Amplicon News

24.04.2012 Amplicon releases high performance 4U Compact 19� Industrial systems

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon has announced the release of their new Impact-R 4020S 4U short depth rackmount computer. Utilising the high powered Intel iCore processor the new system is approximately half the depth of the existing 4U but still manages to pack in many outstanding features. With a depth of only 302mm the new Amplicon Impact-R 4020S system has been specifically designed to meet requirements where space is a critical consideration Using only road mapped hardware the new shallow depth system comprises a high performance 4U compact chassis featuring industrial-grade motherboard powered by the Intel iCore processors with housing for two industrial 2.5+rdquo; HDD or SSD. In addition the Impact-R 4020S series supports various operating systems from Microsoft Windows platforms to main stream Linux distributions. As with all Amplicon industrial computers it can be tailored to suit your individual requirements.

17.04.2012 Amplicon introduce rugged industrial 4G routers

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Digi Transport WR21 is based on the hugely successful Digi Transport series of enterprise class routers. It is from this legacy that the WR21 inherits its advanced routing functionality and resilient cellular network features. However the WR21 sets itself apart with its compact rugged design future proof 4G communications and a price point that rivals many basic cellular modems on the market. In addition the WR21 is extremely versatile it has many different options of hardware and software features +ndash; meaning you only pay for the features you need for you application. Rugged features include a wide operating temperature of -35+deg;C to +75+deg;C various mounting options such as panel and DIN-rail dual SIM card for cellular network backup and a best in class 5 year warranty. The WR21 supports HSPA+ which means that it is ready for the next generation of cellular infrastructure currently being rolled out in the UK and is quad band for world wide mobile network compatibility.

16.04.2012 Amplicon Impact-R F range launch prize draw winners announced!

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Amplicon Impact-R F range launch prize draw. The lucky winners of one of the Atop Serial to Ethernet extenders are: +middot; Gavin Paterson +middot; Jonathon Hodges +middot; Matthew Bagshawe +middot; Jon Heath +middot; Donavon Mitchell Matt Bagshawe Senior Systems Maintenance Engineer at Network Rail commented: That+ s awesome; they say good news comes in threes! Just had a daughter and now Ive won this prize I should play the lottery!+rdquo; Donavon Mitchell Senior Process Systems Developer at Bernard Matthews Farms Ltd commented: I+ m absolutely thrilled to have won this top-notch piece of kit from Amplicon and am really looking forward to putting it to a worthy use.+rdquo; Thank you to all of you that took part in the Amplicon free prize draw.

10.04.2012 New Rugged Modular RTU Controller from Amplicon

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon Measurement and Control Group launch the Moxa ioPAC 8000 series RTU Controller one of the most ruggedized and reliable RTU controller available on the marketplace suitable for all harsh environments but designed specifically for rail applications. The Moxa ioPAC 8000 series modular RTU controllers are designed for remote data acquisition and monitoring. With a powerful processor and a variety of interfaces the ioPAC 8000 can connect to PLCs other serial devices and smart meters. They are suitable for applications that require a rugged and reliable design. In addition the ioPAC 8000 supports hot-swappable I/O and power module slots for redundant power inputs and sensor signals allowing users to choose from a variety of I/O modules accessing sensor signals. The aluminium housing offers a robust and compact solution and provides greater protection for rolling stock roadside environmental monitoring wind turbine and other outdoor applications. The ultra-wide temperature design of the ioPAC 8000 makes it suitable for challenging conditions; with full compliance to the Rail EN50155 standard the ioPAC 8000 is well suited to control and monitor onboard devices such as fire detectors sensors and various electronic controls. The ioPAC also features a Linux/GNU platform adapted for data acquisition and condition monitoring.

