Author: Serkadis

Sears Holdings announced today that customers flocked to Sears.com and Kmart.com during the holiday shopping season.

Sears states this surge in online shopping was fueled by new product categories and new functionalities designed to provide shopping solutions to customers.

“We would like to thank our customers who helped make the Web sites of Sears Holdings amazing successes this holiday season.

We actively listen to customer feedback and because of that, we were able to provide both exciting and unique products and services,” said Imran Jooma, senior vice president for Online at Sears Holdings.

“Our customers motivate us to continually improve our store and online offerings. As a result, we were able to launch such programs as, international shipping, Sears2Go – our easy-to-use mobile commerce site, a gift finder, and many other features to make shopping easier.

We were thrilled to make holiday shopping in 2009 more convenient than ever before.”

2009 was the first holiday season that customers have been able to do their holiday shopping as part of the ShopYourWay program, which offers several options and tools to make shopping convenient for customers and to help them literally shop their way.

The ability to allow customers to order online and pick up in store or order through their mobile phones, are just some of the many features that helped Sears.com jump from number six to number four this year in Hitwise’s traffic ranking(1) – further evidence that Sears.com is offering an exceptional online experience that is transforming the way customers shop.

Holiday shopping highlights of Sears.com and Kmart.com include:

• The weight of the Kenmore 500 Series washers and electric dryers purchased surpasses the gross take-off weight of a Boeing 747-400.
• The number of Craftsman NEXTEL 12-volt Auto Hammers sold can hammer in almost two billion nails.
• If each customer ran five miles a week for a year on treadmills they bought, they would be able to burn enough calories to equal the consumption of more than 200,000 ice cream sundaes.
• The number of sold trampolines, stacked together, would be six times the height of the world’s tallest skyscraper.
• Some of the longest shipping distances included Chicago to Hanoi, Vietnam and Chicago to Sydney, Australia.

“During this holiday season, we were excited to unveil many new products and services that help make online shopping with Sears.com, Kmart.com and the entire family of Sears Holdings’ Web sites both unique and rewarding year-round,” said Jooma.

“We are thrilled to provide our customers with products and services they may not typically expect us to offer.”

Highlights of some of the new online products and services offered during the holiday season that can also make shopping fast, easy and convenient the rest of the year include:

• Sending a gift to friends or family who live overseas? Sears.com has you covered with thousands of items that are now available for international shipping. Don’t know what to send? No fear, Sears personal shoppers can help you select the perfect gift – and they won’t even tell anyone you had help!
• Tired of the bone-chilling cold weather? No problem, Sears.com carries hot tubs and saunas to warm anyone in even the coldest conditions.
• Can’t find the perfect shoe to match that dress hanging in the closet? Sears.com has you covered with the new Personal Shoefinder. Simply e-mail a photo of your dress and personal shoppers will send back shoe recommendations, just for you, within 24 hours! The perfect service to use for parties, proms or just because you need help.
• Longing to invite your friends over for a rousing night of game play that includes more than “Go Fish” or “Crazy Eights”? Now is your chance to win a Dream Game Room from Sears.com. Simply channel the inner pool shark in you and submit a video of your best billiards shot here. Then, the voting begins. The entry with the greatest amount of votes wins the Dream Game Room.
• Looking for a stylish gift for a birthday or other special occasion? Sears.com can give you access to the exclusive new Rock and Redemption line of jewelry products, created by New York’s award-winning jewelry designer Michael Spirito.
• Plus, many customers took advantage of the added feature of Buy Online, Pick Up In Store that is backed by Sears’ Ready in 5 Guarantee including curbside pick up at select locations.

“Sears Holdings is committed to providing an exceptional online shopping experience and we will continue to listen to our customers and evolve our sites to meet their many needs,” said Jooma.

About Sears Holdings Corporation

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation’s fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada.

Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance.

Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands’ End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands.

It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered exclusively by Sears and Kmart. We are the nation’s largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.

For more information, visit Sears Holdings’ Web site at searsholdings.com.

