akwaman, Nicely explained, I agree totally with all the points you've made. I wanted to use SSRs(solid state relays) in wireless Hunter Fan Ceiling Controls but management was against it because of cost. As you discussed in your post, yes the intial cost investment is somewhat pricey but the ROI would have been substantial in terms of reduced customer warranty claims due to failing electromechanical relays. I'm definitely will be sharing this article with my Control Systems class at ITT Tech.
I couldn't agree with you more, naperlou. Solid state is the way to go whenever is makes sense, as far as I'm concerned. In noise sensitive data aquisition matters, electromechanical relays can introduce unwanted noise into a system. These kinds of optical relay technology has many uses. Of course the obious power savings is a plus as is the reliability factor.
Whenever a solid state component is available it will generally be superior to an electromechanical one in most modern applications. I ran into this years ago with amplifiers for communications for satellites. Typically klystron tubes were used. Advances in solid state amplifiers allowed the replacement of these in many cases. They were more reliable, lighter and used less power. I see the same thing with this class of relay. They also, as is pointed out, avoid some of the pitfalls of electromechanical relays. There was an article in Design News about a problem with such a relay recently.
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
The 3D printing revolution seems to have a knack for quickly moving technology ahead by way of collaborative effort and even a little friendly competition -- all of course in the name of scientific advancement.
Advantech has launched a new series of motion-control I/O modules to meet the increased demands that come with more distributed industrial systems that require control of a growing number of axes and devices.
Using almost 200 light-emitting diodes in the front and back of the new 2014 CTS, Cadillac designers are showing how LEDs can change the character of a vehicle.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
0 
