Low Fluoride Wires and Cables
Tyco Electronics, Harrisburg, Pa., has introduced its Raychem Spec 55 series of low fluoride aerospace wire and cable. The company says it is the first low fluoride version of cross-linked ethylene tetraflourothylene (XL-ETFE) wire available in the aviation industry. According to Tyco, minimizing fluoride levels is important because in traditional XL-ETFE installations, fluoride can evaporate, combine with moisture and generate a corrosive substance. Corrosion impacts performance and reliability in sensitive aircraft electronics.
Tests have demonstrated low corrosion characteristics of Spec 55 that are similar to polytetrafluoroethelene (PTFE) material. According to Tyco, the cables and wires offer an improvement over standard mil-spec XL-ETFE insulation material currently in use. There are also benefits to electronics assemblies that are stored in sealed containers for long periods of time. Spec 55 wires and cables also can be used in test and measurement equipment in aircraft and satellite applications. The wires, which are compliant with Europe’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, have a non-melting insulation system with an operating range of 150 to 200 degrees C. The new product’s handling qualities are compatible with existing automated stripping and termination machines. Visit www.tycoelectronics.com.
EMI Filter
UK-based Oxley has improved its planar capacitor arrays, which are part of its line of electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter products. Several enhancements have been added, including the reduction of hazardous substances to meet new regulations. Oxley also has introduced soft tooling and rapid prototyping techniques to reduce delivery lead times and new product development. Visit www.oxleygroup.com/components.
Video Switch Matrix
Pickering Interfaces of the UK has unveiled the 60-710, a video switch matrix specifically designed to switch video signals in 75-ohm transmission lines. The system is housed within a compact 1U form factor. The switch matrix can be controlled remotely through an Ethernet port to a Web browser. Visit www.pickeringtest.com.
Analyzers
Everett, Wash.-based Fluke Corp. has unveiled its Fluke 435 power quality analyzer. The company also has expanded the capabilities of its Fluke 434 analyzer. The three-phase analyzers are designed to help pinpoint power problems with an on-screen display of trends and events. The Fluke 435 features 0.1 percent voltage accuracy and a GPS time sync option. The 430 series incorporates new International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for flicker, harmonics and power quality for single- and three-phase power distribution systems. Visit www.fluke.com.
Portable Interface
AcQ InduCom, based in the Netherlands, has agreed to provide first-line support for the USB403 portable interface unit made by Western Avionics of Ireland. The USB403 supplies Mil-Std-1553 test, simulation and bus analysis capability in a self-contained, battery-operated unit, and connects via a USB interface to host systems. Visit www.acq.nl or www.western-av.com.
1553/429 Interface
The BU-65590U, a USB 2.0 interface for Mil-Std-1553 and ARINC 429 applications, is now available from Data Device Corp. of Bohemia, N.Y. The lightweight, rugged, multiprotocol interface provides two 1553 channels, four ARINC 429 receive channels, two ARINC 429 transmit channels, eight digital discrete input/outputs and an inter-range instrumentation group-time code format B (IRIG-B) input. DDC says the small unit is ideal for avionics labs, flight line test equipment and flight instrument applications. Visit www.ddc-web.com.
GPS Tool
WriteGPS, a GPS video annotator and typewriter made by C-Map Systems, Red Lodge, Mont., now features two serial ports for data input. It may be connected to GPS and a second instrument, such as a compass or altimeter. The self-contained, palm-sized unit overlays GPS time, data, position coordinates, altitude, depth and heading. Visit www.cmapsystems.com.
Moving Map
Flight Display Systems of Alpharetta, Ga., has introduced two versions of its moving map display for corporate aircraft. The FD200CPU-7 and FD200CPU-8 supply passengers with flight information, such as airspeed and altitude, and real-time maps of surrounding areas. The FD200CPU-7 is for aircraft with RS-232 navigation systems, and the FD200CPU-8 is for ARINC 429-based navigation systems. Visit www.flightdisplay.com.
Single Board Computer
Leesburg, Va.-based Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing has announced its S/DCP3-1201, a 3U compact PCI single board computer. The unit is the first SBC featuring Intel’s 1.67-GHz Core Duo processor. Available in air- and conduction-cooled versions, the S/DCP3-1201 includes software for the Windows, Solaris and Linux operating systems. Visit www.cwcembedded.com.
PMC Card
GE Fanuc Embedded Systems unit, Condor Engineering of Santa Barbara, Calif., has released the EPMC-1553, an eight-channel PCI mezzanine card (PMC) for Mil-Std-1553B applications. Designed for embedded applications, the card is available in one, two, four or eight channels, which provide 128 Kbytes of random access memory (RAM) per channel. It comes in commercial, rugged and conduction-cooled versions. Visit www.gefanuc.com/embedded.
