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January/February 2014 \ Volume 247 \ No 1/2 \ www.electricalreview.co.uk
ELECTRICAL REVIEW INFORMING THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY FOR 140 YEARS
FACTORY AUTOMATIONZCAE The key ingredient
DESIGN SOFTWAREZA simpler and cheaper
way to gain new business
POWER PROTECTION
ZThe bigger picture
TEST & MEASUREMENT ZWhat price
electrical safety?
ALSO INSIDE:
12
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03NEWS
www.electricalreview.co.uk
BETTER ROUTE TO BOARDROOMCity and Guilds research suggests apprenticeships provide better route to the boardroom than degrees
Nearly 20% of all employers report former
apprentices are currently working in senior
management positions according to research by
the City and Guilds organisation.
The City and Guilds Top 100 Apprenticeship
Employers list reported almost 50% of
construction companies employed former
apprentices as directors.
Other sectors which reported high levels of
former apprentices reached the boardroom
where manufacturing and engineering (43 %),
agriculture (33 %) and energy and power
(33 %).
I believe we are seeing the beginning of a
fundamental shift in the way we prepare the
next generation for the world of work, said Will
Davies co-founder of construction company
aspect.co.uk
For too long we have placed too much
emphasis of university education when many
young people would be more suited to
vocational or on the job training, said Davies,
whose company has returned to a traditional
system of apprenticeships to train young
workers.
These gures demonstrate that for many
youngsters, apprenticeships are the best choice
and the best way forward, he said.
Matthew Hancock, the government minister
for further education and skills, said: Either
going to university or choosing an apprenticeship
needs to become the new norm for school and
college leavers. These gures support this aim
and show that apprentices are able to succeed in
some of the biggest businesses in the UK.
Figures released by the Of ce of National
Statistics (ONS) revealed this week that more
than a quarter of graduates are actually earning
less than school leavers who followed vocational
training courses or apprenticeships.
The ONS also said that 26% of low paid
graduates found themselves working in part-
time jobs, which compared to 11% of those
who had followed vocational training. In
addition, student numbers have dropped by
more than 20% at several modern Universities.
It is believed that the rise in tuition fees have
contributed to the decline.
The former Labour minister Frank Field
said:Successive generations of young people
have been shoehorned into universities on the
promise of improving their lifetime earnings. But,
as well as being saddled with eye-watering levels
of debt, more than a quarter of them now work
in part-time roles earning lower wages than
workers with an apprenticeship under their belt.
Politicians need to sit up and take note of
these shifting patterns. We need to encourage
more young people to think hard about the
best ways of achieving their goals in life. The
government must call for a major rethink on the
present pattern of university education and set
in hand a working party to take the debate on
from these crucial breakthrough statistics.
03
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22
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36
38
42
News
News
Factory automation
Design software
Training
Borri advertorial
Test & measurement
Transformers
Part P webinar
Product watch
Classi ed/recruitment
04 NEWS
Electrical Review January/February 2014
Williams Advanced Engineering, the division
of Williams that commercialises Formula One
derived technologies, is embarking on a project
to install ywheel energy storage technology
in two remote Scottish island communities to
help stabilise their power grids, improve energy
ef ciency and reduce emissions from non-
renewable power sources.
The Isle of Eigg and Fair Isle will be the rst
sites in Europe to install Formula One developed
composite ywheel energy storage technology
into their power networks. Originally pioneered
by Williams for Grand Prix racing following the
introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems
(KERS) into the sport in 2009, the technology has
since been introduced by Williams into a range
of applications outside of Formula One such as
hybrid buses and Le Mans winning racing cars.
Williams Advanced Engineering has
joined forces with the Fair Isle Electricity
Company and Eigg Electric to identify possible
operational improvements, energy saving and
environmental bene ts from installing the
technology on each island. The Fair Isle power
network relies heavily on wind turbines and
diesel generators to supplement the power
system and can only guarantee power during
the day. Williams Advanced Engineerings
ywheel technology will smooth the power
owing from the wind turbines and inject
stored energy when needed. This will improve
the quality of power received by residents and
reduce the reliance on costly diesel generators
that produce high CO2 emissions.
Robert Mitchell, director of Fair Isle Electric
Company, said: We are delighted that Williams
Advanced Engineering is going to be installing
this equipment in 2014. This will provide a
much needed buffer to improve our power
quality and reduce how often we use the diesel
generators. Our two wind turbines produce
more than enough power most of the time
but they cannot store energy so this will be an
excellent addition.
The Isle of Eigg power network utilises a
variety of renewable sources which include
solar, hydro and wind power and currently uses
lead acid batteries to store excess renewable
energy and smooth the ow of power. Using
batteries to smooth power ow has the bene t
of forsaking the need for diesel generators, but
signi cantly reduces their life span. Williams
ywheel energy storage system can take on this
role so that the batteries can then be used for
their main job of long term bulk energy storage.
This will not only prolong battery life but also
improve the transient response of the network
and increase its fault clearing capability.
Sarah Boden, director of Eigg Electric, said:
We have been working closely with Williams
Advanced Engineering and they have visited our
Island to see our mix of renewable generation
and storage technology. We expect the new
ywheel energy storage to be used for short
term frequency regulation when generation
drops off such as when clouds obscure the solar
array. Our Island is managed by a partnership
approach and this joint effort will further
improve power quality and security of supply for
the island power system.
PEO
PLE
Peter Chai-Tsai
Christian Schraft
Paul Dawson
Powertecnique has recently appointed a new
sales and marketing director, Peter Chai-Tsai.
Having worked in the power industry for the
past 23 years, Chai-Tsais hands-on engineering
experience started on offshore oil platforms,
before turning to sales roles with Schneider,
Emerson and Socomec.
Havells Sylvania has announced Christian
Schraft is joining the business as president,
Havells Sylvania Europe.
Paul Dawson has been appointed managing
director at ESP, and takes up his new position
after spending three years as commercial
director at Scolmore.
ENERGY STORAGE FOR EIGGFormula One technology used on remote Scottish islands
06 NEWS
FUTURE MANUFACTURING Liverpool company rewarded for business growth
MPE of Liverpool, a manufacturer of high-
performance electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC) filters and feedthrough capacitors
for world markets, has won the Business
Growth category in the 2013 EEF Future
Manufacturing Awards for the North-West
England region, at a ceremony in the Salford
City Stadium, Manchester.
Prime application areas for the companys
EMC filters extend widely from military
vehicles of all types, tactical shelters
and ground installations, aerospace and
naval equipment, to information and
communications technology, EMC test houses,
hospital scanners, process control, fire safety
and railways.
These annual Awards are hosted by the
Engineering Employers Federation (EEF), the
manufacturers organisation, to recognise
excellence among UK manufacturers in
enterprise, innovation, exports, environmental
performance, skills development, health-and-
safety and apprenticeships.
MPE won the Business Growth Award
sponsored by Westfield Health which
recognises manufacturers who have achieved
dramatic business growth for its expansion
into South Korea and the USA.
Export sales within these territories have
grown by 16% over the past two years,
given that over half of MPEs total annual
production goes for export.
Jill Davies, chief executive of Westfield
Health, commented: Congratulations
to MPE on winning the regional Business
Growth Award. Not only have they managed
to defy todays difficult economic climate,
they have also delivered impressive growth.
2014 PART L REGS ARRIVEAfter a long wait, the 2014 Approved
Documents L1A and L2A have arrived,
providing guidance on Conservation of Fuel
and Power in new buildings. However, as
with previous changes, the 2010 documents
continue to apply to projects where work
started or an application was made before
that date.
