Over 645 Souriau products now available from RS direct-from-stock

RS Components today announced the introduction of over 300 new connector lines from Souriau. The enhanced product portfolio offers electronic design engineers a wide selection of the latest connector technology available for next-day-delivery from RS.

The extensive range expansion incorporates key technology areas including Souriau’s new UTS industrial circular multiway connectors featuring the TRIM TRIO® interconnect system. Within the UTS range are 52 new UTS Hi-Seal lines designed to be used in wet and submerged environments, tunnel/traffic control equipment, instrumentation in wet areas and external architectural lighting control. The 8D Series comprises connectors with high contact density, quick screw coupling and self-locking mechanism. With a high resistance to salt spray, the range is suited for use in harsh climatic and mechanical environments.

Additions also include microComp®, the world’s smallest miniaturised rectangular connector with removable contacts. The lightweight design and high density make microComp an alternative to HD DSUBs, ideal for applications where high density and miniaturisation are a must.

The Souriau range is available from RS in flexible amounts that allow customers to order the quantity they require. All products are available direct-from-stock in industry-standard packaging, ready for direct insertion into automated production runs.

Commenting on the launch, Dominique Melchior, European Sales Director, Souriau, said: “Souriau is excited by the commitment made by RS to expand the range of our components available to its customers. RS can meet the needs of customers around the world, making them an ideal distribution partner for us with high quality service and support that matches the quality of our offer.”

For RS, Paul Webster, Head of Product Management, Electronics said: “Souriau is a technology leader for interconnection in demanding environments, that electronic design engineers and buyers look to when developing their latest applications. We are delighted to be announcing this increase to our Souriau range, providing our customers with a comprehensive offer at competitive prices with a market-leading service.”

» Contact details for RS Components

Murata wins Platinum and Molex gets Gold; Bourns, Kemet, Phoenix Contact, Harwin and FCI also commended

TTI, Inc., the global distributor of Passive, Interconnect, Relay & Switch and Discrete components, has named the winners of its Supplier Excellence Awards for 2009, which recognise outstanding performance in a number of tightly-measured categories over the year. Murata won the Platinum Award and Molex scooped Gold, while Bourns, Kemet and Phoenix Contact achieved Silver standard. Harwin and FCI also appear in the honours roll for the first time.

Commented Geoff Breed, Vice President Marketing, Europe, TTI, Inc.: “Our European Awards reward best-in-class performance by our suppliers each year. We do this by closely monitoring and tracking certain criteria throughout the year and evaluating the specifics of our business with all our suppliers. More than just a trophy, these awards signify suppliers that have made great contributions to the way TTI‘s business is run and the level of performance we are able to provide to our customers. We congratulate all the winners and thank them for the efforts they have made to help support our customers.”

Explained Terry Churcher, Murata President, EMEA: “Murata has been pleased to contribute to, and benefit from, TTI’s success during our long relationship. We are particularly proud to have achieved the coveted Platinum Level Supplier recognition award for a second consecutive year. Such an achievement has been made despite the fact that 2009 has been a year full of challenges, and is only possible because of the strong mutual management commitment of TTI and Murata, the hard work of both our teams and imaginative marketing programs. Another reason for our success is that we maintain very close relationships with our mutual customers to ensure that they receive the very best service from our combined organisations.”

Henry Fürniss, VP Sales & Marketing EMEA of Molex, said: “We are really pleased to receive this award, which is the result of a strategic common approach to the market, focusing on the key customers and segments, choosing carefully the right NPI programs and maintaining appropriate stock levels to serve the market needs. We are very proud to be named among TTI’s top suppliers and thank them for the team work together with Molex.”

For Bourns, Ferdinand Leicher, Vice President Sales EMEA added: “Bourns believes that it is of the highest importance to deliver great service to our customers and to our distributor partners. The TTI measurements are rigorous and considered to be a world class benchmark in the industry. Therefore, this award is of particular importance to Bourns, and in the great partnership we have with TTI we shall continue to strive to achieve outstanding service results so that we continue to win. Particularly in these turbulent times of dramatic decline in 09 and the up-turn in 10, great service and good lead times is vital to our shared customers.”

