Electrical and Electronics Reference Materials
Reference Articles 1801 - 1900 of 3233
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Amorphous vs Crystalline: The Best Technology For Your Application
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In the age of portable electronics, companies need unique ways to power products that enhance value, lead to a great customer experience and make business sense. Often grid power is unavailable, and ...
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Calculating Your Power Budget
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: There are many considerations when calculating your power budget. ...
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Charge Controllers Limiting Your Losses
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Often you might think about inexpensive batteries versus their elite counterpart, but many times we neglect the importance of a charge controller in the solar collection process. ...
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Comparing Solar Charge Controllers
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Solar panels provide meaningful power at home, on the road and anywhere you need it. A complete solar solution includes the panel, a storage device which is usually a battery, and a charge controller ...
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Custom Solar Panel Options
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In the solar industry, one size does not fit all. PowerFilm's unique technology and custom solar capabilities enable us to develop power solutions that match the requirements of an application ...
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Determining Voltage & Current
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: How can you determine voltage and current of a solar module? This is a pretty common question so let's dive right in. The voltage of a solar module is based on the number of cells in a module. ...
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Energy Harvesting Methods
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In 2025 there are projected to be over 70 billion connected electronic devices worldwide. Every electronic device needs power to operate which usually comes in the form of a battery. Batteries are ...
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How Does Partial Shade Affect Solar Panels?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Solar panels love the sun. They perform best when they're in it and angled appropriately, but what happens when these ideal conditions aren't achievable? What happens to a solar panel when it's ...
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How Does Temperature Affect Solar Panels?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Temperature, both hot and cold, are vital parts of determining how well a solar panel will operate and has to be accounted for when designing a solution. ...
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How To Choose The Best Solar Panel For Your Application
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Over the years many different types of photovoltaics (PV) have been created, each possesses unique qualities, but one thing remains true, all applications aren't necessarily satisfied by the same ...
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How To Size A Solar Panel For Your Battery
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: How do you determine the power output required from a solar panel to recharge a battery based on current load? This is a great question and important when thinking about what solar panel to select ...
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How To Use Our Custom Solar Panel Design Tool
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: PowerFilm has been providing custom solar solutions in the IoT, military, and commercial spaces for over 30 years. But what does that mean? Due to the many parameters and complexity of our process, ...
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Indoor Solar: Powering A Bluetooth Beacon
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Beacons don't waste power maintaining a connection, are one of the lowest power wireless protocols available and ideal candidates for indoor solar. ...
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Indoor Solar: Powering A Bluetooth Door Lock
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Solar isn't just for rooftops with direct sunlight anymore, many electronics can be powered using solar in shady and even indoor conditions. ...
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Indoor Solar: Powering Higher Draw Devices
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In some cases, devices may require more power than a reasonably sized solar panel can produce. If the device doesn't need to run continuously, a solar solution is usually still possible. ...
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IoT Solutions For All Industries
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: The Internet of Things (IoT) industry isn't slowing down any time soon. It's picking up pace. More devices than ever before are simplifying our everyday life, tracking cargo, assisting in logistics, ...
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Misunderstandings in the Use of Capacitors
Description: Many people tend to use large-capacity capacitors in the replacement of capacitors. We know that although the larger the capacitance, the stronger the current compensation capability provided by the ...
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New Energy Harvesting Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC and CAP-XX Supercapacitors
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: An effective solar energy harvesting solution requires more than just a solar panel. We have partnered with e-peas, an energy harvesting PMIC solution provider, and thin prismatic supercapacitor ...
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Outdoor vs Indoor Solar: The Key Differences
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Can I use my solar panel indoors? We get that question a lot at PowerFilm. The answer isn't as cut and dry as you might think. To our eyes, indoor environments seem pretty bright. That's only ...
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Owning The Process
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: What does it mean to truly own something? To control the ins and outs of a process until you are almost one with it? To ensure things fit, perform and make sense? ...
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Power Supplies vs Solar Panels
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: When people think of a power supply they typically think of a device that will put out a constant voltage and supply current to a device as necessary. A solar panel, on the other hand, will vary its ...
