Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

December 2004 Columns and Departments

• Editor's Comment Perspective on current and upcoming issues... by Horace B. Barks, Executive Editor 
  In this issue:  What is a 'shop' and what does it do? ... Coming next year ...

• Let's Solve Your Problem The longest-running and one of our most popular features, Let's Solve Your Problem answers real questions posed by people in plants and service shops around the U.S. and abroad. Selected Q&A's from this column are available in our popular Let's Solve Your Problem books.  Edited by the EA staff 
  In this issue:  Which way to ventilate a slip ring enclosure ... For connections, how hot is too hot? ... What overvoltage will 'standard' motors take? ... Guarding drive electronics against contamination ... Effect of 'solar exposure' on outdoor motor ... What's a 'plenum-rated' adjustable-speed drive? ... Earth and ground: are they the same?

You are invited to send questions to this department. Your identity will be kept confidential, but we ask that you include your name, affiliation, postal (not e-mail) address, and telephone number. If you'd like a pre-publication reply, enclose a stamped envelope and we'll try to respond promptly. We cannot provide personal consultation or supply winding data.

• Letters  Comments and questions from readers of Electrical Apparatus
  In this issue:  World voltages, from Larry Drake, Operations Manager, Hotwork-USA, Lexington, Kentucky ... Defining torque, from Joel Hable, Senior Application Engineer, Warner Electric, South Beloit, Illinois ... Kind words from Charles J. Sorce, Amtrak QA Technician, Wilmington, Delaware ...

Electrical Apparatus invites letters, 250 words maximum. All letters, including e-mail, must include name, company, title or position, phone number, city, state or province, and country. We may edit your letter for clarity and space.— Editor

• Trade associations,  professional societies and government activities  News of non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.   Edited by the EA staff
  In this issue:  "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day" is February 24, sponsored by the National Engineers Week Foundation, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, The Ntional Society of Professional Engineers, The Society of Women Engineers, WEPAN and Mentor/Net. ... Electric Motor, Education, and Research Foundation receives grant from US. Department of Energy ... The National Electrical Manufacturers Association and the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association agree to work together ... NEMA reports manufacturing growth ... American Society of Safety Engineers funds fellowships on workplace injuries ... Help for refrigeration engineering exams ... Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute opens AHR Expo-Mexico ..

  Note:  the 2004 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2006 EMBR.

• Business and financial briefs  News of expansions, relocations, annual reports, and more, about companies serving the electrical mechanical industries  ...Edited by Kevin Jones
  In this issue:  Gee Plus, Inc is new electromechanical sales firm .. Consolidated Electric Motor Service is sold to Greg Garnett ... General Cable Corp and Panduit form alliance and introduce PanGen network infrastructure supply line ... Honeywell names Systems Depot distributor ... Gaoth Tec Teo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Cyclics Corp. form three-way alliance to make turbine blades ... Klein Tools renews team sponsorship for Andretti Green Racing ... Molex, Inc., recognizes Arrow Electronics as distributor of the year ... Schneider Electric plays up its best-known Merlin Gerin, Square D and Telemecanique specialty brands .. Financial briefs for ABB, Eaton Corp, Baldor Electric Co., Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., W.W. Grainger, Inc., Rockwell Automation, Littlefuse, and Heinrich Industrie ...  

• Web briefs ...  Selected websites for the electromechanical specialist, annotated with details of especially valuable content.  Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 
  In this issue - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - www.atsdr.cdc.gov ... Brook Crompton - www.brookcrompton.com ... Engineering Dynamics, Inc. - www.engdyn.com ... Washington State University Energy Program - www.energyideas.org ... Noise Pollution Clearinghouse - www.nonoise.org ... Superconductors.org - www.superconductors.org ... Info Product Sites, Inc. - www.maintenanceresources.com

• Standards briefs  updates of standards and related information...  Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 
  In this issue - Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers amends its 1584 standard ... International Electrotechnical Commission and International Organization for Standardization create web information on international standards at www.standardsinfo.net  .. U.S. organizations look to European standards ... Latest edition of fastener standards available from the Industrial Fasteners Institute ... International Electrotechnical Commission takes up hazardous areas, fuel cells, insulation and other areas...

• Say It Right ... The popular column about language in the workplace  ...  by Richard L. Nailen, P.E., EA Engineering Editor
  In this issue - Which 'time constant' do you mean?  The meaning of the phrase is, well, inconstant ...

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. In this issue - How consistent are motor temperatures? (read an online English summary)

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events... Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff 
  In this issue - conferences, meetings, conventions and more, from December 2004 through October 2005 ...

• New Books Recently published books, reviewed by our editors.  See also Books for the Plant and Shop from Barks Books, including titles from the editors of Electrical Apparatus, including our latest new book, Let's Solve Your Problem - Volume III.

• Safety and health in the workplace How companies and their employees can guard and enhance their health and safety.   By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor
  In this issue - The continuing challenge of cholesterol - The wax-like fat can clog arteries and is a major cause of heart disease.

