CONNECTIONS
Perfection. Detail. Pride in accomplishment.
These things are cultural. Is culture about geography or mindset? I would argue that it is mindset and therefore something that can be developed. Once obtained, it is to be cherished, as it translates into continuous improvement and dedication to a craft. In turn, in our case, it makes the industrial world better. I am very proud to be able to showcase these examples of the culture at ICC.
The advantages of managing multiple large projects at once are multifold.
Urgency, attention to detail, efficiency and skill become highlighted. But people working together in a way that sometimes appears like a living breathing jigsaw puzzle, brings an intensity and enthusiasm that reminds all of us that what we do is important, and that every one of us is indispensable.
Why expand? Because this is frankly just silly.
Adding an additional lathe with additional undercutting capability is at the top of the list, along with brand new vertical CNC and banding equipment. Stay tuned as we make progress!
Incredible but true. Glassband commutator fabrication is tricky business, and the cost of getting it wrong is enormous.
Your first visual sign of a segment pack that is loose on the core may be the risers as shown below (image 1). The shift of the segment pack versus the coils becomes visible, ultimately resulting in complete failure (image 2). The cause can be twofold: Worst is if the commutator was installed incorrectly to the mica wrapped hub and the whole assembly spins on the core. Alternatively, the outer bands may have deteriorated (image 3). If the bands have not been coated, or have been subjected to excessive heat, the resin will burn away, or carbon that has infiltrated burns invisibly from the inside out and the bands give way. In this design, those bands are the only thing holding segments in place.
The lesson? Make sure it’s tight in manufacturing with a retained interference fit to specific standards, and ensure that band inspection is part of your routine maintenance, especially in extreme environmental conditions.
For the record, while I normally post photos of things we build, this is the exception and not one of ours!
