Can you buy components from different vendors and interchange them with confidence, knowing that adherence to industry standards ensures compatibility? Probably not, and this market failure costs all of us time and money. From software to hardware to services, a lack of strict adherence to standards handicaps U.S. industry and cuts productivity.

A long-time industry guru and Control magazine's editor-in-chief talks about how end users in the process industries can get vendors to participate in standards creation for digital fieldbus and wireless networks. The message is the same for all industries: Only end users can make vendors adhere to standards.

View discussions about this topic in
CR4 — GlobalSpecs Engineering community.

On Friday, July 14, the GlobalSpec Great Moments in Engineering Award was presented to the Jason Jr. engineering team (1986) in honor of the 20th anniversary of their first video survey of R.M.S. Titanic.

This small engineering team from the Deep Submergence Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution — whose behind-the-scenes technical accomplishments resulted in the design and prototyping of a tethered robotic "video vehicle" 12,000+ feet deep in the North Atlantic — helped open doors to undersea discovery, commerce, innovation, and a new understanding of the ocean's ecosystem through remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

Jason Jr. Principal Engineer Christopher J. von Alt accepted the award on the team's behalf at a ceremony held at the New England Aquarium in Boston. James Luyten, executive vice president and director of research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, was on hand to recognize the team for its remarkable accomplishment. Read the full story.

D-Subminiature connectors, commonly used for interface connectors, do not provide protection from EMI/RFI interference, even when enclosed in shielded hoods. A filter incorporated on the printed circuit board often does not overcome this problem. CONEC filter connectors are the ideal solution to reduce or eliminate electro magnetic and radio frequency interference ( EMI/RFI ).

For 16 years, the Power Quality & Reliability Exhibition/Conference has been raising awareness of the challenges in the field with an unparalleled education program and the most comprehensive array of product solutions available. Who Should Attend: PQ Engineers & Specialists • Executive/General Managers • Building/Operations Managers • Consultants/Contractors
• Customer/Field Service Specialists

Honeywell is bringing new, innovative wireless sensing products to the marketplace. Because hard-wired, traditional control or sensing applications can be difficult and expensive, Wireless Sensing Networks (WSN) from Honeywell can deliver significant cost savings and improved operational efficiencies. View our extensive line of sensor, switch and control products here.

You asked, Renco Electronics, Inc. delivered. In anticipation of worldwide shortages, here are the low profile, high current, surface mount, drop-in replacements you have been
asking for.

For free samples of this product, as well as custom and standard transformers, inductors, or coils, visit our Web site at www.rencousa.com.

With the recent news about rising energy prices, one would think that renewable energy projects are springing up like weeds. Not so for solar, as Solargenix, a unit of ACCIONA Energy of Spain, just completed the first solar thermal power plant in the United States since 1988 that is solely for the production of electricity.

The Electric Power Research Institute recently announced that Poland has initiated the world's first demonstration project based on the IntelliGrid SM transmission architecture. This electricity delivery model improves power line reliability and capability.
The pilot project is intended to provide a framework for an intelligent self-healing power transmission system.

Does your plant connectorize or is each I/O point terminated manually? Plug and play connectorization has been standard practice in industries where speed and consistency of connection is key. According to this white paper, industrial plants are now implementing plug and play connectorization, and reducing start-up costs up to 75%.

Harry Porter of the Department of Computer Science at Portland State University had a vision and a lot of time on his hands. Thanks to the Web we can view and enjoy his labor of love. Porter has created a computer out of relays. It is large, frighteningly wiring-intensive, and absolutely fascinating.

Because of its compact design (6.2 mm) Conta Clip's relay modules can be integrated in component rack control concepts where only a narrow space is available. For safe galvanic separation of electrical circuits or contact multiplication, these relays are predestined for automation equipment, thanks to their performance features. Look here for Conta Clip's Relay Catalog.

Teledyne Relays has introduced an innovative alternative to conventional hockey-puck packaging with its new HIPpak power solid-state relays for high industrial performance.

Smaller and lighter than standard relays, HIPpak relays are available in four models that offer a variety of easy and quick connections.

