Appointment calls for an end to ‘line robbing’

~ New CP Automation field sales specialist calls for firms to take a longer view on maintenance ~

Allyn Richardson, the latest addition to the CP Automation field sales team, has called on manufacturers to stop using parts from moth-balled production lines to patch up active ones during the recession. He believes that a longer term predictive maintenance or planned maintenance schedule will be more profitable over a sustained period.

Richardson, who has recently joined CP Automation sister company Euroserv from maintenance and cleaning equipment business Safety Clean, understands that, during lull periods, production lines need to be turned off. However, the former retained fire fighter argues that scavenging parts from these lines will only lead to greatly increased costs when a ramp up in production is required.

“The situation can be compared to an automobile enthusiast who owns two classic cars,” explained Richardson, who has also worked as a quality manager for Tyneside Safety Glass, which manufactures bullet proof windscreens amongst other products. “If you take parts from one car to ensure the other is roadworthy, the one you leave in the garage will develop further problems while it’s inactive.”

Richardson, who is married with two children, has nearly thirty years experience in industry and has seen two previous recessions come and go in that time. As well as his work for Safety Clean and Tyneside Safety Glass, he was also employed for nearly twenty years by extrusion business Hydro Aluminium. Here he introduced a saw blade management system that significantly reduced costs and resulted in Richardson being awarded a coveted group award for delivering customer satisfaction.

Since joining Euroserv Richardson has already won significant new business for the company, in particular an account with a large procurement agent for a group of engineering businesses. However, he plans to focus on developing relationships with end users in the long term, in order to provide better service and value for money. “Maintenance is a person to person business,” offered Richardson. “Working direct with the client, instead of via an intermediary, means you can contact the customer direct to ensure they are happy. That’s what it’s all about really.”

Ends: 362 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

Ref: CPA33/04/09

CP Automation set to integrate new resistor ranges

~ Service and maintenance specialist increases its focus on the elevation, crane and OCH sectors ~

Service and maintenance specialist CP Automation has announced that it will be improving its product offering for the elevation, crane and OCH industries by adding Cressall Resistor’s HP and ES series braking resistors to its portfolio. The relationship with Cressall is now well established and compliments CP Automation’s range of independent supply relationships with manufacturers of inverters, PLCs and other electronic equipment and control systems.

First in CP Automation’s range is Cressall Resistors’ HP series of high performance dynamic braking resistors (DBRs). The new range is ideal for use on cranes, winches, conveyors and test loads as well as on lifts and elevators. These compact, ready boxed DBRs are enclosed to IP20 and make virtually no noise when subject to inverter braking currents. Their low inductance open-wound element construction allows high power-dissipation in a small space. It is these two factors that make the HP series ideal for use in lifts and elevators where noise and heat dissipation are both significant issues. When used with an inverter, the units are suitable for use with any make of drive.

The range is divided into HP1, HP2 and HP3 units, which have continuous power ratings of 1.5kW, 3.0kW and 4.5kW respectively. The continuous power ratings can be exceeded when power is applied for less than 100% of the time and the extent to which this can be done is calculated using a simple equation.

Also available is Cressall Resistors’ rang of low noise ES braking resistors, which has recently been expanded with the addition of 1.0 and 2.0kW sized models. These new ratings complement the existing array, which includes 0.6, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5kW versions with resistance values from 3.9Ω to 330Ω. The new 1.0 and 2.0 kW sizes are used where there is the need to cope with high levels of regenerated energy in a compact space. This includes motor control on elevators, VSD control and use on conveyors, cranes and winches as well as test loads. Like the HP series, these robust IP20 rated units produce negligible audible noise.

Both sets of resistors are manufactured using high grade nickel chrome wire, which means the resistance value changes only negligibly over the temperature range of the element. “This is a significant factor,” explained CP Automation’s director Tony Young, “because a design using lower grade stainless steel could increase in resistance by as much as 50% - resulting in impaired braking.”

Ends: 421 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

Ref: CPA016/10/08

RevCon saves energy and money and helps meet green targets for elevators owners

~ New product returns energy to the grid more cost effectively than other available systems ~

Independent maintenance consultancy CP Automation has teamed up with German electro-technology specialist, Elektrotechnishe Anlagen to provide UK sales for RevCon - a new product for returning to the grid the energy produced when a motor slows down. CP Automation expects RevCon to take the elevation industry by storm; because the motors driving elevators are required to brake constantly as the lift slows down and stops.

RevCon will work with any AC drive and is much more cost efficient than using two inverters to achieve the same effect. Furthermore, the product features a harmonic filter as part of the package, which ensures that the electricity returned to the network is fit for purpose and G5/4 compliant. A CP Automation spokesmen explained that there a several prestigious elevation projects in the UK that are already planning to install the product.

RevCon uses a feed-in tariff, similar to those used on domestic and semi commercial wind turbines, to allow the customer to charge the electricity supplier for the returned power. However, Tony Young, a director of CP Automation explained that, while RevCon isn’t a similar product to a wind turbine, the analogy is useful in outlining its efficiency. “A wind turbine isn’t particularly effective, normally operating at about 40% efficiency,” explained Young. “In contrast, when a motor slows down and begins to generate electricity, RevCon will operate at around 90% efficiency.”

