Electricity + Control November 2016

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

ROUND UP

New handheld communicator for efficient maintenance

Emerson Automation Solutions has intro- duced the AMSTrex Device Communicator, a handheld communicator delivering an intuitive consumer-quality user experience and a brilliant modern display in a tool built to withstand harsh industrial environments. With a task-based graphical user interface built on human-centred design, the Trex communicator makes device and loop diagnostics easy to understand and field activities easier to complete. “With theTrex communicator, technicians can work more effectively in the field – with fewer tools to manage – anywhere in the plant they need to go,” said Duncan Schleiss, vice president, reliability solutions market- ing, Emerson Automation Solutions.

Protected against moisture and extreme temperatures, theTrex communicator boasts a rugged design that can withstand the bumps and drops that come from normal use in the plant.The large, full-colour touch- screen display adjusts to lighting conditions and aids troubleshooting in areas where too much or too little light makes other devices difficult to read. With intrinsic safety certifications, the Trex communicator is certified to go any- where a technician can go, with no need to shut a process down or get a hot work permit. Long-life batteries ensure that the communicator keeps working even through long days. Enquiries:Visit www.emerson.com/trex

New sensor redefines the vision system market

The FQ vision sensor family provides advanced inspection, code reading and verification capabilities previously only available in higher-end vision systems. With improved performance and ex- panded functionality, the new FQ2 addresses market requirements for an easy-to-use vision sensor that can address more complex applications. “The FQ2 truly defines a new standard in image inspec- tion and code verification,” comments Omron Vision specialist Josh Hodgkinson. Due to its compact design, the FQ2 can fit easily into

confined spaces. Unlike conventional vision sensors with multiple components, it is available in a single, all-in-one package. In addi- tion, the FQ2 supports a diverse range of inspection items, including shape search, colour inspection, OCR, code reading and verification. Multiple inspection and positioning tasks can be performed using a single sensor. For example, the position of an entire tray of ICs can be adjusted on the image itself prior to inspection. This saves time by reducing the work needed to boost the positioning accuracy. As

the sensor can measure angles of rotation and other positional information, it can also be used for positioning. Searches can be carried out to detect items such as labels, and to identify shapes or positions. Shape searches generally run into difficulties when it comes to an overlap or 360° rotation. However, the FQ2 achieves high-speed (up to ten times faster) stable searching of any shapes that match the model. Multiple searches can be performed simultaneously, which enables inspection of a group of items, such as in a tray, or for picking ap- plications. Enquiries:Tel. +27 (0) 11 579 2600 or email info.sa@eu.omron.com

November ‘16 Electricity+Control

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