Amplicon News

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.

02.11.2011 Amplicon raises �3000 in support of Breast Cancer Research

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Team Amplicon look forward to the opportunity to support the annual Breast Cancer appeal by wearing pink in the office +ndash; a shocking event by most peoples standards as the Amplicon Boys dont always look their absolute best in any shade of pink! Over the years we have come up with some innovative ways of raising funds; we pay to wear pink we fine those who dont or wont wear pink we arrive in our pyjamas we sell our holiday entitlements and our operations director even risked life and limb by entering a boxing event! This year we decided on a pink auction of our personal treasures and heirlooms to raise money for Breast Cancer. The marketing team set up Amplicons own version of eBay and everyone was encouraged to donate anything decent and legal to be sold to the highest bidder. Some interesting lots arrived in the auction room tickets for Brighton v Barnsley at the Amex Stadium and much fun was had as Team Amplicon desperately tried to out bid each other! The day resulted in a total of +pound;3000 being raised for +lsquo;Wear it Pink 2011. Well done Team Amplicon!

20.10.2011 Amplicon hosts Free WLAN Seminar at the new Amex Stadium

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon are inviting all engineers system integrators and OEMs to their latest Wireless LAN Technology Seminar 2011. The seminar aims to offer a real insight into wireless communications applied in automation and transport. The event is to be held at the new home of Brighton and Hove Albion the AMEX stadium on 30th November 2011 and is guaranteed to provide innovative new ideas and excellent core knowledge on how WLAN technology can provide secure reliable mobile communication of systems and devices in demanding environments. Amplicon will be accompanied by Daconi Wireless Ltd who will be providing invaluable advice on wireless site surveys for larger scale and more challenging deployments. There are two sessions to choose from the morning session will be aimed at attendees who have an interest in various areas of automation; whilst the afternoon is tailored towards the transport industries such as road and rail. For further information and a full agenda please click here.

12.10.2011 A partnership made in Heaven��!

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Cakes balloons and beautiful flowers from Team Amplicon marked the 10th anniversary of one of the most successful partnerships in the history of Amplicon! The Amplicon directors Gina Citroni Chief Executive Officer and Douglas Saunders Operations Director both joined Amplicon in 2001. Gina was part of the original MBO team in March 2005 and become sole owner in March 2009.

06.10.2011 Winner of the �900 PicoScope 4227 Kit announced!

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Amplicon and Pico Technology prize draw. The winner of the PicoScope 4227 Kit worth +pound;900 is Robert Norris from Qinetiq. Robert Norris Spacecraft Integration GSE Manager at Qinetiq commented: I was delighted to win the PicoScope 4227 Kit this definitely breaks the I never win anything+rdquo; rule for me. We do use hand-held scopes but have no experience with the Pico brand and are looking forward to putting it through its paces+rdquo;. Thank you to all of you that took part in the Amplicon free prize draw.

05.10.2011 Amplicon Panel PC's upgrade

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Medium sized Panel PCs have steadily increased in popularity due to improvements in both processor and display technologies. Our latest Senses models utilise the Intel Atom Processor which has been one of Intels most recent success stories within industrial electronics. The Senses 5200 series have been designed with harsh environments in mind. All models feature a rugged aluminium front bezel and protective glass screen with integral touchscreen fully protected against dust ingress and water jets. A newly designed anti-vibration system allows the system to operate with a standard 2.5+rdquo; hard drive up to 1.3G. Fitting one of our Industrial Solid State Drives or CompactFlash increases the operational vibration further to an impressive 3G Furthermore this also extends operational temperatures from as low as -10+deg;C and up to 55+deg;C. Other key features: IP65/NEMA 4 protection Anti-vibration up to 3G WLAN IEEE 802.b and 802.11g options

01.09.2011 Amplicon launch customer focused Comms and Networking web shop

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon today unveiled Commsandnetworking.com a fast secure and user friendly web shop tailored to provide customers with easy online access to an extensive range of industrial grade data communication products from industry leading manufacturers. The new web shop provides an easy way to access and purchase from a wide choice of industrial network solutions based on copper fibre and wireless networks for all major communications protocols. On-line customers will find hundreds of infrastructure gateway and conversion products suitable for almost any industrial application and budget. Now customers can quickly and easily search through Amplicons portfolio of world renowned products from industry leading manufacturers such as Moxa GarrettCOM Patton Digi Icron as well as the new EtherWAN product line from Axiomtek. Detailed product information is presented clearly and concisely to help customers choose the right product for their application; and the Amplicon team of technical support and application engineers are on hand to provide further assistance if required. Commsandnetworking.com provides easy on-line ordering via 128 bit SSL secure web servers along with HSBC certified secure transactions and Google checkout payment methods to ensure the customers on-line shopping experience is as secure and simple as possible.

30.08.2011 Best-in-class performance handheld LCR meter

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicons Measurement and Control Group has launched the new Agilent U1730C Series of Handheld LCR Meters. The new Agilent U1730C Series LCR meter offers greater measurement accuracy broader frequency coverage and wider test ranges. Engineers can now measure a wide range of test frequencies of up to 100 KHz a capability typically found only in benchtop meters; better yet the battery lasts up to 16 hours which makes it ideal for testing on the go. These LCR meters also cover wide measurement parameters including Z L C R DCR ESR as well as D Q and +Theta; for more detailed component analysis; making the U1730C Series ideal both in component evaluations on the production line and for fundamental impedance testing. Agilents new U1730C Series LCR meters let engineers and technicians perform quick basic measurements at their convenience. Compared to its predecessors noteworthy enhancements include selectable test frequencies up to 100 kHz (U1733C) and 0.2 per cent measurement accuracy. The U1730C Series also includes automatic component identification which displays the device type and detailed analysis of parameters such as total impedance DC resistance and equivalent series resistance.

