Calibration guide now available from Dickson

Quality managers and others responsible to maintaining the integrity of temperature and/or humidity chart recorders or data loggers, can now download a comprehensive guide to all aspects of instrument calibration at the Dickson website: http://www.dicksondata.com/calibration/calibration_order.php .

Chapters of this online guide include: 1) Explanations of why calibrations are required. 2) Review of calibration methods to choose from. 3) A step-by-step guide to developing calibration schedules. 4) "Before" Data considerations. 5) Best fit applications for 1-point, 3-point and custom point calibrations. 6) Glossary of calibration terms. 7) Optional Calibration Club registration.

Chris Sorensen, Dickson VP Sales and Marketing explains, "All instruments lose accuracy over time due to normal usage and the environmental conditions to which they are exposed. Periodic NIST certified calibrations maintain the accuracy of your instrument throughout its life.  This guide is designed to make it very easy for users of chart recorders and data loggers to navigate the many choices in calibration approaches to find the one that is best-matched to their application requirements."

Product and calibration inquiries can be directed to Dickson customer service at 800 - 757 - 3747, FAX 630 - 543 - 0498 or by writing Dickson, 930 South Westwood Avenue, Addison, IL 60101, USA.

Dickson Company and its web portal: www.dicksondata.com offer the world's widest selection of data loggers and chart recorders to monitor temperature, humidity, pressure, or electronic signals.  Product inquiries can also be sent by e-mail to: chris@dicksondata.com

New silicone gel tape & chip vibration isolators
from AAC feature superior damping performance

Advanced Antivibration Components (AAC) offer a new Silicone Gel Tape & Chip Vibration Isolators. These isolators, identified as the V10Z62MGT and V20Z62MGC Series, are designed for light to medium loads. The gel tape is stocked in 1000 mm lengths and in 3 thicknesses: 1 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm. Each of the 3 thicknesses is available in 2 widths: 10 mm, and 20 mm.

An important feature of these metric isolators is their ability to operate effectively over a very wide temperature range of from -40° C to +100° C (-40° F to 212° F). They offer excellent chemical and weather resistance and are low in compression set and are perfect for use in narrow space applications. Performance remains the same even after repeated use. They feature low resonance magnification and are stable with minimal horizontal deflection. They contain nothing harmful and are therefore considered environment-friendly.

Quotes, online orders, and 3-D models of this remarkable, low-cost material are available at our new AAC eStore: http://www.vibrationmounts.com/Products.htm.

Additional technical specifications are contained in Catalogue V100, available free upon request from Advanced Antivibration Components (AAC), 2101 Jericho Turnpike, Box 5416, New Hyde Park, New York 11042-5416. Tel: 516-328-3662. Fax: 516-328-3365.  Refer to page 165

For the third year, SOURIAU wins AIRBUS Supplier of the Year Award

SOURIAU has been honoured with the 2009 AIRBUS Supplier of the Year Award in recognition of the best global performance during the suppliers´ SQAL Electrics Conference held in Toulouse on December 15th 2009.

SOURIAU, one of the world leaders in aerospace connectors, has been named supplier of the year 2009 by the AIRBUS center of electrical excellence. This award confirms SOURIAU´s world leadership in connectors for commercial aircraft. The criteria that have enabled SOURIAU to stand out from its competitors are the quality of its products, logistic excellence and high reactivity in the development of new products. SOURIAU is one of AIRBUS´ main suppliers for on-board electrical and optical connection equipment. AIRBUS partner for many years now, SOURIAU continually invests in its industrial facilities and in the development of new technologies such as high-power transmission, composite materials or very high speed signal transmission via copper or optical lines. For further information, view website: www.souriau-industrial.com   

Explosion protected safety switch key station from Fortress

Industrial safety specialist Fortress Interlocks has introduced an ATEX Certified, explosion protected safety switch key station. The CPS4STOPXP key station is designed to release keys which can be used to control mechanical door locks that provide access to machinery and process lines operating in potentially explosive environments. Both the switch and the door locks are suitable for use in zone 1 and 2 environments such as those found in the chemical and petrochemical, paint, pharmaceutical, flour, powders and mining industries; the electrical parts are ingress protected to IP67.