BSRIAs Building Regulations training will
update you on all the changes that will come
into effect on 6 April 2014.
The most noticeable change for new
dwellings is a requirement to calculate the
fabric energy ef ciency. This is in addition to
calculating CO2 emissions, which has been
a requirement since 2006. Fabric energy
ef ciency is measured in kWh per square
metre of oor area, and takes into account
the space heating and cooling demand.
The CO2 emissions, on the other hand, are
measured in kg of CO2 per square metre
of oor area and the calculation only takes
cooling into account for dwellings that use
mechanical cooling. To achieve compliance,
both the fabric energy ef ciency and CO2
emissions must be below those of a
notional dwelling. This notional dwelling
has been rede ned such that an emissions
reduction of 6% is achieved, compared with
dwellings that meet 2010 standards.
The methods of compliance for new non-
dwellings have not changed signi cantly,
however the CO2 emissions reduction is
greater than for dwellings: 9%. This means
more energy ef ciency measures will need to
be incorporated, and even though renewables
are not a requirement, more designs may
incorporate them as a means of achieving
the CO2 target. Some of the minimum plant
ef ciencies, set out in the Non-domestic
Building Services Compliance Guide have
been upgraded for example the minimum
ef cacy of lighting in of ce, industrial and
storage areas has been upgraded from 55 to
60 luminaire lumens per circuit-watt.
Changes to the Approved Documents
for existing buildings L1B and L2B are
minimal. So much so, that they have be
en issued as an amendment slip. We are,
however, assured that consolidated versions
of these Approved Documents will be issued
before they come into effect on 6 April.
BSRIA runs Building Regulations training
courses - Introduction to the Building
Regulations next runs on 12 March, and
Understanding Parts L & F next runs on 25
February. Any of our courses can be run in-
company and customised to meet the needs
of your staff. For more information go to
https://www.bsria.co.uk/events.
07NEWS
www.electricalreview.co.uk
INVESTMENT IN CONSTRUCTION
SUPPORT FOR HOUSING BILL
ECA welcomes governments 375bn infrastructure plan
Parliament asked to carefully consider ESC proposal
The Electrical Contractors Association
(ECA) has responded to the governments
announcement of the National Infrastructure
Plan. The plan contains information on
over 375bn of planned public and private
sector infrastructure investment, and sets
out investment for energy, transport, ood
defence, waste, water and communications
infrastructure up to 2030 and beyond.
Steve Bratt, ECA Group CEO, said: This
announcement is welcome news for UK plc.
and the construction sector. We are heartened
by the con rmation of a UK guarantee for the
1bn Northern Line extension, the continued
Commenting on the new Scottish Housing Bill,
Phil Buckle, director general of the Electrical Safety
Council (ESC), said: The Scottish governments
aim of improving conditions in the Private Rented
Sector (PRS) is one we strongly support. We also
hope the code of practice for letting agents,
which will be introduced at a later date, will help
enhance safety in the home.
However, we trust the ESCs proposal to
investment in Network Rail and the investment
in Midlands Main Line and in the construction of
Ordsall Curve in Manchester. All of these projects
will bene t industry, the economy and lives of
the people who use them.
Investment to kick-start shovel ready
projects within construction like these will give
the sector a much needed shot in the arm. In
turn this will lay the foundations for a longer
term recovery, as the bene ts of construction
investment job creation, training and an
increase in the availability of apprenticeship
places will be felt across the economy. Simply
put, when Britain builds, Britain grows.
reinforce electrical safety requirements, in order
to reduce risks to tenants, will be considered
carefully as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Research suggests that PRS tenants are more at
risk of re than those in other housing sectors1
and with the majority of domestic res in Scotland
caused by electricity, our proposal is particularly
important for improving standards in the PRS.
1 Data derived from Fire Kills campaign 2008
ACADEMY SUSTAINS SKILLSAcademy trainees guaranteed job on completionABEC has launched the ABEC Academy, a
training scheme for graduates, electrically and
mechanically quali ed engineers, diploma
holders and school leavers that aims to provide
a solution to the sustainability of valuable
engineering skills in the building controls sector.
Every ABEC Academy trainee is guaranteed
a job upon completion. Open to a wide group
of aspiring ABEC employees, the Academy
offers four entry routes. Graduates with a
minimum 2:2 in building services engineering,
electrical or mechanical engineering, holders
of a diploma in building services engineering,
electrical or mechanical Engineering with
a minimum merit grade, skilled operatives
with previous employment experience in the
mechanical and electrical trades and those
with A-level quali cations and a demonstrable
aptitude for engineering.
Following one to two years of vocational
training and a holistic business view covering
products, electrical, health and safety, coaching
and mentoring and accreditations, each trainee
receives a further transition year, before entering
full time employment as an ABEC engineer.
During their training tenure every engineer is
provided with invaluable experience as they are
rotated through 360 of the ABEC business. This
helps to develop a rounded view of the industry,
the pressures clients face and ABECs position
within the building and energy controls agenda.
After two years of ABEC Academy
training (four years for school leavers), every
ABEC engineer will become a support or
commissioning engineer. At this point they
will also be a BEMS expert engineer and have
access to further career opportunities within
the business.
We are at Southern
Manufacturing Stand N74
08 NEWS
Electrical Review January/February 2014
27 February will see the 3rd Integrating
Renewable Energy to the Grid seminar which
promises to be a day of discussion, debate
and knowledge sharing.
Once again, the event will bring together
suppliers and utilities, operators, transmission
and distribution experts, engineers and
policymakers to discuss strategy, best practice
and implementation for renewable energy
integration.
The programme will give delegates the
opportunity to hear about a variety of hot topics
surrounding the challenges and solutions from
both standards and technology viewpoints,
discussing how best to support the maximisation
of renewable resources to the grid.
Programme highlights will include:
Analysis of technology and optimisation for
grid sustainability and transmission
Exploration of challenges in the UK energy
network and regulatory considerations
A view on renewable energy resources and
achieving grid parity
An overview of HVDC technology with case
study examples from ABB and Mainstream
Renewable Power
Discussions on system requirements to support
grid sustainability
Conrm your place today register online at
www.theiet.org/renewable-grid, download the
booking form or call us on +44 (0) 1438 765
650/657 for more details.
News in brief
] Solar Frontier announced today the completion of the Kansai International Airport Megasolar Power Plant, an 11.6 MW CIS installation at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan. Now the
largest solar installation at an airport anywhere in Asia, and among the worlds biggest, the Kansai
International Airport Megasolar power plant is scheduled to start operating on February 1, 2014. The
project was managed by SF Kansai Mega Solar, a 100% subsidiary of Solar Frontiers joint investment
company with the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), SF Solar Power.
] NAPIT Certication has now been recognised by the Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) for its quality and surveillance framework. Steve Tanner, general manager of SWIGA,
commented: SWIGA is extremely pleased that NAPIT has met our requirements and now adheres
to our solid wall surveillance standards. This recognition opens up signicant opportunities, to all
NAPIT members that have PAS 2030 certication, to secure SWIGA membership. Tanner added: This
addition now means that four certication bodies now have a framework recognised by SWIGA for
their robust approach to solid wall insulation.
] Rockwell Automation has won a $15m (9m) engineering, procurement, construction and management contract from Vadxx Energy LLC for its rst commercial-scale, plastic waste-to-synthetic
crude energy facility in Akron, Ohio. The new plant will transform end-of-life plastics into higher
value energy products, recycling nearly 60 tons of waste daily, diverting it from landll disposal. The
solution includes the PlantPAx Process Automation System suite, utilising Rockwell Automations
multi-discipline control platform to deliver an integrated smart plant for Vadxx.