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PowerFilm Extreme Durability Test
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: While it is important to take care of things, do you ever feel like putting something to the ultimate test? I do. "Let's see what kind of damage this thing can take and still function," I say to ...
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Prototyping With Solar Energy Harvesting
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: "Energy Harvesting." This buzz word sounds straightforward, but what does it actually mean? Where does this energy come from, and how do you "harvest" it? Is it useful for real-life solutions? How ...
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Seasonality of Solar
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: You might have wondered, how do shorter days affect solar? Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, they don't produce as much energy. Many environmental factors affect the amount of light your panels ...
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Solar Cell Efficiency
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: What exactly does solar cell efficiency mean? If you've spent any time in the solar industry you understand that one of the first questions out of a person's mouth when it comes to solar technology ...
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Solar Doesn't Have To Be Scary
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: To many, solar isn't just confusing; it's downright scary. There are so many factors to think through, so many variables to consider. It would be enough to make anyone frightful. Luckily, that's ...
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Solar Intensity: Looks Can Be Deceiving
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: It looks bright, why doesn't my solar panel produce more power? This is a fantastic question and one that we get a lot. The root of this issue is actually our eyes. ...
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Solar Panel Encapsulation: Why It Matters
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Lamination affects every single thing you tested and is an incredibly important piece of the solar-build puzzle -- one that is often neglected or not understood entirely. It is a balancing act in ...
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Solar Power For Commercial IoT
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: As the IoT industry rapidly expands into commercial, consumer, and industrial spaces, new and innovative ways to power the increasing number of connected devices are needed to ensure sustainability, ...
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Solar Power For Consumer IoT
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In the consumer world, convenience is king. Consumers want devices and systems that are easy to use and dependable. The best consumer IoT solutions are those that people can set up and forget about. ...
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Solar Power For Industrial IoT
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Like commercial businesses, companies in the industrial space are also driven by cost saving. Although they can benefit from building automation and asset management systems just like commercial ...
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Solar Powered Asset Tracking
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In today's hyper-competitive landscape, businesses are looking for any way possible to get more out of less. Modern technology gives businesses the tools they need to make smart, data-driven ...
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Solar Powering Your IoT Devices
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: It seems that everywhere you go these days people are talking about IoT. Whether it's smart light bulbs that respond to your voice or sensors that transmit data, these devices are everywhere. While ...
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The Triple Test
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: At PowerFilm we take great pride in our products and quality is of the utmost importance. To ensure quality at a reasonable price, periodic tests are performed throughout the manufacturing process. ...
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Top Three Solar Myths
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Today we are going to address solar's most famous myths, why they are so attractive and the truth behind them. ...
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When To Use A Charge Controller
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: When do I need a charge controller to charge a battery with a solar panel? This is a very common question and one that is absolutely crucial. In most cases you will need some type of a charge ...
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Which Battery Chemistry Is Best?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Batteries are everywhere. They're in a seemingly endless number of devices we use from cell phones, remotes, Bluetooth speakers, GoPro cameras and everything in between. While batteries are nothing ...
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Which IoT Radio Is Best?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: The world of IoT is rapidly developing and changing. Since the industry itself is still in its infancy, there are many options for radios and varying standards for different IoT segments. When ...
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Which Portable Solar Technology Is Best?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: When you think of solar panels you might picture large expansive solar fields or an array of solar panels installed on a home near where you live. While "solar farms" and building-integrated solar ...
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Whole Cells vs Cut Cells: What's The Difference?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: There are incredibly inexpensive options that are attractive at first blush, but when you dig deeper the quality of these panels and their assembly process leave much to be desired. ...
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Why does a Capacitor Breakdown
Description: The electric field strength of the dielectric of the capacitor has a certain limit. When the bound charge breaks away from the bondage of atoms or molecules and participates in conduction, the ...
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Will A Solar Panel Work Behind Glass?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Through the years we have fielded almost every solar related question you can imagine. One that consistently comes up is the possibility of collecting solar energy through glass. Let's explore if ...
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Your Power Budget
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Taking a product "off grid" and having the piece of mind that it will continue to work year after year at the highest level is no simple task. Understanding the power budget of your system is a ...
