Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

F Michael Frayne

Angelo R Bortolus

Chao Chen

Qing Jia

Jeffrey David Gandier

Xiang Jing

David Scott MacLennan

Reginald A Drake

A method and apparatus for identifying a health status of a contactor includes a processor coupled to a computer readable media. The processor is coupled to the contactor to instruct the contactor to open and close. A database stored in the computer readable media includes operation count variables for the contactor, closing time variables for the contactor, and health status rules for the contactor. The operation count variables and the closing time variables may be inputs to the health status rules to identify the health status of the contactor. A customization program may also be stored in the computer readable media. The customization program enables an operator to modify at least one of the operation count variables, the closing time variables, and the health status rules to affect the identified health status of the contactor.

Customizable contactor prognostics system

A method and apparatus for identifying the health status of a contactor include the steps of counting the number of operations performed by the contactor, identifying a closing time of the contactor, using the number of operations and the closing time to assess the health status of the contactor and, where the health of the contactor is a first health status, reporting the health status of the contactor.

A control system for controlling and synchronizing a plurality of medium-voltage vacuum contactors comprises a two-level network structure. A dedicated network includes a plurality of servant control units operably coupled to the vacuum contactors and configured to ascertain a plurality of different data and conditions thereof. In addition, the dedicated network includes a master control unit in serial communication with the servant control units and configured to send and receive communications therewith. The master control unit is operably coupled to a control network including a plurality of various control devices. The master control unit is configured to send predetermined data received from the servant control units to the control network. The two-level network structure enables relatively jitter free communication on the dedicated network while not overwhelming the control network with unnecessary data. The system is further configured to diagnose and prevent a variety of different vacuum contactor failures.

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Waterloo, Canada

F Michael Frayne