Recent Custom Solutions

Shift Controls was approached to design and fabricate a heater control panel to deliver power to a large 800 kW, 480 VAC, 3-phase process heater with a full load current of 963 amps with UL508a certification. In addition, the panel also required control and monitoring interfacing with a plant wide DCS system.

Shift Controls was approached to design and fabricate a heater control panel to deliver power to four 50 kW, 480 VAC, 3-phase heaters for a total of 200 kW and 234 amps. The system also required control interfacing with a plant wide DCS system.

Shift Controls was approached to design and fabricate a heater control panel to deliver power to a 105 kW, 480 VAC, 3-phase immersion heater used for batch heating of a liquid in a large tank. The system also required monitoring and interfacing with a plant wide DCS system.

Shift Controls was approached to design a motion control panel that automated the winding of filter cartridges that were previously manufactured with manual machines consisting of fixed winding gearboxes and significant operator supervision and intervention.

Shift Controls was approached to design a motion control panel that automatically leveled a manned control room that was positioned on a moving structure. This control panel would be subject to corrosive marine spray and high humidity. This was a simple motion system which drove a single large linear actuator attached to the control room which extended and retracted to maintain a level control room as the surrounding structure moved during operation. The panel would also interface with an Allen Bradley control system for alarming and monitoring.

Shift Controls was approached to design a 3-Axis motion control panel to be used in a high precision positioning system for a medical device manufacturer. This system would be an update to an existing system using the same motors and drives as the older system, so they could retain their existing programming and software, but have additional features that would allow them to correct the shortcomings of the previous system. The existing system suffered from drive related noise issues, so drive motor and feed power filtering was added. In addition, a safety system with local and remote E-Stops was designed and implemented. 

A mobile platform lift cart was designed by one of our motion partners which used a large electric linear actuator for lifting equipment precisely for a manufacturing process. Shift Controls was approached to design a control panel to control this actuator, monitor limit switches, operator commands, and provide equipment safety. The whole system was designed to be modular, mobile, and powered by rechargeable batteries. Shift Controls developed mechanical drawings and wiring diagrams for project approval to ensure all the design requirements were met before construction began.

Shift Controls was approached to design a control panel and power panel to control a robotic, high-precision linear conveyor manufacturing system. The panels were designed to be modular where the communication host module, and safety relay, EtherNet/IP gateway, and safety signal distribution would be contained in a “host” panel. The host panel would perform the processing, be the communication hub, and also contain the safety relay controller for the satellite power panels. The power panels would contain the DC power supplies and power the drivers for the individual linear conveyor controllers.

A customer procured a used nano-filtration skid with existing piping and field instrumentation. Unfortunately, the filtration skid did not include a functional control system. Shift Controls was tasked to design, build, program, and field commision a new control panel for the skid in approximately 5 weeks. The project scope included: