There’s nothing wrong with timers—if you have the time. But with manufacturing environments fully operational for 24 hours, 7 days a week, maintaining high production rates and efficiencies is critical.
Timers have been great performers in the past and they remain useful in the present. For example, there are accurate, cost-effective, multifunction, multirange industrial timers with as many as 10 unique operating modes within a single unit. There are timers that control the on/off cycle of equipment operations to enable hands-off customized procedures. There are programmable timers that can be set for any of five functions covering four different timing ranges. Timers always have had value, and advances in technology have increased their value.
But there’s one big thing timers don’t do. They cannot provide positive feedback (in the form of an electrical output signal) to the position of a device. Timers don’t give users circuit inputs to machine control logic which can optimize other areas of machine operation and add value to the machine control scheme.
That’s the job of—and the value in—electrical switches.
For example:
Switches are available in many styles including inductive proximity switches, mechanical limit switches, magnetic reed switches or solid state switches. And there are other kinds as well. All of these switches can be mounted on the driving device (the actuator) or on the driven device (such as a conveyor stop or gate). When activated, the switch will send a signal in the form of an electrical output. This output can then be used to turn on the PLC input, light a lamp or sound a horn. The output informs us that a specific machine operation and related parts have reached their intended destination.
Timers, in contrast, send an output when the timing cycle is completed. There is no direct link to the position of the machine component. In short, timers tell us “when.” Switches tell us “where” and “when.
When switches are installed they can assist in determining the proper distance and relative location of machine components to make sure that they produce optimal parts. Furthermore, users can easily adjust switch positions even when the machine is being set up or running in its manual mode.
A project manager in Research and Development for a manufacturer of machine attachments employed in the commercial sewing industry, says, “High speed is an absolute requirement in our business. We can use timers for initial machine setup, but when it comes time to optimize our cycle rates, switches are an absolute requirement to replace the timers.
Timers are generally less expensive than switches but in this particular area, that may be their only advantage. Timers can only determine an approximate time or “goal” for the completion of a given machine operation. If the driven device arrives before the previously inputted timing cycle has been completed, the machine will have to pause, resuming its operation only when the timer catches up. With switches, the programmer can recover the lost time by initiating the next machine movement as soon as the switch is activated.
How much time slips away if there's a jam in a machine, a loss of pressure or a defective part? All you know at the outset is that your output has decreased. Then, you have to get it fixed.
With switches, used in conjunction with preprogrammed timers in machine control logic, you have a powerful troubleshooting tool. By programming an expected time to complete a cycle, the switch output signal can be used to confirm if the desired machine motion was completed in the allotted time. If the switch output is not received by the programmable controller when it should, you have proof that there has been a failure somewhere in the machine sequence. So, whether it’s some kind of bottleneck, leakage or something broken, using a switch with a timer shortens the troubleshooting time to identify the cause and location of the failure.
Switch output signals can provide the inputs required for programmable controllers to prompt safety circuits and protocols. Output signals can be programmed as logic elements to ensure that all parts of the machine are properly located for the safe shutdown and start-up of equipment. Make a mistake here and you can make an existing problem much worse.
The next logical step in troubleshooting machine performance is a technology platform that enables users to be proactive about maintenance and system optimization. One such breakthrough is Bimba’s IntelliSense. It combines sensors, cylinders, and software to deliver real-time performance data. Tools such as this communicate real-time information to evaluate the potential life cycle of pneumatic components. Users receive operational insights about cylinder condition, cycle time, pressure, and temperatures down to a hundredth of a degree. In addition, they receive predictive intelligence in the form of up-to-date condition information that predicts when a cylinder will fail.
Commercial spaces have different electrical requirements as compared to residential and industrial spaces. When planning for their necessary infrastructure, you can keep certain characteristics of them in mind:
● Commercial spaces are generally characterized by large footfalls as compared to residential ones. They house a system where tasks are continuously taking place and where customers continuously need to be hosted.
● So there is a need for constant vigilance for the benefit of the customers and employees. There is a need for constant operation of electrical machinery and equipment on the premises.
● Therefore, commercial units often need a larger output of energy. The maintenance costs run further up as per the commercial unit’s scale and function. A fast food store with a number of food and beverage preparation machines that consume a lot of energy will have higher maintenance costs than a similar-sized office with light machinery such as desktop computers.
● The larger number of electrical necessities will also entail a considerable entanglement of electrical conduits that require better arrangement.
● Commercial units generally need to kowtow to a corporate aesthetic, where the textures and color palette of the interiors need to bridge the line between elegant and reserved.
From all this information, we can understand the need for electrical accessories to aid commercial unit owners and managers in their operations. Here are 6 issues that electrical accessories assuage for them:
1. Minimizing Energy & Maintenance Costs
Any commercial organization has to keep up to a responsible standard of energy savings and maintenance practices. You need constant vigilance to ensure this. One pernicious phenomenon that affects energy savings is phantom loading, whereby “off” machinery and electrical equipment siphon off energy from their “on” switchboard.
In case your employees are careless enough to leave switches on before leaving, electrical accessories like spike guards, surge protectors, and extension boards are known to cut off the phantom loading. Spike guards and surge protectors also do another important task by safeguarding expensive machinery from over current and short circuits.
2. A Well-Designed System for Task & Ambient Lighting
In commercial spaces, owners need to meet the standards of both corporate functionality and corporate aesthetics. One major part that aids both is lighting quality. Well-placed lights can create a corporate aesthetic that is stylish yet modest. It can lend a psychological wellbeing to the inhabitants who work and engage there daily.
Given that office-related commercial units have task areas to aid workflow, these have to be designed with subtle task lighting that help employees seamlessly run through their routines. Eatery-related commercial units will focus more on ambient lighting in the main seating areas and task lighting in kitchens. For these solutions, electrical accessories such as ceiling roses and angled holders can give your commercial space the desired look.
3. Coherent Arrangement of Electrical Conduits
As discussed above, commercial units tend to have a considerable number of electrical conduits for the machinery inside. These electrical conduits need to be sorted into a coherent plan so as to make maintenance easier. Electrical accessories like gang boxes and G.I. metal boxes allow owners and managers the space to arrange one or more conduits near the respective machines they supply.
4. Circuit Breakers to Safeguard Circuits and Vital Machinery
One of the most important aspects of electrical maintenance is circuit breakers. They ensure that all the expensive machinery will stay undamaged in the event of overcurrent or a short circuit from the main supply.
Miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) are a must in any building, as they not only safeguard machinery, circuits, and inhabitants but also allow you to split your unit into subsidiary circuits through a distribution board for easy maintenance. MCB manufacturers provide them at affordable prices so make sure to purchase them in bulk.
5. Modular Switches for Corporate Aesthetic
Electrical switches are some of the most commonly overlooked electrical accessories. The reason for their relative inconspicuousness is that they perform a very simple function and most people do not see the need to spend more on their aesthetic. But in the context of commercial spaces, the corporate aesthetic is vital, and modular switches to solve that particular problem. Owners who invest in these electrical accessories will present a mature image to their customers and clients. A business that respects its value by utilizing superior electrical accessories is one that will be trusted in the long run. There are several companies who offer these products, and Precision Electricals is one such example, a leading electrical accessories manufacturer in Mumbai, with a vast inventory for your electrical requirements. Make sure to take advantage of its value to streamline the operations of your commercial unit.
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