Bright Sparks – Thomas Edison
The modern world would look very different without the contributions of those who helped us harness electricity and develop electrical equipment. Here, we focus on some of the pioneers of the electrical world and their remarkable achievements.
NAME: Thomas Alva Edison
DATES: 11 February 1847 (Ohio, US) – 18 October 1931 (New Jersey, US)
EARLY LIFE: Following a stint as a newspaper boy on the Grand Trunk Railroad, Edison spent five years as
a telegraph operator then opened a manufacturing shop making stock tickers (his own invention) and telegraph instruments.
The sale of his quadruplex telegraph invention allowed him to establish his ground-breaking industrial research laboratory Menlo Park in 1876.
FIRST INVENTION: Electrical Vote Recorder.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:
1800s
1877 invented the phonograph (precursor of the gramophone) and patented the Carbon Telephone Transmitter, also used in radio broadcasting.
1878-9 set up Edison Electric
Light Company and developed the incandescent electric light bulb, plus fuses, sockets, switches and other electrical ancillary products.
1880 invented the magnetic ore separator and founded the Edison Illuminating Company for the distribution of electricity.
1 882 opened the first commercial incandescent lighting and power station in London.
1885 patented wireless induction telegraphy systems for trains to communicate with stations and ships to communicate with shore bases.
1891 exhibited the kinetograph motion picture camera and kinetoscope viewer (his film studio made over 1,000 films).
1896 created the fluoroscope for viewing X-rays; applied for a patent on the first fluorescent lamp.
1900s
1900-1910 developed the nickel-iron- alkaline storage battery.
1901 construction of the Edison Cement Plant began.
1907 developed the universal electric motor.
1913 developed the kinetophone (talking movie).
1 914 patented the electric safety lantern, used widely by miners.
1914-1919 worked out how to manufacture synthetic carbolic acid and built several coal-tar plants – both important in the war effort.
1928 awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
3 things you might not know:
1. In 1862, Edison saved a young boy from being hit by a train. As a thank you, the boy’s father taught him telegraphy, which furthered his burgeoning interest in electricity.
2. Edison was mostly home schooled by his mother.
3. Edison was very hard of hearing and proposed to his second wife by tapping out Morse Code on her palm.
Legacy
Having invented or helped develop devices from the phonograph and motion picture camera to the electric light bulb, Edison’s place in the history of electricity is assured.
Working with large teams and harnessing the benefits of mass production, he had a major impact on many industries – benefiting the lives of ordinary people.
You Cannot Secure What You Cannot See: Building an OT Asset Inventory
A production line rarely arrives as one neat, self-contained system and stays that way. It acquires a replacement drive here, a new HMI there, a remote support connection added during an urgent breakdown, and perhaps a reporting link into the wider business network. Each change may be sensible on its own, yet over several years […]
Read more
BS 7671 Amendment 4: What Industrial Sites Need to Review Before October 2026
A change to the Wiring Regulations will not stop a production line on the day it is published. Its effects are usually felt more quietly: in a design decision, a procurement specification, a shutdown plan or a certificate that has to stand up to scrutiny months later. For industrial businesses, that makes the transition to […]
Read more
Power and Distribution: Ensuring Load Capacity Matches Modern Demands
Manufacturing sites have changed significantly over the last decade. Many factories are running more automated equipment, more digital systems, more efficient lighting, more sophisticated control panels and, in some cases, new electrical demands such as EV charging, battery storage or additional production lines. The issue is that not every site’s electrical infrastructure has changed at […]
Read more
Variable Speed Drives: Boosting Efficiency Without Sacrificing Performance
Energy reduction remains a major priority for UK manufacturers. Rising operating costs, pressure to reduce carbon emissions and the need to maintain competitiveness have all pushed factories to look more closely at how energy is being used across their sites. In many manufacturing environments, one of the best places to start is with motors. Motors […]
Read more
Electrical Documentation and Labelling for Safety and Traceability
In a busy manufacturing environment, electrical systems are often changed, extended and adapted over many years. New machines get installed, control panels get modified, production lines are relocated, additional lighting is added and distribution boards get upgraded. Over time, what began as a well-documented installation can become difficult to follow if records are not updated […]
Read more
What a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) Should Include and Why It Matters
Installing new machinery, production equipment or automated systems into a factory is rarely a small decision. For most manufacturers, it involves significant capital investment, careful planning, disruption to normal operations and a clear expectation that the new equipment will improve output, efficiency, quality or safety. That is why a Factory Acceptance Test, often shortened to […]
Read more