E&E Readers Have Cast Their Vote for Product of the Year –
New PTDA Awarded E&E Best Product Award 2007

The new PTDA with spring-cage double connection has received the top rating in the E&E Reader Selection 2007 for the Electromechanics and Connection Technology category. The unique, rounded housing design - which remains unique to date - and the wide range of technical options the terminal has to offer were decisive factors that helped it clinch the award.

The PTDA is available in a 3.5 mm and 5.0 mm pitch, and its rounded design allows it to be elegantly integrated into electronic housings. A special feature is its extremely large terminal capacity of 2 x 2.5 mm² in the 5.0 mm pitch. The PTDA clamps both stranded and solid conductors. With the direct plug-in method, solid conductors can be connected without the use of tools, which considerably reduces the time and costs involved. The conductors are easily removed using a screwdriver to press the integrated actuation button. To ensure a unique conductor assignment, the PTDA is available in all standard Phoenix Contact colors on request. In addition, integrated test connections and two large labeling areas make the terminal easy to use.

Further information on the PHOENIX CONTACT homepage

Expanded FMC Connector Range

As a part of the miniaturization process and to accommodate an increasing connection density, the super-flat FMC connector range has been expanded to include the FMCD 1.5/... double-level connector.

Combined with the corresponding THR MCDN base strip, the FMCD connector has a height of only 16 mm. Two contact rows can be quickly inserted and removed at the same time. An additional advantage of this spring-cage connector is its convenient direct plug-in technology, which enables quick and easy connection of conductors up to 1.5 mm². FMCD connectors are available with 3 to 16 positions. A version with a self-locking flange is available upon request.

Further information in the PHOENIX CONTACT online catalog

New Profibus User Organisation (PNO) Guideline

According to the new PNO guideline, the shield on M12 connectors now only extends over the plug connector housing, rather than over PIN 5 as well, as was previously the case. Several weeks ago, Phoenix Contact began producing all M12 Profibus connecting cables according to the new guideline.

Please note that the old pin assignment is still documented in the current PLUSCON catalog.

New M12 Profibus pin assignment:
Pin 1: not used
Pin 2: GN (green) A cable
Pin 3: not used
Pin 4: RD (red) B cable
Pin 5: not used

Sensor/Actuator Box with Flat-Ribbon Cable Connection for PLC System Cabling

The sensor/actuator box with a flat-ribbon cable connection on the rear panel enables direct connection to all control systems commonly available on the market. The sensor/actuator box mounts directly onto the control cabinet wall. The only preparation required is a suitable mounting cutout. The grommet on the back of the box seals the box in place.

The use of standardized, pre-assembled flat-ribbon cables makes it especially easy to cable the PLC system. For the power supply, the box also has a cast integral MINI COMBICON connector on the back. Outside of the control cabinet, the usual features of the SPEEDCON sensor/actuator box are available. Here, the box can be connected to the sensors or actuators via the standardized M12 connectors and sensor/actuator cables.

Further information in the PHOENIX CONTACT online catalog

New protective device for the LON-Bus

With PT 1x2-48 DC, the protection for higher voltages in floating signal circuits, a new protective device is available. This variant provides a very good protection particularly in LON BUS applications. With a protection level of < 85 V (category C2 of IEC 61643-21) LON BUS systems will be better protected. The influence of PT 1x2-48DC is negligibly small because his low attenuation at a wide bandwidth of 10 MHz (at 50 ohms).

Further information in the PHOENIX CONTACT online catalog

IEC 1906 award presented to Ralf Hausmann

Every year, the international standardization organization IEC awards a price to employees who excel due to their great commitment and expert knowledge. Throughout the world, 150 IEC experts received the IEC 1906 award in 2007 and Mr. Hausmann was one of them. He significantly shaped the surge protection standards IEC 61643-21 and IEC 61643-22, and contributed his expert knowledge to the international standardization not only as employee but also as President of IEC SC37A WG4. Due to his long and active cooperation, he is one of the “fathers” of the standards IEC 61643-21 and IEC 61643-22.

During a ceremonial act on November 13, 2007, Dr. Thies, Managing Director of DKE, presented the certificate as well as the badge of honor to Mr. Hausmann on the DKE premises in Frankfurt.

Dr. Thies’ laudatory speech was as follows:
“With this award, the IEC appreciates your expert knowledge and high commitment in international standardization which strongly contributes to the reputation of German standardization on a national, European, and international level. For this, I would like to express my gratitude to you also on behalf of the German National Committee of the IEC”.

VDE / ABB Young Talent Award Presented to Jens Baumann

At the VDE/ABB Conference on Lightning Protection on November 15, 2007, two diploma theses with special importance for practical lightning protection technology were honored. The VDE (ABB) Committee for Lightning Protection and Research awards the Benjamin-Franklin plate for outstanding diploma, research, bachelor or master theses.

Within the 7th VDE/ABB Lightning Protection Conference in Neu-Ulm, this award was presented to two young engineers. In his diploma thesis, Torsten-Peter Müller from the University of Applied Sciences for Business and Technology Vechta/Diepholz/Oldenburg examined “the planning and design of lightning protection systems in biogas plants”. Jens Baumann from the University of Applied Sciences Lippe and Höxter wrote his diploma thesis within the cooperative engineering education at Phoenix Contact (BU TRABTECH). It deals with the “analysis and selection of surge arresters for DC voltage applications in photovoltaic systems”.

The diploma theses were evaluated by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kern (University of Applied Sciences Aachen). Together with the President of the Committee for Lightning Protection and Research at ABB, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Stimper, the young talent award was presented to the two graduate engineers. The prize money was endowed by the company Blitzschutzbau Rhein-Main Adam Herbert GmbH from Aachen and handed over by Heinz-Josef Krämer.

Industrial GPRS/GSM modem for wireless data acquisition

The worldwide-available mobile telephone network in conjunction with inexpensive internet technology is now available for distributed process data acquisition with the GPRS/GSM modem by Phoenix Contact.

Apart from the demand-oriented GSM dial-up connection for classic machine- and system remote maintenance, the device also facilitates the structuring of cost-effective TCP/IP-based GPRS connections. This is particularly recommended when data must be acquired continuously, since GPRS is billed according to the data volume and not according to the connection period.

The IP connection is automatically resumed by the modem at power up or after dialing via a GSM dial-up connection. The process data is available at any location via a secure VPN connection, regardless of the location of the system or control unit.

Further information on the PHOENIX CONTACT homepage

Compact monitoring modules - Worldwide use!

Demand for monitoring of power supply and drives using measuring and control technology is increasing in all aspects of power technology, as well as in automation and plant engineering. Whether motors or transport units such as conveyor belts, elevators, etc., are to be monitored for direction of transport or overload, or whether a three phase network is to be evaluated to check that the load is symmetrical, the monitoring modules are a simple and inexpensive solution.

There is now a new generation of monitoring modules for these monitoring tasks. Mains parameters, such as single phase current, one and three phase voltage, as well as the phase parameters in three phase systems can be evaluated and a signal output via relay outputs in the event of a deviation from the values defined.

Further information on the PHOENIX CONTACT homepage

Do you have any questions, requirements, suggestions or criticism? Then please do not hesitate to tell us what you think. Please send an e-mail to

infoservice@phoenixcontact.com