Engineered Systems articles from May 2006

Engineered Systems archives from May 2006

Great expectations (three different ways).(editor's note)
May 1, 2006... The missus and I enjoy the movies, but we find ourselves watching fewer and fewer of them in the movie theater. Why? Well, the inappropriate talking, the prices, and the having your seatback kicked by some unrepentant kid haven't helped. Heck,...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2006... JUNE 2006 For more events and details, visit ESOnline at www.esmagazine.com. 19-22 2006 Technical Symposium & Annual Meeting The Vibration Institute Louisville, KY. For info, visit www.vibinst.org. 24-28 ...

Putting the representative in rep.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I read with interest Howard McKew's January 2006 "Tomorrow's Engineer" column titled "D-B: The Misunderstood Project Delivery Process," (page 132). Basically, I agree with his statements, but I suggest that they don't go deep enough. Let me...

More time for TAB.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I just finished reading Howard McKew's February 2006 "Tomorrow's Engineer" column concerning testing and balancing ("More on Jump-Starting the TAB Process," page 70). Interesting article. It is nice to be able to have the time to follow...

Bringing commissioning to the masses.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Thanks for the excellent article that trumpets the benefits of building commissioning ("Building Commissioning--Everyone Benefits," TABB Talk supplement, October 2005, page 4). Jeffrey Yago hit the key points quickly and accurately,...

Sprucing up submittals.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Hooray for Howard McKew's March 2006 "Tomorrow's Engineer" column concerning equipment/ATC submittals ("Subpar Submittals," page 100)! When we get a purchase order/contract for a control system, the first thing we ask the mechanical contractor...

Clearing the way for specifications.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Steve Liescheidt's "PerSPECtives" March 2006 column in Engineered Systems ("Specification Language," page 34) hits home for me. A strong command of the language in written form seems to have become an uncommon skill. Nonetheless, it's worth a...

Back to basics[TM].
May 1, 2006... Helpful Hints * Refer to this month and last month's "HVACR Designer Tips" and last month's "Back To Basics" for additional information. Design Phase * Consideration should be given to completing a hydraulic model analysis of the...

Test 210: chiller replacement--design test.
May 1, 2006... Log on to www.buildingsmartsoftware.com for the complete Commissioning 1-2-3 process and also refer to this months "HVACR Designer Tips" for the equipment start-up checklist. If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions regarding the...

PTAC provides residential qualities, commercial efficiency at Michigan hotel.(case in point)
May 1, 2006... Brighton, MI is the newest location of a Homewood Suites by Hilton Hotel Corporation. Homewood Suites is a national brand of an all-suite, residential-style hotel that caters to travelers who are on the road a few nights or longer. The...

Sealant saves $30,000 ice cream machine and a small fortune in new parts.(case in point)
May 1, 2006... After discovering a new HVAC and refrigeration sealant last year, 18-year-veteran service tech Mark Upshaw is now convinced that a lot of food service and HVAC equipment has prematurely landed in the junkyard. Upshaw estimated he...

Getting 9-1-1 operators the 4-1-1 is key for GMU.(case in point)
May 1, 2006... Located in northern Virginia, George Mason University provides a suburban campus environment for its more than 28,000 students, many of whom benefit from the opportunity to research, intern, and work within Washington, DC's business and...

Decommissioning: taking part of a system off-line doesn't have to get out of hand.(commissioning)
May 1, 2006... As with last month, I'd like to introduce a new commissioning term, which isn't exactly mainstream in the commercial and institutional building industry. This time, the word of the month is decommissioning. Although a rigorous process of...

Real-time renaissance: it's happening. Right now.(building automation)
May 1, 2006... In the April issue of AutomatedBuildings.com, Anto Budiardjo and I wrote an article titled "Building Automation Renaissance: How to Survive and Prosper From Building-IT Convergence" (http://automatedbuildings.com/news/apr06/articles/antoken/...

Take it from the top.(perSPECtives)
May 1, 2006... There's a reason it's called Division 1. Although it is generally understood that the documents prepared by the architect and engineer are not used to describe the means and methods of construction, referring to these documents as...

Design review & equipment startup: checklist for Chiller (Absorption) Replacement/Retrofit.(hvacr designer tips)
May 1, 2006... Equipment type: Absorption chiller Equipment designation: CH-1 Bar code designation: 111111 Area served: Base building Equipment location: Chiller room 1-110 ELECTRICAL INSPECTION YES NO *...

