7/Feb

By DE Editors

February 28, 2007Dear DE Reader:About this time of year far fewer gray hairs ago, I drove down toMeasurement Computing in Norton, Massachusetts — that's near Taunton —on a bitterly cold day. There, a bunch of press dudes, dudettes, and Igot the lowdown on the state of data acquisition, then we bloviated onwhere it was headed. We spent a lot of time beating networking to pulp,yet no one that I can recall spoke a word about wireless dataacquisition. Times change.A few weeks back Measurement Computing released a pair of wirelesstemperature input devices, the WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP, that leveragesthe technology in the company's widely deployed line of USB devices.Both units, in fact, will operate as USB devices if you want. Bothsupport eight channels of sensors, come with data-management software,and can operate indoors and outdoors.All most excellent, but not the thing for me. For me, the thing is thatthese gizmos are wireless. I really cannot stomach — and I assure thatI have ample stomach to offer  — the wires. Anything that can cutdown the rat's nest of wires that crisscross our lives and tether us tothe mother ship is fine by moi-ski. Wireless offers you the flexibilityof slapping these palm-sized units right where you need them, not justwhere you can wiggle them in.As a plus to easy placement, the WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP have softwarethat makes setup a breeze. Check out the PDF from Measurement Computingin the write-up for more on that. And, before I go, I have to mentionthat the WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP are not expensive. A complete systemcan be had for $599. Click the links to check out the wireless WLS-TCand the WLS-TEMP devices.Thanks, Pal. — LockwoodAnthony J. LockwoodEditorial Director, Desktop EngineeringGet DA at the Point of Measurement Pair of devices extends your reach wirelessly. Measurement Computing Corp. (Norton, MA) has released the WLS-TC andthe WLS-TEMP, a pair of two wireless temperature input devices thatprovide the flexibility and convenience of installing data acquisitiondevices at the point of measurement. Based upon the company's USB-TCand the USB-TEMP devices, the WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP enable you toacquire and process temperature data for monitoring and controlapplications at distances up to 150 feet indoors or as much as 2460feet line-of-sight outdoors. Essentially identical to the USB devices, WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP areequipped with an RF module that supports low-power wireless sensornetworks as well as meets the IEEE 802.15.4 standard fortelecommunications and information exchange between systems. Bothmodules require minimal power and operate within the ISM 2.4 GHzfrequency band. The WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP leverage a small PC interface module(WLS-IFC) that you connect with your computer's USB port. This, in urn,enables communications with a virtually limitless number of WLS-TCs andWLS-TEMPs, according to the manufacturer. The WLS-TC unit supports eight channels of J, K, R, S, T, N, E, and Btype thermocouples. The WLS-TEMP also supports eight channels of datafrom the same group of thermocouples as well as RTDs, thermistors, andsemiconductor temperature sensors. The WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP come with all software drivers andTracerDAQ data management and analysis software. TracerDAQ converts andsaves temperature and alarm data to standard, comma-delimited .CSVfiles, and it also plots and analyzes real-time data or historicaltemperature files. The units also come with InstaCal, an all-in-one installation, loggersetup, calibration, and test application. InstaCal makes setting up andretrieving data from the logger as simple as a few mouse clicks. Clickhere for a small PDF that describes setting up the WLS-TC and theWLS-TEMP. Additionally, the WLS-TC and the WLS-TEMP come with UniversalLibrary and UL for LabVIEW, programming interfaces. A complete WLS-TC system including the WLS-IFC RF modules and softwarecosts $599. A similarly equipped WLS-TEMP is $799. The WLS-IFC modulealone is $149. All units are available immediately. For moreinformation, click here. 


February 21, 2007Dear DE Reader:I got myself into college and debt when I could no longer abide being aroadie for a wandering band of country-and-western musicians. The guyin the dorm room next to mine had all sorts of gear, whereas I had achange of clothes and a clock radio. One thing he had was, to me, anengineering marvel: a desktop refrigerator that could hold 12 or socans of beer.I am sorry 3D Systems, but that was the first thing that popped intowhat passes for my mind when I saw your new V-Flash desktop modeler atSolidWorks World. However, I wanted to hug it because of that flashbackand, frankly, for it being so spot-on for its intended purpose.The V-Flash can be used to create 3D models in pretty much any office,and, at a shade less than $10K, it's affordable enough for the homeoffice or classroom. The V-Flash creates real models, by the way, notthose fragile things. But coolest of all, 3D Systems put most V-Flashparts that might wear out with all its materials in a pop in/pop outdisposable cartridge. So, V-Flash seems as easy to use and maintain asyour desktop printer.3D Systems plans to begin shipments of the V-Flash this summer. You canlearn about it now from today's Pick of the Week write-up and from thelinks there. You can also see it at the Rapid Prototyping Show inDetroit this coming May. Just do me a favor if you see the V-Flash inDetroit: Ask the guy doing the demo to produce a model of a 1974 beercan for me.Thanks, Pal. —  LockwoodAnthony J. LockwoodEditorial Director, Desktop Engineering 3D Systems Plans New Desktop ModelerCompact digital printer is plug and play set up.3D Systems Corporation (Rock Hill, SC) recently announced its plans tointroduce a compact office modeler, the V-Flash desktop modeler, thissummer. The V-Flash will be able to build ready-to-use 3D models inoffices, the classroom, or in home offices.The V-Flash measures 25 x 26 x 27 inch or about the size of a compactrefrigerator. It weighs about 100 pounds and has a maximum build volumeof 7 x 9 x 8 inches. It will have standard power requirements and aplug-and-play set-up.A key component of the V-Flash is its compact material cartridge. TheV-Flash Cartridge provides integrated material metering and dispensing.This means that you can simply remove an old cartridge, toss it away,and install a new cartridge.  The V-Cartridge also contains suchparts such as pumps, dispensers, re-coaters, transporters as well asroutine maintenance elements. As a consequence, V-Cartridgemaintenance means popping out and replacing a cartridge, not calling in a servicetechnician.

A pair of models produced with the V-Flash desktop modeler from 3D Systems. Click images to enlarge.