Quality Control: Vol 1, Issue 5

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Eriez' New PM Rare Earth Grate in Housings Offer Superior Protection		GE Announces First Phased Array Corrosion Inspection Solution
Erie, PA - Eriez, world authority in advanced technology for magnetic, vibratory and inspection applications, introduces the company's innovative new PM Rare Earth Grate in Housings. "These powerful magnets are ideal for removing fine ferrous contamination from plastic pellets, flake and regrind prior to the injection molding machine, extruder or compounding equipment," said John Collins, Plastics and PolyMag® Product Manager. Eriez' PM Grate-in-Housings effectively help prevent costly equipment damage and downtime. They are essential tools for applications where product purity is crucial. Their state-of-the-art magnets remove fine ferrous material that can plug tiny valve gates and screens, or damage calendar rolls. PM Grate-in-Housings even capture and hold pellets with encapsulated ferrous particles. Eriez PM Grate-in-Housings keep customers' plants running with maximum uptime and help prevent costly equipment and mold damage caused by ferrous contaminants.		Worcester, MA - The new Phasor CV/DM from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies is the first phased array inspection device for corrosion spot identification in the marketplace. Corrosion spots are small, isolated areas where corrosion has reduced a pipe's wall thickness and can compromise its ability to safely hold pressure and its contents. Part of GE's field-proven phased array family, the Phasor CV/DM provides extensive inspection coverage with every scan, and even the smallest corrosion pit can be identified, measured and evaluated. Concurrently, inspection times are significantly reduced. The Phasor CV/DM has application in the oil and gas, process, aerospace, power generation and general engineering sectors. "Corrosion spots are difficult to locate because they are very small and, using other inspection methods, are easily missed, just like looking for a needle in a haystack," says Patrik Rooman, Product General Manager for Ultrasound at GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies. "With the phased array technology, multiple ultrasonic beams are extended to provide more quality data to identify potential corrosion spots."
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Emerson Unveils Full Redundancy for Smart Wireless Monitoring and Control Applications, Furthers Wireless Adoption on all Capital Projects		Integran Partners with Magnetic Shield Corporation to Market 'Nanovate EM' Coating for Low Frequency Magnetic Shielding
Austin, TX - Responding to end-user requirements, Emerson has announced a unique approach to redundancy for Smart Wireless monitoring and control solutions. Available with the DeltaV™ S-series digital automation system, full redundancy protects the wireless network from any single point of failure by allowing primary failover to ensure that data is always delivered even if there is a malfunction. The enhancements include redundant Wireless I/O, power and communications and a redundant Smart Wireless Remote Link. The Remote Link can be mounted in class 1/Div 1/zone 0; it easily links the wireless field network into a DeltaV system which makes an optimized PID available for wireless control. The new full redundancy furthers the strength of Smart Wireless technology as a complement to wired and bus approaches on capital projects. "Further, customers need proof that control with wireless is viable," continued Karschnia. "We've responded with real-world Smart Wireless installations using 1-second updates, enhanced PID, battery management, and WirelessHART™. We're excited about the expansion of benefits these new user-driven solutions offer."		Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Integran Technologies Inc. announced that it has entered into a Market Development Agreement (MDA) with Magnetic Shield Corporation (Bensenville, IL) to accelerate market penetration of Integran's Nanovate EM coating for low frequency magnetic shielding. Integran's Nanovate™ EM coating process achieves similar performance to specialty discrete magnetic shielding foils, but uses a process that allows a nanocrystalline metal to be applied directly to metal, polymer and composite substrates. The process flexibility enables applications where part size, and/or complexity makes the use of formed foils impractical. In addition, the Nanovate™ EM coating also eliminates additional processes such as forming, annealing and assembly. "We see tremendous promise in the Nanovate EM coating when considering the decreasing size and increasing complexity of certain part applications.", says Mark Wickler, COO of Magnetic Shield Corporation. The agreement is expected to leverage Magnetic Shield Corporation's wealth of knowledge and extensive customer base, built over 68 years of business, to find existing and new applications where the Nanovate™ EM coating would be an effective and elegant solution.