04.04.2012 Amplicon signs Spanish and Swedish distribution

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon International team are delighted to announce the appointment of two new distributors: SCSI SL a Spanish computer company and System Technology Sweden AB a Swedish Industrial solutions provider. These new appointments further strengthen the European distribution network and will provide high end industrial computing products to customers across Spain and Sweden. Spanish Computer Services and Installations (SCSI) a well-established multi-vendor solutions provider will distribute the Amplicon industrial computer range and complement this with support packages that are traditionally available only at the top end of the server market.. System Technology Sweden AB founded in 1986 has an experienced team of engineers providing high standard specialist support for the most demanding industrial applications. The introduction of Amplicon leading-edge industrial computers into their portfolio will allow System Technology Sweden to provide their customers with an even broader range of integrated solutions.

22.03.2012 Amplicon announce strategic partnership with Rigol Technologies

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon announce its newest test and measurement partnership Rigol Technologies an emerging leader in Test and Measurement specialising in the design and manufacture of a broad range of cost effective instruments including Digital Oscilloscopes RF Spectrum Analyzers Digital Multimeters Function/Arbitrary Waveform Generators and Digital Programmable Power Supplies. For more than 35 years Amplicon has been at the forefront of providing quality high performance test and measurement products and solutions to industries such as digital verification R and D production test and quality control The introduction of Rigol Technologies into the Amplicon test and measurement portfolio has strengthened its current product offering of leading edge innovative Test and Measurement and Data Acquisition solutions.

16.03.2012 Special relaxing treat for Team Amplicon

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Team Amplicon have been enjoying a special relaxing treat a special type of massage provided by Stones Hydrotherm clinic. It is very different from other types of massage in that it is carried out with the client lying face up on two cushions that are filled with warm water heated to between 30-40 degrees. This ensures the whole of the back is in contact with the heat; the water supports the body and the heat from the water enables tight muscles to begin to relax before the massage even starts. The system is designed to give perfect spinal alignment whilst in this position. The Amplicon HQ has now been turned into a very relaxed and stress free zone!

15.03.2012 Amplicon releases high performance 1U RAID Industrial systems

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon are proud to announce the launch of their newest addition to the Industrial Ventrix range featuring Intel Ibex Peak chipset with RAID functionality. The latest addition to the Amplicon Ventrix 1020 series comprises a high performance 1U 19+rdquo; Rackmount RAID system. By taking advantage of the Intel iCore processors and industrial hard drives these new additions deliver a higher level of reliability and availability by utilising road mapped components ensuring repeatability. With twin removable hot swap 2.5+rdquo; hard drives as standard giving the added security of data retention when using RAID (available RAID configuration 0 1 5 10). In addition the Ventrix 1020 series supports various operating systems and as with all Amplicon industrial computers it can be tailored to suit your individual requirements.

08.03.2012 New Addition to Tiny Team Amplicon

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0100

We are delighted to extend a very warm welcome to the newest member of our Tiny Team Amplicon. On the 5th March at 9:39am weighing in at a very healthy 7lb 10oz Reace David Rushton made his entrance into the world! He is the first baby for our support/application engineer Luke Rushton and his partner Samantha. Mother and baby are doing well and Dad is working hard in his new support role! Congratulations to Luke and Samantha!

06.03.2012 Choose the fast lane with the CopperLink Model 2174

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Use pre-installed twisted pair or coaxial cabling to extend your Ethernet network and achieve speeds of up to 170Mbp. The Patton CopperLink model 2174 is a four port Ethernet extender system which can increase on the 100m distance limitation of Ethernet over copper cable reaching distances of over 3km. The model 2174 also utilises legacy cable runs removing the need for costly and time consuming new cable installations. There are three different interfaces available dependant on the required link type: RJ-11 or terminal-block for unshielded twisted-pair links and BNC for coaxial cable links. Operation is completely transparent meaning LAN bridging will simply pass all higher layer protocols including VLANs and all IP video compression schemes such as MPEG-4 H.264 and MJPEG. The model 2174 is available now from Amplicon a global company who supply Industrial Computing Data Communications Measurement and Control and Engineering Services to systems integrators OEMs and manufacturers around the world. For more information about this product please click here.

