March 2007

Rack-mount computer and data storage equipment generates heat during normal operation. When equipment is enclosed in cabinets, heat generated by the equipment can concentrate within the cabinet and cause equipment to overheat and shut down.

Contemporary thinking in data center thermal management promotes a Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle approach to segregate cold air in front of rows of equipment cabinets and hot exhaust air behind these rows of cabinets. This approach works well in low to medium density data center applications. Unfortunately, though, the Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle approach does not perform well in many medium density applications and can not begin to support high density applications without extreme discipline and additional air flow management devices outside of the cabinets to prevent hot exhaust recirculation into the cold aisle.

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Optima EPS Releases New 19 Rugged Cabinet Enclosures for Mobile Applications

Optima EPS has introduced a new M2 series cabinet enclosure for mobile applications and was designed to optimally balance a lightweight and rugged design. The modular M-series cabinet enclosure is available in 52 to 77 inch heights, depths up to 42 inches and is configurable in multi-bay systems. The aluminum frame construction is lightweight yet highly rugged and the enclosure has been tested to MIL-STD-810F for a deployed transportation environment.

The M-series offers various levels of ruggedability, depending on the application. Heavy duty single or double walled extrusions, internal reinforcing corner keys, four way crimped and welded corner sockets and corner members provide a tough and reliable enclosure environment. Further, rugged front to back stiffeners and cross bracing and optional 7 gauges welded steel base, extra thick gage rails and ceiling or wall bracing provide even more security. The bolt-down base allows universal hard mounting to the floor.

Highly customizable, the M-series' modular design reduces installation, upgrade and service time. Customers can choose from a wide range of industry standard sizes, cabling, cooling and power options. The cabinets also are available in a large selection of contemporary color choices or optional custom color matching. The front and rear doors open from the center, allowing access to the cabinet in confined spaces. This also allows the doors to be fully open without interfering with the doors in an adjacent cabinet.

Elma's New G-Box Expands Base Product Mix for Contract Assembly Services

Elma Electronic Inc. has released a new G-box product line. The G-box is a low-cost base enclosure platform with few parts, simple assembly and a flexible design. The line provides a more expansive base platform for the company's contract assembly services.

The G-box is a good starting point for various embedded systems, including industrial PCs, PC/104 systems and customized systems with integrated TFT monitors. The units come in desktop, wallmount or C-rail design. Providing an easily customizable base design is a key feature of the G-box. Cutouts on the front panel are either punched or laser cut and arranged entirely to customer specifications. Options such as silk-screening, logos, or other markings are available. Anodization, EMC protection, and custom colors are also all optional.

Pelican Introduces A Mobile Workstation For 17-Inch Laptops

17-inch laptops are now much more secure with the introduction of the1495 Laptop Case from Pelican Products, Inc. With nearly 1,000 cubic inches of usable storage space, the 1495 can protect all sizes of laptops up to 17-inches and hold accessories such as power cables, digital storage drives and other electronics. The 1495 also features an integrated, programmable combination lock and stainless-steel-reinforced padlock protectors for twice the theft prevention.

The case is available in three optional configurations: 1495CC #1, 1495CC #2 and the 1495. The 1495CC #1 includes a lid organizer, nylon padded laptop sleeve and utility pouch, shock absorbent computer tray and a ballistic shoulder strap. The 1495CC #2 includes Pelican’s proprietary high-density, Pick ‘N’ Pluck foam, lid organizer and a ballistic nylon shoulder strap. Lastly the 1495 includes Pelican’s Pick ‘N’ Pluck foam.

Like all Pelican Protector Cases, the 1495 Laptop Case is engineered with a high-impact, structural resin, and an open cell-core wall construction that protects sensitive equipment from some of the harshest conditions known to man. Additional standard features include a lid equipped with a polymer o-ring for a dust and waterproof seal, dual action latches that have been tested to a failure threshold of nearly 400 pounds (but open with a light pull) and an automatic Gore-Tex pressure equalization valve that prevents vacuum lock, making the case easier to open at any altitude.

Chomerics Introduces Electrically Conductive Silver Epoxy Coatings for EMI Shielding

Chomerics, a division of Parker Hannifin Corp., has released its Cho-Shield 576 and 579 electrically conductive epoxy coatings for shielding of electronic enclosures. Cho-Shield 576 is a two-component, silver filled epoxy coating. It offers excellent EMI and environmental protection when applied to glass, plastic or epoxy substrates, and it may be tin-plated.

