HARDWARE -- Installation Standards

  • Thread starter C. Ward Yelverton, P.E.
  • Start date
C

Thread Starter

C. Ward Yelverton, P.E.

I "grew up" manufacturing under Mil Spec during the 1960's and learned all the how-to's as well as the not-to's. Even wrote our company QC
Manual all those years ago.

Recently performed a pre-delivery inspection of a drawbridge control system at a integrator's facility, and it was sad. They had minimal knowledge of workmanship and argued about every one of my criticisms and rework requirements. Things like (many) nicked conductors from stripping, crushed conductors where stuffed under terminal compression plates, lack of service
loops (although specifically required in the specs), and failure to make daisy chain conductors continuous independent of the individual device terminals the multiple conductors were stuffed under. I could go on, but if you know what I'm talking about, then that's enough to give the idea.

I set forth to buy and supply them with some general electrical control and wiring assembly workmanship texts and guidance specs, and, to my amazement, haven't been able to find any ... civilian or military. Couldn't even find
the NASA assembly specs I remember because NASA has grown so darn big I couldn't locate which offices might be buying assemblies.

Can anyone point me toward some helpful specs or texts covering this pre-1960 technology. I've got more data than I can handle on fabricating IC's and assembling zillion-layer PC boards (areas in which I have no interest) ... but how
about old-fashioned switches, push-buttons, relays, and pilot-lights?

---
C. Ward Yelverton, P.E.
Senior Electrical Engineer
Kunde, Sprecher & Associates, Inc.
109 Belmont Drive - Palatka, FL 32177-6539
904.328.1711 Toll Free: 888.876.5527
Fax: 904.328.3811
eMail: [email protected]
 
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Noel Yarborough

You may want to check NFPA 79-Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery (National Fire Protection Agency, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269-9101) and/or UL 508A-Outline of Investigation for Industrial Control Panels (Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062-2096; 708-272-8800)
Both are excellent sources of information.
For the issue of shoddy workmanship, UL also holds training classes for panel shops that will enable the shop to produce UL Listed control panels, you may want to make that a requirement for future contractors on "public works" jobs where safety is a concern.

Hope you find this info useful.
 
N

Noel Yarborough

You may want to check NFPA 79-Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery (National Fire Protection Agency, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269-9101) and/or UL 508A-Outline of Investigation for Industrial Control Panels (Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062-2096; 708-272-8800)
Both are excellent sources of information.
For the issue of shoddy workmanship,UL also holds training classes for panel shops that will enable the shop to produce UL Listed control panels, you may want to make that a requirement for future contractors on "public works" jobs where safety is a concern.

Hope you find this info useful.

Original message:

> I "grew up" manufacturing under Mil Spec during the 1960's and learned all the how-to's as well as the not-to's. Even wrote our company QC

> Manual all those years ago.

>

> Recently performed a pre-delivery inspection of a drawbridge control system at a integrator's facility, and it was sad. They had minimal knowledge of workmanship and argued about every one of my criticisms and rework requirements. Things like (many) nicked conductors from stripping, crushed conductors where stuffed under terminal compression plates, lack of service

> loops (although specifically required in the specs), and failure to make daisy chain conductors continuous independent of the individual device terminals the multiple conductors were stuffed under. I could go on, but if you know what I'm talking about, then that's enough to give the idea.

>

> I set forth to buy and supply them with some general electrical control and wiring assembly workmanship texts and guidance specs, and, to my amazement, haven't been able to find any ... civilian or military. Couldn't even find

> the NASA assembly specs I remember because NASA has grown so darn big I couldn't locate which offices might be buying assemblies.

>

> Can anyone point me toward some helpful specs or texts covering this pre-1960 technology. I've got more data than I can handle on fabricating IC's and assembling zillion-layer PC boards (areas in which I have no interest) ... but how

> about old-fashioned switches, push-buttons, relays, and pilot-lights?

>

> ---

> C. Ward Yelverton, P.E.

> Senior Electrical Engineer

> Kunde, Sprecher & Associates, Inc.

> 109 Belmont Drive - Palatka, FL 32177-6539

> 904.328.1711 Toll Free: 888.876.5527

> Fax: 904.328.3811

> eMail: [email protected]

>
 
N

Noel Yarborough

You may want to check NFPA 79-Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery (National Fire Protection Agency, 1 Batterymarch Park, PO Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269-9101) and/or UL 508A-Outline of Investigation for Industrial Control Panels (Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062-2096; 708-272-8800)Both are excellent sources of information.
For the issue of shoddy workmanship, UL also holds training classes for panel shops that will enable the shop to produce UL Listed control panels, you may want to make that a requirement for future contractors on "public works" jobs where safety is a concern.

Hope you find this info useful.
 
A

Anthony Kerstens

I seem to remember looking through some old high school electrical shop texts some time ago. These were very descriptive on the proper way to do things.

Maybe you could try "antique" shops or retired shop teachers. :)

Anthony Kerstens P.Eng.
 
W
List,

If you can find an older copy of the Radio Amateur's Handbook, there is lots of info in there on components and techniques. My last copy was from the 1970's, and that edition still had lots of information on tubes, switches, relays, assembly techniques, etc.

Willy Smith
Numatico SA
 
D

Darren Tichbourne

I understand what is being said about 'shotty' workmanship. I have opened many panels in the field and found spider webs of wiring, improper wire colours, no identification on conductors and terminal strips etc. I have encountered many sources of info in the past and have had first hand experience on practical methods for panel building from basic industrial controls (switches, push-buttons, relays, and pilot-lights) to plc / industrial computer technology. Even though the basic controls are low tech.
and some new people fresh out of school might laugh at their simplicity there is still much common sense and knowledge to be gained to 'understand' the correct methods to be used.
Some references I remember in the back of my mind are:
GM Basic Electrical standards, Allen Bradley-industrial controls division,
Plant Engineering training systems guides. UL & CSA are both excellent sources for current info in this area. Offering training classes and
support.

My company prides itself in 'show-case' panel building. We consider ourselves to be artists, instead of paint we use chips, wires and solder.

Sincerely,

Darren Tichbourne
President, System Integrator, CET
CompuSys Solutions
___________________________________________________________
Email : [email protected]

Website: www.CompuSysSolutions.com
 
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