MasTec Ltd
The Ingenious Devices and Smart Works Company
May 2004               Circulation 10,000                  Edition # 37

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Microprocessor Development Kits

MasTec Ltd started selling microprocessors in 1992 for Z World.
(We have been using Z World products since the 80s)

MasTec is now the distributor for both the Z World and Rabbit Semiconductor microprocessor systems. Have a look at www.zworld.com for a great range of micro options and a great C environment.

These products can be divided up into three main classifications:

Core Modules & Micro Controllers with/without Displays/Human Interfaces & Development kits

Core modules are designed for OEM system where the OEM company designs a application specific motherboard that has all the I/O and signal conditioning laid out and the engine to drive this is a Rabbit Core module consisting of CPU micro, watchdog, clock, power control, flash and SRAM, up to 6 comms RS-232, 485 and ethernet. The core module has headers with all needed control, data and address lines to plug into and control the motherboard. Clean and simple, it takes the responsibility away from the designer to have to build and manager a micro based system.

Microcontrollers are complete measurement and control systems, with a generalised motherboard with I/O and a selection of core modules to plug in. The I/O is usually a mixture of Analog and digital in and outs designed for industrial use, such as high current sinking or sourcing drivers 40VDC and 100mA and protected digital Inputs and high speed ADC and DACs. These are substitute for a PLC, controllers and PC measurement systems.

Development Kits are needed to get going in this micro world, we need a box that when we open it has everything to get developing and programming. So Z World has put in this kits exactly that, Micro controller or Core modules, Prototyping boards, sometimes LEDs, relays, switches etc so we can build simple interfaces, programming cables, Dynamic C compiler with demo C code and libraries , a complete software pack to get us going, schematics and a manual for learning.

Special:- We have the the RCM 3200 Development Kit on special. Click the hyperlink for details. The RCM 3200 is one of Z World's largest selling product, it is very powerful, has a 44MHZ CPU, loads of Flash and SRAM (512K), 10/100Mb Ethernet, plus 6 CMOS serial ports, 52 I/O and loads more features.
Our price on this kit is $625 +GST while stocks last.

New Products:-

Sealevel eI/O Modules
The eI/O modules are standardised digital I/O blocks that signal condition 8 digital TTL/CMOS I/O lines for industrial level connections. You can clip together up to 3/4 modules 8 bit modules at a time in any order to make a low cost 24/32 bit industrial signal conditioning system.

The module types are:- 8 Opto Isolated Inputs for 24VDC, 8 Opto Isolated outputs 24VDC sinking 500mA or sourcing 250mA, 8 reed relays 0.5 Amps, 8 form C 2 Amps relays, 8 form C relays 8 Amps and 8 OPTO 22 Solid State Relays either DC or AC or 8 OPTO 22 digital isolators either DC or AC ( up to 280 VAC/VDC). Notice each module has terminals for easy connection.

These modules clip together and connect to a base board that connects a standard 50 pin ribbon cable (left side of picture) to an OPTO 22 type digital I/O pinout device, either cards, USB or a Serial I/O boxes.

MasTec stocks these units. We recommend connecting to a low cost standard 24 bit Digital I/O adaptor.

Z World Secure Embedded Web Application Kit
As more embedded applications feature access via the Internet, secure transmission of data is growing increasingly critical. The Secure Embedded Web AppKit provides optimized software development tools to easily build secure web interfaces for new and existing applications.

Z World WiFi Application Kit
Integrating WiFi (IEEE 802.11b standard) with a RabbitCore™ Development Kit, embedded system integrators can now enable wireless LAN systems. Wireless connectivity eliminates Ethernet cables allowing for greater flexibility and mobility of Local Area Networks specifically for embedded systems .

Z World M2M Application Kit
M2M brings together machine control applications with wireless communications. With 50 billion ‘machines' in the world, M2M allows equipment to be monitored or controlled from anywhere, anytime, using current wireless data technologies such as GSM/GPRS, and SMS (text messaging).

MasTec News:
Smart Works Systems have released the Nokia 30 M2M low cost backplane

Industria
industria – global news about Automation, Process Control, Instrumentation, and Software for Australasia/Oceania
Website Link

New book we are recommending "LabVIEW GUI: Essential Techniques"

It describes building LabVIEW GUIs. If you think you are building good front ends this will make you super good. MasTec in 2004 will be incorporating many of the techniques in this book in project work.

Another new book we are using "LabVIEW Graphical Programming" Gary Johnson

The original LabVIEW book updated to LabVIEW 6.1. It seems that most people are at 6.1 and holding. This book is about Advanced LabVIEW programming but more than that really it focuses on specific areas and project work.

MasTec Staff Contacts :-
 Managing Director     rob.maskell@mastec.co.nz
 OEM Purchases  adam.samir@mastec.co.nz
 Product Manager  adam.samir@mastec.co.nz
 M2M Manager    graham.carter@mastec.co.nz
 Applications Engineering  christian.moxon@mastec.co.nz
 Integration Projects  graham.carter@mastec.co.nz
 Office and Sales Manager  saera.tui@mastec.co.nz
 Sales Co-Ordinator & DB Work  michelle.soakell@mastec.co.nz
 Application Engineering & Training Officer  hitul.shah@mastec.co.nz

(send Michelle any updates on company details, any new staff members etc)

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Health Tips for May:

Some more thoughts on last months April Health Tip:

We finished up with this thought:
Sweet happiness returns, peace and joy.
A return to the love state rather than being in the fear state.

Remember all events are neutral until you put some label or judgment on it. Keep pure.
This is obviously the grandest state, (actually our natural state) we have all tasted this at some point and know it, it is being in the grove so to speak, life flows, things seem beautiful and happy, people are a joy, you are a joy. We know this, we all do.

How do you think our physical health would be in this state? we do know the answer to this, it is so obvious.

So you are sitting reading this as a woman or man, playing a role as an engineer, scientist, director of a company, a technican, what ever and are maybe thinking this is a little soft, well, what do really want and where do you go when you are hurting, how about your partner for some kindness and love, even back to your old mum and dad for some of that great feeling, I do. Humans are really designed to be in this love state always.

How to stay there, it is only a choice, we are never stuck, we can step back into this anytime we notice we are not there.

So vigilance is key, not being hard on ourselves but lovingly notice we have moved from love to fear and just choose again to be where it is best to be, not only for ourselves but everyone one else around us and that means all humanity really. (There is nothing to fear ever)

The test for fear, it will something like this contraction, you know that feeling, like agitation, constriction, shallow breath etc.

Way out, just take a big breath first, in recognition and then choose deliberately for yourself and let go, it is called allowance and surrender. It is all flow, in a month or two we will look at this also.

Does this seem easy, it is, and all we need to do is to keep doing it, it will become part of us and soon it will be automatic, trust this. You can even practice talking to yourself, your higher self that is and say what you want, just be careful to do it in private, your work mates may look sideways, unless you can get them to buy into the idea also and you all sit there chatting to higher selves. Maybe talking inside yourself in private is best.

Next month we will look at forgiveness, the key ingredient to opening up to full potential, this is to do with disentanglement. You may be surprised who to forgive.