Secure maintenance operations and reduce production downtime

WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE?

According to the Institut des Ressources Industrielles, industrial maintenance plays a key role in improving the quality of production management. Its aim is to maintain the activity through operations such as troubleshooting, repairs, checking and monitoring equipment, etc.

In the industrial sector, there are two types of maintenance operation:

• If a breakdown is detected, this will lead to a production stoppage while the equipment is repaired. This is known as corrective maintenance.
• Before a breakdown occurs, all the installations are inspected to limit the risk of breakdown. This is known as preventive maintenance.

Preventive maintenance does not always prevent machines or production lines from coming to a standstill, so optimising it is vital.

HOW CAN YOU REDUCE YOUR COSTS AND PRODUCTION DOWNTIME WHILE INCREASING SAFETY?

Equipment maintenance, whether corrective or preventive, generally generates costs linked to production stoppages, the intervention of an electrician and the deterioration of electrical equipment. According to a study by Xerfi, the French private sector research institute, more and more industrial players are focusing on improving their ability to carry out predictive maintenance in order to optimise the overall cost of work on their electrical installations.

The installation of MARECHAL^® products limits the impact of maintenance operations on the production line.

The DECONTACTOR™ combines the function of an industrial plug and switch-disconnector, allowing you to power your equipment in applications up to 250 A, without the addition of a contactor. It can be connected and disconnected under load, which considerably reduces intervention time and therefore the downtime of your production line. In addition, local disconnection means that the equipment concerned can be disconnected without having to go to the main switchboard, while ensuring isolation within the electrical circuit. With a visible local on-load disconnection, you can intervene in record time and without risk.

No electrical qualification is required, so you can deal directly and quickly with a fault, in complete safety, without having to wait for a qualified electrician and minimising the impact on the production line. For example, if one of your mechanics needs to carry out maintenance on an engine changeover, this is also a solution to the problem of recruiting qualified personnel.

The use of high quality products and long-life technology reduces the number of long-term maintenance operations. MARECHAL^® butt-contact technology reduces corrosion and overheating and improves conductivity at the connection interface.

For greater safety, MARECHAL^® equipment allows a consignment and deconsignment procedure to be set up to ensure the safety of users, an essential aspect.

>> LOTO procedure

Suitable for use in harsh industrial environments and explosive areas, and complying with local regulations, MARECHAL^® products are ideal for :

• The following applications:

– Water treatment

– The food industry

– Heavy industry

– Transporte

– Chemical industry

• The following uses :

– Motor connections

– Production lines

– Mobile devices

– Vehicle spare parts

The importance of materials when choosing an industrial socket outlet

Since 1952, MARECHAL ELECTRIC has specialised in the manufacture of electrical sockets for industrial and explosive environments. Our expertise is built on our long-standing presence in the various industries in which our products are used. Getting to know the specifics of each sector is essential for our RD teams, who work daily to ensure that our products are suitable for harsh environments. Sectors such as mining, water treatment and agri-food expect durable equipment. We design them with this in mind. How do we approach the question of materials, from a mechanical, chemical and environmental point of view? Find out below.

Mechanical resistance

Because they are installed on industrial sites and in close proximity to machines, our products are exposed to significant mechanical stress: strong vibrations, risk of shocks, etc. MARECHAL ELECTRIC carefully selects the materials used in its products to guarantee their integrity and protect the active parts. Our enclosures in polymer (IK09) or metal (IK10) materials are available to meet all market requirements according to their specific features. In addition to IK (i.e. impact resistance index) tests at ambient temperature, impact and drop tests are carried out on all our materials at different points in the operating temperature range. The materials selected also offer high levels of wear resistance, as well as fatigue resistance that allows numerous operations to be carried out without affecting product functionality. Our fibreglass-reinforced plastic materials have been chosen for their mechanical performance, and in particular to prevent material deformation, such as creep, whatever the load used on our products and even after ageing. This also enables us to guarantee the initial sealing level in combination with the use of appropriate seals developed for the MARECHAL® brand by our RD team.

Resistenza chimica

By working with numerous industrial players, MARECHAL ELECTRIC gathers recurrent examples of potential damage to electrical installations that are a direct consequence of the presence of chemicals. One example is the emission of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in refineries, blast furnaces or water treatment plants, which can have an impact on the performance of industrial plug materials. As a result, our polymers are chosen for their resistance to water, even at high temperatures, and to chlorinated or salty water. They also offer good resistance to a wide range of chemicals, including alkalis (ammonia, caustic soda), alcohols, ketones (acetone) and hydrocarbons. For our range of metal products, which are naturally sensitive to various types of corrosion (galvanic, pitting, stress corrosion cracking, etc.), surface treatments combined with appropriate initial surface preparation are carefully chosen to inhibit the effect of chemicals. For our enclosures, powder paints are mainly used, but we also offer dedicated treatments for specific metals: anodised surfaces on aluminium, passivation for stainless steel and zinc plating. Salt spray performance guarantees the effectiveness and durability of the treatment. For active parts, silver plating or tin plating is systematically used to give our base materials the best electrical conductivity whatever the environmental conditions. This also gives these parts a much-appreciated surface finish that withstands the test of time and aggression.

