’60 Second Guides’ Released by Farnell

Farnell, the leading multi-channel distributor, has underlined its continuing commitment to providing information and support on legislation affecting the electronics industry by launching its new ‘60 Second Guides’. The guides focus specifically on legislation that impacts electronic design engineers (EDEs) and give an at-a-glance understanding of key legislative areas.

The new 60 Second Guides cover aspects of the REACH and RoHS legislation and the new Batteries Directive. Easily accessed via the homepage of the Farnell Global Legislation website, the guides form part of a comprehensive range of quick reference legislative information that Farnell has devised to help EDEs. They also complement the longer – approximately five page – exclusive step-by-step guides to legislation already available. These guides summarise the key points of the full, published legislative documentation.

With the complete documentation on various pieces of legislation requiring a great deal of reading, it is often very difficult for time pressured engineers to gain the quick, initial understanding they need. Farnell’s 60Second Guides and the longer step-by-step guides recognise and address this problem.

In addition to English language versions, all of the 60 Second Guides will also be available translated into French and German and included on the respective local language Farnell Global Legislation websites.

Commenting on the launch of the new guides, Gary Nevison, Head of Legislation, Farnell said: “Legislation is crucial to the electronics sector, but the documentation describing it and the obligations on the design engineer are often long and complex. We recognised that in order to help our customers achieve compliance, then a way of gaining a quick-and-easy understanding of legislation would prove hugely useful. 60Second Guides and the longer Step-by-Step guides have been developed to do this and add to the vast amount of other content already present on our Global Legislation (www.global-legislation.com ) website.”

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Digi-Key Corporation and Enhanced Video Devices, Inc. Announce Global Distribution Agreement

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, and Enhanced Video Devices, Inc. (EVD) announced today the companies have entered into an agreement for the worldwide distribution of EVD’s image enhancement technologies.

EVD products stocked by Digi-Key include the EVD 1000 and EVD 1500 ICs, single-chip solutions that provide sophisticated image enhancement capabilities in a compact, easy-to-integrate package. Packaged in a thin quad flatpack (TQFP) case, the chips use about ¼-inch of circuit board space and can accept a wide array of digital data formats, including YCrCb, RGB, and BT656. Ten-bit data paths produce faithful results, and the device is configurable for 8-bit applications as well. The EVD 1000 can operate at up to 75MHz, while the EVD 1500 will run at 150MHz. That’s1080p speed with no external heat sinks or add-on memories – just a single IC the size of a dime. In addition to the EVD 1000 and EVD 1500 ICs, Digi-Key stocks EVD’s digital and analog development kits.

These products are now available for immediate shipment on Digi-Key’s global websites and will be featured in future print and online catalogs.

Dave Doherty, Digi-Key vice president, semiconductor products, said, “We are very excited to be launching a partnership with Enhanced Video Devices. I believe that engineers will be truly amazed at the improvement in picture quality that the EVD solution can bring to anything from still pictures to streaming video. Digi-Key remains committed to providing our customers with access to the newest and most innovative products.”

Tom Carson, EVD’s CEO said, “This is a significant step forward for EVD. Partnering with Digi-key as our sole distributor worldwide, will, we believe, extend our reach into the largest design community in the world. Digi-key’s commitment to internet marketing and its ability to deliver products anywhere worldwide and in short order is critical to our design activity. Our rep firms are also excited about this relationship, because they feel it will make us much easier to do business with.”

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Farnell partnership with Linear Technology strengthened by introduction of over 800 new products

Farnell, the leading multi-channel distributor, has added over 800 of Linear Technology’s newest products to its existing portfolio. The devices cover a broad line of standard high performance analog integrated circuits for use in applications such as telecoms, networking products, industrial instrumentation, video & multimedia, automotive, and military and space systems.

This latest and highly significant development builds on a successful relationship between the two companies. Farnell now stocks over 3,500 Linear Technology devices for free next day delivery across Europe. In order to ensure that design engineers continue to have access to the latest technologies for their new product designs, Farnell will continue to add further products from Linear Technology and other leading suppliers on a daily basis. Farnell adds an average of 700 new products each week to its portfolio.

New products, new technologies and new manufacturers can be quickly and easily viewed via the NEW ‘What’s New’ page on the Farnell website. This can also be accessed with a single click from customers’ own Internet browsers by using the NEW downloadable Farnell toolbar. The pages give a brief overview of each product. A single click then takes users directly to comprehensive data sheets and allows them to check stock availability and make purchases.

Commenting on this latest development in Farnell’s relationship with Linear Technology, Claire Doyle, European Director of Supplier Management, Farnell, said: “We have worked with Linear for a long time and the addition of such a large number of products to our portfolio is an indicator of the strength of that relationship. Linear Technology’s range of integrated circuits gives the Design Engineers the latest technology solutions for their designs and Farnell adds value to this by providing devices from stock backed by efficient, easy-to-use technical and commercial support.”

