Category: Blog Post

Having decades of experience helping clients in the metals industry, our engineering team knows the slitting line process inside-out and are experts in automation and control system technology specific to the industry. Typically, when we start with one slitting line retrofit, the success of that first project leads to retrofits of their Metals converting equipment at multiple plants for the same client across the country.

Having implemented control systems for both new slitting lines and retrofitting a countless variety of older slitting lines, EDC has developed deep domain expertise to help our clients optimize production. Because of the complex and nuanced processes for this type of production equipment, there is no universal cookie cutter solution. Each new and retrofit project needs to be developed according to the manufacturers’ unique conditions and production goals.

EDC collaborates with plant managers and operators to evaluate the slitting line from loading the coil and set-up procedure through to the slitting and recoil process to tailor the optimal solution to improve production performance. Although each project is unique, there are 7 common problems we have encountered through the years which are triggers to consider a control system upgrade. In no particular order, here is our list of common problems and examples of solutions we deploy to solve these challenges:

1. 1. 1. Tension Problems Create Quality Control Issues

         For slitting lines, tension is an important variable. If the tension is not controlled properly, material defects become a problem. Often the material is too taut going in and out of the slitter resulting in a host of quality issues from burring to scratching of the material. A slitting line makes a much better-quality cut at controlled low tension at the entry and little or no tension at the exit of a slitting head. To achieve optimal cut quality, adding a loop going in and a loop coming out of the slitter can solve the tension problem. If you have an entry and exit loop currently and are experiencing quality issues, the control system should be evaluated for potential adjustments. No matter what your problem EDC can help to improve your Precision width tolerances.

         • EDC’s Entry Loop Solution – To solve for taut entry tension problems, EDC can implement controls to provide an entry loop section to the machine allowing for low tension slitter entry, which will assist in making a better split off. We can also add a sonic sensor above the loop for feedback to the control system to adjust the speed of the motors to maintain optimal loop position.
         • EDC’s Existing Exit Loop Improvement Solution – In many of the facilities that we have visited, an operator is manually manipulating the exit loop which is an art and a nuanced talent. As many longtime operators are approaching retirement, the knowledge and know-how is hard to replace. If an operator is not experienced or not paying attention, either they might run the take up too fast creating a taut web on the exit, or they might run it too slow causing the slit metal to become scraped up at the bottom of the pit. Leveraging the control system, EDC can provide a loop position feedback on the exit loop, eliminating the need for the operator to have to constantly make adjustments.
         • EDC’s No Exit Loop Solution – If you do not have an exit loop you would have to dig a pit that’s 30 feet deep which is not practical in many cases. Although not optimal, EDC can provide a controls solution to operate in a slip core configuration. Another solution can be the implementation of Traverse winding.

      2. Slow Slitting Line Setup

         Traditionally, slitting line setup is not a quick process and can hamper your ability to meet production goals. Setting up automated recipe management can significantly reduce setup time. Operators can easily select the appropriate recipe from a user-friendly touch screen, significantly reducing the setup process and improving product consistency between shifts.

      3. Extended Downtime for E-Stop

         There are cases when an e-stop is required during an operational anomaly. When this happens too quickly and is not controlled properly, it can cause extended recovery time and possible damage to the line.

         EDC can incorporate a coordinated, rapid stop utilizing safe torque-off, web break sensors, and control algorithms to maintain web integrity, saving valuable minutes in setup recovery.

      4. Difficulty Hiring Operators

         The National Association of Manufacturers’ 1st quarter of 2021 survey of manufacturers report ranked the inability to attract and retain talent second place behind the rise in raw material goods on the list of top challenges. It was noted by 65.8% of those completing the survey. Previously, the labor issue was the primary concern in 11 of the past 13 quarters prior to this release. With approximately one quarter of the manufacturing workforce being age 55 or older, the skilled labor shortages are very real and not likely to improve anytime soon.

         If you are too reliant on aging operators who have been with your company for a long time, it’s time to simplify running your manufacturing lines by leverage automation technology. Automating previously manual tasks (i.e., automating loop tension) will enable a less skilled operator to quickly complete training and smoothly transition into taking ownership of running the line. Automating allows new operators to achieve the same or better results of the retiring operator. Modern user-friendly touchscreen operator interfaces with built-in troubleshooting diagnostics will also help attract, train, and retain the younger generation of workers who have grown up with intuitive smartphones and computers.