“However, the bottom line for most businesses is the commercial imperative and this is where the product really comes into its own. The cost savings can be quite extensive in a facility where there are several lifts and escalators. This is the most compelling argument to present to the board!”

As well as acting as sales agent, CP Automation also offers advice on the overall project as well as repair and maintenance on motors, inverters, resistors and other peripheral products such as encoders. The company also provides replacement equipment when repair is impractical or not possible. In these instances, CP Automation’s independence comes to the fore – allowing it to stock a range of products from all the major motor and inverter manufacturers. Indeed, replacement inverters, encoders and motors are normally installed in a matter of days.

Ends: 393 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

Ref: CPA012/07/08

Automation firm appoints new sales expert

~ Passionate environmental campaigner also highlights the history of woman in automation ~

Field service and maintenance specialist CP Automation has appointed long standing industry expert Jennie Gordon to the role of product sales manager. The new position will encompass both the CP brand and sister company Euroserv. Gordon has been in the automation industry since 1989, a time when there were few women in this niche of the once male dominated engineering industry.

Before joining CP Automation, Gordon worked for Betech Systems, a UK distributor for Baldor. Gordon explains, “I first joined Betech in telesales. But I take pride in knowing all about the thing I’m selling, so in the evenings I used to read American electric motor manuals. After three months I was offered a job as an internal sales engineer and later I moved into external sales, where I spent twelve years. My last role was as corporate sales manager.” Gordon went on to work for Coulstock & Place Engineering, her last position before joining CP Automation.

Gordon believes that the biggest highlight of her career has been making men understand, at board and shop floor level, that women have valuable engineering expertise to offer. “When I first moved into the automation industry, I encountered untold opposition. At that point there simply wasn’t the quantity of female engineers that we have now. Today, most people think it’s unusual to encounter a female engineer of my age but that hostility has gone in most places.” Gordon also includes tripling turnover at Betech amongst the experiences that have stayed with her throughout her career.

When asked about the standards of the industry in which CP Automation operates, Gordon responded with a passionate argument in favour of improving UK Plc’s environmental credentials. “I’m a green person and I think we waste too much in industry. Every business should invest in high efficiency motors run by inverters that will save energy. If everybody changed their EFF2 motors over to EFF1 motors we would see a phenomenal decrease in energy used. The same applies to fitting automatic sensor lights as a standard part of lean manufacturing initiatives.”

Gordon’s hopes for her time at CP Automation are simply to increase sales, although with typical ambition she argues the potential for this increase is ‘exponential’. “The thing about CP Automation is that its young company, with real ideas, argues Gordon. “It provides its staff with the backing to carry on doing what they are good at; it wants to develop its employees and help them develop the company in turn.”

Gordon is a funk jazz fan, and has a broad ranging interest in other kinds of music. Despite originating from Lancashire, she lives in Halifax, West Yorkshire and holidays in England. She believes that even as a sales engineer who constantly travels the UK, there are still countless sights to be seen within the country, further reinforcing her green credentials.

Ends: 484 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

Ref: CPA014/02/08

Keep it simple without a keeper

~ CP Automation announces service and repair technique ~

Field service and maintenance specialist CP Automation has announced a service and repair technique for DC drives, attached to permanent magnet motors, that is set to make in-house re-setting of the serviced drive a thing of the past. The technique dispenses with the use of a ‘keeper’, which normally acts as a substitute for the armature in the servicing procedure. Instead, the company de-magnetises the motor before repair and then re-magnetises it afterwards to the correct setting.

The company utilises a set of specialist tools, including a magnetising cabinet, as well as intellectual property built up over decades in the drives industry to apply the new technique.

The reason that the settings on DC drives attached to motors that have been serviced or re-wound in their lifetime are often incorrect is that there is something unique to be borne in mind when repairing or servicing a DC permanent magnet motor. The standard philosophy within the rewind industry is to remove the armature and replace it with a ‘keeper’; to stop the levels of the magnets degrading. However, older magnets, and the material used to manufacture some newer magnets, will degrade while the armature is being removed and the keeper is being put in its place. The same applies when the armature is put back in after repair or service. The result is increased RPM and lost torque, which may mean the motor draws more current, costing money and creating a greater environmental impact.

If the CPA process isn’t used, an in-house engineer has to re-set the DC drive to cope with the changes to the motor. As a result, all the systems in the plant eventually become unique and cease to be interchangeable. The only solution is to de-magnetise the motor before repairing it and then re-magnetise it to the correct level afterwards, as CP Automation does. The company derives the calculation for this from the speed and EMF (Electro Motive Force) settings on the name plate of the motor.

