Electrical Apparatus December 2021 - Happy Holidays!

A BARKS PUBLICATION

DECEMBER 2021 / $5

Electrical Apparatus More than Motors

Celebrations

in the plant and shop SEPCO, Inc., of Alabaster, Ala.

New recruiting methods What’s big in nanotech Choosing enclosures Die-cast copper rotors Weftec 2021 in review 12cov.indd 1

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Plant Life

8 Help wanted needed

As job shortages continue to plague the country, manufacturers are trying out new and modern techniques to recruit workers.

By Selena Cotte, EA Managing Editor

Green Energy

— Illinois Electric Works image

12/21

Contents

A BARKS PUBLICATION VOLUME 74 / NUMBER 12 WWW.BARKS.COM

18

16 Equipping the planet

Equipment for renewable energy applications, from the home to the shop

By Charlie Barks, EA Associate Editor

Celebrations

18 There’s never a bad time for a party

33

— WEG photo

Holidays, retirement parties, or just plain ol’ summer — the electrical industry proves that they know to never say no to good celebration.

By Selena Cotte, EA Managing Editor

Fast Forward

30 Thinking small

Research in nanotechnology stands to bring about big changes

By Susan L. Follett, EA Contributing Writer

Motors & Generators

33 Choosing the right motor enclosure

Does your small or medium-voltage motor application call for an open or enclosed design?

By John Malinowski, EA Special Correspondent

37 Die-cast copper rotors: Where do we stand?

37

— Electrical Apparatus file photo

Once considered a promising solution for improved motor efficiency, die-cast copper rotors have yet to penetrate the market significantly With trilingual summary

By Richard L. Nailen, EA Engineering Editor

More Than Accounting

43 A better way to modernize equipment

A Managed Service Agreement can be a good option to ensure ongoing equipment capacity

By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor

Pump It Up

45 Energy rating labels expanded to cover circulator pumps The Hydraulic Institute applies lessons it’s learned since it began promoting a pump efficiency label four years ago

By Kevin Jones, EA Senior Editor

Conventions & Trade Shows 49 Dampened moods

Weftec 2021 provided a portrait of a trade show during stressful times

By Charlie Barks, EA Associate Editor, and Selena Cotte, EA Managing Editor ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 1

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04 The editor’s comment

Where would we be without our tools?

05 Let’s solve your problem

Of starting time, torque, and “imbalance” versus “unbalance”

06 Associations

Four associations unite to address supply chain woes

06 Letters

— Photo courtesy of the University of Alabama

Departments

Suggested alternatives to the NEC for definitions

09 Business

GE is just one of several companies making big changes

10

10 Training & education

Promoting training in Alabama, Maryland, and Illinois

12 Know your industry

Training from the National Academy of Forensic Engineers

14 Plant happenings

A ransomware attack and a few plant expansions

15 Calendar

Upcoming events on electrical power and electronics

21 End-of-year product showcase

— Photo courtesy of David Coelho

The season’s newest in tools, instruments, and machines

28 Names & faces

Personnel changes at ABB, Rockwell Automation, and Service Wire

29 Anniversary

Dreisilker Electric president marks 50 years in the industry

32 EA reader profile

David Coelho is wired to help young electricians

47 Say It Right

We should strive to be specific in our speech and writing

48

— Wheatland Electric Cooperative photo

32

48 Utilities

For electric utilities, ’tis the season for charitable works

52 Classified advertising

Your monthly marketplace for equipment, businesses, and more

52 Cy’s Super Service

The electrical service industry’s most prominent curmudgeon

53 EA puzzle

A word search puzzle about patents and inventions

55 Moe, Genny & friends

The surreal world of an anthropomorphized motor and generator

56 Direct & current

A final Infrastructure Act, and a big Navy contract for GE

56 Advertising index

Who’s who—and who’s where—in this issue of Electrical Apparatus

COVER PHOTO: By SEPCO, Inc., Alabaster, Ala. SEPCO employees enjoy a festive dinner at Christmastime in 2018.

2 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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10/23/2019 10:43:48 AM

The Editor’s Comment

SELENA COTTE WWW.BARKS.COM SCOTTE@BARKS.COM

Where would we be without our tools?

It’s that time of year again, when we here at Electrical Apparatus are our most materialistic. I don’t mean that as a bad thing; in the electrical industry as much as any other, having good and reliable tools is vital in getting a job done as efficiently and effectively as possible.

While we offer a selection of products for consideration in every issue, we truly go all out just in time for the holiday season with (count ‘em) seven pages dedicated to new products and equipment across a wide variety of applications (starting on page 21).

Not all will be of relevance to you, but take a look at what the marketplace is offering and you may be surprised by what you could get use out of. It might be a stretch to consider these as holiday gifts, but you won’t know what you can get until you ask (whether that’s a shop manager or Santa is up to you).

Looking at the tools of our trade more specifically are Special Correspondent John Malinowski and Engineering Editor Richard L. Nailen, whose articles look at what you need to know about choosing a motor enclosure (page 33), and the broader status of die-cast copper rotors respectively (page 37).

The latter is of particular contemplation, as the technology has been around quite some time and yet the market has not quite responded with open arms. Whether you believe in their potential is up to you — after you read Dick’s article.

And because people are just as important as the equipment we use, I spoke to a few shops about how they celebrate with their staff in “There’s never a bad time for a party” on page 18.

We’re online

Read Electrical Apparatus online The entire contents of EA is available online. Scan the QR code below:

You may notice a new QR code printed to the left of this text; you can count on it being there for the foreseeable future, leading you to a digital edition of each month’s issue, hosted by Issuu.

The flipbook edition of our magazine is the same as the print edition, only easily accessible from wherever you have an internet connection. If you want to leave your printed copy at home for safekeeping, take a quick snap of the code, save the link on your phone and tablet, and read as you please in waiting rooms, on airplanes, or wherever else you may have a spare minute or two.

For those outside North America, we are now offering free digital subscriptions in this same format. You may sign up (or refer a friend) for one at https://kwiksurveys.com/s/QMwjZ3Yv#/.

Electrical Apparatus 17 N. State St., Suite 1650 Chicago, Illinois 60602 (312) 321-9440; fax (866) 228-7274 E-mail: EAMagazine@barks.com www.barks.com Founded 1948 as Volt/Age Horace B. Barks, Founding Publisher Elsie Dickson, Founding Publisher STAFF Elizabeth Van Ness, Publisher Kevin N. Jones, Senior Editor Richard L. Nailen, Engineering Editor Selena Cotte, Managing Editor Charlie Barks, Associate Editor Susan L. Follett, Contributing Writer Contributing Editor William H. Wiersema Special Correspondents Jane Powell Campbell John Malinowski Christopher Wachter Staff Artist: Bernie White Cartoonists John D’Acunto Tim Oliphant ElectroMechanical Bench Reference Supplement mailed with the December issue Elizabeth Van Ness, Editor & Publisher ADVERTISING Barbara Wachter, Advertising Manager CIRCULATION Circulation@barks.com Electrical Apparatus (ISSN 0190-1370), Vol. 74, No. 12, is published monthly by Barks Publications, Inc., 17 N. State St., Chicago, Ill. 60602; (312) 321-9440; fax (866) 2287274. www.barks.com. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Ill., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Electrical Apparatus, c/o Barks Publications, Inc., 17 N. State St., Suite 1650, Chicago, Ill. 60602. PM #40830553.

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4 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Let’s Solve Your Problem Voltage ‘imbalance’ versus ‘unbalance’ I keep seeing questions or comments dealing with voltage “imbalance” in three-phase circuits. But many times the term is voltage “unbalance.” Is there a difference here?

Not as we interpret the comments we’ve seen. Although we don’t know its origin, the term “imbalance” is not the standard description for differences among individual phase voltages.

The edition we have of the IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronic Terms (IEEE Standard 100) does not list “imbalance” in reference to phase voltages or any other electrical system condition.

The word “unbalance” appears only in an entirely different context. Two handbooks on a-c theory do not use either unbalance or imbalance for phase voltages; other references do use “unbalance” only, as is common practice in dealing with phase relationships. Several authors describe “voltage unbalance” as “a distortion in power quality,” and the opposite condition – “balance” – is widely used.

In short: we don’t know where “imbalance” originated, but it’s definitely not the term of choice, and is not supported in standards.

Motor enclosure protection Someone once questioned describing motor enclosure capabilities as “waterproof” or “watertight.” There’s also been some use of “water resistant” and “moisture resistant.” What do they really mean?

That depends upon the standard tests that may have been made to support the terminology. Such tests do exist for “weather-protected” machines. But we’re not aware of what standards apply to the descriptions you cite, either describing a design approach or an applicable test.

It seems that the only answer is to ask whoever makes the claim to explain the basis for it.

Ambient versus outlet air temperature Is there any relationship between the temperature of the cooling air being discharged from a motor enclosure, and the intake air ambient, that can be useful in judging the motor winding temperature?

Typically, the air passing through an “open” motor won’t exhibit a temperature rise having a simple relationship to that

passing over a totally enclosed motor. For either enclosure, with an 80°C winding temperature rise, the air passing through or over the machine may gain only 15°C-20°C rise in temperature -- not a good basis for judging internal temperature.

So although it may appear one some nameplates, power factor is not required to be there.

Spacing of winding temperature detectors

We’re used to seeing only a couple of seconds for most a-c motors to come up to full speed.

One of the service people we deal with has told us about some special drives he’d seen that could take as much as 1520 seconds to come up to speed and it’s considered normal.

Are there any rules of thumb for starting time that would indicate when to look for trouble?

Unfortunately, no. Many machines — such as centrifuge drives — can safely take half a minute to reach full RPM. The drive motors are of special design. So acceleration time alone isn’t a reliable indicator of a starting problem.

My question concerns the use of in-slot winding temperature detectors in some large motors.

They are most often equally spaced around the stator, which is apparently intended to take account of normal temperature variations from phase to phase.

But we’ve noticed that the spacing is sometimes non-uniform. Why is that?

Normally six detectors are provided, the intent being to provide two in contact with stator coils in each of three phases.

In any normal three-phase winding for a multiple of six poles, spacing the detectors equally 60° apart around the winding places each detector in contact with phases in the same phase groups around the winding.

To monitor temperatures in each of the three phases requires an unsymmetrical detector spacing.

Power factor on motor nameplates?

I’ve seen some a-c motor nameplates (not synchronous) that show a value for power factor as well as efficiency. But most of them don’t. Didn’t that used to be a standard? Why has it been eliminated?

Of the various performance values needed for motor application, power factor is the one item that’s readily changed (if desired), by adding capacitors to the circuit. Unlike efficiency, it’s not governed by standards. It has some influence on load current, which is a value remaining on the nameplate.

When is starting time considered ‘too long’?

Motor torque versus load torque What exactly happens if the torque required by an induction motor load exceeds the motor capability? Will the motor just come to a stop? Is that where the term “stall torque” comes from?

As long as the torque required by the load remains within the motor’s torque capability, the motor will continue to supply that requirement, until it either fails or is shut down.

At whatever point the load torque exceeds what the motor can supply, the motor will slow down, and may come to a complete stop unless at some reduced speed its torque can meet or exceed what the load demands. (Expect the motor to overheat during that process.)

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Associations Four associations unite to address supply chain woes Widespread problems with global supply chains have become so acute that the subject has entered the mainstream national conversation.

Most agree that the primary cause of the problem was the Covid-19 pandemic, which has warped the balance of supply and demand across nearly all industries. Another cause was tariffs imposed in recent years on steel and aluminum and on goods imported from China.

Several major trade associations are examining the issue, advising members on how to deal with it, and voicing their concerns and recommendations to government agencies that are in a position to do something about it.

In late September, a white paper outlining the problem and recommending solutions was released by four associations representing electrical manufacturers: the AirConditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers, and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

According to the paper, market distortions and the pandemic together have led to shortages of essential components, exposing deficiencies in the U.S. logistical network. These shortages have led to the increased prices that have become impossible to ignore at supermarkets and gas stations.

The problem has been compounded by labor shortages, and the result has been a perfect storm of temporary plant shutdowns, lower sales, increased costs for con-

Letters Alternatives to the NEC for definitions Editor: In the September “Lets solve your problem” [in the item titled “Defining operating conditions,” page 5], you mentioned that the National Electrical Code doesn’t do the job when it comes to defining these terms.

ANSI/UL 62, Flexible Cords and Cables, defines extrahard usage cord, hard usage cord, and not for hard usage cord. The standard’s Table 15 gives their characteristics.

Also, in case this hasn’t come your way, Underwriters Laboratories now makes their standards available to non-subscribers, for digital viewing. This means no downloads, no searches, but you can flip through.

David E. Shapiro, M.S., M.Ed. Safety First Electrical Greenbelt, Md. The “Let’s solve your problem” item you’re referring to was only about the NEC, not ANSI, but you’re right: Although the National Electrical Code doesn’t define the terms you mention, ANSI/UL 62 does, which makes that standard a useful alternative source of definitions. And thanks for the tip about UL’s online resource. We’re fortunate to have numerous sources of information on this subject at our disposal. — Editor EA

Problems with global supply chains have become so severe that they have entered the mainstream conversation. Four associations representing large segments of the electrical manufacturing industry have united to urge the U.S. government to take action.

— dashu83/freepik photo

sumers, and delayed delivery of finished products. “All of this combines to stall the U.S. economy,” the white paper asserts.

The authors of the paper are specific about the immediate actions they think policy makers can take to alleviate the problem: > “Remove Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, at least on our allies.” This refers to a section of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act that grants the President broad powers to adjust the balance of trade, either through the imposition or lifting of tariffs. Because this authority falls under the purview of the Dept. of Commerce, reducing tariffs is the sort of action the President could take with the stroke of a pen. > “Remove Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports, or at least renew all of the previously granted expired exclusions.” This refers to restrictions on goods imported from China that were instituted during the U.S.-China trade dispute of 2018. > “Ensure that semiconductor supply is fairly and transparently allocated across industry sectors and that the Administration does not — explicitly or implicitly — favor any one sector.” The semiconductor shortage predates the most recent problems with the global supply chain, but the shortage has exacerbated the supply chain problem and, in turn, has been worsened by it.

Actions by the administration, the authors of the paper say, have led to several undesirable consequences.

The tariffs on raw materials and products not produced in adequate volume in the U.S. have led to record-high metal prices, “outright unavailability of metal,” and “increasingly long delivery lead times,” they say. The tariffs on Chinese products have led to higher prices for substitute components, insufficient time to find new sources, and U.S. companies competing to source products and materials from the same Chinese suppliers.

The problems have been further compounded by a tripling of ocean freight rates over the past year, congestion in ports, and a shortage of storage space at piers. Then there’s the labor shortage: Some workers furloughed during the pandemic have decided not to go back to their jobs, and consumers have radically changed their buying habits, upending demand for labor across several industries.

The authors of the paper acknowledge that many of these problems will require long-term solutions, but they reiterate that there are certain actions that regulators can take now to ease the pain and initiate a turnaround — specifically, the removal of the tariffs they mention and a fair allocation of semiconductors.

“Quick implementation of these and other policy solutions outlined in the paper may help prevent a continued worsening of the availability of manufactured products in the U.S. while increasing productivity and stemming product cost inflation,” they conclude.

Their recommendations, if acted upon, wouldn’t be a permanent solution to the supply chain problem, but they would be a good start. —Kevin Jones EA

6 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Feature | Plant Life

Help wanted needed

As job shortages continue to plague the country, manufacturers are trying out new and modern techniques to recruit workers.

By Selena Cotte, EA Managing Editor If you’re laying on a recliner or parked on a bar stool at the local dive, tuning into your Sunday football game, the last thing you want to be thinking about is work. Manufacturers are hoping you’ll hear them out anyway.

The U.S. is facing an unprecedented jobs crisis much unlike the unemployment issues that pop up periodically; instead of out-of-work people desperately trying to find employment, it’s the companies which are now begging for workers to fill much needed roles to keep business running.

Technology giant and semiconductor chip manufacturer Intel is doing so through localized television ads in Oregon, where the company has four separate campuses, that air during Sunday Night Football.

In fact, Intel is the largest employer in the state, but is still finding itself short of the labor it needs to keep producing.

While many manufactures are struggling to produce, semiconductors in particular are in short supply as the whole world faces a major shortage, leading to factory shutdowns and big backlogs.

as many who would not ordinarily leave their jobs have put in their notice, hoping to secure one of the many new, well-paying positions on the market, leaving employers in a greater state of competition.

Companies are left trying to out-do one another with pay increases and unique benefits, trying to lure qualified talent to their business over any others.

While the problem is widespread across industries, manufacturing backups have widespread effects on the rest of the economy, affecting shortages in food/beverages, homegoods, technology, automotive production, and more.

Reaching potential hires, directly Intel’s media spokespeople have reported to the local press that there are often misconceptions about the kind of background one needs to work for a technology firm, and that many assume they need Master’s degrees or PhDs to apply for work there. The advertising (which go beyond TV and onto the radio and online as well) aims to clear up misunderstandings and recruit those which may not normally think of manufacturing as an option for them.

Other manufacturers have turned to TV for recruitment work as well; a representative for a new Georgia-Pacific plant in Pennsylvania went on a local morning talk show to promote the new facility and explain the types of roles they’d be hiring for, encouraging viewers to look into the opportunities and consider applying.

