January 8, 2024

8 Common Faults of a Variable Speed Drive

A Variable Speed Drive is used in a variety of industries to control the speed and torque of an electric motor. This is achieved by the drive varying the motor input frequency and voltage.  

The variable speed drive (VSD) operates alongside the electric power supply. Power is supplied as a fix speed, however if the motor requires to operate at different speed, this is where a variable speed drive is used. As a result of high volumes of current passing through the variable speed drive, there are various faults which can impact the performance. 

Faults within a Variable Speed Drive  

Overheating: 

Ventilation within the VSD is crucial, if not this can lead to overheating. Heat is generated during operation, therefore cooling through ventilation is required. Overheating can lead to increased wear and tear, reduced efficiency and can result in a complete failure of the drive.  

To prevent your VSD from overheating, ventilation is key to reduce heat build up. When installing your VSD, take into consideration the environment and location which it is situated to minimise the risk of overheating.

Overloading: 

It is important for the VSD to be configured with the load which it is operating to minimise the drive becoming overloaded. If the load is changed, the configuration must be re-assed to be correct. If not, this can lead to overheating, reduced machinery lifespan or even failure.  

Engineer holding a circuit board

To prevent the VSD from overloading, follow the manufacturers guidelines and specifications to make sure you have the correct VSD, for the motor size which it is controlling.

Electrical Faults: 

Electrical faults can have an impact on the components within the variable speed drive, or interfere with the operation. Issues which can occur are voltage spikes, power surges or electrical noises. It is important to prevent these faults by electrical protection measures. Regular maintenance checks will minimise unexpected breakdowns from happening.

Software Errors:  

Drives use complex software to operate efficiently. Incorrect parameters and programming errors can lead to operation faults, resulting in the drive operating inefficiently. To prevent software errors, make sure you are following the manufacturing guidelines for your VSD, this will help reduce errors during the operation of the VSD during installation.

Voltage Fluctuations: 

Voltage fluctuations impact the stability and performance of a Variable Speed Drive. If the fluctuations happen regularly, this can cause erratic behaviour or damage to the drives components. To prevent voltage fluctuations, use a voltage regulation device, this will stabilize the incoming power supply.

Input/Output problems:  

During the operation of a variable speed drive, if there are issues with the power input this can have an impact on the variable speed drive operation. Issues such as loose connections or sensor problems, are examples of problems within the variable speed drive. 

Wiring Issues: 

Malfunctions may occur if there is poor grounding or incorrect wiring connections within the Variable Speed Drive. This can lead to electrical hazards and can create a safety hazard within the workplace. 

Component Aging: 

Overtime, components will degrade and need either repairing or replacing. As a result of wear and tear, efficiency will reduce and eventually a failure will occur. To reduce this from happening, regular maintenance of your VSD will allow these faults to be identified early.  

Preventative Maintenance: 

Similar to most machinery assets, regular inspections is key to identifying faults early. It is important to look out for worn components, loose connections and any visible damage. If there is a build-up of dust or dirt, this should be cleaned regularly to reduce the risk of overheating. Following the recommended maintenance schedule from the manufacturer is important, this will provide you with a suggested maintenance plan for the machinery asset, maximising machinery efficiency and life span.  

Regular maintenance is important to reduce these faults occurring. Neutronic have highly experienced Electronic Engineers, who regularly complete repairs on Variable Speed Drives. Contact us today to book in your repair, enquiries@neutronictechnoloiges.com. 

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Megan Birch0 commentElectronic Repairs, Variable Speed Drives
December 7, 2023

7 Common Faults of a Power Supply Unit

Power Supply Unit

Power supply units are found in electrical devices, to control and regulate the electrical energy supplied to the components of a device. The key focuses of a PSU (Power Supply Unit), are voltage and current regulation, protection of mechanisms, and conversion of electrical power from different forms. 

As essential components in any electronic device, when unexpected breakdowns occur they can have a critical impact, and consequences can be costly repairs. 

7 Common Faults of a Power Supply 

We will take a look at the common faults within power supplies, and how they can be prevented. 

Overheating 

The most common fault within a power supply is over heating. This can be caused due to a build up of dust, poor ventilation or malfunctions from the fan. As a result of overheating, the lifespan of the machinery will be reduced and the efficiency of the PS will be limited. 

To prevent overheating, it is important to regularly clean the fans and vents to improve airflow and ventilation within the power supply. Investing in a power supply with higher efficiency, can generate less heat during operation and lower the risks of overheating. 

Excessive Noise 

Buzzing or whining sounds from a PS can indicate a fault. Excessively loud or unusual noises should be investigated by an Engineer, as this can be a sign of loose components or a malfunctioning fan. 

