- May 19, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue of electroindustry.
Several NEMA Members are on the front lines addressing critical infrastructure needs to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic.
ABB ELECTRIFICATION OFFERS FREE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS THROUGHOUT 2020
From remote monitoring and diagnostics for uninterruptible power supplies for critical healthcare applications to energy and building management solutions for utilities and commercial and industrial facilities, ABB Electrification is providing the tools that address critical infrastructure needs.
Through December 31, 2020, ABB Electrification will waive its
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- May 15, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Kirk Anderson, Industry Director, NEMA
NEMA is exploring cooperation with the Department of Defense (DOD) as agency procurement officials face mandates for supply chains of products containing critical materials.
As rare earth minerals have become increasingly important for advanced manufacturing and other high-performance and strategic applications, manufacturers and the federal government have concerns about the reliability of supply into the future. DOD is facing a prohibition on procurement of certain
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- May 14, 2020
- Bryan Holland
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June 1st marks the beginning of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Overall activity in the Atlantic basin in 2019 was about average with 18 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. Six of the named storms made landfall on U.S. territory. This compares to the long-term averages of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes.
In 2019, Tropical Storm Barry reached winds of 75 MPH and resulted in $600 million in damages. Major Hurricane Dorian reached winds of
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- May 13, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Steve Griffith, Industry Director, NEMA
In December, a NEMA Automotive Component Workshop convened Member companies that provide products and systems that make up the internal components of passenger vehicles, vans, commercial and industrial trucks, and buses.
It covered internal combustion engines (ICEs), hybrids, and electric vehicles (EVs). The purpose of the workshop was to assess the opportunity landscape for this section of the transportation market by utilizing Member company expertise
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- May 11, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Dr. W.H. "Bill" Sowell, MBA, PhD, President, Eberle Design, Inc.
Dr. Sowell is a Member of the NEMA Board of Governors, Vice Chair of the NEMA 3TS Transportation Management Systems and Associated Control Devices Section, and Chair of the NEMA Performance Measures Technical Committee.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 35,000 people die from traffic-related collisions each year in the U.S. Globally, that number is more
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- May 8, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue of electroindustry.
As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative minds are being harnessed around the globe to find the best mitigation strategies, the most effective therapies, and the earliest possible vaccine. Tell Google to search for the term “COVID-19,” and you will immediately find nearly three billion results. By contrast, “autonomous vehicle,” a perennial hot topic for nearly a decade and the focus of this magazine issue, delivers a mere
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- May 7, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the May/June 2020 issue of electroindustry.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is needed to meet growing demand.
by John DeBoer, Head of Siemens eMobility and Future Grid Business Unit
Mr. DeBoer leads the North American eMobility and Future Grid business for Siemens and is a member of the global eMobility management team.
The energy landscape is shifting with the rise of renewables and decentralized energy, shaping a new energy era that is changing the way we think about electrification.
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- April 28, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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by Kirk Anderson, Industry Director, NEMA
Manufacturers face increasing challenges to ensure their products meet market-specific requirements for distribution. Basic electrical ratings are Standard, but some products must also meet the marking and labeling requirements of installation codes, Federal regulations, and third-party safety Standards.
Marking and labeling become more complicated for manufacturers that ship products into multiple markets. Marking and labeling requirements can change after a product is shipped, and some manufacturers work with multiple certification providers, further complicating the ability to
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- April 24, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
Endnotes for the President
Lighting industry disruption continues with light-emitting diode (LED) market penetration accelerating and domestic U.S. manufacturing base for lamps of all types shrinking. Reduced barriers to market entry and falling production costs allowed new manufacturers to join an industry that was once dominated by a few large companies. In turn all these factors have contributed to acquisitions, mergers, and spin-offs as organizations adapt to a changing landscape.
The
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- April 20, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Fred Ashton, Economist, NEMA
Nonresidential fixed investment in structures, a key end market for lighting products, has struggled to gain traction over the past year and will likely detract from overall GDP growth again in 2020. Fixed investment in structures has declined in four of the previous five quarters as of Q3 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and has subtracted a cumulative 0.9 percentage points
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- April 17, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Craig Updyke, Director, Trade and Commercial Affairs, NEMA
The European Union (EU) adopted a Green Deal policy paper in December 2019 that commits the 27-nation bloc to use trade policy in promotion of carbon emission reductions. Overall, the EU aims to achieve full carbon neutrality by 2050 through a series of policy initiatives leading to the decoupling of economic growth from resource use, according to the document.
