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  • VIEWS & OPINION: more >>

  • VIDEO

  • LIGHTING: more >>

    • Polymeric systems bring clarity to optical applications

      by Venkat Nandivada Master Bond

      Special optical adhesives enable the encapsulation of LEDs, termination of optical fibres and the assembly of complex lens systems. Optical grade epoxies, silicones and UV curable compounds offer engineers great versatility for bonding, sealing, coating and encapsulation applications. These systems adhere well to diverse substrates and offer excellent temperature resistance, stress relief and protection from […]

    • The importance of lower light levels, shade, shadows and darkness in lighting

      by Philip Hammond, BHA Lighting and BHA School of Lighting

      New lighting technologies are about to change the way we do lighting design, how we install lighting and how we will use it. Day is, of course, divided into daytime and night time or, put another way, light and dark. Daylight gives us energy and we can see to perform our tasks. Our bodies are […]

    • The workspace reinvented

      Information from Signify

      This article discusses ways in which connected lighting systems can support major trends in the transformation of offices. Several major trends are driving the transformation of the traditional office space: Globalisation: with organisations and employees frequently distributed across multiple geographical locations. Changing demographics: As generations Y and Z, as well as “generation next” employees enter […]

  • SWITCHGEAR & DRIVES: more >>

    • Electric motor performance testing and reliability assessment Part 1

      by Hugh Falkner, Fred Nelson, Geoff Parry, Anibal de Almeida and João Fong, Leonardo Energy

      This article explores how the cost of condition monitoring can be optimised through examination of the value of each test performed. Treating every motor on a site with the same degree of condition monitoring is neither necessary nor financially realistic. The reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) method [1] uses the answers to seven basic questions to determine […]

    • Medium voltage industrial variable speed drives: Part 2

      by Joable Andrade Alves, Gilberto da Cunha and Paulo Torri, Zest WEG

      This article considers the technologies and topologies of MV drives, their advantages, disadvantages, and their impact on the quality of energy on the mains and motor sides. Part 1 of this article explores the line-side topology of MV industrial VSDs (see Vector, October 2018, page 32). On an MV drive with a motor-side filter capacitor, […]

    • IE3-IE4 motors: selecting the right control and protection components

      by Adrian Franco and Pierre Dehaut, Schneider Electric

      Worldwide demand for energy is expected to double by 2050. At the same time, governments must halve their countries’ CO2 emissions to halt climate change. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric motors account for 40% of total global electricity consumption, far more than lighting, a far better-known culprit, which weighs in at just […]

  • MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY: more >>

    • Fire resistant transformers for food processing installations

      by Engineering in Britain Information Services, 1967

      From the ICMEESA Archive In food processing applications, pyroclor-filled transformer units save space and curb the costs involved with cable installations. In a modern food factory where electric power may be required for boilers, ovens, dryers, refrigerators and furnaces, as well as for mixing, grinding, sorting and packaging machinery of all kinds, the cost of […]

    • Noise considerations: machines and the design factory

      by Prof. EJ Richards

      From the ICMEESA Archive A synopsis of an original lecture delivered on 15 December 1965 on the dangers of industrial noise, as well as on measures of noise reduction. A high standard of living in a given society implies high productivity, which is accompanied by the use of machines of increasing power and speed, resulting […]

    • Bursting tests for boiler tubes

      Information from ICMEESA

      From the ICMEESA Archive In the 1960s, the International Standards Organisation required design data on creep-rupture in boiler tube materials. The draft ISO boiler code demands fuller design data on creep-rupture behaviour of boiler tube materials and the collection of such data at the Electrical Research Association is sponsored by British industry for this purpose. […]

  • INSTALLATION & CONTRACTING: more >>

    • How to use your multimeter safely

      Information from Fluke

      Failed multimeters are often discovered to have been subjected to higher voltage than the technician thought they were measuring. As distribution systems and loads become more complex, the possibilities of transient overvoltages increase. Motors, capacitors and power conversion equipment such as variable speed drives can be prime generators of spikes. Lightning strikes on outdoor transmission […]

    • Lightning and surge protection for SSEG plants

      Information from Dehn Africa

      Not implementing lightning and surge protective measures at PV installations is a recipe for disaster in countries such as South Africa. South Africa is seeing the rise of small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) as end-users and businesses alike work towards reducing their reliance on the national grid. Small-scale embedded generation refers to power generation under 1 MVA, […]

    • Basic electrical installation testing

      Information from Comtest

      The increasing complexity of electrical installations places extra responsibility on electrical test personnel charged with conforming to stringent international standards. It is imperative to use suitable test tools for performing the stringent tests imposed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). IEC 60364 and its national equivalent standards specify the requirements for fixed electrical installations in […]