Decatur Industrial Electric

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Manpower Challenges? Decatur Industrial Has the Solution.

Not surprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic is still affecting labor force participation and unemployment among American workers 18 months after its onset.  Today’s labor shortage remains a major issue for our customers today, as well as ensuring they have the coverage needed to run their facility if employees are quarantined.

One of those customers found themselves lacking primarily in skilled millwrights. Knowing that it takes a lot of time to find that kind of talent, they turned to Decatur Industrial to fill the gaps. This facility required a planned daily outage once a week. However, they had been consistently short on manpower to accomplish the job. As a partner to this customer, we offered our millwright services so they could meet their plant performance goal. These services started at the height of the pandemic and continue to this very day.

To date, we have logged over 40, 40- hour weeks of millwright work at the customer site. Our team enjoys knowing that our efforts have helped enabled the plant to hit production numbers.

Decatur Industrial has the talent on our team to help customers keep on schedule with items they don’t have the manpower to achieve.  Contact us today to see how we can help.

Testing Synchronous Machines

When testing synchronous machines, one should consider the control circuitry involved. Baseline current tests of both armature and field should be taken when the machine is operating in nominal condition or when it’s first installed. Analysis of the current data should include a thorough review of the time domain waveforms to ensure there is full wave rectification (i.e. all rectifiers are working) in the field circuit. Baseline voltage and current measurements through a start-up and synchronization should also be performed to analyze the performance of the amortisseur windings and synchronizing regulation. Assuming a constant load, a steady state analysis of an RMS enveloped current on both the armature and field should be performed to ensure there is no abnormal variation in current. Should you need additional information on testing synchronous machines, please contact PdMA technical support for assistance.

Synchronous motors are commonly medium/high voltage machines. For additional test considerations read Medium/High Voltage Testing Application Note at http://www.pdma.com/PdMA-application-notes.php.

Motor 101 Series – Webinar Starts October 13

AC Motor 101: October 13, 20 and 27!
Presented by Jeff Meyer: Director of Industrial Solutions
Join us the last THREE Wednesdays of October @ 1-2 PM CST!
 
Even if you can’t attend all three you will still find value in attending 1 or 2
 
Upon completion of this training you should be able to:
–  Understand NEMA and how the association standardizes NEMA motors.
–  Describe the construction of a squirrel cage AC Motor.
–  Identify NEMA enclosures.
–  Review a motor nameplate, understand and identify for replacements.
     Ambient and how it affects a motor?
     Service Factor, what is it there for?
     NEMA Designs and how they apply to your work place.
     Design Codes, can your motor be special?
–  IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) motors.
     What do I do with these?
–  Variable Frequency Nameplates and are they special motors?

Industrial Plant Custodian

Pay: $20-22/hour. Easy application!

This is a PART-TIME position – minimum 20-24 hours a week between Monday-Friday.

Job Summary

In addition to normal custodian responsibilities (cleaning bathrooms, dusting offices, floors, etc) – light mechanical assistance for projects with the Maintenance Manager will be expected.

We are seeking a reliable Custodian to join our team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for maintaining cleanliness and orderliness in our facility (plant, warehouse, offices) ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all occupants. This role is essential in supporting the overall functionality of our spaces through effective cleaning and maintenance practices.

Duties

  • Clean and maintain designated areas, including offices, restrooms, hallways, and common areas.
  • Perform floor care tasks such as sweeping, mopping, buffing, and waxing to ensure high standards of cleanliness.
  • Conduct commercial cleaning duties in various settings, adapting to the specific needs of each environment.
  • Monitor and maintain supplies needed for cleaning activities, reporting any shortages or equipment issues.
  • Support facilities maintenance by performing minor repairs or reporting larger maintenance needs to management.

Requirements

  • Previous experience in custodial or commercial cleaning roles is preferred
  • Strong attention to detail with the ability to clean efficiently and effectively.
  • Knowledge of floor care techniques including buffing and maintenance of various flooring types.
  • Ability to work independently as well as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent time management skills to prioritize tasks effectively.
  • Physical stamina to perform manual labor, including lifting, bending, and standing for extended periods.
  • A proactive attitude towards maintaining cleanliness and safety standards in all areas.

Join our team as a Custodian where your contributions will help create a clean and inviting atmosphere for everyone!

No Current Imbalance Doesn’t Mean No Problem

Just because the three phase current data being returned by the installed relay is balanced, doesn’t clear the power circuit of possible anomalies. Remember from previous tips that the opposition to AC current is influenced by impedance, which is the combination of reactance and resistance. Not just resistance. A high resistance connection may be a small part of the overall impedance, but can still create a significant amount of localized heating. This localized heating can lead to big problems if not corrected. Waiting until the problem is severe enough that the resistance element dominates the total impedance and changes the AC current may be too late and risk a single-phase fault. Using the MCE® technology for precision resistance measurements will give an early indication of power circuit anomalies so they can be repaired before causing a high current imbalance.

Source PdMA