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Minitab's Latest Quality Companion Update Adds 'Value Stream Mapping'		Ishida Weighing Accuracy Enhances Beohemija Powder Power
STATE COLLEGE, PA - Minitab Inc. released Quality Companion 3.2, an update to its software for managing and executing quality improvement projects, which has been embraced by organizations as diverse as Xerox, the U.S. Postal Service and BHP Billiton. Quality Companion by Minitab® is an all-in-one software package designed to manage improvement projects from start to finish. The update is free to registered users of Quality Companion 3. A free, 30-day trial version is available through their website. This update introduces new functionality, including a powerful tool for Value Stream Mapping (VSM), a primary technique used in Lean Six Sigma initiatives. VSM helps businesses define the steps required to produce a product or service that meets customer expectations, find improvement opportunities and pinpoint sources of waste. Quality Companion's VSM tool makes it easy to track important variables such as inventory, takt time, and cycle time, among others, to help improve manufacturing, supply chain, service-related, healthcare, software development, or product development processes.		Derby, UK - The benefits of Ishida Europe's new Cut-gate Weigher for granulated food and non-food products have enabled Serbian manufacturer Beohemija to optimize its powder detergent operation with an estimated payback on investment of within one year, due to significant giveaway savings, increased production speed and minimal downtime. Founded in 1991, Beohemija manufactures liquid and powder washing detergents and liquid household cleaners for the Serbian and wider Balkan market. Following its acquisition of a complete powder detergent factory, and the brands DUEL and TALAS (in 1996), the company has become the regional leader in powdered detergents with a 45% Serbian market share and a growing export business into the EU.
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Ashcroft Introduces the New 3-in-1 Miniature Pressure Sensor		New Olympus Stream v1.3 Material Science Microscopy Software Stream-lines Image Capture, Analysis and Data Management
Stratford, CT - Measuring only 1.2" square, the new Ashcroft GC30 & GC31 digital pressure sensors pack substantial utility into a tiny IP40 rated enclosure. Equipped with a 1-5Vdc analog output, 3? digit LED display and dual programmable switch contacts, the GC30 & GC31 pressure sensors perform the functions of a transducer, digital indicator and pressure switch. Designed to monitor higher pressures in both gaseous and liquid media, the GC31 is offered in ranges from vacuum through 0/1500 psi. A choice of a back or bottom NPT pressure inlet allows the GC31 to be easily adapted to any installation requirement. A panel mounting bracket is provided with each GC30 and back-connected GC31. Other standard features include min/max recall and adjustable analog scaling along with RoHS and CE compliance. Electrical connections are made through an integral six foot, five conductor cable.		Center Valley, PA - Industrial engineers, quality-control inspectors and researchers can perform image capture and analysis tasks quicker and easier than ever, thanks to the groundbreaking new Olympus microscopy software platform, Stream v1.3. In industrial laboratory environments where analysis routines can be complex and workflows difficult to manage, Stream's intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) guides the user from simple image capture to multifaceted material science applications. The program has numerous features that allow operators to attain usable results quickly and easily: Instant EFI delivers sharply focused images in one click, Interactive MIA allows users to create panoramic images on the fly, AutoCal eliminates tedious microscope calibrations, and NetCam offers intranet viewing of live images for collaboration and discussion. "Olympus designed Stream to have the easiest, most intuitive GUI available anywhere," explained Olympus product manager Linda Sikel. "People are amazed at the ease with which they can access the power of the system to provide them with live and archived images, plus the reliable statistical data they need to get their jobs done quickly and efficiently..."
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Solar Metrology Expands its Portfolio of System SMX Thin Film Composition & Thickness Measurement Systems		Magnesium Elektron UK Announces its New Immersion Ultrasonic Testing Service
Holbrook, NY - Solar Metrology, a global provider of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis tools, expands its portfolio of System SMX thin film composition and thickness measurement systems with the addition of model SMX-FPV (Full Panel View). SMX-FPV enables near-line composition and thickness control of CIGS and CdTe photovoltaic thin film depositions. It has a full (600 x 1200 mm) lateral X-Y range of measurement and is designed for analysis of rigid glass substrates. SMX-FPV provides process control of active, contact and TCO layers. Detailed analysis of full photovoltaic panels is possible, including fast and repeatable Copper to Gallium ratio determination. Panel gradient analysis provides yield improvement and conversion efficiency gains in production. Solar Metrology's SMX Measurement System is a production-ready suite of film thickness and composition measurement tools, ideally suited to research and process development, in-process monitoring and post-process quality control.		Manchester, UK - Elektron® Ultrasonix announced the operational readiness of its new, fully automated, custom built, ultrasonic immersion detector. Elektron® Ultrasonix have installed a large, automated ultrasonic immersion scanner which will be offered for services to industry. Automatic ultrasonic flaw detection within an immersion tank removes the inherent 'operator error' of other ultrasonic systems, enabling highly repeatable, consistent checking of material cleanliness. The Elektron® Ultrasonix system has been custom built to allow both round billet and flat plate or extrusions to be checked on the same machine. Initially metallic components will be served, with the scanning envelope allowing parts up to 3000mm x 1000mm x 450mm to be checked. The system can automatically follow the part profile, allowing non-straight parts to be accommodated. However a relatively uniform edge or plane is required. The system is support by ultra modern K-scan data acquisition and analysis software with full colour reporting in both B-SCAN and 3D C-SCAN modes. Defects can be individually analysed with multi-plane probes producing detailed 3D views through the part.