Not all manufacturers can afford such grandiose advertising campaigns, especially when they may be unable to take on big jobs due to labor shortages. But the problem plagues smaller and mid-size production companies just as much, if not more.

It may be worth considering smaller channels of advertising or company presence, such as showing up at community events with paper applications or speaking with local news about the impact your company has on the town, to boost your own chances at getting qualified workers.

EA

Innovations in recruitment While some may consider these ads a refreshing change from the product hawking they typically air during sporting events, others may be jarred by the changing nature of job recruitment; that firms now need to come to you with a job opportunity.

At least, they’re coming more aggressively than a typical help wanted ad in an industry publication or local paper might.

Lingering Covid impacts, such as periodic shutdowns, safety risks for the immunocompromised, and continuing unemployment benefits have all contributed to the current situation.

Furthermore, a trend dubbed by many as “The Great Resignation” contributes further

—Intel image

The above still from Intel’s recruitment ad, played on local TV networks during Sunday Night Football, hopes to intrigue potential workers and inspire them to apply for positions at one of their four Oregon facilities. During an unprecedented jobs crisis, companies and especially manufacturers are trying out new and cutting edge ways of finding new employees, meaning we may see a lot more “For Hire” ads on our televisions.

8 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Business GE just one of several companies making big changes It might be the biggest corporate breakup since the Bell System was pressured by the U.S. Dept. of Justice into surrendering its monopoly over U.S. telecommunications back in 1982.

But the decision by GE last month to divide itself into three separate businesses came about voluntarily, and many see the decision as heralding a hopeful new beginning for an overly diversified conglomerate that had lost its vision and direction over the past couple of decades. The three new businesses resulting from this corporate mitosis are to be devoted to aviation, health care, and energy respectively.

As dramatic as the GE move was, it’s not the only instance in which suppliers to the electrical industry have made moves in the past month to reconfigure themselves or reallocate resources in response to a shifting industrial landscape.

St. Louis-based control and automation manufacturer Emerson, for example, which according to Dun & Bradstreet is sitting on some $3 billion in net operating cash, appears to be in the mood to make investments in new ventures, and not just its own.

The company announced in early November that its Emerson Ventures unit has made a $100 million commitment to invest in “disruptive, discrete automation solutions, environmentally sustainable technologies, and industrial software in key industries.”

Emerson plans to invest in four to six early-stage startups each year, with the goal of investing $100 million in such ventures over fives years. The company anticipates that the commitment will enhance its street cred with other venture capital firms it may want to make investments in partnership with, including those of customers.

Another company that appears to be in a shopping mood is EIS LLC of Atlanta, the distributor of wire and cable, insulation, and other process materials. In early November the company announced its acquisition of Norberg, an Oklahoma-based provider of high-voltage fuses and NEMA enclosures.

It was EIS’s third acquisition in a little over a month. The previous two acquisitions — Midpoint Bearing of Oklahoma City and Pyramid Wire & Insulation of Germantown, Wis. — were reported in this department last month.

Taken together, the three deals are seen as broadening both EIS’s product offerings and its technical expertise.

Norberg — now known as Norberg-IES — was founded in 1969 and is currently led by president William Drotar. The business specializes in hazard-

As dramatic as the GE move was, it’s not the only instance in which suppliers to the electrical industry have made moves in the past month to reallocate resources ous location controls and enclosures as well as medium- and high-voltage specialty fuses for industrial and energy applications.

Another recently announced venture brings together two companies familiar to EA readers — one a pump manufacturer and the other a manufacturer of energy and automation control systems—in a project intended to do some environmental good.

On Nov. 9, Schneider Electric announced that it has entered a partnership with pump and pump systems manufacturer Wilo SE to advance Wilo’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

Wilo has set itself some ambitious goals. They include reducing Wilo’s own emissions by 50 million metric tons, expanding its portfolio of “smart” products by 15% annually, and achieving “climate-neutral production” at all of its own sites.

Schneider Electric is known for numerous lines of automation control systems, circuit-protection devices, and power distribution apparatus including transformers and switchgear, but so far the company hasn’t been specific about what it might provide for Wilo.

A statement from Schneider Electric says only that the company will provide Wilo with “strategic sustainability landscape analysis, identification and prioritization of new sustainability initiatives, and broad internal stakeholder engagement.”— Kevin Jones EA

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ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 9

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Training & Education Businesses with more than 50 employees are eligible for reimbursement of 50% of the wage rate of an apprentice, up to $3,120 for a maximum of 30 hours per week. Businesses with 49 or fewer employees are eligible for reimbursement of 75% of the apprentice’s wage rate, up to $4,680 for a maximum of 30 hours per week.

Private, public, and nonprofit employers can apply for EIP funds if they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the policy, and businesses that meet program requirements can seek reimbursement when an apprentice has completed six months of the apprenticeship.

The EIP is one of several initiatives supported through a $6 million State Apprenticeship Expansion Grant awarded to the state in 2020 by the U.S. Department of Labor. “Maryland continues to be a national leader in workforce development, job training, and apprenticeships, and it is critical that we continue to invest in our skilled workforce,” said Gov. Larry Hogan.

“Apprenticeships have proven to be a tremendously successful workforce development strategy, and I encourage businesses from all industries to utilize this program.”

This robot is one of several at the new IMaDE facility in Tuscaloosa, which was created to provide development opportunities for the state’s industrial workforce.

— Photo courtesy of the University of Alabama

New training facility opens in Alabama The University of Alabama is offering a new resource to better prepare and develop its current and future industrial workforce, and it’s looking to involve industry members as well as university students.

The Alabama Initiative on Manufacturing Development and Education, or IMaDE, aims to provide workforce development opportunities through hands-on learning, industrial partnerships, and industry-guided training modules. The facility, housed in Tuscaloosa, is available to non-degree-seeking students and those looking for industry certificates in robotic, advanced, and intelligent manufacturing.

The university is developing five-week courses that will review current critical topics and use real-world equipment for project-based learning at fundamental, intermediate, and advanced levels. The facility includes four sections: an advanced manufacturing facility; a robotics and programmable logic controller teaching lab; an advanced and intelligent manufacturing (AIM) lab; and an innovation incubator.

The advanced manufacturing facility includes five industrial robots, each in its own cell equipped with safety precautions. Each cell will be used for a different activity: spot welding, stud welding, sealant dispensing, metal inert gas welding, and perception inspection.

The AIM lab features smaller, more flexible robots that are not confined to cells and are programmed to work on an assembly line. Users can move the robot and create paths using “teach pendant” features and self-learning capabilities.

T/CCI teams with local athletes Decatur, Ill.-based T/CCI Manufacturing is partnering with student-athletes at the University of Illinois to promote manufacturing jobs and trade careers through social engagement campaigns. The arrangement capitalizes on recent legislative changes that allow student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness.

Over the next year, T/CCI will work with 20 student-athletes to educate students on opportunities in advanced manufacturing, support a culture of inclusion, and focus on mental health and wellness through in-person events, blogs, and videos. The first campaign for T/CCI, which manufactures compressor technology used to reduce temperatures, will be headlined by Kofi Cockburn, an All-American center on the men’s basketball team, and use the hashtag “Cool like Kofi.”

“We strive to strengthen our community at every level within our business model,” said Kara Demirjian Huss, T/CCI vice president and global marketing director. “Of course, we love Illinois, and the chance for T/CCI to actively engage Fighting Illini student-athletes for the benefit of our industry, workforce development, and community and social development is exciting and remarkable.” The Demirjian family has ties to the university’s athletics department, and has financed an indoor golf facility as well as a park that’s used by soccer and track and field athletes.

“I’m just excited to work within the community,” said Cockburn. “The opportunity to use my basketball platform to help everyone grow and succeed makes me appreciate where I am and everything we can do here. So much is changing today in our environment, our workplace, and our mental wellness, and to be part of the message of growth and advancement is an opportunity of a lifetime.” - Susan L. Follett EA

Maryland plan aims to boost apprenticeships Maryland is investing $3.2 million into a new employer incentive plan (EIP) that will encourage businesses to register new apprentices and increase participation in its registered apprenticeship program.

T/CCI’s upcoming campaign will center around the hashtag “Cool like Kofi.”

— Image courtesy of the University of Illinois

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12 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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“They” say the best way to learn is through one’s failures. The practice of forensic engineering uses this notion as a baseline, and the National Academy of Forensic Engineers, or NAFE, aims to provide a training ground for “FEs.” Forensic engineering is described by one company, Envista Forensics, as “the application of engineering principles and science used in the investigation of failure — more specifically, the failure of a machine, component, material, or structure.”

From its conception in the late 1970s, NAFE was intended as an educational institution to foster and teach competent practice by FEs in the legal system, avoiding commercialism and emphasizing ethics.

More specific topics include studies such as “The Applications of Matchmoving for Forensic Video Analysis of a Fatal Sprint Car Accident,” a paper submitted by four forensic engineers and published

by NAFE. The study focused on how accidents captured on video are unlike most simple car collision evaluations and therefore “require expert knowledge from experienced professionals.”

Understanding the race car vehicle dynamics as it relates to recorded video footage allows a proper methodology to be followed in order to gather and process the evidence needed to provide meaningful data to the examiners of facts in a legal proceedings. This way, highly detailed video evidence can not only

Highly detailed video evidence can not only serve as documentation, but as research data for safety improvements

One study produced by NAFE forensic engineers involved the dangers of “hot sockets” in smart meters that can burn and melt electrical equipment used by utilities. — NAFE photo

serve as documentation, but as research data for safety improvements.

Another study might interest utility service people: “Forensic Identification and Root Causes of Hot Socket Problems Found in Electrical Meters.” This one analyzes the infrequent but dangerous condition that can occur in smart meters know as “hot sockets,” which occurs where the meter blades make insufficient electrical contact with the socket jaws. NAFE’s paper reviews methods for forensically examining, diagnosing, and explaining the hot socket phenomenon while exploring smart meters’ incident trends.

In a letter written to NAFE board and academy members in July, the organization’s president, Liberty Janson, illustrated its maturation and path forward, alluding to Covid-19 along the way.

“We all like to congregate at boundary conditions: Where land meets water. Where earth meets air. Where body meets mind. Where space meets time.

We like to be on one side, and look at the other,” Janson wrote, citing a quote from English author Douglas Adams, a pioneer in the field: “This summer we find ourselves on the boundary of ‘used to’ and ‘get to,’ no longer stifled by ‘Never Done It Before.’”

Adams fleshed out this enigmatic message by citing opportunities opened by the new reality and its technological requirements. “We can engage with both the wider forensic engineering industry and the public at large - we’ve done it before.”

He goes on to mention online presence, “consummate virtual content,” global networking, and “navigating a global crisis while maintaining our critical mission” as further specifics in the “we’ve done it before” category. — Charlie Barks EA

11/20/2021 3:39:49 PM

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Plant Happenings Ferrara faces ransomware attack Chicago-based chocolatier Ferrara Candy Co. was victim to a ransomware attack that encrypted its manufacturing systems last month.

While production was halted at some plants temporarily, the company has fixed the issue and has been working to fulfill all the orders in its queue, which peaked before Halloween.

Ohio town loses two plants

Arning Companies coming to Arkansas Manufacturer of metal fuel canopies and custom awnings for restaurants and other businesses Arning Companies has announced plans to build a plant in Clarksville, Ark. Over the next five years, 125 jobs are expected to be created, with the company investing $5 million into the project. Building is expected to be complete by February 2022.

Alabama plant downsizing

The greater Dayton, Ohio area will lose two manufacturing facilities by the end of the year after a potential buyer has backed out; Creative Extruded Products in Tipp City and BTA Enterprises in Trotwood have reported their impending closures to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and nearly 250 local workers will be affected directly.

The Tarkett North America factory in Florence, Ala. will be closing one department after the company purchased a Mexican subsidiary, Vinylasa. The facility, which produces different types of flooring including vinyl composite tile, will move VCT manufacturing to the Mexican plant in early 2022.

Desktop Metal tripling capacity

Georgia-Pacific hiring in Pennsylvania

Boston-based Desktop Metal announced last month that it will be building a new Massachusetts facility with triple the final assembly space currently dedicated to its Additive Manufacturing machines. The move is part of a strategic plan to accelerate production.

A new 25,000 square foot Georgia-Pacific plant in Jonestown, Pa. is looking for more than 50 employees to fill it in a variety of capacities, including forklift operators, mechanics, and more. The paper and packaging company has recently expanded its paper mailer production. — Selena Cotte EA

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Calendar Mark your calendar for these upcoming trade shows and conferences.

• December 1-3, 2021 — Energy Storage Annual Conference & Expo, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Az. Energy Storage Association, www.esacon.energystorage.com.

• December 7-8, 2021 — Cleanpower Expo, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah American Wind Energy Association, www.cleanpower.org/expo.

• December 7-9, 2021 — PowerUP Expo, Virtual. Elite AspenCore, www.powerup-expo.com.

• December 7-9, 2021 — SEMICON West (for Global Microelectronics Industries), Moscone Center, San Francisco, Calif.

SEMI Global, www.semiconwest.org.

• December 7-9, 2021 — Upper Midwest Electrical EXPO, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minn. North Central Electrical League, www.ncel.org/expo.html.

• December 9-10, 2021 — ELEXSHOW - The Electrician’s Exhibition, Westpoint Exeter, Exeter, U.K. Hamerville Media Group, www.elexshow.info.

• December 13-16, 2021 — Operational Excellence Summit & Industry Awards, co-located with The Digital Transformation & Operational Excellence Awards, Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, Orlando, Fla. Proquis, www.btoes.com.

• January 5-8, 2022 — Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. and Virtual Consumer Technology Association, www.ces.tech.

• January 13-15, 2022 — Energy Storage North America, colocated with Intersolar North America, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, Calif. Diversified Communications, www.es naexpo.com.

• January 31-February 2, 2022 — AHR Expo, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition, www.ahrexpo.com.

• January 31-February 2, 2022 — A3 Business Forum, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Orlando, Fla. Association for Advancing Automation, www.automate.org/a3-content/a3-business-fo rum.

• February 15-17, 2022 — RPA (Robotic Process Automation) & Intelligent Automation Live, Virtual. Proquis, www.rpalive.on line.

• March 1-3, 2022 — Supply Chain Planning Live, Virtual.

Proquis, www.supplychainplanning.live.

• April 25-29, 2022 — Hannover Messe, Hanover Fairground, Hanover, Germany. Deutsche Messe, www.hannovermesse.de.

• May 10-12, 2022 — CWIEME Berlin, Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Hyve, www.berlin.coilwindingexpo.com.

• May 10-12, 2022 — Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo, Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee, Wis. Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA) & IPC, www.electricalwireshow. com.

• June 26-28, 2022 — EASA Convention & Solutions Expo, America’s Center Convention Complex, St. Louis, Mo. Electrical Apparatus Service Association, www.easa.com/convention.

• August 23-25, 2022 — The Water Expo, Miami Airport Convention Center, Miami, Fla. Show Winners Corp, www.thewater expo.com.

• September 12-17, 2022 — International Manufacturing Technology Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. AMT - The Association for Manufacturing Technology, www.imts.com.

EA Edited by Selena Cotte

Rogers Equipment has the largest inventory of new medium voltage motors in the USA* (*at least we’re pretty darn sure)

Don’t believe us?

Check out our inventory at RogersEquip.com Updated daily!

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Feature | GreEnergy

Equipping the planet Equipment for renewable energy applications, from the home to the shop

By Charlie Barks, EA Associate Editor Companies such as ICC International, Industrial Repair Service, and Evans Enterprises have been widely covered in this magazine for their history of traditional electrical repair as well as their integration of wind power equipment services.

The ability to handle equipment within the renewable energy space is common in the 2020s, unlike how it might’ve been in the 1990s for many in the electromechanical aftermarket. Many of the above companies’ technicians possess the skills and prove their ability to adapt. But renewable equipment isn’t limited to well-known outfits.

Part of its growing popularity is proliferated via DIY homesters, who use minimalist approaches to power their homes. Taking advantage of this, certain companies have popped up solely for the design and manufacture of “home kits,” generally for wind and solar but also for hydro and thermo forms.

RLH Industries of Orange, Calif., started out as a company revolving around its fiber optic products and related expertise. It now offers a solar kit that sells for $2,300 and is designed for “off-grid” setups; this 120 watt, 24 V solar power system is primarily designed for “remotely located equipment,” the company says, and comes with panels, mounting bracket, battery enclosure, batteries, and interconnect cable.

The Infrastructure Bill finally advances

With the infrastructure bill recently being advanced in the U.S. Congress, billions of dollars are expected to flow into renewable energy infrastructure, some of which will target equipment improvements.

Sections 11401-11406 of the bill construct approaches to tackling what the government considers an “existential threat” by way of the following pillars: > > > > >

Grants for charging and fueling infrastructure Reduction of truck emissions at port facilities Carbon reduction program Congestion relief program Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) program > Healthy Streets program Amendments to the end of one subsection entitled “Training, Workforce, and Education Development” added the following: “Activities that address current workforce gaps, such as work on construction projects, of State and local transportation agencies.” — CB

“Our kits are designed to offer quick installation and reliable off-grid powering. Both the battery enclosure and solar panel can be either pole or wall mounted,” RLH regional manager Carl Henriquez told EA. “We designed additional space for any electronics the system may power.

