Heavy-durty main power relay: High-capacity relay with integral transient voltage suppression system works from 350 mA to 200A

摘要

One of the critical success factors at Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL, is the company's 6-Sigma quality program. It drives much of the decision making involved with manufacturing equipment that is often the best in its class, whether it is mining, forestry, or construction equipment. Part of the 6-Sigma program at Caterpillar involves regularly looking at electric, hydraulic, and other equipment systems. Engineers evaluate what is in use and determine if existing technology could be improved. And if so, how? In the area of electrical systems, improvements are sometimes incremental, for example, going from 150 to 200A capacity. Yet, other improvements leapfrog past the incremental changes in existing technology and create entirely new categories of technology. When it conies to evaluating different electrical systems, Gary Bayer, Caterpillar project engineer, indicates that his 6-Sigma team set a goal early on to create a main power relay that would be priced competitively enough to vie with relay applications that use multiple cube relays and still be able to replace conventional main power relays on new and existing Caterpillar equipment. It makes sense for several reasons.