CHICAGO, March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- From a dinosaur to an astronaut to the world's smallest valve, Parker is making a bold statement about the old economy versus the new and the crucial roles both must play to elevate the standard of living around the world.

At the National Design Engineering Show, which opens today and runs through Thursday, Booth #1021 McCormick Place North, Parker is featuring:

• a fully operational animatronic dinosaur made possible by Parker products.

• a guest appearance by Captain James Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13 mission, who is one of Parker's most famous customers. Parker designed and manufactured more than 120 components and assemblies used on the Apollo, including the vital oxygen control assembly. (Captain Lovell will be appearing from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday.)

• the X-Valve, the world's smallest valve measuring 8mm in width, ideal for micro-pneumatic industrial, medical and analytical applications.

• And, 27 new products and services that are being debuted at this show, including EmiClare LF 65 shielded windows with a proprietary mesh shielding designed specifically for preventing electromagnetic interference concerns in plasma display panels while dramatically improving visual clarity. Typical uses of EmiClare include meeting radiated emissions requirements on commercial avionics and HDTV (High Definition Television) displays.

"Our goal is to use this show as a platform to debunk the current myth that manufacturing is tied only to the old economy," said Parker Chairman and CEO Duane Collins. "In reality, our mission-critical motion and control technology is vital to improving the standard of living around the world. And as the world develops, manufacturing is increasingly tied to the new economy as people around the globe seek high-tech solutions to their everyday problems."

For example, one of the products Parker is introducing is its new IQ200 On-line Particle Counter for hydraulic systems. The IQ200 uses an optical sensor with laser light blocking technology to continuously monitor fluid cleanliness levels on a real time basis for increased system reliability, helping manufacturers ensure maximum uptime. Because the IQ200 offers precise sampling, particle sizing, and counting in a compact, affordable package, users can obtain fluid analysis results within seconds and avoid the expense and handling delays associated with lab tests and portable counters. Fully programmable features allow the user to set alarms based on fluid cleanliness requirements.

To further illustrate the world's desire for high-tech, precision- engineered solutions, Parker's booth features interactive, experiential displays showing visitors that no matter where they are -- at home, at work, or at play -- because of its unrivalled breadth of product, Parker is never more than a few feet away, making possible many of the things we take for granted. Additional displays illustrate how Parker helps put you in motion to get you where you need to be, and how the company continues to help mankind achieve success in out-of-this-world space exploration.

With nearly $5 billion in annual sales, Parker Hannifin Corporation is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies, providing systematic, precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of commercial, industrial and aerospace markets. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.parker.com . SOURCE Parker Hannifin Corporation

CONTACT: Lorrie Paul Crum, VP - Corp. Communications, 216-896-2750, or Jodi Bennett, Mgr. - Integrated Communications, 216-896-3258, both of Parker Hannifin Corporation/