Customer service can be a tricky thing even when times are good. When a person’s product — that they spent good money for — isn’t working, they often get angry and frustrated fast. But when everything’s going wrong, it’s easy for your customer service crew to lose their heads. That doesn’t help anybody. In fact,…
Read More
We have talked about in the past how fuses and circuit breakers protect a variable frequency drive from over-current conditions but what about over voltage? On the main supply lines coming into the drive often you will see a little colored disk that favors a capacitor. These are metal oxide varistors, or MOV’s and they serve to protect…
Read More
Many manufacturing companies complain about the lack of skilled workers to fill their ranks. Yet, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women — who make up roughly half the U.S. workforce — account for less than a third of manufacturing jobs. Why are so many manufacturing companies missing out on the opportunity to recruit…
Read More
It was recently announced that Tesla and the South Australian government will embark on an ambitious project to install solar panels on 50,000 homes and link their batteries together, creating a virtual, decentralized power plant. This decentralized approach to storing solar energy would equip each building with a 5kW solar panel and a 13.5kWh Tesla…
Read More
In mid-January, Apple made the exciting announcement that it would be investing $5 billion in its Advanced Manufacturing Fund, supporting the American workforce and, in turn, the economy as well. This is a significant increase from the company’s initial $1 billion fund investment, which Apple leaders contributed to support American manufacturing innovation and assist foreign…
Read More
In January, the United States government announced it would impose tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. The relief for U.S. manufacturers comes after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found these imports cause substantial harm to domestic manufacturers. President Donald Trump made the executive decision after his U.S. trade representative consulted with the Trade…
Read More
President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address offered a predominately positive message for the country. With unemployment down and the economy rising, the general economic outlook is bright. Here, we take an in-depth look at what he said about the manufacturing industry and the effects his policies could have on its future. Exchanges —…
Read More
If you think you may have bad spindle motor windings, it’s important to know for sure. If you have access to a multimeter, it’s easy to determine if you have an immediate problem. Here is a basic breakdown on how to check motor windings with a multimeter, keep in mind this is just a quick way…
Read More
One of the most common misconceptions that we hear from those that may be newer to the realm of industrial electronics is that a Soft Start and VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) are essentially the same device. The confusion is not really that surprising as there are dozens of different industry terms for motor controls that…
Read More
China plans to lead the way in combating urban air pollution by investing heavily in electric buses to replace its current, gas-guzzling fleets. According to Bloomberg reports, close to half of all municipal buses will be electric by 2025 (more than 1.1 million vehicles), and approximately 99% of those buses will be in China. To…
Read More