New HPLC Series CNC Plasma Cutter from Techno
introduces affordable solutions to metal cutting processes

Techno's new HPLC CNC Plasma Cutter Series, a low cost, operator-friendly machine, is designed for small to mid-sized shops that wish to bring their manual plasma process to a whole new level. For over 24 years Techno has provided high-quality CNC equipment to various industries and is excited to expand into CNC Plasma Cutting.

Refer to picture: The new CNC Plasma's unique design has drawn compliments from Hypertherm and Thermal Dynamics CNC Plasma experts.

"This new expansion just makes sense. We manufacture high-speed CNC router equipment for the wood, plastic, and signage market, so building a CNC Plasma Cutter was easy," says Roy Valentine, CNC Sales Manager. "Since we have been designing and programming our own CNC Controls for over 20 years, attaching a high-quality plasma torch to the system and developing the electronic circuitry needed for automated torch functions was trivial. This in-house know-how has made us an industry leader in the CNC Router market, something we intend to repeat in the plasma cutting market."

The new CNC Plasma's unique design has drawn compliments from Hypertherm and Thermal Dynamics CNC Plasma experts, who were impressed with the HPLC's ease of operation, built-in automatic system functionality, and overall system flexibility. Every HPLC is built from the same heavy-duty welded steel and precision drive system as our CNC Routers. The fully automated CNC Plasma Interface has advanced, yet with user-friendly features that will guide users with ease.

Customers can choose from three standard table sizes, which can handle up to 1-1/4" thick material.

For further information on Techno's New HPLC Series CNC Plasma Cutter view website: http://www.techno-isel.com/CNC_Routers/plasma.htm  Refer to page 44

Embedded coil technology
radically improves temperature stability
and miniaturisation of displacement sensors

Precision sensor manufacturer Micro-Epsilon has developed a unique technology for use with eddy current and capacitive displacement sensors. These new technologies and manufacturing methods enable a wide variety of custom sensors to be produced, which are not only capable of operating in higher temperatures, but which also benefit from low thermal expansion (thermal drift) and extremely compact conditioning electronics, making it ideal for the aerospace sector.

 Micro-Epsilon's new Embedded Coil Technology (ECT) represents a technological breakthrough in eddy current sensor design and manufacture, enabling the previous limitations of using eddy current sensors to be overcome. Due to its ultra-compact design and by using new inorganic materials in its construction, the new eddyNCDT ECT sensors provide almost unlimited scope in terms of the external design and geometrical shape of the sensor. This means the sensors can be adapted to suit virtually any application requirements.
 
EddyNCDT ECT sensors offer extreme mechanical robustness, resulting in longer service intervals and higher temperature stability. In addition, the complete circuit electronics can now be integrated into the sensor itself, providing an even more compact measurement solution for OEMs and machine builders. The sensors are also suitable for harsh operating environments, including high vibration, impact shocks and high operating temperatures as high as 350 deg C.
 
Sensors have been produced with extremely low thermal drift and with temperature errors of less than 20ppm/K (parts per million per degree Kelvin).
 
Chris Jones, Managing Director at Micro-Epsilon (UK) Ltd comments: "Embedded coil technology has enabled us to produce custom-specific designs for OEMs. ECT eddy current sensors are already being used in a variety of applications, including the alignment of mirror segments on giant reflector telescopes; for use in ultra-high vacuums or clean rooms in semiconductor manufacturing; and for measuring the grinding gap on refiners used in paper mills. We are also developing specific solutions for the aerospace and defence sector."
 
"Using our electronics expertise from within the Micro-Epsilon Group, we were able to develop extremely compact electrical circuits, which allowed us to manufacture the sensor with integrated electronics in the sensor head. We are therefore able to produce a single or multiple sensor channel arrangement in one sensor body," he adds.
 
Custom capacitive sensors
As well as eddy current sensors, Micro-Epsilon has also designed capacitive displacement sensors that make use of ECT. The capaNCDT ECT sensors are manufactured using a new type of production process. Similar to the eddy current ECT method, by embedding the electronic components in an extremely stable carrier material, significantly better temperature stability can be achieved compared to conventional capacitive displacement sensors.
 
