The Engineer
February 2001 Online
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An InfiniBand solution
28 Feb 2001
The InfiniBand Trade Association has developed a new specification to deliver a channel based, switched fabric technology that connects servers with remote devices.
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Analogue expansion unit for World's smallest PLC
28 Feb 2001
The FP0 series in Matsushita Electric Works' PLC range has been enhanced with an analogue expansion unit, capable of processing eight analogue inputs.
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Chemicals could get up an optical nose
28 Feb 2001
A fibre-optic based technology can be trained to 'sniff' or detect chemical compounds.
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Northrop Grumman awarded $12 million contract
28 Feb 2001
Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced that it will receive one of two contracts to develop an Affordable Moving Surface Target Engagement (AMSTE) capability.
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Yokogawa plans European instrument production
28 Feb 2001
Yokogawa has started manufacturing a range of electromagnetic flowmeters in Europe. A range previously produced only in Japan is now being produced in Germany.
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Boeing awarded $25.5 million contract
27 Feb 2001
Boeing has received a contract worth $25.5 million to install systems on board the French Air Force's fleet of AWAC aircraft.
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Northrop Grumman receive $84 million contract modification
27 Feb 2001
Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems Sector (ISS) has received an $84 million modification to an existing contract by the US Air Force.
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Powering up and cooling down in Florida
27 Feb 2001
A network of steel pipes and tanks tucked behind a small building at the University of Florida could lead to a new method of creating electricity and refrigeration.
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Faster than a speeding bullet
26 Feb 2001
A magnetic field that accelerates pellets faster than anything except a nuclear explosion has been developed experimentally at the US Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories.
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Keeping the vendors sweet
26 Feb 2001
IT consultancy, Mi Services Group has won a contract to implement a vendor-managed inventory (VMI) solution, for British Sugar. The project will replace British Sugar's existing VMI system and will be undertaken within 90 days.
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Rolls-Royce to provide municipal power solutions
26 Feb 2001
Rolls-Royce has been awarded contracts worth approximately £6 million to provide power solutions for two major Italian energy projects.
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SOMS set to clean up
26 Feb 2001
Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories have created a new class of molecular cage.
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Sulzer reject takeover bid
23 Feb 2001
Sulzer AG, Switzerland's largest machinery maker, has rejected a takeover offer worth 4.4 billion Swiss francs.
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The path of least resistance
23 Feb 2001
The world of electronic circuit design is one where small is definitely better. Small circuits, such as those used in computers, run faster and process more data.
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Cards get smartened up
22 Feb 2001
Flint has launched a new on-line Smart Card Bureau service aimed at process and control applications storing security information on smart or magnetic cards.
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UbiquiTel acquire VIA Wireless for US$122 million
22 Feb 2001
UbiquiTel Inc today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire VIA Wireless for US$122 million.
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Avoiding Vesuvias
21 Feb 2001
Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is working with Integrated Avionic Systems to commercialise the world's first detector to warn pilots of volcanic ash clouds in their flight paths.
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Data collection for vehicle engineers
21 Feb 2001
Accutest has introduced the FlightRecorder - FR1000 to help vehicle development engineers record and manage data for evaluation, statistical analysis and troubleshooting.
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Light curtain is double safe
21 Feb 2001
Matsushita Electric Works' Category 4 UZKA2 safety light curtains incorporate a fail-safe design which incorporates two independent self-monitoring microprocessors.
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Motorola ride the Blue Wave
21 Feb 2001
Motorola and Blue Wave Systems announced today that they have signed a definitive merger agreement worth up to US$135 million.
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Portable flue gas analyser
21 Feb 2001
The Testo 300-I range of industrial flue gas analysers from Testo has been designed to be hand held, portable and competitively priced. The instruments give measurement accuracy normally associated with larger systems, while being simple to operate and maintain.
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Recorder for demanding environments
21 Feb 2001
Eurotherm has launched a version of its Series 5000 Data Recorder designed exclusively for batch process applications.
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Servo drives connect with DeviceNet
21 Feb 2001
Rockwell Automation has introduced DeviceNet connectivity to the Allen-Bradley Ultra 100 series of servo drives to reduce wiring and installation costs. Drive set-ups, commissioning and troubleshooting are simple via DeviceNet and, using the web can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
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Siemens acquires UK's largest SI
21 Feb 2001
Systems integrator, Dickinson Control Systems, has been sold by Brunel Holdings to Siemens for £9.3 million. The deal is subject to shareholder approval.
