Electrical Standards – A Global Demand for 3rd Party Certification
David Crooks, General Manager
Fibox Enclosures

With the continuing introduction of complex electrical and electronic systems, there is a need to ensure proper operation and longevity of the critical systems which our safety depends. Governments, independent 3rd party certifiers and trade organizations have become globally active, issuing engineering guidelines, standards and regulatory directives aimed at increased protection of these systems. Knowledge of these organizations and understanding the role of 3rd party certification of components can aid the engineer in designing for regulatory compliance.

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Laird Technologies Releases the Next Generation of Tunnel Series Thermoelectric Assemblies
Laird Technologies, Inc. has released its newly modified Tunnel Series Thermoelectric Assemblies (TEAs). The Tunnel Series TEAs are designed with a patented cross flow technology maximizing heat transfer when pulling air through a heat exchanger.  Heat is absorbed and dissipated through a high density heat sink equipped with sheet metal shrouds and fans.
 
The number of airflow paths required is minimized when compared to traditional impingement flow TEAs.  The Thermoelectric Modules (TEMs) are custom designed to achieve a high coefficient of performance (COP) to minimize power consumption with reliable solid-state operation that does not use a compressor or CFC refrigerants.

The Tunnel Series TEAs are available in two cooling configurations, the Air-Air (AA) and Direct-Air (DA) models. The AA uses a convection cooling method where heat is absorbed and dissipated by heat exchangers equipped with fans.  Products in this series include AA-027-12-22 and AA-035-24-22. The DA model uses a conduction cooling method where heat is absorbed through a cold plate, pumping the heat through the TEM and dissipating it into the air through a heat sink equipped with a fan.  Products in this series include DA-033-12-02 and DA-039-12-02.

ASI Releases New Circuit Breaker Line
Automation Systems Interconnect has introduced a new panel and screw mount circuit breaker line. These circuit breakers are UL489A and UL1077 recognized, and are available in AC and DC trip curves. The hydraulic magnetic overload technology protects the circuit in both overload and short circuit. All circuit breakers are ROHS compliant.

The NDB3-100 series of circuit breakers are screw mount. The NDB3-100 has a rated current from 1 A to 100 A, rated voltage AC230 V/400 V, DC80 V, 1, 2 and 3 pole. The panel mount circuit breakers are available in the NDB3-30 series. The NDB3-30 has a rated current from 1 A to 30 A, rated voltage AC250 V, DC80 V.

OtterBox Releases Cases for Nokia 5800
OtterBox has introduced Impact and Commuter series cases for the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic smartphone to offer protection against bump and shock. The Impact series is a custom silicone skin that wraps around the device with inner coring along the corners and back to dissipate shock. It also comes with a self-adhesive screen cover to prevent scratches to the touch screen and an easy installation card and microfiber cloth to wipe away any dirt or debris.

The OtterBox Commuter series goes one step further with a polycarbonate shell that snaps over a silicone skin. Three layers safeguard from bumps, shocks and scratches.

New EMC Metal Liquid Tight Cord Grips Designed for EMC Applications
Heyco Products, Inc. has announced availability of its new EMC Metal Liquid Tight Cordgrips. Designed for a wide range of EMC applications, the EMC Cordgrips are available in multiple sizes for cable diameters ranging from 2.5 mm to 25.5 mm and handle temperature ranges from -40°C to 212°F.

EMC Cordgrips are made of nickel-plated brass with a TPE gland, have a long thread for use in standard or thick panels and provide 360° shield contact with sleeve due to a braided shield that runs into the gland. A combination of the sealing insert and the contact socket guarantees a constant contact quality with minimal transfer impedance.

IP68 rated, the cordgrips are available in PG and Metric thread with optional EMC locknuts that have cutting teeth to provide optimal shield contact. Typical EMC applications include wind power, electronics, electrical junction boxes, generators, telecommunications, aerospace, instrumentation, computer peripherals and lighting.

Elma Releases New AMC Handles
Elma Electronic, Inc. now offers Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) injector/ejector handles. AMCs are the main boards for MicroTCA designs and are also implemented in some AdvancedTCA applications. 
Elma’s AMC handles precision milling, so that even the toughest tolerances can be achieved. Compliant to latest AMC/MicroTCA specifications, the handles have a die-cast construction for robust performance. The ergonomic design has grooves for easy handling and positive detents at three distinct positions.

The Elma handles have an optional micro-switch that fits all of the locations listed in the MicroTCA.0 specification.  An optional LED indicator light guide is available with a die-cast zinc bright chromate faceplate that provides strength and durability. The clear polycarbonate light guide easily snaps into faceplate. 

Are the Days of an American Market for Axial Fans Numbered?
The Americas market for axial fans was estimated be worth $239.2 million in 2009, having decreased 23.9 percent since 2008. Whilst majority of this $75 million decrease was attributed to the global economic conditions, sustained outsourcing of production in recent years, has led many to worry that that this is not just the affects of a struggling global economy, but further evidence of sustained decline.

