The introduction of the carbon tax and the planned removal of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) are two government policies that will affect the electrical and communications industry.

Man first came to understand the value of copper around 10,000 BC. The Romans, Greeks, Aztecs and Egyptians were quite innovative in their use of copper and copper-tin alloys such as bronze and brass. The metal was readily accessible, very ductile and malleable, making it relatively easy to smelt. It also had a natural resistance to corrosion. The current extraordinary rate of development in China and India has significantly increased the demand on this resource, driving the cost of copper to record levels. As the lifeblood of all electrical systems, it is essential that designers and engineers are efficient in their use of copper to produce an economical solution without jeopardising the integrity of the electrical supply system.

The electrical industry in Australia is characterised by sole traders, family, micro and small businesses, which face daily challenges involved in running a company in difficult times.

Seifert mtm Systems' second-generation models of the ecool series with speed-controlled compressors offer temperature stability for less component stress.

Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets projects substantial growth in the OLED lighting materials market 

The Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre (DKASC), a demonstration site for solar panels, was set up to help promote understanding and confidence in solar technologies. The site is an initiative of Desert Knowledge Australia and CAT Projects and is located about 9 km south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

International fish feed supplier Nutreco recently upgraded its fish feed production plant in the Hobart suburb of Cambridge, Tasmania. The upgrade of the facility, which operates as Skretting Australia, included an extensive $3m rewiring of the entire plant by electrical services company Pacific Services Group (PSG) Tasmania. Skretting Australia is Australasia’s leading supplier of commercial fish feed. The plant was officially opened by Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings in September.

Businesses are increasingly getting caught out by the Fair Work Ombudsman on sham contracting arrangements. Below are some tips on how to avoid sham contracting arrangements.

Z-Axis has improved the reliability of its communications systems with IceWarp.

NECA warns consumers should be careful when buying products manufactured overseas as they may not meet Australian standards.

Research firm Ovum says there will be $213.8bn of new revenues up for grabs in the telecoms sector between 2012 and 2015.

Alcatel-Lucent has used Spirent TestCenter HyperMetrics mX 40/100G to validate the scale and performance of its FP3 Processor in initial public demonstrations.

Globalisation and the growth of the online marketplace have intensified competition and increased the pressure on SMEs, but instead of letting this dampen the enthusiasm, its time small business owners think creatively and reshape their businesses to take advantage of changing trends.

Much has been said about the need for faster and more relevant training - but have we got it right? Is the method of training best served in a classroom, or through practical hands-on learning, or a combination of both? If we use both, how much should be the hands-on training and how much theoretical information do we need?

There are various terms used to describe surge protective devices (SPDs), such as arrestors, lightning arrestors, surge arrestors, transient voltage surge suppressors (TVSS), surge diverters and surge protectors. The term surge filter or surge reduction filter usually refers to a series surge protector. However, all series-connected SPDs are not surge reduction filters. This article will explain the purpose and the operation of SPDs and the key selection criterion for selecting and specifying an SPD.