For: www.wireville.com
"Heard On The Street" Column
Issue: July 2007
By: Frank Bisbee
In the
world of Communication Cabling Infrastructure, Education is has become a
survival imperative. OJT (On the Job Training) used to be sufficient
for cabling installers, but not anymore. Both copper and fiber optic cabling
have become extremely craft intensive in order to maximize the value and performance
of the installations. With high performance cabling designs, even small errors
can really foul things up.
The changes
in the cabling world have come at us faster than anyone expected. Yesterday’s
rules may not be the best methods today. The cable manufacturers have some
brand specific training available for their warranty programs and the makers of
test equipment have cutting edge support programs and training for their
equipment. There are also some excellent programs offered by specialized training
firms for copper cabling or fiber optic cabling. Many associations also offer
outstanding generic training programs for the design and implementation of
cabling infrastructure for inside, outside, and wireless plant. We have found
these training programs to be affordable and up-to date.
However
affordable the above referenced training choices are, they pale in comparison
to the communication industry’s publications. Virtually all of the industry
publications are advertiser paid and are available at no charge to the readers.
Many of the publications have the entire magazines online and a host of other
values available like webinars. There is really no excuse for not staying
current and educated in this rapidly changing industry.
Resources
include but are not limited to:
CABLE
HCM Hitachi
Cable www.hcm.hitachi.com
Berk-Tek
Nexans www.berktek.com
General
Cable www.generalcable.com
CommScope
cable www.commscope.com
Superior
Essex cable www.superioressex.com
Coleman
cable www.coleman-cable.com
ADC cable www.adc.com
Corning www.corning.com
Optical
Cable Corp www.occfiber.com
CONNECTORS
SMP Data www.smpdata.com
Ortronics www.ortronics.com
Leviton www.leviton.com
Panduit www.panduit.com
Siemon www.siemon.com
INFRASTRUCTURE
SYSTEMS
ERICO www.erico.com
Snake Tray www.snaketray.com
Cooper
B-Line www.cooperbline.com
Wiremold/Legrand
www.wiremold.com
DYMO –
Rhino Pro www.rhinolabeling.com
Beast
Cabling Systems www.beastcablingsystems.com
Unique
Firestop Products www.uniquefirestop.com
Hellermann
Tyton www.hellermann.tyton.com
Minuteman
UPS www.minutemanups.com
Preformed
Line Products www.preformed.com
TESTING
Fluke
Networks www.flukenetworks.com
Ideal www.idealindustries.com
Fiber
Instrument Sales www.fiberinstrumentsales.com
ByteBrothers
www.bytebrothers.com
TRAINING
Light
Brigade Fiber Optic Training (the #1 rated) www.lightbrigade.com
Fiber Optic
Assn (FOA) www.thefoa.org
NAED Natl.
Assn. of Electrical Distributors www.naed.org
CABA
Continental Automated Buildings Assn. www.caba.org
NECA Natl.
Electrical Contractors Assn www.necanet.org
NJATC Natl.
Joint Apprentice Training Committee www.njatc.org
BICSI – Telecommunications Cabling Assn.
www.bicsi.org
AFCOM –
Data Center World www.afcom.com
PUBLICATIONS
Electrical
Contractor Magazine www.ecmag.com
Cabling
Business Magazine www.cablingbusiness.com
CNS (Cable
Networking Systems) Magazine www.cnsmagazine.com
Communications
News www.comnews.com
Cabling
Installation & Maintenance Magazine www.cable-install.com
TED ( The
Electrical Distributor) Magazine www.tedmag.com
Power
Outlet Magazine www.rexelusa.com/power_outlet/power_outlet.aspx
Wireville.com
(online only) www.wireville.com
Lightwave
Magazine www.lightwaveonline.com
Education
is essential. And…Safety is too important to ignore.
But that’s
just my opinion,
Frank Bisbee
"Heard On The Street" Monthly Column
www.wireville.com
4949 Sunbeam Rd, Suite 16
Jacksonville, FL 32257
(904) 645-9077 office
(904) 645-9058 fax
frank@wireville.com
Polymer Dynamix to Develop Non-Halogen Plenum Cable Compounds
Veerag Mehta announced that
Polymer Dynamix has initiated a program to develop and produce non-halogen
cable compounds to meet plenum cable requirements including the flame
performance in the NFPA 262 cable fire and smoke test. Through
development of a proprietary flame retardant and synergist technology, Polymer
Dynamix is preparing to launch the largest technological shift in this market
in over 20 years.
According to the president
for compound innovator Polymer Dynamix, the cable market is moving to more
environmentally friendly solutions and current compounds for cable types like
FT-6 are only available in halogenated forms. The use of halogen cable
compounds has limited the acceptance and availability of cable types meeting stringent
plenum cable standards anywhere except in
While the project is still
in its infancy, Mehta noted that a long standing debate over minimum flame
requirements for plenum cable within the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) has stymied development of new plenum cable compound technology for more
than 10 years. “It is time that new compounds targeted to environmentally
friendly standards and the reduction of incapacitation factor during fires are
developed and provided as alternatives for markets where current plenum cable
compounds are precluded.”
Polymer
Dynamix is a plastics technology company specializing in development and
commercialization of innovative materials. Core
competencies include flame retardant compounds, conductive and static
dissipative compounds, high strength/wear and surface property
modification. For more information, please visit the website at www.polymerdynamix.com. Polymer
Dynamix... formulations that free your imagination.
HCM Working To Protect The Environment & Preserve Natural Resources
Since 1986, HCM has been manufacturing cable products at our
Environmentally friendly products.
