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Revised Standard for Installing and Maintaining Medium-voltage Cable
The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the National Cable Splicing Certification Board (NCSCB) released NECA/NCSCB 600-2014, Standard for Installing and Maintaining Medium-Voltage Cable the latest in a series of revisions for National Electrical Installation Standard (NEIS).
10 Steps to Better Foundation Fieldbus Installations—Part 2
Lessons learned from fieldbus users can help improve systems, performance and personnel. Part one of this three part series discusses how wiring mistakes interfere with communication. This installment examines how configuration and addressing make all the difference. Part 3 will be published in the near future.
Compressed Air Energy Storage May Get a New Breath of Life
It’s been a long dry spell for compressed-air energy storage (CAES). More than 20 years have passed since the last ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new CAES plant. But a combination of new technology, government mandate and technology innovation could breathe life into the becalmed CAES market.
Declining Revenues Cause Traditional Lighting Manufacturers to Rethink Strategy
This year has been a challenging one for the leading suppliers of lighting products, with quarterly lamp and luminaire revenues falling for most traditional technology suppliers.
Drop in Oil Prices Leads to Easing of Materials/Equipment Components, Cost Index Finds
Current construction costs increased for the 33rd consecutive month in October, according to IHS and the Procurement Executives Group (PEG). The headline current IHS PEG Engineering and Construction Cost Index (ECCI) eased to 54.5% in October, down from 57.8% in September.
Upgrading Infrastructure Could Reduce Future Flood Damage
The flooding that devastated parts of Colorado in September 2013 might have been less destructive if the bridges, roads and other infrastructure had been upgraded or modernized, according to a new study from the University of Colorado Denver.
Growth in German Machinery Production – Is There Still Hope?
The recent German export figures have been only one of an alarming number of pointers released in the past few weeks indicating a deteriorating economic climate.
IHS BOM Manager Offers World’s Largest Database of Electronic Components
IHS Technology announces that its IHS BOM Manager tool now offers the world’s largest component database, containing more than 442 million parts. IHS BOM Manager is the centerpiece of the IHS suite of parts management tools, which includes CAPS Universe and XML Web Services.
Mexican Hydrocarbon Reform Likely to Attract Petrochemical Investment
The recent historic changes made to Mexico’s hydrocarbon laws is opening doors for private oil and gas investment in the country, which is expected to secure more competitive feedstocks necessary for expanded petrochemicals production in Mexico.
Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond
The semiconductor industry is on the verge of transitioning to new realities of fabrication.
Without Relativity, GPS Would Be Lost
Ask the average person what "relativity" means, and you'll likely hear answers such as "everything's relative," "you can't go faster than light" or even the classic formula "E = mc2.”
BASF, Sinopec and Sabic Top IHS ChemicalWeek’s Ranking of Global Chemical Companies
For the eighth straight year, BASF, the German-based chemical producer, led the IHS ChemicalWeek “Billion-Dollar Club” annual sales ranking of global chemical companies by registering $81.5 billion in total sales for 2013.
Boom in Hydropower Could Endanger Freshwater Biodiversity
A boom in hydropower dam construction is underway, primarily in developing countries and emerging economies. While this is expected to double the global electricity production from hydropower, it could reduce the number of large free-flowing rivers by about 20%.
Global Study on Automaker-Supplier Relations
Heightened friction between original equipment manufacturers and suppliers on cost reduction matters is the main factor behind the deterioration of relations between automakers and suppliers globally in 2014, according to suppliers who took part in the annual Global OEM-Supplier Relations Study.
ASTM Committee Approves Standard to Test for Glycols in Motor Oil
The presence of ethylene glycol in in-service motor oil indicates that antifreeze coolant has leaked into the crankcase of an internal combustion engine. Such leakage leads to engine wear problems.
Automakers, Utilities Test Cloud-based EV Charging Control
Eight automakers tested technology in October designed to allow utility companies to communicate with plug-in electric vehicles via the cloud, an advancement that would help manage energy use and improve the efficiency of the power grid.
Boeing, COMAC Open Plant to Transform Cooking Oil into Aviation Biofuel
Boeing and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) opened a demonstration facility that will turn waste cooking oil, commonly referred to as "gutter oil" in China, into sustainable aviation biofuel.
GKN Aerospace Develops Wing Leading Edge Innovation
GKN Aerospace has delivered a wing leading-edge demonstrator to the Clean Sky program, part of an effort to bring an ultra-high performance, natural laminar flow wing closer to reality.
A Midstream Infrastructure Boom
Investment to infrastructure that transports crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGL’s) accelerate in response to growth in domestic production with a structural shift from import to export oriented infrastructure.
Apple and Samsung Drive Adoption of Next-Generation Sensors
Propelled by the race between Apple and Samsung to enhance their mobile products with cutting-edge sensor technology, the market for sensors in cellphones and tablets is set to nearly triple from 2012 through 2018, according to IHS Technology.