUM™ Adapter. This enables easy integration to the automation architecture, reducing installation cost and time.

New functions help to further reduce if not eliminate device maintenance requirements. The new air purging connection for the Rosemount 5402 prevents clogging of the antenna in applications with very dusty environments. The already present self-cleaning function on the Rosemount 5708 can now be complemented with a new PTFE coated antenna which helps extend maintenance intervals even further, especially where extremely sticky materials are present.

Emissions monitoring to be studied!

The organisers of CEM 2016, the international emissions monitoring event, have published details of the conference that will run over three days in Lisbon from 18th to 20th May. Featuring speakers from 13 countries there will be 48 presentations within seven main themes:

1. Regulation Standards and Quality
2. Predictive Emission Monitoring
3. Innovative Measurement Technology
4. Fine Particulate Monitoring
5. Mercury and other Trace Metals
6. Fugitive Emissions
7. Industrial Case Studies

The Conference presentations will address a wide range of testing and monitoring issues covering the latest international regulations, standards, methods and technologies in applications such as power stations, waste incineration, laboratory analysis, ship emissions and the Maritime Directive, biofuels, coal and biomass fired boilers, hazardous waste incineration, cement plants, chlor-alkali plants and landfill emissions.

CEM 2016 organiser Marcus Pattison believes that the CEM 2016 Conference is particularly well timed. “The emissions reduction targets agreed by 195 nations at COP21 in Paris will place a growing emphasis on the accuracy and reliability of monitoring at a time when, thanks to Volkswagen, public understanding of air pollution issues has never been greater. The automotive industry is keen to highlight the significance of industrial emissions, so it is vital that industry continues to provide ‘real-world’ data that can be trusted."

Long range high position sensors in harsh conditions!

The NCG-1-AL-UHV position sensors from Queensgate, based upon highly advanced proprietary capacitive technology, are the longest range devices in the company’s portfolio. Their measurements can span across 11,000µm. Designed for precision positioning in the most uncompromising of environments, they have a sensing mechanism that utilizes gold-plated ceramic capacitive plates and exhibits a combination of rugged construction plus strong operational performance of 0.12µm resolution (thanks to very low noise electronics).

NanoSensor®s maintain their zero position when they are powered down making them a highly optimized alternative or addition to interferometry for short distance measurements. Low thermal changes at the point of measurement mean the sensors are suitable for system drift and stability measurement. The sensors are radiation hard to 107Gy, have an extended working temperature range (covering -200°C to +150°C), are non-magnetic and are suitable for placement in ultra-high vacuum environments (up to 1 × 10-10Torr). Their relatively simple installation, with just one or two electrical feedthroughs, reduces system complexity and cost over optical measurement systems. A standard model capacitive sensor NCG-1-AL is also available for use in air.

Queensgate’s NCG-1-AL-UHV position sensors are designed to be accompanied by the company’s NS-2000/NS-2000SM single axis or NS-2304 multi-axis sensor controllers. Among the key applications for these devices are insertion redevises, X-ray monochromators, precision manufacturing and other large scale science experiments.

Fast Ethernet Interface Card for Train Control.

The F305 network controller, from MEN,  coming in 3U CompactPCI supports four fast Ethernet channels and real-time Ethernet functionality. Especially developed for rail applications, the card is equipped with robust M12 connectors on the front, is working in an extended temperature range from -40 to +85°C and complies with the EN 50155 railway standard.

Real-Time Ethernet for Modular Train Control System

The four fast Ethernet channels of the F305 network controller can connect over distances up to 100 m. The card supports full-duplex or half-duplex for 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX.

The F305 is available with or without a real-time Ethernet controller and extended connectivity, making it flexibly scalable to system requirements.

The one-slot CompactPCI card comes with robust M12 connectors, conformal coating, operates in an extended temperature range from -40 to +85°C and fulfills the requirements of the EN 50155 standard. The F305 is the perfect companion especially in demanding rail systems for rolling stock and wayside.

Due to its robust characteristics and real-time functionality the F305 plays a central role as a reliable network component in the MTCS Modular Train Control System from MEN.

MTCS is the very first open computer platform for automatic train operation and protection. All components inside MTCS communicate via real-time Ethernet and are connected via a ring topology, allowing the devices to be controlled from two directions. This architecture tolerates single faults and considerably raises the safety of the system.

@MEN_Germany #Transport #PAuto

Preventive maintenance practices for all!

Unplanned downtime due to equipment failure can cost manufacturers up to three per cent of their revenue, according to the U.S. Federal Energy Management Program. Manual methods of tracking equipment health to predict failures are time consuming and prone to errors and incomplete data, while existing computerised maintenance management systems can be costly and complex and often require significant IT resources to implement.

Fluke Connect® Assets changes the way equipment maintenance is documented, reported, and managed.

Fluke Connect® Assets is a cloud-based wireless system of software and test tools that gives maintenance managers a comprehensive view of all critical equipment — including baseline, historical, and current test tool measurement data, current status, and past inspection data — enabling them to set up and sustain a preventive maintenance (PM) or condition-based maintenance (CBM) system easily with minimal investment.

It features the industry’s only wireless one-step measurement transfer from more than 30 Fluke Connect wireless test tools, eliminating manual recording of measurements so maintenance managers can be more confident that the equipment history is accurate.

The system’s features allow maintenance managers to analyse multiple types of predictive data (for example, electrical, vibration, infrared images) all in one program, side by side, in a visual format that enables easy scanning. In fact, it’s the first software that allows you to compare multiple measurement types in one system, making it easy to see correlations and spot problems. This intuitive display of multiple measurements enhances the productive use of data and the ability to identify a problem, since each measurement type tests a different aspect of equipment health and together they present a more complete picture.

Key features of Fluke Connect Assets include:

• Asset Health dashboard —is a hierarchy based overview of the status of all assets over time, with drill-downs to the individual asset record for more details. This permits managers to identify anomalies or correlations across equipment.
• Asset Analysis – is a record for each piece of equipment that is the single source for all of its maintenance information. Managers and technicians can trend and compare thermal, electrical and vibration data over time for each piece of equipment in order to make optimal repair and replacement decisions.
• Asset Status dashboard — allows managers to quickly scan the most recent status updates for key assets so they can better monitor team and equipment activity.

Entire maintenance teams can capture and share data via their smartphones regardless of their location using AutoRecord™ to automatically record measurements from Fluke Connect wireless test tools, upload the data to Fluke Cloud™ storage and then assign it to a specific asset for sharing and analysis. Technicians can collaborate with their colleagues to discuss problems while sharing data and images in real time with ShareLive™ video calls, speeding up problem solving, decision-making and approvals.
With the Fluke Connect Assets system, maintenance managers and technicians generate more reliable data to make informed decisions about equipment health, reducing unexpected equipment downtime, improving costs, and enhancing the efficiency of their teams.

@FlukeCorp  #PAuto #TandM