EDITORElinore Mackay 020 8319 [email protected]
ADVERTISEMENT MANAGERNeil Coshan 020 7933 8977 [email protected]
PRODUCTION MANAGERAlex Goldwater 020 7933 8999 [email protected]
SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVEHarry Powell 020 7933 [email protected]
Paid subscription enquiriesTel: +44 (0) 1635 [email protected] John Patrick PublishersPO Box 6009, ThatchamBerkshire, RG19 4QB, UK
Subscription rates: UK 182 per year, Overseas 206
Electrical Review is a controlled circulation monthly magazine available free to selected personnel at the publishers discretion. If you wish to apply for regular free copies then please visit: www.electricalreview.co.uk/register
Electrical Review is published by
Laurence Pountney HillLondon EC4R 0BL020 7933 8999
PUBLISHING DIRECTORChris Cooke
PRINTING BY Pensord Press Ltd
Any article in this journal represents the opinions of the author. This does not necessarily reect the views of Electrical Review or its publisher SJP Business Media
ISSN 0013-4384 All editorial contents SJP Business MediaJan-Dec 2012 6,460
Follow us on Twitter @elecreviewmag
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www.electricalreview.co.uk
DISCUSSION AND DEBATEIntegrating Renewable Energy to the grid - 27 February
10 GOSSAGE
Electrical Review January/February 2014
SHORT SHRIFTThe Disney Corporation does not like being associated with
gas fracking. That is undeniably true. How do I know? Because I have
seen how it has reacted in that ultimate in politically marginal US states, Ohio, to the prospect of being bracketed with
those
who promote fracking. It has told its subsidiary, Radio Disney, to quit a roadshow it was running , aimed at 8 to 10 year
olds.
Despite being called Rocking in Ohio, the events had nothing to do with music. But rather was a series of events fund
ed by the
Ohio Oil & Gas Association, designed subliminally to tell the children how deeply benevolent is the idea of fracking the
night
away in their state.
Local parents went ape. Within days they had collected 86,000 signatures to a petition to the Disney Corporation, dema
nding
that they must: Immediately halt your road show promoting oil and gas extraction and pipelines to kids, and sever you
r part-
nership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. Radio Disney should not--under the guise of teaching kids science--pro
mote dirty
energy that that gives kids asthma, pollutes our air and water, and fuels climate change.
Disney listened. And dropped the roadshow like a hot cake. Ohio is the quintessential average American state. I have a
funny
feeling that any similar exercise here in the UK might just receive a similarly short shrift from middle England too. How
ever much
local councils are bribed to encourage frackers into their locality.
BETTER TERMSI have a gentle word of warning, for
my old friends Electricit de France.
Picking a ght with a Saudi prince is
never a wise course of action. Espe-
cially if that Prince is none other than
His Royal Highness Prince Bander Bin
Abdullah Al-Saud.
But pick it they have. So much so
that the Prince s conglomerate, which
goes by the splendid name of Soroof
International, has led a complaint
in the Saudi courts against EDF. And
he is citing faulty execution by the
76% French government-owned rm,
of an agreement between the two
entities to form a joint venture that
would develop electricity products
in Saudi Arabia.
The princes company has studious-
ly not yet stated the precise grounds
for the dispute. This is apparently to
respect the condentiality of a sep-
arate arbitration procedure, already
launched at its request at the Interna-
tional Chamber of Commerce.
It appears to be no coincidence that,
despite the scandals concerning his
love life, French President Francois
Hollande was in Saudi at length last
month, with very few details emerg-
ing as to why. He at any rate under-
stands if there is a chance the Saudi
government might be letting some
multi-billion contracts to foreign nucle-
ar reactor vendors, it might be as well
to be on rather better terms with the
countrys royal family than EDF seems
currently managing to be.
CASTING AN ENVIOUS EYEI am astounded so many learned energy com-
mentators have thought it of any interest that
National Grid are inviting certain larger elec-
tricity users to enter into interruptible tariffs,
in exchange for lower standard rates. Such
arrangements surely have been bog standard
for years.The excitement seems to be being fanned
by those vested interests which quite deliber-
ately, for their own commercial gain, wish to
instill quite unnecessary panic into our more
simple-minded political leaders that there is so
little power around that the lights are set to
go out.That said, I rather think National Grid bosses
may well be casting envious eye across the
North Sea, to warch what the German grid
regulator is doing. It is forcing EnBW Energie
of Baden Wrttemberg, the countrys third
largest electricity supplier, to keep four un-
protable plants open specically to avoid the
danger of blackouts.Between them, German utilities have an-
nounced their intentions to shut 41 unprof-
itable generating units with 11 gigawatts in
total. But with particular pressure on demand
in the southwest of the country, where EnBW
is based, they have been told in no uncertain
manner that these four units, with a total
capacity of 668 megawatts, much stay on the
system until July 2015 at the very earliest.
Even if the company is, as it claims, losing
money hand over st on them.
AMBITIOUSHad you heard about the Celsius project? No, I hadnt either. Even though it is worth 25 million euros, and has researchers based in Goth-enburg, Genoa, Cologne and Rotterdam, as well as in Lon-don. What are they research-ing? They are working on the public transport metro sys-tems, trying to trap the waste heat from underground rail-way engines, breaks and body parts. The rhetoric regarding the potential is mind-bending-ly ambitious. It could revo-lutionise, they claim, energy usage and consumption.
Those of us familiar with the bug-eyed zealots who usually advocate cogeneration and combined heat and power may be forgiven for thinking we might just have heard all this optimism before. But maybe, just maybe, this time it could really happen. The projects Swedish coordinator, Jonas Cognell, intends to have 50 cities with underground railways adopting Celsius technologies by 2017. I can only wish him well.
OFF THE RECORD
Please do send any comments on these stories to [email protected]
Your correspondence will be passed to FH Gossage
11SPONSORED FEATURE
www.electricalreview.co.uk
RETROFIT AND REPROTECTIt may risk becoming an overused term but equipment obsolescence is a very real problem facing an increasing number of operators. Many of whom are reliant upon a mature electrical infrastructure often sweated well beyond the intended and designed life. However replacement, modernisation, upgrade, or simply repair and maintenance proves to be never as easy as it rst sounds, explains Phil York general manager PBSI group.
A n electrical network; whether a distribution network on a housing estate, a petroleum re neries internal network, or the electrical power systems
within a generating station all share one unifying
truth. They are all part of the same utility service
which when interrupted the effect can range
from a downright inconvenience to an almost
incalculable nancial loss.
Electrical utilities are simply expected to work,
all of the time, faultlessly. Of course this isnt the
case, electrical power distribution is a complex
system relying upon a variety of equipment
to ensure safe delivery of electricity and to
inherently protect the wider network from
damage when faults do occur.
The expectations placed on our electrical
networks put operators and those entrusted to
maintain these systems in a precarious position.
Unplanned outage risk, or planned intervention.
Both choices involve expending time and
money weighed up against the economics of the
equipment being intentionally or unintentionally
out of service.
The obvious answer would be to plan to
take equipment out of service with controlled
effect rather than something unplanned and
catastrophic occurring.
However, intervention may not be a viable
option, all too often the original equipment
manufacturer isnt around any longer to
offer expert assistance or parts, or the
modern alternative to the equipment which
is available today, is totally incompatible with
any previous design.
This is a reality which we all live with as result of
our ageing, creaky infrastructure. Obsolescence.
