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Intro to reed switches, magnets, magnetic fields

This brief introductory video on the DigiKey site offers tips for engineers designing with reed switches. Dr. Stephen Day, Ph.D. from Coto Technology gives a solid overview on reed switches -- complete with real-world application examples -- and a detailed explanation of how they react to magnetic fields.
View the video.

Bi-color LEDs to light up your designs

Created with engineers and OEMs in mind, SpectraBright Series SMD RGB and Bi-Color LEDs from Visual Communi-cations Company (VCC) deliver efficiency, design flexibility, and control for devices in a range of industries, including mil-aero, automated guided vehicles, EV charging stations, industrial, telecom, IoT/smart home, and medical. These 50,000-hr bi-color and RGB options save money and space on the HMI, communicating two or three operating modes in a single component.
Learn more.

All about slip rings: How they work and their uses

Rotary Systems has put together a really nice basic primer on slip rings -- electrical collectors that carry a current from a stationary wire into a rotating device. Common uses are for power, proximity switches, strain gauges, video, and Ethernet signal transmission. This introduction also covers how to specify, assembly types, and interface requirements. Rotary Systems also manufactures rotary unions for fluid applications.
Read the overview.

Seifert thermoelectric coolers from AutomationDirect

Automation-Direct has added new high-quality and efficient stainless steel Seifert 340 BTU/H thermoelectric coolers with 120-V and 230-V power options. Thermoelectric coolers from Seifert use the Peltier Effect to create a temperature difference between the internal and ambient heat sinks, making internal air cooler while dissipating heat into the external environment. Fans assist the convective heat transfer from the heat sinks, which are optimized for maximum flow.
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EMI shielding honeycomb air vent panel design

Learn from the engineering experts at Parker how honeycomb air vent panels are used to help cool electronics with airflow while maintaining electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Topics include: design features, cell size and thickness, platings and coatings, and a stacked design called OMNI CELL construction. These vents can be incorporated into enclosures where EMI radiation and susceptibility is a concern or where heat dissipation is necessary. Lots of good info.
Read the Parker blog.

What is 3D-MID? Molded parts with integrated electronics from HARTING

3D-MID (three-dimensional mechatronic integrated devices) technology combines electronic and mechanical functionalities into a single, 3D component. It replaces the traditional printed circuit board and opens up many new opportunities. It takes injection-molded parts and uses laser-direct structuring to etch areas of conductor structures, which are filled with a copper plating process to create very precise electronic circuits. HARTING, the technology's developer, says it's "Like a PCB, but 3D." Tons of possibilities.
View the video.

Loss-free conversion of 3D/CAD data

CT CoreTech-nologie has further developed its state-of-the-art CAD converter 3D_Evolution and is now introducing native interfaces for reading Solidedge and writing Nx and Solidworks files. It supports a wide range of formats such as Catia, Nx, Creo, Solidworks, Solidedge, Inventor, Step, and Jt, facilitating smooth interoperability between different systems and collaboration for engineers and designers in development environments with different CAD systems.
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Top 5 reasons for solder joint failure

Solder joint reliability is often a pain point in the design of an electronic system. According to Tyler Ferris at ANSYS, a wide variety of factors affect joint reliability, and any one of them can drastically reduce joint lifetime. Properly identifying and mitigating potential causes during the design and manufacturing process can prevent costly and difficult-to-solve problems later in a product lifecycle.
Read this informative ANSYS blog.

Advanced overtemp detection for EV battery packs

Littelfuse has introduced TTape, a ground-breaking over-temperature detection platform designed to transform the management of Li-ion battery systems. TTape helps vehicle systems monitor and manage premature cell aging effectively while reducing the risks associated with thermal runaway incidents. This solution is ideally suited for a wide range of applications, including automotive EV/HEVs, commercial vehicles, and energy storage systems.
Learn more.