A fine choice: in March of 2004, Starwood Hotels was looking for ways to mitigate the penalties imposed by the Southern California Air Quality Management Division (SCAOMD) for a boiler at its Westin hotel in Long Beach that failed to meet rigorous state standards. This is the story of facing three retrofit choices and choosing the high road to lower NOx.(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... The Long Beach Westin is located less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean and offers 460 guest rooms and 41,000 sq ft of indoor meeting space. The city of Long Beach enjoys a temperate climate, with winter temperatures averaging 55[degrees]F and...

Going swimmingly: as for indoor/outdoor environmental contrasts, it's hard to beat a tropical indoor water park amid what is otherwise a subzero Alaskan day. Yet that's precisely the scene in Anchorage, where this major attraction navigates its humidity challenges and the sometimes extreme outside air conditions. Heat exchange and opportunistic plenum design also ensure that comfort and costs don't go slip-sliding away.
May 1, 2006... Alaska is known for the majestic outdoor beauty of Mount McKinley, its vast lands of forest, and abundant wildlife. Indoors, Alaska is also home to one of the largest enclosed water parks in the United States. H2Oasis, on a three-acre site in...

Fan energy system optimization: in which the author explains why a big-picture perspective--from motor load to duct fittings--is essential to get the most out of your fan system. Part-load efficiency, helpful software, and the effect of power on performance are just three stops on the road to total system enlightenment and retrofit reward.
May 1, 2006... Fan energy conservation awareness an energy conservation awareness has expanded with the application of ASD technology, which is designed to match the system's supply with user's demand; however, applications of ASDs do not overcome other...

A family circus.(Cartoon)
May 1, 2006... "I forget. Does holding the door open let the cold air in, or the warm out?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Safety in numbers: host Marriott's ongoing host of projects.
May 1, 2006... In which our contributing editor checks in on a huge hotel enterprise and sees that from wiring to aesthetics to local code distinctions, managing life safety systems is a little more complicated than it used to be. Faced with prioritizing...

CABA announces availability of new research on home and building automation.(issues and events)
May 1, 2006... CABA recently announced that five research papers have been placed in the association's research library at www.caba.org/aboutus/public.html. Only CABA members have access to the full research library, through special passwords. Recently...

2007 AHR Expo expands to occupy entire Dallas Convention Center.(issues and events)
May 1, 2006... To meet the growing demand for more exhibit space from HVACR exhibitors around the world, AHR Expo show management has reserved the entire Dallas Convention Center for the 2007 AHR Expo. According to Clay Stevens, president of IEC, show...

MicroMain Corporation.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... MicroMain Corporation, a provider of asset and facility management software and services, recently celebrated 15 years of service in the maintenance and facility management industry.

Lord Corporation.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... Lord Corporation, who specializes in the management of motion, vibration, and noise, has launched a distributor network to aid in the global distribution and services of their balancing systems and other technologies in the United Kingdom,...

MAMAC Systems.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... MAMAC Systems, a global manufacturer of industrial and commercial sensors and control peripherals, has concluded an agreement with Massachusetts-based Metropac Industries, which allows Metropac to distribute MAMAC products to more than 8,000...

Emerson Climate Technologies.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... Emerson Climate Technologies, a business of Emerson recently announced the addition of Specialized Technology Training courses to its available curriculum. For more information, visit www.EmersonClimateContractor.com and click on "Education &...

LONMARK[R] International.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... LONMARK[R] International announced that over 1,000 people gathered in Paris for the annual LONWORLD Expo and Conference and LONMARK meetings.

Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC announced that its Tifton, GA, manufacturing facility is implementing technology to further enhance the quality of its commercial refrigeration products.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Inc.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Inc. has announced the opening of a new 16,000-sq-ft HVACR Energy Efficiency Testing Facility in the metro-Dallas area.

Taco, Inc.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... Taco, Inc. announced price increases ranging from 2.5% to 5% for its commercial products line, which took effect February 1, 2006.

Marathon Multinational Industries Corporation.(Industry News)
May 1, 2006... Marathon Multinational Industries Corporation (MMI-Corp) announced the acquisition of the Marathon group of companies including Marathon Sensors Inc. and Marathon Monitors and Control Systems Corporation (Beijing) Ltd.

Mechanical Products Nevada, Inc.(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... Mechanical Products Nevada, Inc. announced that Bryan Im is the company's newest sales engineer.

O'Dea, Lynch, Abbattista Consulting Engineers, PC (OLA).(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... O'Dea, Lynch, Abbattista Consulting Engineers, PC (OLA), has named Steven M. Gumm, P.E., as an associate of the firm, and Jeffrey D. Lyman and Scott P.Ziegler as Engineer Ill.

Cannon Design announced that Kirk yon Spaeth, AIA.(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... Cannon Design announced that Kirk yon Spaeth, AIA, has joined the firm as a senior associate.

