In times of crisis, such as the new Coronavirus pandemic, some will discard established processes to decrease short-term prices to maintain quarterly profitability. Management might be considering that, because we have less activity, we do not require maintenance. However, this strategy is short-sighted and positions the company for failure and chaos when recovery takes place.

Panic Creates Chaos

Nearly all companies have the required assets for producing the goods and services that provide revenue. Among companies currently experiencing a rapid decline with the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration feels intense urgency -- some might call it panic - to reduce on prices. Since the activity is low, there is a desire to eliminate maintenance.

A repair shop, workshop, man cave, or garage is traditionally the place to park your car. However, the typical garage is not just for cars anymore. And, a lot of people prefer to park their vehicles in the driveway. No car in the garage creates an untapped goldmine of additional space.

Think about the endless possibilities and a wide range of uses that your garage can offer. For some people, it is an additional storage space, workshop, a home office, or even a gym. If your garage doubles up as your workshop, then chances are you probably spend a lot of your time in there. It becomes challenging to work during the hot summer months if your garage does not have a cooling system.

Generally, without air conditioning and insulation, your garage’s temperatures can soar up to 10 degrees higher than the outside temperatures. In the hot summer months, that’s a lot of sweltering heat that will slow you down and make it impossible to carry out your daily tasks.

Whether you are dealing with a humid climate or just plain dry heat, it may be the right time for you to consider some garage/ workshop cooling solutions. Most people wonder, why does the garage get so hot? What is the right size to install in the workshop/garage?  If, for example, you use a portable air cooler in your shop then you need to know how to vent it properly?

New Product

Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a foremost provider of innovative semiconductor solutions, declared the launch of its Failure Detection e-AI Option for motor-equipped house appliances, including the 32-bit microcontroller, Renesas RX66T. This method with embedded AI (e-AI) enables abnormality determination of home appliances -- such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines -- because of motor failure.

Property data showing the current or spinning rate status of the motor may be utilized directly for abnormality detection, which makes it feasible to execute e-AI-based abnormality detection and motor control using a single MCU un. Using the RX66T removes the need for extra sensors, thereby decreasing a customer's bill of materials (BOM) cost.

Maintaining Industrial Equipment: Thermal Imagers

Thermal imaging systems are an important tool for determining heat transfer and changes in temperature. New, inexpensive thermal cameras and imagers detect infrared radiation emitted from an object – in other words, heat – and relate that to an understandable image. Abnormal patterns of heat cannot be seen with the naked eye. Also, we often cannot get close enough to a subject to sense any differences. This all means that thermal imaging can be a big help for companies reliant on rotating equipment.

How Do These Thermal Systems Work?

Thermal cameras turn these heat signals into visual images that we can understand. The image shows a piece of machinery in colors that represent the heat produced. Some will be cold and blue; others will be warm and red, and there are bright while areas of extreme heat.

The key to understanding a problem with these images comes in knowing the difference between a normal and abnormal color for a particular area. Some will automatically be hotter because they are rotating and creating energy. However, there will be tonnes that are too hot and indicate a problem. The more sensitive the system, the better the chance of detecting faults.