“Plant managers want to swap equipment around in the event of a breakdown or maintenance issue,” explained Tony Young, a director of CP Automation. “However, they often find that the DC drives attached to permanent magnet motors on different production lines have different settings – making it hard to interchange things easily. Our solution means that that the settings will be exactly as specified on the name plate, meaning they can be swapped around easily.”

Ends: 413 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

Ref: CPA011/01/08

CP Automation announces benefits of Cressall relationship

~ Service, maintenance and replacement specialist provides further client advantage thanks to association with UK’s largest resistor firm ~

CP Automation and Cressall Resistors have announced the formalisation of a long standing relationship between the two companies. The alliance allows customers to buy inverter and resistor packages quickly and with confidence in the sizing and speciation of the equipment. Accurately sizing a resistor, which is working in tandem with an appropriate drive package, can potentially reduce capital expenditure and increase efficiency with the resultant savings in operating costs.

CP Automation keeps a stock of Cressall products in all of its branches and, as a result, can react very quickly to customer requests. This is particularly beneficial because the UK resistor market has consolidated enormously over the last five to ten years, with the majority of the major players being absorbed, purchased or simply shutting down. As a result, only a few companies in the UK have the necessary stock.

“Before co-founding CP Automation, I actually worked for Cressall Resistors,” explained Tony Young, a director of the maintenance specialist. “I was part of the team that helped build the UK market to the level it is currently at. Partly as a result of my time there, there is a degree of trust between our two companies that is unusual in such relationships. It also means that our team can lend a high level of experience and knowledge of the resistor market-place to customers in the wider drives industry.”

Current CP Automation customers include OEMs such as Control Techniques, Yaskawa and SSD (formerly Eurotherm) as well as clients in most of the industrial application areas applying inverter control. “Over the years we have gained specification knowledge and experience in the drives industry that allows us to work well and easily in sectors ranging from printing to elevator control,” continued Young.

Peter Duncan, a director of Cressall Resistors, added, "Our business has undergone some extensive growth in the last two years. As well as merging TPR Resistors with Cressall we have also had considerable organic expansion. CP Automation has been of considerable benefit to us during this period.”

Ends: 362 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

About Cressall Resistors: The world's foremost power resistor manufacturer, Cressall Resistors, offers an unrivalled combination of experience and the widest range of resistor technologies. On February 28, 2006 Cressall Resistors was acquired by Telema SpA of Italy through its British subsidiary TPR Resistors, bringing together Britain’s two largest resistor technology companies.

Ref: CPA002/08/07

Service and repair specialist launches independent motor business

~ CP Automation opens Tyne & Wear based sister company ~

Field service and maintenance specialist, CP Automation has opened a new business specifically to handle the repair and sales of specialist motors, notably AC and DC servos. Called Euroserv, the new business will also deal with associated products such as inverters, resistors and encoders. The Tyne & Wear based business has already established client relationships with companies including Nissan, Rolls Royce and SIEMENS.

The new business is a source of mechanical expertise, which complements CP Automation’s existing in-depth understanding of electronic boards, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) and AC and DC drives. The business was deliberately located in the North East in order to be close to customers and to tap into the expertise of key senior appointments in the area. On an ongoing basis the management team feels that the region offers the correct mix of available skills to allow for expansion of the business. Opening Euroserv entailed the creation of two new jobs in the local area as well as the deployment of some existing CP Automation staff.

“We opened this business to deal with the repair or economical replacement of motors from an independent standpoint,” explained Tony Young, a director of both CP Automation and Euroserv. “Too many maintenance and repair services focus on a single manufacturer. From an improvement perspective, this defeats the object. The best fit for any application may not always be the original piece of equipment that was chosen.”

The services offered by Euroserv include Megger testing of power output and input stages using a unique range of techniques for voltage leakage and short circuit testing. The company also offers V-I testing on all power devices for open circuit and temperature failures. Another service is the replacement of all power section, low voltage, high frequency electrolytic capacitors with 105C high performance low ESR units. Motors are also cleaned to negate the effects of dust contamination. Another option would be load, functionality and soak testing on an appropriate motor in industrial machine simulated conditions for extended periods of time.

Repair and replacement projects have already been completed on AC servo motors, DC servo motors, geared servo motors, AC brushless servo motors, AC spindle motors, router motors, standard motors, high frequency AC motors, DC shunt motors, printed circuit motors, tachogenerators and all types of resolver.

Ends: 398 words

Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CP Automation, paste the following link into your RSS reader http://cpa-pr.blogspot.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact:
Tony Young, CP Automation
Unit 8, Ashley Industrial Estate, Exmoor Avenue,
Scunthorpe, DN15 8NJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1724 851 515
Fax: +44 (0)1724 851516
www: http://www.cpaltd.net/ and http://www.euroserveltd.net/
e-mail: tony.young@cpaltd.net

Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/

About CP Automation: CP Automation is a specialist in the repair and replacement of automation equipment including electronic boards, PLCs and Ac and DC drives. It was established to provide an independent maintenance service, without exclusive ties to any manufacturer. However, it does have strong relationships with the principal inverter, encoder, resistors and motor manufacturers.

Ref: CPA001/05/07