Solar SPEC Pak® is a multi-pin connector that meets the photovoltaic industry requirements specified in UL 6703A, passing the same environmental tests used to qualify solar panels. Power handling capabilities are to 1000 V and feature a locking latch that complies with NEC 2008 section 690.33(C) requirements. Designed for wire to wire applications, they handle…
Energy Measurement for 3-phase POL Applications
The ability to monitor energy usage in applications that require 3-phase power can have a substantial impact on the energy consumption and efficiency in factories and buildings. To reduce downtime, the Teridian™ 78M6631 3-phase power measurement system-on-chip (SoC) enables measurement, diagnostics, and optimization of point-of-load problems before a potential equipment failure. This fully self-contained and…
California Unveils First Sustainable Utility Campus
Burbank Water and Power (BWP) and AHBE Landscape Architects (AHBE) have completed the first phase of a collaborative effort to transform BWP’s main campus from an industrial relic into a sustainable model for the rest of the nation. “We owe it to our customers to ensure that we continue to do so into the foreseeable…
Elastometric Adhesives for Solar Assembly
By Jamie Hubbard, Market Application Engineer, Adhesives Division, Henkel Corporation Reprint Info >> Changing requirements and regulatory restrictions can play a major role when making material decisions. Solar module manufacturers continuously search for automated fabrication methods that will reduce production costs and time requirements. Adhesives have proven themselves to be fast and cost-effective automated assembly…
Rogers to Show and Present Power Electronics Solutions at the Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference
Rogers Corporation (NYSE:ROG), represented by its Power Distribution System (PDS) Division, will showcase some of its more popular products for power electronics applications at the upcoming Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference, March 13-14, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, FL. The Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference (www.e-driveonline.com) is an industry-leading conference focused…
Clean Energy Trust Finalists Secure Funding
Green engineering continues to grow as research and development finds new applications for environmentally friendly technology. Hopefully this can be an area of strong job creation for engineers in the coming decades. One recent positive sign was the Clean Energy Trust announcing that several inaugural Clean Energy Challenge finalists have secured more than $9 million…
How to Streamline the Energy Needs of Case Packers
Reprint Info >> A new line of side-loading case packers exceeds current green manufacturing end user trends, featuring servo control to increase speed and reduce energy costs within a compact footprint. Brenton Engineering, a provider of packaging and palletizing equipment located in Alexandria, Minn., spent months consulting with customers and vendors before designing the next…
Meet Evolving Energy Needs – Sustainably
Here’s a look at experts views on what engineers can expect to see in terms of future developments in energy management. Electrical power makes up nearly half of all energy expenditures and electricity consumption is projected to double by 2030. Newer developments and devices provide more efficient energy consumption and safety practices that reduce risk.…
Honing System Saves Cylinders from Going to the Scrap Heap
Louisville-based Air Hydro Power recently acquired a Sunnen HTA horizontal tube hone to repair and recondition hydraulic cylinders. Adding the honing machine to its repair shop tool lineup allowed the company to bring previously farmed honing work back in-house, helping it regain control of job turnaround times and save the company thousands of dollars in…
A/D Converters Help Researchers Measure Magnetic Fields
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland and the University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy, have collaborated on the design of an instrument for measuring magnetic fields in CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) superconducting magnets. Called the Fast Digital Integrator (FDI) board, this measurement device uses Analog Devices’ A/D converters, analog multiplexers and DSP…
Live Your Dream Contest Teams Up with COSE
In the wake of Steve Jobs’ recent passing, many people were heard to ask, “Are there any innovators left?” While someone of Jobs’ influence may only come around once per generation, there is an amazing amount of engineering innovation percolating across the U.S. Maybe the bigger question is: How do we capitalize on the innovators…
ACT20M Signal Conditioner from Weidmuller
High-quality signal isolation and conversion functionality in a 6mm wide housing is now available with Weidmuller’s new ACT20M signal conditioner series. Featuring worldwide approvals for both normal and hazardous area installations, this new series of eight single- and dual-channel models extends the functionality of Weidmuller’s signal conditioning portfolio with a package of solutions for industrial…
Kollmorgen Helps Power Virginia Tech to First Place in the 2011 EcoCAR Challenge
