IEEE-CPMT Society TC-1 Committee
on Electrical Contacts
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday September 27, 2005
4:45 PM
Holiday Inn City Center, Chicago
Chair: G. Witter
Vice-Chair: Bob Malucci
Secretary: C. Leung
Attendees:
Holm Conference Attendees
Opening: G. Witter
· TC-1 of IEEE-CPMT meeting was called to order by Chairman G. Witter.
1. Approval of minutes of previous meeting - G. Witter
· 2004 meeting minute has been posted at www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/cpmt/tc1/ web page. It was approved. Attendance list was circulated to capture new members, particular emphasis was put on e-mail for easier communication for the IEEE office.
2. Preliminary Report on Joint International Conference and IEEE-Holm Conference – Henry Czajkowski
· Total registration is 118 attendee plus 15 students. This is a good attendance for a regular Holm conference compared with 2001 to 2003. The 51 papers in proceeding plus the Holm Award lecture.
· Ragnar Holm Scientific Achievement Awardee, Mr. Gerald Witter, President of Chugai USA, gave a talk on “Contact Contamination and Arc Interactions”
· The Dr. Morton Antler Invited Lecture was given by Mr. John Wafer, Chief Technology Office, Eaton Electrical Corporation on “The Evolution of Arc Fault Interruptions”
· Special Topic on Nano Technology by Professor Timothy Fisher, Purdue University, "Enhanced Interfacial Transport using Carbon Nanotube Arrays"
· Visa application for traveler from abroad is still making it difficult for scholars from China to attend in USA
3. Report on 2005 Intensive Course on Electrical Contact - Paul Slade
· The 2005 course is a tremendous success with 34 students. The course was held on 9/23- 9/25 in the conference hotel. Some students stayed after the course and registered for the conference.
· The course registration rate was behind when the deadline approached and making it difficult for class planning. Members are encouraged to register early so the committee can do a better coordination with the facilities and course material.
· Feedbacks were all very positive with suggestion not to have class on Sunday to have a break. Many said this is an advantage to co-run the course with the conference. Most like the 3 day course instead of the prior 4-5 days. Satisfaction rating was excellent to average and ¾ felt course content very applicable to their work.
· 13 also stayed to attend the Holm conference.
4. Report on CPMT Transaction –John McBride
· 2003 Holm papers still have some not yet published in CPMT. This is partly because IEEE changed the review process to 3 reviewer. 10 will be published in CPMT.
· 2004 Holm and ICEC has 15 papers in review. Major backlog at IEEE will cause a 1 year delay to publication.
· Some discussions on the CPMT imposed no. of papers the Holm conference can submit. The majority felt this is not good for the conference. Witter and McBride to discuss this more with CPMT publication.
· 2005 Holm papers may be limited to 8 acceptance to CPMT Transaction.
5. World Calendar
· Web link of world calendar events – forward notice to Chi Leung.
6. Publicity – Chi Leung
· Web and CPMT newsletter will be the primary medium for TC1 and Holm information. Many members has used the web for info and registration to conference.
7. DVD project – Thomas Schoepf:
· The Holm DVD 1953-2004 has sold 70-80 copies from 2004 to 2005. Additional copies has to be made by IEEE Publication. Suggested promotion sales at conference every year. Some compatibility problems with the new version of Acrobat Reader 6 and 7, but still runs perfect with Acrobat 5.1.
8. International Conference on Electrical Contact ICEC2006:
·
Professor Koichio Sawa, the program committee chair,
introduced the ICEC 2006 in Sendai, Japan. Professor Terutaka Tamai from steering committee and Professor Noboru Wakataski from the public relations committee were
introduce to answer questions on the conference. Please get updates at the
conference website frequently. 23rd
International Conference on Electrical Contacts (ICEC) & International
Session on Electro-Mechanical Devices
6-9 June 2006, Sendai International Center, Sendai, JAPAN
9. TC1 sub-committee Reports:
· Material
restrictions and substitution – Dr. Voler Behrens
Used car recycling was introduced
in Europe in 2003, hexavalent Cr eliminated in 2006, AgCdO forbidden in
automobiles, SF6 in Germany industry to
reduce use but for high and medium voltage switching will still be
allowed. ROHS consumer segment –
AgCdO is still not clear. (update: the restriction of CdO in electrical contacts in consumer electronics has been
exempted for 4 years by EU in Oct 2005).
Lead free exemption also has a specific listing. Check the EU
publications frequently.
· Aautomotive
– Dr. Thomas Schoepf
Europe has hybrids and are getting popular from small to bigger class
cars. Swithces now switch more lower
current for signals. 42V in some vehicles but prior expectations of its use
will not happen. Some more solid
state relays to be used.
Convenience features to add electronics to vehicles.
· High
speed connections – Roland Timsit
Hot bed for new designs, a lot of modeling on capacitance matching, metal./metal
contact still required even in high frequency, HF paper not here in the Holm
conference is mostly because of proprietary info. Roland will try to recruit another
session for next year.
· MEMs
and micro-contact technology – Bob Malucci
Has sent invitations to MEMs people. IICIT did not have a conference in 2005
and 2006 is not sure. World congress of tribology in DC early Sept has a
session on MEMs relay.
· High
current applications: Arc fault detection and contactors – John Shea and Henry
Czajkowski
John Shea reports on Arc Fault Detection
- power distribution interest and research are in arc interruption, more
compact but higher interruption ratings; gassing material, venting
configurations, are ways to reduce arc flash, a safety issue
- Arc fault circuit interrupters for residential circuit breakers, series
combinations has much work to be done, series arcs at lower current levels are
to be differentiated from intentional arcs. Arc flash, similar to AFCI but on a higher level, standards
to protect workers such as protective suits, measurements to quantify arc
energy. Selectivity – e.g. fuse size to rptect better than some older CB, new
work on selection and zones. Current limiting polymers, positive resistance.
Henry Czajkowski reports: Motor
Controls
- long term trend to smaller size and higher current density, move to machines
environment and requiring better protection from contaminations. Solid state
controls still slow in deployment but see some hybrid (soft start and main
contacts). Standards harmonization in UL and CSA on motor control and IEC going
well. Tri-national stands in the future, IEC reviewing parts of UL and CSA as
part of IEC standards.
10. New Business –
Holm 2005 presentations are good. This year with only 1 no show. Visa still
difficult with multiple interviews in visa office.
Respectfully submitted, Chi Leung, 2/2006