There are also attached NEMA fittings for running power from the battery pack to other enclosures or locations.”

The company runs an impressive business out of the Los Angeles area, serving all 50 states in the U.S. and manufacturing everything from home soil.

Renewable energy is often conflated with safety; the argument of saving the environment pivots upon the notion that we are saving the population. Of A big part of renewable energy equipcourse, this population includes ment’s growth has been the proliferaworkers in some of our most fa- tion of DIY ‘home’ kits like this solar setup by RLH Industries of Orange, miliar service centers. Take Jen- Calif.

— RLH photo kins Electric, for example, whose recent introduction of all-remote-operated motor test machinery isn’t technically “renewable energy” but certainly falls into a parallel category of safer equipment for the everyday worker.

The Charlotte-based EASA member and motor test system manufacturer has removed manual tap switches and is introducing one of the industry’s first motor test systems completely controlled by a remote operator’s console.

The introduction of this console removes the need for manual controls located on the same enclosure that houses the power supply, electrically isolating the technician interface from exposure to test voltage.

Operators can adjust voltage at each phase of testing from a safe distance without risking exposure to the power supply.

“The removal of tap switches was driven from customer demand to increase safety inside their facilities,” said Jenkins president Iain Jenkins.

“Our industry is setting a focus on improving safety for employees and staff, so we built our products to contribute to that effort.”

The new Generation 3 series of these test systems flex safety upgrades at every crevasse: An emergency stop system, a Verisafe absence of voltage tester to avoid arc flash, and local lockout/tagout and LED warning light with audible alarm. Critical test data has also added some muscle by giving operator’s the ability to view live test data in real-time on the remote operator’s console or remotely anywhere within the network.

EA

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Feature | Celebrations

There’s never a bad time for a

party

Holidays, retirement parties, or just plain ol’ summer—The electrical industry proves that they know to never say no to good celebration.

By Selena Cotte, EA Managing Editor While a good electric motor shop is judged by its output and the quality of its work, there is more to a job than just clocking in and out everyday. Yes, the projects come first, but given that you have to spend all the work week with one another anyway, what’s the harm in also having some fun?

The companies featured in this article work hard and play hard too. Whether it be through in-shop parties, on-the-town outings, or simply making necessary training and management activities a bit more fun, they understand the value of celebrating every chance they can get.

Alabama-based SEPCO, a fluid sealing solution manufacturer, has a number of fun celebrations throughout the year. Beyond inplant festivities, management also tries to find various ways of showing appreciation to its employees.

“During the year, our management team has random events to show appreciation for personnel,” said Lori Ditoro, SEPCO’s marketing manager. “Some examples are the Thank You Berry Much event, where each employee was given fresh strawberries in the summer of 2021.”

They often pair parties with awards given out to employees based on work and service. They find that employees are often pleased to participate, and that there are a number of benefits.

“The reasons everyone attends these events are threefold: Fellowship and fun; receiving bonus-

es; and seeing coworkers rewarded for their service to the company,” Ditoro said. “Many of our employees [honored] have [given] 20 to 40 years of service.”

Holiday splendor While Covid-19 has changed the ways businesses must operate, prioritizing safety over big get-togethers, SEPCO has still found a way to make holidays special for employees. “For Thanksgiving last year, everyone received the ingredients (minus turkey or chicken) to make a delicious soup, corn bread, and brownies for a family meal,” Ditoro said.

“We also got an extra half day off the day before Thanksgiving. In a manufacturing facility with both day and night shifts, that extra time is awesome,” she said.

Pre-Covid, “all SEPCO personnel in our office and manufacturing plant attend our team lunch,” Ditoro said. “Really, it’s more like a family lunch. During this event, we usually have Cajun turkey with all the trimmings.

“In addition, many people invite family members to join us, and yearly bonuses are delivered to everyone.”

For Christmas just a month later, the celebration becomes even bigger with more goodies.

“It consisted of a SEPCO shirt as Christmas gift, since bonuses and

—SEPCO image

In previous years, SEPCO has celebrated a variety of holidays with in-plant festivities; pictured here is a costume contest held pre-Covid to celebrate Halloween, featuring characters from Sesame Street and Toy Story as well as some non-media-related looks, including a man trapped in a cage by a gorilla.

18 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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—SEPCO image

At SEPCO’s (almost) annual Thanksgiving luncheon, families are invited, Cajun turkey is served, bonuses are handed out, and festive autumnthemed cornucopias top all the tables. In the age of Covid and social distancing, the company hoped to give employees a taste of their usual offerings to take home, offering gift packs of all the fixings needed to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal, almost as good as the one they host in-plant, complete with soup mix, corn bread ingredients, and brownies that are almost as good as when someone else makes them for you.

service awards are given during the Thanksgiving lunch,” Ditoro said. “Door prize drawings and Bingo with prizes round out the fun day.”

And going back in time a bit to a holiday recently passed: Halloween, which the SEPCO staff celebrates in full force with costumes and Jack-o’lanterns.

“Pre-COVID we held a luncheon and costume contest,” Ditoro said. “During COVID, we held a pumpkin carving contest and had designers and artists outside the company judge them.”

At Illinois Electric Works, a repair shop in Granite City, Ill., holidays are celebrated more mildly, with general decorations and a December bonus.

“Good old fashioned cash is a lot better than a turkey,” said Dale Hamil, company president.

Time outside the shop At Illinois Electric, one to two outside festivities are planned a year to allow employees to mingle with one another’s families, ultimately becoming closer. While not mandatory, it isn’t difficult to convince workers to come along.

“Well there’s no cost and it’s a lot of fun, and it’s all a positive time,” Hamil said.

“Not everybody attends but a large percentage do and it’s a lot of fun.”

Most recently, Hamil took the team to a local Gateway Grizzlies minor league baseball event with all-inclusive club seats and all-you-can-eat-and-drink. In past years, employees have gone together to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill., and go-karting.

‘Good old fashioned cash is a lot better than a turkey’ —Dale Hamil, President at Illinois Electric Works in Granite City, Ill.

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— Illinois Electric Works image

Illinois Electric Works in Granite City, Ill. often chooses to celebrate when the weather is good and by going on group outings. One year the team took a trip to a local go-karting race track, racing one another in camaraderie.

Continued from previous page

“A large objective in these outings is to get to know everybody’s wives, everyone’s families, and in turn they all support our work,” Hamil said.

Making work fun “We pretty much routinely buy lunch for everybody, especially if they’ve been working a bunch of overtime, or have done spectacular,” Hamil said. “Or if we have a special customer, a large class, we get good lunches. More than just pizza: Fried chicken, roast beef, all the extras.”

Hamil says he gets the shop to participate in frequent lunch and learns, where they gather the staff, go through an EASA webinar, and do lunch and company-wide discussion afterwards. Typically they do this around a dozen times a year, or on average once a month.

Beyond the formal learning events, they also celebrate employee retirements over lunch as a way to say goodbye to folks who are leaving after long tenures of service.

Whenever there’s a reason to throw a lunch event and cater, to give a little something back to the employees who work hard to keep the business running and with good reputation, one should seize it.

“You can’t celebrate too often,” Hamil said.

EA

—Illinois Electric Works image

A few years back, the Illinois Electric Works team took to their local Six Flags location, alongside their families, meeting Bugs Bunny and fighting alongside the Justice League.

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Annual Year-End Product Showcase The season’s best and newest in tools, instruments, and machines for manufacturing and service

By Susan L. Follett, EA Contributing Weriter

3D scanner for single-hand use API has released the third generation of iScan3D, its handheld metrologygrade 3D scanner. It is designed for portable shop-floor dimensional inspection and scanning markets and provides accurate measurements and point-cloud generation from a single-handed ergonomic sensor. It connects with API’s Radian laser tracker to accurately monitor scanner position and deliver high-accuracy measuring and scanning. It’s a good fit for such tasks as prototype part inspection and validation, high-accuracy reverse engineering, large body assemblies, and fixture inspections, according to the manufacturer.

Sensor for smaller automated applications The ultra-thin Mini43LP force/torque sensor from ATI Industrial Automation provides high-precision force sensing in a rugged, compact transducer. Measuring less than 8 mm in height, the six-axis sensor is designed for smaller automated applications, such as assembling electronic components, and is compatible with all of ATI’s existing communication interfaces.

The streamlined design features a bolt-down mounting pattern to minimize stack height, an angled cable exit to eliminate interference with adjacent equipment, and a large through-hole for simplified utility management.

Frameless motors for robotics applications Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument is launching a series of frameless motors as drop-in solutions for robotics applications. The NH1-D series provides a compact, lightweight, and powerful motor solution and is designed to be pressed into a machine’s housing. Available in a range of standard sizes, the motors are machine-wound with bondable magnet wire for superior dependability. Each features a large inner diameter rotor that permits easy cable management, and each fits easily into smaller machines requiring precision, high efficiency, low inertia, and high torque density.

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Annual Year-End Product Showcase continued

Material replaces metallic pump parts Greene Tweed has released WR650, a next-generation PFA composite with superior dry run characteristics designed to replace metallic wear parts in centrifugal pumps and other pump applications. Reinforced with a 3D carbon-fiber architecture, WR650 can sustain higher dry wear conditions before showing signs of degradation when compared to the leading PFA-based material. In addition to high chemical compatibility, excellent wear characteristics, and operability from subzero to 500°F, the material also features a constant running clearance, no interference, and no efficiency drop. Non-galling and non-seizing characteristics and the ability to dampen vibrations allow for tighter clearances and increased efficiency compared to traditional metallic components.

Power conversion for power grids The SINAMICS PCS power conversion system from Siemens makes locally generated battery power usable for industrial and public power grids. By controlling battery charging and discharging, the system helps to handle load peaks and grid disturbances and store energy. Based on the technology of the SINAMICS S120 drive platform, the compact system includes connection technology and control, line filter, and liquid-cooling, and can be easily integrated as a complete system in control rooms or containers.

Magnetic pump doesn’t need thrust bearings INNOMAG’s TB-MAG magnetic pump features a dynamic thrust balancing system that eliminates the need for thrust bearings. The result is efficient operation, outstanding reliability, and a lower total cost of ownership, according to the company. Compliant with ASME B73.3 or ISO 2858/15783 standards, the pump also provides exceptional leakage protection in corrosive and environmentally critical applications.

Varnish for improved EV efficiency Beckers’ new BeckryCore Core Plate Varnish (CPV) is said to boost efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs for electric vehicles. The waterborne varnish allows for a thinner coating, reducing power losses in the core laminates and improving magnetic properties. The product ensures excellent stamping performance and doesn’t wear out stamping tools or create dust during manufacturing.

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Racks and pinions for accurate positioning Collapsible LED light for the job site

Robot for precise handling of small parts

The new PowerSmith Voyager collapsible LED work light is designed to be a good fit for industrial and job-site lighting needs. Four adjustable light heads and a telescoping tripod help users project light where it is needed, and a 12V lithium-ion battery can power the light at 8,000 lumens for 1.5 hours or up to six hours at 2,000 lumens. The tripod telescopes the light to a height of 79”, and the light folds down into a compact tube that’s easy to transport and store.

The Meca500, available from Canadian robotics manufacturer Mecademic Robotics, is designed for precise and repetitive manipulation of small parts and tools in a variety of industries. The six-axis robot can handle payloads up to 500 g with an accuracy of 0.005 mm. It’s one of only a few industrial robots with an integrated controller in its base, and it’s designed to maximize space efficiency and minimize deployment time.

KHK USA, Inc., has rolled out an extensive line of circular pitch racks and pinions, manufactured by Kohara Gear Industry Co. of Japan. Available in many materials and configurations, they’re said to be suitable for applications where very accurate positioning in linear motion are required. The racks and pinions are engineered to simplify the application design process so that a specific number of revolutions of the gear will result in an exact distance of translation on the gear rack. Tapered racks and pinions allow the backlash to be adjusted.

NTN MEGAOHM™ Bearings Reduce the Shock of Downtime

Oscilloscopes with innovative trigger system SIGLENT’s SDS6000A series of digital storage oscilloscopes are available in three bandwidths, have a sample rate of 5 GSa/s at each channel, and display up to four analog channels and 16 digital channels for mixed-signal analysis. The new scopes use Siglent’s SPO technology with a maximum waveform capture rate of up to 170,000 wfm/s and an innovative digital trigger system with high sensitivity and low jitter. The large touchscreen features a user-friendly interface that also supports mouse control and remote operation over a network.

Trusted by OEMs to Protect Machinery NTN’s MEGAOHM Series of insulated bearings has been specifically designed to prevent electrical arcing in a variety of applications. With the industy’s thickest and most robust outer ring ceramic coating providing the highest level of protection, it’s no wonder OEMs and repair shops alike trust MEGAOHM to protect their customers’ equipment from costly downtime.

Consult your local NTN Territory Manager or call 1-800-323-2358 to learn more about drop in replacements and our cost-effective solutions to combat stray electric currents.

ntnamericas.com

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Annual Year-End Product Showcase continued

Software tracks environmental conditions New software from Johnson Controls makes it easier for building operators to track sustainability, health, and wellness metrics while also reducing water and energy use and minimizing the facility’s carbon footprint. The OpenBlue Performance Advisor expands on the capabilities of the company’s OpenBlue Enterprise Manager system, designed for organizations that are seeking to achieve clean air and sustainability targets through data tracking and artificial intelligence. The system supports smart building capabilities for a variety of properties, including mixed use and commercial offices.

Screwdrivers with shock protection Klein Tools is expanding its line of insulated screwdrivers with new lengths and tips as well as a six-piece set that includes a magnetizer. The new tools protect against electrical shock and meet or exceed ASTM F1505-16 and IEC 60900:2018 standards for insulated tools. Slim-tip blades allow for easier access to terminal blocks, slim-style breakers, and other tight spaces.

Tips sit flush with shafts to help reduce insulation chipping and cracking.

Parts kits for pumps and circulators

Ventilator built to Canadian standards

Armstrong Fluid Technology has announced the availability of new parts kits for more than two dozen pumps and circulators, including all design envelope pumps (permanent magnet motors, intelligent vertical multistage, and intelligent variable speed) and select models of fire pumps and circulators. Consisting of engineered combinations of Armstrong genuine parts, the kits are designed to make it easier for service contractors, service dealers, and parts providers to bring an asset back into service.

Panasonic has announced the Canadian release of the IntelliBalance 200 energy recovery ventilator, designed to increase airflow in tightly built locations with exhaust and supply air.

The Intelli-Balance 200 allows Canadian builders and homeowners to better design and meet ASHRAE 62.2 requirements, and features two electronically commutated brushless motors with built-in SmartFlow technology to offer precision ventilation and low power consumption.

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Cobot learning platform Learn OnRobot is a free online learning platform that guides users of all skill levels through the steps to design and deploy cobot applications featuring OnRobot tools, including grippers, cameras, processing kits, and sensors, in setups with all major cobot and light industrial robot brands. Offered by OnRobot in nine languages, the library includes videos and 3D simulations that provide a range of information on cobot applications, including machine tending, palletizing, pick and place, and sanding. The platform is accessible via PCs, smartphones, and tablets, facilitating access from the shop floor during deployment.

User-friendly touch displays High-contrast capacitive touch displays and membrane keypads from Phoenix Contact give electronics manufacturers an off-the-shelf, cost-effective enclosure design option and create a user-friendly interface for device operators. Designers can custom-position the display or adjust the shape, color, button size, and printing of keypads to meet specific application requirements. The displays provide visualization and intuitive operation for such applications as pressure or flow measurements, machine states or errors, energy monitoring, and building automation controls.

Improved pneumatic connection system Mencom has released an improved version of the MIXO modular pneumatic connection system that uses a new self-extinguishing thermoplastic insert and metal contacts. The new system allows more frequent mating cycles for compressed air distribution systems, and guarantees better mechanical resistance and increased airflow for transmitting dry and compressed air in pneumatic systems. The metal pneumatic contacts can withstand a constant pressure of 10 bar and are available in straight and angled versions for different sizes of plastic tubing. The new series can be used alongside other MIXO modules and is compatible with various sizes of standard rectangular enclosures.

DC/DC converter has wide input range The STMGF platform from Cosel Co. Ltd. is expanding with the addition of an 80-W DC/DC converter. The S80 covers a wide input voltage range from 9 V to 76 V. The S8024 operates from 9 VDC to 36 VDC for 12-V and 24-V systems, and the S8048 works from 18 VDC to 76 VDC, covering industrial 24-V and 48-V systems. The series fits in the same footprint as its predecessor, which previously only delivered 30 W, and is ready to use out of the box.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 25

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Annual Year-End Product Showcase continued

Soft-starter saves floor space The MV2H, now available from Benshaw, is a medium-voltage soft-starter that combines the features of its MVRMX series in a two-high configuration that provides a 30% floor space savings over traditional single-high designs. Each soft starter includes a separate load break disconnect switch, Class R rated fuses, inline and bypass contactors, and an MV power stack. The starter is UL-approved up to 195A per motor, and up to 4.16kV in a compact NEMA 1 enclosure.