27.02.2012 Amplicon launch Network consultancy services

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

We+ ve been busy updating our website again! Now you will find it easier than ever to discover our complete range of services tailored specifically for Data Communication based projects find out for yourself by visiting our Network consultancy services section. We understand that sometimes for a successful project you need that extra level of support. Our range of services goes far beyond any typical off-the-shelf solutions. To meet the more complex technical requirements we can provide a professional level of support that includes effective consultancy training customisation network design and network deployment services. To find out more about our Amplicon+ s Network services click here or call one of our Data communications specialist on 01273 570220.

21.02.2012 Amplicon opens engineering services workshop

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

After the successful launch of the new Engineering Services division we have now added a new section where we demonstrate how the Amplicon engineering team design and build innovative solutions to meet the challenging requirements of our customers. The Engineering Workshop is dedicated to some of the recent exciting projects we have successfully completed. You can view the specifications and applications plus detailed stage by stage pictures of the engineering team as they progress through the build process of each project. For more information or to request advice from our engineering team contact us on 01273 570220 or email engineering@amplicon.com.

15.02.2012 Amplicon keeping quiet but with an Impact

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon announces the launch of three fanless embedded computers to join the popular Impact-R industrial range - Impact-R 155F Impact-R 205F and Impact-R 1000F. The new systems are completely silent DC powered Industrial PCs; all utilise the new Intel Atom D2700 2.13GB dual core processor. These systems have no moving parts or fans and are compact units that can fit small area applications or a 1U short depth rack. With PCI and PCIe expansion available 32GB SATA SSD (SLC) drive plus 2GB memory as standard these are completely robust and reliable units. Available in three editions with I/O and advanced graphics capability they are perfect for applications where a full size system is unsuitable. Free competition: To celebrate the launch of the new Amplicon Impact-R range we are giving away 5 Atop Serial to Ethernet converters. Enter our free prize draw now!

08.02.2012 Amplicon introduce next-generation industrial Ethernet switches

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have unveiled their 10 Gigabit Ethernet industrial core switch product portfolio. The ICS-G7000 series provides greater connectivity reliability and redundancy for non-stop operation. A new level of high performance is achieved through the use of a maximum of four 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) ports. The high-capacity 10GbE network connectivity is ideal for building next generation scalable industrial Ethernet infrastructures for industrial process automation and transportation applications which need to expand to meet the growing traffic demands and advanced technological requirements of converged network services. The switches deliver a higher level of reliability and availability by adopting a completely fan-less design redundant power inputs 0 to 60+deg;C operating temperature range UL 60950-1 and EN 50121-4 compliance and a 5-year warranty. The ICS-G7000 switches ensure a higher level of resilience for industrial network infrastructures by supporting Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain self-healing technology and RSTP/STP for network redundancy. Layer 2 and layer 3 models are also available.

01.02.2012 Be One in a Million and plant a tree for the Jubilee

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

In a year-long celebration of the Queens jubilee the Woodland trust are aiming to plant six million trees across the UK as part of the Jubilee Woods project. And to mark the month of the Queens accession to the throne some 60 years ago the Woodland trust have set an ambitious challenge of getting one million trees in the ground in February 2012 as a wonderful start to the Jubilee celebrations. Amplicon as part of their social responsibility agenda are putting on their wellies grabbing a spade and will be among the millions of people who will be celebrating the Queens Diamond Jubilee year by planting trees across the land. And throughout this celebratory month there are numerous ways we can all get involved: from planting new woodland with your community; donating funds to help plant trees; planting trees in school grounds; or even a single tree in your own back garden. Anyone anywhere can easily plant a tree for the Jubilee and become one in a million in February. Amplicon are inviting you to spread the word to as many people as possible and you your family friends school or community groups can be part of this special moment in time and create a living breathing legacy in your own backyard! To mark this momentous occasion everyone who plants a tree will also be making history and will be recorded in a new Royal Record. To find out more about a whole year of Jubilee tree planting tree species where to buy your trees and other tree planting activities why not visit: www.jubileewoods.org.uk Amplicon are a corporate member of the Woodland Trust.