Embedded in the
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- April 13, 2020
- Bryan Holland
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Part 1 of this blog posted on March 29 outlined three essential electrical products that will help you remain productive and efficient while working remotely at home. This included a back-up power supply, surge-protective devices, and quality workspace lighting. Part 2 of this blog will highlight three other essential electrical products for your home to provide enhanced safety for you and your family while sheltering in place.
Essential #1: Tamper-Resistant Receptacles
Many homes built prior to 2008 do not have tamper-resistant receptacles
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- April 13, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Laurie Soucy, Director, Statistical Operations, NEMA
As the Director of Statistical Operations for NEMA/BIS I have the opportunity to work across all Divisions of NEMA. While I oversee all of the statistical reports, I am personally responsible for managing the Lighting Division statistical reports. This includes collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical reports as well as managing Member committees to maintain and create valuable statistical programs. As the lighting industry
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- April 10, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Ann Brandstadter, Manager, Standards Publications and Marketing, NEMA
Installation Guidelines for Expansion and Expansion/Deflection Fittings provides information on the proper application and installation of fittings intended for use in hazardous and non-hazardous locations in accordance with the National Electrical Code®; the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I; the International Building Code; and the National Building Code of Canada.
NEMA FB 2.40-2019 is available for $88.
ANSI/NEMA WC 51/ICEA P-54-440-2009
(R2019) Ampacities of Cables
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- April 6, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Michael Poplawski, Principal Investigator for Connected Lighting Systems Research, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Among the many ways LED lighting is changing the definition of what lighting can do and be is by enabling the development of connected lighting systems (CLS). LED technology facilitates the integration of intelligence, network interfaces, and sensors into lighting devices, which can result in reduced energy consumption and improved lighting performance. But CLS also has
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- April 3, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Tim McClintock, Midwest Field Representative, NEMA
We’ve all heard the phrase the “Roaring Twenties,” a time that saw the introduction of many new products and technologies, when the automotive, film, radio, and chemical industries all took off.
History appears to be repeating itself as we see emerging technologies in the electrical industry with the vast expansion of things such as light- emitting diodes (LED) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
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- April 1, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Kees Teunissen, Senior Scientist, Light and Vision, Signify Research
For many decades, light sources have been specified by their correlated color temperature (CCT) and general color rendering index (CRI)1. With the adoption of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for general lighting purposes, these two specification items, alone, are insufficient to fully characterize the appearance of object colors in a lit environment.
Color Fidelity
The CRI value indicates only the average difference in color
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- March 31, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Michael Erbesfeld, Program Manager, NEMA
NEMA is the Secretariat for the American National Standards Lighting Group (ANSLG) is composed of three Accredited Standards Committees (ASC): ASC C78 Electric Lamps; ASC C81 Bases, Holders, and Gauges; and ASC C82 Electronic Ballasts and Drivers. These three ASCs cover lighting technology from incandescent to solid state.
Last year was a dynamic one for the ANSLG, with ASC C78 publishing 13 Standards. Among these
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- March 29, 2020
- Bryan Holland
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With a large percentage of the American workforce now remotely working at home instead of their place of business as a precautionary measure to slow the spread of COVID-19, chances are you will be reading this blog from your home office. The problem is that most home offices do not have all the necessary features to facilitate and promote successful and productive long-term telecommuting. Whether you are practicing social distancing or have been required to shelter in place, this blog
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- March 26, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by David Richmond, Program Manager, NEMA
ASC C136 covers all types of street and area lighting, including lamp types, pole construction and support, tunnel lighting, enclosed architectural luminaires, system selection guides, lighting controls, ingress protection, and ancillary devices.
ANSI Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) C136 is publishing a new outdoor lighting Standard: C136.58-2019 Luminaire Four-Pin Extension Module and Receptacle— Physical and Electrical Interchangeability and Testing.
Committee work is continuing on several other new
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