Varitronix is launching the first in a new family of colour TFT displays, using HFFS technology to deliver exceptional image quality even when viewed at extreme angles. The first Varitronix HFFS TFT display to be released is a 3in WQVGA model (480px x 272px) in 16:9 widescreen format. High aperture ratio fringe field switching (HFFS) is a new development in TFT technology that enables displays to be viewed at almost 180° in both axes, without the colour shift that is normally seen at the extremes of viewability. The outcome is a display that can be viewed from almost directly above, below or from either side without loss of image quality. HFFS works by optimising a screen printing treatment in the LCD cell which alters the alignment of the liquid crystals. The result is vastly improved viewing properties such as a contrast of 500:1, as well as higher light transmission with a 30% to 40% higher aperture ratio than conventional vertically aligned TFT displays. As a result, the backlight can be turned down for certain applications, saving power. HFFS also requires a much lower driving voltage than standard vertically aligned TFTs in this size. Furthermore, a significant feature of HFFS is its exceptional sunlight readability. The innovative design of the LCD increases inner reflectance while the modified polarizer reduces outer reflectance. This makes the display ideal for mobile handheld medical applications.

Varitronix has announced the European launch of an extensive range of BCD displays, offering a variety of background colours, high resolutions and a variety of large and small sizes. Bistable cholesteric display (BCD) is a non-volatile display technology that only requires power when information on the screen is refreshed, making it ideal for signage, labelling and status indicators where information is presented for long periods without updating. Varitronix BCD displays offer exceptionally low power consumption. Its standard products will retain their contents for periods of up to ten years with no power source. Display contents are updated using a hard-wired solution, wirelessly or using Bluetooth from a central location. A further strength of Varitronix BCD technology is its excellent viewability. Far from degrading under bright light, display contrast actually increases in direct sunlight. Due to the absence of polarisers in this technology, viewing angles of up to 180° are achievable. Varitronix is offering a range of 13 standard BCD displays, in resolutions from 24px x 24px, to 240px x 160px and 352px x 32px, though displays are customisable depending on project requirements. Varitronix's BCDs are available in a range of attractive monochrome colour combinations, including blue / white, red / amber, yellow / green, pink / peach and orange / yellow.

Maynard, MA ? QuadTech, a leading provider of electrical safety test and passive component measurement solutions, today announced the release of the 7600 Plus Precision LCR meter. The 7600 Plus replaces the popular and reliable 7600 Precision series, offering customers more testing capability and additional features. The 7600 Plus is built upon the 7600, a QuadTech staple product since 1996 that features 0.05% accuracy and a wide frequency range from 10Hz to 2MHz. The new 7600 Plus allows customers to test components, sensors and other devices at an increased measurement speed, increasing throughput and making testing times up to four times faster. Additionally, the 7600 Plus produces more accurate test results, especially for low capacitance and high impedance devices under test (DUTs). Improved frequency resolution at high frequencies allows accurate characterization of devices using the built-in sweep capability or free PC-based software. The 7600 Plus has been developed with more advanced capabilities in an effort to better serve QuadTech customers and their testing needs. The 7600 Plus has the same footprint, which allows the use of a large, highly visible blue LCD display to help prevent strain on the operator's vision during bench-top applications. Unlike previous models, the 7600 Plus takes advantage of USB technology by featuring a USB host port, giving customers a quick and easy way to store and transfer data to a PC. QuadTech has also incorporated a RS232 interface, I/O hander interface and an optional IEEE488 interface in the 7600 Plus to be used in production applications requiring high-speed automation, allowing it to communicate easily with a PC or PLC. For current 7600 Precision series users who want to upgrade, QuadTech has created an easy transition. Phil Harris, president and CEO of QuadTech, says, “The 7600 Plus is backward compatible with existing 7000 Precision LCR Meters, which makes upgrading simple. It has the same command set as the 7600 series does, allowing the customer to drop the machine right into the stand without having to rewrite their testing programs." The operational enhancements and added capabilities in the 7600 Plus were incorporated in an effort to continue better serving QuadTech customers.

Are weight considerations important in the development of your equipment? Significantly 50% lighter than typical metal connectors, the new aluminium engineered Fischer AluLite Series is your solution to ultralight product design. Saving weight improves efficiency, making the use of aluminium in product development a natural choice in many fields. Ultra-light, compact and offering excellent strength to weight ratio, the new Fischer AluLite range is ideal for mobile equipment, portable systems and hand-held devices. Available in a wide range of colours, from bright to camouflage shades, Fischer AluLite connectors easily integrate with your product design, while also offering a flexible colour-coding system. Rugged, 360° EMC shielded, sealed up to IP68 (2m/24h) or even hermetic, they can withstand harsh conditions. Ideal for frequent connect / disconnect operations, the plugs and receptacles are engineered to endure more than 5,000 mating cycles within a temperature range of -50°C to +150°C. Additionally, the anodised finished connector housing is engineered with an aluminium alloy specifically chosen for its anticorrosion property. Accepting cable diameters from 1.4mm to 10.7mm, the new AluLite series is available in multi-pole from two to 27 pins with solder, PCB or crimp contacts and ? upon request ? in coax, triax or hybrid contact configurations. The choice of body styles is wide: standard-sized or short plugs; push-pull locking mechanism or emergency release system; front projecting or flush receptacles; and front or rear mounting models. This high flexibility of configurations makes it easier to find the connector dedicated to providing a solution to your specific product design.