Over the last 10 years, electronics designers have outsourced production facilities, and sub-contracted product assembly to increase price competitiveness and focus exclusively on product design and development. This has relocated the market base for constituent components offshore, to the detriment of local component suppliers. The result has been that many American suppliers now view business opportunities within America as limited only to securing ‘design’ contracts.

Outsourcing assembly is prevalent mainly in the consumer electronics sectors, such as computers, and audio visual equipment. Whilst these constitute two of the largest markets for axial fans, specifically DC product types, they collectively accounted for little over a quarter of the Americas market in 2009. This means that in 2009, over $170 million dollars was attributed to applications currently perceived to be stable, including medical devices, telecommunication infrastructure and industrial automation machinery.

Buckeye Shapeform Receives Top Industry Quality Accreditations
Buckeye Shapeform is now certified to the ISO9001 and AS9100 Quality Management System standards. The certifications demonstrate Buckeye Shapeform’s quality management of all its manufactured products including its deep draw technology for military weaponry.

“We are honored to have these certifications, which followed intense on-site document reviews, audits and checks of our standard of quality throughout 2009,” said Ken Tumblison, president of Buckeye Shapeform. “Buckeye Shapeform’s deep draw technology offers a mission-critical component that delivers a superior end product.  Certifications for quality management are integral to this technology.”

The AS9100 Aerospace Standard is a comprehensive set of requirements for implementing and maintaining a quality management system that meets the stringent quality requirements of the aerospace industry. The AS9100 standard, based on the ISO 9001 quality standard, was developed by the International Aerospace Quality Group.  ISO9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management, focusing on enhancing customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Emerson Completes Acquisition of Avocent
Emerson Network Power strengthened its data center infrastructure management portfolio with the acquisition of Avocent Corp. Avocent’s technologies and solutions provide additional visibility into the data center infrastructure, bolstering Emerson Network Power’s infrastructure management capabilities.

“This addition allows us to combine physical infrastructure and IT device knowledge to give Emerson Network Power a comprehensive infrastructure management solution,” said Ed Feeney, Emerson executive vice president. “Combining Avocent's technologies with our own data center power, cooling and infrastructure management solutions will allow us to help our customers better manage reliability, availability and lifecycle costs through a simple yet comprehensive view of the complete data center physical infrastructure."

Advanced Thermal Solutions Offers Fixed-Price Heat Sinks with QoolPCB Program
Advanced Thermal Solutions (ATS) has combined hardware and engineering services to provide design engineers with a fixed price for the complete set of heat sinks required to cool any printed circuit board.  Designated the QoolPCB program, will offer customers a single fixed price for all the design engineering services, thermal analysis, heat sink hardware and attachment devices, as well as testing and verification costs for any PC board.

The fixed pricing of the QoolPCB program includes not only standard off-the-shelf heat sinks and hardware, but any custom heat sinks as well, including tooling charges, sample production and custom attachment hardware, if required, to bring individual components within their manufacturer-designated operating temperatures.

To participate in the QoolPCB program, PCB design engineers only need to provide a 3D CAD model of their PC board layout, along with technical specifications and power dissipation limits for all board components.  ATS engineers will perform a complete thermal analysis of each PCB, and develop a comprehensive cooling solution for each component on the board, using more than 3,000 standard heat sink designs available in-house at ATS; or custom heat sink designs, if required. After the design phase, ATS will verify the cooling design by performing test procedures at its thermal characterization laboratory.

Remote 2010 Conference and Expo Call for Papers Announced

The Remote 2010 Conference and Expo (October 19-20, 2010, Gaylord Texan • Dallas, TX.) has announced its Call for Papers. This is your chance to educate attendees on leading advancements in the monitoring and management of distributed equipment and facilities, remote assets, automated process & system controls and device networks. Don’t miss out!

Conference sessions will provide solutions and examples from actual installations, cutting-edge technology direction and application strategies from the companies and users driving the growth in SCADA, M2M, device networking, data communications, networking, system & site security, remote monitoring and automated control, and onsite powering of distributed equipment, networks, facilities and infrastructure systems.

Call for Papers Website
Special consideration will be given to case study style presentations and end-user presenters.

Download the March/April Issue of Electronics Protection Magazine

• Electrical Standards – A Global Demand for 3rd Party Certification
  
• Thermoelectric Cooling for Industrial Enclosures
• Multiple Axis Rugged?
• A New Year Brings New Possibilities for OtterBox
• New Products and Services

Download this Issue Here!

March 2010
16-17, Onsite Power World Africa, Johannesberg, South Africa Contact www.terrapinn.com/2010

16-18, Electric West 2010, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact www.electricshow.com

April 2010
11-13, InfoBatt 2010, Toronto, Canada. Contact www.infobatt.com

18-20, Blade System Insight Summit, Orlando, Fla. Contact www.bladesystemsinsight.com

25-29, Interop Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact www.interop.com

26-29, ESC 2010, San Jose, Calif. Contact www.esc-sv09.techinsightsevents.com

27-30, MARTS 2010, Rosemont, Ill. Contact www.martsconference.com