Winners: Networks/Communication Hardware & Software
-- Control Engineering, 2/1/2008
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I/O products & cabling: Bluetooth I/O Module

connectBlue
Based on Bluetooth wireless technology, connectBlue's Bluetooth I/O module provides very high reliability and robustness in any industrial environment. The Bluetooth I/O module and associated developer's kit, offers 12 single-bit I/O points, without signal conditioning. The I/O signals can be controlled by either a serial protocol or by remote I/O signals and are available with a wide range of hardware options like internal / external antenna, long / short range, UART / RS-232 interface and with connector options and more. The module is Bluetooth qualified (Bluetooth version 2.0), and the radio type is approved for Europe, U.S., and Canada. It is also compliant with EMC, safety and medical standards.
Network software & diagnostics: KEPServer EX
Kepware Technologies
KEPServer EX is the latest generation of Kepware's OPC server technology. It is designed to help setup communications to control systems quickly via a wide range of available plug-in device drivers and components. There are more than 100 drivers, supporting hundreds of model types available. The KEPServerEX also provides a common and self-evident user interface across all drivers, providing consistent access from an OPC client application, every time the product is used, no matter what driver is used. Many devices can be added, using multiple drivers within the KEPServerEX interface without learning new communication protocols or understanding new applications.
Switches, routers & gateways: 7000 Series, Gigabit capable industrial Ethernet switches
N-Tron
N-Tron 7000 Series, Gigabit capable industrial Ethernet switches are designed for connecting Ethernet-enabled industrial and/or security equipment. They are fully managed and come standard with IGMP snooping, VLAN, QoS, trunking, mirroring, RSTP, DHCP, SNMP and Web browser management, and N-View OPC monitoring. The 7000 Series is well suited for use as a fiber optic ring manager, providing expanded ring size capacity, detailed fault diagnostics, and a ring healing time of approximately 30 ms. Models in the 7000 series line offer up to twelve 10/100BaseTX RJ-45 ports and feature extended environmental specifications with operating temperatures of -20 to 70 ºC.
Wireless solutions: FlexPower Wireless Nodes
Banner Engineering
FlexPower nodes provide a versatile wireless solution by allowing a SureCross node to operate using 10 to 30 V dc line power, solar panels, or a FlexPower battery module in remote or difficult-to-access locations. A FlexPower battery module can power a wireless node and a connected sensor for up to five years, depending on the application and individual power requirements. FlexPower nodes and power supplies offer an integrated solution for applications where hardwired power sources are impractical or unavailable. The nodes are portable for frequent redeployment in error-proofing applications. While optimized for Banner's advanced sensors, they are adaptable to other devices as well.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The print version of the Engineers' Choice Awards listing reflected an incorrect URL for Banner Engineering. We apologize for this inconvenience. For more information, please use the URL below.)
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