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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.
Learn more.

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.

Is the top brass or the IT dept. responsible? New BAE research reveals business disconnect in defending against cyber attacks

New research published Feb. 9 by cyber security experts BAE Systems reveals a surprising disconnect between C-suite executives (CEOs, COOs, CIOs, etc.) and IT decision-makers in defending against cyber threats. The research, conducted in eight countries around the world, shows that C-suite and IT leaders believe that each other is responsible for managing the response to a cyber attack.

BAE Systems commissioned strategic insight analysts Opinium to undertake an extensive piece of research to understand the current state of play when it comes to business cyber security. A total of 221 C-suite and 984 IT decision-makers were polled to understand their concerns and perceptions of preparedness when it comes to their own cyber security. The research shows that the C-suite level estimates the cost of a successful attack to be dramatically lower than their IT colleagues.

These latest findings reveal that cyber security is the most significant business challenge to 71% of C-suite respondents. Additionally, 72% of IT decision-makers think they will be targeted by a cyber attack in the next 12 months, and both groups report that they expect the frequency and severity of attacks to increase. Therefore, it has never been more important for businesses to understand the nature of the threat and how to combat it. To counter this, more than half of C-suite respondents (55%) plan to devote more time and resources to cyber security.

Key findings include:

• 35% of C-suite respondents say their IT teams are responsible in the event of a breach, whereas 50% of IT decision-makers think responsibility sits with their senior management and leaders.
• IT decision-makers believe the cost of a successful cyber attack on their business to be around U.S. $19.2m, compared to an estimation of just U.S. $11.6m from the C-suite.
• C-level executives say that 10% of their organization's IT budget is spent on cyber security and defense, compared to 15% according to IT decision-makers.
• 84% of the C-suite and 81% of IT teams are confident that they have the right protection in place to defend against a cyber attack.
• However, both groups believe the number and severity of attacks will increase over the coming year, with 78% of C-level respondents and 68% IT teams predicting an increase in the number of attacks, and 66% and 68% respectively predicting an increase in the severity of attacks.
• More than half (55%) of C-suite respondents say they plan to increase spending on cyber security in the coming year.
• While 82% of IT teams report that their cyber-security spend is part of a comprehensive strategy, only half of the C-suite (50%) believe this to be the case.
• 41% of C-suites believe the investment is more ad hoc, rising to 70% of those who are not confident of their ability to prevent a cyber attack.

"This research confirms the importance that business leaders place on cyber security in their organizations," said Kevin Taylor, managing director of BAE Systems Applied Intelligence. "However, it also shows an interesting disparity between the views of C-level respondents and those of IT decision-makers. Each group's understanding of the nature of cyber threats, and of the way they translate into business and technological risks, can be very different.

"With successful cyber attacks regularly making headline news, our findings make it clear that the C-suite and IT teams recognize the risks but need to concentrate on bridging the intelligence gap to build a robust defense against this growing threat."

In the end, "The disconnect in opinions between C-level respondents and IT decision-makers when it comes to potential threats, accountability, and responsibility creates gaps for attackers to exploit," said Taylor. "With regulatory fines starting to become a bigger issue, organizations need to plan ahead for successful incidents and ensure that the C-suite and IT teams are working together to narrow gaps in understanding, intelligence, and responsibility."

Report methodology
Strategic insight analysts Opinium polled 221 C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies and 984 IT decision-makers in eight countries comprising the UK, Germany, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and UAE.

Get the full report, "The Intelligence Disconnect: The 2017 Cyber Defence Monitor Research," here.

Source: BAE Systems

Published April 2017

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