• Accounting for management  Business financial planning, tips, information and best accounting practices ...By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of the recently published book, Steps to a Successful Service Shop.
  In this issue - Factoring numbers into the big decisions .. The challenge is determining which expenses will be affected by change and which ones won't ...

• Electrical Manager ...A potpourri of news and features, selected and edited for maintenance and service managers.
  In this issue - Writing sales copy - plain and clear ... Collecting overdue accounts ... Publicity is not advertising

  "Electrical Manager" is a copyrighted feature of Electrical Apparatus.  Any kind of reproduction, including electronic transmission, without permission of Barks Publications is illegal and is prohibited. 

• Names and Faces ... News and photos of industry people on the move and in the news...Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff  
  In this issue - Power Measurement's Jay Dorfman and Elizabeth Kimmell (pictured above), Guarantee Electrical Co.'s Mark J. Richert (pictured in the magazine), James Potach of Schneider Electric North American Operating Division (pictured in the magazine), Paul E. Petrich of HBD Industries (pictured above and in the magazine), Johnathan W. Kitchen of Linpac Materials Handling (pictured above and in the magazine)...

• Electronics (Automation briefs)  - the latest in products for electronics and systems applications  Edited by David P. Tryling 
  In this issue -- motion and motion control products from Animatics, Oriental Motor USA Corp, QuickSilver Controls and EAO Switch Corp ... Testing and measuring products from Cal Test Electronics, B&K Precision, and Saelig Co. ... Sensors from MTS Temposonics and Eocoder Products ... Computers and accessories from Eurotherm and Rabbit Semiconductor ...

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.
  In this issue - Larry Heran of Ace Equipment in Cleveland has been playing tennis for more than 15 years. He cites quickness and hand-eye coordination as the two biggest advantages.

  Do you know someone working in the electrical aftermarket with a hobby or interest that could be featured in "EA reader at ease"? Tell us who they are, what they do, and how we can contact them to find out more about their special passions. Send your suggestions to Electrical Apparatus, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Chicago, III. 60611; (312) 321-9440; Fax (312) 321-1288; e-mail eamagazine@barks.com .

• Training Briefs Announcements of workshops, seminars and instructional materials, and our Training Index, listing program topics featured in Training Briefs in the past year  ... Edited by Sarah E. Wittliff 
  In this issue:  Motor application and maintenance from EASA ... High-voltage maintenance from Dan Ninedorf, Ox Creek Energy ... Facilities professional certification from The Association for Facilities Engineering ... Drives, Controls and hydraulics from Bosch Rexroth Technical Training Department ... Infrared thermography from EASA ...Onset Computer Corporation launches an energy challenge contest for K-12 classrooms ... Comau Pico, Rockwell Automation and Lincoln Electric Co partner with community colleges...

  Producers of workshops, seminars, and instructional materials are encouraged to mail announcements to Training Briefs Editor, Electrical Apparatus. There is no charge.

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry, from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus.
  In this issue: New nuclear plants by 2014? ... A growing demand for motors ... Lift truck operator training .. a pay-as-you-go electricity meter ... congressional freeloading ... marketing and sales executives' incomes ...

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people.  
  In this issue - a tribute to George Horner, who founded Horner Electric with his wife Mary in their Indiana home in 1949, using the kitchen stove as the company's first bake-out oven. 

• Cy's Super Service, Motorhead and Generatorhead Comic strips featuring characters from our favorite cartoonists. 
  In this issue - Cy's take on cell phones, eavesdropping and private conversations ... Motorhead's dog sled is ready for the big snow race....

• Certification briefs  Updates on certification Edited by Kevin Jones

• Literature Announcements of guides, catalogs, brochures, product specifications and other literature.  ...  Edited by the EA staff

  Mail announcements of new products and literature to Editorial Department, Electrical Apparatus (page 2). No faxes, e-mail, electronic submissions (CD-ROM's, etc.) or follow-up calls, please. There is no charge for publication, which does not constitute endorsement, nor can we verify product claims.

• Product briefs Photos and announcements of new products ...Edited by the EA Staff.

Mail announcements of new products and literature to Editorial Department, Electrical Apparatus (page 2). No faxes, e-mail, electronic submissions (CD-ROM's, etc.) or follow-up calls, please. There is no charge for publication, which does not constitute endorsement, nor can we verify product claims.

• Classified Advertising Equipment, jobs, businesses, business opportunities and services.

• Electropix  Photographs of people, places, equipment and more ...

• Utility Briefs  News of the utility industry .. Edited by Kevin Jones

• EMBR update  - changes to the Electromechanical Bench Reference 2004, the annual buyers' guide that readers received with their January 2003 Electrical Apparatus.  Following publication of the directory, corrections and additions appear in subsequent issues of the magazine. 

• Braintrainers  Puzzles you and your colleagues can solve for fun and, if your answers are correct, for recognition in Electrical Apparatus. by Lillian Nielsen, Special Correspondent 

• Question of the month

• Advertising Index  An easy to use reference to the advertisements in Electrical Apparatus magazine.