The typical UK coal red power station
is a good example, much of the electrical
infrastructure that was installed when these
stations were built are still in use today. Hats
off to our forefathers for building in endurance
right? Well, the picture isnt that simplistic.
Quite often motors have been changed,
circuits are now supplying different loads, yet
the original protection relays remain and quite
possibly unable to operate fast enough to
protect a modern motor from being damaged
under a stall condition.
There is a further disadvantage, these
electromechanical relays can really only provide
one measurement - what is happening at this
precise moment.
It cannot for instance predict what may
happen in the future or indeed tell you what did
happen in the past.
Contrast to a modern protection relay which
can provide lists of past trip logs and. They have
become a much more useable tool to diagnose
events and provide valuable indication before a
serious fault occurs.
Equally modern relays do more than just
protection, they can provide a means of remote
control of a circuit and measured data can be
communicated to systems that couple both
process operations and electrical control.
So when a 40 year old relay does eventually
fail, or the engineer discovers a pitfall, there
is yearning for better technology. But because
of cost, incompatibility, time pressures and
the dif culty with installing new equipment
nothing changes.
There is a solution P&B has created a
range of direct retro ts for the replacement of
older protection relays. The retro ts use the
latest available technology yet are packaged
to be electrically and mechanical identical to
enable simple and rapid replacement.
The retro t option provides a very effective
way to modernise the electrical equipment
without facing heavy capital investment costs for
new equipment or lengthy outage whilst new
equipment is commissioned. The retro t route
allows operators to leapfrog the technology
barrier and inherit the advances of modern
protection equipment almost instantly and with
very little effort.
www.pbsigroup.come: [email protected]: 0044 (0)161 230 6363
12 FACTORY AUTOMATION
CAE THE KEY INGREDIENT OF PRODUCTIVITYFood and beverage manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce project downtimes and lower production costs, whilst simultaneously increasing exibility and improving product quality. In a bid to meet these demands companies are turning to newer, more innovative design tools that automate engineering processes. Ken Christie, director of EPlan UK, explains how using computer aided engineering (CAE) solutions is vital in order to provide quality assurance, streamline process and reduce manufacturing costs within production. He explains how Ritter has beneted from implementing EPlan software
O vercoming the challenges that face electrical design in manufacturing is vital for organisations to keep their businesses growing and to stay ahead of
increasing global competition. Shorter product
life cycles are also increasing the demand for
further automation, particularly for those that
use electrical control systems. In order to meet
customer demands, processes need to be more
streamlined and efcient. Choosing to use
modern Computer Aided (CAE) over legacy
CAD systems can increase both automation and
create a more efcient electrical design process.
The newest and sophisticated CAE systems
allow the manual and most time-consuming
electrical engineering design functions to be
performed automatically and instantaneously
- with organisations subsequently beneting
from an increase in productivity, shorter project
turnaround times and improvements in product
quality and security.
Modern CAE solutions, like EPlan, hold
standardisation and automation at their
epicentre, providing a variety of industries and
organisations with functionality that can aid
electrical design.
BENEFITS OF CAE One of the main benets of modern CAE
software is it can convert project documentation
in minutes to the language and design standards
that customers require, and export it into one
of many common le formats. This high level of
Electrical Review January/February 2014
14 FACTORY AUTOMATION
integration is one of the reasons why advanced
CAE solutions are proving to be the driving force
in the relationship between electrical engineering
and other project stakeholders.
An integrated CAE software solution also
provides a consistent basis for information and
allows for effective, cross-disciplinary and parallel
work processes to ourish.
CAE systems also hold central databases
that can further enhance automation within
the design process, simplifying the design and
reporting required, in turn enabling standardised
information and data sharing among different
people, departments and processes.
There is a multitude of device data and
components that can be accessed via a central
database, including macros of sub-circuits,
assembly drawings, function templates for
intelligent device selection, international
designations, preview images and entire manuals.
The database enables users to easily select
and apply the data or components required
during a project, reducing project drafting and
documentation time by between 50-80%.
With CAE systems, data can also be stored and
reused enabling standardisation and the ability
to modularise product content, accelerate design
and manufacturing. Standardisation guidelines
lead to a smooth interaction between machines
and systems, minimising coordination time. CAE
is a benet to manufacturing organisations with
its ability to allow laborious and time consuming
functions to be performed automatically allowing
organisations to reduce cost.
RELUCTANCE TO CHANGECompanies are sometimes reluctant to change,
believing their current methodology works and
that the implementation of a new system will
initially reduce productivity. However, this is rarely
true as the biggest turnarounds come when
companies see the aws in their existing processes
and make the decision to upgrade to innovative
CAE software, as was the case with Ritter KG.
Particularly in the food industry, exibility and
rapid response to changing market requirements
are a top priority. Whereas chocolate bars were
once fairly indistinguishable from one another,
todays consumers are more discerning, and
imaginative varieties and avours involving
highly sophisticated production technology are
now commonplace. Therefore fast retooling
of machines is essential, and electrical project
planning must be capable of adapting quickly to
these new requirements.
STANDARDISATION IS KEY Since choosing EPlan as its CAE package, Ritter
Sport has been able to develop a consistent
standardisation strategy. We collaborate closely
with the machine producers at the design stage,
and transfer our symbol les directly to the
suppliers. In this respect, EPlan provides a number
of functions for the generation of company-specic
standards, thus meeting one of the principal
requirements of Ritter Sport, explains Claus
Labenski, electrical project engineer at Alfred Ritter
GmbH & Co. KG.
We collaborate closely with the machine
producers at the design stage, and transfer
our symbol les directly to the suppliers. In this
respect, EPlan provides a number of functions for
the generation of company-specic standards,
thus meeting one of the principal requirements
of Ritter Sport.
We determine the representation format in
the circuit diagrams, and also prescribe which
contactors or controllers should be used. In this
way, we can also cut the warehousing costs
for spare parts and can be sure of receiving
standardised documentation, explains Labenski.
As well as accelerated planning and optimised
availability, this also leads to shorter retooling
times and reduced machine downtime.Ritter
Sport is rmly convinced that neat, up-to-date
circuit diagram documentation is the key to
problem-free, reliable production. Another
important factor for minimising downtime is,
EPlans ability to automate cross referencing,
device ID tagging and on-site labelling.
Not only is Ritter Sport at the cutting-edge
of consumer taste it also uses state-of-the-art
production technology. As well as established
PLC (product lifecycle) technology, it also
uses eld bus technology. PLC programming
is generally performed in-house. Here, the
functions of EPlan provide support by allowing
us to transfer addresses directly. This simplies
programming and saves time, explains
Jrgen Kussmaul, electrical engineering project
manager. The exible structure of address
designations means that the organisation of
maintenance work is much easier. In this way, we
achieve a clear overview of our systems.
THE FUTURES CAE The benets of implementing CAE Solutions
across production are clear; enhanced
performance and exible communication with
external system integrators in addition to high-
quality documentation, and the completion of all
projects on schedule and on budget.
In future, the support of powerful modern
software packages will become indispensable. In
order to assert yourself within the market place, you
need state of the art engineering tools. Without
investment in innovative new technologies, global
competition will swallow you up.
Electrical Review January/February 2014
16 DESIGN SOFTWARE
A SIMPLER AND CHEAPER WAY TO GAIN NEW BUSINESS
Software companies are always telling you how they will save you time and money while this is true, the chance to increase business is also too good to miss says Nick Harper, sales director at Amtech Group
A s software has advanced it has opened new opportunities for electrical engineers, not just by improving accuracy and efciency but also by
opening a doorway to new business. Its not
just increasing market share or nding new
markets but making sure you are keeping
up with current trends to ensure you are not
losing out to competition.