Though HCM does not manufacture any hazardous products,
recent discoveries regarding the breakdown of landfill waste has brought
attention to a number of substances used in the manufacture of cable that, over
time, can contaminate ground water.
Other everyday electrical products, such as blenders, computers, hair
dryers, etc. can also contribute to contaminating ground water when discarded
in a landfill. So, in September of 2005,
HCM adopted the RoHS guidelines in manufacturing all of its cable
products. RoHS, short for Restriction of
Hazardous Substances is a European environmental directive that was instituted
in July of 2006. The directive,
know technically as 2002/95/EC, restricts the use of certain substances
including lead, mercury and cadmium. The
restricted substances were found to be very harmful to the environment and
would contaminate soil and groundwater when disposed of in a landfill. HCM took it upon itself to become compliant
to the directive well in advance of the European deadline.
Water is a precious resource.
HCM utilizes over 35,000 gallons of water a month in the
cooling of products and equipment.
Virtually all of that water is recycled.
HCM utilizes a closed-loop system that feeds water to equipment. The equipment raises the water
temperature. When the water leaves the
manufacturing line, it is sent to a cooling tank located outside the
facility. Once the water cools, it is
drawn back into the system, filtered and re-used. Only water that is lost to
evaporation is replaced with water from the local water supply.
Cutting
electrical use.
Regarding electrical use, HCM recently replaced over 300
light fixtures throughout our 300,000 square foot facility with high efficiency
florescent lighting. By replacing all the light fixtures, HCM was able to
reduce overall energy consumption by 11%.
Also, the light bulbs in these new fixtures contain 75% less mercury
than the previous bulbs, making them less harmful to the environment when they
are disposed of. Many of these lights
also operate on motion detection sensors.
So, aisles in the warehouse are not lit unless someone enters an aisle
and triggers a motion sensor. To add
additional light, there are 90 skylights spread through the manufacturing and
warehouse areas.
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle…
HCM is recognized in
HCM recycles 100% its cardboard waste and 100% of its office
paper waste. During an average month,
HCM recycles nearly 14,000 pounds of cardboard and 2,000 pounds of office
paper.
Even hazardous chemical waste is recycled. Methyl Ethyl Ketone, used for color striping
on a handful of products is recycled to be used a fuel. However, to reduce the amount of MEK used,
HCM has been converting to water based inks.
In the last year, HCM has reduced the amount of MEK used by 54% to
approximately 62 pounds a month.
HCM also recycles all wood pallets (400 a month) and reels
both plastic and wood. We also purchase
products based upon the content of recycled material they contain. For example, our boxed cable products, which
we sold over 600,000 of in 2006, use a box which contains a minimum of 50%
recycled cardboard.
So, as you can see, HCM has been paying attention to how its
facility and its employees impact the environment. And, as technology permits even greater
reductions in waste and environmental impact, HCM will be there to ensure that
we truly are a steward of the environment.
www.hcm.hitachi.com
Chicago: No Olympics Without Solid Network Infrastructure Published on 6/20/2007
With
The “city
that networks” has to look beyond national Wi-Fi comparisons and into the real
competition of global cities that have significant investments in fiber.
Word of
Caution: Wi-Fi Projects Are Failing
Anyone
thinking that third-party Wi-Fi is the ultimate answer is fooling themselves.
There is no getting around the issue that a network infrastructure is a big
capital investment that can provide great results if implemented correctly.
Initial
hype that Wi-Fi is a cheap way to go is getting replaced by excuses when
network topologies don’t provide what was hyped. In a recent article,
the argument was that they are overhyped as universal solutions.
“They are
the monorails of this decade: the wrong technology, totally over promised and
completely undelivered,” said Anthony Townsend, research director at the
Institute for the Future.
Municipal
Wi-Fi projects use the same technology behind wireless access in coffee shops,
airports and home networks.
Many cities
and vendors underestimated the number of wireless antennas needed. MobilePro’s
Kite Networks wound up tripling the access points in
“The
industry is really in its infancy. What works on paper doesn’t work that same
way once you get into the real world,” said Kite COE Jerry Sullivan.
One blog put it
succinctly:
Communities
need to regard telecom as essential public infrastructure that’s critical to
community and economic development. That well-designed community infrastructure
includes both wireless access and fiber to every home and business.
With the
right business and financial planning, such systems can pay for themselves and
provide new revenue streams to local government while lowering the cost of
telecom services. Everybody wins.
In past
columns, I have made the argument that we are supporting a stagecoach-era
network infrastructure that doesn’t provide what we need to compete globally.
While some have agreed with me, many still don’t see the light. Having a Wi-Fi
network in place will not suffice.
The
following is from Technology Futures. I couldn’t have said it any better.
Wi-Fi is
expensive if you truly want total coverage. Many Wi-Fi projects underestimate
the number of access points that are needed. This is something that is causing
problems with the much-touted Philadelphia Wi-Fi effort.
Some
contractors and vendors may be underestimating the number of access points to
keep costs lower. It is important to be realistic during the planning stages
about what a community can do.
Wi-Fi is
not a business-class solution. Few businesses of any size are willing to run
their business on a Wi-Fi connection. While it may be OK for small, one- or
two-person businesses, most businesses want a more secure and reliable wired
connection.
Wi-Fi has
reliability problems. Even if you are in range of an access point, foliage on
trees, building walls, rain, snow and other access points can degrade the
signal. Because Wi-Fi is an unlicensed service, anyone can run an access point.
All those
home wireless routers can cause interference and slow down other access points.
Wi-Fi – even the newer “G” and “N” services – can’t handle video very well.