24.08.2011 Amplicon announce strategic partnership with ICP DAS

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have expanded their industrial automation product portfolio with a new partnership with the market leading ICP DAS Amplicon proudly announce an exciting new partnership venture with ICP DAS a world leader in the design development and manufacture of high quality low cost industrial automation products and solutions. For over 35 years Amplicon has been providing the market place with advanced remote I/O controllers distributed I/O modules and Programmable Automation Controller products and solutions; making Amplicon one of the leading suppliers in the field of industrial control and automation. ICP DAS and Amplicon will begin collaborating immediately on the design development and marketing of cost effective integrated solutions to automation industries around the globe. This strategic partnership will be a key part of the Amplicon product portfolio and will allow us to improve the ability to provide leading edge innovative industrial automation solutions.

19.08.2011 Amplicon running for their lives

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0100

On Sunday 14th August the brave members of team Amplicon joined the Cancer Research South Coast Half Marathon in Seaford East Sussex. Rigorous training had been undertaken over a number of months; well that was what we were led to believe! The end result found the team limbering up on a chilly Sunday morning in preparation for a very early morning jog along the Seaford sea front! Amplicon support cancer research nationally and locally by sponsoring The Martlets Hospice magazine; annually we join in with the +lsquo;Wear it Pink campaign and this year we have added sponsorship of the +lsquo;Running for their Lives event and in the process managed to raise an outstanding +pound;800! Cancer Research is a charity very dear to our hearts at Amplicon. Following some years of treatment our financial controller Amanda Hoxha won something that money just cant buy! After 5 years of perseverance she got the official confirmation that she was completely cured of her cancer. So at Amplicon we know that together we can help Cancer Research find new ways to prevent diagnose and treat cancer. Well done Team Amplicon!

29.07.2011 Amplicon sponsors University of Brighton Awards ceremony 2011

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0100

The School of Computing Engineering and Product Design University of Brighton held its annual School prize giving event on Wednesday 27th July 2011 at the impressive new Huxley Building. The annual awards recognise outstanding student performance across a number of engineering and technology areas. Amplicon have been supporters of both the university and the local promotion of science and engineering at grass roots level. This year Gina Citroni the chief executive officer and owner of Amplicon was asked to talk to the parents and students on the need for electronic engineers in UK industry. Citroni commented on the fact that for the past few years all universities have been experiencing difficulty in recruiting students into electrical/electronic engineering courses. There has been an 8% decline in students going on to study engineering at university level over the past decade and this is despite the fact that there are an increasing number of individuals attending university up to 25% more than ten years ago. Amplicon presented the Jim Hicks Memorial Prize to Louis Fox for his project +lsquo;Intelligent control of a waste water pumping station for which he received a 1st Class BEng (Hons) degree in Digital Electronics Computing and Communications. Louis will be continuing his education by following his current exam success with a Masters Degree.

25.07.2011 Amplicon proudly announce its partnership with Pico Technology

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon proudly announce its partnership with Pico Technology a worldwide leader in the design development and manufacture of high-performance PC Oscilloscopes and Data Loggers. For over 35 years Amplicon has been the UKs number one distributor and manufacturer of high quality Test and Measurement and Data Acquisition products that are specifically designed to meet both budgetary and technical requirements; from low-cost entry level through to high-precision integrated solutions. This partnership with Pico Technology has enabled Amplicon to boost its product portfolio to provide leading edge innovative Test and Measurement and Data Acquisition solutions. James Okpeh Amplicon Measurement and Control Product Specialist commented: - The partnership with Pico Technology underlines Amplicons on going commitment to provide our customers with high quality products and solutions.

28.06.2011 It's all change at Amplicon

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100

As we finish one of our most successful trading years we are delighted to be announcing the following team changes and promotions. Niraj Haria takes on the responsibility of senior sales engineer supporting our UK sales manager with the day to day supervision and training of our technical sales team. Emily Corris moves to the newly created position of production controller; managing our busy configuration department and production planning process reporting directly to the operations director. Gavin Chalkley our engineering and support technician will now be working in our configuration team with special responsibility for the more complex integrated solution projects. We are also pleased to announce that Danny Ditroia our trainee industrial computing sales engineer has successfully made the transition to full competency. Congratulations and good luck to all of you!

28.06.2011 Beauty is skin deep at Amplicon

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100

As June is the final month of the Amplicon financial year the team agreed to work without taking a single day off as holiday to ensure that our target beating year finished on an exceptional high! To reward their hard work a special treat was arranged - a team of local beauticians spent 2 days providing various treatments ranging from massage to pedicures. Team Amplicon probably the most beautiful team in the world!

27.06.2011 Accounts exam success at Amplicon

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Megan Pearce Amplicons Junior Accounting Technician has passed all of her Pitman accounts exams She has completed 4 separate examinations in Purchase Ledger Sales Ledger as well as exams in the use and understanding of Excel and Access Not only has she managed to pass all of these everyone of them was passed with distinction What a very clever girl! Congratulations to Megan!