Cho-Shield 579 is a low-VOC rated (volatile organic compounds), silver-filled epoxy coating system for shielding electronic enclosures. VOC rating is 357 grams/liter, 40 percent lower than its predecessor. Both Cho-Shield materials offer EMI shielding levels of up to 60 to 80 dB in the 30 MHz to 1 GHz range. They may be applied conventional spray equipment or a brush. They are dry to the touch in less than one hour at room temperature and may be fully cured at elevated temperatures.

Photo Etched Miniature Parts Manufacturing From Tech-Etch

Tech-Etch specializes in the manufacture of small, light-gauge metal parts through photochemical etching, a process that produces intricate components with close tolerances. Tech-Etch is setting industry standards fabricating encoders, masks, filters, lead frames, springs, strain gauges, laminations, needles, heat sinks, shields, shutter blades, electron grids, fluidic circuit plates, reticles, drive bands and shims. Metals that can be etched include Nitinol, Titanium, Tungsten, Molybdenum, Copper Alloys, Beryllium Copper, Stainless Steels, Aluminum, Elgiloy, Niobium, Nickel Alloys, Silver and Spring Steels, in addition to Polyimide Film.

Many of these materials have characteristics that are attractive to the medical industry. Parts range in thickness from 0.0005-inches and up. Formed parts are manufactured by combining photo etching for blanking with inexpensive or universal tooling for forming. While providing quick turnaround and low tooling costs, this method produces burr-free parts with intricate and complex shapes. Designs can be proved in preproduction quantities without having to commit to expensive tooling. Laminating, plating, heat treating, and assembly are available in house.

Laird Technologies has verified computer-simulated test results using custom-designed test equipment. This computer simulation verification included physical testing utilizing a custom design and fabricated door cycle tester to conduct an actual Recyclable Clean Copper product gasket test and running the test to 500,000 cycles without product failure.

Laird Technologies designed and constructed the 500,000 cycle test using a gasket attached to a rail with the door moving in shear action against the gasket 500,000 times without product failure. The Recyclable Clean Copper products are copper-based shielding gaskets that offer a beryllium-free EMI shielding solution for use in a wide range of slotted applications.

Recyclable Clean Copper gaskets meld strong stability with tensile strength to achieve high levels of thermal and electrical conductivity and elasticity making it suitable for utilization in both grounding and shielding applications at a rate that is comparable to traditional metal EMI shields.

Recyclable Clean Copper is fully compliant to EU RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC and alleviates the environmental, safety and segregation concerns associated with the traditional use and recycling of beryllium-based copper alloys. This gasket material is characterized by superior yield strength (up to 100 MPa) compared to other common copper alloys.

Key applications for this product include navigation and infotainment systems, NAS or SAN storage systems, high-end servers and communications display units, as well as base stations, handsets and network enclosures. Prices range from 15 cents to more than $4.80 each with an average sales price between 45 and 79 cents. These prices compare favorably to current beryllium-based copper pricing and become even more advantageous as the overall cost for beryllium-based copper increases.

Advanced Thermal Solutions, Inc. (ATS) has introduced a low profile, high performance heat sink designed for cooling hot BGA components in low airflow velocity conditions. The EX2 heat sink is only 9 mm in height, which allows its use inside enclosures where space is limited. Its case-to-ambient thermal resistance is 1.8°C/W within an air velocity of 600 ft/min.

EX2 heat sinks weight just 16 grams and can be securely attached to a component with double-sided, thermally conductive adhesive tape. With no mechanical hardware needed, weight and assembly time are reduced and valuable board space is conserved.

American Power Conversion Unveils InfraStruXure InRow SC Cooling Unit

American Power Conversion (APC) has introduced its InfraStruXure InRow SC cooling unit, which provides predictable air conditioning for wiring closets and server rooms. This 12-inch wide (half-rack) self-contained cooling solution is capable of providing up to 7 kW of cooling capacity, allowing IT professionals to place the unit right next to the heat load to deliver predictable, agile heat removal.

