InfoPower

Using longer cord lengths in your electrical design may become problematic enough to pose potential dangers. When cable length is 50 feet or longer, voltage drop in cable occurs—the resistance in the copper measured per foot—causing heat buildup.

In 1983, the first surgical robot, Arthrobot, was used to accurately align a patient’s leg during an orthopedic surgery. In 1985, the PUMA 560 robot assisted in a brain biopsy providing precise tissue sampling. The da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system by Intuitive Surgical debuted in 1998, and received FDA approval in 2000 for laparoscopic surgery. In 2014, the da Vinci Xi was the new system’s advanced version enhancing flexibility, imaging, and instrument control. And in 2023, da Vinci added transoral procedures to its list, all which minimize recovery times through less invasive surgeries. The da Vinci 5 added tactile feedback for the surgeon to “feel” the tools move along soft tissue during surgery, which Intuitive calls Force Feedback technology. It received FDA 510(k) clearance in March of 2024.

Deep inside the bunker of Interpower’s testing facility in Ames, Iowa, (Area 51²?) is an array of testing apparatus for the testing of electrical cable and components to push both newly manufactured and warehoused cable, cords, and components (and cutting-edge prototypes) to extreme limits, often well beyond UL and IEC standards for product compliance. For much of his 20 years, Ron Barnett, Interpower’s Product Development Manager, has procured specialized testing equipment to ensure Interpower’s power cords, cords sets, and components exceed all testing criteria standardized by worldwide agencies such as UL and VDE while personally conducting thousands of tests.

Whether customized cord sets or electrical components for global industries, Interpower’s cords and cord sets are continually tested beyond UL and IEC standards.

Global Passports: Designing electrical systems for use on every continent requires a global interface which IEC 60320 cords and components provide. No longer is it necessary for end users worldwide to reconfigure cord sets once they unbox them from the factory. Instead, the end of the cord set bearing a country-specific plug connects to a wall outlet (mains power); the other end of the cord, bearing an IEC 60320 connector, plugs into an accessory power strip (APS) or a power distribution unit (PDU) via an IEC 60320 inlet on the APS or PDU.