We are extremely excited to announce that we are carrying the new ROCK 4 SE single-board computer (SBC). While it is not a “drop-in” replacement for the Raspberry Pi 4, the resemblance is uncanny.
Read MoreSo...what are you going to do this weekend?
Read MoreWe are now stocking Cornell Dubilier Type 225P, Orange Drop®, Polyester Film/Foil Capacitors for your projects, especially those you looking to replace stock tone capacitors in your instruments.
Read MoreWeidmuller move to the head of the class for electric safety devices with their new Magnetic-Hydraulic HB-Series Miniature Circuit Breakers from a technology, performance and price perspective.
Read MoreIf you take your sound seriously and are willing to do some minor wire stripping and soldering – I highly recommend making your own cables and here is why
Read MoreLithium batteries boast more power while requiring less space (smaller heat sinks to name one reduced element). Utilizing these technological benefits, Schneider Electric (APC) has released the compact Smart-UPS Ultra series.
Read MoreWe are now offering cable by the foot for select product numbers and wire types for lengths less than 100 feet.
Read MoreOur premium capacitor kits are hand curated and ready to help you on your next project
Read MoreAttention circuit benders, audio repair techs, DIYers, builders, hobbyists, bird-watchers, dog-owners, aging rockers, softball moms, etc…NEAT STUFF now in stock!
Read MoreURS Electronics is now stocking Weller’s new WLIR series 60W and 30W soldering irons with LED halo ring™ and the WLSK series 5-30W variable wattage soldering station
Read MoreIn case you did not have a chance to catch last week's email, here is the gist for your mind movies with some updated text.
It is 2022, and we ask - What can URS Electronics do for you?
We are asking our customer base if there are any products, services, and changes that you would like to see.
Here are some conversation starters:
Do our current hours (8AM - 4PM, M-F) work with your schedule or are we missing you?
Are we missing that one product or product line that you always need in a pinch?
What could we do to help make placing orders more convenient for you?
If you have feedback, please kindly send a note to sales@ursele.com email. This is not a catch all email that then goes through a labyrinthian process only to give you the discourtesy of an auto attendant. No! This email goes straight to a living breathing human being ready to respond to your inquiry.
In the meantime we would encourage our readers and dedicated fans to get reacquainted with our list of vendors and manufacturers (more info)
OEMs, contractors, government agencies, redistributors, students, veterans, circuit benders, junior engineers, armchair engineers, engineer engineers, people with moustaches, people without moustaches, hang gliding enthusiasts, cosplayers, llama owners, well-behaved llamas themselves...EVERYONE is welcome in our store front.
Come in and check us out. See why people call us Radio Shack 2: The Return of Radio Shack - although I am bias and think we are a wee bit different.
Again we want to implore you to let us know what URS Electronics can do for you in 2022!
*this message brought to you by URS Electronics, a subsidiary of URS Electronics Enterprises in association with URS Electronics Pictures LTD LLC INC. No animals were harmed in the production of this email. Good dogs are welcome in our store.
Connections: How Weidmuller LUF 10.00 series interconnects help Dolby suspend your disbelief
Now that we can go to movie theaters (sort of) and immerse ourselves in a full sight and sound experience with all the fixins’, the rogue engineer might wonder what it takes to deliver the perfect sound palette as the action unfolds onscreen. The audiophiles amongst us will focus on the sound, but it is the engineer that queries as to how a theater’s sound system delivers a perfect cacophonous symphony for each showing without the proverbial wheels coming off.
Most of us know that speakers vibrate as they emit sound, and the louder and lower sounds they emit in turn vibrate just about everything they can within their zone of influence including their very enclosures. Over time, the sustained barrage of sound vibrations will work fittings loose and wire connectors ajar.
So, how do we ensure critical speaker components stay connected for repeated movie showings? This is the very question Dolby Cinema Technology Engineer, Jerry Sommerfeld put to the engineers at Weidmuller. Sommerfeld and his team at Dolby were in the process of evaluating connectors for two new high performance loudspeaker series, which require reliable, easy-to-use, and rugged interconnects. Not missing a beat, Weidmuller ultimately recommended their high current, battle tested LUF terminal blocks (part of Weidmuller’s extended OMNIMATE family), which would grant Dolby’s systems years of service.
