New measuring kit from Mahr Federal
This article makes a very important point about USB, you can find it in bold. Some have heard there are OCD cases where measuring is an obsession and for that strange bird Mahr Federal, with an equally strange company name, introduces the MarConnect USB kit. It’s a kit which allows you to measure things then dump results directly into your PC, instantly. The kit also makes conversion calculations on the fly for the high-demand measuring environments…can’t think of one but…the product does have merit for it’s niche application. Here’s more:
A new USB hub system from Mahr Federal makes connecting gages with computers a simple matter of ‘plug and play.’ The new MarConnect USB interface kits provide all the elements needed to make quick, universal assemblies of multiple measuring systems for data transmission. MarConnect kits include data connection cables, a seven-port industrial model USB hub (although any approved USB hub device will suffice) and new MarCom data transmission software.
“Long term, we feel USB is the way to go for data collection,” said George Schuetz, Director of Precision Gages for Mahr Federal in Providence, RI. “While connection via RS-232 multiplexer boxes is still the norm in the industry, more and more computers are doing away with RS-232 ports and replacing them with USB ports. USB hubs are less costly than multiplexer boxes,” he added.
With additional hubs, up to 100 measuring devices can be connected using the MarConnect USB interface, and data acquisition is simplified with MarCom software. Measuring sequences can be activated either at the gage, on the connected PC, or via a foot switch also available with MarConnect. Measuring instruments can be freely assigned and are clearly identified with MarCom icons.
Measured values can be directly transferred to either MS Excel spreadsheets, or into a text file.
Matt LeBoff
Kicking around in technology since 2002. I like to write about technology products and ideas, but at the consumer level understanding. Some tech, but not too techie.