Pick the wrong starting method for a big motor and you'll hear about it: tripped breakers, a utility demand charge, a starter that won't get the load up to speed, or a drive nobody on second shift knows how to reset. Wye-delta starters, soft starters and VFDs all reduce the hit of starting a large motor, but they do it in very different ways and they fail in very different ways. We build all three into motor control panels, often for shredders, conveyors, pumps and fans. Here

When a line goes down, most maintenance techs open Studio 5000, scroll through ladder logic and hope something jumps out. The software has tools built for exactly that moment, and most plants never use them. Here are the ones we show every maintenance team we work with. None of them require you to change the program. 1. Upload before you troubleshoot The .ACD file on the shop laptop is often months out of date. Someone made an online edit, a contractor tweaked a timer, and th

If you've ever had an inspector red-tag a new control panel, there's a good chance SCCR was the reason. Short-circuit current rating is one of the most overlooked numbers on an industrial control panel's nameplate, and one of the most expensive to fix after the panel is built. Here's what it is, why it matters, and how to get it right the first time. What SCCR means A panel's short-circuit current rating is the maximum fault current it can safely withstand, typically stated i

Two control panels can look identical on the outside: same enclosure, same PLC, same drives. One has a small UL label inside the door and the other doesn't. That label can decide whether your panel passes inspection on the first visit, whether your insurer is comfortable with the installation, and who answers the hard questions if something goes wrong. Here's what UL 508A is and why it's worth asking for. What UL 508A is UL 508A is the UL standard for industrial control panel

A good quote starts with good information. The more we know about your motors, your power and your site before we price a panel, the fewer surprises there are later: no change orders for a missing disconnect, no re-rated breakers, no enclosure that doesn't fit the wall. Here is what we ask for on almost every control panel job. 1. A motor list For every motor the panel will control, send the horsepower, voltage, phase and full-load amps (FLA) from the nameplate, plus how it s