(1) Sears.com is ranked number four among ecommerce sites while among multichannel retailer sites it is ranked number three.

TextPlus, an ad-supported application which allows for free text messaging, is now available for free on the Android Market. Initially an App Store offering (the application’s official website has not yet been updated to show Android support), textPlus now allows Android users to send free text messages to anyone from within the application. Users would not be charged for messages nor would they be required to have a message bundle. Recipients of textPlus messages do not  need to have the application, nor an account, and can reply to a short code (60611) attached to the textPlus user address.

Additional benefits of textPlus are free international messaging and the ability to text to multiple people simultaneously, similar to a chat. Android users can sign up for a free account directly from within the application to create a textPlus address.

If any of our readers have used this app, please let us know of your first impressions in the comments. Otherwise, expect an official review to come shortly!

Introducing Newport’s new turn-key solution for controlling high power laser diodes and laser diode bars. These laser diode control kits do not require any water cooling and include a High Power Laser Diode Driver (a 5600-65, 560B, 5700-80-7 or 5700-30-5), a high power temperature controller (either 3150 or 350B), a 763H Series high power laser diode mount, and the required interconnect cables. Just add the high power bar diode of your choice, and you will have all the precision control over temperature and current that you require. The kits come in many types. The FSBAR-KIT is for freespace diode bars like Newport’s ProLite DCS Series open heatsink diode bars. The FCBAR-KIT is ideal for fiber coupled diode bars like Newport’s Prolite BW or CW Series. The only difference between the two kits is the version of the 763H series mount that is included. For the free space version, the diode’s optical output is aligned with the edge of the mount, while it is set back from the edge for fiber coupled versions. Both versions can provide up to 65A of diode driver current, and sink up to 75W of waste diode heat.

A special version of the kit called the FCSE-KIT is also offered for use with Newport’s SF Series fiber coupled single emitters. With this kit, a model 560B laser diode driver, and 350B temperature controller is included, as well as special interface cables for the 763H-FC mount. This kit will provide up to 6A of diode current, and plenty of thermal capacity for a single high power diode.

FUTEK has recently released their model LSB210, a Submersible Jr. S-Beam Load Cell used in applications where protection from liquids is required. Although the product was built for a diverse range of applications examples include fiber tension, medical bag weighing, and automated feedback control systems. The LSB210 S-Beam is a model from FUTEK’s miniature Sensors line with a thickness of 0.25 inch and low profile height of 0.75 inch. The load cell has a high accuracy with a deflection of 0.005” nominal and an operating temperature of -60° F to 200° F. As an extra feature, this model may also be offered with a USB output option.

This load cell is capable of servicing numerous applications industry wide where protection from liquids is required. This product offers a perfect mixture of size, accuracy and the assurance of an overload protection. The LSB210 Submersible Miniature S-Beam Load Cell is available in 100g to 100lbs (1N – 445N) capacities. Similar to our LSB200 model, the LSB210 S-Beam Jr. Load Cell is also available with a brand new USB Digital Interface with 16 bits resolution.

With all of its design features this Miniature S Beam Load Cell is suitable for critical applications involving tight or limited space. This model also has a nonlinearity starting at 0.1%, deflection of 0.005” nominal. This Jr. S Beam Load Cell can be modified or customized to meet your requirements and most capacities are in our inventory making them available for 24 hour shipping. Similar to our entire Load Cell product line the LSB210 model is manufactured in the US and uses metal foil strain gauge technology.

Product Highlights:
Submersible
Lightweight: 0.3oz
Miniature size – 0.75 inches tall
Built In Overload Protection
Metric Threads Available
Capacity ranges: 100g – 100lbs. (1 – 445 N)

For those who are a looking for a complete system solution, FUTEK can provide both signal conditioned displays or our VCal Portable System. FUTEK’s VCal Portable System brings an easy-to-use system verification directly to the customer making it ideal for on-site verification and calibration of your products. FUTEK LSB Series is also available with TEDS / IEEE1451.4 option.

Introducing the LDC501 Laser Diode Controller: a highly stable, low-noise current source, with an integrated temperature controller — all at a very affordable price.