Third generation of high-performance motors ABB has released the third generation of its Baldor-Reliance RPM AC motors, which are said to offer high performance and power density for variable-speed applications as well as easier specification, installation, operation, condition monitoring, and DC-to-AC upgrades. First introduced 30 years ago, the RPM AC has evolved into one of the broadest variable-speed AC motor offerings available. The latest iteration features an extended power range, standard grounding provisions, and easier setup and deployment. The third generation also features RPM AC Wizard, a new web-based tool that allows customers to design a motor that best satisfies unique application requirements.

Multiple-diaphragm metering pumps Now available from Wanner Engineering, Inc., the Hydra-Cell Metering Solutions P700 series metering pumps feature a hydraulically balanced, multiple-diaphragm design that provides smooth, linear, and virtually pulse-free flow without the need for pulsation dampeners. Patented diaphragm position control protects the pump and enables operation in case of a closed inlet. Process fluid is not used for lubrication, so the P700 can run dry indefinitely, and a replenishment valve in every piston assembly ensures optimum actuating oil on every stroke for continuous accuracy.

Input adapters for flexible drive design Featuring improved mechanical and thermal performance, redesigned NEMA and IEC input adapters from Nord Drive Systems are designed to give users more flexibility in designing drive systems. Available in NEMA sizes 250TC to 400TC and in IEC sizes 160 to 315, the adapters come equipped with FKM seals and bearings that will last for a minimum of 25,000 hours.

Made of cast iron in a single casting, the adapters come with a fail-safe ROTEX coupling and are designed for easy integration of backstops and speed sensors to meet application needs.

26 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Position sensors for harsh environments Novotechnik U.S. has introduced the LWX-002 series of shaftprotected position sensors designed for extremely harsh environments. The all-metal sensor shaft is protected over its range of motion with a stainless-steel shield that’s 0.9 mm thick. The series has a differential pressure compensation system with a Gore membrane to compensate for the pump effect, ensuring that the sensor is free from degradation due to pressure buildup that can otherwise occur in rod sensors over time. Backlashfree pivot heads are designed for easy mounting.

A more durable and flexible hydraulic hose Gates is rolling out the MegaSys MXG 5K, a hydraulic hose that is lighter, more flexible, and more durable than a typical 5,000 PSI hydraulic hose. It can serve as a design-in option or replacement hose across a variety of industries, including injection molding, heavy manufacturing equipment, and construction.

It was tested to one million impulse cycles at 250°F, twice the legacy industry standard for spiral hoses. With high abrasion and ozone resistance, the MXG 5K is designed for long wear in the factory or the field, including applications in extreme conditions.

What’ll be new in ’22?

Each month, the editors of Electrical Apparatus bring you news about the latest tools, instruments, and machines for manufacturing and electrical service. What does the upcoming year have in store for us?

We expect the following:

Machining center for machining parts

Line of ‘green’ motors expanded

Nidec Machine Tool Corp. has released the MVR-Cx series of double-column machining centers, its first new product since becoming a subsidiary of Nidec Corp. in August. The easy-to-use machine efficiently performs single-item and high-mix/low-volume production in machining large parts. A newly developed operation support function is said to reduce production time, and the structure can be installed in small or large locations and installed in a narrow space.

Since its launch in 2003, the MVR series has been used in a variety of settings, including molds, industrial machinery, construction machinery, and semiconductor manufacturing.

Greenheck is expanding its electronically commutated motor offerings by incorporating its Vari-Green motor in select models of axial, direct-drive rooftop fans. The new offering provides the controllability of a variable-frequency drive in a smaller, lower-maintenance package that simplifies installation and reduces field costs. Models now available with Vari-Green technology include exhaust and supply hooded rooftop models RE2, RS2, RCE3, and RCS3, and exhaust upblast rooftop model RDU. These models are available with single and three-phase motor options up to 5 hp. They’re said to be ideal for warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities.

Increased automation of manufacturing processes > “Smarter” tools and instruments > Less-expensive and smaller electronic measuring instrumention > Further refinements in insulating and conducting materials > More efficient motors and pumps > More versatile and customizable software > Wider variety of ergonomic and electrically insulated hand tools > Robots adaptable to more diverse tasks > Further integration of control instrumentation with wi-fi and Bluetooth technology

>

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Names & Faces Dave Henrichs has been named senior vice president of sales for ABB’s Commercial, Industrial and OEM (CIO) West Region. He most recently served as Midwest District sales manager for the CIO West Region. Henrichs succeeds Deni Miller, who was recently named senior vice president for Installation Product Sales, Electrification U.S. Henrichs joined ABB two years ago as Dave Henrichs district manager for the Chicago district, and held various sales and operation leadership roles in the electrical distribution, control, and automation industry with Schneider Electric, General Electric and Faro Technologies.

He has a B.S. from the University of Minnesota.

Kirk Davis, longtime president of Bob Davis Electric Co., has been elected to serve as the 36th president of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). He will serve a two-year term that begins Jan. 1, 2022. Davis has served as NECA’s District 3 vice president for the Kirk Davis last four years, and will replace current president Larry Beltramo.

Pamela Kan, president of industrial automation company Bishop-Wisecarver, was awarded the Power Transmission Distributor Association’s (PTDA) Warren Pike Award. Considered the industry’s highest honor, the award recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding, continuous, and long-term support of the association and the power transmission/motion control distributors and manufacturing companies.

Pamela Kan Kan has held several volunteer and leadership roles during her tenure with PTDA, which began in 2003. She chaired the PTDA Manufacturing Council in 2011, and joined the PTDA Foundation board of trustees in 2013.

Veena Lakkundi has joined Rockwell Automation as senior vice president for corporate strategy and development.

She will report to Blake Moret, chairman and CEO, and succeeds Elik Fooks, who retired earlier this year. Lakkundi joins Rockwell following a progression of roles at 3M. She was most recently senior vice president and chief strategy officer and Veena Lakkundi interim leader of Technology, Transformation and Services.

Arijit Raychowdhury has been named the Steve W. Chaddick chair of Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Raychowdhury has been a member of the Georgia Tech faculty since January 2013 and currently holds the Motorola Solutions Foundation Professorship. He is the director of Georgia Tech’s Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology CenArijit Raychowdhury ter for Circuits and Systems, and is the

co-director of the Georgia Tech Quantum Alliance.

Sundyne has announced that Aaron Bridges will join the company’s senior leadership team as chief commercial officer (CCO). Bridges comes to Sundyne from Honeywell, where he served as vice president of Americas and Pacific sales.

Bridges has also served as CCO for Chart Industries, an engineering, procurement Aaron Bridges and manufacturing company focused on the energy and industrial gas markets. He holds an MBA from Northern Illinois University and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Auburn University.

Matt Weber has been promoted to president of OneSource Distributors from his current position as vice president of contractor sales. He started his career in electrical distribution at Viking Electric in Minnesota. Over his 20 years at Sonepar companies, Weber has held positions in sales, auditing, and purchasing, and has Matt Weber implemented successful long-term sales strategies for the contractor, solar and energy businesses.

Edwin Ojeda has joined Crescent Electric Supply as senior vice president of industrial. In addition to responsibility for industrial category sales growth nationwide, he is also tasked with leading the development and deployment of a standardized sales process and support team.

Ojeda held positions at Brady Corp. and Honeywell before joining Crescent, and Edwin Ojeda most recently served as senior vice president of sales and marketing for DRG Technologies. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University and a B.S. from Carthage College.

Shawn O’Brien has joined Service Wire as a sales representative in the Culloden, WV sales office. He has more than 25 years of sales and managerial experience, including 11 years in construction and manufacturing sales. O’Brien will serve commercial and industrial distributors, contractors, and engineers while working with manufacturers’ representatives Shawn O’Brien in Georgia and Alabama.

Summit Electric Supply has named Ed Gerber as president and CEO. Gerber has served on the company’s board of directors since May 2018, and has more than 30 years of experience in executive leadership roles in distribution and manufacturing. He served as executive vice president for sales and marketing for the Industrial Distribution Group and as vice president of sales and marketing for the Sandvik CTT Group. He most recently served as president and CEO of the Industrial Supply Association, which appointed Brendan Breen to the role of executive vice president as an inEd Gerber terim replacement. — Susan L. Follett EA

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Anniversary Dreisilker president marks 50 years in the industry Leo F. Dreisilker, president of the Glen Ellyn, Ill.-based company that bears his family’s name, recently marked an impressive milestone: his 50th year in the motor service industry.

His father, Henry, started the company in 1955 after emigrating from Germany, and grew it from three employees to more than 120 across six locations. “What started as my father’s ambitious dream in a 750-square-foot facility has grown into one of the largest and most modern 73,000 square-foot electric motor sales and repair centers in the USA,” Leo said.

Leo started out in the company when he was in high school, working with his brothers in the repair shop and warehouse. He eventually gravitated to sales. “Both my mom and dad instilled a very strong work ethic, discipline, and drive for knowledge in me and my siblings, starting from a young age,” said Leo. “They definitely had a great impact on my life.”

He took classes at the Addison Electrical Institute in Chicago and the nearby College of DuPage, and noted that he was fortunate to be mentored by many of the company’s long-term employees. “These key employees had worked with my dad and continued working with me for 40 to 50 years. Their knowledge of the business and industry greatly helped my own growth,” he said.

“I never even thought when I started that I’d still be here 50 years later,” said Leo, who succeeded his father as president in 1993. “One of the things that has really driven me over the years is being able to solve our customers’ biggest challenges. Seeing the end result of our problem-solving was and still is very gratifying,” he said.

Among the most notable times for Leo were the early 1970s through the mid-1980s. “This was a time of big growth for us. In addition to the growth, there were a lot of technology changes within the electric motor and drive repair industry that kept us on the edge of our seat and continually changing.” The family tradition continues at the shop: his son Matt is the opera-

On hand to mark Leo’s half-century in the business are, from left, his daughter Lynn, son Matt, granddaughter Mila, and daughter-in-law Daniela. – Photo courtesy of Dreisilker Electric Motors

tions manager and a CMRP, and his daughter Lynn is the marketing and operations manager. “One of my favorite things about working with my father is listening to him talk about all types of motors,” Lynn said. “He has the sharpest memory and can recall when a specific motor came in. He even remembers what special steps we had to take to repair or service that motor!”

For Leo, one of the most enjoyable parts of the past 50 years are the people he has worked with. “Providing meaningful opportunities for people and helping their families grow and be successful is what business is all about.” – Susan L. Follett EA

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Feature | Fast Forward

Thinking small Research in nanotechnology stands to bring about big changes

By Susan L. Follett, EA Contributing Writer What goes around — well, you know the rest. But you might not have realized that adage applies to the relatively new field of nanotechnology. As it turns out, Victorian culture was obsessed with all things tiny.

During that era, the microscope was perfected and popularized, enabling the study of items previously unseen by the naked eye. Even authors got in on the action: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland explored the idea of changing from large to very small.

Continuing advances in technology have pushed experimentation into ever-smaller realms, thanks in part to the National Nanotechnology Initiative, a federal program from President Bill Clinton to support nanotechnology research and development in universities, government agencies, and industry laboratories. While the research is small in scale, its impact is huge across a range of disciplines, including machines and manufacturing, clean energy, and the environment.

For example, researchers in Colorado are looking into why some ultra-small heat sources cool faster when they’re closer together. Joshua Knobloch, postdoctoral research associate at JILA, a joint research institute between CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), led a team

This superconductor, created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and made from niobium, manganese, and silicon matrix, mimics the operation of a switch between two brain cells. The chip measures 1 square centimeter, and one artificial synapse is located at the center of each X. — NIST photo

The National Institute of Standards and Technology “grows” these semiconductor nanowires that emit ultraviolet light as part of a project to make nano-lasers and other devices and the measurement tools needed to characterize them.

— Photo by Lorelle Mansfield/NIST

that tracked the passage of heat from nano-sized bars that ranged from 750 nm down to 30 nm — many factors smaller than the width of a human hair, which is roughly 70 microns.

They discovered that when they placed the heat sources close together, the vibrations of energy they produced began to bounce off each other, scattering heat away and cooling the bars down. Temperature build-up in small devices like computer chips reduces the chip’s lifetime and effectiveness, so understanding how temperature behaves becomes more important as items get ever smaller, and their findings could result in faster electronic devices that overheat less.

Mechanical engineers at Michigan Technological University have created a way to make a 3D-printable nanocomposite polymeric ink. It’s light, has a high tensile strength, and could replace epoxies. The finished product can double as electrical wiring, in a circuit board, for example, or in an airplane’s wing. “When something breaks, a tiny crack starts from a microscale defect and progresses until it breaks the entire structure,” said Parisa Pour Shahid Saeed Abadi, who worked on the project. “Nanocomposite features make bridges in those cracks and don’t let the cracks grow.”

Nanoscale research is even improving the research process itself.

Researchers at the Innovation Factory at the University of Liverpool’s Dept. of Chemistry and Materials have created an artificial intelligence tool that reduces the time and effort required to discover new materials by examining the relationships between known materials at a scale previously unachievable. These relationships are used to identify and numerically rank combinations of elements that are likely to form new

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Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which explored the adventures of getting small, is itself shrunk onto this silicon chip.

— Tiny Alice Project

materials. The rankings are used by scientists to guide exploration in a targeted way, making experimental investigation far more efficient.

Developed by a team of researchers led by Prof. Matt Rosseinsky, the tool has already led to the discovery of four new materials, including a new group of materials that conduct lithium— which could be key to the development of solid state batteries with longer life and increased safety.

Physicists at the University of Nottingham have used advances in nanotechnology and 3D printing to shrink the components of their experiments to just a third of their size—from the size of a 5 by 8 foot table to the size of a stack of pizza boxes. As a result, research into how atoms behave in ultra-cold temperatures could be more affordable and accessible: The tools could be

used by companies that don’t have the payroll for high-powered equipment or teams of researchers. Instead, technicians could assemble the devices from 3D-printed components.

Commercial ultra-cold atomic devices could be used by civil engineers or oil and gas companies to better map underground terrain, and ultra-cold devices could be a crucial ingredient for navigation tools that work when GPS satellites are out of reach. Ultra-cold atomic clocks might be used to synchronize transportation or telecommunication networks.

Even Alice is getting the nano treatment. The Tiny Alice Project has created a miniature reproduction of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: All 78 pages have been transposed onto a single silicon chip, with each page just the width of a human hair.

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EA reader profile Wired to help others David Coelho spent four decades as an electrician for a Connecticut utility, working to keep the power on in one capacity or another and teaching the trade in local technical schools. His utility days have ended, but you can still find him in a classroom a few days a week, passing along what he knows to train the field’s next generation.

Coelho’s father owned an electrical appliance store in western Connecticut, which is where his interest in all things electric began. He attended Henry Abbott Technical High School in Danbury and then earned an associate degree in electrical engineering from Waterbury State Technical College. He worked for an electrical contractor while he was in college, and started with Connecticut Light and Power Co. (now Eversource) in 1972. He stayed there for 40 years, starting as a field engineer and ending his career as a line department supervisor.

“I really enjoyed working with all of the people I’d come into contact with out in the field,” he said. “We dealt with electricians, with homeowners, and with builders as they were putting new streets in.” He helped design underground lines, and worked in neighboring states to restore power that was disrupted by storms — so many storms. “It wasn’t until after I retired that I could enjoy the weather,” he noted.

Coelho has been an evening instructor at Abbott Tech since 1976, and has been teaching four days a week at the Industrial Management and Training Institute in Waterbury, Conn., since 2018. He has helped students use their electrical training in a variety of fields, including machine repair, mining, and utili-

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Now retired after four decades as an electrician in the utility industry, David Coelho teaches four days a week at the Industrial Management and Training Institute in Waterbury, Conn.

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ties. “I’ve been on job sites and heard my students calling me from the rafters,” he said. “It’s great to see my students progress in their lives, and now I’ve even taught the children of some of my first students.”

He has recently seen an increase in the number of students in his classes, after slight downturns over the past four to five years. “I think students are realizing it’s a good opportunity to have a rewarding career.” It requires a fair amount of training, he noted. After four years as a registered apprentice, students can take the state license exam to be a journeyman electrician.

After six years of apprenticeship, a student can take the exam to become an electrical contractor. Seeing his students start their own businesses “has been really rewarding,” Coelho said.

His years in the classroom and in the field have been marked by several changes, he said, most notably in the National Electric Code. The NEC “has more than doubled in size since I started, even with the much smaller font that’s used now,” he said. “Those changes are the result of efforts to improve safety, which is a great thing, but it also means that there’s a lot more that electricians need to know and understand.”

Outside of the classroom, Coelho is active in the city’s volunteer fire department, formerly the captain and now recording secretary for the Beckerle Fire Hose Company. He’s also a ham radio operator whose call sign is WA1JGA. Additionally, Coelho is involved in the area’s Portuguese community and has a hand in planning for Danbury’s Portuguese Day Parade.

In 2010, Coelho was one of the first 10 inductees into Abbott Tech’s Hall of Fame. “I was very honored and humbled when I was first informed that I was going into the Hall of Fame,” he said. “Before saying yes to the honor, I asked about Tony Rizzo and Dan Garamella, who were both strong supporters of the school, and very involved in the Danbury business community,” said Coelho. They were also inducted.

