A Michigan based component machining plant with CNC, PLC, VFD spindle and servo drives as well as traditional transfer machines had (3) catastrophic power outages due to lightning and heavy rainfall leaking through the roof onto the bus duct and bus plugs of the 480 volt power distribution system. The 600 volt 1,600 amp substation breaker tripped for short circuit exceeding 10,000 amps (instantaneous trip set a 6x breaker setting), 20 ft. of bus was destroyed and on another occasion a bus plug door blew off and was never found. Lightning struck a transformer in the facilities main substation causing a power outage. The facility was protected by Applied Energy products. Historically these types of power problems would require control replacement, program reloading and resetting errors in most all drives in the facility requiring many hours to restore production. When the power system components were replaced and the power turned back on there was no damage to any control equipment in the facility, not even one program was scrambled in any PLC, CNC, Servo or VFD drive. The machinery started back up and was put back into production.
CASE STUDIES
Lightning struck a transformer
Intermittent Ground Forming
A facility protected with Applied Energy products had an intermittent ground forming from a 480 volt 3-phase motor power feed cable rubbing on a vibrating machine. The early warning ground fault detection system standard in the Applied Energy product set off an alarm to inform them of the potential arc flash hazard and it was a great help to immediately locate and fix the problem preventing a serious safety hazard and unscheduled production outage.
Unstable Voltages Problems
A Southern Michigan automotive component manufacturing facility with dozens of CNC machines had problems with unstable voltages and problems with harmonics and noise from switching transients from 180 Hz through 3,560,000,000 Hz from the drives and periodic capacitor switching from the utility company. Grounds forming in the ungrounded power system were causing servo and spindle drives to fault. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the facility could continue trouble free operation and the grounds could be located while production continued to run.
Blown Fuses
A western Michigan Foundry was burning out fuses to the furnaces. After applying the Applied Energy solution no more premature fuse losses have been experienced eliminating downtime and product losses.
Drive Motor Losses
A manufacturer of Acoustical and Fire resistant materials in Indiana was experiencing the loss of at least one Variable Frequency Drive each month. With the Applied Energy solution added the facility has experienced zero losses since implementation saving equipment cost and downtime.
Loss Of Lighting
A plastic container plant for the food industry was experiencing the loss of the printer UV drying light after between 600 and 1000 hours of operation. Each of the lights cost six hundred dollars. After the Applied Energy solution the last time the lights were replaced was after 3500 hours.
Voltage Instability
An automotive component manufacturing facility in Michigan with hundreds of CNC machines had production downtime exceeding 30% due to voltage instability and noisy power requiring the outsourcing of the machining of the components at $11.00 each. The facility had installed 139 three-phase TVSS units and 150 single-phase TVSS units however they did not provide a solution to this problem. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the plant production immediately increased from an average of 775 parts per cell of machines to 1150 per cell per shift. With 12 machining cells x 3 shifts the payback was less than a week.
Inverter Shutdowns
An Air Station in California was experiencing inverter shut down due to switching transients from the utility company. After the Applied Energy Solution the problem ceased and so far has not returned after a few years allowing the flight line to operate without interruption.
Circuit Boards Dying
A communications tower in Alaska was losing diodes, circuit boards and occasionally the transformer. With the Applied Energy Solution added no more problems after more than four years which is critical because that tower is the communication tower for the entire Alaskan fishing fleet.
Motor Burnouts
A Michigan based component machining plant with CNC, PLC, VFD spindle and servo drives had a high rate of motor burn-outs (24 three-phase motors from 7.5 to 30 hp in 3 months) and catastrophic power supply failures (19 x $2,000.00 ea) and control lockups. The machinery had a high amount of downtime also due to drive and control lockup. Additional machinery had to be installed to meet production needs. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the plant production immediately increased, the drive faults and control lockups stopped immediately and the motor, PLC, drive and CNC failures stopped as well. The additional machinery was no longer needed and overtime was reduced.
Drive Failures
A component machining facility in Michigan with (24) 3 axis CNC machines for making automotive drive chassis components had a high amount of downtime due to operator station, PLC, CNC lockups and drive faults. The facility had an electronics lab manned 2 shifts with 4 technicians to repair control equipment. Each machine had a delta-wye isolation transformer and each drive had line reactors and each control had a UPS. Each of the machines also had a three-phase and single-phase TVSS. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the control lockup and other faults stopped and the machinery was able to meet production with an increase from 50 to 85% uptime. The electronics lab now has only 2 technicians to support the entire 5-plant complex.
Faulty Electrical Problems
A Michigan based semiconductor manufacturing facility had problems with a waste water pumping station alarming and faulting dozens of times per week due to electrical issues caused by unstable phase voltages powered from an open-delta bank of (2) single-phase transformers. The unmanned remote pumping station had drive fault issues and this would shut down the facility when they were not reset in a timely manner. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the phase voltages were balanced and the drives did not fault saving downtime costs.
Company Renovation
On a recent renovation project, installing Applied Energy Equipment proved to be a significantly cost effective alternative to installing surge suppression devices on each of 58 electrical panels. Estimated cost avoidance $100,000. In the restructuring of the company the installation was moved to a new location. The Applied Energy products were also moved eliminating the need to purchase new equipment adding to the savings.
Circuit Board & Monitor Failures
A Michigan based concrete pipe manufacturing facility had arcing ground-faults causing air compressor monitoring control lockups and catastrophic electronic circuit board and display monitor failures costing over $2,000.00 for hardware plus replacement costs and cost associated to production downtime. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the air compressor has not faulted and no further control or display problems.
Exhaust Fan Failures
A power house servicing a large automotive complex in Michigan supplies all the steam to heat the facility and compressed air for the production equipment. The VFD for a large exhaust fan would trip off line 2 to 4 times per shift due to noisy power caused by arcing ground-faults requiring all employees to evacuate building until the smoke cleared. This would cause the entire facility to stop production periodically. With the Applied Energy Solution added to the power system the power house equipment ran without faulting and the problem has not returned.