This limits
the potential of such a service to be financially viable. A municipal broadband
system has to have a solid business model that is financially sustainable. That
means being able to carry business and residential video services.
No one
seems to be talking about making a real investment in network infrastructure.
This would include a significant fiber-optic network. That is what it’s going
to take in addition to all the other upgrades
While it’s
great to hear about new harbors being built, that is only one part of the total
infrastructure. The part of the city’s infrastructure that really needs some
heavy investment is its network infrastructure. How can I get that point
across?
If we look at sports comparisons,
maybe more people would get it.
Anything
less than having 1 Gbps as a goal for 2011 would be like saying the Bears will
try to win 10 percent of their games next season, the White Sox will show up
for every home game this season or the Cubs will definitely serve hot dogs at
home games.
Do these
sound like lame goals to all you sports fanatics? That’s how bad lame
objectives for network infrastructure sound to those of us who truly understand
where we have to be in a global market.
Top 10
Cities: Forget the
In a new
study, the top
10 digital cities were recently ranked according to the following criteria:
broadband speed, cost and availability; wireless Internet access; technology
adoption; government support for technology; education and technology culture;
and future potential.
If
- New
Where are
When you
look at what subscribers receive in other cities, our network services don’t
come close. All the rhetoric by network carriers, local politicians and lobbyists
doesn’t get us any closer to the current speeds others use in countries like
The Cost
of Network Services
In
Very few
people know that
The closest
comparison would be
Look at the
speeds offered in current packages.
Anyone
touting DSL as sufficient broadband doesn’t know what they are talking about.
Maybe that is the problem in the
Sixty-five
percent of Singaporean households have broadband. In Dec. 2006, the
The
government also plans to deliver wired broadband speeds of up 1 Gbps by 2012.
Declining
Infrastructure Equals Declining Stature
Unless we
have some objective that matches or exceeds 1 Gbps, we are woefully behind.
Broadband connectivity should be defined as 1 Gbps. Period. Anything less than
that as a goal for the near future is obsolete.
There are
new applications that we are not even thinking about in the
Digital
mobile TV broadcasting or “digital multimedia broadcasting” was launched in
In speaking
about
Based on
broadband penetration,
The
Penetration
in
The
They are
kidding themselves when it comes to buying off on over-hyped municipal
solutions that are touted by those who aren’t network infrastructure experts.
They are succumbing to lobbyists who want to protect touch-tone in the era of
the iPhone.
Carlinism:
Slogans and hype are no substitute for real network infrastructure.
James Carlini will be the keynote
speaker at the upcoming Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce luncheon at
Mason’s Martini & Grill in East Dundee, Ill. on June 27. He will address
East Dundee development and the three major concerns facing regional
sustainability in
Check out Carlini’s blog at CarlinisComments.com.
James
Carlini is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University.
He is also president of Carlini & Associates. Carlini can be
reached at james.carlini@sbcglobal.net or
773-370-1888.
Click here for
Carlini’s full biography.
Graybar Awarded DLA Prime Vendor Contract
Graybar, a
leading distributor of communications and electrical products and related
supply chain management and logistics services, has announced it has been awarded
a one-year contract renewal with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) valued at
an estimated $74 million. The U.S.
Department of Defense made the announcement May 16.
Under the
Prime Vendor Contract, Graybar provides maintenance, repair and operations
(MRO) supplies and related services to the U.S. Military and federal civilian
agencies in the DLA Southwest Region — Zone 1, which includes Nevada and
California. This is the first DLA
contract renewal for Graybar this year.
Graybar was
one of seven companies that originally competed for the contract and was the
incumbent contract holder for this region.
Graybar has been serving the DLA Southwest Region — Zone 1 since 1998.
“We have
been providing first-class service and support to our DLA customers in the
Southwest region for nearly ten years and look forward to continuing to do so,”
commented John Mansfield, vice president-corporate accounts, Graybar. “The longevity of this relationship is a true
testament to our dedication to working to our customer’s advantage.”
In addition
to its DLA contracts, Graybar holds contracts with the General Services
Administration (GSA) and U.S. Communities through which government buyers can
purchase products and distribution services from Graybar.
About Graybar
Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the
largest employee-owned companies in
BICSI Fall Conference To Be Held In Las Vegas At The MGM Grand
Information
transport systems designers and installers from around the globe will be
converging in
Circa Telecom Evolves Through Strategic Growth And Branding
Circa
Telecom is pleased to announce the promotion of Mark Stephenson to Sales
Manager of its Inside Sales and CirPlus departments. Mark previously represented Circa in Outside
Sales for the
New Faces,
New Look: In a concentrated effort to
achieve greater consistency and reliability, Circa Telecom hired two additional
sales and marketing support positions.
Anne Westley joined the company in February this year to fulfill the
role of Executive Assistant. In the same
month, Stephanie Griffin was hired as Marketing Coordinator to spearhead the
company’s strategic initiatives.
“Circa
Telecom is experiencing unprecedented staff development and branding success”,
says Benjamin Biggs, Director of Sales and Marketing. “We look forward to more people taking notice
of Circa Telecom’s efforts to educate consumers and raise the quality and value
of the products we produce”.
A branding
renaissance has occurred for Circa Telecom.
A cohesive identity is reinforced with the introduction of new marketing
and sales literature as well circatelecom.com, their new website. Future conference and trade show appearances
promise to bring more enhancements and new product introductions. http://www.circatelecom.com/intro_blue.html
TIA Urges FCC To Find Balance Between Connectivity Ad Network Management
Consumers should have the right to connect to the Internet
and enjoy the content, services and devices of their choice, the
Telecommunications Industry Association told the Federal Communications
Commission today in a filing in response to the FCC’s Broadband Industry
Practices Notice of Inquiry (NOI).