The Stellar Group.(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... The Stellar Group recently completed the construction of a 220,000-sq-ft refrigerated warehouse and distribution center for Burris Logistics, located in Elkton, MD.

Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. announced that Peter Lynde, RE., Rick Dye, P.E., and Simon Yendle, AlA, have been selected to serve on the firm's strategic board of directors.

James Miller recently joined Woolpert, Inc.(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... James Miller recently joined Woolpert, Inc., as a site development senior project manager.

Neil H. Martin, AIA, has joined Dewberry.(Engineering Beat)
May 1, 2006... Neil H. Martin, AIA, has joined Dewberry as director of the Boston office.

Jackson Systems, LLC.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... Jackson Systems, LLC announced that Phil Kimble is their new national sales manager, focusing his efforts in zone control and IAQ products.

Colmac Coil Manufacturing.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... Colmac Coil Manufacturing announced that Dan Melvin has joined their R&D Engineering group as a design engineer.

Armstrong Pumps.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... Armstrong Pumps announced the appointment of Darren Vanderburgh as value stream manager--pumps.

StrionAir.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... StrionAir recently announced the appointment of Reed Sarver as CEO.

Emerson Network Power.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson announced that EarleWeaver has been named president of Liebert North America.

Burnham Hydronics.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... Burnham Hydronics announced Gary Markle as 2006 Salesperson of the Year and McCoy Sales as 2006 Sales Representative of the Year at the company's national sales meeting earlier this year.

Tim Kilgore.(Places and Faces)
May 1, 2006... Tim Kilgore has joined Greenheck as general manager for the Damper and Louver Business Unit and Airolite.

RFID might help track first responders.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
May 1, 2006... A National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) team is studying the feasibility of using radio frequency identification technology during emergencies. RFID is widely used to identify, track, and communicate information about...

GridWise constitutional convention review now available; next event set for this month.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
May 1, 2006... The GridWise[TM] Architecture Council (GWAC), a team of cross-industry experts representing the power industry, IT and telecommunications, industrial controls, buildings, economics, and regulatory policy, sponsored a GridWise Constitutional...

New environmental test facility helps manufacturers improve IAQ.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
May 1, 2006... As scientists learn more about the potentially harmful effects of indoor air pollution, nations around the world are imposing increasingly strict regulations on chemical emissions from furnishings, paints, and building materials. Using a...

The IAPMO Standards Council.(Association Agenda)
May 1, 2006... The IAPMO Standards Council announced that J. Richard Wagner RE., CIPE, has stepped into the role of council chair, and that Jim Crawford, Phil Ribbs, and Terry Swisher were also added as council members.

The Association of Energy Engineers.(Association Agenda)
May 1, 2006... The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) now offers the Basics Of Energy Management online seminar series as part of its 24/7 Online Seminar Program.

RSES.(Association Agenda)
May 1, 2006... RSES announced that Stanley B. Osborne, CM, of the Five Star Chapter, Lawrenceville, GA, passed the CM exam was awarded CM status.

HVAC Excellence.(Association Agenda)
May 1, 2006... HVAC Excellence announced that Thomson Delmar Learning, publisher of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology--5th Edition, is sponsoring a limited number of grants for the HVAC Excellence Employment Ready Certification (Student Outcome...

NFPA.(Association Agenda)
May 1, 2006... NFPA recently released an updated report titled "U.S. Experience with Sprinklers and Other Fire Extinguishing Equipment" with new evidence on the tremendous value of automatic fire sprinkler systems. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org.

ASHRAE's.(Association Agenda)
May 1, 2006... ASHRAE's "HandbookCD+ 2002-2005" is an enhanced CD-ROM that provides technical guidance in the association's handbook.

Three IAQ associations unite.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
May 1, 2006... The three leading national trade associations involved with IAQ recently announced that they have combined forces. The unification of the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), the American Indoor Air Quality Council (AmIAQ), and the Indoor...

Web-enabled integration.(computers & software)
May 1, 2006... webVUE HMI for Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) networks, a part of The CrossTalk Platform, is a cost-effective, easy-to-use, Web-enabled, integrated head-end solution. It integrates all N2 Open and DX9100 protocols and optimizes current Johnson...

CFD airflow prediction.(computers & software)
May 1, 2006... FLOVENT is a CFD program that predicts 3-D airflow, heat transfer, and contamination distribution in buildings of all types and sizes. The program's fast and easy-to-use menu system is designed specifically for engineers involved in the design...

The Radiant Panel Association.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... The Radiant Panel Association has added an online tool to its website (www.radiantpanelassociation.org) that allows users to compare annualized fuet costs of various heat sources and the effect of different heat loads between radiant heating...

Humidifirst.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... Humidifirst's website, located at www.humidifirst.com/, provides information about its selection of ultrasonic humidifiers.