Benchtop ionizer for hands-free static elimination

EXAIR's Varistat Benchtop Ionizer is the latest solution for neutralizing static on charged surfaces in industrial settings. Using ionizing technology, the Varistat provides a hands-free solution that requires no compressed air. Easily mounted on benchtops or machines, it is manually adjustable and perfect for processes needing comprehensive coverage such as part assembly, web cleaning, printing, and more.
Learn more.

LED light bars from AutomationDirect

Automation-Direct adds CCEA TRACK-ALPHA-PRO series LED light bars to expand their offering of industrial LED fixtures. Their rugged industrial-grade anodized aluminum construction makes TRACKALPHA-PRO ideal for use with medium to large-size industrial machine tools and for use in wet environments. These 120 VAC-rated, high-power LED lights provide intense, uniform lighting, with up to a 4,600-lumen output (100 lumens per watt). They come with a standard bracket mount that allows for angle adjustments. Optional TACLIP mounts (sold separately) provide for extra sturdy, vibration-resistant installations.
Learn more.

World's first metalens fisheye camera

2Pi Optics has begun commercial-ization of the first fisheye camera based on the company's proprietary metalens technology -- a breakthrough for electronics design engineers and product managers striving to miniaturize the tiny digital cameras used in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), AR/VR, UAVs, robotics, and other industrial applications. This camera can operate at different wavelengths -- from visible, to near IR, to longer IR -- and is claimed to "outperform conventional refractive, wide-FOV optics in all areas: size, weight, performance, and cost."
Learn more.

Orbex offers two fiber optic rotary joint solutions

Orbex Group announces its 700 Series of fiber optic rotary joint (FORJ) assemblies, supporting either single or multi-mode operation ideal for high-speed digital transmission over long distances. Wavelengths available are 1,310 or 1,550 nm. Applications include marine cable reels, wind turbines, robotics, and high-def video transmission. Both options feature an outer diameter of 7 mm for installation in tight spaces. Construction includes a stainless steel housing.
Learn more.

Mini tunnel magneto-resistance effect sensors

Littelfuse has released its highly anticipated 54100 and 54140 mini Tunnel Magneto-Resistance (TMR) effect sensors, offering unmatched sensitivity and power efficiency. The key differentiator is their remarkable sensitivity and 100x improvement in power efficiency compared to Hall Effect sensors. They are well suited for applications in position and limit sensing, RPM measurement, brushless DC motor commutation, and more in various markets including appliances, home and building automation, and the industrial sectors.
Learn more.

Panasonic solar and EV components available from Newark

Newark has added Panasonic Industry's solar inverters and EV charging system components to their power portfolio. These best-in-class products help designers meet the growing global demand for sustainable and renewable energy mobility systems. Offerings include film capacitors, power inductors, anti-surge thick film chip resistors, graphite thermal interface materials, power relays, capacitors, and wireless modules.
Learn more.

Can smart electrical systems that require businesses to have onsite back-up power pay off?

By Jim Steele, UAH

The economic viability of an energy system that saves money for utilities and consumers by reducing demand peaks on the electrical supply grid has been demonstrated by a prototype energy lab at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), its creator says.

"On a cold winter morning, when all the businesses open and residents wake up and turn on the heat, the drain on the power grid can be enormous," says lab developer Dr. Bill Carswell, a UAH Research Institute principal research scientist. "Most of us recall extremely cold ‘polar vortex' mornings when the stress on the power grid actually caused power outages.

"Likewise, on a hot summer afternoon when all the air conditioners in town are running full blast, this can cause power outages," he says. "These peak demand periods of use keep TVA and Huntsville Utilities managers up at night worrying about how to make sure their customers don't lose power."

The smart energy configuration of the prototype Charger Energy Lab, in a building located behind UAH's Von Braun Research Hall, reduces peak demand.

Dr. Bill Carswell points out monitoring equipment located atop the battery pack in the Charger Energy Lab. [Photo: Michael Mercier, UAH]

 

 

 

 

Scaling up the technology, Dr. Carswell says, would result in smaller peak grid stress and help power companies better manage the costs of designing grids sized to handle peaks that can be many times average use.

