Factory Automation

This might not be an unfamiliar scene of factories in the future. In fact, many factories have been moving into automation in recent years.  The biggest benefits of automation include decreasing labour cost, increasing efficiency and improving quality, accuracy and precision. Continue reading →

In my previous article, I shared on how to improve the efficiency and prolong the lifespan of our power supplies by maintaining a 50% loading and how you can use the LED display of Phoenix Contact’s Quint 4 power supply as a visual indication of the output power in order to achieve that.

This display is also useful in redundant power applications to ensure power supplies are of 50% loading without the use of multi-meter to measure and check.

When it comes to redundant power supplies, diode modules will be used as a de-coupling function but how about balancing of the output power loading between the 2 power supplies?

Usually you will need 4 multi-meters to balance the voltage and the current at the output side during Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and Site Acceptance Test (SAT).

In practice, this is not only tedious but also a waste for time because the moment the output load current changes or the output voltage has a difference of more than 0.3 V, both power supplies will be unbalanced, resulting in one power supply undertaking 100% load and the other is in the “sleeping” mode.

When this happens, power redundancy as well as the life span of the power supply is compromised.

Redundant Power Supply Application

Phoenix Contact’s QUINT ORING resolves this issue of unbalanced loading using our proprietary Auto Current Balancing (ACB) Technology and the QUINT 4’s Bar graph LEDs display; reducing the requirement from 4 multi-meters to only one.

https://youtu.be/sbhSe7RXRpc

In process plants, energy usage is the largest single expense. Plant owners are always finding ways to run the plant in a more energy efficient manner and develop an energy management culture. Before you can run the plant process at an energy-optimised level, you will need to be able to measure and capture energy usage at different parts of the plant. Once you are armed with the data, only then will you know exactly where the areas of highest energy consumption are and how you can reduce costs by improving energy efficiency.

Alongside energy consumption, the quality of the energy supplied, the reliability of supply and effective system utilization also play an important role in ensuring profitability for the plant. This provides plant owners with another reason for continuous measurement and analysis of energy consumption.

One investment that helps plant owners to achieve energy optimization is energy meter data-logging.

Energy management topology

Phoenix Contact’s EMpro energy meters acquire and monitor the characteristic electrical data of your machines and systems. The network-capable EMpro monitor characteristic electrical data centrally and on site. The modular controller gathers all relevant energy characteristics of the production processes and logs these in an SQL database. Once logged, the data can be displayed in an intuitive manner using web-based software or, as a common practice for oil storage companies, the energy consumption (Voltage, Current and Watt) can be output into your desired printable invoice format,

There are many ways to achieve energy optimisation, one of which is leveraging on technologies such as variable frequency drive (VFD). VFD, apart from its primary feature of being energy saving, also has the advantage of prolonging the life span of the motor. However, implementing technologies such as VFD is costly and energy data-logging can definitely be used to justify your VFD investment.

Now, does it not sound like investing in energy data-logging solutions is killing multiple birds with just one stone?

Find out more about increasing Energy Efficiency with our solutions or how our
Remote Control/Remote Maintenance solutions can help cut down wired connections but still provide signal consistency and reliability.

Heavycon Complete

HEAVYCON Complete

In the blog post written earlier in June this year, we talked about the new addition to the HEAVYCON Complete family – HEAVYCON modular. Today, we would like to go in depth and tell you more about HEAVYCON Complete.

First, let me give you a brief introduction on heavy duty connector. It consists of a pair of contact inserts and the housing which is made up of a base and a hood.  In Phoenix Contact, HEAVYCON comes in 3 different models to suit your different requirements.

HEAVYCON EVO

Heavycon Evo

Uniquely Phoenix Contact!  HEAVYCON EVO is specially designed for users who are unable to determine direction of the cable entry. By simply twisting the special bayonet gland, the direction of the cable entry can be changed as desire. Furthermore, the special bayonet gland comes in 4 different sizes ranging from M20 to M40 that fit all the HEAVYCON EVO housings. This basically means that you can save up to 70% of the logistic cost when you’re using various sizes of the housings.

