It’s no secret that the shipyard industry is full of harsh conditions that threaten the operational life of traditional electrical wire and cable.

The Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) market is positioned for growth with some reports predicting a market value greater than $20 billion by 2021. What's driving this growth? Advantages to using VFD such as tighter process control and cost savings achieved through improved efficiency, reduced energy usage, and decreased maintenance. While controllers and motors combine as the two primary components to VFD, there is one additional component that is often overlooked and yet it is key to achieving the above-outlined benefits: the cable. 

In an industrial setting, it’s imperative to be aware of the chemicals coming into contact with your cable and how they may impact the life of the cable. The cable’s jacket can swell, bloat, or harden after exposure, and even penetrate to the cable itself. Being armed with this knowledge will help you choose a proper cable that will last.

Here are some of the common chemicals to which your industrial power cables may be subjected.

WHY HAVE AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN?

If we've learned anything from recent events, having an operations plan in case of an emergency plays a very important role in keeping your facility up and running and your people safe. Your plan can provide guidance to employees during an emergency and highlight potential issues in your facility, such as hazardous conditions and a lack of resources, that you may be able to fix prior to an emergency happening.

The Wood, Pulp & Paper industry is known for producing wood chips, pulp slush, and waste water (aeration ponds). The paper-making process results in a lot dust and other particles that can put machinery and cables at an increased risk for failure. 

Without proper maintenance, it is hard to protect your investments. Here are 5 maintenance tips for wood and pulp equipment: 

Choosing the right reeling cable for your crane application can feel like a game of chance. You’re not sure which one will do the trick so, with blindfold on and fingers crossed, you choose a cable, install it on the application, and hope for a win. If this particular game of chance sounds risky & reckless to you, you're in good company. Check out our handy-dandy guide for matching the right reeling cable to your crane application - simply scroll for the low-res embedded images or click to download the high-res .pdf. Then, read on to solve your biggest challenge related to a more elusive type of reeling cable.

STAY ON TOP OF INCREASING DEMANDS IN THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

Electrical cables in the food and beverage industry are constantly exposed to a variety of abusive environments, such as constant washdowns, harsh chemicals, abrasion, heat, cold, flexing, constant motion and impact.

Global specialist distributor and worldwide exporter, Thorne & Derrick International (T&D), recently featured a TPC Wire & Cable contributed article about heat tracing electrical cables for frost protection of water pipework.

Consequences of frost damaged water services can go from inconvenient to catastrophic in an instant.

Engineer and inventor, Nikola Tesla, contributed tremendously to the development of the alternating current (AC) electrical system and the rotating magnetic field. Determined to carry out his forward-thinking vision of AC, Tesla was an inspiration across many industries in the name of science who dared to challenge other technological advancements of his time, such as Thomas Edison's direct current (DC) electrical powerhouses.

To modernize your plant, revamping and debottlenecking (increasing capacity) restores competitiveness and allows your facility to fulfill demanding market requirements regardless of industry. Pinpointing and removing existing bottlenecks will help to achieve optimal results between your investment costs and plant output, thus increasing the quality, quantity and safety of your products. 

Electrical grids require constant updates in order to support the policy goals of the energy industry. Those necessary updates to modernize the power grid include conventional updates as well as advanced digital information and telecommunication technologies.

Mary Gannon, Senior Editor at Design World, recently spoke with the experts at TPC for expert insight into which industries are making the most impact on electrical cable designs.

Medium voltage cable provides a reliable power source in the event of unpredictable power outage situations, power distribution to isolated areas and any application ranging from 5kV up to 35Kv. To ensure that your cable lasts, choose a durable medium voltage cable with excellent flexibility. In addition to flexibility, the cable you choose should include a variety of benefits that will reduce downtime and keep your facility running smoothly.

Custom engineered electrical cable is designed to reduce downtime, increase plant efficiency and solve a specific problem that commodity cable may not solve. Supplying a variety of details, such as the application and environment of the cable, ensures that it will be built specifically to solve your particular problem.