“Henry Abbott Technical School gave me the foundation of training that I would continue with, throughout my career. The induction was truly an honor, and I am still honored by it today.” – Susan L. Follett EA

32 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Feature | Motors & Generators

Choosing the right motor enclosure Does your small or medium-voltage motor application call for an open or enclosed design?

By John Malinowski, EA Special Correspondent Motor failures are caused by many factors, and through a series of articles, we will attempt to address many of them. In this article we will look at failures caused by using a motor in an application where the enclosure or level of ingress protection was wrong. Rather than replace the failed motor with one of like construction and features, a more suitable motor can be selected to provide for longer life in the application where it is used. We will focus primarily on small and medium low-voltage motors in this article.

Motor enclosures are available in two basic types: open and enclosed. In a motor with an open Open drip-proof enclosures were selected for this application, but TEFC enclosures may be more comenclosure, outside air is passed mon outdoors.

— US Electric Motors photo through the motor vent holes and across the windings for cooling. In this configura- or cast-iron endplates. On larger motors, cast-iron open frames and tion, a minimum of active electrical material can be endplates may be used. used because of the very effective cooling resulting Ideal applications for open motors are indoors, running HVAC sysin a more cost-effective motor and sometimes in a tems, compressors, and conveyors. ODP motors may be used outdoors, smaller frame or package than an enclosed motor. but care must be taken in rainy areas. The author has seen an ODP moOpen motors are designed to be used in environ- tor operating a conveyor in a chip mill and watched the wood chips ments that are free of contaminants. Some designs, pass through the motor vents and exit — obviously not an ideal applicacalled open drip-proof (ODP), have limited shielding tion, which should have a TEFC motor. on the endplate openings to prevent rain ingress; An enclosed motor does not have these openings for air to enter the however, these motors are not well suited for out- motor, and it uses convection for its cooling. This is not as effective as door use. the open motor, resulting in the need for additional active material in Open motors are commonly available in NEMA its construction. There are several types of enclosed motors as defined motors but are uncommon in IEC motors. The frame by NEMA: material can be a rolled steel band with aluminum > Totally enclosed non-vented (TENV): A plain motor frame with no external fans. > Totally enclosed fan cooled (TEFC): A fan on the opposite drive end with a fan cover providing cooling air over the surface of the frame. > Totally enclosed air-over (TEAO): A plain frame cooled by air from the driven load (usually a fan either on shaft or belted). > Totally enclosed blower cooled (TEBC): A separately powered constant velocity fan providing cooling air over the surface of the frame.

Ideal applications for open motors are indoors, running HVAC systems, compressors, and conveyors

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Table 5-1: Degrees of protection indicated by the first characteristic numeral First Characteristic Numeral 0 Non-protected machine

Degree of Protection Brief Description (Note 1)

Definition

Non-protected machine

No special protection

No special protection

Accidental or inadvertent contact with or approach to live and moving parts inside the enclosure by a large surface of the human body, such as a hand (but no protection against deliberate access).

Ingress of solid objects exceeding 1.968 in. (50 mm) in diameter

No special protection

Machine protected against Contact with or approach to live or moving parts inside the enclosure by solid objects greater than fingers or similar objects not exceeding 3.15 inch (80 mm) in length.

0.4724 in. (12 mm) Ingress of solid objects exceeding 0.4724 in. (12 mm) in diameter.

3 (Note 2)

Machine protected against Contact with or approach to live or moving parts inside the enclosure by solid objects greater than tools or wires exceeding 0.0984 inch (2.5 mm) in diameter.

0.0984 in. (2.5 mm) Ingress of solid objects exceeding 0.0984 in. (2.5 mm) in diameter.

4 (Note 2)

Machine protected against Contact with or approach to live or moving parts inside the enclosure by solid objects greater than wires or strips of thickness greater than 0.0394 in. (1 mm).

0.0394 in. (1 mm) Ingress of solid objects exceeding 0.0394 in. (1 mm) in diameter.

5 (Note 3)

Dust-protected machine

Contact with or approach to live or moving parts inside the enclosure.

Ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the machine.

6 (Note 3)

Dust-tight machine

Contact with or approach to live or moving parts inside the enclosure.

No ingress of dust

NOTES: 1. The brief description given in column 2 in this table should not be used to specify the type of protection.

2. Machines assigned a first characteristic numeral 1, 2, 3, or 4 will exclude both regularly or irregularly shaped solid objects provided that three normally perpendicular dimensions of the object exceed the appropriate figure in column “Definition.”

3. The degree of protection against dust defined by this standard is a general one. When the nature of the dust (dimensions of particles, their nature, for instance fibrous particles) is specified, test conditions should be determined by agreement between manufacturer and user.

MOTOR ENCLOSURES continued from previous page

Enclosed motors are available in either NEMA or IEC motors. Rolled steel bands or cast-iron frames are common on both NEMA and IEC motors, and aluminum frames are seen on IEC motors. Some enclosed motors have a laminated frame construction. It is usual to have cooling fins on the cast-iron or aluminum frames for enclosed motors to increase surface area, as these motors rely heavily on convection for cooling, even in a TEFC design.

If we have a motor failure in an open motor from ingress of water or debris, then an enclosed motor could be selected to provide longer life in the applied environment. This is where we need to start thinking about the ingress protection rating (IPxx) of the motor. Ingress protection originated in IEC standards but have been adopted by NEMA. They are shown in the accompanying charts from MG 1 Motors and Generator

It is usual to have cooling fins on the cast-iron or aluminum frames for enclosed motors to increase surface area, as these motors rely heavily on convection for cooling, even in a TEFC design

standards in Section I, “General Standards Applying to All Machines Part 5 Rotating Electrical Machines— Classification of Degrees of Protection Provided by Enclosures for Rotating Machines.” (In this article, we are retaining the numbering of the tables as 5-1 and 5-2 in order to keep the numbers consistent with the tables as they are presented in NEMA MG 1.)

Indication of degree of protection The first characteristic numeral indicates the degree of protection provided by the enclosure with respect to persons, and to the parts of the machine inside the enclosure. Table 5 gives, in Column 3, brief details of objects which will be “excluded” from the enclosure for each of the degrees of protection represented by the first characteristic numeral. The term excluded implies that a part of the body, or a tool or a wire held by a person, either will not enter the machine, or if it enters, that adequate clearance will be maintained between it and the live parts or dangerous moving parts. (Smooth rotating shafts and the like are not considered dangerous.) Column 3 of Table 5 also indicates the minimum size of solid foreign objects which will be excluded.

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Table 5-2: Degrees of Protection Indicated by the Second Characteristic Numeral Second Characteristic Numeral

Degree of Protection Brief Description (Note 1)

Definition

0

Non-protected machine

No special protection

1

Machine protected against dripping water

Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect.

2

Machine protected against dripping water when tilted up to 15 degrees

Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the machine is tilted at any angle up to 15 degrees from its normal position.

3

Machine protected against spraying water

Water falling as a spray at an angle up to 60 degrees from the vertical shall have no harmful effect.

4

Machine protected against splashing Water splashing against the machine from any direction shall water have no harmful effect.

5

Machine protected against water jets Water projected by a nozzle against the machine from any direction shall have no harmful effect.

6

Machine protected against heavy seas

Water from heavy seas or water projected in powerful jets shall not enter the machine in harmful quantities.

7

Machine protected against the effects of immersion

Ingress of water in the machine in a harmful quantity shall not be possible when the machine is immersed in water under stated conditions of pressure and time.

8

Machine protected against continuous submersion (Note 2)

The machine is suitable for continuous submersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer

NOTES: 1. The brief description given in column 2 in this table should not be used to specify the type of protection.

2. Normally, this means that the machine is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of machines it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effect.

Source of tables on this and the facing page: NEMA MG 1, Motors and Generators, Section I, “General Standards Applying to All Machines Part 5 Rotating Electrical Machines—Classification of Degrees of Protection Provided by Enclosures for Rotating Machines.”

An ODP motor could have an IP22 level of protection, as most have a slanted louver cast into their endplates. However, some are made with slots in the motor housing for cooling that may not be as well protected and limited to indoor use in clean applications. A typical TEFC motor could have an IP44 or IP54 level of protection, depending on the man-

ufacturer. Should the application be used outside under more severe conditions, a motor commonly referred to as a “severe duty” motor with IP54 plus a level of corrosion proof paint, sealing of frame joints, condensation drains, re-greasing provisions, etc. would fare better in the weather. A step up from this could be a motor made to IEEE 841-2021 standards that originated in the petroleum and chemical refining industry decades ago. This IEEE 841 standard gets upgraded often, and the newest 2021 version is quite robust and widely used in all process industries. It builds upon a basic severe duty by adding rotating labyrinth seals, tighter tolerances on noise and vibration, certified test data, Class 1 – Division 2 compatibility, adjustable-speed drive compatibility, etc.

Dealing with severe applications

This IEEE 841 TEFC motor has an IP56 level of protection and is suitable for use in severe-duty applications in process industries.

— WEG photo

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One of the most severe applications for electric motors is in the poultry processing industry. The driven equipment is constantly sanitized with ever-increasing high pressure washing with various anti-bacterial chemicals. A standard TEFC motor might only last a few days in such an environment. A “washdown Please turn to next page ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 35

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A variety of enclosures and motors with differing levels of protection can be seen in this photo. The gold motor with an open louvered endplate has an open drip-proof enclosure. The stainless motor on the left is washdown type, as is the one with white epoxy paint. The gray motor on the top left has an explosion-proof rating suitable for hazardous locations. Motors in the center of the picture are totally enclosed fan-cooled. The green motor at the top is an IEEE 841 severe duty model; the labyrinth seal can be seen on the shaft. — ABB Motors and Drives photo

MOTOR ENCLOSURES continued from previous page

duty” motor was developed by a leading poultry producer and a motor company. It is designed with coatings and seals that could withstand the environment. If the surface coating on a painted washdown motor was scratched, rust would build up under the paint and it could delaminate and contaminate the chicken.

Over the years, additional features to provide additional longevity were added to these motors, such as better shaft seals, better condensation drains, internal winding encapsulation, autophoretic coating of the bare steel components such as the band and fan cover, and so forth.

Motors with stainless-steel frames and endplates were developed to withstand the worst of these conditions, and even these have been improved with integral conduit boxes and foot mounting legs. The stainless construction on the newest washdown motors allows them to match the stainless used on the equipment in the plant subjected to this high-pressure sanitation.

Most enclosed motors have a weep hole or condensation drain to allow a path for any internal condensation to escape. As the motor cools from its normal operating temperature, condensation forms inside the

One of the most severe applications for electric motors is in the poultry processing industry, where the driven equipment is constantly sanitized with ever-increasing high pressure washing with various antibacterial chemicals

motor which can build up if not allowed to escape from the motor. A weep hole may be a simple as a 1/8” hole at the bottom of each endplate to a “tdrain” or one with a special labyrinth for hazardous locations. When mounting a motor, the location of these condensation drains should be noted so they are mounted at the 6 o’clock position (bottom) of the horizontal motor. Motors mounted vertically may need the drains moved to end of the endplate.

Also on vertically mounted motors, a TEFC motor mounted with the fan on the top may need a cover over the fan cover to prevent rain or debris from entering. Some applications, such as pumps, may have these covers as standard.

Motors designed for use in hazardous applications, sometimes referred to as “explosion-proof,” are generally in a special TEFC enclosure. Such a motor is designed to contain the internal ignition of the gas and include flame paths on the endplate to frame or shaft and a special conduit box that would be tight and long enough that the flame would be reduce so it does not ignite the external gasses. In addition, there may be a lower temperature rise so the motor would be less than the specified auto-ignition temperature of the combustible material. Explosion-proof motors cannot have their joints sealed like severe-duty motors because that would impede the flame path, but they are allowed to use a special condensation drain.

When you have a motor failure, look at the root cause before replacing it with a similar motor. If the motor failed because of ingress or from corrosion, consider upgrading the motor to keep the plant running longer.

EA

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Feature | Motors & Generators

Die-cast copper rotors: Where do we stand?

Figure 5. Typical small die-cast copper rotors.

— Electrical Apparatus file photo

Once considered a promising solution for improved motor efficiency, die-cast copper rotors have yet to penetrate the market significantly

By Richard L. Nailen, EA Engineering Editor Since the beginnings of the Electrical Age, the material of choice for current-carrying conductors has been copper. The main reasons: 1. Copper is one of the earth’s most readily available metals.

2. Its electrical conductivity is one of the highest.

3. It’s easily processed into shapes by casting, rolling, and extruding.

4. Also easy: joining by soldering or brazing at relatively low temperature.

Once the induction motor arrived on the scene, however, one essential component wasn’t readily adapted to economical production using copper conductors. That was the squirrel-cage rotor, so-called because its circumferential bars joined by “end rings” resembled the exercise wheel used by pet squirrels.

Economical construction of such an assembly was a requirement that appeared just about the time that electrolytic refining of another metal became commercially feasible. That was aluminum. It offered some important advantages: light weight, ready availability, and ease of Please turn to next page

12copper.indd 1

Figure 1. A typical small aluminum die-cast rotor, for which cooling air-circulating vanes or fins can readily be included in the casting.

— Electrical Apparatus file photo ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 37

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DIE-CAST COPPER continued from previous page

Figure 2. This X-ray view of a cast rotor end ring and one of the projecting cooling fins illustrates the most serious problem associated with the casting process: the inclusion of voids in the casting caused by entrained air or gas. Such defects can easily be found either by X-ray or by randomly driving small nails into the casting. But no matter how they’re located, they can’t be — Electrical Apparatus file photo repaired.

casting and extruding at relatively low temperature.

Casting – whatever the material – offered the inherent ease of adding cooling fan blades or fins to the rotor end rings (see Figure 1). The only problem: the tendency for invisible casting voids (“blowholes”) to form at abrupt changes in dimensions, such as the junction of fin and ring (see Figures 2 and 3). That had to be overcome through some combination of these measures: 1. Making as gradual as possible the transition between the relatively large cross-sectional area of the end ring and the much smaller fin cross-section.

2.Thoroughly preheating the casting mold to prevent premature solidifying of molten metal as it begins to fill the entire mold cavity.

3. Controlling the casting process itself to eliminate in-process voids.

Those advantages made aluminum the material of choice for production of the “cast rotor” induction motor. The balance between motor production cost

and motor performance requirements supported the standardized characteristics developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

But the lower electrical conductivity of aluminum compared to copper became a new handicap upon arrival of motor efficiency regulations. Whereas efficiency – if a concern at all – had been strictly a matter for the motor user’s financial evaluation, it then became a legal issue.

Aluminum was not the only alternative. A variation that appeared when the nuclear power industry was prominent was the safety-related valve actuator motor application in the nuclear power plant. The motors involved

Summing it up: Deutsch . . . Français . . . Español Läufer aus Kupferdruckguss: Wo stehen wir heute?

Seit den Anfängen der Elektrotechnik ist Kupfer für Drähte und andere Leiter das Material der Wahl. Die leichte Verfügbarkeit und die Bearbeitbarkeit bei relativ niedrigen Temperaturen ermöglichten bereits den frühen Zivilisationen eine vielfältige Verwendung für Werkzeuge und Waffen. Im späten 19.

Jahrhundert wurde Kupfer in Stangenform als Grundlage für den Käfigläufer des Induktionsmotors verwendet - der Name wurde wegen der strukturellen Ähnlichkeit mit dem Laufrad für kleine Haustiere gewählt.

Seitdem begann die Massenproduktion solcher Motoren mit solchen leitfähigen „Käfigen“, die durch Druckgießen von Aluminium in die Lamellenschlitze des zusammengebauten Läufers geformt werden, wobei an jedem Ende Gussformen angebracht sind, um die Endringe zu bilden, die die Schlitzleiter miteinander verbinden.

Aluminium war weithin verfügbar und bei relativ niedrigen Temperaturen leicht zu gießen. Als in den 1960erJahren der wirtschaftliche und gesetzgeberische Druck zur Steigerung des Wirkungsgrads von Motoren zunahm, wurden Anstrengungen unternommen, den Läuferwiderstand durch Kupferguss zu senken.

Ein großes Problem bei Kupfer ist seine hohe Schmelztemperatur. Sie ist fast doppelt so hoch wie die von Aluminium. Es mussten Gussformen entwickelt werden, die der Hitze ohne vorzeitigen Verlust von Lebensdauer standhalten konnten. Nationale und internationale Verbände der Kupferindustrie beteiligten sich an der Entwicklungsarbeit, und schließlich wurden einige Produkte kommerziell verfügbar. Die zu überwindenden Probleme und die damit verbundenen Kosten mussten jedoch gegen die Tatsache abgewogen werden, dass die höheren Motorwirkungsgrade kommerziell mit Aluminiumrotoren möglich waren.

Daher haben die Motorenhersteller insbesondere in den USA bei ihren Standardprodukten nur selten von Aluminium auf Kupfer umgestellt.

Mit zunehmender Motorleistung wird bei jeder Drehzahl ein Punkt erreicht, an dem eine ausreichende Kühlung nur noch durch den Einbau von Luftkanälen in Läufer und Ständer gewährleistet werden kann. Da das Auslaufen der geschmolzenen Gusslegierung an diesen Stellen nur schwer zu verhindern ist, werden die meisten Nennleistungsstufen, die eine solche Kühlung erfordern, bei Gussläufern nicht angeboten. Bei nicht gegossenen Läufern, unabhängig vom Käfigmaterial, ist diese Konstruktion jedoch üblich.