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Aerco increases investment to maintain quick deliveries on Pattern 602 connectors

As an assembling distributor for industry-standard, Pattern 602 miniature, lightweight bayonet connectors, Aerco is increasing its stock levels in order to react quickly to restricted availability of these popular connectors. Many companies are experiencing delivery problems and the action from Aerco should maintain a typical delivery of five working days.

Designed specifically for use in harsh environments and ideal for civil, defence and aerospace applications, Pattern 602 connectors have an operating temperature range from –65° to +200°C and are available in high-strength aluminium alloy with cadmium plating as standard and nickel as an option. Features include rear insertion and release and gold-plated crimp contacts. Aerco also supply grounded plugs that give high levels of EMC, protective caps, heatshrink adaptors and environmental outlets. No minimum order quantities are required.

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67 new displays from the world’s leading OLED manufacturers

RS Components is pleased to announce the expansion of its range of displays from the world’s leading OLED manufacturers, including 4D Systems, Bolymin, CMEL, Powertip and Univision. The company now offers 67 different active and passive matrix OLED displays, spanning a range of sizes from 0.79 to 4.3-inches, with resolutions from 64 x 48 to 480 x 272.

Portable products have played an important role in our lives for some time. Their design requirements, however, continue to present engineers with challenges. Reducing power consumption, weight and cost, while at the same time meeting market demands for the increased multimedia functionality and aesthetic appeal that users have come to expect with each new generation, is not an easy task.

OLEDs come as a welcome advancement in display technology for design engineers in both consumer and industrial markets. The advantages they deliver mean it is now impossible to overlook them when developing a portable application.

OLED v LCD

Power consumption is the dominant issue for design engineers at present. LCD technology engages a backlight, whereas OLED has no backlighting function, therefore it is not possible for an LCD to display true black. OLEDs have an ‘off element’ that produces no light and consumes no power. LCD technology wastes power because the liquid crystal acts as a polarizer which filters out half of the light emitted by the backlight. As a result, OLED technology consumes less power.

The OLED manufacturing process is also very different to that of LCDs. OLEDs can be printed onto almost any substrate with inkjet printer technology. This allows ultra thin as well as roll-up displays to be achieved. The OLED manufacturing process is also considerably cheaper than those employed for LCD or plasma displays, which is reflected in the price to the user.

Aesthetically OLEDs are more appealing than LCDs. OLED technology achieves increased brightness and a higher contrast ratio, typically 10,000:1 compared with 400:1 for an LCD. The viewing angle of an OLED can be up to 180 degrees both up/down and left/right; 120 degrees is pushing the limits for LCDs.

In addition, the response time of an OLED display is typically 50μs versus 25ms for a LCD, meaning that full motion-video is faster and greyscale is far superior.

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RS StoreManager is an inventory management system with multiple solutions designed to save customers time and money

RS Components is pleased to offer a range of solutions from its StoreManager inventory management service. These solutions have been designed specifically with the customer in mind and have the potential to reduce spend on high-usage products by up to 40%.

RS StoreManager has been designed to improve store efficiency with the top-end solution able to provide full visibility and secure access to all products, from all vendors, right across a store. A web-based inventory management tool, StoreManager enables the customer to achieve optimal stock levels, reduce slow moving and non-moving stock, pool inventory to ultimately save time and money. RS not only provides the service, products and hardware, but also the man-power to replenish the stock.

There are three distinct solutions available, but they can be mixed and matched in one location. However it is likely that ‘Mobile’ will be used alone and ‘Vending’ and ‘Dispensing’ will be used together.

StoreManager Mobile

This is the most basic solution available and has also been running the longest. It requires the least form of commitment from the customer, as there is no hardware to purchase, and is most suitable on-sites where the customer is not worried about stock-accountability.

StoreManager Multi-Vendor

This is a step up from the Mobile Solution as it involves the customer to a broader extent. They monitor their own stock with an on-site scanning system. Again this option does not offer staff accountability, but it offers the customer more control over the stock, as they are more involved with the monitoring of it.

StoreManager Dispensing Systems

The dispensing option is best for accountability. This solution allows the client to track exactly who is using what and results in a reduction in costs. The dispensing units are set up to issue stock according to the customer’s requirements and generate reports to show who has taken what products and the stock that needs to be replenished.

Supplies are issued using an identification system. This is done either via barcode, swipe card, or biometrically, as such each staff member is then monitored and the system is able to report on who is using what. Once access to the system is gained, products can be selected using touch screen navigation.

Dispensing systems allow for 24-hour access line side, as no one is needed to open the stores – the dispensing units are able to self-monitor.

RS is committed to continually providing customers with complete supply solutions. While its catalogue is at the centre of its business, a good service and a variety of options are just as important as its product portfolio.

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