For example; BIM (Building Information
Modelling) is the buzz word of the moment,
Its everywhere you look, magazines,
newsletters and all over the net. Many
companies involved in design and installation
have taken a quick look and decided, although
interesting and no doubt valuable for certain
types of work, its not anything that needs to
concern them right now.
But this is exactly the BIM Goldilocks time
for most companies still time to plan, train
staff and put procedures and tools in place but
not so late that you have missed the boat and
need to play catch-up.
BIM is here already and will become far
more prevalent in the next couple of years.
2016 is the year that all government buildings
must be constructed using BIM. Now is the
ideal time to start in order to reap the benets
of this new way of working.
Software companies have long since realised
this and are rapidly developing new products
to enable electrical designers and installers to
make the most of the coming opportunities.
A key part of BIM is the interoperability
between disciplines. The aim is to reduce the
multiple drawings, les and data accrued
during the construction and lifetime of the
building.
A good example is CAD design software
packages. During construction the building
would have 3D drawings showing all the
services, including the electrical systems in
position. This would be given to the electrical
contractor for installation. However, although
the system is shown graphically, it does not
include all the electrical elements required by
BS7671 - such as loads, cable sizing, protective
device selection and settings. These then have
to be calculated separately in a completely
different package. So here we are back with
two distinct versions of the same projectso
much for interoperability.
For the electrical engineer therefore, the
important thing is to be able to access the
information contained within a BIM, work with
it, potentially modify it, and then update the
model with any modications. This is where
good quality software comes in, enabling that
transfer of information to and from the BIM
while providing the specialist tools required by
the electrical engineer.
For example, many models are now being
developed using Revit MEP a very good
design tool but one that doesnt incorporate
the functionality required by the electrical
engineer to meet BS 7671. For instance, a
circuit in Revit uses standard defaults that are
not compliant with BS 7671 and does not
contain all of the necessary data. For that
reason our experience shows that, typically,
Electrical Review January/February 2014
18 DESIGN SOFTWARE
electrical engineers feel disconnected from the
BIM process. Engineers have to spend a lot of
time manually transferring data and results
between software tools and the inherent risk
of doing that is there for all to see. How many
times have you seen drawings and distribution
board schedules that do not match?
However, good electrical software will
now talk directly to the CAD software, with
software plug-ins that enable the data to be
shared. To use a standard Revit model with
electrical systems, you simply export to the
electrical design software, display a dialog that
shows all the electrical systems in the model,
and simply open the one you want. When
imported it will interpret all the information
taken from the export le and automatically
produce a schematic.
Circuit information dened in Revit MEP
can be imported to create an outline electrical
schematic. Once the schematic is in the design
software each cable can then be clicked
on and the cable type, length and other
details specied. The tools in the electrical
design software can now be used to perform
comprehensive design calculations to BS7671.
The calculated circuit can then be returned
to Revit and associated with the relevant
circuit components in the original Revit model.
All these newly added parameters will now
remain as part of the model, resulting in a
simple, clear and accurate panel schedule. You
can use any of the imported parameters in
your user customised panel schedules in Revit.
This has been proven to save engineers days of
work manually producing panel schedules.
Users of Revit will already understand how
frustrating and time consuming it is to gather
all the information required to complete
accurate schedules and will instantly see
the benets of using the specialist electrical
software for design. This represents a massive
time saving while removing the potential for
error. In addition only one set of resources is
being used, in line with BIM principles.
This brings us back to the true reason
for BIM - one repository for all information
relating to each project and accessed by
all stakeholders. BIM provides three key
advantages for electrical engineers. First,
time savings by using basic information
already available in the original model.
Second, accuracy, as there is no need to
enter data multiple times so the risk of errors
is reduced. Third and most important, it
provides the opportunity to take advantage
of projects that are working with BIM. BIM is
here to stay and it is crucial not to miss out
on this work.
EXTENDING EXPERTISENew ways of working, facilitated by software,
can also give contractors a competitive edge
by enabling them to take on new types of
work. For example, some contractors are
happy to design electrical systems but shy
away from carrying out a protection study on
a circuit, especially in complex buildings with
multiple adjustable breakers.
However, todays electrical design software
often contains powerful discrimination
packages making it easy to make protective
device adjustments in the project. A very
popular method uses a simple graphical
view of the devices in the circuit with the
characteristics of each device shown on one
screen alongside each other. This method
allows overload, short circuit, instantaneous
and earth fault settings to be changed simply
by increasing or decreasing the values on
screen until the co-ordination is acceptable.
This is reected instantly on screen.
In fact some software will go as far as
automatically determining the overload
settings depending on the design current in
the circuit.
The purpose of this type of software is
to turn complex, time-consuming tasks into
simple and far more intuitive processes,
such as validating adjustable breakers in
seconds with complete condence that your
calculations are accurate and compliant with
BS 7671. But the benets dont end there, as
not only can the time current discrimination
be shown visually on screen, the whole circuit
can also be checked instantly at the touch
of a button. As software has developed this
type of specialised software has become far
more intuitive and straightforward to use so
you no longer have to be a protection expert
to use them. As a result, there is less need to
sub-contract specialist work such as protection
co-ordination.
Save time, save money, increase efciency
and improve accuracy all benets you
will hear cited in relation to software.
And with most good software these are
genuine, attainable benets but software
can contribute a lot more. Developing new
business streams is another way to move your
business forward with minimal outlay.
Electrical Review January/February 2014
20 TRAINING
VOCATIONAL QUALITYDavid Thomas, Education and Training Manager at the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA), discusses the need to monitor the qualications on offer to those looking to join the industry
A pproximately 1.6 million young people aged between 16 and 19 are currently participating in post compulsory education and training.
Unfortunately many are wasting their time on
vocational qualications that will not secure
them a job in their chosen eld.
This is particularly true in our industry where,
outside the apprenticeship framework, we
have seen a proliferation of qualications that
dont actually ready a learner for a career as
an electrician, even though they are offered as
such. These qualications are not recognised
by the industry and therefore dont lead to
employment. In effect, they are useless.
The electrical industry, and UK PLC,
needs the support of high-quality 16-19
education and training in order to ensure
young people are equipped to undertake an
apprenticeship, go on to further or higher
education, and, ultimately, sustainable
employment. Construction Skills estimated
our industry needed to train an additional
1,670 between 2011 and 2015 to meet what
was then depressed levels of demand. Given
that electrotechnical apprenticeship starts in
2011/12 decreased by 13% on the previous
academic year (according to the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills) its clear were
facing a serious skills shortage. This will take
longer to solve if people seeking a career as an
electrician are wasting their time and money
on training which doesnt lead to gainful
employment.
These sorts of courses also have a damaging
effect on the perception of apprenticeships.
Research from BAE Systems and the Royal
Academy of Engineering showed parental views
of apprenticeships are still less than favourable,
with just 46% of those surveyed saying they
would encourage their children to take up
vocational training. Parental discouragement
of apprenticeships could have detrimental
consequences for skilled sectors like ours. It also
does nothing to alter school leavers opinions
that university is the best option for them, or
persuade them to consider more traditional
vocational options.
If we are going to change this view and
encourage more young people to take up
apprenticeships, we need to make sure those
interested in doing them are in a position
to choose the provision that will best help
them in their career. When deciding on an
apprenticeship, students and their parents need
accurate and understandable information on
a) what courses and qualications are most
benecial to them and b) which providers are
best for their chosen courses and qualications.
