Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

December 2005 Columns and Departments

Back issues
Save postage and handling fees: Order back issues direct from our online webstore.  Current and back issues are $5.00 each. To purchase copies by mail or telephone, using credit card or check, contact Barks Publications, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Chicago, IL 60611-4104  (312) 321-9440 tel, (312) 321-1288 fax. Non-credit card orders add postage and handling:  $1.25 for first copy, plus $.50 for each additional copy. (No postage and handling is charged for orders placed on the web.)

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• Editor's Comment Perspective on current and upcoming issues... by Horace B. Barks, Executive Editor 
  In this issue:  The ever expanding electrical aftermarket 

• 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: Voltage for testing bearing insulation?  ... What's an alternistor, and what's its role in drives? ... Does OSHA enforce the NFPA arc flash standard? ... What's the meaning of torque efficiency? ... Does less cage resistance increase starting current? ... Can an infrared scan reveal rotor defects?

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:  Programming an ASD, from David Bredhold, Application Engineer, Eaton/Cutler/Hammer, Louisville, Kentucky ....

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

• 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: Bain Capital purchases FCI-Burndy Products of Versailles Cedex, France ... Darby Electric becomes authorized distributor and service center for ABB low voltage drives and ABB large motors ... PD George Co chooses Complete Rein Solutions S.A. de CV as Mexico distributor ... 2006 National Manufacturing Week will stress globalism ... Kadon Electro Mechanical Services Ltd. receives supplier recognition award from Nova Chemicals ... Scheneider Electric deploys service restoration teams to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina ... New sales representatives for Helwig Carbon Products Inc. (Arnet Clean Power) and SLi Lighting (United Electrical Sales and Burrus & Matthews)  ...  A.O. Smith's Electrical Products Co.'s IG-MEX Plant Two  Mexico plant wins safety award (pictured) ... Financial Briefs:   Johnstone Supply, Inc. ... A.O. Smith Corp ... MagneTek ... Emerson Electric ... Littelfuse ...

• Say It Right ... The popular column about language in the workplace...  by Richard L. Nailen, P.E., EA Engineering Editor 
  In this issue - What do we mean by labyrinth seal?

• 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 - National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) issues safety brochure to help Katrina victims ... 2006 EASA Show names Keith Harrell keynote speaker ... Business associations including the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce want to limit the Patriot Act ... National Association of Electrical Distributors releases schedule of meetings ... Power transmission sales are growing ... Shrinking margins concern power transmission makers ... InterNational Electrical Testing Association will hold March 2006 technical conference in Memphis ... Adhesive and Sealant Council's 2006 convention to be held in April in Norfolk, VA ...
  Edited by the EA Staff

  Note:  the 2005 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2006 EMBR.

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.
  In this issue - Coming down the mountain   Mike Pence, owner and president of Electric Motor Supply, Joplin, MO, began skiing 30 years ago and hasn't stopped since ...  ...
  By Joseph S. Hoff, EA Special Features Editor

  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

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events... Edited by the EA staff
  In this issue - conferences, meetings, conventions and more, from December 2005 through June 2006 ...

• Engineering Education   
  A glimpse into today's engineering classroom in a quarterly feature which reports on college and university courses relevant to expanding electromechanical activities, as well as pre-college programs.   In this issue - Communications ... steering students toward science and engineering ... Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program ... the business-minded engineer...
   By Josh Hoff

  Engineers in the US number more than two million, and job openings for electrical engineers are expected to increase 21%-35% by 2006.  This trend is inspiring new and diverse engineering education programs across the country, from pre-engineering to nanotechnology. Send information about engineering education programs and events to Electrical Apparatus, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Chicago, III. 60611; (312) 321-9440; Fax (312) 321-1288; e-mail eamagazine@barks.com

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. In this issue - "'What’s involved in bypassing an adjustable-speed drive?" (read an online English summary)

• Safety and health in the workplace   In this issue - The two faces of OSHA - The good and the bad and what to watch for... 
  By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor

• Accounting for management  Conquering downtime - Unless an effort is made to expose downtime, the cost remains largely hidden and can escalate out of control ...
  By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of Steps to a Successful Service Shop.

• Electronics (Automation briefs)  - the latest in products for electronics and systems applications... In this issue - control components from Astec Power, B&K Precision and Richco, Inc. ... Testing and measuring from Adalet Wireless ... Switches and relays from HBControls and EAO Switch Corp...   ... Edited by David P. Tryling 

To submit products for "Automation Briefs" include a photo and website URL to a page where our readers can learn more about your product over the web (URLS are published in the magazine.)  Fax or conventionally mail press releases or announcements to Electrical Apparatus, 400 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Chicago, IL 60611; Telephone (312) 321-9440; Fax (312) 321-1288; or email eamagazine@barks.com .

• 
  Names and Faces ... News and photos of industry people on the move and in the news... In this issue --Ametek Solidstate Controls's Jim Amicon ... Lafert North America's Paul Tate ... Lewis Kling of Flowserve Corp (pictured) ....Nancy McNabb of the National Fire Protection Association...Leviton Manufacturing Co.'s William Marshall ...The Eraser Co's  Joseph LaPlant...George Blankenship (pictured) , Phillip Fulgenzi, David LeBlanc and Ralph Fernandez of Lincoln Electric Co. ... David Nangle (pictured) of J.W. Harris Co....Damian Kotecki of the American Welding Society ...A.O. Smith Corp's Daniel Drexler and Troy Rybicki ... Hendrik Burger (pictured)  of Circuit Breaker Industries...Edited by the EA Staff

• 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 the EA staff
  In this issue:   Motor diagnostics, from All-Test Pro, www.alltestpro.com ... Power Quality, from PowerCET Corp., www.powercet.com/download/courscat.pdf ... Electrical grounding, from Lyncole XIT Grounding, www.lyncole.com ...  Motor service and repair, from the Electrical Apparatus Service Association, www.easa.org ... Drives and controls, from Bosch Rexroth Corp, www.boschrexroth-us.com ... High voltage maintenance, from Ox Creek Energy, www.corona-technology-course.com ...Professional certification, from the Association for Facilities Engineering, www.afe.org ... Infrared thermography, from the Electrical Apparatus Service Association, www.easa.com ...

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

• Standards briefs  updates of standards and related information... In this issue -- lightning standard deemed too confusing by the International Electrotechnical Commission ... Molded case circuit breakers considered by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ... Revisions from Underwriters Laboratories ... Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry, from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus.
  In this issue: Nonresidential construction bolsters demand for lighting equipment ... Flu shots should be plentiful this year ... A writers' group is suing google ... Sun Microsystems says its new "Niagara" chip is faster and cheaper ... Postage stamps go up ... Is the recession ending?
  By the Editors

• Cy's Super Service, Motorhead and Generatorhead Comic strips featuring characters from our favorite cartoonists. 

• Web briefs ...  Selected websites for the electromechanical specialist, annotated with details of especially valuable content.   Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people. 

• 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.

• New Books Recently published books, reviewed by our editors. 

• Electrical Manager ...A potpourri of news and features, selected and edited for maintenance and service managers. 

  "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. 

• 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.

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

• International Briefs -Edited by the EA Staff

• EMBR update  - changes to the Electromechanical Bench Reference 2005, the annual buyers' guide that readers received with their December 2004 Electrical Apparatus.  Following publication of the directory, corrections and additions appear in subsequent issues of the magazine. 

• Certification briefs  Updates on certification Edited by Kevin Jones

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

• 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.