Trojan Battery Expands Innovative Plus Series^™ Line

Trojan Battery Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of deep cycle batteries, announced today the introduction of two new models: The T-1275 Plus™ and J150 Plus™ 12-volt batteries to its Plus Series line.  The addition of the 12-volt batteries to its existing 6-volt models introduced earlier this year further expands Trojan’s product portfolio in all deep-cycle markets.

The Plus Series deep cycle batteries have distinct features that were designed specifically to meet customer requests including Trojan’s SureVent™ flip-top vent cap system for safer, faster and easier watering; Trojan’s built-in maximum electrolyte level indicator for precise watering that results in better performance and longer life; and Trojan’s embedded terminals for higher durability.  

The T-1275 Plus is engineered as the ideal battery for golf cars and the J150 Plus, in addition to all the advantages of the Plus Series, includes rope handles to facilitate easy lifting and installation for users.

“Being first-to-market with a superior 12-volt golf battery demonstrates our worldwide market leadership and continued commitment to our customers in the deep cycle markets that we serve,” said David Godber, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Trojan Battery.  

The Plus Series batteries are available through Trojan’s Master Distributor Network in the following sizes: T-105 Plus, T-125 Plus, T-145 Plus, T-1275 Plus and J150 Plus. Trojan’s proprietary Maxguard® Advanced Design Separator and exclusive Alpha Plus® paste formulation are still included. Together, these patented technologies help extend the life of your battery, sustain performance and lower water consumption and overall maintenance costs.

About Trojan Battery Company
Trojan Battery Company is the world’s leading manufacturer of deep cycle batteries and a longtime battery technology pioneer, having built the first golf car battery in 1952. Trojan batteries provide power for a wide variety of industrial, recreational and auxiliary power applications. Trojan Battery Company, founded in 1925, is ISO 9001:2000 certified with operations in California and Georgia.

To learn more about Trojan Battery Company and Plus Series™ products, visit www.trojanbattery.com or call 800-423-6569.

Shaft Collar Handle Designed for High Torque Tightening

For more information visit www.staffordmfg.com.

Rubber Magnet Allows Magnetic Drain Plug Redesign

For years, greasy handed mechanics have been dropping magnetic drain plugs and shattering the brittle magnets.  Sintered magnetic materials, which are normally used to make these plugs, are easily cracked or chipped, so there is virtually no option for more durability.   AlNiCo and ceramic magnets might not even survive the manufacturing processes that utilize crimping to secure them in place.  A new rubber bonded magnet from The Electrodyne Company of Batavia, OH, offers a better option for design engineers as well as for the mechanics using the product. 

Plastalloy, a high-energy material that maintains its superior performance characteristics when subjected to the rigors of service in a hot oil environment, can also withstand the high impact of a crimping press, and can survive being dropped from virtually any height.  That’s what prompted design engineers from General Plug and Manufacturing to redesign their magnetic drain plugs to incorporate the benefits of the virtually unbreakable Plastalloy material.  Their patent-pending result is more aesthetically appealing, offers increased customer benefits, and it is simpler to produce.  

Drain plugs are pretty straightforward.  A threaded plug fitted with some kind of secondary seal assembles into a tapped hole in an engine oil drain pan or a differential housing.  Many manufacturers simply affix a magnet to a standard designed plug to catch ferrous particles in the oil stream,    

No More Crimping My Style

Holding the magnet in place is commonly achieved by crimping.  The metal surrounding the magnet is crimped in several places to ensure that it does not come loose from the plug end.  This is problematic because excess force from the crimping device will damage AlNiCo or ceramic materials.  These commonly used magnets are very brittle, and crack easily when subject to crimping pressure. 

Another mounting method utilizes a set-screw through a hole in the middle of the magnet.  This requires extra labor to tighten the screw, and is problematic if too much force is applied (again cracking the brittle magnetic materials).  Epoxies also suffice for holding magnets in place, but this method is troublesome as the epoxy is messy, requires considerable labor to install, and time to cure, thus complicating the manufacturing procedure. 

To eliminate these problems, General Plug forms a pocket in the end of the drain plug, and then inserts the rubber bonded Plastalloy high-energy magnet into the pocket.  Material from the rim of the pocket is then roll-formed over the Plastalloy during the patented process, holding it firmly in place.  The “bead” that is rolled over the magnets edge is both uniform and functional, ensuring that the magnet is held firmly in place with no sharp edges to harm those removing or installing the drain plug. 

Unlike the sintered materials, Plastalloy is resilient and durable enough to withstand the roll forming procedure.  Since it requires no additional materials, retention by roll forming results in a more attractive and cost-effective end product than one where retention is achieved by means of epoxies, adhesives or retaining screws. 

Straight Threads Simplify Installation & Removal

Drain plug threads are typically either straight or tapered, each with its advantages and drawbacks.  Tapered threads are cut or formed on an angle, so that when they are assembled with a mating thread, there is interference between the external and internal threads.  To ensure that the threads are sealed, Teflon tape or liquid thread sealant is commonly applied to the thread surfaces – a time consuming process, especially for plugs which are removed and re-installed frequently, as in oil drain applications.
 
