Advertorials

New from Retriever Technology is the PLAN-FOR-ACTION scheduling software program.

It provides a simple means of producing routine action plans and schedules, emailing these to the relevant parties and recording the results for compliance and traceability purposes.

It does not include complicated facilities for producing works orders, parts lists, workshop manuals, technical drawings and procedures and similar items – it is designed to be easy to use with a relatively small number of screens and not too much detail – just sufficient to do the job.

Also it is applicable to a wide range of routine activities such as maintenance, servicing, training, auditing, highways and building inspection, calibration, testing, quality control, renewals, PAT testing, subscriptions, birthdays and so on.

The system enables you to generate regular action schedules, email these to the relevant people with optional worksheets attached and record the results for compliance and traceability purposes.

The system is built on a framework of 4 elements:

• ASSETS: the things and/or people that are the objects of the actions
• ACTIONS: what has to be done with optional itemised lists
• AGENTS: the person or organisations that take the actions
• HISTORY: historical dated records of actions taken 

Each asset can be linked to one or more actions, each with an agent and a frequency. The system computes the next action due dates automatically using the historical records.

Schedules are generated based sets of assets filtered by location, type, action and target period. These schedule can be viewed, printed and emailed and are stored in the system until the results of the relevant actions have been recorded. Schedule templates are used to generate repeat schedules such as weekly, monthly or annual lists for selected asset groups.

All reports in the system can be generated as Microsoft EXCEL spreadsheets or PDF files.

The ‘Agents’ have email addresses to receive the relevant schedules. Each asset can also have an email address to receive reminders of forthcoming activity. Worksheets can be set up for an action if required and emailed with the schedules to facilitate correct practice and recording of results and comments.  External documents can be linked to the assets, actions and history. The historical records can include traceability references and document links where required.

User access is password protected and each user is allocated permissions to add/edit/delete records as appropriate by the System Administrator.

The system runs on Microsoft WINDOWS-based computers and networks and is supplied with an annual renewable licence to include technical support and updates either on a single-user or a site-wide basis.  

Retriever Technology:  www.plan-for-action.com           Tel: 01584-781444

Sensirion AG (Switzerland), the leading manufacturer of digital microsensors, has won the DeviceMed OEM-Components innovation prize at the Compamed 2014 exhibition. The disposable liquid flow sensor LD20-2000T for medical devices convinced the jury due to the integration of a thermical sensor element in a microchip. It is based on Sensirion’s CMOSens® technology and has the size of a pinhead. The use of intelligent, compact and cost-effective disposable liquid flow sensors will enable safer, more reliable and more mobile solutions for care in the hospital and at home.

The disposable liquid flow sensor LD20-2000T provides liquid flow measurement capability from inside medical tubing, such as an infusion set or a catheter, in a low cost sensor, suitable for disposable applications. Now drug delivery from an infusion set, an infusion pump or other medical devices can be measured precisely and in real time. Treatments will become more effective, as they become easier to monitor and control. Patient’s safety is improved by the automatic detection of failure modes like clogging, free flow, air bubbles, or leaks in the tubing connection.

Inside the disposable liquid flow sensor, a microchip measures the flow inside a fluidic channel. Flow rates from 0 to 420 ml/h and beyond are measured with a typical accuracy of 5% of the measured value. Inert medical-grade wetted materials ensure sterile operation with no contamination of the fluid. The straight, open flow channel with no moving parts guarantees an excellent reliability of our measurement technology. The miniature size of the sensor chip results in very fast and highly repeatable measurements from our chip. Using Sensirion’s CMOSens® technology, the fully calibrated signal is processed and linearized on the chip with a footprint of only 7.4mm². The LD20-2000T disposable liquid flow sensor enables manufacturers of medical devices to innovate new solutions using a ground-breaking technology which only now has become available. Sensirion has vast experience in the medical field and Sensirion’s liquid flow sensors are already being used in numerous applications in challenging fields, from diagnostic instruments to process control in the semiconductor industry.

For more information, please visit: www.sensirion.com/ld20-2000T   

Hansford Sensors has achieved GOST-TR certification for sales within the Russian Federation. This accreditation confirms Hansford Sensors’ manufacturing process is of the greatest possible quality, ensuring the highest standard of performance from vibration monitoring solutions for customers across industry.

The implementation of GOST-TR is part of Hansford Sensors’ ongoing commitment to continuous process improvement and delivering the best possible service to customers. GOST-TR is a quality management system standard in the Russian Federation that is implemented by both Russian manufacturers and foreign companies looking to import goods and products for sale. Product tests conducted by the Russian Governmental Standards Organisation (GOSSTANDARD) in accredited laboratories ensure manufactured goods are of a high standard that meets the needs and expectations of purchasing companies.

