Explosion-proof switches help customers meet increasing safety, regulatory requirements anywhere in the world.

Honeywell announced it has received Electrotechnical Commission (IECEx) approval for its MICRO SWITCH™ BX explosionproof switch products. With IECEx approvals, manufacturers can specify one Honeywell MICRO SWITCH™ BX-series switch for a machine that will potentially be used in Europe, Asia or North America.

IECEx is the Commission’s certification of explosive atmospheres, and incorporates all existing approvals. Current North American UL/CSA and European ATEX approvals are being superseded by IECEx recognition. Honeywell’s explosion-proof switch family obtained certification from the official global regulatory agency.

"The global nature of approvals is critical to pull together many countries’ and territories’ regulatory requirements,” said Leslie Neill, global product marketing manager for Honeywell explosion-proof and safety switches.

“This allows our customers to apply our products almost anywhere in the world and meet ever-increasing levels of safety regulations. Honeywell offers a wide range of differentiated solutions to meet virtually any application requirement,” explained Brad Kautzer, vice president and general manager of electromechanical line of business for Honeywell Sensing and Control.

By obtaining the newest global standard for safety, Honeywell customers around the world can be assured their explosion-proof switches may meet all local safety regulations.  Honeywell BX Series explosion-proof limit switches are rugged products used in hazardouslocations, such as control valves in petrochemical, waste handling or food processing plants.  Honeywell MICRO SWITCH™ explosion-proof limit switches may be most appropriate for use in dangerous environments where contamination or long distances may render other sensing technologies ineffective.
 

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Finder has announced the new 10 Series light dependent relays, which have the ability to control lighting according to ambient light levels. These relays will be of particular interest to designers, specifiers and installers both of lighting and of lighting control systems, and will find applications in the automatic control of exterior lighting around factories, loading bays, schools, offices and similar areas where lighting is required for security or safety reasons during the hours of darkness.

There is a growing need to reduce energy consumption, maintenance and replacement costs by ensuring that essential exterior lighting is lit only during times when the ambient natural light falls below an acceptable level, and it is this requirement that the 10 Series has been developed to address.

The 10 Series relays feature an integral photoelectric sensor combined with innovative light feedback compensation circuitry designed by Finder, which prevents the controlled lighting from ‘hunting’ on and off due to the perceived increase in ambient light when lights are automatically turned on. This feedback capability is achieved by monitoring the effect of the controlled lighting over a ten-minute period, which ensures compatibility with slow starting gas discharge lamps. ON and OFF delay times are reduced to zero for the first three cycles, which aids set up and commissioning and reduces installation time.

The new family of relays includes both single-pole and two-pole output types rated at 16A, and also a miniature type, 10.51, with a single 12A output. The double output 16A 10.32 allows Live and Neutral switching, while model 10.41 has a single 16A NO output for Live switching.  All the relays in the series operate from either a 120V or 230V AC supply.

The ambient light switching level is adjustable in the range 1 – 80 lux, and the relays are capable of switching up to 2.3kW of incandescent or halogen lighting, allowing the switching behaviour to be optimised according to both the needs of the individual application and the physical location of the unit.

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ABB now has a new range of control panels with graphical displays, ranging from the standard model (CP410) to a model with a colour touch screen (CP450).
These control panels are ideal   human/machine interfaces within automated processes, providing more transparency and efficiency.

Depending on the model, the CP400 range offers a wide variety of functions such as alarm and validation management, Ladder and Macro functions for local information processing, multi-language display (five languages), importing of variables from other software applications, screen manager and off-line and on-line simulation to facilitate fine tuning.
All models are fitted with a 32-bit RISC processor and 4Mb of Flash memory to ensure the rapid processing of large quantities of information.

All the products in the new range are able to communicate with the ABB AC31 and AC500 controllers, as well as with all major PLCs.

They can also be connected to a printer, a keyboard and a modem. Furthermore, from the CP430 and above, an Ethernet connection is available.

The entire range can be quickly and easily programmed and configured using a single software application.

Available functions:
• Alarm management
• Trend lines
• Multi-language
• Password protection
• Macro or Ladder
• Off-line and on-line simulation
• Real-time clock
• Validation management
• Animated Gifs

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Finder has announced the 13.12 Call and Reset Relay, which is designed to activate an alarm at a remote point and provide local indication of activation. The relay will be of particular interest to designers and installers of attendant call systems in hospitals and care homes, and to contractors involved in the provision of facilities into residential and commercial buildings where occupants may need to call for assistance.

An ageing population is creating a growing demand for both short-term and long-term facilities providing care and supervision - hospitals, care homes, assisted living developments, hotels and similar premises - and the means to summon assistance in these facilities is a fundamental requirement. The 13.12 relay is a conveniently packaged product that addresses this need, and which can easily be installed in new buildings or retrofitted in existing sites.

The 13.12 features dual outputs, offering the facility for both a remote alarm signal and a local indication of activation to be activated simultaneously. Independent set and reset inputs provide flexibility in the location of activation and acknowledgement points. The relay output contacts are rated at 8A, which means that they are capable of directly switching incandescent lamp loads up to 800W. Set and reset inputs are both continuously rated, so that no damage is caused to the product if it is inadvertently left permanently activated. The relays are suitable for 35mm rail or panel mounting if an additional bracket is used. The length of the cable run between the set/reset points and the unit can be up to 100m, allowing multiple units to be placed in a convenient centrally located control panel for ease of maintenance and space saving.

The 13.12 relays are housed in a compact 17.5mm single unit width rail mounting enclosure.

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GKME Dual-Connection Series Enhances Safety, Productivity with Daisy-Chain Capabilities

Honeywell introduces the MICRO SWITCH GKME-series Dual Connection Safety Switch. This product line extension of the GKM series includes two pre-assembled connectors allowing for daisychain connection from switch to switch. The ease of installing GKME switches may reduce wiring time up to fifty percent, resulting in significant savings for the customer.

The GKME is designed to enhance machine safety – the removal of any switch indicates that a door is open and breaks the electrical safety chain. The design facilitates planned and unplanned maintenance by allowing modules of the machine to be easily removed and replaced, followed by plug and play of the safety switch.

Potential applications include packaging and assembly equipment; textile and printing machinery.

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Finder has announced the introduction of the 13.81 electronic step relay, which is designed for the pushbutton control of lighting. This step relay is particularly suited to complex multi-point installations.

The desire for more sophisticated and flexible control of lighting, coupled with the need to reduce material and installation costs, is influencing consultants, designers and installers of lighting control systems to consider using electronic relays, especially for applications where quieter operation than that of conventional electromechanical step relays is desired. They will be able to use the 13.81 electronic step relay in locations that have multiple entry points, or in large areas where a number of switching positions are required for the control of lighting. The unit will be of particular interest to lighting designers who wish to achieve easy central control of multiple light fittings.

The 13.81 allows the connection of up to 15 illuminated push buttons, to enable multiple switching points to be served with a minimum of wiring, and is capable of switching up to 3kW of incandescent or halogen lamp loads. Indirect control of lighting – isolated from the AC mains – means that lighter gauge wiring can be used between pushbutton and relay, while electronic operation is much quieter than conventional electromechanical switching and offers a longer life. The cable run between the pushbuttons and the relay can be up to 200m in length, providing flexibility of mounting location, especially in large areas such as warehouses and factories.

The 13.81 is housed in a compact 17.5mm wide enclosure for 35mm DIN rail mounting, and is suitable for consumer units.

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