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.

Solar-powered exterior lighting has certainly gotten more popular over the last decade or so, given how inexpensive the fixtures are and how easy it is to install. But there remains a strong market for the hardwired variety in shady areas, where more powerful light is required and when you want to be sure the light works when you need it, even after a cloudy day.

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.

The beauty of recessed can downlights is their seeming sleekness. They barely interrupt the ceiling plane, which can be an especially big bonus in homes with lower ceiling heights and in clean-lined contemporary room plans.

They look a lot like a whiffle ball – and sound like one, too – but that thwok, thwok, thwok sound now resounding through cities and suburbs, alike, is probably coming from a pickleball ball, the centerpiece of a sport soon to be coming to a court near you (in the unlikely case that it hasn’t already), and possibly even to an Olympic arena, if proponents have their way.

It took a while, but people finally understand that watts don’t measure visible light output.

Lumens do.

Watts has to do with energy consumption, not light output. Getting some folks to understand that was a tough nut to crack, and I’m guessing some still don’t have a handle on it.