Les rotors à cage cuivre surmoulé : où en sommes-nous ?

Depuis les débuts de la technologie électrique, le cuivre était le matériau de choix pour les fils et autres conducteurs. Comme on pouvait s’en procurer facilement et sa maniabilité à des températures relativement basses avait déjà permis d’être largement utilisé pour les outils et les armes des premières civilisations. À la fin du XIXe siècle, le cuivre sous forme de barre a été adapté comme base du rotor à cage d’écureuil du moteur à induction - nom choisi en raison de la ressemblance structurelle avec la roue d’exercice utilisée pour les petits animaux de compagnie.

Depuis ce temps, la production en série de ces moteurs a commencé avec de telles « cages » conductrices formées en moulant sous pression de l’aluminium dans des fentes de stratification du rotor assemblé, avec des moules à chaque extrémité pour former les anneaux d’extrémité reliant ensemble les conducteurs à fentes.

L’aluminium était largement disponible et facile à couler à des températures relativement basses. Lorsque les années 1960 ont apporté des pressions économiques et législatives pour une efficacité accrue du moteur, des efforts

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were small – unfortunately, the paper describing that development was not written by someone familiar with motors in general, so we weren’t told the size or rating involved. But the rotor casting material was basically magnesium, with casting alloy conductivity roughly half that of aluminum (See Table I).

Cast-copper rotors for squirrel-cage motors?

By the year 2000, aluminum cast rotor technology had progressed far enough to permit medium motor ratings containing air ventilating ducts (a construction already possible for rotors using aluminum alloy bars and end rings as separate components, rather than by casting; see Figure 4). An IEEE paper published the following year was titled “Squirrel-Cage Rotor Options for A-C Induction Motors.” It dealt in detail with “rotor forces and loading,” “design stress concentrations,” rotor bar shapes, the air gap, rotor cooling fans, and problems encountered in rotor manufacture, as well as electromagnetic noise, ont été faits pour diminuer la résistance du rotor en utilisant un moulage en cuivre.

Un problème majeur avec le cuivre est sa température de fusion élevée, presque le double de celle de l’aluminium. Les moules de coulée devaient être conçus pour résister à la chaleur sans perte prématurée de leur durée de vie. Les associations professionnelles nationales et internationales de l’industrie du cuivre ont participé aux travaux de développement et, finalement, certains produits commerciaux sont devenus disponibles. Cependant, les problèmes à surmonter et les coûts impliqués ont dû être mesurés par rapport au fait que les rendements de moteur plus élevés étaient possibles commercialement en utilisant des conceptions de rotor en aluminium.

Dès lors, les constructeurs automobiles ont rarement converti leurs produits standard de l’aluminium au cuivre, en particulier aux États-Unis.

Au fur et à mesure que la puissance nominale d’un moteur augmente, quelle que soit la vitesse, un point est finalement atteint où un refroidissement adéquat peut être fourni uniquement en incluant des conduits d’air dans le rotor et le stator. Empêcher l’alliage de coulée en fusion de fuir à ces endroits est un problème majeur, de sorte que la plupart des valeurs nominales nécessitant un tel refroidissement ne sont pas proposées avec des rotors surmoulés.

Cependant, cette construction est courante pour les rotors non coulés, quel que soit le matériau de la cage.

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vibration, and maintenance. The authors’ concluding section, “Aluminum versus Copper,” asserted that copper was considered a standard option only for “large” machines. No mention was made of casting of copper squirrel-cages.

In any rotor, two conditions affected motor efficiency. First was the resistance of the rotor bars themselves. The larger the bars (of whatever material), the lower their resistance, and the lower their electrical losses. But enlarging the bars had the unfortunate by-product effect of reducing the areas of the core lamination teeth in between – and therefore increasing both magnetizing current and some core loss.

Please turn to next page

Rotores de cobre fundido a presión: ¿En dónde estamos parados?

Desde los inicios de la tecnología eléctrica, el cobre ha sido el material preferido para cables y otros conductores. La disponibilidad inmediata y su facilidad para trabajar a temperaturas relativamente bajas ya habían apoyado un amplio uso en herramientas y armamento para las primeras civilizaciones.

A fines del siglo XIX, el cobre en forma de barra se adaptó como base para el rotor de jaula de ardilla del motor de inducción, el nombre se tomó por la semejanza estructural con la rueda de ejercicio que utilizan las mascotas pequeñas.

Desde entonces, la producción en masa de dichos motores comenzó con esas “jaulas” conductoras formadas por fundición a presión de aluminio en ranuras de laminación del rotor ensamblado, con moldes en cada extremo para formar los anillos terminales que conectan los conductores de ranura entre sí. Había mucha disponibilidad de aluminio y era fácil de fundir a temperaturas relativamente bajas. Cuando la década de 1960 trajo consigo presiones económicas y legislativas con respecto al aumento de la eficiencia de los motores, se realizaron esfuerzos para disminuir la resistencia del rotor mediante el uso de fundición de cobre.

Un problema importante del cobre es su alta temperatura de fusión, casi el doble que la del aluminio. Los moldes

Figure 3. Internal voids in cast end rings are visible only by cutting rings — Electrical Apparatus file photo open.

de fundición debían desarrollarse de forma que resistieran el calor sin pérdida prematura de vida útil. Las asociaciones comerciales nacionales e internacionales de la industria del cobre participaron en el trabajo de desarrollo y, finalmente, se proporcionaron algunos productos comerciales. Sin embargo, los problemas que se debían superar y los costos involucrados tuvieron que medirse en contraposición al hecho de que las mayores eficiencias del motor eran posibles a nivel comercial gracias al uso de diseños de rotor de aluminio. En consecuencia, los fabricantes de motores rara vez han convertido sus productos estándar de aluminio a cobre, especialmente en los Estados Unidos.

A medida que aumenta la potencia nominal de salida del motor, a cualquier velocidad, finalmente se llega a un punto en el que se puede proporcionar un enfriamiento adecuado solo mediante la inclusión de conductos de aire en el rotor y el estator. Evitar que la aleación de fundición tenga fugas en esos lugares es un problema importante, de modo que la mayoría de las clasificaciones que requieren dicho enfriamiento no se ofrecen con los rotores de fundición. Sin embargo, esa construcción es común para rotores que no son de fundición, sea cual sea el material de la jaula.

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DIE-CAST COPPER continued from previous page

An obvious solution: Use a higher conductivity metal for the casting.

The only one readily available at low cost: copper. As always, there was a problem. Copper melts, for casting, at almost 2000°F, whereas aluminum melts at just over 1200°F. Development of durable casting molds for copper was therefore never undertaken on a large scale until the advent of motor efficiency regulations in the U.S. and elsewhere. Even then, spokesmen for a leading U.S. motor manufacturer said 20 years ago, “The primary reasons copper die-cast rotors are not commonplace yet is because it’s a new technology and requires a large capital investment.” That last point is critical, because as long as legally mandated efficiencies in the U.S. don’t require it, that investment isn’t going to be made.

The growing industrial use of copper With many applications other than electrical, copper was well-known to ancient peoples because of its widespread availability and the ease with which it could be made into tools and weapons. To promote its wider use, a global network of trade associations has come into being.

In the U.S., supplier of half the world’s copper, we have the CDA – the Copper Development Association, established in 1933. It serves as the

Figure 4. No casting involved in this aluminum bar rotor. However, a sound electrical joint must still be made by electrically and mechanically bonding each bar to the end rings. Here we see an arc welding process, to make that joint, about to begin. Also, this medium motor rating requires cooling air vents in the rotor that present manufacturing difficulties for any cast rotor, worsened by the high temperature of molten copper.

— Electrical Apparatus file photo

Basic material

Conductivity, percent of copper

Aluminum

30-50 (6 alloys)

Magnesium

35-72 (4 alloys)

Zinc

25-27 (2 alloys)

Table I. Die casting alloys (not all used in motor rotors).

market development engineering and information services arm of the Copper Alliance, headquartered in Washington D. C. with a regional European Copper Institute office in Brussels, and active in the U.K. through the International Copper Association Ltd. Beginning in the late 1990s, the CDA began advocating the use of cast copper conductors in the rotors of the small and medium machines that dominate the motor market (see Figure 5). Confidently predicting this technology as the wave of the future was the 2001 CDA publication of “Die-Cast Copper Motor Rotor Heading for Success,” describing “one of the Copper Development Association’s most exciting engineering development programs: the manufacture of electric motors with die-cast copper rotors. The program is nearing a successful conclusion, and the results are even better than expected.” That was two decades ago . . . and we’re still waiting (see Figure 6).

Why the delay? What are the obstacles to widespread use of cast-copper rotors? Foremost among them: tooling cost. The high melting point precludes economical die life for conventional steel alloys, and alternative materials are complex and costly. According to one of the early CDA publications, “The principal obstacle preventing die casting copper . . . has been the unavailability of a durable high-temperature mold material for . . . the die-casting process. The main objective [of the CDA’s development program for the 1990s] is therefore to develop suitable die materials.”

As one of many early technical papers explained, “Thus far, lack of a durable and cost-effective mold material has been the practical barrier preventing mass production of cast-copper rotors. Several materials could solve the problem [such as] berylliumnickel, nickel-based super alloys, molybdenum/ tungsten, and tungsten-based composites produced by a high-speed chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) technique.” Copper casting is difficult in itself. Common problems: surface cracking; porosity; formation of internal cavities; improvements have included addition of small amounts of beryllium, silicon, tin, nickel, chromium, or silver. Other alloying elements proposed: silicon, manganese, and lanthanum.

Nevertheless, CDA spokesmen were optimistic: “Further improvements in process . . . should extend copper’s lead over that of aluminum.” On the contrary . . . one U.S. manufacturer began offering some cast-copper ratings 15 years ago. But others have re-

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Efficiency: 91.7%. Assuming the copper rotor decreases rotor loss to 270 watts, the new total loss becomes 3090 watts, and efficiency is 92.5%. – a gain of less than 1 percentage point.

In 2018, one writer commented that part of the

12copper.indd 5

6 5 Number of papers

mained committed to aluminum, having found that regulated efficiencies can be provided without using copper, and without incurring the high tooling and processing costs that it requires. Beyond what has been variously named “super” or “ultra” efficiency for the basic squirrel-cage motor, other technologies such as the permanent-magnet motor or the variable-frequency drive offer greater benefits.

As recently as 2006, the CDA remained enthusiastic, saying “The die-cast copper rotor is playing a key role in revolutionizing electric motors,” offering efficiency increases of “up to five percentage points.”

That seemed to be an overly optimistic figure. Consider, for example, a 50 hp motor with these full-load losses in watts:

Stator 1100

Rotor 540

Core 770

Stray 580

F&W 370

Total 3360

4 3 2 1 0

1998

2000

2002

2004

Year Figure 6. A rough plot of the technical publications alone published concerning cast-copper rotors. Literature on this development declined markedly after 2005.

“motivation for a copper-rotor design stems from . . . a desire to minimize the size of the motor.” In the U.S. at least, motor “size” is dictated

by NEMA’s frame standardization, which isn’t going to change piecemeal. Motor efficiency isn’t the only issue. The much lower conductivity of copper tends to reduce locked-rotor torque. However, in a cast Please turn to next page

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Regardless of the metallurgy involved, as motor size increases, so does the need for increased motor ventilation to remove heat losses, which means inclusion of vent ducts distributed through the length of rotor and stator

Percent efficiency

95

90

85

80

10

Horsepower rating

100

Figure 7. As horsepower rating increases. The difference between one motor efficiency level and the next declines rapidly, as do options for improvement and the ease of confirming that improvement by test.

DIE-CAST COPPER continued from previous page

rotor that can usually be dealt with by bar/slot shaping.

Cast copper rotors have been the subject of an unusual appearance in the market of suppliers of rotors alone, for purchase by motor manufacturers not equipped to make their own. We’re not prepared to comment on the details of design coordination between the rotor suppliers and the motor designers and manufacturers. But in general this does not appear to be a widespread practice, and the motors involved are quite small.

Cost of benefit

Efficiency increase

Cost of improvement

90%

95%

X

Regardless of the metallurgy involved, as motor size increases, so does the need for increased motor ventilation to remove heat losses.

That means inclusion of vent ducts distributed through the length of rotor and stator – an obvious impediment to the casting process. The more fluid the casting alloy, and the higher its temperature, the greater the difficulty in avoiding leakage at the vents during the casting process. Also, the smaller the rotor diameter, the greater the difficulty in providing longitudinal air passages around the shaft to supply ventilating air to ducts in the core. Although successfully done with some aluminum designs, it’s not common.

Summing up: 1. The motor industry in general doesn’t appear inclined to take on the high tooling and processing costs of cast-copper rotors in return for the available efficiency increases. From the apparent peak in interest between 2001 and 2005, there has been a marked decline in either technical or commercial development of this market. Whatever else may change, the melting temperature of copper will not.

2. The perceived cost/benefit ratio involved in cast-copper rotor technology hasn’t appeared favorable to the U.S. motor manufacturing industry. (See Figures 7 and 8.)

3. Manufacturers have been readily able to achieve the latest “NEMA Premium” performance with existing aluminum rotor usage.

4. Although some ratings with cast copper rotors appear to be available in the U. S. market as well as overseas, the market penetration is not significant.

EA

Motor manufacturer in U.S. market

Rotor construction mentioned in catalog?

Any published mention of copper rotor usage?

NEMA Premium Efficiency?

A

No

No

Yes

100%

Efficiency Figure 8. Cost of increasing motor efficiency vs. benefit achieved, with some break-even point X. Of course, beyond some level of efficiency, no further improvement is possible regardless of cost. Curve shapes will vary with the manufacturer as well as with any particular motor design. The question, “Is it worth it?” faces both seller and buyer, with no universal answer.

B

No

No

Yes

C

No

No

Yes

D

No

No

Yes

E

Aluminum

No

Yes

F

Aluminum

No

Unstated

G

No

No

Unstated

H

No

No

Yes

I

No

No

Unstated

Table II.

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Feature | More Than Accounting

A better way to modernize equipment A Managed Service Agreement can be a good option to ensure ongoing equipment capacity

By William H. Wiersema, CPA, EA Contributing Editor Equipment technology constantly improves but is costly to obtain and keep current. A company may buy equipment, only to find that a new model has come out even before installation is complete. Within a few years, the machine may be obsolete. Moreover, pandemic uncertainties slowed capital expenditures.

Managed Service Agreements (MSAs) offer companies a path to buying a service outcome rather than a machine. Through MSAs, vendors now provide lowrisk access to equipment capacity similar to Software as a Service (SaaS) for software. For a monthly fee, companies enjoy the latest in technology, supported by technical experts, for as long as they need it. Customers do not take title, but access capacity without risking breakdowns or obsolescence.

MSAs eliminate the need for in-house expertise, maintenance, costly upgrades, and debt burdens, as they are directly with the vendor. Customers access the latest cutting-edge technology without having to concern themselves with disposing of an asset when replaced.

MSAs spawn automation while providing repair shops with new recurring revenue opportunities. Instead of expanding internal maintenance, customers will rely on equipment vendors to develop exclusive relationships with service providers.

With Managed Service Agreements, customers access the latest cuttingedge technology without having to concern themselves with disposing of an asset when replaced

Buy MSA service outcomes, not equipment MSAs facilitate the latest automation technology for manufacturing.

For example, with 5G broadband, Machine to Machine (M2M) becomes feasible, enabling recorded data to update applications in real-time.

The vendor can guarantee the latest cutting-edge technology, just as Microsoft periodically updates.

Oliver Bendig, et al, describe the new MSA trend in Aftermarket Services: ”Many manufacturers are increasingly focusing on usage-based service-focused business models, such as subscription-based pricing or pay-per-use contracts. For instance, Heidelberg, one of the leading manufacturers of printing machines globally, is currently transforming its operations toward pay-per-use models.”

RōBEX, in Perrysburg, Ohio, is a value-added designer and implementer of robotics and other systems. Its website references “a monthly technology licensing fee which allows customers access to the latest automation technology via … proprietary systems.” The MSA gives “customers the ability to have RōBEX engineer, deliver and precision integrate intelligent automated machinery into production processes without capital investment.” Moreover, “Because [RōBEX maintains] ownership of the system, [customers] have no maintenance or troubleshooting costs. Smart technology sensors alert [RōBEX] to any need for maintenance and our team responds.”

The website concludes: “This program changes the way intelligent production systems are financed, serviced, and warrantied, leading to a stronger bond with . . . customers. This partnership typically results in improved productivity, efficiency, and revenue with no capital investment.”

Another advantage is keeping the balance sheet lean in financial reports. The lease rules new in 2022 bring operating lease liabilities onto the balance sheet, whereas future rentals were only disclosed in the past. However, MSAs can be exempt, particularly if they allow the vendor to swap out the equipment.

Compare conventional purchase On the other hand, the conventional way is for the customer to buy the equipment from the vendor outright. Once the one-year warranty period ends, the customer is on their own to keep the equipment maintained and updated to the extent possible. Customers usually obtain financing in connection with their purchase. Sources include brokers, discounters, lessors, and lenders.

