Measuring taste

C.W. Brabender Instruments Inc., along with Kanagawa, Japan-based Intelligent Sensor Technology Inc. (Insent), offers the Taste Sensing System TS-5000Z for collecting taste data. The system employs the same mechanism as the human tongue through the use of artificial lipid membrane sensors, which imitate the taste reception of food goods and pharmaceuticals and interprets them as numerical data, the company says. The quantification of taste data is handled by original algorithms and can be displayed in various ways through a rich array of graphing tools, it says.  In addition to the evaluation of initial taste, the instrument also measures the richness, sharpness, bitterness and astringency characteristics of aftertastes, it adds.

C.W. Brabender Instruments Inc., 50 E. Wesley St., South Hackensack, N.J. 07606; 201/343-8425; cwbrabender.com.

Two-stage enclosure coolers

ITW Vortec was recently awarded a patent for its two-stage cooling system Vortex A/C Enclosure Coolers. The newly patented Vortex A/C Enclosure Coolers in models 7770, 7670 and 7570 are large enclosure coolers with a cooling capacity of 5,000 British thermal units an hour, the company says. Their two-stage cooling system is designed to conserve compressed air, it says. During regular usage, the coolers utilize only the first cooling stage; however, when there is increased demand for cooling — whether due to high heat load in the enclosure, high ambient manufacturing facility temperatures, or hot weather conditions — the second cooling stage is activated, it explains. In addition, the Vortex A/C Enclosure Cooler model 7570 is designed for hazardous locations and is Underwriters Laboratories-classified for use in most Class I, Division 2; Class II, Division 2; and Class III areas, it adds. The newly patented products are part of the family of Vortex A/C Enclosure Coolers, which are 70 percent quieter than traditional vortex enclosure coolers, according to ITW Vortec. The company also has a patent pending on features used in all of its HazLoc Vortex A/C models.

ITW Air Management, 10125 Carver Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242; 800/441-7475; vortec.com.

Conductive liquid measurement

Spirax Sarco released its new EFT10 Electromagnetic Flow Transmitter for measuring conductive fluids. The EFT10 combines the pulse hybrid method of coil excitation with digital communications to provide end users with a product to measure all types of conductive liquid applications, including mining, slurries, waste and low-conductivity media, it says. It also features a user-friendly keypad for programming, a 10-year memory, batch control, a RS485 Modbus interface, HART, two 4-20mA outputs, and a scalable pulse frequency output, it adds.

Spirax Sarco USA, 1150 Northpoint Blvd., Blythewood, S.C. 29016; 800/575-0394; spiraxsarco.com.

Reusable, rackable pallet

Rehrig Pacific Co. launched its new GMA Rackable Plastic Pallet, a 100 percent recyclable pallet made from a high-density polyethylene resin using high-pressure injection molding that prevents moisture and bacteria absorption, the company says. “We’ve engineered the GMA Pallet as a result of customizing innovative products and solutions that help our customers achieve a lower cost per trip, improve sustainability, and ultimately provide efficiency in every aspect of the supply chain,” said Jerry Koefelda, general manager for Rehrig Pacific Co., in a statement. The GMA Pallet meets current Food Safety Modernization Act and ePedigree traceability standards, providing the ability to track and trace product movement throughout the supply chain, it says. The monitoring system tracks temperature conditions, shock and vibration to lower the risk of liability due to product damage or loss, it adds.

Rehrig Pacific Co., 4010 E. 26th St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90058; 800/421-6244; rehrigpacific.com.

New shrink labeler features

PDC International Corp. re-introduced its R-250 Evolution shrink labeler with new features that give it added versatility for food, beverage and sanitary environments, the company says. New construction features include a welded stainless steel frame and complete stainless steel construction. Designed for 24/7 operation, it uses PDC’s proprietary blade assembly, which serves as a longer-lived alternative to “spinning knives” and is designed to last for months, it says. Controlled by an Allen-Bradley CompactLogix programmable logic controller, touch screen and servos, the R-250 is able to apply full-sleeve shrink labels and tamper-evident sleeves to full or empty containers at speeds of 50 to 250 containers a minute, it says. Systems also can be built with optional modules for vertical and horizontal perforations; date coding; 1- and 2-D barcode scanning; sensor and verification package enhancements to identify jams downstream, fallen bottles, low air pressure, and other anomalies and provide detailed machine status indication; an articulating splice table for precise roll splicing; conveyors; and shrink tunnels, it adds.

PDC International Corp., 8 Sheehan Ave., South Norwalk, Conn. 06854; 203/853-1516; pdc-corp.com.

Measuring coating resistivity

Paul N. Gardner Co. Inc. offers its new TQC Manual Cupping Tester for testing the resistivity of coatings at various stages of deformation in accordance with International Standard Organization 1520. Testing is carried out either to a predetermined indentation depth at which the panel is evaluated for defects in the coating or to the depth at which the first defects in the coating form, the company explains. To measure a sample, it is placed coated side up inside the clamp, which holds the panel in place, and then the micrometer is turned on and the handle is gently turned to raise the indenter to perform the measurement, it says. The built-in gear box minimizes the manual force required to deform the test panel, allowing it to perform a smooth deformation, it says. It also digitally displays the degree of deformation at a resolution of 0.01 mm, it adds.

Paul N. Gardner Co. Inc., 316 N.E. First St., Pompano Beach, Fla. 33060; 954/946-9454; gardco.com.

Software bundles

Noregon Systems introduced its JPro Next Step Bundles. The 16 new part numbers bundle the JPro Next Step Service Information Module with JPro Commercial Fleet Diagnostics Heavy Duty software and all of the JPro Fleet Service Kits. “Since the launch of our JPro Next Step Service Information Module earlier this year, our customers have requested that we combine JPro Next Step with our most popular products,” said Greg Reimmuth, vice president of sales and marketing for JPro Commercial Fleet Products, in a statement. “This streamlined approach makes it easy for JPro customers to quickly identify and purchase the best diagnostics and repair solution for their operation.” New JPro customers purchasing a JPro Next Step bundle receive 15 months of support and updates for JPro software and 15 months of JPro Next Step — which equates to three free months of JPro support and JPro Next Step, the company says. Each order for a JPro Next Step bundle requires a signed end-user license agreement for both JPro and Next Step, it adds.

Noregon Systems Inc., 7009 Albert Pick Road, Greensboro, N.C. 27409; 336/615-8555; noregon.com.