Electrical Industry Articles and Stories

The concept of 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, initially surfaced in the 1980s, thanks largely to the innovative work of engineer Chuck Hull. Hull invented a process called 'stereolithography', or SLA, a method that allowed for the creation of 3D models layer by layer, literally bringing ideas to life. It was a revolutionary breakthrough that sparked the beginning of the 3D printing era.

Occupancy sensors are quickly becoming a regulatory requirement in many commercial spaces, thanks to evolving energy codes seeking to wring out kilowatt-hours of energy savings anywhere it’s possible.

There it is again! That cat’s chasing rabbits in my garden again tonight. I knew something was tearing things up in there at night, so I installed a set of solar powered floods on the top of the gate.

As someone who’s tracked LED lighting since its early days as a commercially available technology, my own experience with the products has evolved. I live in an older house with overhead lighting only in the kitchen and bathrooms, so this has mostly meant experimenting with LED bulbs (or “lamps,” in lighting designer lingo) in the 14 or 15 table fixtures scattered around my home.

It truly amazes me how LEDs have transformed the lighting industry in just a decade. In 2012, manufacturers introduced the first bulbs to match the output of a standard 60W incandescent. They weren’t dimmable and could cost $25 or more. Fast forward to 2023, and LEDs now dominate the lighting market, and inexpensive replacement lamps can cost less than $5 and last 10-20 years.

One of my favorite topics to talk or write about is LED lighting and lighting accessories. I’m a big fan of those little light-emitting diodes. Even in the early days, when prices were high and options pretty much non-existent, the technology intrigued me.