The LDC501 is the ideal instrument for controlling the current and temperature of your laser diodes. It has the performance and features you expect from instruments costing twice as much.

With a low-noise current source that delivers up to 500 mA, a 36 W high-precision temperature controller, and standard computer interfaces including Ethernet, the LDC501 is the right choice for your laser diode testing and control applications.

Logistics provider FIEGE selected the BEUMER stretch hood, a high-capacity end-of-line packaging system, for use in its distribution centre in Bocholt, to provide pallet loads of branded spirits with more efficient, flexible and customer-friendly packaging. Since then, this fully automatic system has been packaging up to 1,000 pallets per day.

The FIEGE group, based in Greven (North Rhine-Westphalia), is one of the leading contract logistics providers in Europe. Core competencies include the development and conversion of integrated logistics systems. With 210 locations and representatives in 18 countries, FIEGE possesses a tight logistic network. In Bocholt (North Rhine-Westphalia) the company stores branded spirits for distilleries. Before being dispatched, these products are placed on a pallet and subsequently packaged in protective film. Since conventional pallet wrapping systems failed to satisfy increasing requirements, FIEGE needed to replace the legacy wrapping system with a new end-of-line packaging system.

The new end-of-line packaging system would need to package pallets of different heights and contours to eliminate presorting, film changes and unnecessary film consumption. Furthermore, customer surveys showed that the pallet base should be free of film, that the film had to protect the palletized product during transport and against theft and that it had to be transparent enough to ensure accurate bar code reading. For this reason, shrink hooding was dismissed as a potential packaging solution, as the shrink hood covers the pallet base and becomes milky in appearance due to the shrinking process. In addition, available wrapping technologies fell short of FIEGE’s requirements, as traditional stretch wrapping involves high film consumption. Therefore FIEGE looked for possible alternatives.

FIEGE found the solution in the stretch hood, a high-capacity end-of-line packaging system developed by intralogistics specialist and stretch hood technology pioneer BEUMER. The packaging system, having a length of 22 metres and consisting of the BEUMER stretch hood and the conveyor-based feeding and discharge systems, was installed within two weeks. Since then, this system has been packaging up to 1,000 pallets per day. The 25 order pickers place the multi-format pallets on a roller conveyor, which transports pallets to the BEUMER stretch hood. The fully automatic stretch hood system measures the height and the contours of the pallet. Thereupon, it determines the exact quantity of film required, eliminating unnecessary film consumption. The pallet is automatically packed. The BEUMER stretch hood covers the pallet evenly with a stretch film hood. The pallet is provided with a label indicating the delivery destination at the end of the roller conveyor. The packaging process itself is overseen by only one employee. The BEUMER stretch hood is in continuous operation five days a week. FIEGE found value for its business in the trouble-free process, minor and predictable maintenance requirements and the uncomplicated application. Besides the packaging quality, the stretch-hood technology improves the visibility of the palletized products for unmatched display properties and consistently reliable bar code reading.

We present the latest novelty of our company, the exchange table system for the CNC plasma/flame cutting machines. The automatic exchange of the work ground shortens the work process time and at the same time increases the machine’s functionality.
Technical Data:
– Mains connection .. 400 V / 50 Hz
– Plate thickness .. 0,5 – 10,0 mm
– Plate dimensions .. 1500x3000mm

TECHMAFLEX has made its reputation through understanding our customer’s needs and the constant innovations on our hose assembly machines throughout the years. Understanding that users were looking for help in detecting maintenance needs, we are now offering the TECH’CARE BOX, a preventive maintenance monitoring system as an option available on all PE and PES crimping machines. This device indicates different levels of maintenance needed at different moments of the machine life cycle.
Why is it important to keep your machine in good state?
Your machine will last longer, keep full strength and remain accurate. 80% of the machine breakdowns are due to a lack of preventive maintenance.
How does the TECH’CARE box work?
The TECH’CARE box includes a daily counter and a machine life counter. The box also comes with a Semi-Automatic function (BSA control) particularly useful when making assemblies in series.
There are 3 levels of maintenance represented by 3 blinking leds (daily, advanced and expert maintenance).

for Leak Survey and Localisation

Crowcon’s new Gas-Tec portable hydrocarbon gas detector is designed for rapid leak survey and localisation applications. Using Crowcon’s tried and tested flame ionisation chamber, the Gas-Tec also features next generation technology such as GPS, data and event logging. The new device allows survey teams to track progress and quickly pinpoint and record areas of significant interest.

