Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, announced today it has significantly expanded its inventory of products from global supplier partner Bourns, Inc.

Featured in Digi-Key’s print and online catalogs, Bourns® products are available for purchase in both prototype and production quantities on Digi-Key’s global websites.

Perhaps known best as a Trimpot® products supplier, Bourns delivers one of the industry’s most comprehensive lines of circuit protection technology and solutions as well as a comprehensive line of magnetics and power resistor technology solutions.

Bourns® products stocked by Digi-Key include fuses and current limiters, including Bourns’ new TBU™ transient blocking units, Multifuse® PTC resettable fuses, SinglFuse™ miniature chip fuses, and Telefuse™ SMD ceramic fuses; gas discharge tubes; diodes and diode arrays; ESD suppressors; thyristor surge protectors; chip beads and chip inductors; transformers; power inductors; common mode chokes; and power resistors, including current sense, pulse power, and high power resistors.

Jeff Shafer, Digi-Key’s vice president of interconnect, passive, and electromechanical product, said, “Digi-Key and Bourns share a commitment to our mutual customers in the way of quality products and superior service. With the knowledge that our customers will find its products to be of consequential interest and appeal, we are very pleased to expand our product offering from Bourns.”

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USB power source, versatile capabilities make mini pad easy to use on the go

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, announced today it now has stock on the recently-introduced Mini RFID Tracking Pad from 3M.

3M’s Mini RFID Tracking Pad

This sleek and compact portable reader is in stock and available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites. Additionally, this product will be featured in future print and online catalogs.

The Mini Pad offers users appealing aesthetics in a compact 7.25 by 6.5-inch size, making it ideal for mobile applications. Because it is fully powered from the USB port of a PC or laptop, the need for a separate power outlet is eliminated. Fitting easily into a laptop bag, the Mini Pad and laptop affords a user the opportunity to work from virtually anywhere he chooses.

The Mini Pad is ISO compatible, allowing it to be used with a variety of RFID systems, with a number of features enhancing its functionality. User interface lights help quickly confirm a successful transaction or event. The pad’s small size offers user more options with regard to placement of the device. Additionally, its smooth, cleanable surface makes it suitable for many settings, including medical settings.

The 3M Mini RFID Tracking Pad is the first of 3M’s tracking pads to be offered for sale through distribution.

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Digi-Key Corporation and Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. Expand 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, announced today the expansion of its distribution agreement with Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. from a North American agreement to a global agreement.

Maxim designs, manufactures, and sells high-performance semiconductor products. Maxim products stocked by Digi-Key are available on its global websites. These products are also featured in Digi-Key’s print and online catalogs.

“We are very pleased to expand our agreement with Maxim,” said Mark Larson, Digi-Key president and COO. “Maxim’s commitment to introducing innovative new products will be matched by Digi-Key’s worldwide commitment to service and getting the products our customers need into their hands quickly, efficiently, and to their satisfaction.”

“Our relationship with Digi-Key already benefitted North American customers,” said Jason Green, Maxim’s managing director of Americas sales and corporate distribution. “Given their excellent track record for customer service and delivery to their international customers, we are pleased to give them a global franchise.”

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Honeywell RPN Series

Honeywell’s new RPN Series of Hall-Effect rotary position sensors that has an operating range of up to 360° and so offers more choice for potential position sensing applications is now available in the UK from Aerco.

With Hall-Effect, non-contact operation and low torque actuation, the RPN range is sealed in a rugged package to IP67 protection levels or greater. Sensors are available in five supply voltages from 5 to 30V and can be preset to operate over eight ranges up to the maximum 360º thus making them compatible with a wide range of control systems.

Offering a high level of EMC protection, the RPN Series is ideal for detecting position and movement of pedals, throttles, gear shifts, levers and linkages and will find application in off-road, goods and industrial vehicles, cranes and industrial and agriculture equipment.