Environmental resistance

The variety of installations (indoors, outdoors, in marine environments, etc.) exposes our products to the elements: UV, high and low temperatures and even fire. That’s why all our polymer materials comply with the UL746C f1 standard, which means that the performance of the materials is maintained after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays and immersion in water. This stringent test consists of 1000 hours of UV exposure (using a xenon arc weathering meter) and 7 days of water immersion at 70°C. Compared with commodity polymers, our technical or high-performance polymers are suitable for use over a wide temperature range, from -40°C (or even lower for some materials) to at least 60°C. We also select materials with high RTI (relative temperature index, 18-month test) values (above 100°C) to ensure stability of mechanical (impact and strength) and electrical properties over time and temperature.

Safe electrical connections for emergency vehicles

The many facets of the Port of Cannes: a showcase for MARECHAL® connectors

When you look at the electrical infrastructure of the Vieux Port de Cannes in detail, you realise the diversity of forms that port activities can take. The Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which holds the concession to operate the infrastructure of the Vieux Port de Cannes, divides it into 6 main activities:

• Yachting (724 jobs),
• Cruise,
• Coastal (4 transport companies),
• Careening (5000 m²),
• Fret,
• Events.

The port covers an area of 23 hectares, including 15 hectares of water. It has 2,000 linear metres of quays and over 800 linear metres of pontoons. Thierry PAVIOT, electrician at the Vieux Port de Cannes, took us through the intricacies of a unique and constantly evolving electrical distribution network, at a pivotal time for the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The concession contract for the port of Cannes was due to expire in 2021. Has it been renewed? The Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce has been awarded the concession contract until the end of 2021. The Public Service Delegation (PSD) for the Port of Cannes currently includes the commercial operation of the port (diving club, rentals, etc.), yachting, cruises, careening, events and parking. There are therefore many facets to the port business. The current call for tenders may include changes to the scope of the port. Transformation projects do exist, but they are still subject to the secrecy of the call for tenders. However, the recent tenders won by the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the concessionaire’s experience in other Côte d’Azur ports (Villefranche, Golfe-Juan, Nice, Antibes) are reassuring criteria for the public authorities. How is the electrical infrastructure at the Port of Cannes managed? There are two contracts with the electricity supplier. The port is interfaced with these two networks via several HV/LV transformer stations. The first HV loop serves three low-voltage main switchboards arranged in a triangle for yachting, pleasure boating and events, while the second serves two other low-voltage main switchboards for the quayside (commercial area) and the area reserved for careening. The distinctive features of the Old Port of Cannes are twofold:

• The choice of innovative bollard technology,
• The omnipresence of the events sector.

Managing berths is the most natural activity for a marina. What are the special features of the berths installed in Cannes? There is a wide range of dockside power points with different power ratings. The MARECHAL® plugs installed to supply pleasure boats have ratings ranging from 16 A (DSN1 model) to 400 A (PFQ4 model). On the Albert Edouard jetty, where the largest boats are moored, there are 26 quay terminals. 22 can deliver a current of 250 A, while 4 deliver up to 400 A. The bollards are specifically designed for the Port of Cannes. They are concrete bollards with a modular power supply trolley locked inside. This carriage allows the power available at the output of the bollards to be varied. By simply replacing the trolley, two connection points limited to 125 A can be made available instead of one limited to 250 A. The operation of substituting one trolley for another is secured by a trapped key device between each terminal and the corresponding feeder on the main LV board.
For the past three years, our trucks have been equipped with a remote meter reading system. The system interface is an application specifically developed for the Port of Cannes. This remote meter-reading system saves the Harbour Master’s Office’s Yachting Department time and enables them to accurately monitor boat consumption. The electric bollards on the Quai St Pierre opposite work in a similar way. It’s just that the trolleys on one quay are not compatible with those on the other. When we stopped at some of the bollards on the Albert Edouard pier, we noticed that in several places the electrical cabinets were set back from the quays. Thierry PAVIOT tells us that these are power points dedicated to the events that take place in the Vieux Port de Cannes throughout the year. How are these events organised, and what does this mean for the energy infrastructure? The most notable point about the events sector is that we need to be able to distribute high levels of power almost everywhere in the port. The sector also requires the port to have a modular structure both for accommodating yachts and for the associated infrastructure.
Two major events are taking place:

