Featured Articles

The Influence of AI on IT Enclosure Design and Configuration
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The Influence of AI on IT Enclosure Design and Configuration

Data center growth is on the rise. In the U.S. alone, data center demand is expected to increase by 10% annually through 2030, and the global data center market is projected to be just as bullish during the next decade. The increase in the number of data centers to process the amount of data generated by artificial intelligence (AI) means the IT landscape is likely to look very different in the short and mid-term future, particularly in the design and configuration of the ideal IT enclosure to handle AI workloads.

When Do I Use Which Surge Protector? Three Solutions at a Glance

When Do I Use Which Surge Protector? Three Solutions at a Glance

Whether you control a process with a computer, a process control system, a PLC, or a field device, a surge protector can eliminate or reduce the risk of damage to sensitive electronics caused by transient overvoltage. This article will outline three surge protection solutions—for signal lines, for supply lines, as well as for Fieldbus and Ethernet-APL applications.

Wesco Data Center Services: Engineered by Experts

Wesco Data Center Services: Engineered by Experts

Data centers are becoming increasingly complex due to growing demand and the need to support AI and other advanced technologies. Developers and operators must plan for power constraints, high-density cooling requirements and resource-intensive technology rollouts at a time when talent shortages make it difficult to find qualified staff. The right technology partner can help data centers overcome these challenges while increasing efficiency and keeping a lid on costs. Wesco offers a comprehensive suite of data center services that help bridge skills gaps and ensure that data centers have the resources they need to optimize their operations and remain competitive.

What Are the Ideal Solutions to Support Efficient High-Density Data Center Operations?
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What Are the Ideal Solutions to Support Efficient High-Density Data Center Operations?

The continued growth and development of AI means an increased need for powerful data centers to process and store large amounts of data. More than 60% of data center operators are preparing to increase the number of IT racks in their data center installations to properly handle the growing workload. This article will look at how high-density data centers work and the kinds of IT racks, cooling units, and accessories operators need to achieve the greatest possible performance with this kind of data center.

Specifying Shallow and Offset 19” Rack Cases for Complex Rack Installations
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Specifying Shallow and Offset 19” Rack Cases for Complex Rack Installations

The world is seeing increasing interest in shallow-depth and offset/asymmetrical cases for 19″ rack electronics. They’re becoming more popular for a wide range of applications – fitting neatly into spaces where deeper or conventional symmetrical enclosures would be impractical or impossible to use. These cases are ideal for wall-mounted racks, where space constraints and weight considerations call for a compact and lightweight solution. These features make them perfect for applications in healthcare, retail or edge computing where space can be limited.

Protect Your Electronics With OKW’s UV-Resistant Plastic Enclosures
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Protect Your Electronics With OKW’s UV-Resistant Plastic Enclosures

Prolonged exposure to sunlight can discolor and degrade plastic enclosures. The ultraviolet (UV) rays cause a photochemical reaction, breaking down the polymer bonds. This process is known as photodegradation. And don’t just assume this is an outdoor issue. Even enclosures used exclusively indoors can still be susceptible to damage from sunlight. More than 50% of UVA rays can still pass through standard window glass. Even a dependable plastic such as ABS – which is widely used for electronic enclosures – will suffer a series of microcracks, affecting its appearance. The solution is to specify a UV-stable plastic as an alternative material for your enclosures.

Where Innovation in Wastewater Treatment Is Quenching the Need of a Growing Population
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Where Innovation in Wastewater Treatment Is Quenching the Need of a Growing Population

Water is a global issue, but the management of water and wastewater is determined locally, characterized by topography, population and industry requirements. The one constant in cities throughout the world is that we have to achieve more with fewer resources. This requires innovation to develop new methodologies that reduce the risk of water shortages by increasing resilience, optimizing water production while reducing energy consumption, and minimizing the threats posed by flooding, contamination and poisoning.

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Revival: Repurposing and Extending the Life of Aging ATE Systems
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Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Revival: Repurposing and Extending the Life of Aging ATE Systems

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) and Automated Test Systems (ATS) serve the critical purpose of ensuring that electronic devices operate according to specifications in the field. As such, these systems are widely utilized for testing automotive electronics, batteries, telecom infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and consumer electronics. The aerospace and defense sectors also make substantial investments in ATE due to the criticality of electronics utilized in military equipment such as aircraft, naval vessels, and ground vehicles, as well as in various systems like weapons, radar, and wireless communication.