To prevent excessive noise, regularly check all internal components are securely fastened, and the condition of the fan. 

Inadequate Power Output 

It is important for the power output to meet the demanding power from the component it is driving. If the power supply is too low, this can lead to crashes and failures to boot up. If you are replacing new components into an existing system, this can be a common mistake. 

To prevent this problem, understand the requirements of your system and the power it requires. 

No Output Power 

If the PS fails to provide any output power, it is often a sign of a severe fault. This can be an indication of multiple issues, from a blown fuse or internal component failures. 

This is difficult to prevent, if this does occur you should consult an Engineer to take a look at the power supply and fault find the issue. 

Power Surges

If sudden power surges occur, this can cause internal damage to the PSU. This is often due to external impacts, such as the weather or power grid issues which can impact the power current to the unit.

Fan Failure

The fans within the power supply keep the internal components cool. A result of a failing fan, is the PS overheating, this can have further impacts on the internal components and damage to the unit. It is important to maintain the fans within the power supply to reduce failure from happening.

Short Circuits

As a result of incorrect wiring, damaged components, or external factors can lead to short circuits in a power supply unit. This can result in the unit shutting down or potentially causing damage to other components.

How can Neutronic Support you?

Power supplies are a common asset which we are repaired in our workshop, we regularly see faults with internal components, failure of capacitors or the unit. As a result of our Engineers experience, they have a good indication of faults when inspecting the asset. This reduces the turnaround time of your repair, the quicker the fault is identified the quicker the repair can be completed! 

If your power supply is beyond economic repair, we will source a replacement for you! Our team will source a replacement with fast lead times and to the same specification to efficiently provide you with a solution! 

To book your power supply in for repair today, contact Neutronic by emailing Enquiries@neutronictechnologies.com, and we will be happy to support you!

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Megan Birch0 commentElectronic Repairs, Power Supply
September 21, 2023

Navigating the Challenges of Obsolete Equipment 

Mitsubishi E1012 Operator Panel
Mitsubishi E1012 Operator Panel

Obsolete repairs are machinery assets that are no longer produced by manufacturers. When this occurs, this means that acquiring replacement parts is challenging. Neutronic strives in repairing obsolete parts, we aim to find a solution to all manufacturing faults. 

Challenges of Obsolete Repairs: 

Repairing obsolete parts can be challenging and costly for businesses, due to the time and knowledge required to complete the repairs. 4 reasons why manufacturing companies find obsolescence a challenge:

1)    Shortage of replacement parts: sourcing the replacement components may be a challenge or impossible, this can limit the success of getting the part back up and running. 

2)    Technical Expertise: The knowledge of the engineers is important to think of alternative solutions, or to be familiar with the issue which has occurred. 

3)    Compatibility Issues: Testing equipment limits the accessibility to fix the damaged components and fully run test the obsolete repair. 

4)    Cost: Completing the repair may cost more, due to the cost of the components required to complete the repair. Suppliers will increase prices of parts as they know they are desirable for certain obsolete repairs. 

Longevity of Obsolete Equipment 

Familiarity within a workshop is important, once your employees are trained on software, it is efficient to keep this implemented for simplicity within the workplace. This helps to minimise the need to retrain your staff on new equipment. 

Repairing the faulty part is often a quicker solution to ordering a replacement. Lead times can fluctuate throughout the year and could be a limitation to replacing the faulty part, consideration of repairs is a suggested solution. 

The lifespan of machinery can be extended when repaired correctly. Identifying faults early can be resolved and can improve the efficiency of the machinery parts for future use. 

Why does Obsolescence occur? 

The main reasons as to why parts become obsolete is because of technological developments and compatibility issues within the industry, and the requirements to meet new needs. This is common within the industry as machinery is built for longevity, which can become challenging as parts will become obsolete before the end of the machinery lifespan. 

Obsolescence also may also occur due to Government regulations which must be followed, for example environmental or energy regulations. Manufacturers may also stop production of a part due to new models which provide better capabilities to their customers.  

How can you reduce unexpected breakdowns? 

Regular maintenance is a key management system to minimise the unexpected downtime of machinery assets. Maintaining bearings, oil levels and components to OEM specifications helps to prolong the lifespan of assets, which is important when parts become obsolete.  

Implementing a condition monitoring system onto your assets will help identify the first signs of faults. The system identifies anomalies and sends alerts to show when they need to be resolved, to improve the efficiency of the asset.  

How can Neutronic support you with Obsolete Repairs? 