The sensor is flange mounted with two easily accessible mounting holes housed in a rugged sealed package with integral connector and has a long service life.

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Molex Mini-Fit H2O™ Sealed Interconnect System

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking new product from Molex. The Molex Mini-Fit™ H2O Sealed Interconnect System is IP67-rated with pre-installed seals for dust-tight and weatherproof (submersible in up to one meter of water), compact connections in wire-to-wire applications up to 9.0A per circuit.

This product family consists of plug and receptacle assemblies and male and female crimp terminals The plug and receptacle assemblies are provided with the interface and the wire seals are preinstalled, providing a time savings to the customer. The terminals have a new wingless design that will not damage seals upon installation or removal. The Molex Mini-Fit Sealed Interconnect System is ideal for outdoor applications, vending, industrial, HVAC, recreational vehicles, medical, and material handing equipment applications.

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Honeywell Pressure Sensors, HSC Series

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking new product from Honeywell Sensing & Control. Honeywell´s HSC Series Pressure Sensors measure absolute, differential, and gauge pressures. The TruStability™ HSC Series Pressure Sensors are comprised of piezoresistive silicon and offer ratiometric output for reading pressure over the specified full scale pressure span and temperature range and measure pressure ranges from 60 mbar to 10 bar (1 psi to 150 psi).

Honeywell’s high accuracy HSC Series features analog/digital output with ±1% total error band, SMT, and DIP. The sensors are used for a wide range of medical and industrial applications and are intended for use with non-corrosive, non-ionic working fluids such as air and dry gases (meet ISO 9001).

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Combination of innovative ‘Green VoIP’ IC solutions and strong local distribution support benefits rapidly growing Korean VoIP market

SiTel Semiconductor today announced that it has appointed Uniquest as its primary distributor for the Korea region. By collaborating with a strong local partner, SiTel reinforces its commitment to customers in this region by offering a competitive solution for the fast growing IP-DECT market with focused regional support.

“Having a focused distributor in Korea enables us to offer the best local support to VoIP and DECT customers in this territory,” said HK Teoh, Asia Pacific Regional Manager at SiTel. “As one of the country’s top distributors with broad coverage and good relationships with Korean telecommunication companies, our alliance with Uniquest strengthens our investment in this key geographical region”.

Uniquest’s technical expertise was an important factor in the appointment. The focused distributor is renowned for its outstanding technical capabilities and excellent knowledge of DECT and VoIP products. Their field application team is composed of skilled engineers who have the expertise to develop innovative new technologies and have a thorough understanding of local market demands.

“Collaborating with a team that is driving product developments gives us a competitive edge in the exploding Korean telecom market,” explained Don Cho, Sales VP and CMO at Uniquest. “SiTel’s position as the premier chipset provider for DECT and VoIP applications makes it easier for us to offer innovative products that are attractive to customers. A good example is SiTel’s SC14452, the ‘greenest’ VoIP IC in the world.”

For an environmentally conscious society like Korea, SiTel’s ‘Green VoIP’ portfolio is a good fit since it delivers the lowest power consumption in VoIP applications. Korea’s VoIP market is growing very rapidly with companies in the region projecting 100% year-on-year growth in terms of deployment. Therefore, solutions that reduce both system and operating costs are very appealing.

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Signs agreement with world leader in crystal timing devices

Anglia Components, the UK’s leading independent component distributor, today announced a franchise agreement with Epson Toyocom, a world leader in crystal timing devices, giving it the remit to take a broad based range of timing, sensing, and optical devices to its customers in the UK market.

According to Stefan Hartmann, Department Manager QD of Epson Europe Electronics GmbH (Epson Toyocom’s sales affiliate in Europe), “As market leader, we at Epson Toyocom always strive to give the best possible support to customers. One major factor to ensure this is to have a strong and tight distribution network. During our continuous market evaluation process we have found that the UK market presents us with a rich opportunity from a large number of innovative small and medium sized companies undertaking design work. We identified Anglia as an ideal expansion of our distribution network, as it has excellent contacts with this market, taking us into many customers where we currently don’t have representation. In addition, they have a very strong engineering team, able to work alongside customers to help them make the most of the solutions that we offer. Finally, they have a base of highly complementary products and technologies with which our devices can form a package. These include semiconductor ranges and wireless communications technologies.”