      5. Bearing Wear in the Slitter Head

         Bearings in the slitter head will start to wear over time, causing loss of precision and other operational difficulties and quality degradation. To help our clients resolve this issue, EDC works with slitter manufacturers to facilitate an upgrade of the mechanical portion of the slitter to bring it back to original tolerances needed for precise slitting.

      6. Edge Trim Control

         All slitting lines produce some scrap due to edge trim. Whether you are using a scrap baller or a scrap winder to collect your edge trim, proper control of your edge trim motor can limit the amount of scrap produced. Limiting the amount of scrap adds to your bottom-line profitability. EDC can address this often-overlooked inefficiency by fine-tuning the motor and controls in your scrap winding section.

      7. Legacy Control System

         Many of the first six problems we have discussed could be related to operating your equipment with legacy controls. Slitting lines are true work horses; the physical equipment well exceeds the operating life of the control systems that run the equipment.

         Running your slitting line on a legacy control system retired by the original manufacturer is like dancing with the devil – you never know when you will get burned. The longer the control system has been retired by a controls manufacturer, the higher your chances of extended downtime. If you have resorted to looking for parts on eBay, it is only a matter of time before unexpected downtime will translate into a costly emergency.

         Legacy control examples include Allen Bradley’s PLC5, SLC-500, Siemens’ S5 and S7-300, GE 90-30, as well as many other obsolete AC and DC drives.

Evaluating a retrofit is highly recommended and you may be surprised at how the advancement in technology can offset the cost, yielding a favorable return on investment. In one case study, our client reported a 40% improvement in productivity after replacing an outdated General Electric control system. EDC can help you evaluate and map out the highest value retrofit.

Several manufacturers have reached out to us recently wanting to implement Manufacturing Intelligence in their facility.  This has been called lots of different names – Industry 4.0, IIoT, cloud computing, etc. – but we don’t care much for just the next trendy topic, or implementing new tech just for the sake of it.  What’s interesting to our Systems department at EDC is finding solutions that help our customers solve their problems.

Manufacturing Intelligence is not just gathering data but doing something with that data.  Manufacturing Intelligence projects contextualize the data so that it is meaningful and helps manufacturing teams make better decisions.

Alerts for Consistent Product Quality

A recent project featured collection of process data for a company that extrudes a non-woven web of absorbent padding, then cuts it into sheets for use by industrial customers. A data historian was created to capture and store 200 data tags for temperatures, line speed, motor speeds, and the status of safety devices such as interlocking door switches, e-stops and cable pulls.  Alerts were set-up for out-of-range process parameters, which will trigger e-mails and text messages to warn key plant personnel.  Actionable information such as this can be used to prevent product scrap, downtime and component failure. For this customer, a simple blower air temperature that was too low was their largest concern. The project was so successful that it was implemented across their other three production lines.

Downtime Monitoring

A metals converting customer wanted to easily monitor and display their production rates.  EDC utilized encoders and variable frequency drive (VFD) data from our previous slitting line upgrade to calculate line speed in feet per minute and display it on large character rate meter so it could be seen from across the plant floor.  The cloud-based solution also made the production rate and other contextual process points available wherever the plant manager had internet access and the proper authentication. Production managers use this information to help them monitor their plant by simply walking around.  They also receive text alerts if downtime is more than they expect so that they can troubleshoot in a timely manner.

Critical Sensor Monitoring and Alerting

A NYC high-rise needed to alert their maintenance staff when the level of their domestic water tank was too low. Usually, the facility will utilize a building management system (BMS) to perform the monitoring function. However, this building’s BMS was obsolete and adding the necessary system upgrades to accomplish this seemingly small but important task proved to be too costly. EDC installed a Samsara cloud-based data collection gateway and set-up text and email alerts for the low-level condition. A trend line graph was created so the facilities personnel could check the tank level anytime, anywhere they had internet access. The project was performed at a fraction of the cost of the BMS upgrade.

