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So, do you keep maintenance records by writing them on the motor, or the cabinet?  You know, newer systems like the TEMPCOM send you an email, a text, or display an alarm on the screen....best yet, the entire thing can be controlled by you! You can make your own notifications based upon time the machine has ran, or date on the calendar...pretty cool, and not something most people deliver!

When systems fail, did you know a large percentage of downtime is figuring out what is wrong.  You cannot get back up and running if you don't know what caused the failure.  For this reason, good programming not only makes a system easy to understand, but one that also captures common causes of failure and communicates them in a way that makes troubleshooting easy!  The problem is, without a full Scope-Of-Work, you will only get alarms that they think are needed, and if they don't specialize in extrusion, you may not get what you are expecting.  Did you know that extrusion is all we do, everyday!? 

Mercury Relays

HIGH PRESSURE SHUTOFF

It is one thing to SEE an alarm, but if the alarm only MONITORS a bad situation, well, you have seen the commercials about monitoring and not actually doing something about it.  It is a safety concern if the system only alerts an operator of an unsafe situation.  Many times they hear so many alarms, it becomes difficult to distinguish between a nuisance and a real emergency.  Systems need to take ACTION and shut off the extruder immediately.

Always replace Mercury Relays with Solid State Relays, BUT, know this...when Mercury Relays fail, they fail in an open condition...in other words...OFF.  In the case of Solid State Relays, it is just the opposite, the fail closed...and that's bad because that leaves the heater as being full on and unresponsive to commands.  Without detection, which almost no upgrade systems outside of ICT specify, the heat can run away and even create a FIRE!  This isn't just a scary story, just look at panels where Solid State Relays exist...see any black stuff on the panel?  There you go!  NOW, the problem is, when people swap out the Mercury Relays, they forget that Circuit Breakers do not work with Solid State Relays, they are too slow!  Solid State Relays require fast acting fuses, which our systems have!

From a safety perspective, almost none of the older enclosures were designed to prevent ARC Flash, and many System Integrators may offer it if asked, but is it a pre-engineered option?  Moreover, if you shut off the main breaker, can you still troubleshoot the PLC and Drives in the panel?  With ICT, we have a standard option we call the ARC Flash PLUS design that keeps your systems brain alive so you can still troubleshoot the system without all the fancy clothes that make holding a screwdriver a challenge!

Contactors

OK, is your plan really to keep expecting the new operator to remember what to do and what not to do?  With Single Loop Controls, which are not coordinated at all, you have to place all the system performance responsibility on the least experienced operator and cross your fingers.  Do you plan on optimizing throughput and minimizing scrap with an Extrusion Artist?  There are very damaging things that can happen when someone is tired, or hot, or both...one is breaking the screw off by starting into a Cold Zone.

​COLD START INHIBIT

​REMOVING MERCURY RELAYS

With the TEMPCOM Extruder Control System from ICT, you know what's going on and where!

IMPROPER CIRCUIT PROTECTION

With the TEMPCOM Extruder Control System from ICT, you know what's going on and where!

ARC FLASH PROTECTION

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE NOTIFICATIONS

Solid State Relays

UPGRADE MISTAKES

COMMON PROBLEMS

SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS

UPGRADE MISTAKES

COMMON PROBLEMS

There are several "upgrade" errors we see on a regular basis.  The trend to upgrade usually begins with the desire to eliminate Mercury Relays, which are being outlawed in more and more states in the US.  The decision to replace these is the source of two potential directions, and in either case, a problem! The first....NEVER use contactors for heat control...NEVER!  Just so you know...we have all this covered!