Thursday, July 11, 2013: Testing of today’s complex electronic products has become pretty challenging; multimeters have, therefore, evolved into a high-end electrical and electronic testing equipment. They now come with a higher level of integration, connectivity and advanced features. To meet the needs of every segment, the design of multimeters has evolved from bench-top to portable hand-held models, and of late, even the modular form-factor. Their sampling rate, resolution and precision have also improved to provide better measurements and greater ease of use, at an affordable price.
From semiconductor testing, chip designing, aerospace and automotive testing, to precision measurement and data logging in industrial testing, multimeters today address a wide range of requirements. In this section, we feature some of the new multimeters launched during the last nine months. However, companies like BK Precision, Chauvin Arnaux, Cyronics Instruments, Extech, Falcon and Geotest have not launched any new multimeters in this time frame.
Model: 34450A, Brand: Agilent Technologies, Manufacturer: Agilent Technologies Inc., USA
Launched in January 2013, 34450A is the fastest bench-top digital multimeter in its class, capable of measuring up to 190 readings per second with 0.015 per cent DCV accuracy.
Key features
- Can deliver up to 50,000 readings of onboard memory, allowing users to log up to 14 hours of data at one sample per second
- To simplify day-to-day tasks, it comes with a built-in histogram, performs basic statistical functions and provides simple data analysis
- Its high-contrast OLED display enables users to easily set up measurement functions using the one-page menu
Contact details: Agilent India Customer Contact Center, sales, marketing & application, Ph: 1800-11-2929 (toll free), [email protected], www.agilent.com
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Model: KM 711, Brand: Kusam-Meco, Manufacturer: Kusam Electrical Industries Ltd, India
Launched in February 2013, KM 711 is a very convenient multimeter for measuring the parameters of variable frequency drives (VFD). It also has a protection holster and is constructed from fire retardant material.
Key features
- Transient protection 6kV (1.2/50 ms surge) protection
- Has double insulation as per IEC 61010-1 specifications and conforms to Category II 1000V
- It is an average sensing multimeter with a 6000 counts display
- Has a special function of Crest-MAX capture for voltage and current measurement
Contact details: Chandmal Goliya, director, Ph: 022-24124540, [email protected], www.kusamelectrical.com
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Model: 45CF, Brand: Meco, Manufacturer: Meco Instruments Pvt Ltd, India
Launched in January 2013, 45CF is a 4½ -digit LCD digital multimeter, which measures C/DC voltage and AC/DC current with other features to check capacitance, frequency, hFE, infrared remote control check, live wire check, APO, etc.
Key features
- DC voltage: 200 mV/2/20/200/1000 V
- AC voltage: 200 mV/2/20/ 200/750 V
- DC current: 2 mA/20/200 mA/20 A
- AC current: 20/200 mA/20 A
- Resistance: 200 Ω /2 Ω/20 Ω/200 kΩ /2 Ω/20 MΩ
- Capacitance: 20/200 nF/2/200 F
- Frequency: 20 kHz
Contact details: Kamal Goliya, CEO, Ph: 022 – 27673328, [email protected], [email protected], www.mecoinst.com
India distributor: Meco Meters Pvt Ltd
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Model: GDM-8261A, Brand: GWInstek, Manufacturer: Good Will Instrument Co Ltd, Taiwan
Launched in March 2013, GDM-8261A is a high-precision 6½-digit digital multimeter with dual measurement displays, 11 measurement functions and 10 math functions at high accuracy (35ppm DC voltage accuracy) to accommodate parameter measurements in various application fields.
Key features
- Adopts a scanner card, which carries 16 V-channels and 2 I-channels, to facilitate the measurement of multiple test points on either a device or multiple devices
- The current measurement function covers a very wide range from 100 μA to 10 A for DC current and 1 mA to 10 A for AC current
- High data transmission speed of up to 2,400 readings/s through USB interface with ASCII format; it allows users to get quantity data within a very short time, for further analysis
Contact details: Helena Wang, manager, overseas sales department, Ph:+ 886 2 268 0389 Ext. 651, [email protected], www.gwinstek.com
India distributors: Integrated Services and Consultancy, Vamara Techware, GSAS Micro Systems, Arihant Trading Company, Automate Process Control, Avante Global Services Pvt Ltd, SRB Instruments Pvt Ltd, and Innovative Instruments Inc
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Model: DT4250 and DT4220 series, Brand: Hioki, Manufacturer: Hioki E.E. Corporation, Japan
Launched in April 2013, DT4250 and DT4220 digital multimeter series meet a wide range of applications, ranging from HVAC, DC and R&D to field testing.
Key features
- DT4251: Measures current with a clamp sensor; ideal for when measurement safety is the top priority
- DT4252: Measures high-precision DC voltage and 10A AC/DC measurements; ideal for users who require a range of measurement capabilities
- DT4253: Measures temperature, DC current (mA/μA), and other types of measurements; ideal for those responsible for maintaining instrumentation, heating, ventilation, or air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment
- DT4221: Automatic AC/DC detection and voltage detection functionality; ideal for those who primarily need voltage measurement capabilities
- DT4222: Ideal for users who need to measure a variety of devices in addition to voltage, including resistors, capacitors, and diodes
Contact details: Ph: +81-268-28-562, [email protected], www.hioki.com
India office: Hioki India Pvt Ltd
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Model: Fluke 28 II Ex, Brand: Fluke, Manufacturer: Fluke Corporation, USA
Launched in September 2012, Fluke 28 II Ex, a rugged, intrinsically safe digital multimeter, allows measurements both inside and outside of hazardous zones without compromising on measurement performance.
Key features
- Drop-proof for up to three metres (9.8-feet) with a totally sealed, IP 67 rated case for complete protection against dust and water. It can withstand hazardous 8,000V spikes caused by load switching and faults on industrial circuits
- Provides all the test and troubleshooting power necessary for accurate measurements inside or outside potentially explosive areas. This eliminates the need to carry multiple meters to test different areas, and removes the safety problems associated with crossing through an intrinsically safe zone with a non-IS instrument
- Features a high-resolution 20,000 counts display and true-rms AC voltage and current for accurate measurement on non-linear signals
Contact details: Ph: 1-800-903-5853, [email protected],www.flukeonlinestore.com
India distributor: Helix India, TTL India
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Model: 2110, Brand: Keithley, Manufacturer: Keithley Instruments Inc., USA
Launched in September 2012, the model 2110 5½-digit dual-display digital multimeter is optimised for a variety of general-purpose system and bench design applications. When compared with leading 5½-digit DMMs, the model 2110 offers superior throughput (up to 10x faster), accuracy (up to 2x better DC voltage accuracy), a lower purchase price, and greater integration flexibility.
Key features
- DC voltage (up to 1000 V) and current (up to 10 A); AC voltage (up to 750 V) and current (up to 10 A); two- and four-wire resistance (up to 100 mega-ohms), temperature, frequency (10 Hz–300 kHz), period, and capacitance (1 nanofarad to 100 microfarad ranges) measurements
- Programmable AC/DC converter and filter settings simplify optimising its signal-to-noise ratio to improve measurement accuracy.
- The instrument’s dual display can show the results from two measurements simultaneously, such as DC voltage and temperature, so users can monitor temperature fluctuations without interrupting other measurements. Its intuitive front panel makes it easy enough for students to use without sacrificing measurement performance or flexibility
Contact details: Ph: 1-800-935-5595, [email protected], www.keithley.com
India branch: Keithley Instruments International Corporation
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