25.01.2012 New range of Amplicon PCIe digital I/O cards - PCIe-200 series

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The new Amplicon PCIe-200 series are high performance digital I/O data acquisition cards; implementing the high-bandwidth advantage of the PCI Express x1 interface for large scale data transfer low latency and low power consumption. Designed to meet stringent performance requirements the PCIe-200 cards feature guaranteed measurement accuracy and it is ideal for a wide range of applications such as scientific research laboratory/building automations design validation manufacturing test and measurement and embedded OEM applications. The new series comprises of three different cards: PCIe-215 PCIe-236 and PCIe-296 which feature 48 24 and 96 bits of programmable parallel digital I/O with two 82C54 counter timers respectively. Users can cost effectively migrate to this PCIe form factor seamlessly as these new DIO series are backwardly compatible with the existing Amplicon PCI-200 series DIO boards. The PCIe-200 series can be used in 32 and 64 bit Windows operating environments. Drivers are available for all popular high-level programming languages including C# VB/VB.NET Delphi Agilent VEE and Labview.

19.01.2012 Free memory upgrade at Amplicon

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0100

From the month of January Amplicon will upgrade the standard 1GB 1333Mhz DDR3 modules with 2GB modules across its range of industrial rackmount computers and servers without increasing the price! As Windows 7 and Server 2008-R2 become the operating systems of choice within the industrial world plus the advent of reliable 64 bit computing there is an increasing need for more system memory. With this in mind Amplicon has decided to double the amount of memory supplied on its systems as standard. In addition to this amazing cost-saving initiative following recent improvements in the systems SBCs/motherboards the Amplicon industrial PC roadmap has been extended beyond 2016.

10.01.2012 AWK-3131 and AWK-4131 Wi-Fi AP now available from Amplicon

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have added two new industrial grade Wi-Fi access points to their portfolio from industry leading manufacturer Moxa. The AWK-3131 and the AWK-4131 have been designed to meet the growing demands for faster data transmission speeds and wider signal coverage. These new models support IEEE 802.11n which incorporates MIMO technology for data-rates of up to 300Mbps and reliability unrivalled by any previous Wi-Fi technology. Key features include compatibility on either the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands backwards-compatibility with existing 802.11a/b/g wireless client devices and Turbo roaming for faster client roaming speeds. Dual redundant power inputs PoE (802.3af) compatibility and a selection of models with different operating temperatures make these access points the perfect choice for installations where commercial grade equipment is simply not suitable. The AWK-3131 is designed for industrial indoor environments where as the AWK-4131 has an outdoor IP67 rated enclosure with M12 connectors for secure sealed connections which are extremely resilient to shock and vibrations.

21.12.2011 Breaking news! - Santa's special delivery

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Rudolf received an emergency call out on 13th December. It was all systems go with a rush trip to the Royal Sussex County Hospital for a very special delivery. Nikita Leonie Southon made her appearance at 19:52 precisely and weighed in at a very healthy 8.25 pounds. This little bundle of joy is the first baby for Craig Southon one of industrial computing sales engineers and his partner Erika Hoehl who is one of our configuration technicians. Once the excitement had died down Santa and Rudolf headed off to the North Pole to rest up before Christmas deliveries begin in earnest! Our congratulations to Craig and Erika and a very warm welcome to another Amplicon Angel!

20.12.2011 Amplicon HH LCR meter prize draw winner announced!

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Amplicon Test and Measurement Shop prize draw. The winner of the Agilent Handheld LCR meter worth over +pound;200 is Dev Banerjee from PG Drives Technology. Dev Banerjee principal engineer at PG Drives Technology commented: I+ m very pleased to have won the Agilent U1733C. This will help me go the extra meter. Thank you to all of you that took part in Amplicons Test and Measurement Shop free prize draw.

13.12.2011 Amplicon Wireless LAN Technology seminar prize draw winners announced!

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Amplicon Wireless LAN Technology seminar prize draw. The winner of the 1st prize an Atop SW5001 serial to wireless 802.11g device server is Martin Lordan from Nokia Siemens Networks UK. Martin was delighted with his prize and commented What a surprise! Today Amplicon next the Euro Lottery roll over!+rdquo; The winner of the 2nd prize an Atop SE5001-S2 Serial to Ethernet device server is Theo Stafford from PSW Building Consultancy Ltd. Theo who wasnt quite as ambitious as Martin said Thank you very much +ndash; a nice surprise!+rdquo; The Amplicon team would like to extend our thanks to all who attended the Wireless LAN Technology seminar and made the day such a successful event.