In a nutshell, the LUF system is a PUSH IN direct-insert connection system where the connections have a “pusher” or lever. Wire ends are simply plugged into the contact point without a fuss. In turn, conductors can be easily removed by pressing the “pusher” or actuating the lever. In comparison to conventional connection systems, the direct-insertion system reduces wiring times by up to 80%. I do not know about you, but I would take an extra 48 minutes on the hour to attend to other tasks whether personal or project related.
To meet Dolby’s reliable connection during periods of heavy use (heavy vibration) requirement, the LUF PCB terminals maintain a securely closed contact point via the “Connection Safety Concept*” - where the conductor is always clamped firmly. This is how the proverbial wheels DO NOT fall off when the action packed movie soundtrack crescendos.
Sommerfeld has the final word on the project, “The balance of rugged mechanical & electrical design, ease-of-use, wire compatibility, and cost made the Weidmuller LUF 10.00 a great fit for our new high-performance System 133 & 136 loudspeakers, which will be sold into venues all over the world.”
Closer to home at URS Electronics headquarters in perpetually sunny Portland, Oregon USA, we oft get the concerned query from our customers about ways to hold wires fast in place on PCB boards. Whether it be the board of a fire alarm panel to a “it was due yesterday” robotics project to the control board of their nightmare inducing Furbie – we whole heartedly endorse the sturdy chomp of Weidmuller’s LUF series and extended OMNIMATE interconnects family to address their needs.
Should your project ever be “hanging by a thread”, in this case by wire, make sure it is fastened with a little bit of LUF.
Checkout more on Weidmuller’s LUF 10.00 here, and the full OMNIMATE family here. In addition, feel free to reach out to your friendly, URS Electronics sales representative by calling (503) 233-5341 or reach out by emailing sales@ursele.com for a LUF of interconnection.
*Connection Safety Concept is a method of connection developed by Weidmuller whereby their terminals shut automatically (and remain so) to prevent connection errors.
We here at URS world headquarters were already quite impressed by Crouzet's Millenium Series of logic controllers (only one “n” in Millenium for those keeping google score). Never a company that rests on its laurels, Crouzet went and outdid themselves with the Millenium Slim series PLCs. Here are 4 reasons we think you will be a convert:
1. SPACE REDUCTION: The Millenium Slim is the smallest logic controller ever with a total width of 17.5 mm (.69 in).
2. MULTIPURPOSE: With multiple functions, the Slim can replace any number of products in your control panel.
3. INTERCONNECTIVITY: Onboard Bluetooth technology allows for wireless connectivity to easily access your applications.
4. SIMPLICITY: Intuitive "easiest-to-use" software and smartphone virtual display allows for cable-less quick start and fast maintenance.
If you are interested in more information on the world's smallest logic controller with all the power of the infinity stones (hyperbole), we encourage to you to reach out to your URS account representative at (503) 233-5341 or email us at sales@ursele.com.
Not convinced?! Crouzet has a great page with all the "infos". (Take me there now!)
Order $400 or more from Weidmuller's TERMSERIES FG Relay line and they will send you a free Stripax tool!
”Why should I care, let alone spend $400” - Tom, 42 - Beverage Wrangler, Portland Bottling Co.
Well, Tom. Two words, FUNCTIONAL SAFETY! Weidmuller's force-guided relays provide synchronous switching at both contacts ensuring the signaling contact maintains the same switching status in the event of an error. (No simultaneous conditions!)
“Yeah, I still don’t care…”
Tom, I hear what you are saying. What does this all mean to you…so, let my touch on that. I drive by your loading dock every weekday morning around 7:15am. You have been up since the wee hours loading and unloading palette after palette of tasty beverages. I’m in my Subaru blasting some tunes to get pumped for the day, Perhaps, I am sipping some coffee as I pass. I barely notice that your loading doors are open, and I most certainly cannot hear the courtesy honk that all certified, well-seasoned, all-pro forklift surgeons like yourself give as a warning to passersby. I have no way of knowing that a heavy motorized object, lifting another heavy object is moving into my thoroughfare with all the mass and inertia of a rogue black hole. Except! For our sakes, a capacitive sensor is tripped sending a little blast of voltage to a waiting relay that closes a circuit attached to lifesaving safety equipment - light curtains. The light curtains flash on, thus, alerting me that something may be barreling toward me! My head snaps toward the doorway of the now lit loading dock. I have seen the light, and now I see you, Tom! I slow my roll and let you pass. We wave and part as friends. Two lives and hundreds of premium beverages are saved because of the action of a reliable, FG relay, and you, Tom. FUNCTIONAL SAFETY.