The FCC can protect consumers’ connection rights, a principle goal of the NOI,
while preserving network service providers’ ability to provide enriched and
robust services. In a rapidly converging communications environment, in which
ever more data-rich services are demanded at ever higher speeds, carriers must
be able to manage the increased data flow nimbly and effectively. “A
competitive broadband market in the United States has thrived partly as a
result of the light-touch regulatory approach the Commission has taken” on this
kind of issue, the filing said.
TIA believes several core principles, such as full disclosure of providers’
broadband plans and unfettered choice of applications over any network, are
enough to ensure consumers’ rights without taking a noble goal to a pernicious
end by disallowing packet management and competitive pricing. Such onerous
regulation would surely diminish quality of service and investment in our
nation’s next-generation network.
About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association is the leading trade association in
Hiring Practices: More Talent Often On The Street Than At Many Companies
Carlini’s
Comments, MidwestBusiness.com’s
oldest column, runs every Wednesday. Its mission is to offer the common man’s
view on business and technology issues while questioning the leadership and
visions of “pseudo” experts.
If you
thought some of the CEOs caught up in the scandals of WorldCom, Enron and Tyco
were heartless and greedy, watch this video by the
immigration attorneys at Cohen & Grigsby:
The people on this video make those CEOs look like saints. They have no regard
for people trying to make a living to support their families.
Think about
all the average Joes and Janes out there in the last couple years who haven’t
been able to find a good job in IT, finance and many other disciplines. They
had skills, a degree or two and had all the experience and certifications
required by many companies.
They were
told they were overqualified. They were told they weren’t right for the job.
They were
told they weren’t experienced in a certain area along with many other lame HR
excuses that told them something wasn’t right. Still, they couldn’t prove that
their concerns were valid. This left many people concerned about their future
and their financial security.
One person
said this after viewing the video: “I’ve wondered about this phenomenon (not
getting a response) and now I know the reason why.”
So many
people have taken lesser-paying jobs in the last several years because the
doors were systematically closed on them by some who thought “cheaper was
better”. I highlighted
this in several columns going back
to 2002 when I wrote this:
“Hire cheap
or hire well. What happens at your company, time will tell.”
Someone who
takes a job that [doesn’t pay a lot] is just using it as a temporary desk and
phone to arrange their next position. Someone who is paid well is going to work
well. When you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
The people
on the video have to rate very high on the “sell your brother out to make a
buck” scale. This is discrimination on a massive scale. Phony ads in the
newspaper when there really are no jobs? Disqualifying people because they are
“overqualified” is just corporate talk for “too expensive”.
Bring in
qualified people and go through the motions to interview them so you can
justify hiring a non-citizen by claiming there were no qualified applicants who
are citizens. This is just one trick these people have suggested and companies
have implemented in order to bring in cheaper labor.
Any HR
person who follows this doctrine has absolutely no integrity. Still, they
probably did it in order to keep their own job. A friend of mine once said:
“This business has gotten so bad that it has gone from dog eat dog to rat eat
rat.”
While Lou
Dobbs weighed
in on this, it should be played as much as Paris Hilton getting out of
jail. Where is the outrage? Where are the unions?
What Has
All This Brought About?
With some
letters from senators going to the U.S. Department of Labor, the department
says they are going to look into this. Perhaps we should take the people in the
department and let them find new jobs because they haven’t done anything on
this issue.
Perhaps the
best way they could understand the plight of these Americans would be to be
laid off themselves. They’d have to look for a job and they’d be told they have
no skills by one company and then another would say they’re “overqualified”.
Think about
the frustration people have gone through. Some are still going through it. I
know of several people who sent hundreds of resumes into companies and didn’t
even get one response. I sent the link to this video to them.
Perhaps
just getting their resumes was justification enough for the company to claim
they had ample interest from American citizens who they deemed unqualified or
“overqualified” so they could hire a cheaper foreign worker. One person called
after watching and said he felt he wasted days trying to send resumes that were
just going into the garbage.
“Best
practices” aren’t found in bureaucracies.
The best
workers are not always found halfway around the world. While unemployment rates
may be at 4.5 percent, underemployment rates are very high. As no one tracks
that, we can only estimate. It is a real issue as many in the
The
long-term aftermath of this fiasco is a flurry of foreclosures that is still on
the increase, more credit card spending, the significant rise of balances on
credit cards and the general weakening of the economy that economists either
fail to recognize or just fail to incorporate into their findings.
Carlinism: Hiring practices are often a sham.
There is often more talent on the street than there is at many companies.
Anixter Inc. Holds Open House To Introduce New Infrastructure Solutions Lab
Anixter Inc., the world’s leading
distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire &
cable and a leading distributor of fasteners and other small parts (“C” Class
inventory components) to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), held an open
house on May 15th to introduce its new Infrastructure Solutions Lab, the only
distributor-operated lab in the world to be UL-certified. Replacing separate
networking and security labs, the 4,000-square-foot lab integrates networking
and security solutions to reflect the latest technologies being deployed in the
market. Held at Anixter’s
With its mission to educate,
demonstrate and evaluate networking and security infrastructure products for
Anixter’s customers, the Infrastructure Solutions Lab features the latest security
and networking best practices and highlights the standards and technologies
being deployed in the networking and security market. The Lab also showcases
the leading enterprise cabling and security solutions available from Anixter’s
key manufacturer partners. Customers, including manufacturers who partner with
Anixter for R&D to support their product development, will benefit from the
Lab’s well-designed layout which has separate demonstration, education and
evaluation areas.