Kollmorgen collaborated earlier in the year with Virginia Tech’s Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team (HEVT) to develop and integrate the electric power generation system for the HEVT VT-REX hybrid vehicle. The Kollmorgen solution combines standard offerings comprised of mechanics and electro-magnetic technology to satisfy all the requirements put forth by the Virginia Tech team. VT-REX is…
Getting Wired to Save Recycling Costs
Sometimes savings through green engineering can be achieved from the unlikeliest of sources. Take wiring—what could be an afterthought in the overall system design can, in fact, play a meaningful role in efficiency, not to mention overall recyclability. New Jersey-based Alpha Wire is proving that with their new EcoWire/EcoWire Plus products, which combine increased performance…
EM 10 and 11 Series Single Phase Energy Devices
Carlo Gavazzi is proud to introduce its compact EM10 and EM11 Series Energy Meters. The EM10 Series is an innovative single-phase energy meter which monitors 120 or 230VAC. It provides a cost effective solution for most metering applications, allowing an effective energy measurement without the need for an external current transformer. This ultra-compact device can…
Don’t Work Your Design in an Eco-Vacuum
Cambridge Consultants, a design and development firm, has developed a new eco-vacuum concept called Stem that would use 43% less energy than the average vacuum cleaner, while maintaining the same cleaning performance. The dramatic saving is made possible through the company’s Ecovation methodology—a process developed to integrate innovation and environmental considerations into each stage of…
Reduce Energy Consumption with Plastic Cable Carriers
Cable carrier systems not only transport energy, data, and media to various types of machines, they also greatly influence energy costs. To keep energy costs low, one important consideration is the amount of pull-push, or driving force, required at a given speed to move the cable carrier. Another consideration is the stability and maximum weight…
Halogen-free Wire Duct from Phoenix Contact
Phoenix Contact now offers a halogen-free version of its wire duct product for use in high foot traffic areas. In addition, new rivets, riveting tools and a hand-held wire duct cutter make the wire duct easier to install. The halogen-free wire duct is designed for use in public areas that demand increased safety from toxic…
5 Tips to Launch Your Energy Monitoring Project
By Selam Shimelash, Application Engineer, Opto 22 The premise is simple—to reduce energy costs, manage energy consumption. However, managing consumption requires that you monitor and understand your energy usage. Here are five tips that will help you get started: 1. Get buy-in from the top. It’s easy to switch to fluorescent light bulbs or raise…
Opto 22 Mechanical Relay Modules Switch Up To 12X the Power in the Same Amount of Space
Opto 22’s new SNAP-OMR6-A and SNAP-OMR6-C mechanical relay modules fill an important need for engineers, plant managers, technicians, and others seeking a cost-effective way to switch higher voltages and currents without the need for breakout boards, header cables, or other interposing hardware. The new SNAP-OMR6-A and SNAP-OMR6-C power relay output modules offer four separate…
NI Week 2013 Recap, Part 2
This year’s National Instruments’ NI Week in Austin, Texas was the biggest yet, with more than 3,000 attendees descending on the Live Music Capital of the World, turning it into the international capital for graphical system design. Following are some thoughts from four of our editors who attended the event. Paul J. Heney Editorial Director…
OptoEMU Sensor & eSight Software Enable Web-based Energy Management
A new strategic partnership between Opto 22 and eSight Energy has allowed the two companies to integrate their respective offerings, and enabled Opto 22 to expand its portfolio of energy management software platforms that can communicate with and present energy data gathered by the OptoEMU Sensor. Facility managers, building owners, energy managers, and others now…
Researchers Capture Ambient Electromagnetic Energy, Enough to Drive Small Electronic Devices
Georgia Tech researchers have discovered a way to capture and harness energy transmitted by such sources as radio and television transmitters, cell phone networks, and satellite communications systems. By scavenging this ambient energy from the air around us, the technique could provide a new way to power networks of wireless sensors, microprocessors and communications chips.…
Sustainable Design for Sustaining Education
Radio broadcasts are a proven educational tool and remain an important communications medium in the developing world. However, the lack of electricity, weak signals, and the availability and cost of batteries limit radio access in many areas. For these reasons, U.K.-based Lifeline Energy developed the Lifeplayer, a combination multi-band radio, MP3 player and recorder that…
Reduce Energy Consumption with Plastic Cable Carriers
Cable carrier systems not only transport energy, data and media to various types of machines, but also greatly influence energy costs. To keep energy costs low, one important consideration is the amount of pull-push, or driving force, that is required at a given speed to move the cable carrier. Secondly, the stability and maximum weight…