Author Archives: Rachel Boyd

Avatar photo

About Rachel Boyd

Digital Marketing Specialist

What do you need to connect today?

From |

Written by Andy Maskell, Product Manager- Safety,  I/O & Networks

WLAN 1100The demand for data and information flow is growing.  You need to get your machine networked with the absolute minimum fuss.

The new WLAN 1100 provides a compact space saving solution by combining an access point and antenna in a single device. Two powerful antennas with MIMO technology ensure fast and stable wireless in your application.  In contrast to the classic concept, it is installed like an antenna directly onto machinery, mobile vehicles or control cabinets, rather than inside the control cabinet, saving valuable space.

Continue reading

Turn on to Phoenix Contact’s switching offers

From |

Written by Fraser Cowie- Product Marketing Manager- Interface

Best Switching So what is it that Phoenix Contact does exactly? Everyone knows that we make those little green connections that are on Printed Circuit Boards, but what else?

The answer is we make just about anything that can connect, control and automate your application – from cabling solutions to programmable logic controllers. For now let’s focus on the simple side of the automation business – switching things on and off!

Continue reading

Clipsafe- everything from a single source

From |

Written by Dave Hall, Industry Manager-  UK Process

I’m back for another blog focused on the Process Industry to tell you about a new product introduction which has been launched recently. I can see this product being used in many applications, so on to the detail.

Junction boxesAs the world’s largest manufacturer of DIN rail mounted terminal blocks, Phoenix Contact can announce the introduction of their own range of Ex approved junction boxes – this exciting new range of enclosures includes stainless steel and polyester versions complementing the well-known range of din rail mounted terminal blocks that are already being used extensively in the process related industry.

Continue reading

PTFIX- Making your distribution so much easier!

From |

Written by Scott Mulholland, Product Manager- Industrial Components

We are all familiar with distribution blocks. They are an integral part of control cabinets around the world. They are functional and fit for purpose, that’s probably why they haven’t changed in their basic design in many, many years. As for the termination technology, ‘screw will do’ has been the mainstay of the market.

PTFIXHere at Phoenix Contact, we think we can do better than your average, common or garden, distribution block. We have incorporated our market leading ‘Push In’ technology into our new PTFIX distribution blocks, which then builds in all of the advantages associated with push in technology.

Continue reading

They are just connectors…

From |

Written by Karl Fazakerley, Product Manager- Device Connections

Karl FazakerleyFirstly and fore-mostly hello to you all! This is my first blog …ever! So please bear with me! I have been on board at Phoenix Contact as their new product manager for the Combicon product range (PCB terminal blocks and connectors) in the UK for couple months now, so I am also on a journey myself and I look forward to sharing this with you all.

In my future blogs, I would love to talk about all the products that Phoenix Contact manufacture. There will also be blogs on certain key products, but I would initially like to engage with you from an educational point of view. Continue reading

Applicative System Redundancy

From |

Written by Tony Deane, CST Technical Manager

Cost Effective High Availability / Hot Standby PLC System

How many existing applications cry out for a high availability solution, but because of cost restrictions a compromise solution to the application has been arrived at? Or worse still, how many projects are never even realised for the same cost driven reasons?

At Phoenix Contact, we have a concept that offers high availability at the following levels:

  • Processor level
  • I/O level
  • Network level

This is achieved at a very competitive cost whilst delivering on all three of the above criteria.

Continue reading

The narrowest surge protection for MCR applications

From |

Written by Mark Lloyd, Product Manager- Trabtech & Power Supplies

For my first blog, I wanted to steer away from just another product piece extolling features and benefits, but in this case it is almost unavoidable.

Termitrab CompleteA few days ago at Hannover Messe, we unveiled TERMITRAB COMPLETE (TTC) the world’s narrowest range of surge protective devices for MCR technology. In the Phoenix Contact world, MCR stands for Measurement, Control and Regulation, or in other words surge protection devices for signal lines.

The protection of signal lines is an often forgotten concept with many machine builders and system integrators either fitting no SPD (Surge Protection Device) because they have never had a surge issue that they know about, or at the very least they have only protected the power lines with a Type 1, Type 2 or combination of the two.

Continue reading

Electronics housings for embedded systems

From |

Written by Gary Nelson, Senior Product Manager- Device Connections

UCS enclosuresWhen designing electronic devices the choice of available enclosures can be overwhelming and consist of numerous decisions you have to make, resulting in a long list of component parts you have to order. With the new UCS enclosure range from Phoenix Contact you have 4 sizes to choose from and the option to increase the standard height of 47mm with innovative corner height adaptors to 67mm. The UCS enclosure meets the standard form factors of embedded system printed circuit boards (PCBs) so is an ideal way of building your electronic systems using these products or for creating your own design using similar sized PCBs.

Continue reading

Safe and secure remote access – Flawless for over 10 years!

From |

Written by Gareth Chamberlain, Network & Cyber Security Specialist

mGuard in a control cabinetIn early February 2017 reports started coming up about PLC ransomware attacks, meaning PLCs were being hijacked and controlled by an aggressive attacker. It turned out to be a proof of concept test that used a tool called ‘LogicLocker’. A tool that was written by a Georgia Tech firm, used to demonstrate how easy it is to control a machine. This tool would use what is known as a ‘Logic Bomb’ which fires all outputs in one go and can be used to do this cyclically.

Continue reading

Marking is in your hands…literally!

From |

Written by Andy Neat, Product Manager- Marking & Installation

We’ve all had a play with a label maker. Whether it’s labelling the file cabinet, your colleague labelling his/her coffee cup or, in my case, your mother-in-law labelling the containers in her Tupperware cupboard. Most of us have had a minor organisation frenzy with a label maker.

Phoenix Contact is evolving in the world of marking. I’ve been at Phoenix Contact 10 years, of which the last 4 I have been in charge of Marking & Installation (M&I). I think it’s fair to say of all the product ranges we have, M&I have grown the most in variety. The catalogue for M&I has more than doubled in size in 5 years, sitting at a healthy 627 pages of marking and tooling joy…I know this because not only has the MPG of my car gone down with the extra weight in the boot but I also stand slightly off-centre due to my shoulder bag getting heavier.

Continue reading