Product News

LIFT, the Detroit-based Department of Defense manufacturing innovation institute, along with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), have launched two projects led by Boeing as part of the ongoing Hypersonic Challenge led by the institute. The first project, with partner Powdermet Inc., aims to demonstrate near-net-shape manufacturing of metal matrix composite components for hypersonic vehicle demonstrators. These high-performance, high-temperature alloys will drastically boost the capability of components in hypersonic flight environments, which when combined with near-net-shape manufacturing approaches will provide quality mission critical components that are durable, reliable, and rapidly manufacturable. The second project proposes, with partners RPM Innovations Inc. and Intelligent Optical Systems Inc., to develop and verify a suite of in-situ build process monitoring sensors and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) approaches applicable to laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED) manufacturing for hypersonic applications. Current post-process quality verification is time-consuming and expensive; and in-process monitoring will help inform the quality of the build during the process, saving time and expensive metal powders. These projects are part of the Hypersonic Challenge, which was kicked off in 2021 by LIFT and the DOD Manufacturing Technology Program, overseen by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The challenge sought proposals on three specific topics critical to the materials science and manufacturing process of hypersonic vehicles. Both projects aim to advance the United States’ hypersonic manufacturing capabilities in a more cost-effective manner and in reduced time frames. Along with Boeing, LIFT, and the DOD announced and kicked off Hypersonic Challenge projects with ATC Materials Inc., Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies. For more information: www.boeing.com/company/keyorgs/aerospace-autonomy-research-center/

specimens is then bound to the solid phase. Unbound material is removed by washing the beads. Subsequently anti CEA conjugated with horseradish peroxidase is incubated with the beads and if CEA was present in the specimen, the enzyme-labelled anti CEA is bound to the beads. Unbound conjugate is removed by washing. On incubation with the enzyme substrate a yellow colour develops which measures the amount of bound anti The AF3 direct reading Karl Fischer titrator CEA-peroxidase conjugate.
After stopping the enzyme reaction by addition of M hydrochloric acid, the intensity of the colour developed is read using a spectrophotometer set at 492 nm. Within the working range of the assay the absorbance is proportional to the. concentration of CEA in the specimen ABBOT GmbH, Diagnostics Division, Amperestrasse 3-5, 6070 Langen, 06103/ 701-1, West Germany.

Waveform processor
Datalab have introduced the DL417, a microprocessor-based calculator for use with its DL Micro 4 Signal Analysis System. The calculator avoids costly complexity of the minicompt/ter method but allows the module to be used for a wide range of signal averaging and waveform analysis problems beyond the capability of the average keypad size.
The existing system is a modular instrument with a data highway connecting one of a range of signal analysis modules to a timer unit, a large digital memory and a display controller. The microprocessor in DL 417 is furnished with a number of resident programs which are either functions or trigonometric operations or routines. By means of a highlevel user oriented language, two or more standard functions can be combined into an expression which will perform an operation on data from a selected channel. The analogue waveforms and alphanumeric characters are displayed on an external CRT. Waveforms can be selected for intensification, expansion and manipulation. The display can be divided into two or four separate channels, each of which can be sub-divided further for processing purposes. Data Laboratories Ltd, 28  Operation is simple and requires no previous knowledge of programming techniques. The instrument controls the rate of titrant addition in accordance with the corresponding changes in the value measure by the electrode chain. Sensitivity, speed, reaction kinetics and other normal parameters involved in titration procedures can be programmed into the unit. This operation is effected by means of the key-board or by special cards that can be marked by the operator. If no information is fed in, then the microprocessor uses built-in standard values. The instrument cannot go 'off scale' because even if the wrong measuring parameters are chosen the normal curve can be recalled as often as required, with any necessary amendments to the selected measuring scales included.
Full titrations or titrations to a preset end point can be performed. The unit can be stopped after a pre-selected number of end points are found, or at given mV, pH or ml value. Results are printed out in ml, with the mV or pH value at each end point and the mV or pH value at the start of the titration. A calculation card can be read in to the instrument in order that the millilitre results found can be converted into any units desired.
The burette is fully automatic and accepts complete plug-in burette assemblies of 1, 5, 10, 20 or 50 ml capacity. All parts in contact with the Automatic sampling unit An automatic sampling unit, the ALS 3641, has been developed by Dani which automates the metering and the injection of liquids into every gas chromatograph provided with vertical injection port. The carousel can house up to 50 sample vials which are sequentially presented at the sampling probe. A standard microsyringe is used to meter the sample volume. The automatic mechanism duplicates the essential operations and step-by-step technique of the experienced analyst. It flushes the syringe several times with the sample, aspirates a precisely measured sample volume and injects a reproducible slug into the gas chromatograph. In order to prevent evaporation of the sample in the needle, an air plug is aspirated to reproduce exactly the operation of a skilled chromatographer. After the injection is completed, the syringe is flushed again with solvent in order to remove any trace of the previous sampte and it remains clean waiting for a new sample. The number of washing cycles with solvent and/or with sample are selected by the operator on thumbelwheels; the number of the vials in analysis is displayed, and the vial number can be requested by computer for repetitive analysis. Other products introduced by Dani include the 6800 gas chromatograph and various accessories for gas chromatographs. Dani SpA, Via Rovani 10, 20053 Monza (M1), Italy.

