A Motor Control Center (MCC) is an integral part of a manufacturing plant, and its continuous operation is vital if the company wants to make a profit. The safety of Motor Control Centers is a hot-topic in modern equipment design due to the ensuing hazards, most notably arc flashes. The safety of both the MCC as well as the personnel who operate it should therefore be a priority and appropriate guards must be in place to tackle any emergency.
Some projects may appear to be simple in the beginning, however problems arise that might not have been considered, which can ultimately end up costing a large amount of precious time and money. Delays can be avoided by taking a few steps to minimize risk and increase productivity. We will explore how uncertainties can derail a project and how you can reduce damage to your company’s timeline and budget.
Millions of dollars are wasted on shutdowns by companies who are not aware of the ways to develop their shutdown process.
If an employee is hurt on a machine, all of the machines must be shut down in your facility. Factory shutdowns are necessary in this case, but they are often done incorrectly. You can look at other companies having these problems and understand how to fix certain issues. The process of shutting down is a series of documents and meetings resulting in a final report that displays everything that was learned and what to do if this happens again.
While the Great Recession may have put a dent in several industries, it did push-start the rise of industrial robotics. The sudden spotlight drew attention from all corners and in 2013 more than 5000 patents were passed for robotic technologies. Plus, the annual order for robotics in North America surpassed its 20,000-unit threshold as a result of increased investment by several venture capitalists.
Lean manufacturing can be a very worthwhile investment, as it can have a very significant effect on your productivity and profitability. But beginning your lean journey is a daunting task and a serious investment, involving a lot of effort and a bunch of money. If not managed properly, a launch into the lean is at risk for serious failure, so keep the following factors in mind to greatly increase your chances of a successful launch.
Safety is a top priority for companies and facilities not only because it protects its workers but it can also protect its machinery. When developing safety and control systems, facilities tend to focus on the machines and products inside the facility, but outside factors should not be forgotten. Companies should look beyond what is controllable in their facility when setting up their motor control centers.
One of, if not the most important term in manufacturing to understand is OEE, or overall equipment effectiveness. In general, OEE is the measurement of plant equipment’s technical performance in accomplishing a task so that the manufacturer can judge the effectiveness of the asset. They can then use this information in order to add value to the business through the analysis of capacity losses or gains through the part.
Control engineers are capable of boosting productivity, profit, quality of products, and overall plant safety. A key aspect to the success of effective control engineering design is exploring sensible controls early in a project's design. Creative ideas are a pivotal point when designing a control system and are crucial to the operation of any manufacturing project.
When do you turn to an automation solutions company — when your current automation system fails?
Many companies regard automation systems with the bare minimum of concern, only closely examining a system when something breaks. Efficiency gets reduced to making equipment run for as long as possible with as little maintenance and attention — and therefore cost — as possible. So when an automation system breaks down, companies often replace the broken pieces with slightly newer parts that function the exact same way.
Every generation of engineers tries to challenge the traditional idea of engineering — it's the nature of engineering to constantly push for more efficient, innovative ways to solve problems. Yet basic fundamentals of entire industries rarely change.
Now, with a new generation of computer-savvy engineers, a tremendous shift has started to transform the manufacturing sphere of engineering.
