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Coatings: Conquering Corrosion
The appliance industry has long relied on surface treatment chemistries such as zinc phosphate and electro-coating technologies to properly clean, conversion coat, and paint metal substrates. These surface treatments create and sustain a lasting quality finish and help prevent corrosion to enhance the aesthetics of finished goods and the working life of inner components.
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Electronics: Safe Control
Since October 2007, all new household appliances have to comply with the IEC60335 norm, which is intended to prevent any dangerous malfunction in case of a fault condition. The 4th edition of the standard has garnered attention from designers of electronic controls for home appliances, and more specifically software developers for such controls, with the introduction of software inspection and the notion of software classes. Depending on the class (A/B/C), a list of MCU components (such as CPU registers or memories) have to be tested at power on and monitored during run-time, similar to what is done in industrial or medical segments for safety critical applications, those evaluated according to SIL2/SIL3 levels, IEC61508, or UL1998 standards.
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Ventronics
The Series FRM 024 is a medical approved 12W-24W global use switching adaptor that meets CEC Regulations, Efficiency Level IV, and has UL/CSA/CE approvals. It
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Omron Electronic Components
The B6TS application-ready touch sensing IC family now includes 8-channel and 16-channel LF versions. The ICs measure floating capacitance through most insulating touch panel materials, and are suited for use in applications that must be able to withstand long life, cleaning, and be easily operated by personnel wearing thin polymer surgical or food service gloves.
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|  Buyer's Guide
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International Appliance Manufacturing is an annual technical review and available to individuals involved in the design or manufacturing of household appliances.
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Controls & Displays: Responsive Refrigeration (July 2008)
With global energy prices soaring to record high levels and no end in sight, appliance manufacturers struggle to find innovative and effective ways to improve energy efficiency. Among the most energy-consuming and expensive of all appliances are compressor-based heating and cooling systems. These include living space heating, cooling and comfort control equipment, as well as refrigerators and freezers that are present in millions of households and businesses throughout the world. And that is why any efficiency improvements to compressor-based equipment can have a significant impact on both the end-users and society as a whole.
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Connectors: Know about Glow?
Since successfully addressing the well publicized issues created by the RoHS and WEEE directives on the restriction of hazardous substances, the connector industry is now facing a new challenge -— Glow Wire. Although the IEC 60335-1 standard is primarily relevant in Europe, North American companies need to comply in order to service their global customers.
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Electronics: Safe Control
Since October 2007, all new household appliances have to comply with the IEC60335 norm, which is intended to prevent any dangerous malfunction in case of a fault condition. The 4th edition of the standard has garnered attention from designers of electronic controls for home appliances, and more specifically software developers for such controls, with the introduction of software inspection and the notion of software classes. Depending on the class (A/B/C), a list of MCU components (such as CPU registers or memories) have to be tested at power on and monitored during run-time, similar to what is done in industrial or medical segments for safety critical applications, those evaluated according to SIL2/SIL3 levels, IEC61508, or UL1998 standards.
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Gas Technology: Fire It Up Fast (July 2008)
Reliable ignition is the top priority for design engineers developing gas appliances, and is of utmost concern for other functions such as marketing, sales, quality assurance, and field service. Until recently, the designers of gas appliances had to choose between two on-demand ignition technologies: spark and hot surface. Now there is a third choice, a system that utilizes a low-voltage, resistive-wire coil that can be adapted to different burner systems. This adaptable technology has emerged as a strong alternative for designers seeking a higher level of ignition reliability.
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Coatings: Conquering Corrosion
The appliance industry has long relied on surface treatment chemistries such as zinc phosphate and electro-coating technologies to properly clean, conversion coat, and paint metal substrates. These surface treatments create and sustain a lasting quality finish and help prevent corrosion to enhance the aesthetics of finished goods and the working life of inner components.
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Motors: Motion Without Magnets
Most motors are made of metal and they use permanent magnets, electromagnets, or a combination of both to induce motion. While these magnetic motors are perfectly suitable for the vast number of potential applications there are some applications, particularly in the medical industry, that require motors that are not made of ferrous materials and that do not use magnets.
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Quality & Standards: The Efficiency Equation (May 2008)
The refrigeration industry currently has a
number of standards and methods of measurement in place to provide a helpful
guide for determining the energy efficiency of equipment. These methods, such
as the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), allow engineers to compare different
compressors and operating conditions, ultimately finding a combination that
fits the application at hand.
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Software: Speedy 3D
In today’s business climate, flexibility drives the ability of product manufacturers to stay competitive. As the costs of labor, materials and transportation fluctuate, manufacturers must continually assess the profitability of their design and supply chains. Consumer trends and new manufacturing processes further compel them to seek innovative ways of bringing new products to market quickly and efficiently.
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