Block digestor system
Techne have introduced two new products to their range of interchange-able block heaters. The DG-1 Block digestor system is designed for Kjeldahl, COD and other wet digestion or oxidation techniques. This unit is a complete package of block heater with modular, digital set, temperature controller, combined tube rack and heat shield, a set of tubes, and bench stand. The block is interchangeable to take either 20 x 42 mm diameter tubes (250 ml capacity) or 40 x 26 mm diameter tubes (75 ml capacity). The temperature range is from 100C to 450C with a control stability at 400C of +_. 1C.
The SC-3 sample concentrator system gives the user maximum flexibility in the preparation of samples prior to analysis. Gas is blown via a gas reservoir through hypodermic needles into the neck of the sample tubes. The tubes are heated by the block heater which operates between 30C and 100C with a control stability of _+ 0.25C. The blocks themselves are fully interchangeable to accept standard glassware and tubes. The gas reservoir may be raised or lowered to suit the level of liquid in the sample tubes so that the system can be operated at maximum efficiency whatever the sample size. Applications include drug screening, hormone assays, organic solvent analyses and other techniques requiring sample concen- Constant volume mobile phase delivery is accurately provided from 0.1 to 9.9 ml/min,, with less than 1% pulsations peak-to-peak. Two pumps are used for gradient elution, with full programmability over gradient form- computer provides data handling capacity to meet many application needs. Facilities include curve correction, employing up to five standards in fixed or variable ratios, peak height or peak area, running mean mode and automatic warnings of over calibration or excess curvature. The flameless atomic absorption system SP9 incorporates the new microprocessor controlled furnace programmer, video display unit and furnace autosampler. The furnace programmer provides complete microprocessor control of the furnace and is equipped with autosampler controls. It can store up to ten complete atomisation programmes with either linear or non-linear temperature ramp, gas stop and temperature or voltage control. The SP3 series of infrared spectrophotometers offer the performance benefits of a ratio recording system normally associated with high cost research type instrumentation. The SP3-100 is the most simple version in the series and has a wavenumber range of 4000 cm -1 to 600 cm -1. It is designed to meet applications where rapid sample throughput and quantitative accuracy are essential. The SP3-200 and SP3-300 models offer additional performance and flexibility. Another new instrument range is the LC-XP Series of high performance liquid chromatographs. The series has a modular design approach which enables fully integrated systems to be supplied to suit specific requirements. synchronization to achieve a high degree of flow precision. Typical flow precision is claimed to be better than + 0.5% at flows from 0-20 ml/min and pressures to 6,000 psi. The absence of pulse dampeners also provides a reduction in total system volume which allows for single-pump, low pressure gradient programs to be formed with minimum lag time. Low volume makes unattended recycle more efficient. All major pumping system components are easily accessible through the front panel to facilitate maintenance operations. The system is universally adaptable to other HPLC components and may be upgraded to microprocessor control. Micromerilics Instrument Corporation, 5680 (;oshcn Springs Road, Norcross, Georgia 30093, USA.

Nitrogen analysis system
The model 707, a new digital nitrogen system designed to provide accurate detection of nitrogen in virtually any medium in as little as 30 seconds, has been introduced by Antek Instruments, Inc.
Typical applications for the Model 707 include analysis of bound nitrogen in wastewater, sewage, petroleum, petrochemicals, polymers, foods and beverages, fertilizers, drugs, pesticides, biological specimens, soils, coal and many others. The new nitrogen system utilizes the chemiluminescent detection principle to sense the presence of nitric oxide, thus eliminating the need for the expense reduction method or the time consuming Kjeldahl method of nitrogen analysis.
The sample is introduced by means of a ceramic boat, pyrolzate (nitric oxide) and ozone is monitored by a light sensitive detector, providing highly specific measurement of total chemicfilly bound nitrogen. Pyrolysis temperature is accurately controlled by a microprocessor assuring maximum conversion and repeatibility.
The model  Editor's Note:- The address of the manufacturer appears in italic at the end of each item.
In some cases this address will be that of a subsidiary to the manufacturing company as the address given is that from which the information has been obtained.

Calendar
Editor's Note: Organisers of conferences, seminars etc. should send details for inclusion in this calandar as soon as the relevant information is available and not later than three months before the event. 1979