The government has recently put a system
in place to help deliver this. As part of the
recent launch of the Tech Levels, performance
measures relating to courses and qualications
at Level 3 and below will be published. This
will include substantial Level 3 vocational
qualications qualications that provide
the knowledge and skills necessary to enter
a particular trade or skilled occupation. The
plan is to establish an approved list of Level
3 vocational qualications, supported by
employers that will be recognised within
performance tables.
As well as enabling young people to see
which courses will help them begin a career
in our sector, it will also help our industry
monitor which qualications are on offer. The
introduction of subject-specic information on
course outcomes will, in effect, root out poor
quality training. The current situation simply
does not tell employers enough to make a truly
informed decision on which training provider to
use. The introduction of Tech Levels will mean
we will know which courses are benecial for
apprentices and employers and which ones
arent delivering. This can only be benecial to
our industry.
In addition, awarding Tech Levels the same
status as A-Levels will go a long way to levelling
the playing eld and giving vocational training
the respect it deserves. Hopefully, this will
restore condence among learners, parents and
teachers that vocational education and training
is a pathway to a successful career.
2013 was pivotal for apprenticeships, with
the government putting steps in place to
reform the way they are delivered and funded.
Now that we also have a means of monitoring
which qualications are being offered to young
people, were starting 2014 in better shape
than in a long while. Hopefully this will make it
a better year for skills and everyone involved in
their delivery.
Electrical Review January/February 2014
22 SPONSORED FEATURE
POWER PROTECTION THE BIGGER PICTURE
T his winter the UK has been hit by some of the most tempestuous weather conditions leaving thousands of businesses and homes without power and
many out of pocket.
Following dramatic Battered Britain
headlines, it is becoming increasingly apparent
the risk to the nations infrastructure is higher
than ever before and with weather conditions
forecast to worsen, the UKs power network
remains under great threat.
It is not just these weather warnings and
natural risks to countrys power grid that are
hitting Britain but staggering energy costs and
increased pressures from the government for
businesses to improve operational efciencies are
adding further cause for concern.
However, despite all the negative press that
surrounds these issues, the emergency power
industry is gradually re-evaluating its approach
towards safeguarding the countrys infrastructure
to ensure long term, reliable, clean power.
One company already adopting a more
sophisticated approach to how we view
emergency power is Borri the UKs premiere
back-up power solutions specialist.
With the emergency power landscape
continuously evolving, businesses have had to
rely on specialists like Borri Ltd to deliver forward
thinking solutions and service options that
will withstand environmental, operational and
technological changes.
Addressing the latter, the radical
advancements in back-up power technologies
have mostly been driven by market demands
and the increasing critical need for UPS
solutions. Whilst many of these changes have
brought undeniable benets such as enhanced
efciencies and improved resilience, it is
important for users to consider the impact on
operational behaviour and any knock on affects
to other supporting equipment.
As UPS systems become increasingly
essential for businesses, users are becoming
more savvy about the types of technologies
available and more aware of associated
hardware such as batteries. Borri Ltd is one
of the few emergency power specialists that
has continued to invest heavily in its service
department in order to provide up-to-the-
minute care for not just a wide range of UPS
brands but also for ancillary equipment.
This commitment and unparalleled expertise
across a vast range of technologies means Borri
is the number one choice for many businesses
which require maintenance and equipment tests
to be carried out with minimum disruption to
day-to-day operations.
Environmental changes are unavoidable
so being prepared for as many eventualities
as possible is essential to keep equipment in
optimum condition. With such tumultuous
weather conditions, managing contrasting
temperatures is becoming increasingly difcult.
This has meant that power protection
professionals such as Borri have had to implement
even more sophisticated design solutions
utilising both leading edge technologies and more
advanced architectural strategies.
The companys sales director, Mark Trolley
commented: Despite the great advances
in technology, UPS systems can no longer
be considered in isolation when it comes to
delivering an emergency power solution. We
must now take into account the entire power
protection landscape and with increasing
demands on businesses to improve efciencies,
it is more important than ever to understand the
intricacies of all associated equipment.
Borri works with a cross section of design
and build contractors and has developed an
impressive portfolio of highly specialised projects.
Our experience has earned us the enviable
reputation of being a total solutions provider,
capable of achieving maximum protection and
efciency from all back-up power equipment.
We are proud to be the chosen supplier for
many leading blue chip companies and have
been involved in some incredible pioneering
data centre projects. Our understanding of the
complete power infrastructure and exibility
enables us to choose the most suitable
equipment for the environment in which it will
operate and therefore, deliver the most practical,
resilient and efcient solutions.
As changes to the back-up power landscape
continue to gather pace, Borri remains vigilant
and committed to helping businesses map
out efcient, resilient and future proof power
protection strategies.
The company offers full turnkey UPS solutions,
electrical infrastructures, delivery, positioning
and SLA driven maintenance contracts to over
2,000 customer sites in a variety of sectors, from
academia to manufacturing.
Borri is an exclusive distributor in UK market
of Borri Spa an iItalian company specialised
in the custom design and manufacturing of
power electronics equipments with over 80
years of experience and multidisciplinary
research and development.
Its B9000FXS and B9600FXS range of UPS
systems deliver such impressive efciency
credentials that they are listed on the ETPL
(Energy Technology Product List). Their ability
to deliver long term efciency gains and proven
protective qualities, make these the number one
choice for a wide range of data centre owners
from big to small looking for future operational
savings and maximum protection.
For more information please visit
www.borri.co.uk, email: [email protected]
or call 01246 431431
Electrical Review January/February 2014
23SPONSORED FEATURE
A POWERFUL COLLABORATION AT PORTSMOUTH UNIVERSITY
www.electricalreview.co.uk
B orri has played an integral role in the 2.25million development of Portsmouth Universitys new modular data centre facility. The leading Uninterruptible
Power Supply (UPS) solutions provider was
commissioned by award winning data centre and
IT infrastructures specialist, Sudlows to supply
three B9000FXS 300kVA UPS systems.
Faced with tough competition and following
a rigorous tender process, involving exhaustive
performance and ef ciency tests, Borris UPS
solutions came out as the perfect solution.
The results demonstrated that Borris advanced
B9000FXS systems not only deliver superior
reliability and impressive ef ciency savings but
their sophisticated design also proved well suited
to the innovative layout and structure of the
Universitys new data hall.
Utilising the very latest technologies, Sudlows
engineered a unique air cooling solution, which
has been proven using Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD) a sophisticated simulation
tool which analyses air ow to show how the
room could be naturally cooled. Portsmouth
University is now bene ting from a green,
ef cient, natural cooling solution, which
extracts hot air out through extractor fans and
draws cool air in through a ventilated wall and
directly cools the UPS systems.
Designed to deliver industry leading
performance and a 0.9 power factor, Borris
B9000FXS UPS units achieve up to 95.5%
ef ciency online. This online double conversion
UPS solution also incorporates an ECO mode
function achieving up to 98% ef ciency.
The addition of easy front access for easy
maintenance makes them a rm favourite in
data centres of all different sizes.
Positioned in a 600kVA N+1 con guration to
ensure maximum protection against any mains
failure, the three B9000FXS UPS systems were
installed at Portsmouth University by Borri Ltds
skilled in-house team of engineers.
Commenting on Borris service, Sudlows
global director, Andy Hirst said: The feedback
from Portsmouth University about Borri has
been very positive. They found Borris team
to be professional at all times and impressed
with their product knowledge. From our end,
liaising with Borri has been seamless. They have
exceeded our high expectations in both the all
round service they have provided and also in the
quality of their UPS systems. As a vendor neutral
organisation, Sudlows has the exibility to
always select the best solution for each unique
project and were impressed with Borris latest
power technology.
