Oh, the pain..the misery…the teeth gnashing and, oh yeah, the cursing! Your drive just alarmed out, your equipment has stopped, production has ceased, and you are wasting time and money. Can the drive be saved? The good news is…probably!
Before it comes to that scenario, consider this: We all know HEAT is the root of all evil when it comes to electronic equipment. Add some MOISTURE and DIRT and you have the electronic axis of evil and disaster!
So, practice prevention first by:
- keeping your electrical cabinets CLOSED
- keeping your FANS in good REPAIR
- making sure those cabinent FILTERS are always CLEAN
This is a preview of
Oh, The Pain..The Misery…Your Drive Just Alarmed Out! Can It Be Saved?
.
Read the full post (256 words, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | July 15th, 2010
LED light bulbs for household and general use are, relatively speaking, right around the corner. Supposedly the light they will emit will not only save energy, but also look more like incandescent bulbs. We can only hope. You might already know that a few months ago the U.S. Department of Energy announced funding of more than $37 million to support high-efficiency, solid-state lighting (SSL) projects.
Lighting accounts for nearly 24% of the total electricity generated in the U.S. today. That’s huge! The DOE’s goal is to lower U.S. electricity costs by 33 percent by 2030, and at the same time, reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This is a preview of
New Wave In Lighting Is Something To Get Excited About
.
Read the full post (293 words, 1 image, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | June 9th, 2010
If you are like me, you are always looking for an incredible steal …the sale of the century…AND, you never pay full price for anything! A major exception to this rule is the purchase of a CNC machine or any component you add to it. You truly get what you pay for in CNC equipment – new or used.
If you don’t pay up front, you will pay down the road. Again and again. And you will be kicking yourself in the a– every time you call the repair guy.
This is a preview of
Rules For CNC Machine Purchase And Repair
.
Read the full post (348 words, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | May 26th, 2010
The bad news is the U.S. lost it’s number one spot on the annual competitiveness survey bySwiss based IMD Business School for the first time since 1993 to Singapore and Hong Kong, ranked 1 and 2 respectively. The good news is the U.S. has survived the risk of financial and economic crises, in part, thanks to the sheer size of its economy, leadership in business, and unrivaled supremacy in technology, reports Manufacturing.net.
That’s no surprise to me. The U.S. is an amazing melting pot of resourcefulness and determination. True grit!
This is a preview of
World Competitiveness Economic Stats Published – Find Out What True Grit Means
.
Read the full post (259 words, estimated 1:02 mins reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | May 21st, 2010
Not surprisingly, reliability ranked the most important criteria in purchasing industrial electronics according to a recent survey by Plant Engineering & Maintenance.
Reliability was followed, in descending order, by quality, safety, maintenance, service, price, throughput, technology, noise, speed, and “green”.
Maintenance ranked 4th out of 11 so we know it’s pretty high on your list. Nobody wants equipment that is difficult or excessively expensive to maintain. Downtime is lost time and lost time is lost money.
Save money in the long run by purchasing quality industrial electronic equipment with a good warranty. And when that warranty runs out, or the OEM does not provide responsive service, send your repairs to a reliable expert.
This is a preview of
Reliability In Industrial Electronics Is King – Find Out What Else Ranks High With Plant Managers
.
Read the full post (168 words, estimated 40 secs reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | May 11th, 2010
It was just a few months ago that I wrote a blog on how to make a decision whether to repair or replace your industrial electronic equipment. It’s a question many of you probably face every day.
With the economy just beginning to climb out of the basement, saving money is a high priority for all of us. The pain of this recession will stick with us for a long while (I promise I will not get political here! That would be a whole ‘nother conversation. LOL).
This is a preview of
Save Money, Be Green & Increase Efficiency All in One Fell Swoop
.
Read the full post (338 words, estimated 1:21 mins reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | April 21st, 2010
There are a million and one iPhone apps out there but this one by Baldor Electric Company, www.baldor.com is way cool. Those smart cookies at Baldor have converted their BE$T desktop program for calculating and comparing motor efficiencies to an Apple iphone app.
By calculating a motor’s annual electricity usage based on its nominal efficiency and comparing it to the annual electricity usage of Baldor’s Standard-E and Super-E premium efficiency motors, it can then recommend, by catalog number, the appropriate Baldor motor for the application as well as information on the payback period for replacing the existing motor.
This is a preview of
Baldor’s BE$T Program Now Comes In Cool iTunes App
.
Read the full post (244 words, estimated 59 secs reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | April 19th, 2010
In a word, it’s all about … automation. Now that the economy is beginning to recover, most manufacturing companies report that they are planning to invest in more automation.
For more than 30 years we have been using our trusty PLC’s because they are simple and reliable, if a bit quirky. PLC’s have practically merged with PC’s in recent times.
Then, more recently, the PLC sprouted wings and emerged as a PAC. If you’re not already familiar with a PAC – that’s a Programmable Automation Controller. These units combine the sturdy reliability of the PLC with the programming language of a PC.
Continue Reading | No Comments | April 16th, 2010
Did you know that many modern control systems are now designed for a minimum 30-year lifespan? Hmmm.
Many early systems are still going strong that were installed in the ’90s, ’80s and even some from the 1970s. But you probably already knew that since so many of you send us your controllers for repairs.
The weaker links in these older systems are the operator terminals, disk drives, power supplies, keyboards, and CRT’s as they often have mechanical or electrical parts that simply wear out. Many of these units can be repaired and if not, replaced with refurbs or updated, drop-in replacements.
This is a preview of
Control Systems Aging But Dependable Workhorses When Kept In Good Repair
.
Read the full post (238 words, estimated 57 secs reading time)
Continue Reading | No Comments | April 15th, 2010
Plant safety, work site safety, worker safety - it seems we are hearing this daily now from plant engineers around the country.
It would appear that a cultural shift is in the wind and that safety attitudes and practices are changing – for the better. There is a realization that a safe working environment is beneficial not only to employees but to the bottom line.
The concern is there on the part of many CEO’s and managers but the question they often have is, “Where do we start?”
Continue Reading | No Comments | April 15th, 2010