Plugs with straight threads are easier to install and remove as they require no thread sealing.  A seal is typically assembled between the underside of the plug head and the mating surface of the drain hole.  Fiber, plastic, copper or other materials have been used as seals.  While temporarily effective, they loosen during use, requiring retightening or alternately, producing leaks if not tightened, which implies poor quality. 

The patent-pending General Plug design features metal-to-metal contact between the bearing surface of the plug and the bearing surface of the tapped hole.  This allows a proper torque-tension relationship to be maintained on the assembled plug.  Sealing is accomplished by encasing an elastomeric washer-seal within a groove formed on the underside of the head of the plug (see drawing).  Since straight threads are used, the plugs can readily be installed and removed.  

Initially, the design is available in M20 and M22 sizes, though VP of Sales Jerry Jenkins is quick to point out that other sizes are attainable. 

Magnetic drain plugs are useful in many industrial and commercial applications, including automotive & transportation industries, power transmission products, or any system that benefits from the removal of suspended ferrous particles.  With high-energy Plastalloy rubber bonded magnets on the “business end” of the drain plug, design engineers and mechanics alike can rest assured that the plug will provide many years of trouble free service. 

About Electrodyne:

With over thirty years of experience and nearly 50 patents awarded to them, The Electrodyne Company Inc., is an industry leader in magnetic material design and manufacturing.  Their fully equipped lab can perform testing to include magnetic hysteresis, magnetic field mapping, tensile strength, elongation, gauss measurements, heat aging, pull testing, and more.  All facilities are ISO 9001/2000 registered for quality assurance. 

Plastalloy™ can be magnetized using various magnetization methods including conventional, two-poles each side, multiple-poles, or with custom magnetization patterns to suit many demanding industrial applications.  It is available in magnet sheets, strips or die-cut shapes, with options including pressure sensitive adhesive, polarity identification, customized formulations, and special cutting techniques.   Electrodyne’s veteran staff can provide technical assistance, including the production of specialized compounds and magnetizing fixtures to meet customers’ demands. 

For more information on Electrodyne magnets, contact The Electrodyne Company, Inc., 4188 Taylor Road, Batavia, OH  45103, visit www.edyne.com, e-mail to info@edyne.com, or call (513) 732-2822.

About General Plug:

General Plug and Manufacturing is a primary manufacturer of pipe plugs, reducer bushings, special cold-formed parts, and automatic screw machine parts.  Located in Grafton, Ohio, the company has been supplying OEM manufacturers with value added products for over 50 years.  For more information on General Plug and Manufacturing visit www.generalplug.com, or contact General Plug and Manufacturing, 455 North Main Street, Grafton, OH  44044, or call (800) 289-7584.

Luber-finer Debuts Oil Analysis Program on Website

Continuing its commitment to equipping its customers with the tools they need to make their jobs easier, Luber-finer, a division of Champion Laboratories, Inc., and a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty filtration products for the transportation, off-road/mining, marine, agriculture and automotive light truck industry, has added a Web page that focuses on its recently-debuted Oil Analysis Program. Found at www.luberfiner.com/products/labanalysis.html, this new section of Luber-finer’s Web site (www.luber-finer.com) offers a comprehensive breakdown and description of its Oil Analysis Program, including links to a Laboratory Fluid Analysis Brochure, a Fleet Equipment Flyer and Construction & Mining Equipment Flyer.

The Oil Analysis Program offers an easy-to-use, cost-effective method to manage preventative and scheduled maintenance that is completed by an unbiased, independent laboratory. By performing an oil analysis that tests for up to 19 wear materials that can be harmful to engines, Luber-finer program results can help reduce equipment downtime, increase production, maximize equipment life, lower maintenance time and cost, avoid catastrophic engine and component failure, and increase bottom-line profits.

The Oil Analysis Program works by establishing an equipment database and taking oil samples, which are then submitted for testing. Reports are compiled by Luber-finer and returned to the fleet operator, who decides what corrective active should be taken. If problems remain after corrective action was taken, resamples on problem equipment can be submitted for further analysis, with new corrective measures then provided.

In addition, the new Oil Analysis Program Web page means that all analysis reports, test results, trending graphs and recommendations from Luber-finer are now available online, offering a 24- to 48-hour turnaround time on oil analysis.

For more information on the Oil Analysis Program, please contact your local Luber-finer representative or go to www.luberfiner.com/products/labanalysis.html.

Luber-finer, a division of Champion Laboratories, Inc. is a global manufacturer of heavy duty filtration products, providing premium filtration solutions for all fleets and on highway, as well as all off-road applications such as heavy construction, mining, agriculture, oil and gas industry and marine. Luber-finer has been a trusted name in filters since 1936, providing high efficiency performance in the most demanding work environments. For more information visit www.luberfiner.com or call (800) 851-3641.

Heidenhain Offers Bearingless Technology Enabling Angle Encoder

A new series of bearingless angle encoders, the ERP 4080 and the ERP 8080 modular angle encoders, are now being introduced to the marketplace from HEIDENHAIN Corporation. These encoders offer an unequalled combination of small signal periods and large mounting tolerances, making them ideal for many highly resolved and accurate machine applications.

