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Hand Tools Designed for Versatility
While smaller and more powerful batteries continue to push power-tool makers into increasingly specialized applications, a reverse trend – building as many functions as possible into a single product – is driving hand-tool design. This is especially true with one of the most basic components in any contractor’s toolbox, the simple screwdriver.
High-Bay Occupancy Sensors
Customers are spending money on energy saving lighting systems. Contractors who can help these customers along to their savings are in a better position to acquire these lighting projects. Some new tools are on the scene to enable more energy savings in high-bay lighting. Occasionally potential projects were postponed because of unavailability of compatible sensors. The occupancy sensors have to be suitable for the existing voltage and environment.
The Fourth Generation of Occupancy Sensors
The newest technology is adaptive occupancy sensors. This is the fourth major advance for sensors. The first one is ultrasonics technology. Ultrasonics senses occupancy by sending and receiving high frequency sound waves. Movement by a person, object or even air will shift the original frequency enough so that the sensor can detect it.
LEDs: Comparing Apples to Apples
Over the years, we’ve become used to describing lamps by how many watts they draw, as with basic Edison lamps, or by the size fixture or ballast in which they’re used, as with fluorescent tubes. However, neither of these approaches says anything about the quality of the light those lamps produce, which can cause problems when trying to match expectations to actual lamp performance. While terms like “warm white” or “soft light” might have become familiar marketing terms, the lack of quantitative measurements for these qualities can make matching new lamps to well-established expectations difficult.
Factory Automation Strategies
In these competitive times, factory automation strategies that successfully take advantage of new technologies and trends to increase plant efficiency through production gains and cost reduction are gaining steam. Depending upon the strategy, they can maximize factory uptime, speed diagnostics and troubleshooting, conserve resources (materials, energy, time, etc), help improve or maintain product quality, improve preventive maintenance schedules, and optimize accuracy of communications between the factory operation and corporate management.
Not Your Grandmother’s Light Switch
The ubiquitous light switch has come a long way from the old-fashioned push-button models you might remember from your grandparents’ home. Even the classic toggle switch we’ve now known for decades is on its way out, as more intelligent – and better looking – models are coming to market. In fact, some don’t even require wires, enabling table lamps and electronic devices to be switched without the need for opening walls and installing junction boxes.
Wireless Products Making Building Automation Networking Easier
Building automation systems offer owners the opportunity to both increase occupant comfort and cut energy bills. In addition to offering remote controllability of lighting, HVAC and security equipment, building automation also can allow these individual systems to communicate with each other – so, for example, an occupancy sensor might turn up the lighting as well as the air conditioning when a hard-working employee decides to spend Saturday in the office. New wireless options could be bringing these advantages to even more buildings in the near future.
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