It has taken the greatest brains in power
management and data centre facility design to
deliver the smooth migration of the Universitys
existing data centre to the new modular
facility. The now highly ef cient, integrated
site protects data for over 23,000 students and
has been designed to meet future IT demands,
whilst maintaining the same levels of resilience
and ef ciency.
This is just one of the many data centre
projects that Borri has worked on. Unlike many
other UPS companies, Borri is much more than
just a product supplier it is a total solutions
provider. With a forward thinking approach Borri
strongly advocates outside the box thinking and
in the case of cooling, encourages its customers
to explore opportunities which will gain
additional ef ciency and save costs in additional
cooling applications.
With close relationships with a number of
infrastructure specialists like Sudlows, Borri has
vast experience in working through innovative
solutions, ensuring that due diligence is always
completed to guarantee that the selected UPS
solution will operate at its correct temperature,
thus prolonging its lifespan.
Committed to continuous design and
development of its back-up power solutions,
Borri is at the forefront of UPS technologies.
For more information about this solution or to
nd out about Borris extensive range of UPS
products and services please call 0800 136 993
or visit www.borri.co.uk
24 TEST & MEASUREMENT
PRODUCTION LINE TESTING: WHAT PRICE ELECTRICAL PRODUCT SAFETY?Nathan Barwell, business development engineer at Clare, part of the Seaward Group, looks at the importance of production line testing in electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing
T he verication of the safe operation and functionality of electrical products is vital to ensure compliance with established industry standards
and to maintain customer condence.
Electrical testing on the production line is
therefore a critical consideration.
The need to ensure conformance through
manufacture is clear from both generic product
safety standards and European Directives, but
the common reaction still seems to be does this
mean I have to do 100% testing? This question
is usually followed by a rapid retreat into
discussions that aim to reduce an erroneously
perceived time/cost burden, often quoting
ISO9000 procedures and focusing on sample
testing as a suitable solution.
Batch sampling and or product verication
tests are essentially designed to determine
that type test and build instructions are being
maintained via a set of working standards
and rely upon there being a traceable scientic
relationship between the sample and the rest
of the batch. The assumption is if the sample
shows conformance, then the rest of the batch
also complies. However when customer safety
is paramount can anyone take this risk?
In order to maintain a proper scientic
relationship, back to the type approved product
testing of the batch sample should really involve
a repeat of the type test which could involve
the use of an external test house or the transfer
of the sample to a dedicated, in-house test
laboratory. In either case the test will require the
use of skilled and expensive labour, specialised
(and usually high cost) test equipment, complex,
time consuming, test routines and/or possible
destruction of test sample.
Taking a typical batch sampling routine as
an example, the following scenario can be
envisaged: Risk analysis determines a procedure
for testing one sample product for every 100
that come off the assembly line. The sample
is sent to the laboratory where it undergoes
rigorous testing and fails. Strictly speaking,
production should now be halted until the cause
and extent of the fault is identied.
This should include recalling and testing not
only the remaining 99 items of the particular
batch, but any items produced / packed and
shipped out since the sample was taken.
The cost of this exercise can be worked out
in terms of re-call costs (time, labour, discard
packaging etc) - even greater if products have
Electrical Review January/February 2014
26 TEST & MEASUREMENT
left the factory - testing costs (which will now
include skilled labour), rework costs (time,
labour, parts if any), lost production (highly
unlikely that all items are salvageable) and late
delivery penalties.
To review the real on-cost to a business, a
useful investigation would be an ISO9000 re-call
procedural review and cost them accordingly. It
might be argued this worst case scenario only
applies if the sample fails but would anyone feel
comfortable knowing that the electric drill used in
a factory workshop has only a 1 in 100 chance of
NOT causing electrocution.
Similarly, it is clearly in the interests of
manufacturers of nished products that the
safety critical components used to assemble
a product are satisfactory preferably before
being incorporated into the product. Many
manufacturers now request Certicates of
Conformity (CofCs) from their suppliers of
safety critical components. However the
question always has to be how sure are you of
their test regime?
Against this background it is clear there
are increasing numbers of manufacturers of
electrical products who wish to check supplied
components before or during their own
product assembly.
Among such companies there is recognition of
the advantages that can result in the pro-active
identication of problems and defects before
assembly. This increases condence in nished
products, reduces the likelihood of product
re-work and allows any cost of failures to be
recovered from the supplier more easily.
Typically, the production line electrical product
safety testing requirements of manufacturers
of Class I and Class II equipment will comprise
high current earth bond measurement, insulation
resistance measurement and high voltage
ash (or hi pot) testing. In addition many
manufacturers will be driven by other special
standards or specic customer requirements or
even their own in-house guidelines to complete
functional tests (also known as Run or Load
Leakage Testing).
By completing the cycle with 100% product
testing, signicant information can also be
gathered and used to improve and rene
manufacturing processing and techniques.
Identiable reasons for product failures can
be highlighted and quickly acted upon. Even
simple fault counters can indicate particular
areas of the build phase that may require
further investigation.
Another major plus for 100% testing is the
development of a competitive advantage. A
companys ability to offer full testing during
their own production process reduces the need
for the customer to carry out their own testing,
thus providing a level of added value that can be
translated into increased protability and better
customer condence and loyalty.
Against these advantages, objections
to 100% testing are usually made on the
basis of time. Here, concerns normally arise
from misconceptions between type testing
requirements and the established practices for
100% routine production line testing.
For example, a typical regime of electrical
safety testing to meet routine production line
tests can usually be completed in less than 5
seconds. Referring back to the earlier example,
all 100 products could have been tested in less
than nine minutes.
Modern production line test instruments
feature simple to use set-up and control features,
and they can be readily incorporated into
the production environment relatively quickly
without the need for highly skilled labour.
In addition, for type testing, a ash test can
require high current levels (sometimes in excess
of 100mA) and extended test times (several
minutes for some standards) and consequently
this type of test can require application under
closely controlled conditions, involving the use of
highly skilled and experienced test personnel.
However for routine production line testing,
electrical safety standards dene not only a lower
safer trip level, but also the setting up of the test
area is well dened to keep safe the operator.
Experience has shown that routine test parameters
provide a realistic evaluation of electrical safety
and does not harm equipment that is designed to
comply with the relevant standards for creepage,
clearance and insulation properties.
Where delicate electronic components
are involved, far from omitting the ash
test, various techniques can be incorporated
to soft-start (ramp) the test voltage, apply
DC voltages with discharge circuits and
other measures to remove any likelihood of
damage occurring for example, a procedure
recognised by EN60950 for Information
Technology (IT) equipment.
Far from costing time and money, 100%
electrical safety testing on the production line
makes sound economic and business sense
creating a competitive advantage and peace
of mind. After all only 100% testing can
categorically show 100% conformance with
product safety standards.
Electrical Review January/February 2014
27ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
TESTO THERMAL IMAGING: ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY FUELS INDUSTRY BOOM
T echnology is evolving around us at an ever-increasing rate and with this comes the challenge of making sure that these new technologies are effectively
employed. Testo provides a holistic approach to
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Thermal imaging, both as a self-contained
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thermal imaging technology and this knowledge
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integrating this technology into their businesses.
UNIVERSAL THERMAL IMAGING SOLUTIONSThe ability to visualise infrared radiation, and as
such, heat patterns and thermal anomalies is
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in research laboratories. This current boom in the
adoption of thermal imaging technology is the
result of a number of factors coming together
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technologys growth.
