Growth continued in January as the overall economy registered expansion for the 105th consecutive month, underpinned by January’s strong manufacturing data. Although the January Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) of 59.1 declined 0.2 from the previous month, it is still indicative of a robust manufacturing sector as readings above 50 indicate expansion. According to Tim Fiore, chairman…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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 —…
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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…
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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…
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