In the beginning, only fuses were used in electrical distribution systems to protect people and equipment against short circuits, circuit overloads, and other types of faults. Then, circuit breakers were introduced, offering many advantages over fuses. For processing and manufacturing operations, protecting motors is crucial to maintain productivity. As the cost of a fuse is typically much lower than a circuit breaker, fuses have often been the choice for this application. However, circuit breakers have evolved a lot in recent years. Comparing modern circuit breakers to fuses reveals how circuit breakers can help machine manufacturers and facility management teams achieve greater safety and reliability, lower costs, and support for energy management initiatives. 1. Consistent performance One downside of fuses is that their performance can degrade due to aging, even causing them to open during normal conditions. In addition, there is no way to test a fuse, so you will never know the e...