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Mike's often controversial but never boring eConnections™ Newsletter

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Hi, my name is Mike Fahrion, and every few weeks I dish out practical tips for getting all those pieces of equipment in your care to talk to each other. We give out special freebies too — like specialized reports and tech guides, to make your job easier.

WARNING: If I’m hacked off about something, you’ll hear about that too — if the occasional poke at our own Dilbert lifestyle offends you — well, you might want to skip this one. Sign up today to get the next issue. We respect your privacy and intensely dislike SPAMMERS as much as you do. So your e-mail address is never given, sold or traded to anyone, and of course you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Home> News

Press Releases

As our new products are designed and released for sale we make them known to the public through various trade publications. You will now be able to catch up on the latest technology we have to offer as soon as it hits the market.

Ethernet Explosion causing a Mishmash of Fibre and Copper !
8 February 2006 The growth of Ethernet connectivity on the factory floor has driven the expansion of copper and fibre cable installation. Fibre optic cable is typically located in factory settings, offering long range and RFI immunity, while copper connections are found on most every piece of control equipment. Read the entire news release.
Dammit! Need a dataline across that new parking lot?
Wirelessly connect your legacy serial device to 802.11!
5 January 2006 You've just repaved the parking lot. Now they want to move a production line to that building on the other side. And of course those machines need to share data with your production control office. Will you have to tear up that nice new paving, plus spend a bundle for trenching and cabling? Ouch! Read the entire news release.
Fidelity Capital Investors acquires Avtek, Inc. and subsidiaries
4 October 2005 Fidelity Capital Investors (FCI), a private equity leveraged buyout group, announced that it has acquired a majority interest in Providence, Rhode Island-based Avtek, Inc, a leading manufacturer and distributor of industrial and commercial connectivity products and solutions. Read the entire news release.
Building Automation Market has a New, But Very Experienced,
Provider of Data Connectivity Solutions
26 September 2005 - There is a new source for open standards communications in the building automation market. B&B Electronics Inc., a world leader in the supply of open standards connectivity products for the industrial market, has joined forces with Control Network Solutions Ltd (CNS). CNS is a leader in the supply of open standards connectivity products to the building automation markets. Read the entire news release.
Connect USB Devices over a quarter mile apart?
Vlinx ESR Ethernet serial servers
23 September 2005 - The USB standard calls for a maximum range of 5 meters (16.4 feet), but you can stretch this useful protocol to over 100 meters using standard UTP cabling, or as much as 500 meters (1640 feet) by using fiber cable. This magic is made possible through the use of the new UlinxT USB Extender Modules from B&B Electronics. Read the entire news release.
Talk to distant machines as if they were right next door
31 May 2005 - Could that machine way back in the corner use some tweaking of its firmware? You know the one - you let it go until it’s really bad because it’s such a hassle to lug the laptop out there to fine-tune it.
Read the entire news release.
Market Survey Released: Wireless Mesh Networking is Coming on Strong
  31 March 2005 - A recent survey of industrial production engineers by B&B Electronics and Sensicast Systems showed almost 2/3rds of them have researched wireless sensors for industrial monitoring applications. Almost half of the respondents are considering deploying wireless sensors this year.
Read the entire news release.
"Serial to Anywhere" Theme of New Catalog from B&B Electronics
30 December 2004 - A sandy beach might be a strange location for a production control computer, but that’s what the cover of the new data communications catalog from B&B Electronics shows. “Sure, it’s a little far-fetched, but it would be entirely possible with our new wireless data converters,” says Mike Fahrion, Marketing Manager for the Ottawa, Illinois company. Read the entire news release.
802.15.4 Wireless Mesh Network Sensor Devices;
B&B Electronics Inks Partnership with Sensicast System
  13 December 2004 - B&B Electronics to develop and distribute 802.15.4 wireless nodes using Sensicast’s SensiNet™
B&B Electronics today announced a plan to broaden its development and distribution of 802.15.4, ZigBee ready wireless products by signing a partnership and distribution agreement with Sensicast Systems, a leading provider of wireless sensor networking products and solutions. Read the entire news release.
Next-Gen Serial Extender Boasts Web Server, Multicasting & Remote Diagnostics
29 November 2004 - Millions of industrial devices are configured by serial ports, but serial ports are fast disappearing from new PC's. To solve this problem, B&B Electronics has enhanced its family of serial servers, so now serial data can be sent over intranets or the Internet to up to eight client locations anywhere in the world. Read the entire news release.
New Universal PCI Serial Card Line Brings Order to a Chaotic World
30 September 2004 - RS-232, RS-422, RS-485? 3.3 V, 5 V? Isolated, Non-isolated? How many ports? The MIport™ (Multi-Interface) line from B&B Electronics is a new series of universal PCI cards said to bring order to the chaotic world of serial communications. Read the entire news release.
New B&B Electronics President Says “Lousy Economy” a Mere Myth
19 July 2004 - Don Wiencek, the new president of B&B Electronics in Ottawa, Illinois, insists the economy is booming – even in the staid industrial market. “A lot of people are complaining that sales are slow, that Bush messed everything up, and the breadlines are getting longer. But we sure aren’t seeing it here.” Wiencek, who has been leading the company for nine months, reports record sales for four quarters in a row, double digit growth, and robust demand for the company’s rugged networking gear. Read the entire news release.
New System Integrator Program Helps Firms Solve Communication Puzzles
  5 July 2004 - B&B Electronics has introduced a System Integrator program. "Most integrator programs and "strategic alliances" are little more than a price discount," says Mike Fahrion, marketing manager at B&B Electronics. "But our emphasis is different. Integrators can send us information on their system. We'll do a detailed drawing with a communication hardware Bill Of Materials and power budget; we'll include the cables and power supplies in the bid and one box with everything included - no more tracking down cables & connectors and last-minute runs for parts." Read the entire news release.
