What's New at Congress 2002
Combustion analysis
SMETEC's COMBI-USB eight-channel combustion analysis system was designed for rough use in automobiles. With the advanced USB interface, it is possible to connect the system with an ordinary notebook computer. The engineer can use the board power supply without a voltage converter. The system is also designed for the future 48-V board net. It will be delivered with a standard four-channel hardware configuration, including COMBI software that is compatible with all COMBI systems. The compact design does not allow addition of further features that are available at COMBI-Pro and COMBI-Exec. Nevertheless, COMBI-USB is a full-size combustion analysis system for solving all daily problems. The hardware configuration is the same as COMBI-Pro and COMBI-PC. Every channel has a 500-kHz resolution with a 12-bit accuracy.
Test chambers
Tenney Environmental's new series of rapid-cycling test chambers can simulate temperature or temperature and humidity conditions and are well suited for use in electronic, automotive, and military quality assurance and reliability testing, as well as research testing and production processes. The chambers are offered with workspace sizes of 0.14, 0.31, 0.59, 0.91, and 1.13 m3 (5, 11, 21, 32, and 40 ft3) with a temperature range of -70 to +200°C (-94 to +392°F). They include removable access panels to the refrigeration system, control system, and optional accessories. The design allocates space within the interior of the cabinet for all standard options, which improves the mobility of the unit as well as the overall appearance. The chambers also include a touch-screen controller that provides precise control over chamber operations and monitoring, and is mounted at eye level. Airflow uniformity was improved by adding a ceiling plenum that circulates the conditioned air vertically down through the chamber.
Data recorder
The GSR20f and GSR40f systems combine the flexibility and power of Thales Heim Data Systems' D-Series flight recorder architecture in an economical, rack-mountable, ground-based system. With up to 20 Mbit/s total system rate for the GSR20f, 160 Mbit/s total system data rate for the GSR40f, and potential migration to even higher data rates, the system provides a solution for ground-based telemetry, satellite down link, multi-channel analog, and bus recording. The record and/or reproduce system employs media in interchangeable cartridges, allowing the user complete freedom of choice between tape, disk, and solid-state drives at any time during the life of the equipment. The media cartridges use a standard SCSI interface that also allows the system to act as a front-end multiplexer to any other external media/drive having compatible protocol. The mainframe has six signal module slots that can accommodate any combination of the existing and future D Series signal interface modules. A built-in PC allows flexible interfacing to networks and other interfaces for data distribution.
Environmental test chambers
Thermotron's SL-Series environmental test chambers provide increased capacity for applications involving high-volume throughput or large test articles. With increased internal dimensions, the chambers can handle product loads with dimensions in excess of 1200 mm (48 in). SL chambers range in size from 1475 to 2500 L (52 to 88 ft3). Selectable compressor sizes from 4.5 to 18.6 kW (6 to 25 hp) are available to tailor operating performance to individual client or industry-specific needs. In addition to extreme temperature testing from -70 to +180°C (-94 to +356°F), the line of chambers is available with a full-range humidity system. The instrument incorporates a disk drive for data logging and convenient program storage. ThermoTrak II software simplifies lab management and improves performance by saving time, increasing productivity, and cutting costs. It links multiple chamber controllers to a central PC and lets tests run on several chambers simultaneously.
Caged motion systems
Caged ball technology from THK includes three product groups: Caged Ball, Caged Roller, and Caged Technology Ball Screw. The firm's most recent innovations include the Caged Roller guide for customers with specific rigidity requirements. THK has also improved the ball screw by incorporating its newly designed ball return tube and an elastomeric spacer to separate balls, which allows for an increase in maximum nut rpm. The technology isolates each of the load-carrying recirculating elements in their LM guides in an individual cage or pocket. The cage prevents ball-to-ball or roller-to-roller contact and the associated friction, and also acts as a reservoir for lubricants, eliminating the need for an external lubricating system. In addition, the technology offers higher speed capability and improved positioning accuracy.