Increasingly, gas distribution and infrastructure companies are focussing on reducing the number and volume of leaks along their pipelines. Leaks have cost, environmental and safety implications, so pinpointing and repairing them quickly is essential. Storing survey reports and service and calibration records are also a more frequent requirement, influenced by health and safety regulations. Finally, with many companies being forced to reduce personnel, there is an increased demand for products that require minimal training and set-up times to use.

Crowcon developed the Gas-Tec specifically to address these issues, including features to help companies minimise leaks quickly and efficiently, with minimal manpower. GPS position logging, for example, enhances record keeping by assigning latitude, longitude and distance above sea level to data readings. Users can also view their current location, offering the precise location to back-up crews for immediate leak management. Another useful feature is data and event logging, allowing users to download full survey information for survey traceability using ‘drag and drop’ via a USB interface.

Weighing just 2.4kg (without the gas bottle), the Gas-Tec is worn across the body and is ergonomically designed to sit comfortably whilst in use. Simple and intuitive to operate, its liquid crystal display and soft keys offer full sequence instructions, in-operation options, service and calibration set-up and alerts. Menu prompts guide users through start-up and shut-down procedures, reducing training requirements. The device can also be customised, with users able to set preferences for features such as preferred units, display settings, date format and language.

Enhanced electronic controls….

Read more.. follow the news link

We are proud to present the latest version of KLIKSEAL. By making further developments to the existing KLIKSEAL, we are now able to offer a version designed to work in thinner materials.

This version has all the features of the standard KLIKSEAL including IP67 & cable anchorage and can be installed in materials as thin as 0,7 mm. The new version can now be fitted in products with a wall thickness ranging from 0.7 mm to 3.0 mm.

Both the standard version of KLIKSEAL and the new one are now available at even more competitive prices than before.

For further information please visit www.tst-ab.com, or contact us at [email protected].

Cable anchorage by design

Dayton, Ohio — MotoSim® EG (Motoman Simulator Enhanced Graphics) – now available with Virtual Robot Controller (VRC) capability – is a comprehensive software package that provides accurate 3D simulation of robot cells. With VRC, MotoSim EG operates and displays the actual programming pendant interface for the Motoman NX100 controller. Whether a programmer is using a teach pendant on an NX100 controller or using MotoSim EG-VRC on a PC – the interface display is the same. Steps used to accomplish actions in the “virtual” world of the simulator are identical to the actions required on the robot controller.

This powerful simulation software can be used to optimize robot and equipment placement, as well as to perform reach analysis, cycle calculations, and collision detection. It also provides accurate off-line programming of complex systems. The VRC supports all standard INFORM (robot language) programming instructions, and completely simulates NX100 controller software in the PC environment, including system configuration functions and condition file editing.

New MotoSim EG-VRC software adds the capability to simulate independent/coordinated motion functions and twin synchronous functions that enhance the interaction between the robots and external motion devices. It fully supports actuator-driven Motoman SIA-series and dual-arm SDA-series robots with up to 15 axes of motion.

MotoSim EG-VRC greatly increases the “real” robot experience while programming off-line on a computer. Off-line programming allows manufacturers to keep their actual robot systems running, while programming a new part to be processed. The VRC supports DX100 and NX100 robot controllers. Cells created previously in MotoSim EG can be run with MotoSim EG-VRC.

www.motoman.com

The PSD screw driven linear actuator range has been extended and now offers two sizes 80mm & 120mm. The new PSD80 is available as standard with a stainless steel lead screw in a range of screw pitches and complements the precision ball screw offering within PSD120.