• The Cannes Film Festival, usually held in May, will take place this year in July 2021.
• The Cannes Yachting Festival boat show in September

For the Festival and other events taking place on land, the CCI provides a number of hatches or distribution cabinets. Some of the hatches are particularly special. The hatches in the PANTIERO area were upgraded 2 years ago. Each hatch has been upgraded to deliver 400 A (instead of 250 A previously) and a new hatch has been built. These traps are specifically designed to adapt to the pre-existing civil engineering in the area. This required electrical infrastructure work and the laying of new cables. The starting points at the transformers have been modified, so a complete overhaul of the site’s electrical topology has been necessary. To coincide with the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, the harbour is being completely redeveloped. The challenge facing the CCI’s technical services is to make the various floating pontoons in the harbour disconnectable. MARECHAL® plug strips at the head of the purlins will ensure that the pontoons are “plug and play”.

SAFETY OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS ON REFRIGERATED VEHICLES

THE GROWING POTENTIAL FOR ELECTRIC CHARGING OF REFRIGERATION UNITS

In France, heavy goods vehicles and light commercial vehicles account for 22% and 19% respectively of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector¹, the latter being the sector that contributes most to GHG emissions in France, with almost 31% of the country’s emissions. Potential reductions have already been identified for these types of vehicle. For example, optimising road speed, adding a ‘start and stop’ system alongside the engine or optimising tyre management are effective measures that are easy to implement. Where refrigerated vehicles in particular are concerned, additional measures can be taken to optimise the overall consumption of these vehicles. Refrigerated vehicles fall into the category of heavy goods vehicles or light commercial vehicles. They have simply been transformed by adding an insulating envelope and a refrigeration unit (powered by a diesel engine or connected to the electricity network). As a result, GHG reduction measures specific to refrigerated vehicles focus on the refrigeration units and encourage the use of efficient systems: well-sized refrigeration capacities, improved maintenance processes, better thermal insulation or even the use of a bottle socket. The case of the feeder socket is particularly relevant when you consider that diesel consumption is around 0.4 L/kWh² of refrigeration capacity. Feeding the refrigeration unit at the quayside when the vehicle is at the depot represents an opportunity to make financial savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Charging an auxiliary battery becomes an advantage and requires the use of appropriate power connectors.

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH HANDLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR REFRIGERATION UNITS

The use of power connectors on a logistics site always represents a risk for people, goods and the electrical installation itself. Based on its experience, MARECHAL^® has identified three main risk categories for which careful management of power connectors can minimise the consequences of an accident or mishandling.

• Setting a vehicle in motion

A vehicle movement, even if gradual and minimal, can cause a handler to fall from the loading bay or cause objects or goods (loading trolleys, products, etc.) to fall. Vehicle movements can occur, for example, when a driver starts off thinking that a load has been completed. He may also have forgotten to disconnect his bottle socket. These situations can have both human and material consequences in terms of potential damage to the electrical installation.

• Handling power connectors

Over time, the performance of industrial plugs and sockets can be altered by their daily handling. For example, the on-load connection/disconnection cycle creates electric arcs and cable movements cause conductors to loosen. This has consequences for the quality of the electrical installation. The electrical risk may be increased (damaged cables or plug contacts, accessible live conductors) and impair the normal functioning of operations.

• Poor performance even during normal operations

The use of standard products leads to the appearance of standard problems inherent in the technology used. Increased contact resistance and corrosion are defects that are bound to occur with sliding contact technology such as pins and sockets. These defects lead to an increase in temperature at the connection interface, higher power consumption and a shorter life for the products concerned.

MARECHAL^® SOLUTIONS

MARECHAL ELECTRIC’s main objectives are to eliminate human error and to make electrical installations safe while allowing you to reduce your consumption. These objectives are what drive the development of MARECHAL^® solutions for mobile applications. We provide industrial plugs that take into account the constraints of the field in order to offer the best user experience. All MARECHAL^® solutions designed for refrigerated vehicles are designed to allow disconnection on load and automatic ejection of plugs and to reduce contact resistance as much as possible. On-load disconnection and low contact resistance are enabled by the use of silver-nickel pad butt contact technology (DECONTACTOR™ technology and Atex equipment expertise (marechal.com)). As far as self-ejection is concerned, MARECHAL ELECTRIC offers two types of technology: electromagnetic ejection (our RETTBOX^® S range) and mechanical ejection.

