technology hAndbook
Power SuPPlieS
A look into the products, technologies And solutions shAping the mArket
Digital
Supplement to
MACHINE DESIGN • SYSTEMS • TECHNOLOGY
Technology handbook
Power Supplies
IMO’s dPS power supplies provide a dependable and reliable choice for electrical and electronic devices in control & automation applications.
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MO’s DPS range of 24VDC, Din Rail mounted power supplies have been specially designed and built for long lasting provision, and protection of 24VDC devices ranging from instrumentation and robotics to general control, Programmable Logic Controllers, and Human Machine Interfaces. With the security of IMO’s 3-year warranty, the DPS range delivers reliability and dependability to a variety of applications. The IMO DPS power supplies deliver an 89% efficiency, and are available in a variety of wattages from 5 to 480W complete with shortcircuit protection, and an integrated internal input filter. IMO DPS power supplies come in five sizes; 5W, 10W and 18W, class 2, slim-line power supplies are only 22.5mm wide. The 30W and 60W units are 40.5mm and like the smaller wattages, are contained in robust plastic enclosures. The larger size power supplies are manufactured in metal enclosures which include 120W units (63.5mm), 240W units (83mm), and 480W, 20A (175mm) wide. The DPS supplies offer the advantage of a universal input voltage range, of 85V – 265VAC and, as standard, are supplied with a 24VDC output; 5V, 12V and 48V versions are also available. IMO DPS power supplies have been successful in client’s applications using IMO’s latest innovation, the i3 controller. This unique one-piece controller, that combines a PLC and HMI into one controller, requires a dedicated and reliable power supply. As the PLC’s inputs and outputs are mounted to the controller, the DPS power supply is also used to power analogue devices, and external IMO limit switches, photoelectric and inductive proximity sensors, as well as a number of push buttons and 24VDC pilot lights. In solar applications, the 120W DPS power supply has been used with IMO’s SolarCube solar tracking controller,
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delivering reliable power to the controller as well as the compass and GPS antenna. This also provides 24VDC power for the relays and IMO’s Jaguar Variable Frequency Drive controlling the movement of a solar array. In robotic applications, having a parallel output function for two 120, 240, or 480W DPS power supplies mounted and wired together provides power back up should one of the units become disabled. When these DPS power supplies are wired in parallel, the two supplies drop to half the wattage, given a total wattage equivalent to the amount they are rated for. Should one of the supplies fault, the other puts the wattage to full, supplying reliable power to crucial systems. Reliable power is a must for food and beverage processes. The 60W DPS power supplies work exceptionally well with IMO’s TD series of temperature and process controllers. We challenge you to compare your power supplies to IMO’s DPS power supply for price and warranty. If you have any questions on any of the products mentioned, please contact Manufacturers Automation Inc. 1-800-387-6268 or manuauto.com for more details.
Manufacturers Automation Inc. 1600 King Street North, St. Jacobs, ON NOB 2N0 Toll free: 1-800-387-6268 email: sales@manuauto.com
www.manuauto.com
Technology handbook
Power Supplies
Meeting High demands of Oil & Gas Industry
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anel designers have a lot to consider when choosing which type of switching power supplies for their control panel, but for panels going into oil and gas extraction operations, the stakes are that much higher due to the risk of explosion. They must take extra caution and ensure that those power supplies meet the demands of a hazardous environment with extreme temperatures. The unique features of Omron’s new power supplies have made that decision an easier one for panel designers for these three reasons:
• Withstands extreme cold and hot temperatures, from -40° to +70°C, in enclosed outdoor use • Resists shock and vibrations up to 5G without de-rating performance • Meets CSA Class 1 Division 2 ratings for use in hazardous environments “The -40°C temperature feature of the new S8VK-G series enables us to provide power supplies to applications in far north drilling, as well as Arctic drilling applications,” said Wade Johnston, Account Manager for Omron Automation and Safety in Canada. “The Class 1 Division 2 rating is a crucial feature for any of our customers with oil related applications.” Another important factor for panel builders to consider is product size, particularly the mounting depth. The panel’s ultimate depth and size is where designers can control costs and improve project profitability. The S8VK-G power supply — and many other Omron panel mount controls — have shallow mounting depths and slim footprints that save space and allow use of smaller control cabinets. “The reduced cost of using a shallow depth cabinet can typically save $100 in material costs for the project,” according to Johnston. The Advantages of Thermal Technology By using thermal technology, Omron was able to identify the hot spots inside the power supply that tend to decrease the life of a power supply. Omron positioned the components that get the hottest close to the top vents, maximizing dissipation of the heat through gravity ventilation. This design eliminates the need for fan forced ventilation in higher wattage models and allows an overall decrease in
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the physical height of the power supply. “One of our customers came to us with the need to build a panel for an oil patch pumping station, and they needed to conserve space, while maintaining high efficiency,” Johnston said. “Omron’s new power supply design gave them that capability at a better price point and shorter lead time than our competitors could offer.” Simplified Wiring The S8VK power supplies provide two sets output terminals to simplify wiring of two loads. The layout reduces installation and servicing time as well as the cost of twin entry ferrules required when only one set of output terminals is available. Full Line of Compact Power Supplies Omron offers four different S8VK-series compact power supplies to match every customer’s needs. • S8VK-C – Most cost-effective • S8VK-G – Standard single-phase input • S8VK-T – Standard three-phase input • S8VK-R – Redundancy Unit Our high quality power supplies are backed by 80 years of experience and global support. • Learn more about Omron power supplies: http://industrial.omron.ca/en/products/catalogue/control_components/power_ supplies/default.html • Additional Omron information can be found at omron247.com. • Omron on Social Media: http://industrial.omron.ca/en/news/social_media/omron_on_social_media.html • Contact us: http://industrial.omron.ca/en/contact/omron_in_country/default.html
Omron 885 Milner Avenue Toronto, ON M1B 5V8 Toll free: +1 (866) 986-6766 email: askomron@omron.com
www.omron247.com
When you take your automation to extremes...