“Take my money!”
I will, Tom. See you tomorrow, and maybe we will have a little less drama this time. For my Ted Talk, please see my youtube channel.
Suggested usage for FG Relays: light curtains, interlock and e-stop switches, and other critical safety circuits that require synchronous signaling contact.
MORE INFO on TERMSERIES FG relays.
And now for something (not so) completely different…
Weidmuller's RockStar® ModuPlug sets new standards for modular connector systems. To put it simply, they solve the omnipresent space problem by offering increased functionality over reduced installation space requirements. These features in turn reduce the overall weight and by extension, cost!
Read our full overview here. Grab a FREE sample by clicking HERE (Give me my free sample!)
As mentioned a few months prior, URS is now a vendor of Crouzet products. While some of our readers are familiar with Crouzet, we want to circle back around to highlight a couple of products we think are particularly useful.
Crouzet's SYR-Line Universal Digital Timer lives up to its moniker with a wide time range (0.1s to 100-day delay), universal voltage input (12 to 240 VUC), and universal mounting connection. Furthermore, it includes ALL the classic TDR functions with such hits like: OFF-Delay, ON-Delay, and REPEAT-cycle. For anyone in the world of industrial automation, the SYR-Line Universal DT is a must have.
In addition to the timer, we highly recommend checking out Crouzet's phenomenal Millenium 3 series of logic controllers. To say that it "slices, dices, and purees" would be a gross understatement (despite the humorous pop-culture hyperbole), as the M3 combines monitoring, timing, counting, temperature control, level control, and countless other functions in one easy-to-use logic controller. Besides the astounding array of functions, the other aspect we like about the Millenium 3 is that it sheds the myth that powerful and complex logic controllers must be a pain to program and use. Even better, one can download the M3 software for FREE via the Crouzet website, and start working out logic control functions on a theoretical basis before applying them in the real world.
Crouzet is an independent company manufacturing electromechanic and electronic components providing: Switches and Sensors, Electromechanical Actuators, Electrical Protection Equipments, and Automation Controllers and Relays. For more information on Crouzet logic controllers, time delay relays, and other products, please reach out to your URS representative. No rep, no problem - call us at (503) 233-5341 or email inquires to sales@ursele.com.
Weidmuller's RockStar® ModuPlug sets new standards for modular connector systems. To put it simply, they solve the omnipresent space problem by offering increased functionality over reduced installation space requirements. These features in turn reduce the overall weight and by extension, cost!
If you are unfamiliar with the term modular connector system - it is a system consisting of individual modular connectors - each modular connector either an input or output - that connects electrical devices within a network. Sometimes these connector systems have limited space requirements while needing to maintain a large number of connections - picture a maintenance shed loaded with water pumps, relays, temperature controls, gate controls, and other equipment miles from the main pumping station. In this case, the RockStar® ModuPlug is well-suited to work within tight spaces due to its high density of contacts within a smaller form factor compared to the industry standard.
Bottom line: When you have those modules populated then make that final connection in a shed miles from nowhere and all of the machinery whirs ON for a job a well done …you are truly a RockStar®, and the plug is pretty cool too!
Here are some of the ways the RockStar® lives up to its name:
The Pitch size is halved thus doubling the number of module spaces and therefore increasing functionality.
Power to weight ratio – the 100 A module is available in a “Single Plus 1.5” width which is narrower than the market standard. This allows for more modules over the same space versus the standard size. In addition, there are even smaller frames and enclosure sizes to save additional space and weight.
More signals over less space/weight – Higher contact density. The double HD 36 has 36 signal contacts (rated at 250 V), 50% more than the market standard.
And all this with more convenient installation!
In-depth analysis and product information on the RockStar® ModuPlug can be found here.
For more information on Weidmuller products, please contact your inside sales representative or give us a call at 503-233-5341.
At any given time, we stock a broad range of Autonics proximity and temperature sensors as well as a robust number of temperature controls, timing relays, and modular switches.
