Articles
Employer hiring optimism surges in Australia for 2010
Australian employers are reporting considerably stronger hiring intentions for the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, according to results from a recent employment outlook survey.
[ + ]Top ten data recoveries list
Data recovery specialist Kroll Ontrack released its sixth annual top 10 data recoveries list of lost and sometimes retrieved data.
[ + ]Energy revolution required to meet carbon targets
Nothing short of an ‘energy revolution’ will be required to successfully transition to a carbon-managed economy while fulfilling its energy needs, according to a VECCI report.
[ + ]Category 6A vs category 6A: what’s the difference and why should I care?
New standards for copper cabling smooth the way for high-performance data transmission in buildings, industrial plants and data centres. However, in order to have a long-term guarantee for the desired performance, the pitfalls in nomenclature need to be considered during project design and component selection.
[ + ]Luminaires for industrial and hazardous environments
Industrial environments can pose significant challenges to the safety and effective operation of lighting systems. Luminaire selection and system design must meet performance goals where mechanical strength, weight, thermal, electrical, corrosion resistance, hazardous environment and water and dust ingress requirements must be considered. Designers must gain a firm understanding of all environmental factors that can cause system failures to deliver ‘environmental compatibility’ of lighting.
[ + ]A snapshot of the current employment landscape
There’s been a lot of negativity about the job market lately, much of which is fuelled by uninformed speculation. I found that it’s not all bad news, as I researched what’s going on at ‘street level’, especially in the electrical industry.
[ + ]Avoiding costly underground cable problems - now and in the future
Recently, a friend of mine who operates an excavator tore through a mains cable as he was digging footings on a commercial site. Not only did he get the scare of his life, but he had a few anxious moments afterwards wondering if he would cop the huge repair bill for the damage he had just caused. Fortunately for him, he called Dial Before You Dig before commencing to excavate.
[ + ]Six simple steps to avoid weather-related power quality problems
Eaton, an electrical power quality systems supplier, warns that electrical infrastructures across Australia will experience increased weather-related stresses and offers advice on how to protect against power outages during severe weather, heat, electrical storms and cyclones during the upcoming summer season.
[ + ]Is it time to genuinely adopt 230 V as our distribution voltage?
The article in September/October 2008 Electrical Solutions raised many questions regarding supply voltage variances. Author Paul Stathis was warned that he could be opening a can of worms. The advice he received was not wrong. In this article, I will attempt to answer some of the issues raised in the previous article and bring attention to more issues that need to be addressed by the electrical industry.
[ + ]Properly deploying secure data cabinets
The enforcement of privacy laws has recently placed a greater emphasis on maintaining the integrity of personal and confidential information. Not only must data be securely stored, but the enclosures housing the data must also be physically secure. A government specification strictly qualifies the deployment of these enclosures and, as many organisations begin to utilise these cabinets, consultants and installers may find themselves ill prepared to deploy them correctly.
[ + ]Why calibrate your test equipment?
Test and measurement equipment is essential to the electrical trade, be it for electrical, data or control systems. Whether it’s for commissioning a new installation or finding a fault in an existing one, electrical tradespeople and technicians put a lot of faith in the readings from these instruments. But how can they be certain what’s being reported is correct?
[ + ]Harmonics - fighting the enemy from within
The push for ‘greener’ electricity through more sophisticated electrical technologies has, in many cases, increased the negative consequences of harmonics on our electrical infrastructure. Electronic ballasts for lighting, switchmode power supplies for PCs and variable speed drives for motor controls are becoming ubiquitous in our homes and workplace. But while they’re improving our energy efficiency, they’re also making the electricity supply dirty.
[ + ]Home automation provides better energy management for homes
Rising energy costs and concern for our environment are motivating Australians to look for ways to reduce their energy consumption. In recent years, sophisticated energy management systems have been deployed in commercial buildings to help achieve higher energy ratings and lower energy consumption without compromising functionality. The same attitude is now evident with homeowners wanting to make their homes more energy efficient, but without the burden of having to think too hard about it.
[ + ]The smart buyer’s guide to test and measurement equipment
Unfortunately, many people base their test and measurement equipment purchasing decision on price, availability and misleading sales information.
[ + ]Professional training vs the school of hard knocks
In today’s economy, many look at the bottom line more than usual and don’t do anything unless it’s mission critical. When we cut costs, we also decrease expenses, but to what end? Training seems to be one of the first things companies eliminate without thinking about the outcome. But why is training and development so important? Why can’t people learn the way that many of us did - by the school of hard knocks?
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