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Stability guaranteed
21 Feb 2001
The EJA Series of pressure transmitters from Yokogawa UK is now being supplied with a guaranteed 5-year stability specification.
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Surf's up for Anteon Corporation
21 Feb 2001
Anteon Corporation has announced that it has been awarded a US$21 million contract by the US Naval Surface Warfare Centre (NSWC) at Dahlgren.
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Sybase acquire a NEON glow
21 Feb 2001
Sybase has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire New Era of Networks (NEON) in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at approximately US$373 million.
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Take it Easy
21 Feb 2001
Moeller Electric has extended its Easy family of control relays with the addition of two new members aimed specifically at high volume OEM applications. The Easy 400-X and 600-X OEM types have all the functions and performance of the Standard Easy units but at a lower price, as they come without display or keyboard.
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When space is at a premium
21 Feb 2001
Measuring half the size of conventional pressure sensors and weighing just 30g, the UZU3 digital pressure sensor is claimed to be the smallest and lightest device in its class.
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An uncommon sensor
20 Feb 2001
A new spectroelectrochemical sensor for monitoring hazardous waste uses three modes of selectivity instead of the usual one or two of existing sensors.
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Cancer treatment adds up
20 Feb 2001
A merger of advanced mathematical techniques with advanced computer technology may give doctors a powerful new weapon in the battle against prostate cancer.
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Green wind blowing for UK windfarms
20 Feb 2001
Companies setting up new offshore windfarms could have a one-stop-shop at the Department of trade and Industry (DTI) to sort out the consents they need.
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Phone your monkey!
20 Feb 2001
Now you can you deal out life or death to artificial monkeys directly from your mobile phone.
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Sharpening the gamma knife
20 Feb 2001
The treatment of tumours with Gamma Knife radiation surgery could be automated and fine-tuned with the development of a mathematical program.
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Airbags get smarter
19 Feb 2001
A collaborative EU project between car makers, component suppliers and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT has led to the development of a new 'smart' airbag system.
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British Energy goes offshore
19 Feb 2001
British Energy has announced its formation of a joint venture with Renewable Energy Systems Ltd to develop offshore wind power around the UK mainland coast.
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e4overstock goes on line
19 Feb 2001
If you're a buyer and you'd like to get in touch with companies who wish to sell their overstocked items, check out the latest addition to e4engineering - e4overstock.com.
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Los Alamos scientists solve a knotty problem
19 Feb 2001
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory have been watching knots untie themselves in order to gain a better understanding of how granular materials flow and how filamentary objects like DNA molecules tangle.
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Solid oxide fuel cell takes to the road
19 Feb 2001
The first development vehicle to be equipped with a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) has been unveiled in Munich by BMW and Delphi Automotive Systems.
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US Military joins battle against cancer
19 Feb 2001
Computer innovations that were developed to help future smart weapons see their targets may soon help radiologists detect breast cancer earlier in mammograms.
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Emerson unit signs $120m instrumentation deal
16 Feb 2001
ENI, a division of Emerson, has signed an agreement, valued at $120 million, to provide its entire range of plasma power sources and instrumentation to a manufacturer of semiconductor equipment for the next three years.
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Getting the measure of rubber
16 Feb 2001
A new technique for testing the condition of rubber products could lead to cost and time savings for industry and improve safety.
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HRT treatment for Lakenheath
16 Feb 2001
Lakenheath airbase had a power quality problem which affected the main laboratory where sensitive test equipment is calibrated
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Irish PCI firm joins Endress+Hauser
16 Feb 2001
Flomeaco Company, an Irish supplier of process control instrumentation, has joined the Endress+Hauser group of companies under the name Flomeaco Endress+Hauser.
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Power to the people
16 Feb 2001
The US Department of Energy is working to generate power closer to consumers by expanding its research into distributed power generation.
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Proximity range is expanded
16 Feb 2001
Two new additions to the Allen-Bradley range of WorldProx inductive proximity sensors are now available from Rockwell Automation.
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Rolls-Royce announces joint venture
16 Feb 2001
Rolls-Royce and Snecma Moteurs have set up a new joint venture company to conduct programmes related to military combat aero engines which are supported by the UK and French governments.
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Rolls-Royce wins Qantas engine order
16 Feb 2001
Rolls-Royce announced today, February 16, 2001, that Qantas has chosen Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines to power its new fleet of 12 Airbus Industrie A380 airliners.