Please turn to next page

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MSAs continued from previous page

Using sidebar data, a broker who acts as an intermediary in connecting the buyer to financing may earn a commission at 6% of the total financed principal, which amounts to $75,000. A discounter, who funds the purchase in the hopes of reselling the paper to a lessor or lender, could earn up to $250,000 by obtaining 6% from a funding source rather than the 10% charged. Finally, a lessor or lender would earn the entire finance charge, which at 10% over 10 years are just under $800,000. While having the most profit potential, being a lessor or lender also assumes the highest risk and requires the most capital.

Most financing arrangements for equipment are structured as leases, which The Leasing Expert, Inc., defines in The Successful Lease Equipment Broker as “a contract between a lessor and lessee which gives the lessee the right to use the leased equipment for an agreed period of time (typically 2-5 years, or 24 to 60 months).”

Equipment leases generally allow the lessee to purchase the asset for its market value at the end of the term. Most of the time, this enables the lessor to retain the substantial tax advantages associated with the ownership of the equipment. Since 2018, the equipment owners, including vendors who re-

tain title under MSAs, can write off the entire cost in the year of purchase using bonus depreciation. The deduction lasts through 2022, after which it phases down by 20% per year. The rule applies to used as well as new personal property. Likewise, this type of lease allows the lessee full deductibility of payments and the option of returning the asset upon termination.

Loans known as equipment finance arrangements (EFAs) have arisen recently with terms very similar to leases, but immediately transferring ownership to the customer. EFAs usually apply when titled vehicles are involved, in part to remove financers from the liability chain in the event of accidents on the highway. Lenders lose the tax advantages of ownership.

Based on the sidebar example, customers can pay the same under MSAs as financed purchases, while attaining many additional MSA benefits. However, critics view MSAs in another way. Richard Contino, in Equipment Leasing and Financing, notes: “When there is a bundled payment, the services provider is attempting to make it difficult for the customer to determine the cost, including any finance charge, of any one item, such as for the equipment being supplied, thus preventing the customer from easily, if at all, being able to determine whether its offering is competitive for any one component.”

In the end with MSAs, however, both the customer and vendor can win. The customer accesses current technology in a manner previously impossible while not needing capital or in-house expertise. The vendor obtains a long-term partnering arrangement, in which it earns healthy profits while implementing and maintaining current technology far more efficiently than customers ever could.

EA

The economics of equipment MSAs

The sidebar summarizes the pre-tax economics from the customer and vendor perspectives. The customer pays roughly the same under MSAs as when financing but gains flexibility. The customer will not need in-house expertise and can terminate at any time. For the vendor, assuming the machine remains in service at the customer for the entire 10 years, returns compared to the immediate profit margin are substantial.

How canI:an MSA compete with financing a purchase? The vendor Sidebar offers a machine costing $1 million for $1.25 million for a 20% gross Economics of Equipment MSAs profit margin. A customer purchasing it finances $1.25 million at 10% for

Description

Financed Purchase Financing: $1,250,000 at 10% for 10 years Maintenance: 10% of $1,250,000 per year Machine sale (one-time transaction) Cost of sale Gross profit MSA MSA charge: $1,000,000 at 30% for 10 years Less expenses: Depreciation: $1,000,000 over 10 years Maintenance: At cost Interest: 5% on $1 million credit line Annual profit while equipment is in service Years to payback gross profit

Customer

$ $

203,432 125,000 328,432

$ $

$

323,463 $

$

10 years, coincident with the machine’s useful life.

As summarized in the first column, annual payments total $328,432, including $203,432 financing payments plus $125,000 for maintenance, representing 10% of the initial cost.

The equipment vendor, on the other hand, when charging $323,463 for an MSA, saves the customer approximately $5,000 while earning a 30% return on the $1 million equipment cost. Against the revenue are annual expenses of $100,000 depreciation, which reflects loan paydown, $50,000 maintenance, and $50,000 line of credit interest at 5%. In place of earning a $250,000 margin at sale, the Vendor vendor earns $123,463 per year, achieving a two-year payback period.

As to capital, MSAs limit the vendor’s ability to finance, particularly cancellation for convenience and service obligations. Richard Contino notes in Equipment Leas1,250,000 ing and Financing for a vendor to 1,000,000 discount an MSA, it must give “an 250,000 indemnity or buyback commitment to the purchaser or financing party for any termination for convenience or customer termi323,463 nation based on a claim of breach of the services or equipment 100,000 obligations before the end of the 50,000 contract term.” Vendors must find 50,000 other sources of capital, such as 123,463 minority equity or subordinated 2.0 debt. — WW

44 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Feature | Pump It Up

Energy rating labels expanded to cover circulator pumps The Hydraulic Institute applies lessons it’s learned since it began promoting a pump efficiency label four years ago

By Kevin Jones, EA Senior Editor Having established an energy rating label for pumps that has proven successful in the marketplace, the Hydraulic Institute of Parsippany, N.J., has turned its attention to a narrower niche: circulator pumps.

The Institute announced in October the availability of Circulator Energy Rating labels in a program that appears to parallel a more general pump

labeling program the Institute began four years ago. The new labels are intended to help HVAC/R professionals quantify the benefits of the newest and most efficient circulator pumps and to communicate these benefits to end-users, who can then choose the best pumps for their applications.

Circulator pumps may look and act in ways similar to other pumps; where they differ is in their application. While most pumps — as the word pump is most commonly understood — are used to move water from one place to another in an industrial, irrigation, or similar application, circulator pumps are used specifically to move water in a hydronic heating or cooling system. Usually they’re centrifugal pumps.

Instead of moving fluid from a location of lower potential energy to one of higher potential energy, such as from an underground well to an outlet or process above, circulator pumps are used within closed circuits. Generally they need to overcome only the friction of pipes, not the force of gravity, to do their job. Circulator pumps are commonly found in domestic residences and other facilities and are used, for example, to provide hot water on demand.

Comparing pumps across brand names The idea behind the new energy rating labels is that they’ll enable pump specifiers to compare circulator pumps across brands and product lines on the basis of average power use. Not all circulator pumps are qualified to bear the new label. The distinctive labels are applied only to the most efficient circulator pumps on the market, according to the Institute.

The labels come at a time of increased attention to the efficiency of industrial, commercial, and municipal processes. “As the industry strives for more energy-efficient solutions and to make a substantial impact toward sustainability targets, implementing This variable-speed Bell & Gossett brand circulator pump from Xylem is just one the right pump technology is critical,” said Michael of many pumps from several manufacturers to which the new Energy Rating label has been applied. The pumps are easily searchable on the Hydraulic Institute’s Michaud, executive director of the Hydraulic Instiwebsite.

— Xylem photo tute.

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ENERGY RATINGS continued from previous page

Fortunately, the Institute has a template on which to base its management and promotion of the new labeling system.

As Electrical Apparatus reported back in June 2017, the Hydraulic Institute developed its original HI Energy Rating to take advantage of a then-new clean water pump regulation from the U.S. Dept. of Energy. The labeling program was developed in partnership with the Northwest Regional Technical Forum, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

In promoting the HI Energy Rating label, the Institute emphasized its potential to “help consumers save energy and money” in the operation of hydraulic systems. Also highlighted was the value of using the labeling to offer incentives and rebates for using pumps with higher efficiency ratings.

In July 2019, the Hydraulic Institute tweaked the HI Energy Rating program by making available on its website a feature to calculate the increased savings that would result from adding more efficient components to pumps listed in the Energy Rating database. Manufacturers could then receive an Energy Rating Certificate unique to that product.

The certificate would be listed in the Energy Rating Database and made accessible to utilities for developing incentives to get customers to buy more efficient pumps.

The Institute also took its show on the road. In February 2020, it showcased the program at the AHR Expo in Orlando, the premier annual event for the HVAC/R industry and one that typically attracts around 50,000 industry players. Also in 2020, a free downloadable tool called the Pump Savings Calculator was introduced to make the job of choosing the most efficient pump even easier, especially on job sites.

By April of 2020, the hard work had paid off, and the Hydraulic Institute had something to celebrate: The number of products listed in the Energy Rating Program database hit 9,400, making it “the largest North American resource for easy identification of pump technologies that capture energy and cost savings in commercial, industrial, agricul-

tural and municipal applications,” in the words the Institute.

Applying lessons to circulator pumps

And now, beginning this past June, the Institute has taken what it has learned from the development of the original Energy Rating program and begun applying it to circulator pumps.

In outline, the Energy Rating program for circulator pumps is similar to the original program. It provides a physical label to apply to pumps, and there’s a database of rated pumps that electric utilities and overseers of efficiency programs can refer to. The database can also be used by pump specifiers to zero in on particular pump manufacturers and model numbers to find the pumps best rated for a particular application.

The Hydraulic Institute’s online search utility for choosing circulator pumps, at er.pumps.org/circula tor/ratings, couldn’t be simpler to use. The user can search by energy rating ID, pump model number, or manufacturer. As of this writing, four manufacturers were represented: Armstrong Fluid Technology, Taco, Xylem, and Grundfos.

Information about particular pump models isn’t far away. If you select Xylem, for example, you’ll be presented with a link to pumps under Xylem’s Bell & Gossett brand name. If you follow the link, you’ll find eight models listed, each with its energy rating prominently displayed and a list of available control methods, such as pressure control or temperature control.

More comprehensive specifications are presented on a subsequent link, and of course you can go to the manufacturer’s website, search for the pump by model number, find full details there, and ultimately get a price quote. But the Hydraulic Institute selector tool is more than enough to carry out a broad preliminary search.

If the Institute’s parallel tool for finding commercial and industrial pumps is any indication, the range of options for circulator pumps is likely to grow, as the acceptance and use of their energy ratings expand. Under the C&I Pumps tab — located adjacent to the one for circulator pumps — the user will find eight major manufacturers represented and actual pump models numbering in the thousands.

In short, the job of making hyIn addition to providing a numerical energy rating, the Energy Rating label now being applied to some draulic systems more efficient has circulator pumps also shows available control methods and estimated savings. — Hydraulic Institute graphic become, well, more efficient.

EA 46 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Feature | Say It Right

‘Generally speaking . . .’

We should always strive to be specific in our speech and writing, quantifying whenever possible the things we’re talking about

By Richard L. Nailen, EA Engineering Editor Back in the 1890s, the renowned English physicist Sir William Thomson, a.k.a. Lord Kelvin, wrote this cogent reminder to the engineers of his day and ours: “When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind. . . .”

Of course, in everyday conversation we all deal in vague terms. However, when we are evaluating the long-term behavior of a machine, the operating life of some device, or the justification for a financial investment, we recognize the need to come up with some hard numbers to support our decisions. “Back in the day,” when the most advanced mathematical tool was the slide rule or the pocket calculator, we were aware of our limitations. Often we could rely on no more than three “significant figures” in any result.

What we often see in today’s technical literature, however, is the abandonment of any attempt to “express it in numbers.” Instead we see such descriptions as those listed in the accompanying table.

We’ve all done it. One reason is that no body of existing data supports a specific number. Also possible is the reluctance to make a definite statement because some studious nitpicking reader will take issue with us based on an experience we haven’t had. Or, perhaps we just don’t want to be too sure of ourselves — like those before 1912 who asserted that the Titanic was unsinkable.

But there can be a fine line between posing as a know-it-all and coming across as unwilling to make

Very!

Normally...

Probably...

Typically...

Highly...

Somewhat...

Mostly...

Expected...

Considerably...

— myriammira/freepik illustration

a positive statement. The late William Strunk, a Cornell University English professor of a century ago, left his students with a set of rules governing writing, one of which was “Make definite assertions,” rather than beating about the bush.

There’s no denying that not everything can be exactly defined numerically. Generalities can’t always be avoided. The hope is that every effort will be made to define variables in such terms that the reader won’t be left to wonder just how useful they are in planning the application, operation, or maintenance of apparatus. Remember that the reader needs all the help possible in judging the merit of whatever advice is being given.

EA

Reasonable estimate Relative (-ly)

Common (-ly)

High (-er, -est, -ly)

Probable (-ly)

Good

Generall (-ly)

Assumed

Likely (or usual) outcome

Substantial (-ly)

Potentially

Large (-ly)

Somewhat more (or less)

Much

Normal (-ly)

Expected

About (the same)

Slight (-ly)

Typical (-ly)

Normal (-ly)

Very

Almost

Practical (-ly)

Usual (-ly)

Significant (-ly)

Nearly

Considerably

Effective (-ly)

High (-ly)

Similar (-ly)

Vast majority

Approximate (-ly)

Most (-ly)

Low

For all practical purposes

What we often see in today’s technical literature is the abandonment of any attempt to ‘express it in numbers’ ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 47

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Utilities For utilities, ’tis the season for charitable works We often hear that electric utilities are committed to giving back to the community, usually as part of some kind of boilerplate announcement describing the selflessness with which utilities say they conduct their business. But what does “giving back to the community” mean? What does it look like in practice?

Looking at recent charitable acts carried out by electric utilities, we find that some are related to the holidays, some to the cold-weather season, some to Covid-19, and some just to good old-fashioned community relations.

Take Wheatland Electric Cooperative of Scott City, Kan., which since 2014 has held an annual food drive called Cram the Van. The purpose of the project is to address the peculiar irony that even in southwestern and south-central Kansas, where crops are grown to feed the world, some families experience hunger and can benefit from food donations.

What started out with a Chevy van groaning with donated food has grown to include an annual charity golf tournament, competitions, online fundraising, and a fall finale. Over the past seven years, Wheatland Electric and its volunteers have collected more than 63 tons of food to distribute to local food banks.

This past Oct. 30, Wheatland Electric held its finale for the 2021 food drive in Scott City. Scheduled events included pumpkin decorating, face painting, hayrack rides — even a helicopter candy drop. All donations at the finale were to benefit Hope’s Closet in Scott City.

Another electric utility that has mobilized to address hunger in its service area is San Diego Gas & Electric, which donated $5,000 to help fund Project Nourish, an effort carried out by Kitchens for Good that goes beyond supplying those in need merely with food staples. Project Nourish also seeks to fulfill the cultural and dietary needs of people living in San Diego, where “food insecurity” is said to have doubled since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

San Diego Gas & Electric also donated muscle to the mission. Over the course of five Wednesday evenings, 60 volunteers from the utility help package nutritious heat-and-eat meals for distribution, free of charge, to those in need. Other food distribution partners included Elder Help, Vista Senior Center, and Grossmont Community College.

But it doesn’t end there. As restaurants have struggled to stay in business during the pandemic, Kitchens for Good has essentially acted as a staffing agency, matching restaurants with potential employees “who have struggled with addiction, incarceration, or other factors that have prevented them from gaining employment,” according to San Diego Gas & Electric.

Not all electric utilities and co-ops are operating food drives. Others are exercising their charitable urges by helping customers financially. For some, this is an ongoing, not a seasonal, effort.

Helping to coordinate the financial aid offered by electric utilities is the Dollar Energy Fund, an organization headquartered in Pittsburgh that aids some 40 utilities in 14 U.S. states in raising money for customers

Wheatland Electric Cooperative volunteers Derek Holdt, Diane Fisher, Wade Grumbein, and Mary Hoisington served food at an event this year to build interest in and donations for the 2021 Cram the Van event.

— Wheatland Electric Cooperative photo

who need a financial helping hand.

The organization’s Hardship Program partners use shareholder funds to provide a match, dollar-for-dollar, for nearly every donation the Dollar Energy Fund receives. Partner companies also make contributions above and beyond shareholder contributions to help pay the fund’s administrative costs.

The Dollar Energy Fund’s utility partners include a number of familiar names across the U.S., from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in the West to Old Dominion Power and Potomac Edison in the East. A number of smaller utilities and electric co-ops are included as well.

It’s also common for individual electric utilities to help customers pay their bills, usually in the form of discounts for customers who can demonstrate true need — and often in coordination with governmental or other nonprofit partners.

New York’s ConEdison is a case in point. Under the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, customers who can document that they qualify for certain benefits, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program aid or Supplemental Security Income, may be eligible for up to three HEAP benefits.

Other public benefits that might qualify customers for HEAP aid include Medicaid, federal public housing assistance, veterans’ benefits, and Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance.

ConEdison has also been offering Covid-19 bill protections for those who can affirm that they have experienced a change in their financial circumstances as a result of the pandemic. For customers who qualify under this provision, ConEdison is prohibited by law from disconnecting service through Dec. 21, and applicants may be eligible for a new payment agreement that requires “no down payment, late fees, or penalties.”

Another northeastern electric utility that offers bill payment assistance, some connected to financial hardship resulting from the pandemic, is Atlantic City Electric, an Excelon company, which has broadened its existing flexible payment assistance plan to help customers specifically affected by Covid-19.

Under the plan, customers can spread out past-due payments over 12 to 24 months with no penalty and no need for a down payment. Working with several community partners, the utility can connect New Jersey residents with grants that don’t need to be paid back.

Atlantic City Electric also offers emergency rental and utility assistance for customers who are at immediate risk of losing their homes or utility services. To qualify, customers must be able to show that they qualify for certain public aid, much as ConEdison does.

