Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

December 2007 Columns and Departments

Back issues
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• Editor's Comment In this issue - Wrapping up the year - two magazines as one ... Reviewing the NEC - a two part story ... Small businesses flourishing  ... by Horace B. Barks, Editor and Publisher

• 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.  In this issue - Power factor not a factor in sizing of motor wire .. How much cooling do capacitors need? ... Longer starting time: Is it the motor's fault? ... Vertical vs. horizontal bus - how much cooler? ... Welding vs. barzing in a motor's rotor cage ... Older motor insulation better with inverters?  ... Is current unbalance a problem in idle motor? ... More on inverter bypass contactor rating ... Does 'inverter duty' mean extra-thick insulation? ... Edited by the EA staff 

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.

• Business and financial briefs  News of expansions, relocations, annual reports, and more, about companies serving the electrical mechanical industries. In this issue - MISCOR Group Ltd. acquires Ideal Consolidated, Inc ... Motion Industries moves into process pumps ... Emerson purchase of Motorola unit okayed ... Flir acquires Extech Instruments ... PowerTran Co is bought by ABB  ...Edited by Kevin Jones

• International Trade Shows  Information and calendar for upcoming shows around the globe. In this issue - Middle East Electricity in Dubai ... International Exhibition on Electyric Power Electrical Engineering in China ... SMT/PCB and Nepcon Korea in Seoul ... PCIM China and Electornica and Productronica China in Germany ... Wire in Germany ... Electricita Sicura in Italy .. Hannover Messe in Hannover Germany ... Elektro Brno in the Czech Republic  .. Edited by the EA Staff

• Trade associations,  professional societies and government activities  News of non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.  In this issue  - Report by the Power Transmission Distributors Association reveals costs of inventory returns ... EASA seeks award nominations ... American Society of Safety Engineers promotes its organization to students ... Association for Facilities Engineering offers certification for Plant Maintenance managers ... National Electrical Manufacturers Association offers job search packages ... National Association of Electrical Distributors receives grant from Revere Electric Supply ... Reports from Manufacturers' Agents National Association wil now be free ... International Electrical Testing Association issues publication covering maintenance testing  ...  Edited by the EA staff

  Note:  the 2007 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2008 EMBR.

• EA reader at ease  ... Stories featuring unusual or interesting avocational interests of our readers.

  In this issue - The featured Reader at Ease in the December 2007 Electrical Apparatus is Douglas Schleisman, general manager at Electric Motor Repair, Minneapolis. Doug is an ice fisherman who finds that fishing not only yields nourishment but also renews the spirit, providing both fun and relaxation.

  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 .

• Utility Briefs  News of the utility industry. In this issue - Studies show that deregulation costs more ... Diary waste is being used to make energy ... Survey shows little support for deregulation ... Missouri court halts electricity rate hike ... Edited by Kevin Jones

• Engineering Education    By Josh Hoff
  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 - Teaching engineers entrepreneurship at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University ... Boeing is again number one for engineering students ... Museum of Science, Boston, and Key Curriculum Press publish new high school science and engineering curriculum.

  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

• Standards briefs  Updates of standards and related information. In this issue - U.S. appoints standards representative to European Union ... ANSI and NETA consolidate testing standards ... Underwriters Laboratories issues updates and revisions ... Transformer requirements are combined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ... International Electrotechnical Commission announces new publications dealing with lightning, explosive atmospheres ... Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. In this issue - Motor Control a la Nola - a durable technology.  After a quarter century of ups and downs, the Nola device continues to play a role in electrical energy conservation. (read an online English summary)

• New Books Recently published books, reviewed by our editors.  In this issue - electric power for neophytes is the topic of S.W. Blume's Electric Power System Basics, published by IEEE Press/Wiley Interscience.  For more books reviewed in Electrical Apparatus, see our Book Review webpage, and 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.  In this issue - Joint replacement can eliminate aches and pains - Today, there's no reason to be hobbled by knee injuries ...   By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor

• Accounting for management  Business financial planning, tips, information and best accounting practices.  In this issue - Avoiding tax pitfalls when buying a business - How not to trigger unexpected expenses ...By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of the recently published book, Steps to a Successful Service Shop.

• Calendar Briefs - Upcoming trade shows, symposia, and events. In this issue - events from December 2007 through October 2008 ... Edited by the EA Staff

• Automation Briefs  High-tech products of use to the industry. In this issue - brushless motors from DynaMotors and Applimotion ... Gateway module from Saelig Co ... Electronic controller from Sevcon, Inc. ... miniature servo drive from Elmo Motion Control...

• Web briefs ...  Selected websites for the electromechanical specialist, annotated with details of especially valuable content.  In this issue -  Gilbert Electrical Systems and Products— www.gilbertelectrical.com ... Diesel Service & Supply, Inc.— www.dieselserviceandsupply.com  ... Mackay Pump School— www.practicalpumping.com  ... Pro Fuse International— www.profuseinternational.com ... Tribology-abc— www.tribology-abc.com  ... AuCom Electronics— www.aucom.com ... CUKY— http://cuky2000.250free.com ... Master Control Systems, Inc.— www.mastercontrols.com ... SKM Systems Analysis, Inc.— www.skm.com ... Cerro Wire & Cable Co.— www.cerrowire.com ... Arc Advisor— www.arcadvisor.com ...  Institution of Engineering & Technology— www.iee.org ... Longo Industries— www.elongo.com ... Power & Systems Innovation, Inc.— www.psihq.com  ...  Nokian Capacitors Ltd.— www.nokiancapacitors.com  Edited by the EA staff Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Training Briefs Announcements of workshops, seminars and instructional materials.  In this issue - Corrosion testing from ASTM International ... Machine alignment from Machine Dynamics, Inc. ... Servomotor training from Quality Solutions Co ... Welding from the Lincoln Electric Company ... Arc-flash protection from American Trainco ... UPS's and batteries from Ametek Solidstate Controls ...   Power quality from PowerCET Corp ... Motor & drive application from Baldor Electric ...Drives and Controls from Bosch-Rexroth Corp ... High-voltage maintenance from Ox Creek Energy .... Infrared Thermography from the Electrical Apparatus Service Association .. Professional certification, from the Association for Facilities Engineering.  Also - Carolina Energy's welding school in South Carolina expands  Edited by the EA Staff

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

• Product briefs Photos and announcements of new products. In this issue - Drives and inverters from ABB and EPC ... Measuring equipment from Seaward Group USA, Chromalox, Inc., and Flir Systems ... hand cleaners from Klein Tools ... Shaft grounding ring from Electro Static Technology ... Sweet function generators from B+K Precision Corp ... Silicone gel vibration mounts from Advanced Antivibration Components ... Motors & Gearmotors from Oriental Motor ... Power quality from Staco Energy Products and Raycap .. Safety power and data access ports from Hubbell Wiring Device-Kellems  ...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.

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

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

• Direct and Current Breaking news of interest to the industry.  In this issue - Sales of controls edge up in third quarter ... 59th consecutive month of export growth ... OSH to report to the European Union? ... Falling US dollar hurts Canadian exports ... Small business loans for military veterans .. from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus.