Clocks are set to spring forward an hour this coming weekend, marking the beginning of Daylight Savings time. Designed to increase daylight hours into the evening at the expense of daylight sunrise, the practice of moving clocks forward has several benefits for several industries, such as more efficient energy usage due to abundance of natural…
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Electricity Printed Circuit Boards Troubleshooting on Old PCBs Analogue Signature Analysis How to Diagnose Problems With a PCB How to Analyze the Results of PCB Diagnostics How to Fix a PCB Common Issues With PCBs PCB Repair Guide to Troubleshooting PCBs Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are manufactured according to designer specifications. However, errors can occur…
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A relay is defined as an electrical device, typically incorporating an electromagnet, that is activated by a current or signal in one circuit, to open or close another circuit. Carl Gauss and Willhem Weber developed an electromagnetic relay in 1833. Although, Joseph Henry claimed he invented the relay in 1835. Relays are simply switches that open and close…
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Ah the BR Fault. Usually when one sees the BR error code it means that the drive is detecting a short in the Braking Resistor Circuit in your motor control. The solution to this fault in many variable frequency drive manuals we have seen reads “Replace the VFD.” Please do not. While yes this is…
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In late February/early March, celebrities and cinema professionals from around the globe meet in Hollywood, CA for the Academy Awards. The nominees all vie for a chance to have their name called and to walk on stage for their Oscar. While that small, gold statuette has been a staple in film making for nearly the…
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President Trump recently announced intentions to move forward with a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum, making good on campaign promises to put American-made first. The plan has many sparked many opinions from both sides of the conversation. The tariff plans have been met with harsh criticism from analysts…
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Not all manufacturing systems are the same, and different companies may use different types of manufacturing systems depending on what they manufacture, how they want to manufacture it, how big they are and a number of other factors. Here is a quick and comprehensive breakdown of the different types of manufacturing systems commonly in use…
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An interesting topic came up in conversation while speaking to a customer recently about motor repair. We were discussing failures types and how we handle each, going over what is included in the repair and generally just having a nice chat about repairs in general. Towards the end of the conversation he asked – almost…
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Companies everywhere are looking for ways to cut costs and improve efficiencies on the production floor. One of the most common ways manufacturing companies are handling these issues is through the implementation of automated tasks, primarily with robotics. The surface benefits of automation in manufacturing are simple to understand, but it’s important to weigh the…
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What is a Thermal Fault? One of the most common faults in a motor control system, and surprisingly not well understood, is the thermal fault. When troubleshooting drives with customers over the phone, we often will get the complaint that they need help because their drive is “overheating”. When pressed for details we often will…
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