CapaNCDT ECT sensors can withstand operating temperatures as high as 200 deg C, as well as very low temperatures down to -269 deg C. Similar to eddyNCDT ECT sensors, the capacitive versions are extremely compact. Micro-Epsilon's capaNCDT CSH-FL, for example, has an installation height of just 4mm.
 
For more information on Micro-Epsilon's ECT eddyNCDT and capaNCDT ECT displacement sensors, e-mail: info@micro-epsilon.co.uk  Refer to page 16

Parker enhances range of piston pumps for
unrivalled flexibility and performance and flexibility

Parker Hannifin, the global leader in motion and control technologies, has broadened its proven range of bent axis piston units, offering greater choice and flexibility in terms of size, while providing the same high performance operation to boost production output and profitability. The latest addition to the F11 series, the F11-6, has been introduced to offer exceptional degrees of speed, efficiency and pressure in many motor applications, including fan drives, saw motors and construction machinery.

In common with Parker's existing F11 series piston pumps, the new F11-6 features a compact, lightweight, robust and reliable construction with few moving parts for dependable operation at pressures up to 420 bar, at high speeds and accelerations. The use of heavy duty roller bearings enables each pump to withstand substantial external axial and radial shaft loads, while laminated piston rings ensure low internal leakage and excellent resistance to thermal shocks. In addition, high precision valve plates allow increased self-priming speed and low noise operation. All these features combined make for a range of durable pumps that are able to function reliably under even the most demanding environmental conditions, with long, trouble free operating lives.

The F11-6 pump has many new features including a compact, lightweight, robust and reliable construction.

The new F11-6 is also available with a wide range of mounting options, such as CETOP, SAE, ISO and saw motor flange options.

The F11 family of products is now available in sizes 5, 6, 10, 12, 14, 19 and 23cc/rev, for a wide range of fan drive applications. As with every product from Parker's comprehensive catalogue of motion and control technologies, the F11 series is backed by Parker's global network of manufacturing and sales support centres.

For further information, view website: http://www.parker.com or its investor information website: http://www.phstock.com  Refer to page 9

Wyatt Technology continues to evolve RI detection with launch of T-rEX

Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in absolute macromolecular characterization instrumentation and software, announces the launch of its brand new Refractive Index (RI) detection instrument - the Optilab T-rEX. While RI detectors offer extreme sensitivity over a limited range and reduced sensitivity over a greater range, the Optilab T-rEX provides full range of detection and sensitivity across the entire dynamic range, meaning there is no longer a need to compromise one for the other. The new instrument has evolved from Wyatt Technology's award-winning Optilab rEX, which revolutionized RI detection in 2004, offering an alternative to the standard two photodetector deflection-based design.

The new instrument has 256 times the detection power and up to 50 times the dynamic range of any RI detector currently on the market and has the unique ability to measure both large and small signals within the same data run. The range of the Optilab T-rEX enables the instrument to be used in almost any standard isocratic chromatographic conditions and for many gradient applications.

In addition, recent developments in heterojunction light emitting diodes (LEDs) allow the T-rEX to have a light source 50 times brighter than previous instrumentation. This superior light source results in the detector array filling with light much faster than previously possible. The new instrument also offers high speed data acquisition and includes an onboard computer, allowing the rapid scanning of arrays, with 1 million measurements made every second. The T-rEX also has a flow cell with a total volume of only 7.4 ?L, which is 25% less than the leading refractometers available today. This results in minimized band broadening and better temperature stability.

Geof Wyatt, president of Wyatt Technology, comments: "The new Optilab T-rEX builds on the Optilab rEX, which became a first in liquid chromatography detection by combining cutting edge technology with measurement and processing techniques from the field of particle physics. Since the launch of the rEX, technology continues to evolve, enabling us to develop an instrument that now offers full sensitivity and range of detection across the entire dynamic range. This has been achieved while still incorporating the developments in nanoscale semiconductor fabrication techniques, NMOS linear photodiode array technology, high speed data acquisition and raw computational power that made the rEX a success."

For further information, view website: www.wyatt.com or email: info@wyatt.com  Refer to page 224