The new Infrastructure Solutions Lab
will build on the legacy of “industry firsts” uncovered by previous Anixter
laboratories. Some of them include
defining different performance levels for UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)
cabling, developing and implementing non-destructive patch cord testing and
simulating real world network applications over copper and fiber optic cabling.
Staffed by industry professionals
with extensive experience in a wide array of technology disciplines, Anixter is
able to provide actionable insights and relevant demonstrations in one
convenient location. The Infrastructure Solutions Lab makes it possible for
customers to evaluate networking and security infrastructure solutions in a
vendor-neutral, real-world environment to help them select the right system for
their specific needs, prior to incurring the investment of time and money
involved in an actual technology deployment.
“Our new Lab continues Anixter’s
tradition of delivering meaningful technology recommendations to the markets we
serve. The lab is the latest example of our commitment to providing customers
with the tools and information they need to profitably and effectively operate
their business,” said Steve Leatherwood, Senior Vice
President Marketing, Anixter
Enterprise Cabling & Security Solutions. “The fact that we present
solutions in a vendor-neutral environment means that customers can make
critical business decisions based on real-world testing and unbiased analysis.”
In addition to being the only
distributor that conducts 10 Gigabit performance testing on the cabling they
sell, the Infrastructure Solutions Lab makes Anixter the world’s only
distributor that can demonstrate networking and security products running over
a single IP network, the amount of bandwidth an IP camera or any other networkable
device will take up on the network, and the impact that environmental effects
have on overall cabling performance.
Following a continental breakfast,
the open house program featured an introductory presentation by Bob Grubbs,
Anixter President & CEO, which was followed by a lab overview and case
study session as well as a tour of the Lab and a demonstration of its
capabilities. There was also a separate media Q&A session.
About Anixter
Anixter International (www.anixter.com) is the world’s leading distributor of
communication products, electrical and electronic wire & cable and a
leading distributor of fasteners and other small parts (“C” Class inventory
components) to Original Equipment Manufacturers. The company adds value
to the distribution process by providing its customers access to 1) innovative
inventory management programs, 2) more than 350,000 products and over $900
million in inventory, 3) 220 warehouses with more than 5.5 million square feet
of space, and 4) locations in 247 cities in 49 countries. Founded in 1957
and headquartered near Chicago, Anixter trades on The New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol AXE.
Sending The Troops To Boot Camp: Integrated building System Training
By Darlene
Bremer
Integrated
Building Systems (IBS) represent tremendous opportunities for electrical
contractors and are predicted to eventually outgrow the traditional electrical
market. Success will depend on the electrical contractor being able to provide
its customers with trained, highly qualified electricians that can deliver the
final integrated product, fulfilling customer’s needs.
To position
itself, the electrical contractor needs to study the market and be prepared to
invest in training personnel to work effectively in it. Industry organizations
and associations, manufacturers of IBS systems and components, and providers of
the communication protocols that truly integrated systems rely on to operate
can provide the training resources required to build a team that can
successfully demonstrate contractors’ capabilities and add value to their
offerings. The following is a sampling of what is available.
Organizations
The
National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) offers a new course through
its Management Education Institute (MEI) for IBS project supervision.
Customized for IBS contractors, the objective is to provide fundamental
information vital to supervisors’ success.
Seminars
are scheduled on an ongoing basis and include an introduction to the IBS
supervisor program, the history and development of the program, a definition of
IBS and the various synonyms by which it may be known, the key attributes and
characteristics of IBS construction, and a definition of the key role IBS
supervisors perform in achieving the success of these projects.
NECA also
offers a number of publications to educate electrical contractors about IBS
projects, including intelligent building distributed networks and specifying
integrated building systems, which are designed to assist the electrical
design, construction and specification communities incorporate the technology
into the built environment.
As a joint
program between NECA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(IBEW), the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC)
develops and standardizes training to ensure the electrical construction
industry is equipped with the most highly trained and skilled work force
possible.
Through its
local affiliates, the NJATC offers a number of courses that focus on IBS
projects, including the following:
■ Installing and configuring Internet servers and routers to
connect, manage and route LonWorks network information over Internet protocol
(IP)
■ Designing LonWorks networks
■ Troubleshooting IBS networks
■ Selecting the best components, devices and architectures
necessary to build open, interoperable LonWorks networks for building controls
applications
■ Extensive hands-on experience designing LonWorks network
devices that meet LonMark interoperability guidelines
■ A 40-hour, hands-on train-the-trainer course designed to
prepare journeymen, technicians and electrical contractors to design, install,
configure and troubleshoot distributed intelligent control systems, using the
Echelon LonWorks control platform.
BICSI,
BICSI
offers courses, conferences, publications and professional registration
programs in support of the growth of the convergence in the ITS industry. RCDD
certification demonstrates to the customer the contractor’s knowledge in the
design, implementation and integration of information transport systems and
related infrastructure, while the goal of BICSI’s installation registration
program (IRP) is to produce highly competent cabling installers at three
levels: Installer, Level 1; Installer, Level 2; and Technician. The program
offers core skills training, registration examinations and structured
on-the-job training to meet the diverse needs of the telecommunications cabling
industry.
In
addition, publications such as the Telecommunications Distribution Methods
Manual cover horizontal and backbone distribution systems; building automation
systems; and design, construction and project management.
