Featured Articles

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Why Use the Multi-Manufacturers’s Catalog in an Electrical Installation Calculation Software?

In the development of any electrical project, it is fundamental to count with a comprehensive and accurate manufacturers’ catalog. In fact, the reliability and the immediate availability of exhaustive contents is key to any technical design professional keen on guaranteeing the quality and integrity of the electrical projects. In order to guarantee safety, any electrical installation must comply with the local electrical requirements and standards.

 

 

 

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80 Years of Instrumentation Innovation

This year Weschler Instruments celebrates its 80th year as a supplier of meters and instrumentation. Much has changed in electronic measurement equipment and technology since 1941. Vacuum tubes were replaced by transistors and then integrated circuits. Analog indicators became digital readouts and then graphical touchscreens. Manual operation migrated to automatic sequencing and then fully computerized tests.

 

 

 

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The Difference Between a Main Panel and Subpanel, and How to Use Them

A main panel is an installed box where the power from the utility company enters the premises. A subpanel is an installed features that acts as a middle ground for the main panel and other types of circuits that are connected to your property. In this brief guide, Hardcore Electric will provide you with information pertaining to main panels and subpanels and instruct on their usage.

 

 

 

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Panduit: Grounding Failure Case Study – Verifying Absence of Voltage

Situation: Worker approaches the enclosure and the disconnect switch for the 480V power source is in the OFF position. The disconnect switch has failed with one phase (L1) in the closed position (L2, L3 are open). The ground leads of the devices are NOT connected to ground because of an improper installation or termination failure.

 

 

 

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Employing the UL508A Standard for Control Panel Design

Control panel builders utilize several factors to create optimal functionality. Taking these considerations a step further to ensure safe operation, designers should adhere to widely accepted standards, notably Underwriters Laboratories (UL) UL508A. UL508A provides guidance for panel design, including the approved method to determine short circuit current rating (SCCR).

 

 

 

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How to Select the Right Material for Your Industrial Enclosure

More often than not, there’s an ideal tool for the job. For example, you wouldn’t try cooking a steak in the microwave, as that particular tool is not engineered for properly preparing that kind of food. You’d of course cook a steak on the grill, as that type of heating application is best designed to heat the steak to your exacting specifications. In today’s industrial enclosure marketplace, there are numerous options for enclosure material, and each has its own specifications, ideal applications, liabilities, and value propositions.

 

 

 

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Utility Safety: Supplying Headlamps as Critical PPE in Hazardous Environments

Whether the utility provides electricity, gas, water, or sewage treatment, management has a duty to protect employees by providing a safe work environment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required for the job in the facility and in the field.  However, despite various PPE options, many utilities fail to supply or specify important lighting tools – namely headlamps.

 

 

 

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Friedhelm Loh Turns 75 – Entrepreneur and Visionary in the Progress of Digital Transformation

Professor Friedhelm Loh has received the highest recognition for his success and commitment – from the top levels of business and politics and far beyond Germany’s borders. Through his personal achievements, his top political honours and great entrepreneurial courage, he has nevertheless remained – as he says himself – a “simple worker” and above all: grateful.

 

 

 

Do Not Touch: A New Generation of Touchless Switches
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Do Not Touch: A New Generation of Touchless Switches

A new generation of switches for touchless switching has been developed for switching without touching. Switching without contaminating the surface with potentially harmful germs, viruses or bacteria. How do these switches work and what are they capable of?

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Taking a Phased Approach Makes RTU and SCADA System Upgrades Seamless and Cost-Effective

Utilities that are replacing their aging remote terminal units (RTUs) and SCADA systems are doing so to ensure system reliability, improve usability and enhance future scalability – taking advantage of technology advancements in data connectivity and remote management. But how a utility approaches such a project is critical to ensuring that their system upgrade will be seamless and cost-effective.

 

 

 

The Key Components of Industrial Control Panels
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The Key Components of Industrial Control Panels

Electrical control panels are an integral part of any automated manufacturing process. While control systems are a fundamental aspect of electrical engineering, many people aren’t aware of the key control panel components required to function safely and reliably.

 

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To Improve Cybersecurity, Don’t Wait on Firmware and Software Updates

One of the key ways to help protect your organization against nefarious actors and cyberattacks is proactive firmware and software management. Keeping your firmware and software up to date isn’t a one-off exercise. It’s a process. And manufacturers are well advised to adopt version updates as they become available. Especially as more manufacturers implement digital strategies to improve operational efficiency, reveal data-driven insights, and use cloud-based technologies.

 

 

 

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New ISA White Paper: Applying ISO/IEC 27001/2 and the ISA/IEC 62443 Series for Operational Technology Environments

The International Society of Automation (ISA) and the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA), with contributing author Pierre Kobes, have released a white paper entitled, “Applying ISO/IEC 27001/2 and the ISA/IEC 62443 Series for Operational Technology Environments.” Many organizations have established policies and procedures governing the IT security in their office environment predominantly based on ISO/IEC 27001/2.

 

 

 

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Intelligent XTS Transport System Sorts Bottles With Automatic Format Changeovers

Spanish company Packfeeder has developed a family of automatic, robot-supported bottle unscrambling machines for the packaging industry. The so-called Pickfeeder uses the eXtended Transport System (XTS) from Beckhoff to implement a machine concept that is highly flexible and suitable for the most demanding sorting jobs in packaging with virtually no changeover effort.

 

 

 

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Make Better Decisions Using Asset Insights

If you don’t know every last industrial asset that’s installed in your production facilities and stocked in your storerooms, you’re not alone. Over a period of decades, it’s easy to lose sight of what assets you have as those assets are replaced, parts are restocked and employees change roles. But maintaining a complete understanding of your assets – from industrial control devices and parts, to machines and equipment – is a prerequisite to optimizing how you manage them.