Neutronic have extensive in-house testing equipment and experienced Engineers who can support customers with obsolete repairs. Familiarity is key to providing a quick solution to the problem. Once our engineers have identified the issue, we will consider the cost of replacement and repairing, to see which is the best option. If the part is beyond economical repair, Neutronic can support you with supplying a replacement. 

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Megan Birch0 commentHMI Repairs, Obsolete Repairs
September 21, 2023

Enhancing Industrial Operations with a HMI

A HMI panel (Human-Machine Interface), is an interface or dashboard that controls a machine. They are a user-friendly way for humans to control systems within the manufacturing environment. A typical HMI consists of a display screen, input devices, audio alerts and feedback devices. Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) are simple to use. By utilizing familiar software and processes, engineers can tailor these for optimal performance. 

Component of a HMI

Common uses for HMI’s 

Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) are utilized for showcasing information graphics, automating processes, and generating reports. Playing a critical role in monitoring and controlling various systems in different industries. 

Depending on the industry will depend on the application of the HMI. Lets take a look how the panels are used in different industries:

HMI’s within the Food Industry  

In the Food and Beverage industry, there are regulations to follow to ensure food safety throughout production. IP66 rating is essential for the HMI when located in food production environments.  

The IP66 rating ensures that the interface can handle extreme temperatures and high-pressure jet washes during cleaning. Due to the regular cleaning required, water contact can cause damage to the screen and electronic connections. 

HMI’s within the Automotive Industry 

Within the automotive industry HMI’s are used to provide valuable data in relation to quality control and operator safety. This is crucial within the production line, to provide a constant high quality when manufacturing vehicles. HMI’s assist operators with fault diagnosis when breakdowns occur, this helps identify the fault and repair it efficiently to restart production.   

Where are HMI Panels used? 

HMIs are utilized across various sectors such as Food Manufacturing, Industrial Automation, Medical Manufacturing, and Transportation. They are commonly employed to regulate the equipment involved in the production process. 

HMI’s most commonly need replacing after 10 years. Overworking the HMI, irregular maintenance and unrepaired physical damage can reduce the lifespan of the HMI. 

Obsolete HMI Repairs 

Many major manufacturing brands produce HMI’s, including Schneider Electric, Allen Bradley, Siemens and Mitsubishi. Technological developments will increase obsolete HMI’s within the industry, Neutronic can repair the majority of obsolete HMI’s from all major manufacturers. 

Neutronic strive in finding solutions for our customers, we have the in-house capabilities to repair obsolete parts in our workshop. Including Mitsubishi E1020 HMI screens, these HMI’s are obsolete and are expensive to replace. You can expect to pay over £1000 for a replacement E1020. Neutronic are one of the very few industrial repair services that can repair the Mitsubishi E1020 screens. 

Neutronic offers a 24/7 service to all customers with repairs. Offerings a 12-month warranty for all HMI’s when they leave our workshop, allowing you to be confident in our repair service. 

5 Common Faults with a HMI Panel

HMI’s are attached to control machinery, and regular use means faults occur more often, common faults which are found with HMI’s are: 

Screen Freezing: The screen may become unresponsive or blank, which limits the use of the screen to control the machinery. 

Touch Screen Malfunction: The screen may fail to respond to touch points for users. 

Compatibility Issues: If you change or update your software and hardware, you may have compatibility issues going forward with your HMI. 

Power Issues: The screen may fail to start up due to a power supply to the HMI. If unexpected issues do occur power supply could be the first point of call to check over. 

Connection Issues: The connection between the HMI panel and the machinery, is important to work to deliver a usable HMI. 

FAQ’s

What is a HMI panel used for? 

HMI stands for Human Machining Interface. 

A Human-Machine Interface (HMI), is an interface or dashboard that controls a machine, system or device. It helps to create a user-friendly way for humans to control their systems within their business. A typical HMI consists of a display screen, input devices, audio alerts and feedback devices. 

How does a HMI co-operate with a PLC? 

A PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) relays information to the HMI to display the information and status requested by the HMI. Through the digital screen on the HMI, the graphics displayed showcase the information which is being generated from the PLC. 

What is the difference between a HMI and a PLC? 

The key difference between the two parts is the PLC is the logical part, whereas HMI is the graphical part.

Can Neutronic repair my HMI? 

Neutronic Technologies regularly repair HMI’s within our Electronic workshop. Our engineers have vast experience in this type of repair, from a variety of industries and manufacturers. 
We can run test all major manufacturers using our in-house testing rigs. This provides confidence that your repair has been fully tested prior to being returned. 

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Megan Birch0 commentElectronic Repairs, HMI Repairs, Obsolete Repairs