We’ve got the power to help! Failure resistant in tough environments Whether installing in extreme temperatures or hazardous locations, Omron’s Switching Power Supplies S8VK-G Series guarantee stable operation.
Easy installation The double set of terminals allows for quick, easy wiring of dual loads, while keeping them isolated from each other.
Compact size The S8VK-G offers a wide product range (from 15W up to 480W), in a very compact size. It is 13 percent smaller than comparable power supplies and the smallest of its type on the market.
It’s improved DIN-rail mounting clip provides better vibration resistance.
Find out how Omron Power Supplies can meet your demands at omron247.com OMRON AUTOMATION AND SAFETY • Canada toll free: 866.986.6766 • www.omron247.com
Technology handbook
Power Supplies
HOw CAN A pOwEr SuppLY AffECT A LIGHT CurTAIN? By Tina HuLL
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ecently I had a customer whose machine would only run when the light curtain beams were broken. Yes, this is the opposite of how a safety light curtain is designed to operate. In fact, I was wondering how it was even possible. This is a part of a modular packaging system consisting of a delta robot with safe motion, allowing it to have a direct to the safety central processing unit (CPU). It has a vision system and conveyor. The safety measures consist of an emergency stop and two light curtains monitored by a safety PLC. The tech support team members involved are experts with the motion, controls, safety and vision system. My safety experts provided a checklist of items the customer could verify regarding the light curtain. Originally the team thought this would be quickly solved over the phone, but the fact that you are reading this means they were wrong! Why don’t I just take you through the steps, just in case you come across a similar issue? First, make sure the light curtains are properly connected.
Most light curtains in Canada, the Americas and Europe are PNP, also referred to as sourcing. This provides a path to +24 VDC, which prevents a malfunction due to an earth fault, more commonly a short caused by a wire whisker touching the frame. Machines from other countries may come with NPN (sinking) light curtains. Suppliers may have different ways to indicate if the light curtain is PNP or NPN. In this example, it was listed on the label within the part number. The customer gave us a part number of F3SJ-B0225P25-D — the P indicates it is PNP. (Note: If it was N, it would be NPN.) Since most safety-related issues are caused by wiring, a wiring diagram was sent to the customer for verification. In this case, the wiring was correct. Here are some common wiring checks you can do: • Verify the communication connections between the emitter and receiver were made. • Check the 0 V and 24 VDC connections.
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ODDS2 (White) ODDS2 (Black)
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(yellow) Photos © omron AutomAtion And sAfety
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Technology handbook
Power Supplies
IMAGE 3
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• Image 1 and Image 2 are two simplified wiring drawings for auto reset. The second one has three additional connections. These are for a test switch, reset pushbutton and auxiliary output. Only connect the ones being used. • Make sure any switch being used is rated for micro loads.
My safety experts provided a checklist of items the customer could verify regarding the light curtain. Originally the team thought this would be quickly solved over the phone, but the fact that you are reading this means they were wrong!
Now align the light curtains. In this case, the customer even set up a webcam so we could see the blue light come on to verify it was correct. If the controller uses LED indicator lights, go ahead and connect the inputs. Watching the LEDs is an easy way to see if the beams are being broken. Remember to use a test rod or some other disposable device thick enough to break a beam when you do this, not your hand! You can also test the continuity with a multimeter. Everything up to this point was correct, but the machine would still only turn on when the beams were broken. This is when an application engineer was sent out to investigate further. When he tested the continuity between the power supply and the light curtain, it was discovered that the 24 V was connected to one power supply, while the 0 V was connected to another power supply. Most people’s first thought would be to jumper the 24 V connections between the two power supplies, but you do not want to do this. The power supplies used for safety and motion should always be separate. Safety devices and controllers need a 24 VDC SELV (Separated Extra Low Voltage) power supply. This is to maintain the integrity of the safety of the machine and to help eliminate false tripping due to inrush currents if other devices on the same supply are switched on. On the motion side, when the relay coil on the brake is actuated, it causes a negative current spike. Diodes are built into many high quality relays and controllers to reduce the spike. Refer to Image 3. While part of the remaining spike can be absorbed by a good quality power supply, a portion of the spike still resonates and causes noise in the I/O signal. High noise can cause unpredictable results. The signal could be On even if the input says the signal is Off. Worst yet, troubleshooting becomes difficult if it happens across multiple inputs.
