Dear Reader,
 As summer marches on, a lot of the world is experiencing especially high temperatures. Those of us in the northern hemisphere are feeling a little envious of our south-of-the-equator cousins right about now. And six months from now, the situation will likely to be reversed.
Speaking of extremes, this month's newsletter will explore that theme a little further. BEI Sensors knows about the operating extremes that you demand from our products and we are constantly working to adapt our products to your needs. Give us your challenges and let us see what we can do for you.
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| Some like it Hot |
 One of the most demanding of industrial conditions is high temperature. Not only the sensors, but the associated electronics are subject to degradation with heat, so making products that can survive under high temperature extremes is a significant engineering challenge. BEI sensors has answered this challenge with a variety of products depending on the application. For rotary encoders, built to US standard dimensions, we have the H25 and the HS35, both of which are rated up to 105 C. We also have the DHO5S series optical encoders, built to the European standard size 58mm and designed for operation up to 120 C. And if you need a linear potentiometer, we have the 700 series linear pots that can operate up to 300 C (see the Product Spotlight over on the right hand sidebar for more information). If you need sensors that can take the heat, check these different models out and then call us - we'd be glad to offer up a cool solution to your hot problem. |
| The ends of the earth |
 As long as we're talking about extremes, how about those brave souls who first thought to travel to the extreme ends of the earth: the North and South Poles. Below you'll find a number of quotes from these intrepid explorers.
"Few men during their lifetime come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used." -- Adm. Richard E. Byrd, Arctic explorer, first to fly over the North Pole and the South Pole
"Nothing easier. One step beyond the pole, you see, and the north wind becomes a south one." -- Robert Peary, acknowledged to be the first to reach the North Pole.
"We must always remember with gratitude and admiration the first sailors who steered their vessels through storms and mists, and increased our knowledge of the lands of ice in the South." -- Roald Amundsen, first to the South Pole
"Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale." -- Sir Robert Scott - whose failed South Pole attempt resulted in the loss of his entire team.
"Superhuman effort isn't worth a damn unless it achieves results." -- Ernest Shackleton, within 100 km of the pole, he retreated to save the lives of his team.
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| Can you solve it? |
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This next one was a rather strange situation, but I'm sure it's one we've all encountered in one form or another over the years. We received a complaint from one particular customer who was having ongoing mechanical problems with his encoders and he was replacing them at a rate that wasn't typical for his application. We discussed his application, a box making machine, and determined that it wasn't a particularly demanding environment. He was using a shafted encoder and said that he kept breaking couplings. Then he replaced the flexible coupling with a rigid one to stop the coupling from breaking and kept getting bent encoder shafts. We asked him to send in a sample damaged part and we noted that even though the shaft was bent the bearings were still in great shape and turned easily. Clearly something traumatic was going on with these encoders, but what?
Answer: This one took an on-site inspection to figure out. It turns out that they ran two shifts and generally the second shift would change the machine set-up to run a different product. This set-up required climbing up on the equipment and the encoder just happened to be located near the floor at a convenient stepping height. We switched the customer over to our foot-mounted H40 Ultra Heavy Duty encoder which could take that level of constant abuse and the problem went away. |
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| Enter the Blogoshpere |
We continue to tackle issues of concern to those of us who make our living in the world of control and automation. This month we take a look at wireless sensors and where they fit into an automation strategy. Click on the BLOG link to share your opinions, experiences and ideas. |
| Exploring inner space |
In our journey of the extreme where would be be without looking at the  extremes of life itself. It's only in the last 20 years or so that we have been looking outside of the "traditional" notions of where life exists. In that search we've found that not everything consists if carbon-based life dependant on water and oxygen for survival. In fact a whole new area of scientific study has emerged dedicated to what are known as extremophiles: life forms that exist in some of the most inhospitable (to humans) environments imaginable.
Would you expect to find microbes living above 90 C, in areas that are ten times saltier than the ocean, on the fuel rods of nuclear reactors or thousands of feet below the surface of a frozen lake in Antarctica? Well, they do! And carbon-based food sources for these organisms? - not so fast. Certain extremophiles subsist on sulpher or methane or even hydrogen. Oxygen is downright poisonous to others. Yes it's a different world for extremophiles. Come join them in their world by clicking the picture on the right, above and learn about how this other world that exists right here on earth.
THANKS FOR READING
I hope you had fun and learned a little something with this month's newsletter. Be sure to keep BEI Sensors in mind with your next automation project. See you next month.
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| Product Spotlight |
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So you need a linear potentiometer with 5 inches of travel and 10K ohms total resistance. And by the way it has to fit through a 0.5" diameter hole and operate at over 250 C. Well, have we got a product for you! Check out the 700 series linear pot by clicking on the picture, above.
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