Manufacturers
Honeywell
International Inc.,
The
company’s Building Solutions Training Center enables contractors to take
advantage of the latest building automation solutions and improve their
customers’ business results through professional quality training on Honeywell
products such as enterprise building integrator (EBI), building management,
security and access control, Excel 5000 CARE and CARE LON engineering, digital
video manager (DVM), fire and life safety solutions, SymmetrE building manager,
and legacy solutions such as XBS, XBSi, XLPlus and E-Vision.
Professional
trainers offer both technical expertise and interpersonal teaching skills.
Honeywell’s training center provides fully operational lab equipment that
mirror real world installations and provide hands-on training and interactive
instruction.
On-site
training is beneficial if the contractor has multiple people to train with
similar needs. With on-site training, the contractor can reduce its training
costs, while providing its staff with the same education they would receive at
one of the company’s training centers. In addition, ABB’s instructors are able
to maximize contractors’ exposure to the IBS technology unique to their
situation.
Web-based
training allows contractors to narrow down the courses they are seeking by
specifying the type of training, language or country, while
To enable
contractors to improve their job performance and the performance of their
customers’ automation assets, Rockwell Automation Inc.,
Instructor-led
training provides in-person instruction on a wide range of automation topics,
or contractors can choose from more than 250 open enrollment classes designed
around the use of automation technologies by job function. Rockwell also offers
tailored and custom courses to meet contractors’ specific needs.
Finally,
the Rockwell Automation Certification program is designed to produce an
exclusive base of proven professionals who have demonstrated exceptional
technical competencies and expertise in the area of controls and networks. The
program is open to all individuals using Rockwell Automation controls and
network technologies in their business.
Siemens
Building Technologies,
Hands-on,
classroom training includes an overview of building automation, including an
introduction to APOGEE field panel communications, APOGEE terminal equipment
controllers, and an introduction to pneumatic controls and HVAC basics. Other
building automation classroom training opportunities include APOGEE workstation
and advanced operations, programming for efficient building operations and
energy management, and principles of troubleshooting.
Building
Automation self-study, which is Web- or CD-based, offers APOGEE basics,
instruction on field panel operations, and an introduction to terminal boxes,
PPCL programming, and distributed digital controls. Other offerings include
introductions to modular equipment and building controllers, interpreting
sequences of operations and an introduction to open communication protocols.
For Web-based training, go to www.learningcenter.sbt.siemens.com.
Communication protocols
There are
various ways a building’s systems can be integrated, but they all rely on
communications protocols. LonWorks, developed by Echelon Corp.,
In
addition, Echelon offers on-site training for companies with six or more
employees who need training on the same topic. Custom and on-site training
courses range from an introduction to the LonWorks platform, network design,
integration tools, and network troubleshooting to iLON installation and
configuration, LonWorks device development, and network tools development.
Courses can be held at the contractor’s convenience and are designed to focus
on what is relevant to the company.
BACnet,
developed under the sponsorship of the ASHRAE, is a data communication protocol
for building automation and controls networks, and its governing set of rules
cover everything from what kind of cable to use to how to perform a particular
request or command in a standard way. ASHRAE offers two BACnet training
courses. In an Introduction to BACnet, contractors learn the fundamental
principles of BACnet and how to relate them to a simple model for describing
BACnet systems. The course also discusses the basic components of any
multivendor BACnet control system, how different systems can be merged together
using BACnet and how BACnet facilitates the integration of older systems with
BACnet-based systems. The Understanding and Specifying BACnet Systems Seminar
prepares contractors for writing and understanding specifications that make use
of the BACnet standard. Conformance classes, functional groups, PICS and other
relevant materials for specification are reviewed, and contractors also learn the
basic questions and answers useful in determining the appropriate pieces of
BACnet to be specified.
In
addition, several BACnet tutorials are available online, including BACnet—A
Tutorial Overview, BACnet/IP and Understanding BACnet Encoding.
find out more
online
For more
information, visit these Web sites:
NECA
www.necanet.org, www.neca-mei.org
NJATC
www.njatc.org
BICSI
www.bicsi.org
Honeywell
International Inc.
www.honeywell.com
ABB Inc.
www.abb.com
Rockwell
Automation Inc.
www.rockwellautomation.com
www.siemens.com
Echelon
Corp. (LonWorks)
www.echelon.com
BACnet
(ASHRAE) www.bacnet.org EC
BREMER, a freelance writer based in
Solomons, Md., contributes frequently to ELECTRICAL
CONTRACTOR.
Reprinted
with full permission of ECMag – July issue 2007 www.ecmag.com
Check Out What’s New For Cabling Business Magazine’s August 2007 Issue!
Check out
what’s new for Cabling Business
Magazine’s August 2007 issue! Packed full of hot new products, timely
industry columns and of course, the latest technology news you’ve come to
expect every month!
Features:
- How Bend-Optimized Fiber is
Designed and Applied
By Stephen Cardone
- Fiber Optic Cables Bring
Bandwidth into the Factory
By Dave Rizzo
- Abandoned Cable Issues – What’s
New?
By Frank Bisbee
- Broadband Over Powerlines – the
Latest
By Lee Badman
- TIA - 942 Cables
and Hardware
By Steve Paulov
Industry
Expert Columns:
- The Leadership Link By New Commons
§
Reel Time By Berk-Tek, A Nexans
Company
- Testing the Experts By Fluke Networks
- Engineering and Design Professionals
Hot
Products:
Fiber, Outside Plant,
Splice Tools, Crimping Tools, Testers, Surge Protectors, CAT5 Compliant RJ45
Switches, Ethernet switch product lines, Broadband, Wireless, Ethernet
Services, Copper Certification Tools Compression Assembly Tools, Optical
Network Terminals
and
much, much more!