Steve Rawlins, CEO of Anglia added, “We are delighted to have formed a relationship with one of world’s leading manufacturers of timing components. Epson Toyocom is the quartz crystal vendor of choice for many of the top OEMs, and we are now in a position to take these products and solutions to the entire base of industrial, medical and consumer electronics customers in the UK. This will include new and innovative products as they bring them to market.”

Joel Munday, Anglia Components Divisional Marketing Manager, added, “Timing components are becoming increasingly critical to our customers, in particular as wireless communications becomes more prevalent. Standard microprocessor based designs suffer a degradation in performance if substandard timing components are used, but usually still work. Wireless communications products won’t work at all if the timing doesn’t meet the specification.”

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‘Ask the Expert’ with Wendy Bourne

Harwin, the leading manufacturer of connectors and interconnect solutions for high-reliability applications, is featured prominently on element14 (www.element-14.com), the new technology portal and e-community for electronics engineers run by global high service distributor, Farnell.

Harwin has its own page on element14 with links to downloadable catalogues, datasheets, 3D CAD models, videos and more. Also, Harwin’s Technical Support Engineer & RoHS Compliance Project Manager Wendy Bourne is featured in the ‘Ask an Expert’ slot ready to answer any questions element14 users may have concerning high reliability interconnect systems. Bourne also addresses tricky connector issues on Harwin’s Live Chat slot at http://harwin.com.

Comments Ben Green, Harwin’s Marketing Manager: “element14 is a fast-growing resource that combines the appeal and usability of social networking spaces such as Facebook and Twitter with dedicated online technology sites to deliver information in a fresh, new and immediate manner. We are already seeing element14 produce real business, so users must be finding it a valuable.”

Jamie Furness, Global Technology Development Manager, Premier Farnell said: “The participation of leading suppliers such as Harwin is one of the key elements that is making element14 such a success and a powerful resource for electronics engineers. Having so much variety and quality of detailed technical information in an e-community environment is unique and highly valued.”

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Polamco and PEI-Genesis distribution agreement

International assembling distributor PEI-Genesis has signed a worldwide franchise agreement with Polamco, the UK-based manufacturer of connector backshells and accessories.

PEI-Genesis specialises in the rapid assembly of multi-pin connectors, and this new franchise is an ideal complement to the company’s existing product portfolio, enabling customers to source both connectors and accessories from a single point of contact.

Primarily targeting the industrial, transportation, aerospace and military sectors, PEI-Genesis will be offering Polamco’s comprehensive range of circular and rectangular backshells, as well as their popular accessories such as protection caps and dummy receptacles.

“In addition to their wide range of standard components, Polamco’s great strength is their ability to respond quickly and efficiently to customers’ individual backshell requirements,” commented David Jones, European General Manager for PEI-Genesis.

“They are able to provide design drawings in a matter of hours and, with their extensive CNC manufacturing facilities, can rapidly turn these design concepts into high-quality finished products. We are very pleased that this exceptional service is now available to all of our customers through the integrated support of the two companies’ engineering teams.”

Polamco’s Managing Director, Andrew Polson, was equally enthusiastic about the new agreement: “PEI-Genesis is a rapidly expanding company with a first-class connector assembly facility at Southampton. We are delighted to be working with them and are excited about being able to offer our products and design service within the PEI-Genesis customer base, both in Europe and in the USA.

“Both Polamco and PEI-Genesis are driven by a desire to achieve the highest levels of quality and customer service, and I believe that this shared philosophy will be the foundation of a very successful partnership.”

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