Also, having too many devices on a power supply reduces its ability to absorb all of the spikes. (See Image 4.) Later I found out that many hours of troubleshooting could have been saved if we just read the light curtain data sheet. It says “For a PNP output, connect the load between the output and 0 V line. Connecting the load between the output and +24 V line results in dangerous condition because the operation mode is reversed to On when light is interrupted.” The customer traced the wires and separated them so the light curtain and the rest of the safety were on one power supply. Now the light curtain was working correctly. Here is a summary of what you can do to prevent this from happening to you: • Use separate power supplies for servo brakes and I/O to avoid shorting; • Use a separate power supply rated for SELV for safety devices to avoid false tripping; • Select a good quality power supply that is properly rated for the devices; and • Read the data sheets! If you have issues with currently installed safety devices randomly tripping, especially at start-up, begin with checking the wiring and power supply rating. Who knows, maybe your problem is also as simple as a single wire on the wrong power supply. Tina Hull is a product engineer for safety at Omron Automation and Safety. Power Supplies Technology Handbook • Ma 7
Technology handbook
Power Supplies
Sharpening the Saw By PauL HOgendOOrn
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any years ago, I read Steven Covey’s landmark book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I have read many other good books since that time, but this one still stands out as a foundational book for me, especially as I consider the roles in my life where my abilities as a leader matter. This past month, I attended a two-day Global Leadership Conference with the specific purpose of practising the seventh habit that Covey identifies — the habit of “sharpening the saw.” Covey’s point was that a wood-cutter that stopped regularly to sharpen his saw would cut far more wood, with far less effort, than a wood-cutter that never stopped cutting. The same principal applies to leadership. We can get a lot more done if we take regular breaks to hone our leadership skills. But stopping to sharpen the saw takes discipline and intention, and it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of believing we are too busy to slow down, let alone stop for a break. That’s the paradigm that most of us live in. We know better, but we continue to cut the wood with a dull blade. One method I use to make sure I do the things I know I should do is to commit to them when they are six months away. It’s easy to say yes to events that won’t happen for awhile; it’s progressively harder to commit to taking time out for those same events as the time draws nearer. The reminders come in, the event is on my schedule, the invoice is paid, and for those reasons I go. After it’s over, I’m glad I did. There were many messages at the conference I needed to hear; some were new and some were things I needed to be reminded of. It would be impossible to try to summarize even a few of them, but here are four key points that most resonated with me: 1) Leadership is a choice, not something you were chosen to do. 2) Leadership skills need to be learned, practised and refined. You are not simply born with them. 3) Leaders change the order of things. And 4), the highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential in others. These four points cover the whole spectrum of leadership in our manufacturing world. Let’s start with the third one — leaders change the order of things. All of our continuous improvement efforts are really just seeking to do just that — change the order of things to try to make them better. The ideas don’t just come from the CEO, plant manager or lean team leader; they need to come from everyone involved. Everyone, from the operator onward, has the potential to be a leader, and this speaks to the first point — leadership is a choice. Choosing to participate in the process of making things better is choosing to be a leader, regardless of your position or title. Conversely, supressing constructive changes or growth activities, or choosing not to encourage them within your organization, is choosing not to be a leader, even if your title identifies you as one.
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The second point speaks to our potential effectiveness as leaders. Just because we are choosing to be leaders, and trying to be leaders, doesn’t mean we will be effective leaders. There are certain skills that are critical to leaders (the ability to communicate, for instance), and these can be learned and honed, and need to be continuously improved upon. The last of the four points may be the most important of them all, and it resonated with me the most. This past event, I invited two younger members of my team to the conference with me, believing that I will soon be passing the torch of leadership to the next generation. I came to the conference already believing that the highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential within others, but now I think I understand it more clearly. It’s not just the people next in line on the organizational chart that have leadership potential — the ability to change the order of things — it’s everyone in the organization that chooses to try. We as leaders have to strive to unlock all of this potential in these people, or if our companies are too big, to create an organizational culture that does. Can you imagine what our companies and organizations might be capable of if everyone saw themselves as leaders? When we look at thriving and prevailing organizations today, we often attribute their success to the qualities and attributes of their leader. But if we look closer, we will usually see the leader has developed a true culture of leadership that permeates the entire organization. Doing this kind of leadership right is a mammoth job that will take all the imagination, dedication, time and energy that we can pour into it. To succeed, we need to make sure we make time regularly to sharpen the saw. Paul Hogendoorn is president of FreePoint Technologies. He can be reached at paulh@getfreepoint.com.