As always
readers can log on to the magazine Web site at www.cablingbusiness.com and
download the latest issue online! Be sure not to miss out!
HOT NEWS On The Fiber Optic Training Front
The Light Brigade's series of Staff Development DVDs were
recently recognized by BICSI for Continuing Education Credits. Seven of
the DVDs are each eligible for one RCDD, 1 OSP and 1 Installer credit. Our
two-hour DVD on Fiber Optic Connectors was recognized for 2 RCDD, 2
OSP and 2 Installer credits. We have certificates available through our
training or sales staff for anyone who wishes to use the DVD and apply for
credits.
TLB's currently-available DVDs are:
- Fundamentals of Fiber Optics
- OTDR Theory and Operation
- Fiber Optic Test Equipment
- Troubleshooting a Fiber Optic
Link
- Fiber Optic Cable
- Fiber Optic Splicing
- Fiber Optic Patch Panels,
Splice Closures and Pedestals
- Fiber Optic Connectors
CrossBow Communications In Association With Computer Training Consultants Is Offering Standards Based Training On Wireless Technologies
CrossBow Communications
in association with Computer Training Consultants Offers Industry Recognized
Wireless Certification Preparation Series BootCamps – Special Pricing Offers
through Wireville!
As Wireless technologies
and their applications are growing at a phenomenal pace, what is required is
adherence to standards.
http://www.crossbowcom.com/wireless_security_certifications_training.html
…a lack of standards is confusing the market…… - Forrester
Research.
CrossBow Communications
in association with Computer Training Consultants is offering standards based
training on wireless technologies.
Wireless Certification
Preparation Series:
The Wireless# (wireless sharp) certification
is the entry-level wireless certification for the IT industry.
Your Wireless#
certification will get you started in your IT career by ensuring you have a
solid base of applicable knowledge of:
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- WiMAX
- ZigBee
- Infrared
- RFID
- VoWLAN
Benefits of Your
Wireless# Certification
·
Perfect entry into an IT career in wireless
·
Offers a career differentiator, with enhanced credibility and
marketability
·
Proves you have a broad base of knowledge and competency in
wireless
·
Demonstrates your understanding of the differentiators among the
latest wireless networking technologies
Exam
Preparation and Details:
Preparation Guide for Exam PW0-050 (PW1-050 for beta) and more details are
available at the following URL:
http://www.cwnp.com/exams/pw0050.html
By Dr. Thomas E. Glavinich
The concept
of what a building is and how it should function is changing rapidly in the
21st century. Traditionally, a building is simply a physical object composed of
a structural skeleton, an outer skin that provides a boundary between the
building occupants and the outside environment, and a collection of independent
systems that establish the building’s internal environment. The primary
building purpose—providing people with a safe environment that promotes
inhabitant well-being and provides a space that supports the intended building
use—has not changed. Today, however, buildings are increasingly being viewed as
a whole system rather than a structure.
This
seemingly subtle change in the concept of a building really is a major paradigm
shift in the construction industry, and it is beginning to have a major impact
on how buildings are being designed, constructed and operated. Once a building
is viewed as a system, the concept that a building is just a collection of
independent systems, including everything from the building roof to lighting
controls, is no longer valid. As a result, the focus in building design,
construction and operation shifts from optimizing individual and independent
building systems to optimizing the building as a whole system. This change in
perspective turns previously independent building systems into interdependent
building subsystems that must communicate and work together to provide an
optimal environment for inhabitants. The emerging integrated building systems’
(IBS) market is the result of this paradigm shift in the building industry and
will provide growth opportunities for electrical contracting firms prepared to
take advantage of it.
Why IBS today?
The
question that the electrical contracting firm contemplating entry into the IBS
market needs to ask is “Why IBS today?” What has happened to make IBS a growth
market today? For decades, the building industry has talked about “smart” and
“intelligent” buildings, but little has happened. Buildings continue to be
built as a collection of independent systems. Why should the electrical
contracting firm consider investing time and money in the IBS market today?
The answer
to these questions is a number of factors have come together in recent years
that currently are driving the IBS market and will continue to do so in the
future. These factors have resulted in the IBS market evolving from a “push”
market to a “pull” market.
For years,
a push market existed, which was driven by equipment and system manufacturers
that were trying to sell IBS to building owners. Building owners did not see
the value of IBS or the payback resulting from an investment in systems and
technology. Today this has changed. IBS has become a pull market with building
owners demanding buildings that operate efficiently and provide a safe and
productive environment for building occupants. IBS depends on building power,
communications and control systems, and as a result, the electrical contracting
firm is perfectly suited to take advantage of this emerging market.
As noted
above, there are a variety of factors that have come together to make IBS a
growth market for electrical contracting firms. These factors include the
following:
■ Advancing technology
■ Energy efficiency
■ Environmental concerns
■ Security and life safety needs
The
following paragraphs will discuss each of these four market drivers.
Advancing technology
First and
foremost, rapidly advancing power, communications and control technology is
driving IBS. The advances are not only about the technology embedded into the
component, equipment or system but the manufacturing technology that produces
it. For instance, photovoltaics (PV) provide a prime example of how both
advancing product and manufacturing technologies are coming together to make PV
both a technologically and economically viable form of distributed generation
(DG). Advances in PV technology have improved the efficiency of converting
sunlight into electricity and allowed the integration of PV into a variety of
building materials using thin film. Integrating PV into building materials,
such as glass and roofing, reduces installation cost and has the potential of
turning the entire building envelope into an electric power generator. In
addition, advances in PV manufacturing technology are increasing production
efficiency, which will reduce the cost of PV materials in the future as new PV
facilities come on line.