Ready to Implement Manufacturing Intelligence?

The above are just a sample of manufacturing intelligence projects EDC has performed as an end goal or as part of a larger systems integration project. EDC is adept at utilizing a variety of platforms and techniques including Samsara’s cloud-based gateways, Rockwell’s Factory Talk or simple data arrays in customer HMIs that operators can view or download.  These solutions provide actionable information that can help you increase uptime, reduce scrap and transform your production facility, no matter how large or small, into a state-of-the-art efficient operation.

Let EDC help you with your Manufacturing Intelligence project

Zack Fischer has been with Electronic Drives and Controls for almost 8 years, starting with the Drives Service team in October of 2013, and then moving over to the Systems Integration team in 2016. Asked about how Zack started in Service, Chuck Dillard, vice president of EDC, said, “He took the initiative to buy his own PLC. He bought an enclosure and mounted the PLC in the enclosure, wired it all and then started programming PLCs just because he wanted to. And it’s still there in the back of the office. People still use it today for training.”

While working with the Drives Service team, Zack consistently showed that he would be a great systems engineer and an asset for EDC. On one project, Zack developed an idea for a modular rack that could be made utilizing Versabar, then mounted and wired all the drives to it, which Chuck said “came out so beautiful.” He then took it to the job installed the entire system with no problems whatsoever. And Chuck, referring to customers, summed things up by simply saying that “People love when Zack comes.”

Like any great systems engineer, he also wanted to make sure he was prepared with whatever tools he might need for any type of job, even if it meant buying the tools himself prior to EDC implementing a tool program. When buying his own tools, Zack always made sure he had the best tools available. He didn’t take shortcuts or buy cheap or poorly constructed tools.

One of Zack’s favorite things about working with the systems team is the variety. Zack said, “You get to see a lot of different things.” Zack enjoys working with all of the different applications and learning about different types of production machinery. He has worked on projects including improving the manufacturing of potato chips, stranding of large power cables and slitting of steel strips, all very engaging projects. In addition to all the different applications, machines, and even wire and cable lines Zack gets to work with, this job also gives him the opportunity to see a lot of different places in the country.

Zack attended New Jersey Institute of Technology, receiving a degree in Electrical Engineering. Outside of work, Zack enjoys hiking and travelling with his fiancée Laura, and recently was helping to plan their wedding, being held July 22nd, 2022. He has also been helping out his future father-in-law with projects around their house, including rebuilding their back deck. Zack also helps out with electrical work because his fiancée’s father does not enjoy doing electrical work.

In addition to always being prepared for any job, the hallmark of a great systems engineer, Zack is a natural when it comes to documenting his work. Even more, he is an example of what you would expect from a great systems engineer –  solid electrical designs, accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs), and an excellent practitioner of EDC’s standards. Bob Pusateri, Director of Business Development for EDC, said that Zack has “an incredible attention to detail and a tremendous  level of high-quality standards.” In fact, Zack finished the Siemens Solution partner certification, or in his case, recertification exam. When asked how he did and what he scored, Zack humbly said “Pretty good. Ninety-nine and a half.”

In a recent customer interview conducted by an independent third party, Steve Vetrero, the operations supervisor at Parsippany, NJ’s 9 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) wastewater treatment plant discusses his plant’s operations and how EDC saves the municipality money and is a critical partner in keeping the facility running at peak performance.   

Background

The Parsippany Sanitary Sewer Utility operates and maintains a 16 MGD advanced wastewater treatment plant, which currently has an average daily flow of 9 MGD. The Sewer Utility also operates and maintains approximately 370 miles of sewers and 28 pump stations which make up the Collection System.

In 2012, an OEM completed an upgrade to the plant’s control system, removing the standard drives and adding 14 variable frequency drives (VFDs) and new motors.  The drives are critically important, running the facility’s pumps.  Prior to the upgrade, the facility was spending $1.5M annually on electric costs with the standard drives, which operate at a constant speed, continually consuming a large amount of electricity.  The decision to upgrade to VFDs, which vary their speed based on the changing requirements of the system, offered tremendous cost savings on utilities.  After the upgrade, the annual cost of electricity dropped to just $400,000, a savings of more than 70%.