Commenting on the GOST-TR certification, Chris Hansford, Managing Director of Hansford Sensors, said: “Earning this latest quality certification has been a team effort and reflects both the high quality solutions that we offer and the professional customer support that is an important part of our service. This certification will now enable us to expand our service offerings to Russia to meet growing demand for our vibration monitoring solutions.”

Hansford Sensors designs and manufactures vibration monitoring equipment designed to enhance efficiency and minimise costs by protecting manufacturing and engineering process equipment. Vibration and condition monitoring enable businesses across a variety of applications, including metals, wind power, marine and mining, to cost-effectively monitor machinery health and activity. The information gathered by monitoring equipment can then be used to proactively reduce the risk of plant failure in the future.

The Rapidox 7100 Multigas Analyser is an all new high specification instrument, designed and manufactured by Cambridge Sensotec. Developed in reaction to customer demand for a modular gas analysis instrument, the Rapidox 7100 is able to analyse, control and monitor up to six compatible gases.

This is the first 19” rack mountable gas analyser to be developed by the company with standard features including a full colour 7” touch screen interface, two fully programmable alarms, programmable analogue outputs and complete data-logging software.

A range of gas sensor technologies are able to be incorporated within the Rapidox 7100 Multigas Analyser such as; infra-red, long-life electrochemical, thermal conductivity and ceramic tile.

Applications include; emissions monitoring, water treatment processes, medical research, environmental monitoring, R&D, semiconductor manufacturing, metal heat treatment and gas handling and production.

For further information regarding the Rapidox 7100 Multigas Analyser please contact Cambridge Sensotec:

Email: Sales@cambridge-sensotec.co.uk

Phone: +44 (0) 1480 462 142

Website: www.cambridge-sensotec.co.uk

The SSX and SST Safety Isolators and Splitters have received the 2014 Safety Award for Interface Modules from exida, the global leader in functional safety certification for the process industries. The SSX/SST family is one of three products to receive the recognition, which highlights products that bring innovation to the concept of Functional Safety.

“The Moore Industries-International design team has created a product that nicely meets the requirements of IEC 61508 and the expanded exida certification scheme,” said Dr. William Goble, exida Principal Partner. “The SSX/SST Safety Series Isolator and Splitter provides functionality to serve several needs of engineers doing safety function design. It was nice to see such a versatile product with safety certification finally available on the market.”

The two-wire (loop powered) SSX and four-wire (line/mains powered) SST provide reliable isolation and signal conversion for loops in Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS). Both units have the ability to pass valuable HART® data from field transmitters to host systems, and vice-versa. The four-wire SST Splitter takes the input from one process signal and creates two identical, isolated outputs that can go to two different monitoring or control devices. It can also serve as a HART splitter to pass HART data to one or both independent outputs.

The SSX and SST are approved by exida for use in a Safety Instrumented System (SIS) up to SIL 3 in monitor mode where only the input circuit is part of the safety function, or for single use in an SIS up to SIL 2. They are part of Moore Industries’ FS Functional Safety Series, the company’s growing line of safety-related instrumentation which have been certified by exida to be in compliance with IEC 61508, the leading worldwide functional safety standard. Other products in the FS Functional Safety Series are the SIL 3-capable STA Safety Trip Alarm and the SIL 2-capable SRM Safety Relay Module.

In addition to the exida-certified products in the FS Functional Safety Series, many other Moore Industries products used in safety-related applications have detailed FMEDA reports available.

“Moore Industries is honored to receive this prestigious award from exida,” said Scott Saunders, President and CEO of Moore Industries-International, Inc. “By building our safety-related products from the ground up in accordance with IEC 61508 standards, we can assure end users that these products have undergone and met rigorous testing, review and design standards that will ensure their performance when expected and as demanded.”

About Moore Industries-International, Inc.:

Based in North Hills, CA, Moore Industries is a world leader in the design and manufacture of rail, panel and field instruments for industrial process control and monitoring, system integration and factory automation. The company has direct sales offices in the United States and additional strategic worldwide locations in Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China and the United Kingdom. The company serves a variety of industries such as chemical and petrochemical; power generation and transmission; petroleum extraction, refining and transport; pulp and paper; food and beverage; mining and metal refining; pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; industrial machinery and equipment; water and wastewater; and environmental and pollution monitoring.

For more information on Moore Industries, visit www.miinet.com.

A revised and expanded catalogue of fixtures, grips and testing accessories is now available from Mecmesin.

Mecmesin is an established global brand in force and torque testing, providing complete solutions, comprising test systems, grips and fixtures, and custom design. Mecmesin systems and instruments are used worldwide in production floor quality assurance, in product design laboratories, and in engineering.

