Heat is a byproduct of mechanical energy that presents itself as a temperature increase. French physicist James Prescott Joule aimed to equate heat to mechanical energy. Early experiments used paddle-like structures to stir water within a container and raise its temperature. The paddles would move and agitate the water whenever a mass on a pulley […]

As a technician gains skill, they will learn that regularly testing your tools is a huge part of success. It isn't long in the field before techs find out that just because a meter or gauge gives a particular reading, it doesn't ALWAYS mean it is correct. Vacuum is one of these areas. Everything in […]

Back in the “good old days,” controls were all analog and mechanical, which simply means that they acted in a directly connected and variable manner based on a change in force. Both pneumatic (air pressure) or hydraulic (fluid pressure) systems are examples of mechanical or analog controls. When the pressure increased or decreased on a […]