“With this upgrade, we realized a tremendous savings for the taxpayers of our community,” said Vetrero.  “VFDs save in combination with the specialized motors.  The fact that our electric bill went down so much, proved it works.”

The Need for Preventive Maintenance

Vetrero, who has managed millions of dollars of equipment for the community for over 30 years, explained that the energy savings came with the tradeoff of moving from standard drives, which do not require much maintenance to VFDs, which are sensitive and need regular preventive maintenance (PM) by a qualified technician.  VFDs require proper cleaning, testing, and maintenance so it is important to use a partner for these services who specializes in maintenance of your specific VFD technology.

“While we were saving a lot on our electricity cost, the PM service on the new VFD drives was proving to be rather expensive and our accounts payable department was complaining about the rates we were paying,” said Vetrero. Having experience with EDC in the past, they made the decision to switch their PM services to EDC. “I like EDC for the dependability and price; about four years ago when we switched to EDC for PM services, we saved the taxpayers even more money.”

“EDC plays an important role at our facility. We rely on them for both emergency drive repairs and our annual VFD PM,” said Vetrero.  “EDC is very thorough with their drive PM, and an employee with expert training does the delicate drive cleaning work and specialized diagnostic tests.”

“EDC did an infrared study at our annual PM and you could see the three phases in the drive and three components allowing the electricity to flow through.  You couldn’t see this with the naked eye, but one of them was glowing, and we knew we had to fix it because it was going to fail soon.  With the infrared technology EDC utilized, they helped us prevent a critical downtime emergency situation which could interrupt services to our residents.”

Emergency Service

EDC’s 24-hour emergency repair service is an insurance policy customers can rely on.  “Like everything, the drives do break down from time to time,” said Vetrero.  “I just call up Jessica and someone comes right over to help us out.”

EDC services more than 40 brands of drives and has highly trained employees to meet clients’ needs. “VFDs are complicated, and EDC has a lot of smart people there with many different backgrounds so they can support all our drives with the ability to fix every problem we have run into,” said Vetrero.  “Other vendors we tried were fair, but they didn’t specialize; they could not fix all the different equipment and issues we have at our plant.  EDC can tackle them all.”

Summary

For the Parsippany Sanitary Sewer Utility, substantial cost savings were realized by upgrading older drives to VFDs and new motors.  With the upgrades came an additional responsibility to use a highly-skilled partner to maintain this sensitive equipment and avoid excess downtime. In addition to the savings on utilities, the sewer plant also realized added savings by switching to EDC for preventive maintenance (PM) services.

“EDC has always played an important role at our facility, and we currently rely on them for emergency drive repairs and VFD annual preventive maintenance (PM).  EDC is very thorough with their drive PM, and an employee with expert training does the delicate drive cleaning work and specialized diagnostic tests.  I like EDC for dependability and price; when we switched to EDC for PM services, we realized a substantial cost savings.  VFDs are complicated and EDC has a lot of smart people there with many different backgrounds so they can support all our drives with the ability to fix every problem we have run into.”

 – Operations Supervisor Steve Vetrero, Sanitary Sewer Utility, Parsippany, New Jersey

To learn more about EDC PM services and/or infrared study services, contact our service team today.

In a recent issue of Processing Magazine, Bob Pusateri wrote an article entitled “Is it Time to Abandon Your Analog Controls?”

Even if legacy analog controls are still running your manufacturing process, upgrading to digital can be a game changer, says Bob Pusateri, Director of Business Development at Electronic Drives and Controls.

Why Should I Switch?

“Older analog controls do not offer the same flexibility as their digital counterparts, because there are only a few adjustments, there are only a few things in the process that can be optimized,” said Pusateri. As today’s quality demands are ever increasing, variations in operating conditions often can’t be addressed. An analog drive may no longer be the resolution you need to meet your goals.  If that is you, there are a number of benefits and opportunities you could have by switching to digital.

The Benefits of Digital

While analog controls’ feedback is primitive, upgrading to digital could bring you more flexibility, greater control of the process, reduced changeover time, reduced downtime, reduced expense with issues, and improved quality. Also analog controls are susceptible to environmental conditions because parts’ resistance changes with temperature and humidity, while digital are not. “The cost and relative complexity of upgrading analog drives to digital is far outweighed by the many advantages and potential cost savings of having a better-controlled process,” said Pustari.