Stated Marc Kotelon: Senior VP Global Sales, Kemet: “2009 has been a particularly challenging year for the entire industry and especially for our respective industry segments, and it is in difficult times that you truly understand the value of close partnerships. Therefore, it is extremely rewarding that in such a difficult environment, Kemet has been able to earn TTI’s supplier award by maintaining our fundamentals values of quality, service and product development. Not only has KEMET been awarded this prestigious status in Europe, but we have been able to repeat that performance in the Americas and Asia which makes it a global partnership of which we are very proud. Consistently earning this highly-recognised industry award would not be possible without professional and dedicated teams, and I would like to extend my thanks to all of the people involved in making this happen.”

“Today all market participants have to face global competition through innovation, quality, reliability and service”, discussed Michael Sievers, Director Key Account Management at Phoenix Contact. If this can be achieved in a partnership which is repeatedly acknowledged by an award of this status, the participants are on a path to mutual success. We are very happy with this commendation from TTI.”

Added Andrew McQuilken, CEO of Harwin: “As a manufacturer of interconnect systems and components for high-rel applications, we know that excellent service levels are as important as continual product innovation. Because the TTI awards are the result of thorough scrutiny of a range of performance indicators, we are honoured to be placed so highly, especially as a specialised connector supplier.”

“FCI is very pleased to receive this prestigious award”, said Ronald Velda, FCI’s European Distribution Director. He concluded: “We have a multi-functional team that focuses on service improvements, and we are delighted that the result is that TTI has recognised our commitment to our customers in all three regions of the world.”

» Contact Details for TTI Inc.

750A connectors from Aerco designed for rugged power applications

Aerco now supplies the Hypertac HBB range of single-pole, circular connectors that combine high current handling capability with small size and exceptional environmental performance. Designed for use in all types of high-power applications, the HBB series is particularly suitable for electric drives used in fighting vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, weapon systems, ground-based and airborne avionic systems, rail transport and the automotive and medical sectors.

Designed for easy mating and quick release, HBB connectors use Hypertac’s hyperboloid contact technology to attain current ratings of 300A and 500A in standard form and up to 750A on request with high reliability and excellent electrical integrity. Hyperboloid contacts produce contact resistance figures as low as 0.05mΩ thus reducing resistive losses, easing the task of thermal management and providing better power handling in a smaller space.

Easy to assemble, HBB connectors are available in a choice of metal or high-strength composite shells, are sealed to IP67 and feature 360° EMI/RFI shielding. Cable or panel mount versions with straight or right angle back shells are supplied and the connectors are rated to 1,000VDC, and accept cables up to 70mm² for 300A versions and 120mm² for 500A versions.

» Contact Details for Aerco Limited

Partnership will leverage RS’ global infrastructure and world-class facilities to build customer base among tomorrow’s dominant automotive brands

RS Components, the leading distributor of electronic, electromechanical and industrial components, has announced an extension of its distribution agreement with FCI Connectors to introduce FCI’s family of automotive products through distribution for the first time. The agreement makes RS the only high service level distributor to have access to the FCI automotive range.

As a result, customers will have rapid access to FCI OE-quality connectors, with no minimum order quantity for prototyping, test programmes, replacement-parts supply and specialist markets such as industrial vehicles. The partnership will take advantage of the global RS infrastructure, with distribution centres throughout strategically important European, North American and Far Eastern territories including China.

The comprehensive connector range is produced by FCI’s Motorized Vehicles Division, and includes wire-to-wire connectors, flex interconnects, wire-to-PCB and wire-to-device connectors, power terminals, signal terminals, squib interconnects, high-reliability enclosures, pin headers and press-fit pins. RS Components will support customers with over 100 different product configurations optimised for use in areas such as engine compartment, power-train, body and chassis, cockpit and multimedia.

“Vehicle markets worldwide are changing quickly, and rising car ownership in fast-growing economies empower new channels to challenge established players,” said Ronald Velda, Sales Director EMEA Distribution for FCI. “A strong distribution channel is the key to maximising our support for tomorrow’s market leaders. RS Components, with its excellent track record and well-developed infrastructure serving important markets such as Europe, China and Far Eastern territories, where many new channels are emerging, is the perfect partner to work with us to achieve that goal.”