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New Servers and Workstations Further Expand Rockwell Automation PlantPAx Process Automation System		Cognex Introduces Two High Resolution Checker Vision Sensors
MILWAUKEE - Rockwell Automation has introduced a series of servers and workstations that help engineers more efficiently build a process automation system. With pre-installed software and a pre-configured operating system, the new visualization servers and operator workstations for the Rockwell Automation PlantPAx Process Automation System helps significantly reduce the time and costs associated with specifying, procuring and installing system hardware and software. Comprehensive documentation is provided to walk users through system startup, helping to minimize the time from initial hardware installation to a running solution. The workstation's consolidated activation scheme simultaneously enables the necessary capabilities, providing additional time savings. The workstations and servers are also pre-engineered and tested together as a system to help ensure process performance requirements are met. This step helps reduce errors, such as installing or configuring software in the wrong order or using inappropriately sized hardware. Furthermore, the new offerings are industrially hardened, helping reduce concerns over using off-the-shelf computers in harsh process environments where shock, vibration and humidity are common.		Natick, MA - Cognex Corporation has added two new high resolution models to its award-winning line of Checker® vision sensors. The new Checker 3G7 features 752 x 480 pixel resolution for better inspection of small features and high intensity white LED illumination for optimum image contrast. The Checker 3G7 can be configured as either a Presence or Measurement sensor, and can detect and inspect up to 800 parts per minute. All Checker 3G models require no PC for set up, and can be configured in a matter of minutes using the SensorView® teach pendant and One-Click Setup™ feature. The new Checker 272 offers the same resolution and lighting features as the 3G7 plus a ladder logic editor, encoder-based part tracking, and additional IO. The Checker 272 includes both Presence and Measurement sensors. "Checker's simple setup and affordability provides manufacturers with a cost-effective and flexible solution for error-proofing their manufacturing processes," said Pascal Dorster, Vision Sensors Business Unit Manager. "The addition of two new high resolution models expands Checker's value across an even wider range of applications."
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New DH Instruments Terminal Offers the Lowest Uncertainties for Gas Flow Calibration		Micro-Epsilon's 3D Laser Profile Sensor Gets Smaller and Smarter
Everett, WA - The DH Instruments Division of Fluke Corporation has announced a major update to its molbloc™/molbox™ gas flow calibration system resulting in significantly improved accuracy. The new molbox1+ flow terminal enables users to achieve ±0.125 percent of reading flow measurement uncertainty, while an added molbox terminal configuration, molbox1+S, improves high flow rangeability and versatility without the need for vacuum pumps. The molbox1+ flow terminal is the heart of the patented molbloc/molbox gas flow calibration system. It performs the data acquisition and processing functions necessary to precisely determine the flow through a connected molbloc flow element. The molbloc-L laminar flow elements and molbloc-S sonic nozzle flow elements are offered in different flow path sizes to cover a wide variety of flow ranges from 1 sccm to 5000 slm. This combination of precision and very wide range coverage in a single system make it possible for customers to replace multiple traditional volumetric flow standards and use a consistent software interface and reporting function for both low and high flows.		Raleigh, NC - The latest addition to Micro-Epsilon's scanCONTROL range of 2D/3D laser profile sensors is the scanCONTROL 2710, which is not only more compact than its predecessors, but also offers new set up and configuration software. The sensor is ideal for industrial automation, robotics and machine building applications, where space is often restricted. The new compact design, integrated controller and easy-to-use set up software, enable users to quickly mount the sensor onto robot arms, inspection equipment or production lines. The sensor can be used to measure the profile of adhesive beading, weld seams, channels, grooves, gaps, angles and steps, as well as for parts recognition, traceability and robot guidance/positioning. Once the scanCONTROL 2710 has been configured using the set up software supplied, the system operates in standalone mode. Using the integrated controller, the sensor can acquire data, calculate profiles and generate measured values for the complete field of measurement at high speed (64,000 points/100 profiles per second) and full resolution.
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YXLON International: Innovative High-Tech Company Rich in Tradition

Founded in spring 1998, retroactive October 1st 1997, YXLON International is the direct successor to Andrex (Denmark), Philips Industrial X-Ray (Germany) and LumenX (USA/Ohio) and today belongs to the COMET group. With a subsidiary in Japan, two offices in China and a tight net of representatives, YXLON International today offers X-ray and CT (Computed Tomography) non-destructive testing systems and services all over the world. Whether in ship-and vessel construction, the automotive, electronics, aircraft or food industry, YXLON International is - based on its long experience - offering X-ray and CT solutions, which fit in any manufacturing process to guarantee highest quality and safety standards for industrial products. Whether microfocus X-ray, X-ray or CT technology - they cover all areas of industrial X-ray technology. Their product catalog covers the whole X-ray field from portable X-ray systems designed for on-the-field applications over standardized, modular X-ray and CT solutions to complex, fully-automated customized X-ray and CT systems designed to fit the specific application. In addition, we offer installation, training, maintenance and remote-diagnostics on up to 24h basis.

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