The Hepco Herculane® linear guidance technology used in PSD is the same as used in our PDU2 belt driven product. The PSD actuator can be used as a single or multi axis unit and is particularly useful in Z-axis applications. The screw drive and linear motion guide is housed in a strong aluminium beam protected by a stainless steel cover strip which runs the entire length of the product.

These cost-effective actuators are available in lengths up to 2850mm (6000mm for slave units) and can be specified in open, closed, double acting or slave format.

– Hepco Herculane® Wheels – Ultra-high performance wheels mounted in adjustable carriage body for zero play linear motion.
– Screw Options – ball screw and lead screw with stainless steel option and wide range of screw pitches.
– Compact Actuator – Space saving ready to mount units – closed, open, double acting or slave format.
– Carriage Plate – High load capicity, removable top plate for easy reworking
– Aluminium Beam – Rigid and lightweight, T-slots for easy mounting to MCS frame system
– Stainless Steel Cover – Effectively seals the unit from debris
– Long Lengths – Beam lengths up 2850mm as standard (slave units up to 6000mm)
– Limit Switches & Brackets – Mechanical & inductive, IP76 rating plus internal buffers for end of stroke protection.

Boonton’s PIM 31 series test systems are precision analyzers for passive intermodulation generated in RF paths, components and assemblies. PIM 31 analyzers allow the detailed examination of components used in radio base stations, in-building-DAS installations and other systems transmitting radio frequencies.

The PIM 31 passive intermodulation analyzer emulates a base station radio by providing two signals, up to 20W each, thus following the IEC62037 standard for PIM testing. The frequencies of these carriers are variable within the band of the analyzer, allowing PIM 31 operators to select the optimal frequencies for their wireless systems.

Depending on the application it can be switched between a functional field diagnostic mode and detailed analysis mode with accessibility to all settings and readings. PIM 31 analyzers can be controlled by external mouse and keyboard or through the built-in touch screen display.

– 20W PIM analyzer
– Two variable signals +20 to +44 dBm each
– User selectable TX frequencies within the analyzer’s band
– Very high PIM sensitivity of -175 dBc @ 2 X 43 dBm carriers
– Measures Intermodulation products IM3, IM5, IM7 and IM9
– User settable frequency sweeps
– Measurement recording numeric or image traces
– Touch screen display

 
Measurement experts RDP Electronics Ltd can provide a reliable means of measuring the piston position of hydraulic cylinders by using LVDTs.
For situations where it is not possible to fit RDP Temposonics magnetostrictive type of transducers within the cylinder, then an alternative approach of attaching an LVDT externally in parallel with the piston, has frequently proved to be a successful solution. Fitted in this way the LVDT can follow and measure the displacement of the piston. Thanks to their robust construction RDP’s LVDTs also prove to be durable, reliable and accurate despite the operating environment. In fact appropriately specified LVDTs can be used submerged and even tolerate exposure to corrosive liquids.
Further information and guidance on specifying LVDTs for hydraulic cylinder position measurement applications contact the RDP engineering support team on 01902 457512, or go online at http://www.rdpe.com/uk/men-disp.htm. for technical specifications.
– ENDS –

VISI voted ‘Best Engineering Software’ at the DPA Innovation awards

Vero Software, a leading provider of CAD/CAM/CAE solutions for the tooling industry are pleased to announce that their flagship product VISI, has been voted the winner of the ‘Best Product’ in the Engineering Software category at the DPA Innovation Awards.

To coincide with the 30th Anniversary issue of DPA (Design Products & Applications), an online poll was conducted asking readers to vote for products that they feel deserve recognition as prime examples of technological innovation. Over the last thirty years there have been extraordinary leaps in technology that have quite simply changed the way we live – the personal computer, mobile telephony and the Internet, to mention just a few. The manufacturing industry, too, has enjoyed the benefits of remarkable technological advances, and to celebrate this, suppliers and manufacturers nominated products that represented these advances in technology. The ‘virtual’ 30th Anniversary Innovations Awards attracted many nominations among the ten chosen categories where VISI was selected as the winner of the Engineering Software category.