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How to Choose the Right Battery Cable
From: Waytek, Inc.Description: The battery cable is among the most important components in a battery management system. High quality battery cables will help ensure you have power and avoid battery drain-but only if they are ...
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Keeping Cool with ÖLFLEX® CONNECT
From: LAPPDescription: When a major North American heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solution provider began designing a new cooling system for a social media company's large data centers, they contacted ...
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Preventative Maintenance Helps Maximize Factory Up-time
From: LAPPDescription: Although system designers have expertise about their automated applications, most do not have technical knowledge of continuous flexing cables. This lack of cable expertise, combined with a lack of ...
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Benefits of Single Cell Solar Designs
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Solar panels are typically made up of many cells connected in series, which increase the output voltage of the panel. Multiple cells used to be a requirement when circuitry could not run on low ...
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Solar Solutions For Transportation Part 2: Telematics
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Telematics is a growing field in the industry allowing fleet managers and dedicated telematics solution providers to dramatically improve fleet operations, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. What ...
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Solar Solutions for Transportation Part 3: Battery Maintenance
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Commercial vehicles and trailers have a surprising number of batteries to power auxiliary systems including APU (Auxiliary Power Units) battery banks, the truck battery itself, and liftgate batteries. ...
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"Sealed Maintenance-Free" Batteries. What a Myth!
Description: The term "Sealed Maintenance-Free," in my opinion, is a marketing-driven term. In the early 1980's, when telephone Private Branch Exchanges (PBX's) were being deployed into customer premises, computer ...
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Codes, Standards, Practices and Guides: An Overview
Description: There are a myriad of codes, standards, guides and practices associated with lead-acid and nickel cadmium stationary batteries. A former colleague of mine and a code expert, used to say that, "the ...
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Solar Energy Harvesting vs Coin Cell Battery: Which is Better?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Many microcontrollers, sensors, and reference designs are built around coin cell batteries, making designing with them very easy. Since they are so popular, mass production has also made them very ...
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Do IoT Devices Really Need Batteries?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: With millions of sensors, beacons, trackers, nodes, and devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) is expanding into every nook and cranny of the modern world. What do all these devices have in common? ...
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Fiber Brush Slip Ring Technology
Description: As the analog world gives way to the digital in more and more applications, design engineers are faced with replacing traditional analog components with their digital equivalents. Nowhere is this more ...
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How to Specify a Slip Ring
Description: This section is designed to guide you through the process of specifying a slip ring. We've outlined below the major considerations that a slip ring engineer will need to know about your application. ...
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Solar Solutions For Transportation Part 1: Refrigeration
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: In the transportation industry, the name of the game is efficiency. Efficiency for drivers in delivering products on time and intact. Efficiency for fleet managers ensuring their trucks operate on a ...
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What is the Staebler-Wronski Effect?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Discovered by researchers David L. Staebler and Christopher R. Wronski in 1977, the Staebler-Wronski effect occurs naturally in amorphous silicon manifesting itself primarily as a change in ...
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Guide to Banana Plugs
Description: A banana plug is considered a male connector and is called a banana because of its unique contact tip. ...
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Power Protection at the Edge: How Industrial Batteries are Evolving
Description: With Li-ion technilogy at their core, m UPSs are evolving in many other ways to optimize reliability at the edge. ...
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What Makes a Wireless Protocol Low Power?
From: PowerFilm, Inc.Description: Wireless devices constitute a large and growing portion of electronics. The importance of reducing the power consumption of these devices can't be overstated. Meeting the power needs of ...
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Control Panel Designs with Membrane Switches
From: SCHURTER IncDescription: The membrane switch is a control panel that has proven itself over the years as a very reliable solution for, among other things, standalone applications. Membrane switches are also used in ...
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Have the Mechanical Switches Had Their Day?
From: SCHURTER IncDescription: We have known and used mechanical switches and push buttons since childhood. A clear pressure point, a saturated clicking sound when actuated. Are there other ways? ...
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How to Diagnose EMC? (Part 02)
Description: 1. What is "EMC"? Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) is defined as the ability of devices and systems to operate in their electromagnetic environment without impairing their functions and without ...