Manufacturers of transparent dressings now have a number of choices when selecting high-quality adhesives systems thanks to MACtac Medical Products' recently expanded product portfolio of conformable transparent films featuring three levels of breathability. MACtac Medical Products' adhesive systems are produced under strict process controls for industry standard-setting quality. Converters can rely on MACtac Medical Products for superior performing adhesive systems that are tested according to ISO 10993-5/-10 standards for cytotoxicity, skin irritation and skin sensitization. MACtac's new transparent dressing adhesive systems incorporate a variety of product constructions including polyester and polyethylene casting sheets to accommodate different converting methods and dressing styles. Ideal for wound dressings and catheter/IV securement, MACtac's adhesive offerings for transparent dressings have a great affinity for skin yet remove cleanly with no residue. In addition, they offer high breathability and good oxygen and moisture vapor exchange to keep a chronic wound moist to accelerate healing. And, with excellent waterproof characteristics, the systems are impermeable to liquids, bacteria and viruses. The company's full line of pressure-sensitive adhesives, and keen understanding of skin adhesion and advancements in adhesives technology have made it possible for OEMs to improve the quality of their product offerings across a wide range of product types, while expediting time to market. According to Rob Zachrich, vice president, MACtac Medical Products, OEMs can rest easy as MACtac is a trusted name in the medical adhesive industry, backed by 25 years of producing top quality adhesive products. "OEMs and converters seeking high quality adhesive products offering excellent performance and competitive pricing have come to rely on MACtac's family of products," said Zachrich. "Our customers have more choices than ever before when it comes to incorporating the latest technologies into their product line."

SCHURTER's TA35 series introduces a new generation of Circuit Breakers for Equipment. The breakers are available in 1-, 2- or 3-pole arrangements and stand out through their compact form and attractive design. The rocker-actuating switch can be supplied either with or without illumination, in several colors and with various legends or customer specific symbols. Brand-new is the trendy version in fluorescent popular blue. The breakers have been designed for efficient snap-in mounting, fitting panel thicknesses ranging from 1 to 4 mm. Connections are made with 6.3 x 0.8 mm quick connect terminals. The TA35 provides both the function of a switch as well as thermal overload protection. It has finely graduated rated currents of 0.05 A to 20 A for the 1- and 2-pole types, or 0.05 A to 12 A for 3-pole versions. An optional protective cover gives a protection class of IP 65, making the unit suitable for applications exposed to dust or splashing water. Typical applications are laboratory equipment for chemical and medical applications, wood and masonry processing machines, construction site equipment, power generators, cleaning equipment, food-processing equipment and appliances. The circuit breaker is approved according to IEC 60934, UL 1077 and CSA C22.2 235 and carries VDE and cURus.

Gambro, a global leader in developing, manufacturing and supplying products for the renal care market, recently attributed success with their hemodialysis systems to supplier partnerships. SunTech Medical provides Gambro with OEM Non-Invasive Blood Pressure (NIBP) technology for their hemodialysis systems. This co-operative partnership recently allowed SunTech Medical access to one of Gambro's customers, a hemodialysis clinic in New Brunswick, Canada, for one of their ongoing research and development projects. The project ultimately resulted in an automated blood pressure monitoring technology designed specifically for performance on end-stage renal disease patients during a hemodialysis treatment session. SunTech Medical focuses on developing blood pressure monitoring solutions for challenging patient populations and difficult environments. In their January 2008 issue, Manufacturing Today Europe magazine included a feature article highlighting the success of Gambro. In the article entitled A patient approach from Gambro, global marketing director Mike Dooley points out: "One of the key reasons for this company's success is the partnerships we have. We value the relationships we have and are adding more everyday. On the supply side we have a huge number of faithful, loyal and co-operative partners. We work very closely with these companies to obtain the highest quality." SunTech Medical is proud to be a key partner and OEM technology provider to help Gambro achieve continued success.

CardioDynamics, a developer of innovative impedance cardiography (ICG) products and technology, was recently featured in the April issue of Health Executive magazine. In the article, CardioDynamics CEO Michael Perry describes how the company has redefined their approach to a rapidly changing market by expanding on how they serve their customers. This new growth plan initiative has resulted in CardioDynamics enjoying a significant resurgence in the marketplace. CardioDynamics relies on their innovative BioZ ICG technology to provide physicians with 12 hemodynamic measurements of the patient's heart, circulatory system and blood flow performance. SunTech Medical provides CardioDynamics with OEM non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) technology for their ICG monitoring systems which is critical to the performance of the BioZ ICG technology. "The medical community uses our products to help select the right medications and dosage for patients with cardiovascular disease," states CEO Michael Perry. "The most obvious benefits are that it's non-invasive, low cost, highly accurate and can be performed in less than five minutes." SunTech Medical, Inc. is pleased to partner with CardioDynamics to provide the requisite quick and accurate automate blood pressure technology for the BioZ. As OEM provider of automated non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) technologies, SunTech Medical maintains a focus on providing fast, accurate and reliable BP monitoring for challenging patient populations and difficult environments. SunTech Medical is a proud partner of CardioDynamics since 2002 and is committed to supporting their continued success in providing improved care for cardiovascular disease patients.

SunTech Medical, a leading manufacturer of blood pressure monitoring technology, is pleased to announce the opening of its new manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China. Located at 2/F of Building A, Jinxiongda Technology Park, Guanlan, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China, the new 18,000 square foot facility currently houses a staff of twenty-five employees. SunTech anticipates continued growth as production ramps up in the months ahead. The new team is headed by Peter Zhang, General Manager, who has more then 10 years operation management experience in multinational companies. According to David Gallick, VP of Operations: "Great efforts have been made to hand pick a team of knowledgeable personnel for this new facility." He adds, "Months of training and preparation have gone into setting up a production area to support the high level of quality demanded by our current standards." Dayn McBee, CEO, states that: "The Shenzhen facility is an excellent addition to our sites in the UK; Hong Kong; and Raleigh, NC. It fits well with our goal of having a global presence in the medical device industry."

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