• Electromagnetic ejection

RETTBOX^® S is an electromagnetic self-ejecting industrial socket-outlet system that offers a whole new experience. It’s a Smart solution with a compact design and logical visual indicators. It’s simple, easy to install and use. It’s a Safe solution thanks to the use of technology proven by MARECHAL ELECTRIC.

• Mechanical ejection

Our ejection systems consist of a simple hook that is added to the male or female part of a DECONTACTOR™. The cable is connected to this hook by a wire and the hook is released when tension is applied to said cable. This causes the moving part of the plug system to be mechanically ejected.

MARECHAL® technology: reliable and safe connections, even above 125 A

All MARECHAL® brand technology is adapted to high power connectors. Why is this so? The end-to-end contact connection is the secret of reliable and safe products. Zoom on the subject. What are high-power sockets? We gave the answer in this article: it’s an electrical socket whose rated current can exceed 125 A for connecting heavy machinery and generators.

Regulations to improve safety

“Innovation for safety” is MARECHAL ELECTRIC’s motto. The European Low Voltage Directive, a regulation that sets objectives in terms of the health and safety of people and property, requires our equipment to comply with certain standards. This ensures our customers that the product is safe. For field applications requiring more than 125 A, MARECHAL ELECTRIC has developed several solutions, innovating to go beyond the minimum safety and performance requirements. Four main standards surround socket-outlet systems:

What does IEC/EN 60309-1 define?

It imposes electrical and mechanical performance and safety rules. It applies to all manufacturers of sockets for industrial use, up to 800 A. It proposes a minimum level of requirements for industrial environments, without any obligation of means. This level of requirement in no way constitutes a guarantee of results. In other words, if a product is suitable for any industrial application, it must comply with the IEC/EN 60309-1 standard, although this compliance is not a guarantee of validity for all applications. The application environments of the products concerned by this standard must be studied beforehand and the products must be chosen carefully to ensure that they will operate normally. MARECHAL ELECTRIC’s position is to design products that go beyond standards to meet the requirements of industry players whose needs are greater. For example, the IEC/EN 60309-1 standard dictates the need to limit overheating or make it impossible to access IP2X active parts (impossible to put your finger in the plug). Our products are all IP4X (impossible to access active parts, even with a screwdriver). In addition, it imposes a minimum of IP23 (dust and water tightness): our products are at least IP44 and most are IP66/IP67. Above 800 A, the dimensions of the conductors are such that the use of a plug becomes difficult or even impossible, in particular because of the mass of the cable. The use of single-conductor cables and single-pole connectors can therefore meet the need for flexibility for currents in excess of 800 A.

*data taken from technical data sheets for a flexible industrial cable type H07RN-F What about IEC/EN 60309-4? It has the same objective as the IEC/EN 60309-1 standard but for products including an interruption device. This is the case for MARECHAL® products which integrate this device into the socket outlet up to 250 A. This means they take up much less space than sockets that can be deactivated using a rotary switch, for example. Above 250 A, a control system is used to interrupt the supply.

What are the constraints imposed by the IEC/EN 60309-2 socket-outlet standard?

It imposes construction rules on any manufacturer of sockets for industrial use wishing to allow compatibility with other manufacturers complying with the rules of this standard, up to 125 A. This standard implies that the male (or female) part of a manufacturer A can be inserted into the female (or male) part of a manufacturer B, ensuring the passage of current. It imposes minimum performance requirements: – electrical: contact temperature rise, – mechanical: number of connection/disconnection cycles, – environmental: protection of active parts. It also defines dimensional constraints, imposes a technology (pins and sockets) as well as materials (brass) and plating (zinc). Above 125 A, the additional constraints required for inter-compatibility mean that sufficient performance can no longer be guaranteed. For example, other types of contact, such as silver-nickel contacts, are better suited to higher currents than pin-and-cell technology, whose electrical performance is not optimal. The imposition of means in IEC/EN 60309-2 also gives rise to other difficulties: the poor electrical performance of oxidised contacts, the operating difficulties caused by the large clearances required for inter-compatibility, and the difficulty of ensuring ancillary functions such as sealing. The mechanical solutions found to remedy the limitations of the IEC/EN 60309-2 standard sometimes impose other constraints.

MARECHAL ELECTRIC’s strength: end-to-end contact technology

This technology is suited to the need for strong, regular connections, and to the industrial market. It provides a reliable and safe connection, for a market that requires regular connections and disconnections, without losing the quality of the connection. The ergonomics and technology of MARECHAL® products make them an everyday ally in improving the safety of operators and installations in industry.