"Our studies show that, in our lab, the cost savings paid for the investment in batteries and other equipment in only three-and-a-half years," he says. "We believe a three-and-a-half-year return on investment is good in just about any business."

The Charger Energy Lab uses computer monitoring along with a smart electric meter to calculate when there are peak electricity usage times. At peaks, the system automatically switches the building off the electrical grid and onto power supplied by a battery pack in the building.

The batteries are in turn recharged from the grid in off-peak hours and also through the use of solar cells located outside. The building also has a diesel back-up generator, so it is self-sufficient during power outages. A future natural gas-fueled generator is planned to ensure an ever-present fuel source.

"When a peak demand is reached on a cold winter morning or a hot summer afternoon, the building can become an energy island," Dr. Carswell says. "It uses its own power for the high demand hours so that it doesn't put stress on the power grid. If lots of residents and businesses were to do this, it would greatly improve the ability of power companies to provide continuous power during times of high system stress."

Because high stress is dangerous to the grid, power companies charge some customers more when they use a lot of power all at once, like for heat and cooling. Utilities must charge the fee to help them pay for the equipment needed to make sure the grid doesn't collapse under high demand, without charging extra to the average resident. This peak demand fee can be a surprisingly large part of a power bill.

"When you use the technology developed in the Charger Energy Lab, you do two things: You avoid stressing the grid on cold mornings and hot afternoons, and you save yourself money by not paying that peak demand fee," Dr. Carswell says.

The smart meter is key to the system.

"You can't separate yourself from the grid when you are using large amounts of power unless you know, real time, when you are using large amounts of power," he says. "Huntsville Utilities is currently field-testing a new smart meter technology to get it ready for general use. It's called Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and you will soon be hearing a lot more about it. It's really going to change our lives as consumers, helping us save energy, save money, and create a more resilient community."

Dr. Carswell is currently building a team with the goal of creating a proposed larger, commercial-scale demonstration of the technology at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. The proposed project is geared to the introduction of AMI locally.

"We envision this as a community demonstration project so that when the AMI program is in full operation, anyone in Huntsville can come see what we did and go back to a home or business and do the same thing," Dr. Carswell says. "This will make Huntsville a much more vibrant and resilient community, where users of energy have more control over how and when they use power from the grid and how much they pay. It will also improve our ability to withstand and recover from natural disasters."

That's because an added benefit of automatically isolating a home or business as an energy island is that it becomes self-sufficient in a natural or man-made disaster.

"If you have this ability to become your own energy island, then if the power does go out for any reason, you can separate yourself from the grid and continue to use electricity as you normally would," Dr. Carswell says.

"This is safe and convenient. Then when the power comes back on, you connect back to the grid and re-charge the batteries. If the power is out for a long time, like during the 2011 tornadoes, then you can use solar power and generators to re-charge the batteries until the grid power is restored."

Research and development at the Charger Energy Lab prototype has drawn together UAH students, members of the Huntsville business community, and area governmental organizations.

"We were allowed to take over an old, unused building at UAH to create this demonstration," says Dr. Carswell. "Fortunately, in the past the building had been used for solar power demonstrations, making our job much easier."

UAH students involved in the lab are Industrial & Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (ISEEM) doctoral students Jeff Dyas and Anyama Tettey, who were sponsored by the National Science Foundation to work as lab research assistants under ISEEM Director Dr. Paul Collopy, and undergraduate students Karthik Sola in Electrical Engineering and Cathy Gibbs in Computer Science.

"The project at the UAH Charger Energy Lab has been undertaken without any budget to buy equipment, so this has literally been a community effort," say Dr. Carswell. "We've been fortunate in that several organizations have seen the value in what we are doing and stepped up to support this UAH initiative."

Aerojet Rocketdyne Power Innovations, Johnson Controls Inc., Avion Energy Solutions, Energy Surety Partners, and OSIsoft LLC have donated time and equipment to the effort.

"We've also had a great deal of support from Huntsville Utilities, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), and the UAH facilities team," says Dr. Carswell. "They've all stepped up to make sure this project is successful and relevant to our daily lives."

Published: November 2016

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