Electrical Apparatus
The Magazine of Electrical &
Electronic Application & Maintenance

May 2008 Columns and Departments

Back issues
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• Editor's Comment In this issue - looking forward to the EASA show ... addressing torque ... what's coming up ... qualification cards  ... 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 - Is under-loaded motor the way to higher efficiency ... Can entrance to terminal box conduit be enlarged? ... Insulation resistance on smaller drive motors ... Can switchgear design eliminate arc flash hazard? ... Is overload capability related to power factor? ... Enclosed motor not proof against chemical attack ...   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.

• Letters  Comments and questions from readers of Electrical Apparatus.  In this issue - Finding efficiency of obsolete motors, from John Voitl, Predictive Maintenance Technician, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO ... Kind words from Tomy Chambers, City of Gillett, Gillette, WY and Dean Corren, Director of Marine Current Technology, Verdant Power, Burlington, VT

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

• Utility Briefs  News of the utility industry. In this issue - American Wind Energy Association's lobbying effort fails... Portland General Electric Company buys 141 wind turbines from Siemens Power Generation ... Georgia Power seeks energy from landfill, per agreement with Georgia Waste to Energy Cedar Grove LLC ... State of Maryland and Constellation Energy Group settle electricity rate lawsuit - customers of Baltimore Gas and Electric Co will receive payout ... Illinois Electric Council's new name is Energy Education Council.... Edited by Kevin Jones

• EA reader at ease  ... Spotlighting the hobbies and off-work activities of Electrical Apparatus readers.

  In this issue - Harry Mayle, formerly of Leeson, enjoys his retirement and loves his life as a jazz musician.

  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 .

• Trade associations,  professional societies and government activities  News of non-profit  government, and other organizations serving the electrical mechanical industries.  In this issue  - NEMA supports building a 'smart' utility grid ... Electrical Apparatus Service Association holds webinar to help participants "Find and Keep the Right Employees" ... Four sales engineers working for Trek, Inc are certified by the Electrostatic Discharge Association (l to r -  Elwin Rego, John Clack, Chris Lemke and Ron Slaby)  ... American Society of Safety Engineers Foundation presents scholarships to 39 recipients ... National Association of Electrical Distributors celebrates centennial ... Refrigeration Service Engineers observe their 75th anniversary ... Energy efficiency is topic of June meeting of the Consortium for Energy Efficiency...  Edited by the EA staff

  Note:  the 2008 EMBR lists contact information for more than 140 associations ... Update or add your listing to the 2009 EMBR.

• Business and financial briefs  News of expansions, relocations, annual reports, and more, about companies serving the electrical mechanical industries  In this issue - EIS buys C.H. Chowers Supply Co of Pine Bluff Arkansas ... EMS Canada and HM Pipeline Services, Inc. merge ... Lincoln Electric acquires Portuguese supplier ... Eurotherm of Lesburg, VA, moves manufacturing from Alberta, Canada to Reynosa, Mexico ... Ametek, Inc., acquires the Motion Control Group of Minneapolis ... Drive Source International acquires eddy current drive and specialty motor and geared motor lines from ATB Laurence Scott Ltd. ... Wolverine Tube, Inc. sells interest in Shanghai subsidiary to the Wieland Group ... Magid Glove and Safety Manufacturing Co receives ISO 9001-2000 recertification for quality mangagement ... Miscor Group Ltd. reports jump in sales ... ABB India's net profit surges... .Edited by Kevin Jones

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

• Standards briefs  Updates of standards and related information. In this issue - International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) continues to expand its global reach ... National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) releases new standards ... Comments sought on American National Standards Institute (ANSI) adoptions...  Edited by the Electrical Apparatus staff. 

• Training Briefs Announcements of workshops, seminars and instructional materials.  In this issue - Welding, by the Lincoln Electric Co ... Automation, from ISA - www.isa.org/training/MT10C2/TwinCities ...Motor fundamentals, by the Electrical Apparatus Service Association ... Circuit breakers, by  Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League ... Plant maintenance, by All-Test Pro LLC ...  Infrared thermography, by Flir Systems, Inc.... Edited by Bill O'Leary

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

• Trilingual summary For our international readers, each month one featured topic is presented in French, Spanish and German. In this issue - Finding the best way to drive a belt conveyor (read an online English summary)

• Literature Announcements of guides, catalogs, brochures, product specifications and other literature.  In this issue - Precision alignment of pump drives, from Ludeca ... Cleanup material buying guide, from Pigalog ... Professional wire & cable stripping/crimping tools, from Wiha Tools ... Hand tool safety, from Wright Tool  ...  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.

• Safety and health in the workplace How companies and their employees can guard and enhance their health and safety.  In this issue -What to expect from OSHA in fiscal 2008 and 2009 - The federal safety agency plans enhanced enforcement  By Richard B. Elsberry, EA Contributing Editor

• Accounting for management  Business financial planning, tips, information and best accounting practices.  In this issue - Better accounting - Develop the habits of sound bookkeeping to avoid running into serious trouble...By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor and author of the recently published book, Steps to a Successful Service Shop.

• Names and Faces ... News and photos of industry people on the move and in the news. In this issue - Glenn Telschow of Tower Fasteners ... Chuck Peck (above, l.) of Staco Energy Products Co. ... John Cochrane, Jack Dischner, Mark Radnurnd, Blaine Loomer, Kevin Deverell, Deborah Block, Jim Seiger, Robert Thomma, Jason Burns, Daniel Lynn, Tamara Shores, Kathy Bunkley and Brent Cooper of Commtest, Inc.  ... Tammara Love (above r) and Starla Bickerstaff (below, l) of Robroy Industries ... Christopher Stevens (below, c) of Devcon ... John Malmgreen of Eastern Alloys ... Michael B. McBain of DeWAL Industries ... Vin Davulis, C. Morgan Bennett and Brian Fleming of Nanmac Corp ... Donnie McCook (below l) of Strothmann ...Edited by the EA Staff

• Deaths  - Obituaries of industry people  In this issue - Helen Grace Stewart (above, l), co-founder of Stewart's Electric Motor Works in Orlando Florida, and John Koenitzer (above, r), former CEO and chairman of Helwig Carbon Products, Milwaukee.  

• Automation High-tech products of use to the industry. In this issue - Overvoltage protection, from Raycap, Inc. ... Ethernet switch, from CyberResearch ... Power controllers from Eurotherm ... Brushless motor control, from Bodine Electric ... UPS communication, from Staco Energy ... Inductive sensor, from Contrinex, Inc. ... By David P. Tryling

• Product briefs Photos and announcements of new products. In this issue - Tools from Klein Tools,  The Eraser Co, LEDtronics and  Wright Tool Co. ... Circuit Interrupters from Cooper Bussmann ... Drives & Inverters  from  ABB Low Voltage Products ... Interconnections from Bridgeport Fittings and Cooper B-Line ... Measuring Equipment from Fluke Corp ... Contact surface pressure indicating sensor film from Sensor 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.

• Automation Briefs  High-tech products of use to the industry. In this issue - Clamp meter from Fluke ... LCD interface from Saelig ... Motion controller from Baldor Electric ... Linear encoder from Heidenhain ... Emergency stop from Human Machine Interface ... Fuse holder from Keystone Electronics ... Microstepping motor from Oriental Motor. By David P. Tryling, EA Contributing Editor

• 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 - Power transmission, motion control sales strong ... Slower pace of deterioration seen ... Manufacturing picture not so gloomy ... European Union sets registration guidelines for chemicals.. from The Editors of Electrical Apparatus.