Standards Testing
AIM has launched three new products for testing and simulating various avionics standards. MilScope is a Mil-Std-1553 testing device that enables users to monitor and detect protocol errors, as well as verify waveforms. APM-FDX-2, a card for avionics full duplex switched (AFDX) Ethernet and ARINC 664 testing, simulation and monitoring, has two data ports. AMC429-32 has up to 32 ARINC 429 transmitter/receiver channels. Visit www.aim-online.com.
Sensors, Converters
PCB Piezotronics, Depew, N.Y., has introduced a series of triaxial force link sensors, as well as a line of differential, remote-charge converters. The 261A series of sensors, from the company’s Force/Torque division, simultaneously measures dynamic and quasistatic forces in three orthogonal directions (X, Y and Z axes). PCB says the sensors are ideal for vibration testing in aerospace structures. The 495B10 series of converters, shown above, is intended for use with differential-charge piezoelectric accelerometers. Visit www.pcb.com.
Physical Layer Switch
Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing has released the GLX4000 288, a physical layer switch. A fourth-generation version of the GLX4000 series, the switch has 288 ports housed in a compact 8U chassis. The equipment offers twice the capacity of its predecessor, the GLX4000 144. The upgraded system can support up to six 48-port interface blades and can be configured to accept small form factor pluggable (SFP) or Firewire connections. Visit www.cwcembedded.com.
Data Recording
Santa Barbara, Calif.-based R.C. Electronics now distributes TEAC Instruments Corp.’s DS series of data recorders. The hard disk-instrumentation DS series provides digital acquisition, storage and data file retrieval for wide-bandwidth uses, including pyrotechnic shock, structural dynamics and rotational analysis applications. Visit www.rcelectronics.com and www.tic.teac.co.jp.
Displays
Lincoln, Mass.-based Avidyne Corp. has introduced a large-format version of its MHAS6000 multihazard avoidance system. The company also has added a terrain awareness warning system (TAWS) capability on its multihazard display (MHD). The 10.4-inch MHAS6000 features Avidyne’s FlightMax EX5000 multifunction display and TAS600 active surveillance traffic system. The MHD is compatible with Honeywell’s KGP 560, KGP 860 and Mark XXI enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS). Avidyne’s unit also can function as a traffic display when integrated with traffic alert collision aviodance systems (TCAS), traffic advisory systems and Mode S traffic information systems (TIS). Visit www.avidyne.com.
Switches
Hermetic Switch Inc. has completed an analysis of magnetic switch technologies. The study compares performance attributes for four magnetic switch products: Reed electromechanical switches, micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switches, and Hall Effect and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) solid state switches. A report describes the conclusions of the analysis and lays out basic information about the four switch types. Visit www. hermeticswitch.com.
Battery Tester
Adcour Inc., Woburn, Mass., now distributes the BZT1 handheld battery tester from UK-based Astratec. The product automatically saves up to 40 tests for download to a printer or PC spreadsheet. It is appropriate for instrumentation, automatic test equipment and backup power, among other systems. Visit www.astratec.co.uk.
Computers
General Micro Systems, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has unveiled a line of conduction-cooled single board computers (SBCs) and subsystems–the Stronghold VC266, Rock CC61x, Monolith CC60x and Barricade CC50x–specifically for military applications. Visit www.gms4sbc.com.
Data Recording
Pentek has announced the RTS 2504, a real-time recording and playback transceiver platform. The device uses Pentek’s 7410 PCI mezzanine card (PMC) and the Xilinx Virtex-II Pro field programmable gate array (FPGA). Visit www.pentek.com.
Accelerometers
Columbia Research Labs of Woodlyn, Pa., has released its SA-102MFTB and SA-302MFTA miniature force balance accelerometers. Both units incorporate Columbia’s HP torque system. Visit www.columbiaresearchlab.com.
Cables
W.L. Gore & Associates has launched its Eye-Opener DensiShield cable assemblies, which are designed to transmit high-speed differential signals. The assemblies are built with Fibre Channel interface (FCI) DensiShield connectors. Visit www.gore.com.
Certification
Vancouver, Wash.-based nLight Corp. has received Underwriters Laboratories (UL) registration to the International Organization for Standardization 9001:2000, quality management system standard. It covers design and manufacturing of semiconductor lasers, laser subsystems and other photonics devices. Visit www.nlight.net.