How Trailer Wiring Testers Work
Correcting problems with electrical wiring can be intimidating, particularly when it involves connecting two large, mobile objects like a tow vehicle and a trailer. It might be easy to detect if something is wrong — the most obvious indicator is that the trailer’s brake or turn signal lights won’t light up. But some wiring issues can be harder to detect and narrowing down the specific problem can be even trickier. That’s where wiring testers come in.
Critical Criteria for Test Equipment: Part 4
With the initial application of power to a product there is always a possivility that the input power line to the product is short-circuited. To protect the operator and the product, a short circuit detector can be used. It operates faster than a circuit breaker and its level can be an adjustable test parameter. When a high volume of appliances is being manufactured and tractability of each product is not required, an audit station becomes practical solution. Basic test stations without data acquisition are used in the manufacturing cells. A single audit station is used to test samples from the line. The audit station has extended test capacity and provides statistical analysis of the data for quality control. A complete quality monitoring system calls for life cycle testing. Cycle test stations allow continuous testing while monitoring and recording critical parameters. Automatic controls assure functional tests are performed on schedule and out of tolerance products are turned off. The automatic data collection system provides MTBF data as well as statistical analysis of the product’s performance. If a total product history is desired, repair action and audit results on non-conforming products can be recorded. These can be traced to the affected product by model and serial number. We hope you found these suggestions helpful and informative. Feel free to leave your own in the comments section or ask us any questions you might have.
This is the final part of our 4 part series that will examine some key features you want to consider when planning and configuring your manufacturing testing facilities. Keep in mind, these individual features can often be combined or added onto an existing product for increased functionality.Show/HideShort Circuit Detection
Audit Station
Long Term Cycle Testing
Tracing Repair Actions
Critical Criteria for Test Equipment: Part 3
Filed under: Service Tags, Test Stations, Wiring Devices
If bar codes are available on the products, they provide an ideal way of programming the test station for the proper series of tests. If the product contains safety circuits, or if a minimum total test cycle time is desired, simultaneous testing should be considered. This feature allows the product to be in operation during the performance of the dielectric test. When a product is plugged in the first time, or the operator is required to make adjustments to the electrical circuit, the use of GFCI’s should be considered. Full time ground fault interrupter circuits protect the operator should they contact the electrical circuit. Stay tuned for more!
Part three of a four part series that will examine some key features you want to consider when planning and configuring your manufacturing testing facilities. Keep in mind, these individual features can often be combined or added onto an existing product for increased functionality.Show/HideBar Coding of Products
Dielectric Testing of Powered Products
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters
Critical Criteria for Test Equipment: Part 2
Appliances for North America and the International market are manufactured and tested in the same cell by using quick change test receptacles. An outlet strip containing the carious receptacles may be used. The test station can furnish the proper voltage to each. The correct frequency can also be supplied if necessary. If you manufacture products such as hair dryers or fans, but the product mix changes frequently, use a special feature that teaches the tester. A good sample product is cycled through its various speeds and heat settings. The tester measures the results and uses them (with tolerances applied) as test parameters to test similar products. Safety tests such as dielectric strength are not affected with this process. Networking all test stations within a product group to a host computer allows all test data to be retained at a single point. This supports your data acquisition and statistical process control efforts. For operator safety, a second test circuit verifies that the frame of the product is held at a true ground potential whenever power is applied. Stay tuned for more!
Part two of a four part series that will examine some key features you want to consider when planning and configuring your manufacturing testing facilities. Keep in mind, these individual features can often be combined or added onto an existing product for increased functionality.Show/HideMixing Domestic and Exported Products
Teach the Tester
Central Data Collection Point
Ground Verification
Critical Criteria for Test Equipment: Part 1
When the concept of just-in-time inventory is important to your operation, manufacturing cells are one of the major solutions to this need. Cells allow immediate feedback if a problem develops and promotes a strong team spirit. Individual test stations can be provided as standalone testers, or networked to a host computer, whichever makes the most sense for your operations. To achieve the fastest test cycle time with lowest operator fatigue, perform all tests with a single connection. With careful design of the test area, the operator can plug in the product once and perform any cycle, safety, or performance tests. If the product is a motor driven or a heating appliance, a run-in period may be desired. If so, design the test area so the product remains connected from run-in through final test. Automatic circuits can be used to control the timing period. Also, keep in mind a turntable with rotating receptacles may improve efficiency. Networking test stations ensures that uniform test parameters are applied to all products. This not only allows the data to drive your processes, but also gives you the added benefit of analyzing and measuring the effectiveness of your testing line, giving you real time feedback on what’s actually happening on the floor. Stay tuned for more!