More Electric Drives, Less Pneumatics: What Does This Mean for the Power Supply?
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More Electric Drives, Less Pneumatics: What Does This Mean for the Power Supply?

The shift from pneumatic to electric drives is a well-known development in the industry. However, in recent years, this topic has gained significant momentum. This is due to the continuously increasing cost pressure and the ever-stricter requirements for CO2 reductions. In both areas, the advantages of electric solutions prevail. This blog article illustrates, using the example of OEMs in the automotive industry, how smart industrial power supplies support the transition from pneumatic to electric drives.

Reducing Automotive Downtime with Remote IO and IO-Link Innovations

Reducing Automotive Downtime with Remote IO and IO-Link Innovations

In the fast-paced automotive industry, every second of manufacturing uptime counts. With potential losses of over $30,000 per minute, minimizing downtime is not just important – it’s crucial. Enter the game-changers: remote I/O and IO-Link technologies. These innovations have transformed the landscape, enabling automotive plants to significantly reduce downtime and shift towards proactive maintenance strategies.

Virginia Native Randy Sadler Comes Full Circle To Lead Weidmuller USA Into the Future

Virginia Native Randy Sadler Comes Full Circle To Lead Weidmuller USA Into the Future

Every morning, Randy Sadler spends an hour walking the halls and talking to employees at Weidmuller USA. Don’t try to schedule a meeting with him then; this sacred time is blocked on his calendar. He’s getting to know the people and company once again from the inside – a building block for nurturing collaboration and innovation across departments that are critical in the company’s new expansion campaign.

Arc-Flash Relay Increases Electrical Safety in Machine Tool Manufacturing
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Arc-Flash Relay Increases Electrical Safety in Machine Tool Manufacturing

Pietro Carnaghi Company Finds Success with Littelfuse AF0500 Arc-Flash Relay – Pietro Carnaghi SpA, an Italian company, has been designing and manufacturing machine tools for over 100 years. With around 1,500 machines installed globally, they are an industry leader in the production of high-precision, heavy-duty hydrostatic vertical turning and milling centers, movable portal milling machines (gantry), flexible manufacturing cell systems, and multi-tasking machines (Flexturn) that provide innovative, high-performance, and customized solutions.

Creating Complex Components Atom by Atom: Ready for Series Production in Electrochemical Machining With PC-Based Control

Creating Complex Components Atom by Atom: Ready for Series Production in Electrochemical Machining With PC-Based Control

PECM (Pulsed Electrochemical Machining) is a fast corrosion process that can form complicated geometries atom by atom. It is therefore ideal for the precise manufacturing of metal parts for high-tech applications. To integrate the core process into a fully automated, high-throughput production line, Voxel Innovations and Palmetto Mechatronics relied on the open PC-based control technology from Beckhoff.

Building Factory of the Future with Digital Twins

Building Factory of the Future with Digital Twins

Digital twins are a key component of the factory of the future – in fact, they are a key component now. The ability to create a digital model of any process, asset, product, and even facility—regardless of the complexity—transforms how manufacturers design, build, commission, maintain, and decommission all aspects of their operations. Rockwell Automation and Microsoft are helping manufacturers deploy digital twins to automate and optimize production, create resilient and predictable supply chains, empower the workforce, drive sustainability and ESG initiatives, as well as accelerate business transformation.

Protect Your Connectors: Specify the Right Plastic Enclosure
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Protect Your Connectors: Specify the Right Plastic Enclosure

Good enclosure design means protecting not just the components inside but also any connectors being plugged into the device. A protruding plug can all too easily fall victim to accidental impact. This force can then be transmitted to the jack, damaging it and possibly any other nearby components. Connectors can be knocked during handling, transport or use – damaging the pins, housings or solder joints. Excessive stress from plugged-in cables being pulled or twisted can also cause damage. The obvious solution is a deep recess to help shield connectors from impact. Recesses are simple and effective but they can mean sacrificing enclosure capacity. So achieving the right compromise can be a fine balancing act.

These Trends Will Impact Sustainable Industrial Enclosure Cooling in 2025
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These Trends Will Impact Sustainable Industrial Enclosure Cooling in 2025

One of the top concerns for manufacturers in 2025 will be finding new processes and solutions to increase their sustainability, particularly when it comes to the amount of energy used to adequately cool industrial enclosures. Achieving sustainable cooling depends largely on creating more efficient cooling systems that reduce waste and enable manufacturers to monitor and adjust cooling outputs in real time.