Want to learn more?

In his signature relatable style, Bob thoroughly considers the pros and cons of analog vs. digital controls, including capabilities, time requirements, and cost, complete with pictures and diagrams.

Download the full article. 

If you’re interested in establishing digital controls solutions into your business,  contact EDC here.

Bob Pusateri is a 30-year industrial controls veteran with positions in engineering, sales, management and now business development for manufacturers, controls distributors and systems integrators. He is a Mechanical Engineer by education (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and Electrical Engineer by vocation.

Electronic Drives and Controls continues to actively support local charities by sponsoring and participating in the American Legion Post 86’s 3rd Annual Golf Outing in Montague, NJ.

Electronic Drives and Controls was a proud sponsor of American Legion Post 86’s 3rd Annual Golf Outing at High Point Country Club on Thursday, June 9, 2022. EDC has been sponsoring this annual golf tournament since its inception in 2019.

Multiple representatives and partners of EDC’s team played in the golf outing, making a foursome of Bob Pusateri of EDC, Ed Sefcik of EDC, Adam Kirshbaum of Turtle & Hughes, and Jim Petto of Rockwell Automation (see above). Another EDC foursome included Ben Dillard and Terry Greely with their significant others, Jill and Will.

“EDC loves to provide sponsorship for this event. It helps the American Legion boost their ongoing effort to support the veteran community,” says Chuck Dillard, Vice President at EDC.

Want to join EDC next year?

Stay tuned for all the details on next year’s event! This annual outing is open to the public and golfers can pre-register by calling the Legion Post at 973-383-2386 or by emailing Chuck Dillard. Proceeds support several local events. Hole sponsorships, catering packages, and banquet packages are also available.

Learn more about the American Legion here!

Electronic Drives and Controls (EDC) exhibited at booth 206 at this year’s Wire Expo, on June 11-12, 2024 at the Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, US. The main biennial event organized by the Wire Association International (WAI) serves as the premier platform for industry insights on wire manufacturing.  

“This year’s Wire Expo at Mohegan Sun was, as usual, a great event,” said Chuck Dillard, Vice President at EDC. “Nowhere else can we re-acquaint ourselves with existing wire and cable customers and to make so many new contacts in a 2 day span. The Wire Association is doing a nice job in educating the next generation of Wire and Cable professionals to the exciting challenges that a career in the industry can bring.”

The following blog post was written in anticipation of the 2024 Wire Expo.

With extensive knowledge of wire and cable industry pain points, EDC engineers will be present to share the company’s industry expertise and an understanding of the many obstacles wire and cable manufacturers face. EDC has successfully completed projects ranging from minor upgrades to comprehensive retrofits, addressing challenges such as obsolete drives or PLCs, as well as issues like frequent wire breaks and extended downtime.

“It’s an honor for EDC to contribute our knowledge of control systems and factory automation in the wire and cable industry to Wire Expo attendees,” said Chuck Dillard, Vice President of EDC. “We are thrilled to discuss our wire drawing, annealing, cabling, and jacketing solutions at the expo, where we have engaged with some of our most valuable prospects. We look forward to connecting with industry professionals and working towards advancements in wire and cable manufacturing.”

The expo’s program focuses on the latest innovations and strategies in wire and cable manufacturing, giving attendees insights into manufacturers’ future plans for the industry. Participants are offered presentations and exhibits highlighting advancements in a range of processes, including wire drawing, cable manufacturing, automation, wire extrusion and stranding. 

With over 50 years of experience, EDC’s team excels in integrating cutting-edge control systems, revitalizing equipment through upgrades, and optimizing factory automation in wire and cable, as well as coating and laminating industries. EDC has become a top CSIA Certified control system integrator, meeting the highest industry standards and making it a natural fit for the expo’s agenda.

Manufacturers can look forward to advancing their wire and cable manufacturing goals with EDC’s technical expertise at Wire Expo 2024.

 To learn more and register for the event, visit https://www.wireexpo24.com/