Typical applications of these type of angle encoders are clean environments, such as in the electronics industry (wafer positioning), or in the production and testing of storage media (servotrack writing or head testers). Of course, angle encoders can also be used in any other high-precision application with appropriate environmental conditions where highly resolved speed control may be needed as well as positioning requirements.

HEIDENHAIN is able to offer these ERPs with small signal periods combined with large mounting tolerances because of the incorporation of a new scanning method.  This method utilizes a very small scanning area that is illuminated by a spot laser (VCSEL).   The fine grating period of the circular scale (approximately 2 µm) diffracts the light which is then collimated in the scanning reticle and brought into interference.  As a result, circular scales with a grating period of 2 µm supply output signals with a signal period of approximately 1 µm.

The ERP 4080 has an outside diameter of 44 mm, an insider diameter of 8 mm and 131,072 signal periods.  The ERP 8080 has an outside diameter of 108 mm, an inside diameter of 50 mm and 360,000 signal periods.

These modular encoders are characterized by high signal quality.  The electronics integrated in the scanning head is an especially low-noise unit and permits maximum position stability and reproducibility. Measurements in the single digit nanoradian realm are possible with this encoder.

More information is available by contacting HEIDENHAIN at (847) 490-1191 or HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION, 333 E. State Parkway, Schaumburg, IL  60173.  HEIDENHAIN can also be accessed directly via the web site at www.heidenhain.com or e-mail at info@heidenhain.com.

HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION is the North American subsidiary of DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH, a leading international manufacturer of precision measurement and control equipment.  Our product line includes linear scales, rotary and angular encoders, digital readouts, digital length gages, CNC controls and machine inspection equipment.                        

Honeywell Introduces SNDH Series Quadrature Sensors

Honeywell today introduced its SNDH Series Quadrature General Industrial Speed and Direction Sensors. The SDNH gives manufacturers a new alternative for replacing “sensor bearing” products, making vehicle service easier. By separating the sensor and bearing in electric motor bearing applications, the user can service the sensor without taking the vehicle apart to remove the bearing from the motor drive.

Honeywell’s patent-pending, dual differential Hall-effect IC (integrated circuit) BiCmos technology enhances this circuit’s accuracy, allowing this sensor to detect speed and direction of small, rotating target features with large air gaps (up to 2 mm [0.08 in]). The sensor-to-sensor 90° (quadrature) phase shift accuracy is designed to be highly repeatable due to the IC packaging technique used by Honeywell, different than techniques used in competitive products. Honeywell places the IC so that tolerances are very tight, reducing variation in the manufacturing process.

Potential applications include a variety of industrial and heavy duty vehicle applications that require extremely high resolution at wide frequency ranges (0 kHz to 15 kHz) with large air gaps such as transmissions, hydraulic motors, pumps and gear boxes; steering assembly direction of rotation; replacement for bearings with integrated sensors; and tachometers/counters and encoders.

For additional information, please visit http://www.honeywell.com.

Hyster Remote Hour Meter Eliminates Unnecessary Preventive Maintenance

New lift truck add-on greatly reduces maintenance and labor costs

Hyster Company in partnership with On-Board Communications, introduces the remote hour meter reading device, a new approach to reducing maintenance time and labor costs. A valuable tool for lift truck owners and operators, the remote hour meter, available from authorized Hyster® dealers, has the ability to remotely acquire and automatically track lift truck run time, which saves time and effort normally spent on maintenance and manual product checks.

The remote hour meter is housed in a 3” x 5” box and links to a customizable digital paging network. The meter’s customizable network allows operators to select a specific time for the device to submit truck runtime data. Users can log into the network and check this information at any time from any computer.

The innovative features of the remote hour meter offer numerous benefits to fleet owners. With the customizable LiftTraks™ web-based software interface, managers can use the network’s grouping capability to view an entire fleet or specific units based on their specific settings. GPS capabilities are offered as an optional add-on to remotely track the location of fleet trucks, providing another valuable resource in fleet management and control.

The remote hour meter continues Hyster Company’s tradition of providing high-quality after-sales service. Combined with a dealer network of over 240 authorized locations, the new remote hour meter ensures unmatched lift truck reliability and performance. Hyster customers also have access to an expansive parts availability program, in-depth operator training and product customization for special applications.

To find your local Hyster dealer, please visit www.hysteramericas.com.

About Hyster
Based in Greenville, North Carolina, Hyster Company is a leading lift truck designer and manufacturer in North America. Hyster Company offers more than 130 models configured for gasoline, LPG, diesel, and electric power, with the widest capacity range in the industry — from 2,500 lbs to 105,000 lbs. Supported by the industry’s largest and most experienced dealer network, Hyster Company builds durable lift trucks that deliver high productivity, low total cost of ownership, easy serviceability, and advanced ergonomic features; accompanied by outstanding parts, service and training support.

About On-Board Communications
Based in Dallas, Texas, On-Board Communications (www.on-boardcommunications.com ) specializes in products and services to remotely track equipment and vehicle fleets. The On-Board team has over 100 years of experience in the design, development and implementation of systems to help companies lower their operating costs.