In This Issue...
News
- Delta Articles in International Publications
- Delta Schedules Seminar in England
- Presenting Software Careers at Local High School
- Delta Distributor Holds Hydraulic Press Seminar
- Motion Control Feature
- Long-Lasting Windows Version Support
Product News
- RMC200 Firmware Release Adds SD Card Support
Distributor Highlight
People at Delta
- Joshua Krebs: Applications, Support, and Training
Trade Shows & Conferences
Learning More About Delta
- Education & Training
- Delta User Forum
- Wiring Tutorial Videos
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Delta Articles in International Publications
Throughout the spring of this year, Delta has published a number of articles in international publications for European and South American readers. Delta strives to provide practical, useful examples of how the RMCs bring real benefit to fluid power industrial applications. The growth of our international article publications reflect Delta's continuing international sales success.
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Fluid Scandinavia is running a series of articles by Delta President Peter Nachtwey and Motion Product Development Manager Jacob Paso about design considerations for optimum hydraulic system control. These articles systematically discuss the controls considerations when approaching an new machine design, offer practical advice for selecting system components, and give useful information about fine tuning the completed machine for best performance. These articles are translated into Swedish and distributed to fluid power professionals throughout the Scandinavian countries.
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Hydraulics & Pneumatics in the UK recently published an article by Motion Product Development Manager Jacob Paso discussing different servo control algorithms. The article reviews the differences between open-loop and closed-loop control, and when it is appropriate to use each type. Then the article goes on to explain the differences between seven different types of control algorithms, the pros and cons of each, and the situations where each algorithm is especially useful.
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VETAS, a wood products and finished furniture journal for Latin America, has an article about a controls retrofit and upgrade on a USNR Shape Saw line at Culp Lumber Company in North Carolina. The controls upgrade added three RMC150 motion controllers taking data from a new laser scanning optimization system, and resulted in better usable lumber recovery for the mill. The saws and chipper heads move along smoother curves and they track the target motion much better than the old system. The articles in VETAS are printed in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, and the journal is distributed to wood products professionals throughout South America.
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Delta Schedules Seminar in England
Delta Computer Systems is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a full-day seminar on precision fluid power control at the National Fluid Power Center (NFPC) in Nottinghamshire, England. The seminar is scheduled for September 25th, 2019, and will feature presentations by Delta President Peter Nachtwey, European Regional Sales Manager Tim Gessner, and Motion Control Products Manager Jacob Paso. The NFPC provides Hydraulic, Electro-Hydraulic, and Electro-Pneumatic systems training and certification for students throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. While the agenda is still being finalized, the seminar will focus on presenting design principles for optimum fluid power control, considerations for choosing system components to achieve the desired results, and how to apply these principles to system design. Case studies are planned into the agenda to illustrate the concepts presented.
Be sure to check back frequently for updates on this exciting event.
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Presenting Software Careers at Local High School
Delta was approached by a teacher at Hockinson High School to provide our perspective on the importance and usefulness of software. Ms. Kari DeBower teaches advanced mathematics and an introductory programming course at the high school, and was interested in presenting an industry point of view to her students. Delta engineers Jacob Paso and David McNichol were eager to help!
Mr. Paso and Mr. McNichol got to speak with five classes through the course of a day at HHS. They discussed with the students the surprising ways software surrounds all of us, from our cell phones, to the thermostats on the walls, to the remote controls for our TV's and other electronics. They used an unusual example of specialized software: french fry production! They showed video clips of the computer-controlled machines that remove defects from the french fries before they are frozen and packaged. Finally, they invited the students to experience software for themselves, using a candy-launching catapult controlled by an Arduino microcomputer. Student volunteers experimented with different values that impacted how far the candy flew toward a target. Each class session closed with a question and answer session where students could find out more about both engineers backgrounds in programming.
It was a great opportunity to encourage our local students to consider gaining some programming skills, or perhaps even pursue a career in programming or software engineering. Thanks to Ms. DeBower for inviting Delta to talk with her students!
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Delta Distributor Holds Hydraulic Press Seminar
Delta's Asia-Pacific Regional Sales Manager Phil Lin and Applications Engineer David McNichol presented precision motion control principles at a seminar held near Shanghai, China. The seminar was organized and presented by Delta's authorized distributor in Southern China, Wuxi Forever. Approximately 35 engineers and technicians from China's leading press OEM's gathered to hear presentations on four-corner leveling press design and control.
Congratulations to Wuxi Forever to planning and presenting this valuable industry seminar!
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Motion Control Feature
Each month Delta's President, Peter Nachtwey, writes the "Motion Control" feature for Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine, discussing his insights into fluid power system control. Below are links to the features published in Q2.
April 2019 - Hydraulic Servo Control Using a PLC, Part 2
May 2019 - The Valve Flow Constant
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Long Lasting Windows Version Support
One component of Delta’s commitment to responsive, knowledgeable tech support is our zero obsolescence policy. As long as there is customer demand and we can get the needed components, we will continue to support and sell our products. (And we stock a large amount of obsolete components in order to prevent running out, with the result that we can still provide all of our motion products, even those from the 1980’s).