Interpower Angled NEMA 5-15 powercords are for equipment rated up to 15 A at 125 VAC. UL/CSA approved and are available in 3x18, 3x16, and 3x14 AWG cable. Configured with one of eight different angles (45° increments). Standard lengths of 6, 8, and 10 feet available from stock.

Just added to the Series 6000 data acquisition system product lineup is the 6060 two-channel signal conditioning amplifier and digitizer that operates with up to 300 Volts common mode. Fully programmable and featuring 100 kHz bandwidth, it may be used for applications subject to high input potentials that would damage most instrumentation.

Do you know that donated organs are tracked with an alarming lack of precision? Stephanie Henkel, executive editor of Sensors magazine, says that RFID tags are an ideal solution. The technology is ready, and this and other innovative applications, can help drive tag prices down to the much-desired 5¢ area. Additional reading.

EE Times reports that an early version of Palm’s Treo smartphone is no longer being shipped to Europe because the device does not meet the Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive that came into effect July 1, 2006. The company is one of the first to admit product restrictions due to RoHS.

A Griffith University researcher has patented a high frequency planar transformer for switch mode power supplies that can operate at frequencies up to 10 MHz. According to the university, the transformer is cheaper, smaller, and has higher power efficiency than other designs; making it especially suitable for mobile phones and PDAs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that it has published a new test procedure ruling to gauge the energy efficiency of distribution transformers.

This final rule defines products covered by the test procedure, establishes testing and sampling provisions for manufacturers, and delineates enforcement testing for distribution transformers.

Vimex stocks a complete line of ¼ in. and 3/8 in. single- and multi-turn cermet trimmers.

The sealed construction is suitable for a variety of environments. Cross Bourns, BI, Vishay, Tocos.

Glidepoint™ Capacitive Touchpads are low-profile, lightweight, and designed for ease-of-use in touch screen applications. The approach of a finger to Glidepoint™ causes a change in the electric field and capacitance reduction, which is then detected and Glidepoint™ determines the coordinates. See more of Alps' line.

Receive high-level information to assist you with determining product requirements for your intended market.

This one-hour webinar will provide a regulatory overview for: Europe, China, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. More information and registration for this complimentary Webinar.

CUI Inc. now offers V-Infinity's new line of compact open frame switching power supplies designed to replace the industry standard 3 in. x 5 in. format. The 25 watt VOF-25-XX, the 45 watt VOF-45-XX, and the 65 watt VOF-65-XX are suited for a wide variety of applications where RoHS compliance is required and design space is limited.

DiceEngineering.com offers thousands of quality engineering jobs at top technology and engineering companies. Find jobs in your area of expertise.
Search now.

Ranked among the "Top 50 Electrical Engineering Graduate Programs" by U.S. News & World Report, Drexel’s online Electrical Engineering MS will help you succeed. No commuting. 24/7 online access. More.

A new IEEE-USA engineering careers brochure designed for children ages 11-13 years, tells what courses can prepare you for an Engineering career and if Engineering is interesting.

More about  My Science, My Math, My Engineering! How Am I Ever Going to Use This Stuff in the Real World? can be found at EurekAlert.

A BSEE or equivalent and a minimum of five to seven years of technical customer service or field application engineering experience with fiber optic transceivers is required for this position. Experience with fiber optic transceiver design. Work from a home office for company in the SF Bay area. Requires up to 50% travel (including 1-2 weeks per quarter in Taiwan).

View more details about the position.

Discovered 25 years ago, scientists have just begun to study the gaseous remains of a star that exploded about 2,000 years ago. Nicknamed 1E, it is a 20 km neutron star, all that remains from the explosion of a star eight times the size of our sun. Read what else makes this discovery unique in the universe.

There are some in academia that think of science fiction as more than ray guns and robots from the Red Planet. In fact, Kansas U’s Center for the Study of Science Fiction presents annual awards for Sci-Fi writing because they think about the future and believe maybe it will provide scientists the clues to save mankind.

Utility Automation & Engineering T&D magazine covers the high-tech systems, infrastructure, equipment, and engineering innovations that drive electric power transmission and distribution.

Get your complimentary subscription here.

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