Have you been disappointed with the sockets fitted to your conveyors, or are they still hard-wired because of doubts about connector reliability? If you have answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, then the following will be of interest to you and your maintenance team.
Plugs and sockets fail because of water ingress, user abuse, loose connections or inadequate design. If the socket ingress protection (IP) rating does not match the working conditions, the connection will eventually fail.
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Socket designs that require an extra action to seal them to IP67, such as turning a sealing ring, are not sealed to IP67 before the turn is completed. Another potential problem is that cable conductors come under a high degree of physical stress in the plug terminals because they are subject to handling, movement and tension. Unless the terminal design prevents this movement, then loose conductors will overheat and fail. Many conveyors use in-line connections which, by definition, are not switched and are therefore at risk of being disconnected on load, creating a dangerous condition.
All of these common workplace problems are addressed by MARECHAL Electric decontactors. Decontactors are fitted into many industries where moisture, dust and generally dirty atmospheres are constant hazards. Unlike conventional connectors, decontactors feature spring-loaded silver-nickel butt contacts with vibration-proof terminals; IP66/IP67 sealing as soon as the plug is inserted; an integral isolation switch which means that they cannot be pulled out live from the socket; and a 10kA short circuit performance for additional user safety.
Decontactors are in service in the light-duty industries such as food and drink, as well as in heavy-duty applications such as quarry conveyors. Equipment fitted with decontactors is disconnected and visibly isolated in seconds, vastly reducing maintenance downtime and also production downtime.
To meet the specific criteria for each site, decontactors offer power ratings up to 250A, 1000V, or control up to 37 pins, and offer optional customisation, such as e-stop style latches, padlocking and auxiliary contacts.
For more information contact;
Marechal UK, Chester, Cheshire.
Tel: 0844 804 2066 Fax: 0870 760 1066
E-mail: sales@marechal.co.uk
Web: www.marechal.com