Reliable and repeatable force and torque testing depends entirely on appropriate fixturing. Mecmesin designs, manufactures, and sources the best quality accessories for all applications, meeting the exacting requirements of industry and international standards. From highly-specified methods for peel and adhesion, or coefficient of friction, to rigorous internally-specified standards and applications, we meet the needs of users, however diverse.

The new catalogue of accessories, grips and fixtures offers a complete range. It will meet the needs not only of Mecmesin systems users, but anyone looking to upgrade, replace and improve their test environment.

The expertise of Mecmesin design engineers is always available to provide professional advice on correct fixturing. This may include a preference for Quick Change connectors, the convenience of pneumatic grips, or specific advice on precision fixturing for the finest of torque tests.

Where a custom requirement is appropriate, for example to precisely grip and align an irregular shape, specific bespoke fixtures can be designed and manufactured by our in-house team.

• The Mecmesin Accessories Catalogue for Force and Torque Testing is available for download from http://www.mecmesin.com/accessories-catalogue   

The AFOLUX Gen III PanelPC family announced by The BVM Group brings high-end computing capability and speed to compact, IP65 sealed rugged units, which can be embedded in other equipment to provide an advanced HMI. First of these to be released is the AFL3-W07A-BT, which features a 7 inch HD 1024 x 600 projective capacitance screen supporting multi-touch functionality and offering landscape and portrait screen modes. A very slim 2mm front bezel gives maximum screen visibility; the overall size of the stylish unit is 190 x 127 x 39mm. Based on the dual core Intel Celeron N2807 2.16 GHz processor with up to 4GB of RAM, the low power consumption ensures fanless operation without any danger of overheating, even during extended use. Windows 7 Embedded and Windows 8 OS are supported. Typical applications include factory interface, home automation controller, digital signage and stock control and picking in warehouses.

HD graphics in provided by the latest 7^th Generation Intel GPU with burst technology, which supports all major 3D graphics formats and offers video encode/decode hardware acceleration for H.264, MPEG2, MVC, VC-1, VMV9 and VP8 formats. HD audio is provided by the Realtec ALC892 Codec that simultaneously supports 7.1 channel sound playback plus 2 channels of independent stereo sound output (multiple streaming). 802.11 b/g/n wireless LAN and two Gigabit Ethernet ports come as standard; two USB3.0 and RS-232 ports are provided. Mass storage is through an internal mSATA slot. Power requirement is 9 – 30 VDC and the unit can be wall, panel, stand or VESA mounted.

A datasheet can be downloaded at www.bvm-store.com/ProductDetail.asp?fdProductId=1001

Mining and mineral processing facilities represent significant fire and explosion hazards to both personnel and production equipment and buildings. Explosions in underground mines and surface processing facilities are caused by accumulations of flammable gas and/or combustible dust mixed with air in the presence of an ignition source.

Manufacturers of mechanical and electrical equipment intended for safe operation in and around potentially explosive atmospheres and who wish to place their products on the market within the European Union need to comply with the ATEX Directive. ATEX (‘Atmospheres Explosives’) is the name commonly given to the framework for controlling explosive atmospheres. Intrinsic safety equipment must be tested and approved by an independent body to assure its safety. It involves a detailed process of examination, testing and assessment of equipment, with the end result being the issue of an ATEX certificate and report confirming that the product is safe to use within potentially explosive environments. ESI have always had a broad range of intrinsically safe products for zone 0 and zone 20, meaning that their products can be used safely in the most hazardous zones. Recently, with ambitions to introduce products in to the mining industry, they have expanded their certification to cover M1 mining.

ESI technology Ltd are delighted to introduce Group 1, M1 Mining to their ATEX certification!

Designed and certified in accordance with the ATEX directive 94/9/EC, the ESI intrinsically safe product range is intended for installation and operation in potentially explosive atmospheres in zone 0 gas group IIC, temperature class T4 and zone 20 dust and M1 mining.

Excellent performance for Mining Applications…….

Silicon-on-Sapphire (S.O.S.) technology was initially utilised in the advancement of high temperature integrated circuits for the NASA space programme. ESI has taken this technology and developed a sensor that is capable of accurately measuring vibration, torque, force or pressure in extreme temperatures over long periods of time.

Incorporating SOS into applications where ATEX approval is required offers a reliable and durable solution with unbeatable performance and value. Because the silicon is grown onto the surface of the sapphire it is incredibly stable and exhibits virtually no hysteresis. With its outstanding insulation properties, the sapphire protects the strain gauge from electromagnetic pulse radiation, and allows the sensor to operate over a very wide temperature range without loss of performance. It can endure high over pressures and provides superb corrosion resistance. The excellent elasticity of the sapphire ensures high repeatability which is a highly desirable characteristic for sensors. SOS technology is incorporated into the ESI ATEX portfolio through a range of high standard products.

