Product category:
Electronics and Electrical Subcontracting Services
News Release from: Block UK | Subject: Power supply
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 June 2007
Made-to-order power supply products
Block UK can provide a wide range of electrical power supply products, designed and manufactured in-house at their manufacturing plant in Germany.
When a panel builder, systems integrator or OEM needs to source electrical power equipment, including power supplies, transformers, EMC filters, harmonic filters and line reactors, motor filters, sinus filters and so on, what value do these companies place on being able to deal with just one supplier? As well as a reduction in total cost associated with single supplier sourcing, there are other factors that companies need to consider As Bob Liddle, Managing Director at electrical power supplies manufacturer Block UK suggests: "As well as good prices and availability, customers come to Block because we have such a wide range of innovative, electrical power supply products, all of these designed and manufactured in-house at our manufacturing plant in Germany
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 18 Jan 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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We are a very technical, customer-led business, with ten per cent of our staff involved in R and D activities.
30 per cent of what we make is standard product, but 70 per cent are specials, so the company considers itself pretty unique in this respect".
From research and development right through to production and final certification, all Block products are developed and manufactured in-house, which means the company can react quickly and flexibly to customer requirements.
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Since the company was set up almost 70 years ago, Block is now recognised as a global leader in the field of electrical engineering.
The firm's products include power supplies, control/power transformers, reactors, stabilisers, test apparatus, EMC/RFI filters, PCB transformers, VFD filters and harmonic filters.
The company supplies these products into all kinds of industry sectors, including industrial automation, robotic and machine tool control systems, oil and gas, medical, telecommunications and marine.
"We like to think we can solve any problem the customer may have," continues Liddle.
"It also helps that we have our own in-house accredited EMC test facilities, so that we can certify special designs for the client".
Block also has a mobile EMC/EMI test facility for customers in the UK and Europe, and most of the company's products are UL-approved for the US market as well as VDE-approvals for the European market.
"Indeed, having both sets of approvals is not all that common in this industry and so customers place enormous value on being able to source from a supplier whose equipment can be installed in most countries," says Liddle.
But there's another reason why Block places such a strong emphasis on custom designed solutions.
"In the future, industrial electronics will be less about providing engineers with off-the-shelf products, but more about implementing the ideas and requirements of these engineers.
That is why our large development and engineering team and in-house test certification facilities are so crucial," explains Liddle.
'BLOCKLAB' is the company's service centre for measuring and testing products that must conform to international standards.
This includes advice on standards and research; a mobile test service; circuit quality analysis; measuring immunity to interference; testing materials; calibration; partial discharge tests; ball impression tests, flammability tests; support for UL-accreditations; and rapid accreditations for custom-made products.
Some of Block's more off-the-wall customer applications include input and output sinus filters for a leading London-based football club, who was experiencing harmonic interference problems with its CCTV cameras from its pitch covering system.
The EMC problems meant that the pitch covering system had to be switched off at least two hours prior to kick-off so that the CCTV security systems could be switched on.
Block helped solve this issue quickly by providing the customer with a standard off-the-shelf filter.
The company has also been involved in the development of special high voltage transformers for the electron bombardment process used to produce tiny perforations in cigarettes.
Block also developed a special power transformer for a test probe on a 500-metre depth oil-drilling rig.
The company has also worked closely with systems integrators and manufacturers of washing machines, busbar technology, security lighting, airports, fire alarm systems, door systems and elevators.
Innovation is also important to Block and its customers.
'BlockImpEx' is the company's unique process for protecting the windings used in its products.
It is now standard practice at Block to impregnate all its products via a special pressure technique, to ensure that all cavities are filled, creating a closed surface.
According to Liddle, this process has dramatically increased the life expectancy of Block windings.
In addition, Block also uses a special polymeric resin to impregnate its products, which enables the heat generated to be dissipated more quickly and significantly reduces any partial discharge activity or suppresses it completely.
Another unique process used by Block is its 'XtraDenseFill' casting system, which is used on transformers.
In most cases, perfect casting or encapsulation is critical to transformer performance and life expectancy and this technique results in a long-term reduction in creepage and clearance.
The insulating casting resin, in combination with intelligent temperature and pressure control of up to 3 bar during casting, ensure that optimum heat dissipation, reduced component size and long term protection against the operating environment are achieved.
It's not just process innovation that Block excels in - product innovation is important too.
The company's latest product is the novel 'PowerVision' range of integrated power control modules.
For many applications, primary switch mode power supply with stabilised output voltage are not really necessary.
Normally, a regulated outpout voltage that complies with the tolerances specified in the international standard IEC 61131-2 is perfectly adequate.
The PowerVision was developed to meet these requirements.
The system is not only better value than conventional primary switch mode power supplies, but is also significantly smaller and lighter.
The system is ideal for PLC-based control applications and comprises a power supply unit with programmable control module for set up of parameters.
With its slim, compact design, manufactured to international standards, the 'Block PV 400' with integrated control module enables users to recall, control and set up performance limits/controls via a PC connection or the Internet.
In case of over-current occurring, the PV range has a 'Real Power Boost' function that provides 200 percent load in reserve for up to four seconds, after which the safety programme steps in.
This makes it possible, using selective fusing, to supply multiple circuits so that in the event of a single circuit fault, the installation as a whole is not brought to a standstill.
Other features include an LCD and three coloured LEDs positioned on the side of the unit.
These LEDs alert the user to safe operation (green), warnings (yellow) and faults (red).
With the latest efficient switch mode technology, the PowerVision is also up to 50 percent smaller than standard power supplies, making it ideal for companies that need to save space in control panels.
Another unique design feature on the Power Vision is its single-handed mounting system.
A single screw opens or locks the the mounting latch, ensuring safe installation or removal.
The user requires only one hand to mount the unit onto a standard DIN rail.
A screwless design ensures a snug fit with the mounting wall.
If required, this mounting system can also be fixed on the right side of the unit to enable a flat mounting on the DIN rail.
Conventional screw mounting is also provided via mounting holes.
One of the 'PV' range goes even further with integrated line monitoring functionality.
An integrated monitor enables the user to view incoming supply voltages.
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