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Sensor design for high reliability
16 Feb 2001
The ATS660LSB from Allegro MicroSystems is a digital differential gear-tooth sensor module designed to provide high levels of repeatability.
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Come on feel the noise
15 Feb 2001
Norwegian scientists at the SINTEF Telecom and Informatics laboratory have invented an earplug with a built-in computer that conveys speech but blocks out unwanted and harmful sounds. The earplug, dubbed the Personal Active Radio/Audio Terminal (PARAT), contains a miniature loudspeaker and an inner and outer microphone. The inner microphone measures noise in the ear. Initially, the earplugs block out all noise, but an electronic chip transmits selected sounds.
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Drives registered for ECA eligibility
15 Feb 2001
Rockwell Automation has registered the full range of Allen-Bradley variable speed drives on the list qualifying for Energy Capital Allowances.
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First Baan launch under Invensys umbrella
15 Feb 2001
In its first major launch since becoming part of Invensys, Baan has introduced iBaan - a generation family of internet-enabled value web collaboration solutions.
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Reorganisation leads to sale of PCB plant
15 Feb 2001
Fisher-Rosemount Systems plans to streamline its global supply chain to meet growing sales volumes, which increased more than 20 percent last year. And as part of an agreement with ACT Manufacturing, Fisher-Rosemount Systems will sell its UK board manufacturing operations, based at Leicester.
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Self sufficient material
15 Feb 2001
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a synthetic material that can heal itself when cracked or broken.
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Contained within virtual walls
14 Feb 2001
Researchers at the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin have created 'virtual walls' for fabricating pathways and manipulating fluid flow in microdevices.
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Innovative headwear may save lives
14 Feb 2001
People engaged in activities that necessitate the use of head protection could soon find themselves wearing a new helmet that mimics the protective design of the human head.
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Treating cancer with hot rods
14 Feb 2001
Researchers at the University of Iowa are utilising heat generated by implanted magnetic rods to destroy cancer in the prostate gland.
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Flying through the fog of war
13 Feb 2001
The United States Air Force has recently taken charge of the Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD), a missile-sized, unmanned aerial vehicle.
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Highly strung nanocrystal comes down to earth
13 Feb 2001
A University of Arkansas research team has created semiconductor nanocrystals made from materials that are said to be inexpensive and non-volatile. Such nanocrystals could be used in semiconductor, energy storage, optoelectonics and medical industries.
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Probing for pollution
13 Feb 2001
Australian scientists have developed a network of small oxygen probes that could potentially avert acid damage to the environment and save mining companies millions of dollars.
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Sensing with capacitance
13 Feb 2001
The T/LL47 Fuel Level sender is a solid state device consisting of a tubular probe and flange mounted electronics fully sealed for external use.
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Virginia Tech set to clean up
13 Feb 2001
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a US$7.9 million contract to Virginia Tech's Centre for Coal and Minerals Processing (CCMP) to demonstrate the commercial potential of new coal production techniques.
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FreeMarkets to acquire Adexa
12 Feb 2001
FreeMarkets has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Adexa, a provider of collaborative commerce solutions for e-business.
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Primix streamlines supply chain management
12 Feb 2001
Primix Solutions has announced two supply chain software packages for small-to-mid-sized manufacturing businesses.
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Space station no longer in the dark
12 Feb 2001
Engineers at the University of Texas at Austin are working to solve a space age power problem currently encountered on the International Space Station (ISS).
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Steeplechase merging with Think & Do
12 Feb 2001
Steeplechase Software, which was recently acquired by Schneider Electric, is merging with Think & Do Software.
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Streamlining your annual service
12 Feb 2001
Do the mechanics at your local garage mutter conspiratorially when you take your car in for its annual service? Well, from now on they may not be muttering the words 'one born every minute', but simply talking to a hands-free, wearable computer.
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Up and down with MEMS
12 Feb 2001
Physicists at Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs have made a microscopic seesaw that moves in response to a little-known but strong and pervasive force predicted by quantum mechanics.
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A supply chain solution
9 Feb 2001
Aspen Technology has introduced a new set of supply chain solutions for the polymer industry to help manufacturers improve forecasting and scheduling, while reducing inventory costs.
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Chip making goes green
9 Feb 2001
Scientists at the US Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a new technology application that may eliminate the use of hazardous corrosives in the fabrication of integrated circuits for computers.
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'Molecular rulers' used in nano fabrication
9 Feb 2001
Scientists at Penn State University have discovered an effective and precise way to make ultra-miniature metal wires in very close proximity to each other.