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Safe Charging at Home
From: SCHURTER IncDescription: Lithium-ion battery packs are used in billions of applications from cars to the latest cell phones. Care taken during the charging process of the battery pack can extend battery life and safety. ...
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Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Solutions: Are You Dreaming Big Enough?
From: Mad City Labs, Inc.Description: When looking for a positioning solution, customers often skip directly to an off-the-shelf option, believing it will always be the most cost-effective and expedient approach. However, the reality of ...
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How to Diagnose EMC? (Part 02)
Description: 1. What is "EMC"? Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) is defined as the ability of devices and systems to operate in their electromagnetic environment without impairing their functions and without ...
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Compressed Air Meter from ifm in Ventilator
From: ifm electronic gmbhDescription: The compressed air meter SD0550 from ifm is integrated into a ventilator from Ampcontrol. The device was designed in response to the COVID-19 crisis and implements the functionality of an ICU invasive ...
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ifm Spotted: O3M Proves Useful for Hydroelectric Power Plant
From: ifm electronic gmbhDescription: 3D cameras of the O3M series which support the hydroelectric power plant operation in various places were discovered at the Lake Baldeney. ...
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Docking Box Solution Enhances System Flexibility
Description: Temporary connection boxes, also known as docking stations, are a preferred method that facility managers can utilize to comply with NEC 2017 provisions for LRSS and to enhance the overall system ...
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Icarus Wasn't Even Close
Description: How PI's Piezo Steering Mirror Technology is Helping ESA and NASA Unlock the Sun's Secret ...
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Nanopositioning Stages with Piezo Drives and Flexures: Frequently Asked Questions
Description: Piezo Stage FAQs ...
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Piezoelectric Transducers for Ventilators and Nebulizers
Description: Piezoelectric transducers are at the heart of many a medical apparatus. Chronic respiratory diseases like mucoviscidosis, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but also bronchitis, ...
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Point-Cloud Surface Reconstruction: What 3D Laser Manufacturing and Lidar Measurements have in Common
Description: How PI supports Additive Manufacturing and Laser Materials Processing Applications ...
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Reliable Piezo Motion Devices for Industrial and Space Applications
Description: 100 Billion Cycles - Can an Actuator be Designed to Provide this Kind of Reliability? ...
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Smart Vaccine Patch Production with Piezo Elements
Description: Administering vaccinations is a vital prevention of viral or bacterial infections. The topic was already studied in early Asian cultures and finally experienced its breakthrough in the 19th century ...
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Ultrasonic Metering in Intensive Care Devices
Description: Piezo technology offers various possibilities to improve them: Using piezo transducers, for example, makes intensive care devices such as infusion systems smarter and facilitates vital patient ...
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What is a Difference between a Gantry System and a Split-Bridge?
Description: Gantry motion systems and split bridge motion systems are often used in industrial production, testing, and additive manufacturing. A gantry usually consists of a base plate (often granite) and two ...
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Protect Your Electronics - and Your Product's Reputation - with Custom Enclosure Gaskets
From: Web Seal Inc.Description: To protect your sensitive electrical and electronic equipment, a high-performing gasket - designed to NEMA /IP standards and customized for your enclosure - is critical. With UL50/508 design and ...
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Four Key Technology Trends Affecting Medical Device and Connector Manufacturers
From: LEMO USA, Inc.Description: Medical device manufacturers depend on innovative connectivity products to keep ahead of changes to the regulatory environment, as well as ongoing demand for low-cost, disposable solutions, reusable ...
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How to Specify High Voltage Connectors
From: LEMO USA, Inc.Description: In this white paper, LEMO engineers and designers specializing in high voltage connectors will work to provide readers with an insider perspective, and take some of the mystery out of high voltage ...
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MACHFORCE D38999 Connector & High Speed Module
From: PIC Wire & CableDescription: High-speed data solutions and components are a growing requirement in the aerospace and defense industry. Modern systems are requiring higher data transfer speeds for mission-critical operations in ...