This is the first of a four part series that will examine some key features you want to consider when planning and configuring your manufacturing testing facilities. Keep in mind, these individual features can often be combined or added onto an existing product for increased functionality.Show/HideWork Cells
Connect Once Only
Run-in
Central Control of the Test Parameters
Are Liability Concerns Also Manufacturing’s Job?
As a manager, when looking at capital appropriation requests and purchasing new testing equipment to improve liability protection, you’re concerned about saving yourself from unnecessary lawsuits and litigation. From a workers perspective though sometimes it’s hard to see how that benefits you. Well consider it this way – How much do you value your job? What would happen if your plant was shut down due to a costly and debilitating claim? How does that affect your career? Your family? Your life? There are very real consequences to not being covered in today’s world, and you’re the first wave in keeping that from happening. Manufacturing workers and plant owners and management have had a long standing tradition of butting heads on certain issues (where do you think unions came from?), but on this issue, they unanimously agree. Safety is not only a fiscal concern, but it’s also a human one. When you’re working in any kind of high risk environment, it’s essential that all equipment is sound, workers are alert and procedures are followed to the T. Liability protection isn’t just about keeping the company profitable, but about keeping the people behind it safe and secure in their jobs.
So your boss is harping on about liability protection and the importance of investing in new testing equipment and following safety protocols. Sure, they’re concerned about the wellbeing of their floor crew, but in the end it all boils down to dollars and cents. Why should you, as a front line employee be concerned about things like liability protection? Well, here’s a couple reasons that might serve as a wakeup call:Show/HideGood for the Goose – Good for the Gander
It’s Your Life on the Line
Paint Sprayer Manufacturing Line Tester
3 Key Indicators You Could Use a Better Testing Program
A good place to start is to evaluate your internal and external standards for compliance. All equipment manufacturers have to adhere to external testing standards as specified by the UL, CSA and TUV, but where they are lacking is establishing a set of internal standards to take it one step farther and ensure product quality. Another area to evaluate when determining if your testing is procedures are best in their field is to evaluate the types of testing you’re currently doing. Safety tests are just one area you can look at. You also want to make sure you’re measuring on performance, quality, reliability, acceptance and routinely auditing all of these procedures. When looking at your testing system as a whole, what percentage of the process is automated and what portion is manual? The more automation and customization you can incorporate into your testing process, the lower the possibility for error and the more streamlined your system as a whole will be. Most people can’t see the forest for the trees when it comes to evaluating their testing procedures. Take some time to critically evaluate your current system for increased efficiencies. There are a number of other areas to evaluate when determining if your testing procedures meet the grade, but by starting with these three important criteria, you’ll have a good understanding of where your current systems might be lacking and what direction you’ll need to take to improve them.
Testing and maintaining your industrial equipment can not only save you time and money in the long run, but it also helps limit your liability and keeps your workforce and customers safe from any potential safety hazards. Most people do routine testing of their equipment, but how do you know if it’s up to snuff? We’ve spoken to the experts and determined 3 key indicators that your current testing program could use some work.Show/Hide1. Adherence to Standards
2. Testing Spectrum Evaluation
3. Manual vs. Automatic Operations
Long Story Short
Is YOUR Testing Line Missing the Data Acquisition Revolution?
We all recognize the benefits of having on-demand data acquisition available across all areas of your testing process. From rejection rate and quality trends to production flows and management reports, this information is invaluable when it comes to measuring the efficiency of your testing line.
If it’s so important though, why aren’t more people doing it? We here at Sotcher hear all the time how standard Hi Pot testers lack the sophistication and customization needed to track and measure your testing processes, but what most people don’t realize is that it’s not the only option out there.Show/Hide 
We touched on custom solutions as opposed to standard Hi Pot testers in our last post, and have heard time and time again from customers how valuable it’s been to implement testing equipment with data acquisition capabilities. Not only does it provide proof that the tests were run, enhancing customer confidence, but it also gives you a basis for trend analysis, leading to improved process control.
What does all this mean for you? If you’re not gathering the right data and able to pull it into meaningful reports on a real time basis, it’s time to reevaluate your existing line equipment. The costs of upgrading to a system with data acquisition capabilities is far more affordable and practical now more than ever, and the improvements in efficiencies and liability protection alone is definitely worth the investment.