Ann: Nestle announced as a new Buddy Ohm customer, page-154

‘I see no problem.’ in using ohm units by utilising metering in main switch rooms. Provided it occurs as part of a scheduled shut down for other production reasons. As to the dedicated circuits of a sub-board well that is a different matter….

I assume you mean the sub-boards located usually in places (but not always in a clean environment) like a control room. I assume you mean 3 phase 100A boards with 50 or more modules per board.

When will you isolate the sub-board and for how long? Because working on a live board is not only horrendously dangerous, it is now illegal in most territories of Australia. You would need to take the front cover off. Because unless the board is of a size that has an escutcheon plate at the bottom, you will need to drill and bush or gland the side of the sub-board. At any rate you will need to gain access to the neutral bar and the dedicated circuit actives. I assume you’re not intending to leave the ohm units inside the sub-board. For reasons that are obvious to you. So this means running the ohm clamp cables (for reading the ‘flow’ of a particular circuit) to both the neutral and active wires and having the ohm units housed beside the sub-board. Have I understood the general concept or have I missed something?

So yes it is feasible. But here is the problem. How does the distributor of ohm convince a FFMG company to shut down part of its production line? So as to incorporate the ohm units in the above situation? The projected energy saving may not even amount to the loss of production time. It may do in the long run but companies with industrial processes are inherently reluctant to change their practices. It also implies that their existing OEMs have no product offerings which importantly could be integrated into the existing systems. Systems which they are familiar with and keen to support exclusively into the future.

In the industrial environments that you worked in how often did you experience a company change from one PLC maker to another? Never or very rarely? Trust is a key aspect of the decision making process and I expect the vast majority of heavy industrial companies to stay with what works (even if it means ‘wasting’ energy), or at the very least to consult with their original equipment suppliers and service companies to see what strategies they can supply.

BUD is obviously keen to establish its products and reputation (as it should do) as a supplier of a quality and reliable product range to industrial companies. To succeed though I suggest it needs to build that reputation through concentrating on green field sites and plan long term. Really long term, starting with a two decade plan to show how it will be still around long after today’s technology and standards have become redundant. Because anyone who has worked for decades at industrial businesses has witnessed redundancy either due to a failure to supply the quality of service or product as promised or because an increase in production volumes required a quicker and more efficient process.

In short the Process is God and technology its servant mortals.

Broosta