To see the full range of Intrinsically Safe pressure transmitters got to www.esi-tec.com or call the sales team on +44 (0)1978 262255. Alternatively you can connect on Facebook or Twitter!

A Cambridge consultancy discusses their structured approach to new product development

When Crowcon wanted to design and develop a new fully automated, easy-to-use gas calibration station to ensure that personal safety monitors are tested and compliant with regulatory standards before being used in potentially hazardous environments, they turned to Cambridge-based technology and product design company, 42 Technology (42T).

Working across healthcare, consumer, energy and industrial sectors, 42T is a leading engineering consultancy that helps clients – including Kimberly-Clark, SAB Miller, Astra Zeneca and Linde – to develop breakthrough products and solve complex engineering problems.

Mark Osborne, Crowcon’s Director of Product Development, said that during the development “42 Technology’s skills in fluid handling, mechanical design, electronics, software systems and human factors were invaluable”.

Now successfully launched, Crowcon’s I-Test system complements their Gas-Pro range of portable detectors for both toxic and flammable gases and has enabled the company to offer a complete system solution.

Crowcon isn’t the only company to have recently benefitted from 42 Technology’s expertise – 42T has also recently carried out a project on sensor manufacturing innovation, another to develop a miniaturised data-logger for consumer field trials, and a sensor system for high speed bank-note handling.

Manufacturing innovation:

42T’s broad experience of manufacturing innovation made them an ideal partner for Inficon AG who were developing an automated process for the manufacture of their precision gas sensor. One of the biggest challenges in the project was working out how best to automate the handling and separation of hundreds of small, brittle coiled filaments which came out of one manufacturing step tangled like Christmas lights.

Christian Berg, Inficon’s Technology Director, said that “42T worked very efficiently alongside our in-house team to automate one of our most challenging and intricate process steps. Their innovative, pragmatic solution will deliver multiple business benefits and allow us to re-assign our highly-trained technicians to more varied and interesting work”.

Data-logging:

In another project, 42 Technology engineered a miniaturised data-logger for use in consumer trials. Their client reported that there was often a gap between the information volunteered by panels of consumers, and the consumer’s true behaviours. In order to bridge that gap, 42T designed and developed a number of bespoke data-loggers capable of being embedded into a variety of consumer products such as deodorant aerosols, cleaning sprays or toothbrushes.

The logger was fully encapsulated with wireless battery charging and data transfer. Rather than wasting battery life by continually logging streams of data from the on-board sensors, the logger software incorporated ingenious algorithms to distinguish real life events from false signals and wake the device from sleep when an event was initiated.

By partnering with a local contract electronics manufacturer, Briton EMS, 42T was able to offer a complete design service from concept to manufacture. Having recently been acquired by the OSI Electronics group, Briton EMS is able to offer both on-shore and high-volume off-shore manufacturing.

Novel sensors for banknote handling:

Finally, 42T was able to help Talaris in the development of a novel banknote handling machine. Talaris, a world leader in cash-handling equipment and software systems, enlisted 42T’s help to develop a new sensor to detect damaged and counterfeit notes.

As well as facilitating innovation workshops and analysing the system architecture in order to optimise the product’s footprint, size, weight and cost, 42T optimised the user interface by carrying out a number of industrials design studies, and developed a low-cost, custom sensor for the detection of forged banknotes.

Following proof of principle bench testing, 42T carried out detailed design for high volume, low cost manufacture and prototyping for engineering field trials and transfer to the client’s team for customer field trials.

Hansjorg Klock, Talaris’ Engineering Director , said that “42T brought a fresh perspective to our product development programme and helped use to incorporate some advanced technologies and new concepts into our next generation of banknote handling systems. Their system-level approach, creativity and pragmatic engineering proved invaluable in helping to optimise our designs, as well as accelerating our new product development process”.

If you are seeking a competitive advantage through product innovation, or have a difficult technical challenge that needs to be solved, then 42 Technology may be able to help you. Their specialised engineering practices focus on:

• Sensors and Measurement Systems
• Wireless Communications
• Manufacturing Innovation
• Thermofluidic systems
• User-centred design
• Printing
• Regulatory Approval

The core engineering skills used in these main practices are transferable to other applications, with 42 Technology’s engineers, physicists and product designers able to take on complex challenges on diverse developments including: payload delivery mechanisms for space planes; innovative new processes in chocolate, beer, ice-cream and coffee manufacture; medical combination products including auto-injectors and inhalers; and smart metering developments.

Contact: Tom Copeland

tom.copeland@42technology.com

+44 (0)1480 302700

42 Technology Ltd., Meadow Lane, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 4LG