Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

Designing industrial facilities is rarely a paint-by-numbers effort because each plant faces unique considerations, based on what it’s producing and the resulting safety and power requirements. That means power distribution equipment also needs to be custom designed.

In just a little more than a decade, LED lighting systems have moved from a not-quite-yet-there technology to one that essentially owns the market, especially in commercial applications. With efficacy ratings that now surpass those of once-dominant fluorescent fixtures, LEDs also can operate for years before needing replacement, versus months for fluorescent tubes.

When working as an electrician in a processing plant, I was often called in to work on renovations, new area construction, and emergency repair scenarios. Often there wasn’t permanent power available, so temporary power using extension cords was necessary to power up tools and equipment for the job.

Wire and cable pulling can be strenuous work, especially when distances stretch several floors or more. Lubricants are an important part of this process – they help reduce friction between cables and conduit, which, in turn, reduces the risk of damage, wear and tear on cable insulators.

Hazardous locations have stricter requirements for fixtures and luminaires than other industrial areas. Hazardous locations include those areas where flammable dusts, fumes, liquids and gases may be present, either in storage or during processing.

If you’ve been following business headlines (or your 401K’s monthly statements), you’ve likely heard about a lot of layoffs and other cost-cutting measures at some of the biggest tech companies. After flying high during the pandemic, when many of us were living significant parts of our lives online, these firms are finding they might have been overly optimistic that the growth would continue once Covid’s worst days had passed.