Master Electricians Australia was recently called on to intervene in a case of ‘government bureaucracy gone mad’ in Queensland, where licensed electrical contractors were being fined by a state agency for performing work they are qualified to do. Read more »
Productivity is the key to survival in today’s globally competitive environment. When the basic inputs to production including time, labour and materials are considered, there isn’t much room for optimisation. Organisations operate 24 hours per day, labour is costly and choice in materials is limited, which means every company must use automation to gain more output from the same inputs, or perish. Organisations that rely on automation need to ensure continuous operation. Read more »
Within the electrical industry there is increasing concern regarding the number of electrical products being sold that don’t comply with Australian Standards. These products, whilst appearing genuine, are often made from inferior materials with little regard for meeting stated ratings or safety requirements. Compliance with Australian Electrical Safety Standards is important to ensure product quality, reliability and, most critically, the safety of the electrical contractor during installation and their customer throughout the operational life of the product. Read more »
Criticism of photovoltaic (PV) is usually based on the conflict between efficiency and subsidies. When evaluating efficiency, however, all factors have to be accounted for. The ‘true’ costs that Friedman is referring to are even more difficult to quantify in the post-Fukushima era. The costs caused by climate change are also rarely taken into account in efficiency calculations. Read more »
A developer once told me, "I throw out the connectors wherever possible. They take up space, they cost money and they are one of the main causes for device failures." The man was right. But: globally, there are more than 2000 connector manufacturers, there are more than 200 completely different basic series (D-SUB, RJ45, USB, DIN cylindrical connector, etc) and there are individual manufacturers who produce more than 10,000, 50,000 or even 100,000 different models. Then why? Because such a wide variety of connectors is necessary! Read more »
The term ‘docking systems’ might not mean much to most readers. Perhaps they would think of their laptop, which is placed on to a docking station, or they might think of an airplane that docks. Read more »
The following discussion gives a brief explanation of some of the highlights and features of connectors in medical technology, and also a few examples. Read more »
For a northern Arizona resort, supplementing Mother Nature with manufactured snow provides a predictable ski season that could inject millions of dollars into the local economy. Controlled wirelessly, roughly 5.5 million litres of reclaimed effluent water from a nearby city would be needed daily to blanket the arid climate in fresh snow. Read more »
WorkCover NSW has issued a Safety Alert for working on electrical circuits in conduits, reminding electrical workers of the dangers of cutting electrical conduits that are in service as the conduits may contain multiple circuits. Read more »
ABB has won an order to build six substations for GoldLinQ, Queensland’s first light rail system. Read more »
During flood conditions, electrical hazards pose dangerous risks and can be fatal. Master Electricians Australia CEO Malcolm Richards is warning contractors about getting in over their heads doing floodwater repairs. Read more »
Currently in Australia, there is no regulated surge protection standard. It is not compulsory to fit surge protection. This means that your electrical equipment may be relying on the upstream protection that simply doesn’t exist to do most of the work in handling harmful surge events. Installing surge protection before your electrical equipment also makes sound economic sense as it increases the longevity of your investment. The cost is really small compared to your investment. Read more »
Emerson Network Power has released a list of the 10 most common surprises for data centre and IT managers. Released at AFCOM Data Center World Spring, the list offers tips to help managers prepare for these nasty surprises in order to minimise downtime. Read more »
The Australian lighting industry is facing a myriad of problems, including complicated and fragmented regulatory environment for energy-efficient products and substandard products giving a bad name to the industry, that could potentially restrain growth. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. In the article below, Ilum-a-lite’s CEO Mark Rutherford, explains how private and government funding options make it easy for businesses to go green. Read more »
Companies continually look for ways to improve plant safety and a growing area of focus is reducing the potentially serious hazards caused by arc flash events. This article examines the causes of arc flash and discusses the standards guiding arc flash safety. It also explains the role that arc-resistant motor control centres (MCCs) play in helping to contain arc energy. Read more »
National Manufacturing Week (NMW), Australia’s only fully integrated annual manufacturing exhibition, returns to Sydney in 2012 with industry showcases across 12 specialist zones. The event takes place on 8-11 May 2012 at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. Read more »
Australia’s construction industry continues to decline, a result of drops in activity and new orders. January 2012 was the 20th consecutive month that the sector has contracted. Read more »
A hospital in the Sunshine State is making the most of the weather to cut costs and reduce carbon emissions. The Hervey Bay Hospital will install a 266 kW roof-mounted solar panel system later this year that will save an estimated $20,000 on electricity costs and reduce carbon emissions by around 400 tonnes annually. Read more »
A key issue for businesses in 2012 will be the new energy reporting regulations. The Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) scheme is the first regulatory step in making business more energy wise and penalties will apply for non-disclosure. Programs such as the NSW Government’s Energy Saver program are available now to businesses wanting to take the important first step towards understanding their energy footprint. Read more »
The new BCA lighting requirements restrict lighting to 5 W per square metre, as opposed to the previous 25 W per square metre. Read more »