This policy extends to the software we provide with our products. This was highlighted recently when Microsoft discontinued development tools for Windows XP. Delta maintains the Downloads section of our website (deltamotion.com) with every version of our software, going back to our earliest motion contollers. While it is often no longer possible to make updates, we will continue to offer that legacy software to support users that have older motion controllers in their systems. These older programs will not have all of the features of newer versions, but they will still work with our legacy controllers.
This is Delta's commitment: providing it is possible to do so, we will support our products as long there is demand – we don’t obsolete products for our convenience!
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Product News
RMC200 Firmware Update Adds SD Card Support
RMC200 firmware 1.10.0 for the CPU40 module is now available on Delta's website, deltamotion.com/downloads. This release adds support for the built-in SD card slot on the CPU40, and prepares the system for further feature releases in the future. In this release, RMCTools can now browse, read, and write files to an SD card in a connected RMC200 controller. The SD card can save a controller image, and restore an image from the card. This feature will be useful for rapidly configuring multiple RMC200s to an identical configuration. RMCTools has been updated to version 4.11.0 with the Save Controller Image (120) and Restore Controller Image (121) commands to access this feature.
Visit deltamotion.com/downloads for the latest versions of software and firmware for your RMC controller.
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Distributor Highlight
Dakota Fluid Power
Dakota Fluid Power covers a large section of the American Midwest. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, DFP has several locations in North and South Dakota, as well as individual locations in Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Dakota Fluid Power offers complete system engineering, as well as all the components needed for a precision fluid power system. Additionally, Dakota Fluid Power serves the fluid power needs of a wide variety of mobile hydraulics applications with parts sales, fabrication, and service.
Visit Dakota Fluid Power
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People at Delta
Joshua Krebs – Applications, Support, & Training
Joshua Krebs first came to Delta as in intern while attending Washington State University, studying Mechanical Engineering. During that summer, Josh worked on several Product Development projects, most notably designing and assembling the Underdamped Hydraulic Cylinder system for Delta's lab area. Josh returned to WSU to finish his coursework and graduate with his Bachelor's Degree.
Delta is very pleased to have Josh join us on a permanent basis, and already he has been busy learning the product line. Josh helped assemble and adjust our new Six Degree of Freedom/Stewart Platform demonstration system. He will be a part of Delta's Applications and Support group, assisting our users through phone and email exchanges, through Internet connections to remote RMCs, and with occasional on-site visits when needed. Josh will also be a part of Delta's training team.
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Tradeshows & Conferences
Upcoming Trade Shows
It has been great to meet Delta RMC users and potential new users across the country this year. There are more opportunities to meet and talk with members of Delta’s Technical Sales and Support team throughout the rest of 2019.
Please join us! See Delta RMC products and talk with our team at the following locations.
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Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, GA
June 26-27, 2019
Booth 1406
Fluid Power Control Seminar
Nottinghamshire, U.K.
September 25, 2019
Technical Centre 1
Cobo Center
Detroit, MI
October 15-17, 2019
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
November 11-14, 2019
Booth D45451
View all Tradeshows
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Education & Training
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RMCTools Technical Training
Jun 26 - Jun 27, 2019
Sep 4 - Sep 5, 2019
Oct 22 - Oct 23, 2019
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RMCTools Technical Training
Sep 10 - Sep 11, 2019 (Battle Ground, WA)
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Delta also provides self-paced training options, check out some of these options:
Video Tutorials An easy way to get up to speed on the RMC's features with easy to follow video guides.
Online RMCs Try RMCTools or custom RMCLink programs when you don't have an RMC to test with.
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Advanced Technical Training
Nov 5 - Nov 7, 2019
Sign Up
Please check the Training page frequently as new dates for Advanced Training are added for 2019.
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Delta Discussion Forum
Delta completed a software upgrade to the Discussion Forum this spring. Although the Forum has a new look, it still contains all of the same high-quality information—with more to come. Using the Forum, you can find (and post) application tips, browse lists of third-party companion products we have tested in our development lab, and check out program examples ready for download. The Forum also allows you to enter requests for new features and provide an alternative method to ask questions of Delta Application Engineers
If you haven't visited Delta's Discussion Forum before, we invite you to browse the site.
Discussion Forum
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Wiring Tutorial Videos
If you haven't visited the Education page at deltamotion.com, we invite you to discover the video tutorial information posted there. As mentioned in last quarter's newsletter, the Applications team has recently added several new videos. These videos are also available on Delta Computer System's YouTube channel.
The RMCLink + MATLAB video is an addition to the series that covers different kinds of communications configurations for the RMC75, 150, and 200 motion controllers. Other videos in this series review setting up communications with Allen-Bradley or Siemens S7-series PLCs, for example.
The wiring videos are in response to common questions about wiring. Our customer support experience has shown that many control problems can be traced to issues with wiring. These videos offer a convenient way to brush up on important items before wiring up an RMC controller, feedback, and servo components.
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Communications with MATLAB using RMCLink
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Wiring Series - Differential Analog Inputs
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Wiring Series - Ground Bounce
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Distributor Only Website
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If you are a distributor and need a password or user ID email us or call Delta at (360)-254-8688.
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 Delta Computer Systems, Inc. © 2018
1818 SE 17th St. - Battle Ground, WA USA 98604-8579
P: 360-254-8688 - F: 360-254-5435
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