- 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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- 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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- March 25, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Neil Egan, Director, Communications, Acuity Brands Lighting
Back in the 1990s, thanks to the internet, online shopping emerged, bringing with it profound innovations, including the now-dominating mobile platform.
With this mobile platform, shoppers have taken control. They search, research, choose, pay, and ship—all whenever and wherever they want. Still, when they enter a physical brick-and-mortar store, they’re provided the same level of control as was available 40 years ago. This
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- March 24, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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This piece was originally published in the March/April 2020 issue of electroindustry.
by Alex Boesenberg, Senior Manager of Regulatory Affairs, NEMA
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), an important subordinate entity within the White House Office of Management and budget (OMB), recently published1 its final report on the national impacts of significant rulemakings by Federal agencies from 2006 to 2016. Federal law mandates that OMB review any proceedings that may involve an estimated economic impact (benefit or cost) of approximately
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- March 23, 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
Following positive bipartisan votes in the House of Representatives and Senate, in January the President signed into law legislation to implement the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The House approved USMCA 385-41 on December 19; the Senate voted 89-10 on January 16.
“USMCA provides greater certainty for NEMA Members working with partners in
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- March 23, 2020
- NEMA Communications
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There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. While electrical equipment manufacturers are considered “Critical Manufacturing,” they also directly support every other sector by making the products needed to assure the reliable and consistent flow of electricity. Without on-demand electricity, which depends on a steady supply of equipment for maintenance and upgrade of existing systems and construction of new buildings and capabilities, our nation’s current situation would go from bad
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