Which shows that while not all electric utilities give back to the community in exactly the same way, a few industry standards have evolved, and a helping hand is available to virtually any customer who needs it.— Kevin Jones EA

48 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Feature | Conventions & Trade Shows

Dampened moods Weftec 2021 provided a portrait of a trade show during stressful times

By Charlie Barks, EA Associate Editor, and Selena Cotte, EA Managing Editor CHICAGO — Weftec 2021 took place here Oct. 16-20 at McCormick Place and provided an accurate reflection of the modern trade show during stressful times. Economic, workforce, and health uncertainties shaped both how the conference was held and the topics that were discussed. This resulted in a unique year for showrunners, exhibitors, and attendees alike.

While many modern conferences are lauded for their international reach, some felt this year’s WEFTEC brought a refreshing element of American representation. “Walking the show, it was very U.S.centric,” said Michele Whitfield, marketing director for Wisconsin-based Centrisys CNP, a manufacturer for the wastewater sector. “It really showcased U.S. companies and talent much more than in the past.”

Whitfield added that most of Centrisys’ equipment competitors are big corporations located overseas, and that many of these companies — be it by booth or by show floor — either chose not to attend the show or were forced to cancel due to travel restrictions. She also said that even though her company made sales and contacts that they expected to fulfill, “the reality is the show was slower.” It was also much smaller, utilizing far less of the McCormick Place exhibit halls than usual, with lots of space allotted to eating and sitting, allowing guests to spread out from one another.

Careers and furthering education in the water sector were of high importance at Weftec, with a designated space away from the exhibitor’s hall that allowed would-be water workers a chance to schmooze with possible employers, such as RJN Group (pictured).

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The exhibition hall contained a special “Discovery Zone,” promoting start-ups in the water sector, innovative technologies, and forward-looking companies such as Aquagga and Oneka Technologies.

There was also less carpeted floor space than one typically expects from a trade show, but the association said on Twitter that this was an intentional move to keep carpet out of landfills and ultimately reduce the show’s waste impact — at least, this is according to Lynn Broaddus, president of the water sustainability consulting firm Broadview Collaborative and a member of WEF’s Board of Trustees. The photos on the next two pages will give you a sense of the overall look of the show.

Slower show or not, plants, engineers, and operators still have industrial concerns, and those don’t stop. Companies noted having to adjust to the changing rules of the current plant and supply chain, many of which are symptoms of Covid-era precautions or restrictions. Boothdrivers for various companies included phosphorus recovery, weighing costs & priorities of service vs. installation, and centrifugal equipment.

A technical session on nutrient recovery, presented by Philip Barak, offered views on a hot topic in the water industries. The professor of soil science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who is also a science director at Nutrient Recovery & Upcycling LLC, presented the results of a pilot program on nutrient recovery through soil over the past two years.

Weftec did just about as well as any organization could be expected to, given the raised likelihood of last-minute cancelations. Multiple exhibitors told EA they anticipated this. “We didn’t bring as many people in our booth as we usually do,” Whitfield said, referring to both employees and visitors. “Still, we had a footprint in the technical sessions, probably one of the biggest drivers, because young people need to have their continuing education credits.”

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WEFTEC continued from previous page

Beyond booth exhibits and education sessions, the conference still held its annual operations challenge, which saw a limited number of competing teams race to show off a variety of water quality-related skills.

Two days and five unique events later, a team called Controlled Chaos, from the Water Environment Association of South Carolina, was named Division 1 champion.

At least one exhibitor we talked to (who asked to remain anonymous) graded this year’s show as a four on a scale of 1-10, when compared to previous iterations of the show. This surprised us, but came with a caveat worthy of emboldening the showrunners: “If we get a couple really good jobs out of it, it works its way up to a 10. I’m glad we did it. It was better than last year, with the virtual show.”

So even if this year’s Weftec lost some style points for the dampened atmosphere, those who attended and exhibited were understanding.

Vaccinations, last-minute issues, booth movement, and more were all likely contributors to skewed attendance. A number of service techs who travel for their jobs may already be vaccinated; but anyone who wasn’t couldn’t come into the booth area before or after the show.

Non-vaccination factors were also in play. It’s noteworthy that the show also had to contend with a full Chicago sports slate: The Chicago Bears, essentially next door to McCormick Place, hosted the rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday when most Weftec organizers and exhibitors were setting up for the week; and the Chicago Sky were busy winning their first ever WNBA Finals later that same night.

These factors coalesced to have an effect on things like vendor/customer relations that normally ensue at a convention: Dinners, drinks afterwards, etc. For most, the show was an adapted version of its usual self.

Weftec was flexible and accommodating in this regard; they even allowed some exhibitors to pack up early on Wednesday without losing points for next year.

EA

Trophies for the 2021 Operations Challenge were designed to be on theme like much else at Weftec. Awards were given for safety, collections, process control, and laboratory events.

“Wastewater 101” was presented at Weftec’s Technology Spotlight Theater, giving attendees an update on recent water studies and a broader overview of issues affecting the sector.

50 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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— Electrical Apparatus photos by Selena Cotte and copyright 2021 by Barks Publications, Inc.

Keller America, Inc., brought some fun to the trade show floor, offering a video game-style rundown of how their various pressure gauges work.

Just beyond the registration desks, a number of ribbons were offered to show attendees, meant to foster relationship-building and also to broadcast one’s personal Covidsafety boundaries. See: “Elbows only,” or “No contact.”

Industrial Flow Solutions offered show-goers a virtual factory tour as well as the chance to win a Yeti cooler. Even non-winners walked away happy, though, with the opportunity to grab a branded rubber chicken instead.

While the exhibitors' hall was smaller than the ones Weftec usually hosts, there was still a lot of bustle and activity, with many companies such as Beck Electric Actuators showing up, ready to do business.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021 51

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Help Wanted

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ELECTRIC MOTOR SERVICE TECHNICIAN & SCHAUMBURG, IL SHOP MANAGER. Ideal candidate will be experienced in troubleshooting, repair, rebuild of all types of AC motors. Strong communication skills required.

OUTSIDE SALES / NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER. Ideal candidates will be solutions-based OEM sales experts with a working knowledge of electric motors and their applications. Travel is required more than 50% of time.

Elektrim Motors offer competitive pay and benefits including 401k. Send inquiries to careers@elektrimmotors.com.

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

GlobalTech, a Houston, TX based company, has an immediate need for a Production Manager. The ideal candidate will have a strong management/supervisory background in the motor repair industry.

This is a key management position within the company. Strong technical skills are a must and an engineering degree is desired. We offer a highly competitive compensation package including health, dental, vision, and 401k.

If you have the skills we are looking for and are considering relocation to Houston, please send your resume and salary requirements to frank@ globaltechmotors.com.

INSIDE COUNTER SALES EASA electric motor repair shop and new motor sales division in Portland, Oregon with over 75 years of stable business and a great reputation in the industry is looking for: Electric motor sales person for inside counter sales position.

Electric motor and controls experience is a must.

Benefits include: 401K, medical, dental and vision coverage, vacation and holiday pay Forward a resume with salary requirements to: steve@conrey.net 503-232-9392

Help Wanted KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA Seeking AC and DC electric motor winders.

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The EA word search Let’s get illogical In the grid at left, find and circle the words listed below, all of which deal with patents and inventions. The uncircled words will spell out Edison’s advice to his frustrated assistant. (One word appears twice; find it for extra credit.)

The solution may be found online at http://barks.com/puzzles, or call (312) 321-9440. Happy hunting!

Claim Figure File Form History Idea Improved Means New Power

Prior Problem Said Shown Types Typical View Whereby

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Equipment for Sale

Help Wanted

MOTOR TEST PANELS Professionally built to your needs, using your parts or good used components. 502,000 hp, 120-4160v AC/DC, w/wo computer efficiency reports, 30 years experience. Info/ examples on Motorteststand.com MIDWEST SERVICE CENTER — HOBART, IN Our Electrical division is seeking qualified candidates for the following positions: • Outside Sales Representative • Mechanical Engineer with minimum of 5 years’ experience in motor repair industry • Electrical Motor Mechanic- Afternoon shift What we offer: Competitive Wages, Comprehensive Benefits Package, Relocation Assistance, as well as 10 Paid Holidays per year Send resume to: hrdepartment@msc-hobart.com Learn more at: https://www.midwestservicecenter.com/ about/working-at-msc/

Help Wanted ELECTRIC MOTOR & PUMP REPAIR SHOP Shop located in Norfolk, VA looking for experienced candidates and helpers for: • Pump & Motor Mechanics • Motor Winders • Manual Machinists • Field Service Technicians We offer relocating assistance and competitive benefits package. Send resume to gary.phelps@bestrepair.net

CLASSIFIED ADS IN THE JANUARY ISSUE close Friday, December 17. Space is sometimes available after closing but cannot be guaranteed.

Call 312-626-2316 or email barbara@barks.com now to reserve your ad!

UPDATE YOUR FILE OF

Electrical Apparatus

Complete your file of Electrical Apparatus with these back issues, only $5 each.

NOVEMBER 2021: Bringing back the factory town . . .

Battery Show / EV Tech report . . . Motor maxims . . . Pets in the plant and shop . . . Evans Enterprises of Oklahoma City . . . Security for CNC machines . . .

Financial ratios for managers . . . Hydropower as an investment.

OCTOBER 2021: Opportunities in cryptocurrency . . .

The broken suppy chain . . . Fabtech 2021 . . . Electrical folklore . . . Financial reporting rules . . . Global pump standards . . . Getting paid for carbon data . . . “Electromodding.”

SEPTEMBER 2021: Innovation in pumps . . . Global manufacturing . . . The Hydrogen House . . . Digital threads . . . The meaning of “severe duty” . . . Private equity . . . UN climate report . . . Electrical patents.

AUGUST 2021: Metrology in manufacturing . . . Weftec and Fabtech previews . . . EASA Convention report . . .

Defining a motor’s environment . . . Motor management . . . Recruiting and keeping employees . . . Just-in-time inventory management reevaluated . . . Measuring carbon.

JULY 2021: A motor efficiency refresher . . . Pump manufacturers emerge strongly from the pandemic . . . EV charging station maintenance . . . What ‘everyone knows’ about motor application . . . Financial benchmarks . . . A complicated manufacturing landscape.

SO CAN YOU.

The Very Best of

Cy’s Super Service Twenty-Five Years of Laughs from Electrical Apparatus Magazine Featuring cartoons by

Joe Buresch - Martin Filchock - James Estes Compiled by Kevin Jones Only $5 each Ask us about quantity discounts.

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Barks Books, 17 N. State St., Suite 1650, Chicago, Ill. 60602 ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.BARKSBOOKS.COM

JUNE 2021: In-plant Covid vaccinations . . . EASA convention exhibitors . . . Verifying motor operating conditions . . . Better inventory accounting . . . Green jobs for blue-collar workers . . . Automated helpers . . .

Jargon generator . . . Pumps get smarter.

MAY 2021: Meet your “digital twin” . . . The finances of renewable energy . . . EASA convention preview . . .

What to see in Fort Worth . . . Motor efficiency then, now, and tomorrow . . . Motors old and new . . . Random winding for high-voltage motors . . . Financial protection in the pandemic.

APRIL 2021: The future of old power plants . . . Time for a motor survey . . . FedEx’s carbon commitment . . .

Advancements in energy technology . . . Language of motor commissioning . . . New financial performance metrics . . . E-mobility and right to repair.

MARCH 2021: Protecting against cyber criminals . . .

Beyond motor efficiency . . . The language of standards . . . Immersive technology . . . Power output and motor size . . . Thermographic generators . . . India, the next manufacturing giant . . . Heat pump’s moment in the sun.

FEBRUARY 2021: The new administration’s plan for manufacturing . . . The great motor efficiency race . . .

The quest for more-efficient electric materials . . .

Benefits and costs of the new stimulus . . . Working while wearing a mask . . . Cloud-based computing gets a boost . . . Awards season for the pump industry.

JANUARY 2021: Robotics in construction . . . Hiring during a pandemic . . . Form-wound versus randomwound motors . . . Annual five-year index of articles . . .

Financial flexibility and planning . . . What’s new in intelligent pumps . . . The trans-Pacific EV competition heats up . . . Monitoring employees on the job.

Order at barksbooks.com for free shipping — or send check with order. Add postage and handling: $1.25 for the first copy and 50 cents for each additional copy.

BARKS PUBLICATIONS, INC. 17 N. State St., Suite 1650 Chicago, Ill. 60602 (312) 321-9440; FAX (866) 228-7274 www.barksbooks.com

54 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

WINDERS, SCADA TECHS & SWITCHGEAR TECHS Longo Electrical-Mechanical, Inc., founded approximately 70 years ago, is the largest independent electrical-mechanical sales & service company in the tri-state NJ/NY area.

As a sales and service company for motors, drives, pumps, and other electrical apparatus we are looking for skilled candidates who have experience with this equipment.

Call Longo 973-537-0400 ext. 1718 or e-mail résumé in confidence to LSPAK@elongo. com. EOE/AA

BE THE RICH ECCENTRIC RELATIVE YOU WISH YOU HAD.

Electric Motor Shop in Wake Forest, NC, is looking for candidates for: • Field Service Techs • Manual Machinists • Motor Mechanics • Outside Sales Reps • Field Service Manager • Pump Mechanics • Switchgear Specialist • Winders Electric Motor Shop offers competitive pay and benefits, including 401k. For employment consideration, please contact Kristine Larsen at 919-556-3229 or by email at Kristine.Larsen@emsnc.com

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COMPETITIVE PAY, BENEFITS & OT!!

Prime Electric in Gorham, ME is looking for an experienced Electric Motor Technician.

Relocation compensation, training program & advancement opportunities. Safe, friendly environment. Send resumes to dan@ primeelectricmotor.com or call 207.591.7800.

Visit us at PrimeElectricMotor.com.

Coming in January • Unusual Robots • Five-year Index of articles • And much more • Closing for advertising December 15th.

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866-527-4666

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Moe, Genny & Friends

COPYRIGHT 2021 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS

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ADVERTISING INDEX ABB Motors & Mechanical . . .BC Advanced Rotors, Inc. . . . . . . 14 AHR Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Asheville Mica Co. . . . . . . . . 5 Bartlett Bearing Co., Inc. . . . . . 7 Electrical Apparatus & Machine . . . . . 41 Hoto Instruments . . . . . . . . 55 Jasper Electric Motors, Inc. . . . 13 Lafert North America . . . . . . IFC Mitchell Electronics . . . . . . . . 9 Morgan Advanced Materials . 29 NTN Bearing Corp. of America . . . 23 OTS Wire & Insulation . . . . . 55 Overly Hautz Company . . . . . 31 PJ Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Rogers Equipment Sales . . . . .15 S&W Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 TECO-Westinghouse Motor Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Toshiba International Corp. . . . 3 Wayne Products . . . . . . . . . 31 WorldWide Electric Corp. . . . IBC Look for sponsored technical articles from EA advertisers at our blog, https://electricalapparatus. wordpress.com.

Learn more about the products and services featured in this issue!

Use the QR code or go to https://kwiksurveys.com/s/qrA4sikj#/0 to request information from advertisers.

Direct & Current

DECEMBER 2021

INFRA-READY. The White House finalized the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November, with the bill officially signed on Nov. 15. The result of a years-long bipartisan struggle include major pledges to revitalize grid resiliency, invest in progressive forms of renewable energy, electrify vehicles and public transportation, and introduce new standards of use for energy storage systems. It also includes speculative but expansive plans to bolster the American supply chain and workforce.

VETERANS OF THE TRADE. GE Power Conversion announced Nov. 10 that it has signed a contract with the U.S Navy Military Sealift Command to maintain the electric and hybrid electric power and propulsion systems aboard its vessels. The five year indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract Electric’s maintenance contract with the U.S. has a potential value of $125 General Navy comes at an important juncture for both parties.

— U.S. Navy photo million, GE said. It also comes at a crucial time for the Navy, whose forces have been on heightened alert in multiple regions lately due to geopolitical tension in the South and East China Seas as well as the Black Sea. BLOCKS, CHAINS, WIRES. Blockchain technology is everywhere. The backbone of cryptocurrency is now being used in a copper traceability project that aims to stabilize certain supply chain hindrances, headed by Southwire and BHP, a Chicago-area global resources company with a sustainability bent. The companies have completed the first phase of the pilot to study carbon traceability in the supply chain from BHP’s copper mines in Chile to copper rod production at Southwire’s rod mill in Carrollton, Ga. ONE, MISSISSIPPI. Hy Stor Energy of Jackson, Miss., announced Oct. 19 a mission to develop and advance the Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub, planned to be ten times larger than any other green hydrogen project under consideration in the U.S. During its first phase, the hub is expected to produce an estimated 110 million kilograms of green hydrogen annually and store more than 70 million kilograms of green hydrogen in its underground salt caverns. Pending regulatory approvals and equipment availability, the hub’s first phase is planned to enter commercial service by 2025.

SMALL BUSINESS SUFFERING. The latest jobs report from the National Federation of Independent Business characterizes a difficult outlook for small business in the U.S. According to data released Oct. 7, fifty-one percent (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, up one point from August and a record-high reading for the second consecutive month. The number of unfilled job openings continues to exceed the 48-year historical average of 22%.

— Charlie Barks Have the digital “Direct & Current” delivered each week, at no charge, to your e-mail in-box. Scan the code at right or sign up now at http://tinyurl.com/ea-enews.

56 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS | DECEMBER 2021

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