Energy efficiency
Energy
costs continue to climb, and building owners are looking for more efficient
buildings to lower their operating costs in order to stay competitive. In
addition, many federal, state and local jurisdictions are adopting energy codes
such as the International Code Council’s (ICC) model International Energy
Conservation Code or jurisdictional-specific energy codes, such as the
California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Energy Efficiency Standards for
Residential and Nonresidential Buildings.
IBS is the
key to high-performance buildings that go beyond using more insulation or
installing energy-efficient lighting and mechanical equipment. High-performance
buildings require that building systems be interoperable and work together in
order to optimize the building as a system and significantly reduce energy use.
In the future, building components that are considered “dumb” today will become
intelligent, which will allow further gains in energy efficiency and increased
occupant comfort. For example, the ability to control the transmittance of a
building’s glass curtain wall via IBS will be a way to reduce the amount of
light and solar heat allowed into the building.
Related to
energy efficiency is the fact that the public is becoming increasingly
concerned about the environment. Commercial buildings use a significant amount
of the energy produced in the
LEED
requirements for certification as a green building state that the building
meets the provisions of ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, titled Energy Standard for
Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, as a minimum. Accruing more
points toward certification requires further optimization of building energy
performance, which includes integrated control of lighting, HVAC and other
related building systems. Additionally, LEED includes points for integrating
on-site renewable energy sources, such as PV into the building and
comprehensive building commissioning. IBS is a key element in sustainable
buildings.
Security and life safety needs
Concerns
about security and life safety also are propelling IBS growth because these
systems must be integrated with other building systems to be effective.
Expenditures on security and life safety systems by building owners have been
on the rise since 2001. Investment in security and life safety systems by
building owners will continue to increase because of the public’s concern about
crime and terrorism. Today, these systems use state-of-the-art access control,
surveillance and intrusion-detection systems and are found in public and
private buildings of all types and sizes.
Increasing
the effectiveness of building security and life safety systems requires them to
be integrated with others, such as the HVAC, building management, lighting
control and other related systems. It no longer is enough to be vigilant about
fire and physical intrusion. Security and life safety systems today need to be
able to detect chemical and biological threats, automatically take action to
isolate and contain these threats, evacuate noncontaminated areas of the
building, and notify the proper authorities. Modern security and life safety
systems are not possible without IBS, because the effective operation of these
systems is dependent on building system interoperability.
IBS market participation
The shift
in paradigm—from a building being viewed as a collection of independent systems
need to be individually optimized, to the building itself being the system that
consists of a number of subsystems that need to be optimized collectively—has
created the IBS market. Achieving energy efficiency, addressing environmental
concerns, and providing a secure and safe environment for building occupants,
in conjunction with advancing technology, makes IBS a growth market for the
electrical contracting firm. In order to profit from this emerging market, the
electrical contracting firm needs to understand the market’s direction, its
customers’ needs and its ability to meet those needs.
The
important thing for the electrical contractor to understand about the IBS
market is that they do not have to know how to do everything. In fact, with
rapidly changing technology, it is not possible for the electrical contracting
firm to do everything. Even if it wanted to, by the time the firm had acquired
the necessary in-house technical expertise, the market and its customers may
have moved on to a newer technology.
A more
effective way of approaching the IBS market is for the electrical contracting
firm to identify and stick to its core technical competencies and capitalize on
its project management abilities. The electrical contracting firm’s value lies
in its ability to find specialized individuals, contractors and manufacturers
who understand the technology and can perform the work; subcontract the
specialized portions of the work to them; and then manage the project to ensure
that it is completed on time, within budget and meets the needs of the
customer. EC
This article is the result of a
research project investigating the future of the IBS market that is being
sponsored by ELECTRI International Inc.
GLAVINICH is an associate professor of the
Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at The
University of Kansas. He can be reached at 785.864.3435 or tglavinich@ku.edu.
Reprinted
with full permission of ECMag – July issue 2007 www.ecmag.com
Draka Comteq Sued By OFS Over Patent Infringement
Furukawa Electric North
America Inc. (FENA) and its wholly-owned subsidiary OFS Fitel LLC, a designer,
manufacturer, and supplier of fiber optic products, has launched a lawsuit
against Draka Comteq Inc.
Furukawa alleges that the North Carolina-based company infringed several U.S.
patents related to single-mode and multi-mode optical fiber, processes for
making optical fiber and optical fiber cables.
OFS, formerly the
"The decision to proceed with this patent infringement filing was
carefully considered," said Timothy Murray, head of operations and
engineering at OFS.
"OFS invests millions of dollars each year in research and development to
create new, patented inventions that bring significant value to our customers.”
The proceedings instituted by FENA on behalf of OFS come at a time when the
optical telecommunications industry is focusing on new fiber and system designs
to enhance, among other things, Fiber to the Home (FTTH) applications.
"The telecommunications industry is focusing on fiber optic based
solutions to increase their offerings of valuable services to their customers,”
Reprinted with full permission of
CNS Magazine – 2007 www.cablingsystems.com
BICSI European Conference Advances Information Transport Systems Industry
Noel
Dempsey, TD, the Ireland Minister for Transport and the Marine, delivered the
opening keynote during the 2007 BICSI® European Conference, held
recently at the Citywest Hotel just outside of Dublin. The conference was well
attended, with nearly 500 registrars including industry professionals and
exhibitors dedicated to advancing the information transport systems (ITS)
industry.
In addition
to highlighting advances in the telecommunications industry in