Wireless Addition

AC motor lift trucks
Hyster Co. recently introduced the J40-65Z series of sit-down, counter-balanced electric, pneumatic tire lift trucks with AC motor technology. The 4,000- to 6,500-pound capacity series uses an AC electric-drive motor, and gives operators a quiet, comfortable ride, according to the company. The J-Series lift truck features a low-maintenance AC traction motor with no motor brushes, commutators or contactors, and an optional brushless hoist motor completes the AC system configuration. The 80-volt electrical system decreases the truck’s amp draw requirements, and Hyster Co.’s unique thermal management system keeps component temperatures within predetermined limits without interrupting operation. Operator-friendly features include the Hyster exclusive Monotrol pedal, hydrostatic steer-on-command and soft touch hydraulic control levers. — Hyster Co. Inc., 1400 Sullivan Dr., Greenville, N.C. 27834; 800/HYSTER-1; hysterusa.com

Beer filter
Millipore Corp. has announced the availability of its Brewpore caustic resistant cartridge filters for the microbiological stabilization of beer and malt-based beverages. Constructed with Millipore’s patented Durapore polyvinylidene fluoride membrane and polypropylene components, the Brewpore 0.55 µm cartridge filters offer broad chemical compatibility with commonly used sanitizing agents. Brewpore filters are resistant to thermal stress and repeated exposure to hot water and caustics, and are available in 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-inch lengths. — Millipore, 290 Concord Rd., Billerica, Mass. 01821; 800/MILLIPORE; millipore.com/biopharm
LXE Inc. has announced the MX3X is available as part of its family of Windows CE.NET/Intel X-Scale-based rugged wireless computers. The horizontal half-screen computer offers a easy-in/easy-out vehicle mounting system, which allows the MX3X to be used as a vehicle-mounted or handheld computer. With its CE.NET operating system, customers have built-in access to Microsoft's .NET Compact framework. LXE also has added standard, long and advanced long-range integrated scanning options to its MX6 handheld computer, as well as Windows Mobile 2003 operating system. In addition to four integrated scanning options, the MX3X features an area imager, a full alphanumeric keypad and an oversized, color, 1/4-VGA display with touchscreen. — LXE Inc., 125 Technology Pkwy., Norcross, Ga. 30092; 770/729-6643; lxe.com
Low-Emission Forklifts
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks has introduced 3,000- to 7,000-pound capacity pneumatic tire forklifts that meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for reducing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide emissions. The lifts feature even-changing LP tanks with an optional swing-down bracket. The N-Generation models have truck and fuel management systems that automate a wide range of functions, according to the company. The new Envir02 engines exceed 2004 U.S. EPA emissions standards, and all engines are covered by a two-year/4,000-hour limited warranty. — Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, 2121 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. N., Houston, Texas 77043; 888/MIT-LIFT; mit-lift.com
Digital Servo Drive
Rockwell Automation has introduced the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 6000 digital servo drive. The expanded power ranges allow machine builders and end users to apply Kinetix 6000 servo drives with new power ranges from 1 kW to 11 kW (230V) and 2 kW to 22 kW (460V). The drive can be used for applications including packaging, material handling and converting. Features of the drive include New Line Interface Modules, which extend the power range of the control panel, a Power Rail, which simplifies the mounting and wiring of a servo system, and a Resistive Brake Module that provides electrical separation between a drive and motor. The additional Feedback-Only Axis provides support for two feedback devices on each Kinetix 6000 integrated axis module or axis module. — Rockwell Automation Response Center, 10701 Hampshire Ave. S., Bloomington, Minn. 55438; 800/223-5354
New Display
Foxboro Automation Systems, a division of Invensys, has enhanced the human machine interface capabilities of the company’s flagship I/A Series automation system with new flat-screen liquid crystal display monitor options. This includes a new touch-screen option for Foxboro’s high-performance 20-inch LCD monitor. Compared to conventional CRT technology, LCD displays can require a smaller footprint in control rooms and do not emit electromagnetic interference. — Invensys Process Systems, 33 Commercial St., Foxboro, Mass. 02035; 866/746-6477; foxboro.com
Protection Seals
People
B&H Labeling Systems, Ceres, Calif., has appointed Bill McCann as regional sales manager. McCann's team will be responsible for expanding the business in the Northeast. Tom Williams, president of BOTTLES!, Waltham, Mass., received the Retailer of the Year Award sponsored by Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide at the American Beverage Licensees national convention in Las Vegas.
SKF Motion Technologies has introduced Nilos-Ring steel disk seals to protect grease-lubricated roller bearings in applications where wash-down or regular exposure to liquids may be required. The disk seal design incorporates a Viton gasket, which enhances sealing performance when liquids are in permanent contact with bearings. The all-metal non-contact labyrinth rings are ready-to-install, compact, and feature a 4-mm. high profile. Manufactured from stainless steel, these seals are available in a wide range of sizes. — SKF Motion Technologies, 1530 Valley Center Pkwy., Bethlehem, Pa. 18017-2266; 610/861-3712; linearmotion.skf.com