The InRow SC features localized heat removal that reduces energy costs by removing heat at the source that would otherwise require greater fan horsepower over longer distances of ductwork. Additionally, the SC's plug and play design allows for rapid installation without the need for running refrigerant lines, providing remote heat exchangers, or contracted mechanical services.

Wiring closets and computer rooms have traditionally used building air conditioning to satisfy the cooling requirement in those environments. Higher power densities in networking switches, servers and other IT equipment have increased heat requirements well beyond the building air conditioning system.

In addition, the InRow SC is easy to access and control with integrated network manageability via Web, SMNP and Telnet, offering predictive failure notification. A patent-pending control technique measures and reports unit-cooling capacity on the display interface for real-time capacity management. Its modulating capacity control and variable speed fans allow the InRow SC to provide the required amount of cooling to the IT equipment, even in lightly loaded situations. The automatic restart increases availability by returning cooling to IT equipment after a power outage, while the hot-swappable fan modules minimize the mean-time-to-recovery. With a modular and scalable design, the added agility enhances cooling deployments as demand increases and ease of installation minimizes deployment time and costs.

 New UPS Leverages Advanced Features to Ensure Maximum Uptime for Industrial & Commercial Applications

Sola/Hevi-Duty has released its new S4K6U Uninterruptible Power System (UPS) featuring 10 kVA of power capacity, flexible output voltage, internal batteries and an integrated maintenance bypass switch, all housed in an ultra-compact 6U (10.5 inch) enclosure that is configurable for either rack mounting or as a tower.

Designed to protect sensitive electronic equipment against fluctuating power and complete power loss, the S4K6U is suited for industrial computers, network servers, automation systems, robotics, enterprise telecommunications systems, medical diagnosis equipment and process controls.

IT and network managers will appreciate the S4K6U's true on-line (double conversion) topology that continuously converts incoming AC power into filtered DC power, and then recreates it into low-distortion AC power. In addition, the UPS automatically senses input voltage and configures output inverters to match the input supply. This feature provides simultaneous output voltages, thus enabling users to power a variety of loads with different voltages without an extra transformer.  

Power Sources Unlimited, Inc. has released the Tracopower TSP series, a new generation DIN-rail power supplies with innovative and powerful features. Featuring a rugged metal case, complete with shock and vibration proof construction, the TSP series is designed to provide reliable power even in the most difficult factory conditions.

With enhanced electrical specifications and high immunity against electrical disturbances, the TSP series product is suited to power sensitive loads in industrial process controls, machine tools or other demanding applications. A high power reserve guarantees a reliable start-up of loads with high inrush currents such as motors.

14 standard models are available with tightly regulated, adjustable output voltages of 12, 24 and 48 VDC, with ratings up to 25 A. The power supplies are specified for industrial operating temperatures from -25°C to 70°C with convection cooling and also provide thermal overload protection. Remote on/off is standard.

The TSP series offers three add-on function modules, which offer battery back-up, output buffering or true redundant operation in system applications. Safety approvals for the unit include an optional ATEX certification for Class l, Div.2 applications in hazardous locations. Additionally, a recent expansion the product family introduced the TSP-WR Series, which feature an ultra wide input voltage range of 85 to 550 VAC, enabling the TSP-WR models to be used in almost any single or 3-phase power network in the world.

480 Watt Switching Power Supply

Carlo Gavazzi has expanded its SPD series switching power supplies with the addition of the 480 W model. This new, higher output model was developed to meet the increasing power demand of the automatic machinery market.

The 480 W model offers 24 VDC (20 Amp) and 48 VDC (10 Amp) outputs, short circuit, overvoltage and overload protection, "power ok" and "low output voltage" LEDs, and a relay output for "power ready". Power factor correction and parallel connection functions are also standard features.

The SPD power supplies feature high efficiencies, universal 90 to 265 VAC or 120 to 370 VDC supply voltages, and diagnostic LEDs for alerting the user of when the output voltage is ready for use and in the event the output voltage is too low. All models also offer internal noise filtering, and a potentiometer for fine tuning the DC output voltage.

The 480 W model features a rugged metal housing, screw terminals or detachable connector with screw terminal connections, and an extended temperature range of -25 to 71°C. For parallel operation, a built-in decoupling diode is included which saves you the cost and space of using a separate decoupling module. SPD power supplies are UL, cUL, TUV, and CE approved and have a two year warranty.