I have been a substation engineer for over 35 years. I know firsthand how substation and transmission engineers like to tease each other about the importance of the other's specialty. Last year I wrote a series of articles on towers, poles and structures used in transmission and distribution work. That gave me a whole new understanding for this part of our industry. As a result, I can't wait to hit the T&D Expo exhibit floor and get up close and personal with the line hardware.
I was talking with my friend Jim Palmer about the Thomas & Betts exhibit. He got me excited about hands-on demos they are planning. He lost me (day-dream time) when he started talking about a "quick-pin" demonstration. To a 7th degree black-belt, quick pin has a totally different definition than the average utility type has. Heck I can think of a half a dozen techniques to bring about a quick pin without trying.
Fortunately for me, Jim is a very patient person and he explained (in one words of one syllable) the cool innovation T&B had developed. It sounds pretty neat and I will have to see how it works for myself. If you want to find out what "Quick-Pin" means to a transmission structure, I suggest you join me in my wanderings or talk to Jim and his colleagues.