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Quietly calling the cops
9 Feb 2001
Leandra Vicci of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been awarded a patent for an automatic emergency and position indicator.
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Power to the people
8 Feb 2001
Artesyn Technologies has announced the launch of a compact 10W AC/DC open-frame power supply.
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Shrinking wireless base-stations
8 Feb 2001
Researchers at Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs have created the first all-silicon chips for the part of wireless networks that receives radio signals from mobile handsets.
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Soft-start from SAG
8 Feb 2001
The new SAG M microprocessor controlled soft start units from Reo are designed for three-phase AC motors.
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Control fluids in tiny places
7 Feb 2001
Philips Research Laboratories in Eindhoven has developed a new technology that allows the motion of fluid to be controlled in three-dimensional structures.
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Maturity meter signals strength
7 Feb 2001
Penn State engineers have developed a 'smart' maturity meter to estimate when newly poured concrete has reached the correct hardness and strength.
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Protons in secrecy probe
7 Feb 2001
A 14 foot-wide doughnut-shaped superconducting magnet is being tested at the University of Illinois to help unlock the innermost secrets of the proton.
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Shedding light on chemical sensors
7 Feb 2001
A group of scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have published a paper that sheds light on a new use for LED's by demonstrating their usefulness as chemical sensors.
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Crime fighting chemicals
6 Feb 2001
A unique partnership between an organic chemist and the US Secret Service has led to the improved analysis of fingerprints at crime scenes. The new process is said to be less damaging to evidence, more sensitive and less expensive for law enforcement agencies.
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JDS Uniphase announce $17.7 billion merger
6 Feb 2001
JDS Uniphase, the optical components maker, has announced today, February 6, 2001, that the United States Department of Justice will permit the $17.7 billion merger with rival firm SDL.
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National Semiconductor acquire innoCOMM for $130 million
6 Feb 2001
National Semiconductor Corporation has disclosed today, February 6, 2001, that it has reached an agreement to acquire innoCOMM wireless in a deal worth approximately $130 million.
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Take heart from Abiomed
6 Feb 2001
Abiomed has announced that it has received permission from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin the initial clinical trial of its AbioCo Replacement Heart.
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Degrees of density
5 Feb 2001
Iain Gordon of Solartron Mobrey looks at a variety of uses for densitometers and discovers what factors determine a good density measurement application.
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Detecting defective rails and wheels
5 Feb 2001
Researchers at the University of Illinois are fabricating fibre-optic sensors that can improve train safety by detecting flaws in rails and wheels.
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e4metals goes on-line
5 Feb 2001
Centaur Communications and Metalsonline today launched a new venture to help buyers of metal get a better deal.
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Hospital in hot water
5 Feb 2001
In order to achieve savings on standby boiler operations, the Bloxwich Hospital has installed flue isolation dampers on all of its boilers.
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Living on a silicon cell
5 Feb 2001
German scientists have developed a technique that hooks up living tissue to electronic circuitry.
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Swiss Rolls get a new image
5 Feb 2001
A novel magnetic material developed by British researchers may lead to dramatic improvements in the performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems.
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Terminal gets tank treatment
5 Feb 2001
A major oil terminal selects a Saab Radar Tank Gauging System to help provide integrated services at the highest safety and environmental standards.
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Aspirin or paracetamol? Let the bottle decide
2 Feb 2001
Figures from the US Institute of Medicine suggest that medication errors in US hospitals are the cause of around 98,000 deaths each year. In addition, up to two million people in the US are hospitalised annually from side effects or reactions to prescription drugs.
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Hands-off approach to aviation
2 Feb 2001
NASA scientists recently demonstrated the ability to control a 757 passenger jet simulation, using only human muscle-nerve signals linked to a computer.
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Lean, green haulage machine
2 Feb 2001
IMPCO Technologies has announced that it is continuing to participate in a program with Scania Great Britain Limited to develop a new, ultra-low emission fuel and engine management system for large trucks.
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Mini robot on track
2 Feb 2001
Researchers from the US Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories are developing what they believe is the world's smallest untethered robot.
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AEP to construct emission control systems
1 Feb 2001
American Electric Power plans to begin the construction of new emission control systems at two of its power plants in West Virginia in the US. The controls will reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions on each affected generating unit by about 90 percent.
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Steel yourself for the bad news
1 Feb 2001
Corus has announced the closure of several of its UK steel plants as well as a host of layoffs as the result of continuing high losses.