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Q&A with New England Wire Technologies and the Impact of the Covid-19 on Medical Device Manufacturing
Description: The first in our client Q&A series to understand the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic across various industries and how companies are adjusting to the changing landscape. ...
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The Anatomy of a Ventilator Cable
Description: With recent world events creating unprecedented attention and demand for mechanical ventilators, they have been thrust into the global spotlight as a critical component in the treatment of respiratory ...
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Commercial Ethernet vs Industrial Ethernet
From: Lapp TannehillDescription: What are the similarities and differences of Ethernet cable, and what does it mean for your next factory automation project? Also learn about 3 considerations you should have in mind when designing, ...
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Industrial Ethernet Protocols
From: Lapp TannehillDescription: As the use of ETHERNET is becoming more and more prominent, especially in industrial settings, industrial protocols are becoming normalized terms when looking for products for systems such as ...
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Understanding IIoT Batteries and Power Protection at the Edge
Description: Uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are evolving to deliver the high continuity needed in the digital age and battery technology is evolving with them. In this Automation.com feature, Bedrock ...
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Best Material for Magnetic Car Signs & How Car Magnets Work
Description: When Considering the Best Material for Magnetic Car Signs, the Thickness of the Magnetic Sheet Used for Magnets on Cars Matters ...
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How to Ship Magnets by Air - Guidelines for Shipping Magnets via Air Transportation
Description: We are often asked about shipping magnets by air, and thought we'd take a minute to write about it. Adams Magnetic Products' general policy is to ship all magnetized products using ground ...
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Magnetic Labeling Systems Improve Warehouse Organization
Description: Whenever you need to add or take away something, it's likely to throw off your entire labeling system. To avoid this difficulty, why not implement a magnetic labeling system? ...
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What's the Best Tool to Use to Cut .030 Thick Magnet Sheets?
Description: We use special equipment which is designed specifically for use with magnetic sheet. Instead, I think you would be better served by using one of two fairly simple methods. ...
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DayCor® Rail - Targeted Analysis of Corona in Overhead Electrical Systems
From: OFIL SystemsDescription: DayCor® Rail is a corona detection driven system dedicated to assist electrical railways management maintain the ongoing safe operation of their mass transportation networks. DayCor® Rail ...
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Thermal Performance of Modular Switching Power Supply
Description: With the fast development of technology, various industries request modular power supply to be miniaturization. Under this trend, the thermal performance of modular power supply becomes the key factor ...
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How to Finally Get the Most Out of Those Smart Home Devices
Description: Are you using smart home devices you own effectively? The answer is probably not. There's a whole world of fun and convenience available. Smart home devices like smart speakers can be used throughout ...
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Ultra-Compact SiC Module Contributes to Realization of EV with No Charging Worries
Description: ROHM, in collaboration with a research group headed by Associate Professor Hiroshi Fujimoto of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo (hereafter the " University of Tokyo ...
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Combined DC Power Supply Testing
From: Neeltran, Inc.Description: NEELTRAN's unique ability to perform Combined Testing on Rectifier Transformers and hi current DC Rectifier systems offers advantages including reduced risk, lower costs, and time savings to ...
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Gear Reducers 101: Back to the Basics
Description: Gear reducers convert high-speed rotational energy from an input or driving device, such as a motor, to an output or driven device, such as a shaft. These devices reduce the output speed of the motor ...
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Reducing Gearbox Costs in the Aggregate Industry
Description: An understanding of the harsh operating conditions and significant costs of downtime is the first step to reducing gearbox costs in the aggregate industry. Aggregate industry operations include ...
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Regular Maintenance and Wiring Inspection are Crucial for VFD Health and Longevity
Description: A regular maintenance schedule is important to keep a variable frequency drive (VFD) operating efficiently and effectively. ...
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Select Switching Power Supply for Medical Device
Description: Switching power supplies are widely used in medical devices, such as a ventilator, mask machine, PCR nucleic acid detector, body temperature detector, multi-parameter monitor, x ray, CT/PET, blood ...
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Selecting an Appropriate Gear Reducer
Description: The selection of an appropriate gear reducer can be a daunting task for a design engineer because there are a myriad of potential gear reducer designs and products that may appear to satisfy design ...