TSI, Inc.'s.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... TSI, Inc.'s website, located at www.tsi.com, now includes features such as applications, product directory, find a rep/distributor, product promotions, software, subscribe to a mail list, online store, and more.

Honeywell.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... Honeywell's Workbench website, located at www.buildingcontrolworkbench.com, provides easy access to information about the company's HVAC control products, fire and life safety systems, access control, intrusion protection, combustion controls,...

AST ElectroFin, Inc.'s.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... AST ElectroFin, Inc.'s website, located at www.elecrrofin.com, has been expanded to include more detail on its polymertc cod coating known as ElectroFin[R].

Twin City Fan Companies Ltd.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... Twin City Fan Companies Ltd. provides a corporate video detailing the company's commercial and industrial fans at www.tcf.com.

Danfoss North America.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... Danfoss North America's "EnVisioneering--a new perspective on handling HVAC&R challenges" website, located at www.envisioneering.danfoss.com--provides a vision for HVACR solutions that combine engineering innovation, energy efficiency, and...

American Cooling Tower.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... American Cooling Tower provides information about its technical expertise and experience in engineering, design, and manufacturing capabilities, at www.americancoolingtower.com.

The DOE.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... The DOE has launched a new website (www.eere.energy.gov/financing) to provide comprehensive information on financial assistance programs available to businesses and other organizations for energy projects from the DOE Office of Energy...

Testo, Inc.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... Testo, Inc. has officially launched its new mini-website for the Testo 330 Residential/Industrial Combustion Analyzer.

The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation.(World Wide Web)
May 1, 2006... The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation's (MCERF) new website (www.mcerf.org/index.htm) serves as a source for news, publications, and services that members can put to work in their businesses every day.

Boiler control software.(computers & software)
May 1, 2006... The company's Knight Heating Boiler features a Smart System control with Pocket PC software that helps set up and program units and provides trend analysis. The software allows for easy plotting and trending of historical data, which can be...

CADzation.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... CADzation announced the release of AcroPlot Auto and the extension of their partnership with Autodesk, a leading software and services company.

Carmichael Engineering Ltd.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... Carmichael Engineering Ltd., a Canada-based firm that specializes in the design and maintenance of thermal systems, has selected Data-Basics' SAM Pro Enterprise software to unify and integrate its complete operation.

Qwickload.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... Qwickload's W-500 program provides complete HVAC system engineering calculations for heating and cooling loads for commercial buildings.

Computair.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... Computair's WinTADS AHU program works from basic principles and rules allowing custom AHUs to be designed.

ACR Systems Inc.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... ACR Systems Inc. announced the launch of its new TrendReader Standard 2, which emphasizes datalogger connectivity and data management.

System Sensor.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... System Sensor has developed the Equivalent Facilitator Web-based calculator in an effort to provide architects and engineers with easy access to a tool that will assist in the design of audible/visible notification device circuits.

H I Solutions, Inc.(BITS & BYTES)
May 1, 2006... H I Solutions, Inc.'s Pocket PC Test Tool allows users to perform unitary test programs with Windows Pocket PC-based Personal Digital Assistants.

Sensors.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... The company's relative humidity sensor is designed to guarantee system accuracies up to [+ or -] 1% in a previously unavailable economical manner. The units are designed to work within a BAS. The company also manufactures temperature sensors,...

VFDs.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... The company has enhanced its SED2 drive family to simplify programming, start-up, and operation. Hardware improvements include increased strength of internal components and connections, a protective coating on internal circuit boards, and a new...

Sensors.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... Sensors DataStick[TM] water sensors communicate analog values with 24-bit accuracy over Modbus, eliminating analog wiring and field calibration. Applications can now be accomplished by simply communicating to the sensors directly over...

Pump mechanisms.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... The Pivotrol[R] pressure-powered pump cover and mechanism retrofit is designed as an easy, inline, bolt-in upgrade for almost every make of mechanical pump. Designed for rapid cycling environments under elevated pressure and temperature...

Damper actuators.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... The company's damper actuator is designed to eliminate all linkage on two-stage commercial oil burners.The unit is electronically operated and adjustments can be made with a small screwdriver and wrench, which is included with the actuator....

Airflow trackers.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... The Kestrel 4100 airflow tracker measures cfm, temperature, rh, and dewpoint, and can store 480 data points in its datalogger. The unit is suited for facilities monitoring and the user can set the logging interval to store data automatically...

Butterfly valves.(products in focus)
May 1, 2006... Series 7700 butterfly valves are designed for use in commercial grooved-end pipe systems and are available is sizes designed to meet industry requirements for virtually any application.The valves provide a leak-tight seal to 300 psi, using a...