Thermal imaging cameras have such a vast
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this list is only set to grow, as thermal imaging
becomes more cost effective and seeps further into
mainstream consciousness.
THE RISE OF ENTRY LEVEL CAMERASPerhaps the most signicant development for
thermal imaging technology is the downwards
trend in prices and the reduced cost of initial
set-up for users due to a rising number of
affordable, entry level thermal imagers. Testo has
just released the 870 thermal imaging camera -
our entry level camera which grants accessibility
and affordability to sophisticated technology that
was previously not possible.
The testo 870 is priced to allow an affordable
entry point to the thermal imaging marketplace.
It has been developed specically for, and
in partnership with, electrical and heating
professionals allowing unique insight into the
needs of the user. Accordingly the testo 870 is
a lightweight camera that balances ease-of-use
with the impressive technical specication and
performance that is synonymous with Testo
thermal imaging.
Equipped with a large 3.5 inch display screen
and exceptional resolution of 120 x 160 pixels, the
testo 870 provides brilliantly clear thermal images
and superb value for money. Perfect for visual
inspection and surveying of electrical circuit boards
or the installation and assessment of plumbing and
heating systems, it is the ideal tool for contractors
in these industries to increase efciency and widen
the service portfolio that is available to customers.
Even in the last 12 months, we have seen
a notable reduction in the cost of previously
expensive (and as such relatively exclusive)
technology and this has been key to the current
explosion in the use of thermal imaging cameras.
Further, this increased level of accessibility has
allowed for a parallel growth in the knowledge
base surrounding the benets that thermal
imaging offers. It is apparent then, that a strong
link exists between the information available
to professionals of a given industry and the
likelihood of that industry recognising and
adopting new technologies. This coupled with
an inux of new, affordable thermal imaging
cameras (such as the testo 870) means that the
industry is only going to grow.
For more information either visit the website or
call to speak to our technical sales team.
www.testolimited.com 01420 544433
www.electricalreview.co.uk
28 TEST & MEASUREMENT
PUTTING CABLES TO THE TESTMany techniques are available for assessing the condition of underground power cables and for diagnosing faults that occur on these cables. Unfortunately, says Paul Swinerd of Megger, these techniques are often presented as alternatives that compete with each other. He believes this is misleading and that by far the best approach is to treat the various techniques as complementary
F aults on underground cables are a major concern for every organisation involved in the transmission and distribution of electrical power. Such faults
can have consequences that are extremely
costly and disruptive, so its not surprising
there is strong demand for test equipment that
can provide accurate information about the
condition of cables and also assist in the rapid
location of faults.
A rst thought might well be that test
equipment should energise the cable at power
frequency after all, in this way it would be
subjected to stresses that closely resemble
those it experiences when in service. There is,
however, a problem.
Cables are highly capacitive which means
that if they are to be energised continuously
at power frequency during testing, the test set
must be capable of supplying a large amount
of reactive power. A test set capable of doing
this necessarily has to be physically large, heavy
and expensive. For this reason, power frequency
testing of cables is not commonly used.
One potential alternative is dc insulation
resistance testing, and this has many benets.
Suitable test equipment is compact, lightweight,
moderately priced and relatively easy to use.
Typically performed at 5 kV or 10 kV, dc
insulation resistance tests take just a few minutes
to carry out and, in addition to quickly revealing
major faults, they give a valuable indication of
the overall condition of the cable. This is a very
useful guide when deciding whether the cable is
t for immediate return to service, or whether it
should be tested further using other techniques.
In fact, a recently published article (Charles
Q Su and C R Li, IEEE Electrical Insulation
Magazine, January/February 2013) describes
how, during a ve-year study, dc insulation
testing was used to decide which of a group
of 6.6 kV cables operated by a Chinese utility
should be further tested using the VLF and
OWTS techniques described later in this article.
Electrical Review January/February 2014
29ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
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EXPANDING LINE OF CUSTOMISED MONITORING SOLUTIONSThe expanding line of portable and xed-installed
OMICRON OMS online monitoring systems
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Each OMS system solution can be individually
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The systems include capacitive or inductive sensors,
a data acquisition unit, a data server and analysis
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Users are provided highly accurate data about the
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There are currently over 70 Omicron OMS
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OMICRON Energy Solutions www.omicron.atTel: + 44 (0) 1785 251000
www.electricalreview.co.uk
30 TEST & MEASUREMENT
Only 5% of the cables in the study were
selected for testing with these techniques, but
the failure rate across the whole group of cables
was nevertheless reduced by over 30%. This
clearly shows that dc insulation resistance testing
is a valid technique for determining which cables
are most at risk of failure and, therefore, in need
of further analysis.
To get the best from dc insulation resistance
testing it is important to choose the right
test set. A critical characteristic is test current
capability, as an instrument that can only supply
a small current will take a long time charge the
cable under test, particularly if it is a long cable,
and this will unnecessarily prolong the testing
time. A good instrument will typically supply 6
mA into a short circuit, and deliver a charging
current of 2 mA. As a rule of thumb, this will
mean that capacitive loads like cables take 2.5
seconds or less per microfarad to charge to 5 kV.
In addition, in many situations, high noise
immunity is a desirable feature, since this will
enable dependable results to be obtained
even in poor electrical environments. The
best instruments are now capable of reliable
operation with up to 8 mA of noise present in
the measuring circuit. Finally, the test sets power
source should not be neglected. As mains power
may not be readily available in locations where
cable testing must be carried out, a test set with
an internal rechargeable battery ideally a rapid-
recharge Li-ion type is greatly to be preferred.
While dc insulation resistance testing at
modest voltages is, as we have seen, an
invaluable and convenient rst-line tool for
assessing cable condition, there are some
cases where further study is needed. These
tests most usually take the form of insulation
withstand testing at voltages higher than the
nominal working voltage of the cable under
test. In fact, in many countries withstand
testing before new cables are put into service
is obligatory, as it is part of the relevant
standard. Because of the risk of cable damage,
dc testing at these higher voltages is no longer
widely used, having been supplanted by ac
very low frequency (VLF) testing, typically
performed at a frequency of 0.1 Hz.
VLF test sets are divided into two groups those
that apply a sine wave to the cable under test, and
those that use a cosine rectangular (CR) waveform.
Both types produce useful and reliable results,
but it is worth noting CR test sets are usually
smaller and lighter than similarly rated sine wave
equivalents, and that some users prefer the CR
waveform as its rise and fall times are very similar
to those of a power frequency sine wave.
VLF insulation withstand tests at 0.1 Hz
usually involve applying a test voltage of three
times the nominal working voltage to the cable
for 15 minutes or, in the case of aged cables,
one hour. VLF testing therefore takes longer to
perform than dc insulation resistance testing,
but it will reliably uncover a wider range of
cable problems and will enable the majority of
dubious cables to be condently classied as
either good for return to service or susceptible to
imminent failure.
Even after VLF testing, some subtle problems
may still remain hidden, and detecting these is
the role of partial discharge (PD) analysis. This
involves coupling a high ac test voltage to the
cable under test and using a sensitive detector
to look for the characteristic signals produced
by PD events. Since research has shown PD
testing at VLF using sine wave voltages does
not give good results, an alternative method
of providing an ac test voltage for the cable
is needed. This typically takes the form of
damped ac (DAC) voltage.
This works by connecting an inductor in
series with the cable under test, then charging
the cable from a high-voltage dc source. When
the cable is charged, a high-speed solid-state
switch connects the inductor in parallel with
the capacitance of the cable to form a resonant
circuit. As a result, damped os