Safety Interlocks
NK Technologies’ Current Operated Switches are available in models that will 
switch at measured currents from just a few milliamps (mA) to over 100 amps. Detecting current flow is the definitive measurement to determine if equipment is on or off, a motor is running or not, a heater is on or off etc. NK’s Current Switch products are installed for interlocking for operational and safety purposes.
Drill/Tool Status
Automated drilling machines usually provide fast and accurate holes, that is until 
the drill bit breaks. The last thing a high production furniture manufacturer wanted to do is to keep drilling parts with one hole missing! NK Technologies’ Current Operated Switches were installed over the current carrying conductor feeding the drill motor and when the amperage dropped below a preset level a signal was sent to the controller to stop operation so that the drill bit could be changed. NK’s range of current transducers are used in a variety of applications on machine tools to detect status.
Equipment Ground Fault Monitoring
As we become more aware of occupational health and safety so the need for 
protection against ground faults is growing. Industrial electrical equipment is fed via a distribution system which in turn is connected to a main feed. Ground fault protection may be installed, for instance at a main breaker, protecting the branch circuit but not necessarily a valuable or critical piece of equipment. Industrial Ground Fault Sensors from NK Technologies are designed to be installed in individual pieces of equipment or their electrical feed. The sensors provide an on/off output that may be used to operate a circuit interruption device like a shunt trip breaker or feed into an alarm system. With over 100 models to choose from, there’s sure to be one to fit your application.
Insulation Breakdown
Industrial electrical heaters are prone to ground leakage due to the breakdown or
contamination of insulators. The use of NK Technologies’ Ground Fault Sensors enables early detection of leakage Currents as small as 5mA. The on/off output of the sensor can be used to trigger a circuit interruption device (for example a shunt-trip breaker) or a monitoring device like a PLC to determine the required action. Latching and auto-reset models are available in both normally energized and normally de-energized configurations suitable for most applications.
DC Motor Installations
Many applications requiring high torque at low speeds, like bridge cranes and log 
carriages, use DC shunt wound motors. Since it is relatively easy to control the speed of a DC motor by adjusting the voltage to the field windings, precise regulation is afforded to applications like printing press paper feeds or web control of multiple motors in the paper making process. Using an NK Technologies’ DC Current Transducer will provide an analog signal that can be used to keep the motor from over-current situations. Using an NK Technologies’ DC Current Operated Switch will insure that if the motor field supply is lost, the motor will not over-speed to the point of self-destruction.
Saw Load Monitoring
Often a band saw is used to cut logs into rough planks, before the planks are processed into finished lumber. Due to inconsistencies in the log (knots, burls and checks), the speed that the log is pulled through the saw must be varied. The operator will often reduce the speed of the cut when smoking occurs, or the blade breaks. By installing an NK Technologies’ Current Transducer the operator’s job is made easier. By watching the log and a display representing the current draw of the band saw, the operator can achieve a higher rate of output with less down-time.
A similar arrangement can be used with circular saws. The blades become brittle after excessive heating if they are worked too hard. Many automatic systems are in use whereby the current draw is used to reduce the motor load typically by reducing the feed-rate.
Conveyor Jam Protection
When conveyors jam and the drive motor continues to run, expensive mechanical damage to the drive components often occurs. By installing an NK Technologies’ Current Operated Switch an overload condition, detected by higher than normal running amps, can be used to switch off power to the motor before mechanical damage results. The switch setting can be adjusted so it is not affected by normal changes in conveyor load. Current operated switches are the modern day equivalent of less reliable electromechanical jam relays that have been in use for many decades.
In situations where there may be large variations in load an NK Technologies’ Current Transducer may be used to feed motor amps to the conveyor control system, commonly a PLC. The PLC may be programmed to accommodate different setpoints for different mechanical loads so that jam protection is provided from light to heavy loads. In situations where the conveyor is not able to accept analog signals NK Technologies has developed a patented transducer with a frequency output suitable for the Digital Inputs of most PLCs.