“This is an important extension of our long-standing distribution partnership supporting the wider FCI Connectors portfolio, and endorses our achievements in growing sales generally across diverse markets and applications,” said Valerie Ramon, Category Business Manager for Electromechanical and Connectors at RS. “We are pleased to be selected by FCI Connectors as their new and exclusive high service distribution partner for this range at an exciting time in automotive markets globally, and anticipate rapid and sustained sales growth supported by our world-class distribution facilities.”

The FCI connectors range from RS is available online at rswww.com/fci, where customers can browse, select and order, complete with technical information and product features to enable easy and accurate product selection.

» Contact details for RS Components

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking new product from Actel.

The Actel SmartFusion is the industry’s first intelligent mixed signal FPGA and the only device to integrate a flash FPGA, hard ARM® Cortex™-M3-based microcontroller subsystem, and programmable analog. The Actel SmartFusion FPGA is based on Actel´s flash technology and offers full customization, IP protection, and ease-of-use. The SmartFusion FPGA is ideal for hardware and embedded designers who need a true system-on-chip solution that gives more flexibility than traditional fixed-function microcontrollers and without the excessive cost of soft processor cores on traditional FPGAs. The Actel SmartFusion is an innovative solution for the industrial, medical, energy, communications, and military markets in diverse applications, including system management, power management, motor control, industrial networking, and display. To learn more, visit http://www.mouser.com/actelsmartfusionfpga.

Known for its focus on design engineers with its broad product line, unsurpassed customer service, advanced on-line catalog and innovative product marketing, Mouser continuously offers customers the newest products and latest technologies for their new design projects.

» Contact details for Mouser Electronics, Inc.

Mouser has the New C&K Components AP Series Sealed Industrial Pushbutton Switches

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking new product from C&K Components. The C&K Components AP Series Sealed Industrial Pushbutton Switch is ideal for harsh environments, offroad, industrial, medical, transportation, gaming, and military applications.

The IP67 sealed Industrial Pushbutton Switch from C&K Components has a life cycle of a million and is available illuminated, nonilluminated, threaded, and snap-in mounting.

» Contact details for Mouser Electronics, Inc.

Integrates FPGA, ARM® Cortex™-M3 Processor, and Programmable Analog

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking the Actel SmartFusion™ Evaluation Kit, an intelligent mixed-signal FPGA that is the only device to integrate an FPGA, an ARM Cortex-M3 processor, and programmable analog into one device. The Actel SmartFusion Evaluation Kit supports the SmartFusion mixed-signal FPGAs that feature integrated FPGA, an ARM Cortex™-M3 processor, and programmable analog, and comes with free one-year Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) software and Gold license with SoftConsole for program and debug. The evaluation board included with this Actel SmartFusion kit features an Ethernet interface, USB port for power and HyperTerminal, USB port for programming and debug, J-Link header for debug, mixed-signal header, SPI flash (off-chip memory), Reset and 2 user switches, 8 LEDs, POT for voltage / current monitor, temperature monitor, and an Organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, believes the new SmartFusion products from Actel are ideal for design engineers who need more flexibility and integration. “Combining programmability with all three main system building blocks – logic, analog and the ARM Cortex-M3 processor core – into a single device gives the designer an impressive palette to make their next idea a reality. Coupled with the SmartFusion Eval Kit and included software, a designer needs only a great imagination.”

» Contact details for Mouser Electronics, Inc.

Find it at Mouser First! The Laird Technologies DVK-BTM411 Bluetooth® Module Kit is in stock.

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking new product from Laird Technologies – Wireless M2M. The Laird Technologies Wireless M2M Solutions DVK-BTM411 Bluetooth® Module Kit lets you test and design applications incorporating the BTM411 Bluetooth AT Data Module.

The Laird Technologies Wireless M2M Solutions DVK-BTM411 kit features an integrated antenna and allows developers to add robust, short range Bluetooth data connectivity to their products. BTM411 AT Data Modules are based on the market leading Cambridge Silicon Radio BC04 chipset and provide exceptional low power consumption with outstanding range. The module included in the DVK-BTM411 kit supports the latest Bluetooth Version 2.1 Specification. BTM411 modules are ideal for a variety of applications, including wirelessly connected medical devices.