The heavy duty CPS4STOPXP safety switch key station is explosion protected, available with up to a maximum of 5 safety key adaptors. By turning the first key the machine is isolated and the other 4 keys are released. These keys can be used to open a maximum of 5 ATEX Certified 'DM' mechanical door locks that give access to the safeguarded area. Restarting the machine is only possible when all keys are back in the CPS4STOPXP key control station. This interlocking system complies with the ATEX Directive, meeting the European Hazardous Location Designation: EExd IIC T6 category II2 GD, SIRA 00ATEX 1037X. Sealed to IP67 and IEC 60529 it is protected against corrosion, water, dust and oil.

The CPS4STOPXP features dual channel safety circuits with positive break switches. It is manufactured from stainless steel and zinc alloys for smooth and reliable operation.

The CPS4STOPXP is part of the Fortress range of amGard products that combines both trapped key interlocking and switch technology to control access to dangerous machinery thereby safeguarding personnel from injuries and significantly reducing damage and down time.

For further information, view website: www.fortressinterlocks.com   Refer to page 176

Seica S.p.A. develops Thermal SCAN for their line of Aerial flying probers

Seica, Inc has just introduced "Flying IC Thermal Detection Units" on its line of Aerial flying probers. Two IC Thermal Detection Units, are positioned on each side of the unit under test to detect thermal parameters of ICs under power. The purpose is to compare temperatures of "known good" boards to "suspect" boards and indict bad components in the depot repair environment.  Seica is the first flying prober OEM to introduce this feature on its line of flying probers. Introducing thermal sensors with the traditional features already present on flying probers, such as in-circuit, functional, boundary scan and power up test make the flying prober a continuing evolving test tool to satisfy the demanding test needs of the production and depot repair markets.

In the market today, there are instances of large 'bone piles' of boards that require many hours of debug and testing by skilled senior technicians or engineers to return them to operational condition. The IC Thermal Detection Unit capabilities allows for precise thermal measurement of the IC or other components while the part is powered up even under low voltage conditions. The simplicity of a thermal profile test can help reduce labor repair cost and improve inventory turnover.

More about the Pilot Line of Flying Probers
The Pilot line is one of the world's most versatile and complete line of automatic flying probe test systems, offering the widest range of solutions and performances for flying probe test of electronic boards on the market today. Models range from 2 to 8 test probes, accessing simultaneously one or both sides of the board, which can be positioned either horizontally or vertically.

The AERIAL Prober is based on Seica's proprietary VIVA Integrated Platform (VIP) core hardware and software. Designed with today's industry demands very much in mind, AERIAL's simple programming and operation mean it can be operated by specialist and non-specialist test personnel alike as part of a highly cost-effective test strategy.

Ideal for testing prototypes, samples and small-to-medium production runs, AERIAL reduces the investment and time needed for board development while providing maximum test flexibility.

This is in part due to four completely independent, mobile test probes, two on each side of the test board, that enable simultaneous, accurate double-sided testing, while Seica's proprietary OTPN (One Touch Per Net) technique quickly characterizes the net and identifies faults on subsequent test boards. Additional tests, such as junction fault verification, are executed at the same time, simplifying and speeding up test program generation and maximizing fault coverage and throughput.

Data collection and statistics functions come as standard, and the system's capabilities can be further expanded with optional in-circuit test and visual inspection software modules.

Through the VIP environment, the system is also fully compatible with Seica's PILOT Flying Probe, and its STRATEGY In-circuit and VALID Functional testers, making AERIAL even more versatile.  All of this is packed into a compact yet easy-to-load system that, depending on the model, can accommodate large boards up to 24" x 20" in size.

Seica in profile
Founded in 1986, Seica S.p.A. is a global supplier of automatic test equipment and selective soldering systems, with an installed base of more than 900 systems on four different continents.  Seica offers a complete line of test solutions, including bed of nails and flying probe testers, able to perform MDA, in-circuit and full functional tests of assembled electronic boards and modules, and printed circuit boards, as well as laser-based selective soldering systems for electronic board manufacturing. Company headquarters are located in Strambino, Italy, with direct offices in France and USA, Germany and China, supported by a vast distribution network covering the rest of the world.

Seica's innovative solutions are being used across the globe to improve quality, increase productivity and save money in all areas of electronics manufacturing, including automotive, defense and consumer. 

For further information, view website: www.seica.com