Standard electric control devices such as control relays and pushbutton switches, though they came into the market long ago, are still extending the market due to technical developments and increase in applications. This paper outlines recent market conditions and trends, technical developments and trends, and new products. It takes up the programmable operation display as a new type device as well as gives the details of magnetic switches.

The newly organized European Union (EU) issued EC directives, ordering that equipment exported to the EU should bear the CE markings. Electric devices used in the equipment, including magnetic switches and molded-case circuit breakers, must be conformable to the European standards, resulting in growing needs for the third party's certificates for proving the conformity. This paper describes the requirements of the European Safety Standards, the situation of low-voltage switches and control devices, and the acquisition state of TUV certificates, as well as the relation between ISO 9000 series and the CE markings.

The solid-state contactor (SSC) eliminating contact blades in a magnetic contactor performs the switching of a load with a semiconductor element such as a thyristor; therefore, it is important to select and use an SSC matching the application load. This paper describes applications to the following typical loads:
(1) Motors : applications to various control systems and an application example that has rationalized the system with an SSC and a magnetic contactor combined.
(2) Heaters : selection based on heater characteristics.
(3) Capacitors : selection considering switching inrush and resonance currents.

Control relays have been desired to be small-sized and improved in electrical life for lamp load. This paper describes the following two analysis methods and results in solving two problems in the New-RB1 relay development: (1) 3-D magnetic field analysis with the finite element method to design an optimum electromagnet and secure necessary pull force (2) analysis of contact bounce to design optimum shapes of the movable and fixed contact blades and armature to reduce contact bounce and improve the electrical life of the contact. The paper also introduces terminal relay that achieves space reduction using the New-RB1 relays.

Command switches mainly used in switchboards and control boards have various requirements. Easier mounting and wiring as well as smaller size are required from a viewpoint of saving labor and space. And further, improvement in the safety and reliability of electric devices for machines is more intensely demanded due to the EC directives issued by the EU. Fuji Electric's new φ22 and new φ30 command switch series are in line with these demands. This paper introduces their main specifications, features, and structure.

Bar-code readers have become indispensable tools as information input terminals in FA and physical distribution, including POS. Further improvement in size, speed, and function is desired. Fuji Electric has developed a new bar-code reader incorporating a sensor and a decoder. This is small in size and fast in operation due to the twin-lens receptor system and built-in custom IC. It has a raster scanning function immune to partial stains and inaccurate alignment of bar-code labels and a teaching function that can automatically set a reading condition directly from a label. This paper introduces its structure and functions.

As machines became larger and had more advanced functions, their control panels have become more complex and larger in capacity. Then there are rapidly growing needs for the downsizing and standardization of control panels. To meet these panel builder's needs, a new series of circuit protectors has been developed. The new series expanded the concept of the CP30F type circuit protectors put on the market in 1994. Now Fuji Electric's circuit protectors for control panels not only have the unified, very thin width of 17.5 ? but also provide both high and low breaking capacity types.

As the automation and labor saving of production equipment are promoted, timers that control the time element are more intensely desired to be (1)smaller, (2)more immune to power supply distortion, (3)easier to handle and maintain, etc. To meet these requirements, Fuji Electric carried out innovation on the former super timer ST4P series of DIN 48 ? size into MS4S series. The new timer has a short body and is improved in handling and reliability. This paper gives an outline of the MS4S series.

Production equipment has been remarkably rationalized and automated to meet the market requirement for cost reduction. Programmable operation displays (PODs) acting a part have to meet diversified, sophisticated user needs as the fields of POD application expanded. Fuji Electric, which pioneered POD commercialization, has developed advanced products UD15, UD25, UD41, and UD46 and completed a new lineup for small, medium, and large type PODs. This paper introduces an outline of the new POD series.

MICREX-F70S and F55 series are compact but high capacity, advanced function, high performance controllers. These series were developed to meet the needs of the times for the diversification, sophistication and downsizing of automated systems. Each series took over the superior operation performance and advanced control functions of higher level F-series F120S and F80H respectively and was arranged highly compact. To increase the degree of freedom for installation in machines, both are provided with detachable I/O cards, advanced function cards, and several types of baseboards (racks).