Connect Up to Four Legacy Serial Devices to Your Ethernet Backbone
14 April 2004 - You’ve got industrial Ethernet throughout your plant now. Your goal is to monitor and control all of your machinery from the central office. And it’s working- all except for those four old presses on aisle C. They’re good machines, but their PLCs speak RS-485 serial and they won’t communicate with your Ethernet LAN. Read the entire news release.
Ancient Stone Tablets Reveal Ten Commandments of Industrial Ethernet
30 March 2004 - Archeologists have recently unearthed stone tablets etched with the 10 Commandments of Industrial Ethernet. Sources say they may in fact be related to the ones brought down from Mount Sinai by the famous prophet Moses over 3500 years ago. Read the entire news release.
B&B Electronics Converters Now Good to 40 Below!
30 March 2004 - Industrial temperature ranges have been added to several popular data communications devices from B&B Electronics. They will operate well from -40° to +80°C (-40° to +176°F). This makes them suitable for extreme applications such as traffic controls, outdoor SCADA installations, water treatment plants and power substations. More good news- the improvement has been made at no price increase! Read the entire news release.
B&B Electronics Teams with Ember Corporation on Zigbee Wireless
30 March 2004 - B&B Electronics, Ottawa, Illinois, has partnered with Ember Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts, to provide module assemblies and distribution services for Ember and its customers. B&B will also be developing its own product solutions for its customers based upon Ember’s technologies. Read the entire news release.
DIN Rail Mount Models from B&B Electronics
19 March 2004 - The popularity of the Interface Converters housed in DIN Rail mount cases has prompted B&B Electronics to continue to add models in the convenient cases. DIN Rail is most frequently used in industrial cabinets. These cases easily snap into place on the DIN Rail, making them conveniently added, removed and re-arranged. Read the entire news release.
8-Port Industrial Ethernet Switch Provides Full Features, Network Economy
17 March 2004 - This new Ethernet Switch from B&B Electronics acts as a traffic cop to direct messages from the LAN to one of eight ports. It reduces network traffic by routing the message only to the appropriate device. The unit is designed for building automation, point-of-sale, ATMs, kiosk displays, warehouse control and many other monitoring and control applications. Read the entire news release.
Optical Isolation, Traffic Monitors, Send Data Control, Enclosed Terminals- All in One Serial Converter!
17 March 2004 - Optical isolation and traffic indicating LEDs are just two of the advanced features that define this new RS-232 to RS-422 or RS-485 data interface converter. By converting the RS-232 PC output format to RS-422 you can communicate up to 4,000 feet, compared to the 50 feet normally reached. Using the RS-485 signal, you may use up to 32 drops on a two-wire system and use the Automatic Send Data Control which lets the hardware control the drivers, eliminating software overhead. Read the entire news release.
Add Serial or Parallel Ports to Your Laptop or Notebook
17 March 2004 - PC cards, also known as PCMCIA cards, are a popular choice for mobile applications such as field service, whether the field is the factory floor or a real field, outdoors and miles from home. PC cards slip into the slot present on most notebook and laptop PCs and provide from one to four serial ports. With the serial or parallel data port this provides, the laptop can assume almost all the capabilities of a desktop PC.  Read the entire news release.
Serial Cards Expand PC Capability
17 March 2004 - Do you need to add two, four or eight extra ports to your industrial or personal PC? Or to change the regular RS-232 PC output to RS-422 or RS-485 to extend its range up to 4,000 feet, rather than the 50 feet normally provided? The answer to these questions can be the installation of a new serial card into your PC.  Read the entire news release.
Transmit Data from 64 or More Devices to One PC, or Vice-Versa
17 March 2004 - A network management software package has been added to the B&B Electronics Model 232BSS4 smart switch at no extra charge. Vlinx™ Q4 software allows networking of all varieties of serial devices and includes visualization mapping of the network. A mapping wizard lets you set baud rates and handshake requirements, define device names, and add notes and links to the device documentation. Read the entire news release.
Network Management Software Expands Uses for Legacy Devices
  9 December 2003 - The convergence of the Internet and traditional factory floor devices has created a resurgence in the application of serial ports. To give users total control of company-wide serial networks, B&B Electronics has introduced the Q4 Smart Switch network management and visualization software. Read the entire news release.
Industrial Ethernet Surge Protectors Prevent Lightning and Ground Loop Damage
  16 July 2003 - When a voltage surge disrupts data in your office, you take a coffee break and check your email later. But when surges disrupt data on the plant floor, you choke down the last bit of coffee and run to fix the problem. The new Industrial Ethernet Surge Protector from B&B Electronics prevents these emergencies by protecting equipment from transient surges. Read the entire news release.
Ethernet Serial Server Links Factory Equipment to The World
  25 February 2003 - The new Vlinx Serial Server from B&B Electronics now makes it possible to Ethernet-enable serial devices and communicate anywhere in the world. Every unused serial port represents an opportunity to capture unused data and put it to work. Furthermore, manufacturers can extend communication and diagnostic data to older equipment without ripping out existing wires or otherwise affecting its operation. Read the entire news release.
Super Compact Industrial Ethernet Switch
  9 October 2002 - Scarcely larger than the six RJ-45 ports on its face, this miniature Industrial Ethernet switch fits neatly into industrial control boxes. Read the entire news release.
 

 

International Headquarters
B&B Electronics
707 Dayton Road • PO Box 1040 • Ottawa, IL 61350
T 815-433-5100 F 815-433-5109
Europe, Middle East, Africa
B&B Electronics Ltd
10 Westlink Commercial Park, Oranmore, Co. Galway, Ireland
T 353.91.792444 F 353.91.792445

 

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