HEAVYCON Standard

Heavycon Standard

HEAVYCON Standard comes in 2 parts- a panel mounting base and a hood. Like HEAVYCON EVO, HEAVYCON Standard can be plugged and unplugged easily without the use of additional tools. A huge array of different combination is available depending on your needs, be it single latch, double latches or box mounting (where no panel cut out is required). All our metal housings are made of AlSi12 aluminium which is seawater resistant. Thus, suitable for marine application

HEAVYCON Advance

HEAVYCON Advance

Instead of panel mounting base like HEAVYCON EVO and Standard, HEAVYCON Advance uses panel mounting flange which reduces the height of the connector. Need higher IP rating? HEAVYCON Advance is IP69K rated which means that it is dust tight and is able to withstand powerful high temperature water jet.

HEAVYCON Connection Technologies

Push-in Connection

Spring-cage Connection

Crimped Connection

Screw-in Connection

QUICKON Connection

From the most widely used, screw connection and crimp connection to push-in connection technology that’s uniquely Phoenix Contact. Our HEAVYCON connectors come with a wide array of connection technology that will suit individual needs.

Rugged and All-weather

Last but not least, HEAVYCON plastic connectors are tested in accordance with numerous national and international standards. They are definitely as rugged as the metal connectors.

IP Protection Test DIN EN 60529		Vibration Test
Temperature Shock Test IEC 60512-11-4, test 11d		IK08 Shock Resistance Test DIN EN 50102
Rollover Test DIN IEC 62196-1		Dynamic Lateral Load Test DIN EN 60512-5

Surge Protective Devices Must Meet Standards

Surge protective devices (SPDs) must provide defined protective functions and performance parameters in order to be suitable for use in corresponding protection concepts. As such, they are developed, tested, and classified according to their own international series of product standards.
Surge protective devices connected to low-voltage power systems are subjected to the requirements and test methods specified by the latest IEC/EN 61643-11 International Standard.

A true mark of quality is a product certification and approval from an independent testing institute. This confirms the fulfillment of the latest state-of-art product standard to ensure highest safety and integrity of the SPDs. The regulatory requirements placed on SPDs often require highly complex tests that only a few testing laboratories in the world are fully capable of carrying out.

How do you know?

The quality and performance of surge protective devices are hard for a customer to assess. Correct functioning can only be tested in suitable laboratories. Besides the external appearance and haptics, only the technical data provided by the manufacturer can provide any guidance. Even more important is a reliable statement from the manufacturer & certification/approval regarding the performance of the SPD and the execution of the tests specified in the respective product standard from series IEC 61643.

Safe Energy Control (SEC) SPD

In line with the revision of the most recent IEC/EN 61643-11 International Standard, the latest range of Safe Energy Control (SEC) SPDs from Phoenix Contact is furnished with independent certifications (i.e. KEMA/DEKRA, DNV/GL, UL). The SEC protective devices work discreetly in the background, providing consistent safeguarding for the entire system even in cases where high lightning surge currents are being discharged.

CB Test Certificate	UL Certificate
DNV GL Certificate	KEMA DEKRA Certificate

If you would like to download a copy of the certificate(s), just let us know by dropping us an email at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg!

Introducing Coffee on Us!

Thank you for your continued support and the confidence that you have placed in us. Phoenix Contact assures you that we do not take this confidence for granted.

We are committed to provide best-in-class service to our customers. With this, we will answer every business enquiry email within 1 business day.  If you do not hear from us within the stipulated time, redirect your email to coffeeonus@phoenixcontact.com.sg with the subject “Coffee on Us!”.  Please include your contact number so that we could get in touch with you.  Your coffee will be delivered to you within the next working day.

Terms and Conditions

1. The claim is valid from 6 September 2016 to 2 December 2016.
2. Apply to Singapore customers with company registered email account only.
3. Authorised Distributors of Phoenix Contact are not eligible.
4. Phoenix Contact reserves the right to reject emails submitted with invalid or incorrect information.
5. We reserve the right, at any time, to modify, alter, or update this terms and conditions without prior notification.