Radio Frequency Issues

[mbk]

We have a tent company that uses machines to glue the edges of the tents together. There are four of these machines in the steel building all operating off of radio frequency drives. There are some major issues occuring in the building when these machines are operating. The issues that the owner has expressed are; the lights are turning on or off, the sewing machines start running, and the metal on the machines close by is heating up.
Is there any answers or equipment on the market that could help correct this issue?


Thanks

MBK

 

[DaveTap]

Wow... I don't think OSHA or the FCC would be happy about that. Any idea what RF frequencies they're using? Have you used an RF meter to see how much stray signal there is? Will an AM/FM radio even work in the building?
As far as the lights and sewing machines... I assume those are on some kind of electronic controls or dimmers vulnerable to RF. What kinds/ brands/etc? I know several building control systems are extremely sensitive to RF interference.
Make sure you don't have any ground loops in your electrical system adding to the trouble.
Try and replace any electronics with manual controls.
Shield all sensitive equipment and cabling and/or create an RF shield or tent around the machines and/or the equipment.

 

[ghostbuster]

There are lots of cheap,cheap substandard machines using rf frequencies flooding into this country.I would first check to see all the certificates issued for this machine.It has to be rf safe first and foremost.If it heating up the surrounding metal,what about the surrounding human organs ,eyeballs,skin tissues etc.There are health standards for this.

Also,check out earlier posts on this subject.

 

[HighWirey]

Anybody here remember the old 'flourescopes' used in shoe stores in the USA.

Glad I don't work in that plant . . .

 

[DaveTap]

Anybody here remember the old 'flourescopes' used in shoe stores in the USA.

Wow Steve I thought I was old but I've only heard about those... LOL

In this case I'm thinking more along the lines of microwaves and remembering my dad talking about his time in the reserves when guys would stand in front of microwave transmitters to keep warm. (I wonder if any are still alive?)

 

[plate]

...of radio frequency drives...

Mark, I assume that is not a typo and these are these RF drives and not Variable frequency drives?

Do you happen to have a link to one of these machines?

 

[HighWirey]

Yea, Dave

You could see your little toes viggling. We kids loved it . . .

Mark Shrunk probably has a picture of a fluorescope. He has a picture of everything else!

Back to life here - I suspect that those machines are ultrasonic welders. Sounds like the old 'bad neutral' problem to me.

Tracing a problem like that can be a PITA

Best Wishes

 

[dbuckley]

Check out this old thread on a similar topic, with a picture to die for...

 

[chris kennedy]

Check out this old thread on a similar topic, with a picture to die for...

Fwiw, I installed the new automated cutting machine(it's a robot, very cool) and the RF was no problem. This topic came up on another job since then with no impact on the electronics. Impact on the workers to be determined.

I'm starting to think that RF problems are akin to harmonic problems. The industry is yet to fully understand.

 

[mdshunk]

I might guess that you have some noncompliant neutral/ground interconnects to sort out there, for starters.

 

[chris kennedy]

I might guess that you have some noncompliant neutral/ground interconnects to sort out there, for starters.

Read the old thread Marc, I aslo had the burn issue. The operators learned not to touch parts of the machine. This can't be good.