Mobile Communication
Symbol Technologies Inc. has introduced two mobile computing products. The Symbol MC9000-S and MC9000-K are designed to capture, move and manage information, and improve asset utilization in the transportation, route accounting/direct store delivery, field service and field sales market segments. The new industrial mobile computers can be used for mobile applications supported by indoor Wi-Fi and outdoor wide-area wireless networks. The Symbol MC9000-S offers a compact, slimmer format than the previously introduced MC9000-G, and the MC9000-K provides a full-sized keypad format. The Symbol MC9000 family enables customers to deploy and manage multiple applications and train their mobile workforces across an entire enterprise supply chain using a single mobile computing platform.— Symbol Technologies Inc., One Symbol Plaza, Holtsville, N.Y. 11742-1300; 800/722-6234; symbol.com/mobile.
PET Flange
FCI has developed an anti-rotation flange to replace the round flange used on PET bottles. The flange incorporates flats into the flange ring, while maintaining the same outside diameter, and the ring fits into mating segments on the capper star to stop the bottles from spinning during cap application. The new design eliminates the use of traditional sharp knife points, according to the company. — FCI Inc., 4661 Giles Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3756; 800/321-1032; fci-usa.com
Expansion Chambers
Trico Manufacturing Corp. recently introduced Equalizer Expansion Chambers designed to prevent pressure increases in closed-system equipment. The chambers feature a rolling diaphragm, which provides a variable volume that when properly sized maintains housing pressure at or near 0 PSI. Expansion chambers also protect the integrity of closed systems by preventing the exchange of air from the chamber to the surrounding atmosphere. The Equalizer is made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel and a Viton rolling diaphragm, which provides a full air expansion capability as high as 25 cubic inches.
— Trico Manufacturing Corp., 1235 Hickory St., Pewaukee, Wis. 53072; 262/691-9471; tricomfg.com
Control Valve Brochure
Emerson has released a brochure for its Fisher Enviro-Seal valve-stem packing system, serving both environmental and non-environmental control valve applications. The 12-page brochure reviews the system's design principles that result in valve stem sealing to below 100 ppmv. The brochure also illustrates the company’s sliding stem and rotary valve systems. In other company news, Emerson Process Management, a branch of Emerson, has released version 6.2 of its AMS Suite Intelligent Device Manager. — Emerson, P.O. Box 4100, 8000 W. Florissant Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63136-8506; 314/553-2000; gotoemerson.com
Barcode Printer
Squid Ink has launched CPS-1000, a case printing system that helps users eliminate purchasing pre-printed boxes. The CPS-1000 allows users to print as much as 1.4 inches of barcodes, graphics or text on corrugate cases.
— Squid Ink Manufacturing Inc., 1173 Osborne Rd., Spring Lake Park, Minn. 55432; 800/877-5658; squidink.com
Bottle Feeder
Industrial Consortium and Nercon Manufacturing have introduced an infeed system for cooler or pasteurizer bottle feeding. The ICwedge is designed to handle non-round bottle difficulties associated with high-speed single-file feeding to mass flow in hot-fill applications. By increasing throughput by more efficient use of cooler space, the ICwedge also improves package quality by gently handling the containers. — Industrial Consortium, 110 Gilmer St./P.O. Box 655, Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482; 877/990-5099; icwedge.com
Kegged Beer Advancement
Beer drinkers are just as discriminating as wine purchasers. On-premise providers have long understood the advantages of CO2 pressurized beer. Now the off-premise consumer can safely enjoy the same virtues without the technical overhead of heavy gas bottles and their recharging, certification, safe handling/storage and plumbing. Leland Ltd. offers equipment to ensure better taste, consistent head quality and storage longevity with simplified keg tapping and pump-free serving features.
The Leland CO2 TapGas cartridge features a small cylinder that holds 74 grams of triple-filtered 99.97 percent pure low-moisture carbon dioxide, just enough to dispense an entire quarter keg container with a small reserve. Its threaded neck facilitates easy installation (and exchange on half and full kegs), and the hermetically sealed container ensures no one has tampered with its single-use sterile gas cartridge.
The Leland PicnicTap features a modern design and a single-stage pressure regulator for the commercial beverage business. The regulator’s mounting incorporates several subtle patented safety features, and the remaining tap elements are standard features, simplifying lease fleet maintenance. PicnicTap is provided in a “grab-and-go” travel pack with two replaceable CO2 TapGas cartridges and complete instructions for every step from chilling to tapping and serving.
Additionally, in-store promotional aids include an ice-requirement chart for proper chilling. – Leland Ltd., P.O. Box 466, South Plainfield, N.J. 07080-0466; 800/984-9793; mrfizz.com

Co2 Quality Specifications (an extract)
Constituent  Critical Limitppm (v/v) Rationale
CO2 99.9 % minimum  
Total Volatile Hydrocarbons (as Methane) 50 ppm(v/v) max, of which a maximum of 20ppm(v/v) as total non-methane hydrocarbons Sensory
Total Aromatic Hydrocarbon(Benzene) 0.02 ppm (v/v) max. Regulatory
Acetaldehyde 0.2 ppm (v/v) max. Sensory
Total Sulfur (excluding SO2)(as S) 0.1 ppm (v/v) max. Sensory