12.12.2011 WLAN technology seminar success for Amplicon

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicons Wireless LAN Technology seminar held at the Amex Stadium on the 30th November proved to be a huge success with over 60 delegates attending on the day. The impressive AMEX stadium the new home of Brighton and Hove Albion was the back-drop for the day. Presentations were given on wireless LAN technology wireless systems within automation and transport industries the importance of wireless site-surveying and the sessions finished with exciting live product demonstrations from the Amplicon product development team. Innovative technologies such as Turbo roaming and Dual RF redundancy were highlighted as key features for successful Wi-Fi system operation. Turbo roaming allows for secure wireless client roaming in as little as 50ms making it ideal for train-to-ground communication and applications where seamless transfer of data is critical. Dual RF redundancy is designed for rapid fail-over to increase the stability and reliability of wireless communications crucial for high availability networks. For an overview of the seminar please click here.

07.12.2011 Amplicon introduces a complete edge-to-core networking solution

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

High capacity high performance and high availability: These are but a few buzzwords which describe Moxa+ s new range of industrial grade modular rack-mount switches. The ICS-G7748 G7750 and G7752 are layer 2 core switches meaning they are designed to handle the central backbone of large distributed automation networks their modular design allows them to populate up to 48 x Gb and up to 4 x 10Gb Ethernet ports; media types include copper via RJ-45 and many different fibre types via SFP interfaces. ICS-G7848 G7850 and G7852 are the layer 3 equivalents which introduce the routing intelligence required to facilitate internetwork communication. The ICS series offers far more than others in its class with advanced features to provide a truly rugged highly reliable product. The ICS series has fan-less operation even when fully populated with fibre; dual isolated power supplies both hot-swappable and load-sharing; hot-swappable Ethernet modules a comprehensive link layer redundancy protocol suite and a 0-60+deg;C operating temperature range. Find out more about Amplicon+ s complete edge-to-core product offering.

02.12.2011 The first Intelligent Industrial Controller without programming

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon has announced the release of the innovative web-based intelligent PAC controller - WISE-7100 series. The WISE-7100 is a product series developed by ICP DAS which can function as a control unit for use in remote logic control and monitoring in various industrial applications. WISE-7100 series offers a user-friendly and intuitive web interface that allows users to implement IF-THEN-ELSE control logic on controllers by using just a few clicks; no programming is required! In addition based on WISE advanced P2P function users can expand logic rule design from a single WISE controller to multiple WISE controllers. This advanced function greatly increases the convenience and minimises human error especially when performing complicated logic rule design that involves communication between multiple controllers. The WISE-7100 range offers a perfect automation solution that is easy-to-use affordable and easy to maintain; it will allow users to dramatically minimise the investment in time labour and cost spent on automation system development.

30.11.2011 Amplicon launch new division � Engineering Services

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon has announced the introduction of a new division Engineering Services. This new venture as well as creating new employment opportunities is to provide the market place with a trusted partner who can be viewed as an extension of the customers own team creating value that can be delivered straight to the bottom line. Whilst Amplicon is already renowned for supplying high quality complex systems the new Amplicon Engineering Services division combines the best engineering practice over a range of disciplines such as mechanical electrical and electronic engineering as well as a custom integration and build facility.; bringing together and capitalising on all of the skill sets that have become the hallmark of Amplicon over the past years. With the inexorable drive to reduce overheads many companies are looking for a partner who can demonstrate not only engineering competence but one that fully understands the importance of producing a high quality reliable and repeatable service. The Amplicon engineering team have many years experience in the design build and testing of complex hardware solutions. This new service allows for entire projects to be expertly managed without compromising hard won reputations and standards. By simplifying the supply chain to a single order this new service gives the potential for substantial savings in both labour costs and cash flow management.