M.S. Jacobs & Associates: A Legacy of Quality and Service in Process Control

M.S. Jacobs & Associates has flourished for nearly eight decades by treating quality and customer care as the cornerstones of its mission. The company began in 1945 and immediately recognized the value of forging lasting partnerships with customers in Western Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, West Virginia, and Western New York State. That forward-thinking approach grew from the belief that a business grounded in excellence can adapt to changing times and maintain a stellar reputation among its customers.

Leadership at M.S. Jacobs & Associates built this foundation by insisting on premium process control instrumentation, control valves, and process heating equipment. They never wavered from that principle because they saw that superior products instill confidence in customers who rely on consistency and performance. When a plant operator invests in high-quality equipment, unplanned downtime decreases, and operational efficiency rises. M.S. Jacobs & Associates secured its longevity by helping clients avoid unnecessary production disruptions, saving them money and keeping operations running smoothly.

The firm’s track record also reveals an unwavering commitment to service. M.S. Jacobs & Associates employees understand that clients expect more than functional hardware; they also want clarity, expertise, and accessibility. The company answers these needs by offering guidance based on decades of hands-on experience. When customers call to discuss new projects, expansions, or solutions to equipment problems, the M.S. Jacobs & Associates team examines every detail to ensure a personalized approach. They stand ready to answer questions and propose options that save money and time without compromising quality. That level of specialized attention creates trust and maintains ongoing relationships through market ups and downs.

Competitive pricing completes the trifecta of product quality, service, and long-term reliability. M.S. Jacobs & Associates learned long ago that customers want reliable products without sacrificing value. They respond by providing equipment and instrumentation that meet rigorous performance standards at fair prices that reflect the industry landscape. Customers benefit from stable pricing structures and the peace of mind of knowing their supplier refuses to cut corners. This value proposition reinforces loyalty and drives repeat business, strengthening the company’s market position while boosting overall sustainability.

Business longevity often hinges on an organization’s ability to evolve. M.S. Jacobs & Associates continually invests in emerging technologies, expanded product lines, and innovative strategies for serving the region’s industries. Because employees and leadership watch market trends and anticipate changes, they can adapt to new demands with minimal disruption. They choose vendors known for pioneering designs and advanced manufacturing processes, which allows them to stay ahead of the curve and bring cutting-edge solutions to their customers—this willingness to embrace innovation pairs seamlessly with respect for time-tested quality standards.

Reliability and trust are central themes in M.S. Jacobs & Associates’ enduring success story. Every aspect of their operation reflects a proactive stance that nurtures sustainability. Customers place their faith in companies that operate with transparency and expertise, and M.S. Jacobs & Associates meets those expectations year after year. In this way, the firm showcases a remarkable connection between longevity and a steadfast commitment to excellence. By honoring customer service, providing top-notch products, and offering competitive prices, M.S. Jacobs & Associates continues to stand the test of time and illustrate how a well-grounded business can thrive for generations.

M.S. Jacobs
https://msjacobs.com
800-348-0089

Commercial and Industrial Process Heating Methods

Electric heating element of special design

Many industrial processes involve the use of heat as a means of increasing the energy content of a process or material. The means used for producing and delivering process heat can be grouped into four general categories.

• Steam
• Fuel
• Electric
• Hybrid

The technologies rely upon conduction, convection, or radiative heat transfer mechanisms, solely or in combination, to deliver heat to a substance. In practice, lower temperature processes tend to use conduction or convection. Operations employing very high temperature rely primarily on radiative heat transfer. Let's look at each of the four heating methods.

STEAM

Steam based heating systems introduce steam to the process either directly by injection, or indirectly through a heat transfer device. Large quantities of latent heat from steam can be transferred efficiently at a constant temperature, useful for many process heating applications. Steam based systems are predominantly for applications requiring a heat source at or below about 400°F and when low-cost fuel or byproducts for use in generating the steam are accessible. Cogeneration systems (the generation of electric power and useful waste heat in a single process) often use steam as the means to produce electric power and provide heat for additional uses. While steam serves as the medium by which heat energy is moved and delivered to a process or other usage, the actual energy source for the boiler that produces the steam can be one of several fuels, or even electricity.

FUEL

Fuel based process heating systems, through combustion of solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels, produce heat that can be transferred directly or indirectly to a process. Hot combustion gases are either placed in direct contact with the material (direct heating via convection) or routed through tubes or panels that deliver radiant heat and keep combustion gases separate from the material (indirect heating). Examples of fuel-based process heating equipment include furnaces, ovens, red heaters, kilns, melters, and high-temperature generators. The boilers producing steam that was described in the previous section are also an example of a fuel based process heating application.

ELECTRIC

Electric process heating systems also transform materials through direct and indirect means. Electric current can be applied directly to suitable materials, with the electrical resistance of the target material causing it to heat as current flows. Alternatively, high-frequency energy can be inductively coupled to some materials, resulting in indirect heating. Electric based process heating systems are used for heating, drying, curing, melting, and forming. Examples of electrically based process heating technologies include electric arc furnace technology, infrared radiation, induction heating, radio frequency drying, laser heating, and microwave processing.

HYBRID

Hybrid process heating systems utilize a combination of process heating technologies based on different energy sources or heating principles, with a design goal of optimizing energy performance and overall thermal efficiency. For example, a hybrid steam boiler may combine a fuel based boiler with an electric boiler to take advantage of access to low off-peak electricity cost. In an example of a hybrid drying system, electromagnetic energy (e.g., microwave or radio frequency) may be combined with convective hot air to accelerate drying processes; selectively targeting moisture with the penetrating electromagnetic energy can improve the speed, efficiency, and product quality as compared to a drying process based solely on convection, which can be rate limited by the thermal conductivity of the material. Optimizing the heat transfer mechanisms in hybrid systems offers a significant opportunity to reduce energy consumption, increase speed and throughput, and improve product quality.

Many heating applications, depending on scale, available energy source, and other factors may be served using one or more of the means described here. Determining the best heating method and implementation is a key element to a successful project. M.S. Jacobs and Associates specialize in electric heating applications and facets of the industrial production of steam. Share your process and project challenges with them and combine your facilities and process knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.