For proximity sensors, we have several flavors of the CR Series – Cylindrical Capacitive Proximity Sensors – which can detect any material with a dielectric different than air. They can detect a wide range of materials from conductive to non-conductive types AND are easily configurable to boot!
In addition to the CR series, we have robust offerings in the PR Series and PRCM Series of proximity sensors. Both series are available in various sizes and sensing distances and are designed to work in a diverse range of applications calling for non-contact detection of metallic objects. One thing we noted is that you will not have to worry about EMI interference as both series feature noise immunity with a specialized sensor IC.
Switching gears, we offer a wide variety of Autonics Temperature Controllers ranging from the high performance TK Series featuring high precision temperature control with simultaneous heating and cooling options, to the economical dual display TCN and TC series as well as the highly-touted dual-speed TZN series which feature dual-speed PID control for high-speed or high-precision temperature control.
Lastly, to fill that IDEC sized whole in your heart, we carry Autonics modular switches and pilot light products. We are high on these products for a number of reasons including their reputation for long-lasting durability, smooth operation (queue the song "Smooth Operator", high electrical conductivity, modular design, stackable contacts and the wide variety of colors and actuator forms to choose from.
For more information on Autonics product options, please conntact your inside sales representative or give us a call at 503-233-5341.
If you are in the industry, at some point in time you have probably heard of the coming of single-pair ethernet. You may have thought, well it has been hear for a while. It could be that the reticence to move away from legacy infrastructure keeps single-pair ethernet in a bleeding-edge limbo of sorts. The fact is, single pair ethernet is here, it is getting better and it can go a long way to meeting the demands your infrastructure requires.
A brief history of single-pair ethernet
Around 2015 the auto industry begin to rely more heavily on SPE (Single Pair Ethernet) due to it's cost, space, and weight saving properties while being able to transmit data at a fast rate. SPE controls all of the snazzy modern computerized functions that cars now come loaded with without weighing down your conveyance with miles of heavy cabling.
Why SPE for industrial applications?
SPE allows for consistent data transmission at a field level while only using one-pair versus two, four of more pairs.
The advantages:
Thinner cables, lower weight, and less space requirements
Lower cost
Smaller bending radii and drag chains
Less bulk material like copper and plastics
For more information on SPE contact your inside sales representative or give us a call at 503-233-5341
URS Electronics offers a wide variety of SPE options form Weidmuller, Belden, Panduit and more.
Consider how much easier it would be to place one order with us, saving your team time and money by leaving the heavy lifting to one of our trusted vendors be it Hammond Mfg., Bud Industries, Weidmuller, or Amerimation. They do the prep time, layout, drilling, tapping, cutting, painting, assembly, and any extra product handling allowing you to focus on the more important aspects of your project.
We have an extensive track record delivering high quality value-added services to numerous OEMs and we are confident we can deliver the best in factory quality modified enclosures to move your project forward.
Check out what our vendors have to offer by following one of the links below:
Hammond Modification Services
Bud Industries Electronic Enclosure Modifications
Weidmuller Modified and Assembled Enclosures
Once you have explored our vendor options and are ready to develop a customized enclosure, call us at (503) 233-5341 or email us and we will assist you.
A sample of custom enclosure setups via Hammond Mfg.
While we have the right parts at the right price, we also have your team's back with a suite of Value-Added services that are primed to take your project to the next level.
Ranging from custom sets of fully kitted components, factory quality custom enclosures with precise drill points and cutouts, custom tool kits and label printing, DIN Rail Layout Assembly Drawings (to scale!), and sub-assemblies to fully designed, assembled, and wired DIN Rails or complete control enclosures; our Value-Added service team is ready to assist you.
Worth considering is the cost saving of not having to modify equipment on the fly or at the job site. We can have everything designed "plug-n-play" and ready for install.
With an extensive track record delivering high quality value-added services to numerous high-end OEMs (including Portland Kettle Works) and local government agencies (ODOT), we are confident we can remove any pain points and move your project forward.
As the world continues to open up, go beyond the components, and look to URS' value-added service suite as a one-stop shop for your next project. For more information call us at (503) 233-5341 or email us here.
Coming soon: An overview of our enclosure customization options including custom fit drilling and screen printing.
Single part number custom interface boards and modules are just one of our value-added options available for your future projects.
Need Value-Added for your next project?
Tell us about your project by filling out the form below.