The VISI product suite is innovative in combining the best in solids and surface modelling, with complex model analysis and plastic flow simulation tailored towards 3D tool design and manufacture. Keeping the model within the same product environment throughout the entire design cycle from design to manufacture guarantees data consistency and greatly smoothes the design process.

Basing a tool design on a preventive flow analysis can detect potential manufacturing issues – such as welding lines, air traps, best gate location, etc providing the maximum possible time frame for a corrective solution – This is only made possible through an integrated CAD/CAM/CAE analysis. An uninterrupted data exchange between the design and the analysis environment provides the ability to identify possible critical situations, set the most effective moulding parameters, optimise the runners and cooling layout and predict problems concerning any part of the plastic component creation process.

Marc Freebrey, Group Marketing Manager for Vero comments “We are very proud to have won this award. We invest heavily in extensive research and we have a knowledgeable development team that strives to keep Vero at the leading edge of technology. We all believe in our products and it is pleasing to know that our customers are feeling the benefits – at least enough to vote.”

Leading specialist finishing equipment manufacturer Guyson International has recently upgraded its entire range of Kerry branded ultrasonic KS cleaning tanks. All models have been improved with an extended feature set and vastly upgraded operational performance that delivers superior cleaning results in faster start up times.

This uprated range of high quality ultrasonic cleaning tanks takes advantage of Guyson’s ongoing investment in its in-house engineering capability with new state of the art 3D CAD and Product Data Management (PDM) systems and the complete product range has been fully re-engineered and redrawn incorporating all the latest design best practice.

There are six standard tank sizes in the range with the smallest tank, being the KS300, having a tank capacity of 17.5 litres and extending all the way up to the KS4000 which has a very substantial 247.5 litre capacity. Larger sizes are available to special order. All are robustly constructed using AISI 316L polished stainless steel tanks for durability, whilst Kerry Pulsatron ultrasonic generators ensure powerful parts cleaning and long equipment life.

The newly designed tank range has a varied feature set which aims to deliver very real operational benefits for purchasers with features such as; substantially increased number of heater pads to speedily raise the fluid temperature to operational levels and clearly marked fluid max and min levels on the internal tank wall enable easy filling guidelines also optional low water level sensor housing and wiring is included in the tank build so retrospective take up of that function can be undertaken easily undertaken for the customer without them having to incur excessive costs and rework to the system.

Service friendly features include a removable rear panel to allow service access to rear tank heater mats and now incorporated into the new overall design the generator and processor boards and all major controlling electronics are housed in a lockable cabinet mounted to the side of the tank which allows for much easier access for tuning and servicing. This also removes them from any proximity to the floor where they may have been vulnerable to damp and water ingress.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have given the state’s largest utility another three weeks to turn in a filing that spells out how it will incorporate renewable energy into its portfolio. Public Service Co. of New Mexico, a …

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico regulators have given the state’s largest utility another three weeks to turn in a filing that spells out how it will incorporate renewable energy into its portfolio. Public Service Co. of New Mexico, a subsidiary of …

Volvo dealers remain uncertain about whether the recent acquisition of the brand by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group will mean that their showrooms will be stocked with inexpensive Chinese cars.

On Dec 23, FoMoCo announced that the deal with Geely should be closed sometime in the second quarter of 2010, and some dealers have expressed interest in the ability to sell Geely’s cars in the United States.

While some dealers claim ignorance on Geely’s products the than that they are fairly inexpensive vehicles, others still claim that they would remain receptive if certain conditions existed.

Donald Latham, owner of Parkway Volvo in Wilmington, N.C. would be receptive given a certain standard of quality and price; he would have to see Geely’s cars priced lower than those that he currently sells as his business also includes Hyundai and Subaru franchises.

Shnghai-based analyst Lin Huaibinsays that given the existing quality of Geely’s cars and the high standards that exist in the U.S. for safety and emissions, it will take the company approximately five years to develop a car that is ready for the U.S. market.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)