Skip to content

News & Knowledge

We’re your source for automation news. Keep up with the latest industry updates and E Tech employee spotlights, as well as tips and guidance from our manufacturing experts.  


Diagnosing a Lift Table Motor Burnout for a Distribution Center

A material handling customer had been experiencing motor failures on hydraulic lift tables in their distribution centers. E Tech Group helped their team identify the problem and correct the malfunction with a signal delay timer.

The Project: Stop a Distribution Center Dilemma that was Hemorrhaging Money

Our partner, Wynright, asked that we get involved to help to pinpoint the exact issue causing $160K a month loss in failed motors and hours of downtime at one of their distribution centers. During the process review with the customer and distribution center associates, it was determined that the failures were likely due to excessive cycling of the on/off state of the motor. 

The cycling was a direct result of the hard contact of a foot switch provided to the line associates to raise the lift table. In a normal working position, the associate would stand with one foot on the switch and the normal shift of weight as packages are moved across the worker’s position would cause incidental switching of the motor. 

Some instances indicated that in an effort to perfectly position the lift table, the worker would feather start/stop operation, exacerbating the situation. E Tech Group’s extensive experience in material handling automation gave us the perspective necessary to accommodate the human part of the process by altering the machine response.

The Solution: A Signal-Delay Timer Takes Stress Off the Motor

To remedy this, initially a VFD-based solution was recommended. But we felt a solution with a delay timer that negates the signal from the foot pedal for a short time, stopping the on/off signals would provide a better, more long-term resolution to their issue. Stewart Brinkoeter, our fabrication manager, partnered with our Ohio team to finalize and implement this solution in one facility for a test run.   

The Result: Less Cost, Less Downtime, No Loss of Functionality

Just an hour and a half of downtime and less than a third the cost of a new motor, the table was functioning flawlessly and the associate working with the test unit did not discern any loss of functionality.  Because of its success, this solution will now be implemented across multiple distribution centers. E Tech Group continues to work with our partners at Wynright to ensure these system updates are performed seamlessly across facilities.

Lift Table Motor Burnout Remedied by Signal Delay Timer

Our partner, Wynright, kept experiencing motor failures on hydraulic lift tables in their distribution centers. They asked that we get involved to help to pinpoint the exact issue causing $160K a month in failed motors and hours of downtime. E Tech Group harness our expertise in material handling automation to diagnose and remedy this expensive issue. Dysfunction: Overloaded Lift Table Motors During the process review with the customer and distribution center associates, it was determined that the failures were likely due to excessive cycling of the on/off state of the motor. The cycling was a direct result of the hard contact of a foot switch provided to the line associates to raise the lift table.   Diagnosis: A Miscommunication Between Human & Machine In a normal working position, the associate would stand with one foot on the switch and the normal shift of weight as packages are moved across the worker’s position would cause incidental switching of the motor. Some instances indicated that in an effort to perfectly position the lift table, the worker would feather start/stop operation exacerbating the situation. Treatment: Implement a Better Translational Tool  To remedy this, initially a VFD based solution was recommended. But we felt a solution with a delay timer that negates the signal from the foot pedal for a short time, stopping the on/off signals would provide a better, more long-term resolution to their issue. Stewart Brinkoeter, our fabrication manager, partnered with our Ohio team to finalize and implement this solution in one facility for a test run.    Prognosis: An Elegant Solution to a Widespread Problem Just an hour and a half of downtime and less than a third the cost of a new motor, the table was functioning flawlessly and the associate working with the test unit did not discern any loss of functionality. Because of its success, … Continued

Read More

E Tech Group Employees Earn PI Certification

Congratulations to our Principal Engineer, Matt Martin, and Senior Project Manager, Tony O’Deay on earning their PI System Infrastructure Specialist Certifications.To complete the PI System Infrastructure Specialist certification an individual must have one year of experience configuring the PI system, complete a set of training modules, and pass a 50-question final exam.  The certifications show our company has trained and is experienced with PI System. E Tech Group is committed to providing expert service and support for the PI system. Thank you, Matt and Tony, for pushing yourselves and sharing this expertise to E Tech Group and our clients!

Read More

Join us at Automate 2022

We’re excited to announce we will be exhibiting at Automate 2022 with our partners at  Apera AI. We hope you’ll SWING by at booth #4113 to see our ABB cobot TEEing up a golf related demonstration utilizing the latest in adaptive 4D vision technology.  You wont want to miss out! Click Here to Register for Automate 2022.

Read More