» Contact details for Mouser Electronics, Inc.

Digi-Key program offers local NCTC students job opportunities, tuition reimbursement

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation today announced it will once again sponsor the Digi-Key Corporation Sales Internship Program in conjunction with Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC).

This internship program offers college students age 18 and older the opportunity to work at Digi-Key while attending classes. Internship program classes start at the beginning of the 2010-2011 academic year for full-time students who are enrolled at NCTC in Thief River Falls.

The Digi-Key Sales Internship Program allows participants to begin working at Digi-Key as early as June 2010, and provides them with the opportunity to earn income while attending college classes full time. Participants will also receive post-college career assurance in a sales position at Digi-Key and tuition reimbursement up to $5,000 per year of a two-year program, pending fulfillment of internship program requirements.

To be considered eligible for the Digi-Key Sales Internship Program, applicants must be 18 years of age or older and enrolled as incoming students for the 2010 fall semester at NCTC. Applicants must also succeed in the Digi-Key sales internship application/interview process. Additionally, applicants must pursue an approved associate-level business or liberal arts degree or other approved degree at NCTC.

Upon being accepted into the sales internship program, participants will receive eight weeks of inbound sales training from June through August 2010 until the beginning of the academic year. While enrolled in the internship program, participants must maintain a 2.5 grade-point-average (GPA) to be eligible for tuition reimbursement. Participants must also agree to work part-time at Digi-Key while enrolled in the program, maintain satisfactory performance and follow all pertinent company policies. From September 2010 through May 2011, participants will work in a sales capacity approximately 20 hours per week while attending NCTC classes.

Additionally, once a participant has successfully completed his or her degree, he or she must be employed full-time at Digi-Key for one year to be reimbursed 50% of his or her tuition costs up to $5,000. Once the participant has been employed at Digi-Key for two years, he or she may be eligible to receive reimbursement of up to $5,000 of the remaining tuition costs.

“Digi-Key’s Sales Internship Program benefits both NCTC students and Digi-Key because it provides students with educational cost reimbursement and professional-level employment opportunities, while at the same time providing Digi-Key with greatly needed sales staff during a time of rapid sales growth,” said Rick Trontvet, Digi-Key’s vice president of human resources. “We’re very excited to offer this opportunity once again.”

» Contact Details for Digi-Key Corporation

ACAL Technology extends to a pan-European distributor for Honeywell Sensing and Control

ACAL Technology has been signed as a pan-European distributor by Honeywell Sensing and Control and will provide technical design-in support on Honeywell’s full product range to customers throughout Europe. The new agreement follows the success of an existing contract under which ACAL Technology provided technical support on Honeywell precision sensors to customers in the UK and Netherlands.

Customers in 11 countries throughout Europe will be able to access specialist local design-in support from local ACAL offices in UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

Steve Carr, European Sales Director, ACAL Technology, comments; “Sensors are a huge growth area and Honeywell’s range covers more than 50,000 products. The combination of ACAL Technology’s expertise in supporting products for use in harsh applications, and the acknowledged reliability of the Honeywell range, will enable customers to reduce their design cycles without compromising the integrity and reliability of their products.”

Honeywell Sensing and Control President, Beth Wozniak, explains, “There is considerable focus on development budgets and customers are under increasing pressure to enhance their products’ capabilities whilst reducing their design cycle. Using ACAL’s specialist expertise is one of the most effective ways of getting highly differentiated products to market quickly and reliably.”

The addition of Honeywell’s pressure, thermal and airflow sensors, as well as rugged and
explosion-proof switches, to ACAL Technology’s linecard will significantly enhance ACAL’s ability to provide industry-leading support and value-added services for customers in the most demanding sectors.

With an expansive New Product Introduction program from Honeywell, there is some truly advantageous product platforms for the market ranging from Honeywell’s wireless monitoring switches, to one of the world’s most stable pressure sensing product range in its new “TruStability™” product platform.

Honeywell Sensing and Control’s full product range includes sensors for pressure, airflow, force, temperature, humidity, hall, position, proximity and current. The range also includes basic, limit, safety and wireless switches.

For more details go to http://www.acaltechnology.com/uk/honeywell3