Innovations inundate National Industrial Automation Show at National Manufacturing Week 2001

Chicago, Ill.— Hundreds of exhibitors showed thousands of innovative products and services at the National Industrial Automation Show during National Manufacturing Week 2001 at McCormick Place. For more coverage, including streaming video clips, click on “NMW 2001” at www.controleng.com.

Advantech Automation (Cincinnati, O.) unveiled Web-Link 2040/SDA, an embedded web server with web-based HMI/SCADA software, at its March 5 press conference. The server connects existing machines, processes, or sensors to the Internet/intranet via serial connection to the product with 10/100BaseT out. Advantech also introduced WebView-1000, a browser-based thin client incorporating only the software necessary to support its services.

Computer Dynamics’ (Greenville, S.C.) DisplayPac-Multi flat-panel display-based multimedia system is powered by a Pentium III 850-MHz-based single-board computer with up to 1 gigabyte of SDRAM.

AlterSys (Longueuil, Quebec, Canada) announced Version 2.2 of its Virgo Automation Suite and Version 4.1 of its IsaGraf Pro IEC 61131 control software. Virgo Version 2.2 boasts a Unified Development Environment (UDE) allowing developers to work on IEC 61131 programming, design operator interfaces, set alarms and trends, and set up field communications with the same interface.

Anacon Systems (Mountain View, Calif.) showed a recent addition to its DigiDrive product line. Intended for speed control of 1/10 -1/3 hp single-phase motors, DigiDrive LP is a family of single-board, low-power controllers rated at 250-475 W. The family consists of three series for 115 V, 230 V, and 277 V supply.

New brushless servo motors were exhibited by Baldor Electric Co. (Fort Smith, Ark.). A line of washdown-duty servo motors was introduced, along with BSM-N Series servo motors with neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets for low-inertia, responsive performance.

Iconics’ (Foxborough, Mass.) Genesis32 Version 6.1 software switches languages, offers multi-media alarming, brings interactive human-machine interface (HMI) to wireless phones, and puts a web server HMI into Microsoft Windows CE and Embedded NT operating systems. New features include language switching in the Unicode version for multi-lingual flexibility in graphical displays, text fields, alarm text within alarm viewers, and trend viewer pen descriptions and values.

ITS Enclosures (Mt. Pleasant, Pa.), maker of the “icebox” series of industrial, wall-mount enclosures, introduced its new suspension arm for flat-panel displays or computers. Developed by Ergotron Inc. (St. Paul, Minn.), the NEMA 12-rated suspension arm attaches to posts, wall tracks, walls, machines, or enclosures. The arm holds up to 100 lb (45.5 kg) and can be easily adjusted for varied weights and ranges of motion.

Microsoft (Redmond, Wa.) released the beta version of Visio 2002 on March 6, which is expected to be available in May 2001. This release, the first since Microsoft’s acquisition of Visio in January 2000, streamlines the product line and aligns it more closely with Microsoft’s products. New features include ability to publish diagrams as web pages and display nongraphical object properties within a browser.

For the first time on National Instruments ‘ (NI, Austin, Tex.) PXI platform, engineers can make precision audio and vibration measurements using its NI 4472. With 24-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADC), NI 4472 is one of the most accurate products available for audio and vibration applications, delivering 120 dB of dynamic range over a bandwidth of 45 kHz.

Parker Hannifin Corp. (Cleveland, O.) launched numerous products, including its Compumotor division’s Compax 100SL and 3500M digital brushless servo drive/controllers, which expand the line’s continuous power range from 1 to 35 kW (1.33-47 hp). Enhanced features of Compax include a 10 MHz velocity control loop and ability to link and change cam shapes on-the-fly.

PSR safety relays from Phoenix Contact Inc. (Harrisburg, Pa.) in a ME 22.5-mm housing are equipped with two release current paths and one signal current path and are designed with rein-forced insulation from each other. The safety circuit is controlled with one or two channels, with or without cross-circuit detection.

VMIC’s (Huntsville, Ala.) new IOWorks 3.2 real-time PC-based control software enhances OPC interoperability with software from Ci Technologies, Intellution, and Wonderware. IOWorks is IEC61131-3-compliant and supports Microsoft Windows NT and Wind River Systems VxWorks.

Weidmuller Inc. expanded its connectPowwer family of power supplies, adding the CP-SNT 160-W switchmode power supply. The 6.5-A unit offers loadsharing capabilities and a compact design. With its slim design, the CP-SNT 160 W. occupies 57 mm of DIN-rail space.

Unitronics (Lod, Israel) exhibited eight new models and enhanced features of its M90 palm-sized micro PLC and integral operator panel at the National Industrial Automation Show, part of NMW.

PMI (Hauppauge, N.Y.), a Danaher Motion company, exhibited its Platinum series of pancake design motors with integral ball screws.

Manufacturing Data Systems Inc. (MDSI, Ann Arbor, Mich.) introduced WinMotion, a software product that targets the general motion control market. WinMotion incorporates soft motion methods, servo tuning tools, expanded configuration tools, and an API that allows connection to third-party software.

Danaher Motion (Simsbury, Conn.) debuted at NMW, presenting technologies of several of its brand offerings. Products from API Motion, Kollmorgen, Pacific Scientific, and Superior Electric were shown.

Murrelektronik Inc. (Doylestown, Pa.) displayed its specialty products of power supplies and bus distribution boxes. Its new, compact MCS Series power supplies include DIN-rail mounting and power factor correction, which is now a “standards” requirement for using these devices in Europe. Murrelektronik’s IP67 bus distribution boxes are available for Profibus-DP, DeviceNet, Interbus, or CANopen protocols.

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