We need it NOW!

I remember during my days of being a plant manager and when we had a machine go down, the urgency in which we needed that machine back up and running. It never fails that the machine that breaks is the one with the back log of work. Or it always has the emergency order for your customer.
When that machine breaks, what do you do?
In February we had a customer call us from the mid-west and their main woodworking press went down. They did the best they could to find the problem and traced it to the electronic rack. It was at that point that they called REA Technologies. They shipped the rack next day air to us. Once it arrived we put our best technicians to work finding the problem. We reviewed 27 different electronic boards, found several problems within those boards, and had it repaired and ready to ship back within 24 hours. The customer received it back within 3 days of their initial phone call to REA and was back up and operational with the press.
At REA Technologies we understand the importance of getting you equipment operational as soon as possible. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are always there to help with your machine emergencies.

Don't Shock Your Chips!

Did you know that walking across nylon carpet can generate up to 4kv of static electricity? Walking across a vinyl floor can generate up to 12kv. These voltages are extremely harmful in the world of electronicsand electronic repair. If you carry a circuit board loaded with TTL chips across carpet you have most likely fried them all as they are 5v devices. Memory chips don't fare well either. When handling chips and circuit boards in an area with carpet or vinyl care has to be taken to eliminate ESD or Electro-Static discharge. This is done via several different means. One is to attach a ground strap sending static straight to ground. Another is to use static bags when transporting circuit boards across the room. Here at REA we take the utmost precautions to reduce static electricity. This is a very important detail to keep in mind when sending your pcb's for repair. As mentioned earlier, would you like 12kv to zap your motherboard? I think not. Send it to the professionals, REA. We won't cause you any static!

The Power of DNC

We find many customers who have CNC equipment do not use their equipment to it's fullest capability. Just recently I had a customer with a Shoda router with a Fanuc control. This customer was writing his CNC programs by hand on the operator panel and then copying it to a spiral notebook by hand, because the control only had enough memory to hold half a dozen programs.

I asked him if he'd considered using DNC, and he'd never heard of it.

DNC stands for Distributed Numerical Control, and basically it's a remote storage center for CNC programs. Normally, the way it is configured, you have a PC running a DNC server package (WinDNC is a favorite of ours) and a serial cable connection back to the CNC controller on the machine.

Once you have it configured, the operator can call up any one of hundreds (or thousands) of programs that are stored on the computer, and the computer streams the program back to the CNC control via the serial cable. no more writing it by hand on the control, with it's clunky interface.

We set this customer up with a DNC server, and tied it into their LAN so that the developers can write the program on their computer, and transfer it to the DNC server over the ethernet network. then all the operator has to do when he gets an order is call the correct program out to the CNC and run it.

It saves massive amounts of time where the operator was recreating or reentering a program by hand (taking 15 minutes or more) when the DNC transfer is over in seconds. Over time that builds up to a definate improvement in production times and quantity of product produced per day.

You can also connect multiple machines to a single DNC server. Theoretically, you can run an entire factory floor off the same server, as long as you have enough serial ports to make the connections. Products like RocketPort add extra serial ports to the server. I've set up DNC servers to connect to over two dozen machines at once, with all of the CNC machines on the factory floor storing all their programs in a central location that can be easily backed up.

New technology allows many new ideas built on this subject. Serial tunnelling over TCP/IP allows you to connect to a DNC server that is offsite somewhere else on the LAN or the Internet, and wireless radio to serial devices do away with the clutter of cables running over the factory floor.

There are many, many things you can do with this technology. Give us a call and we'll discuss a solution for you.

Servo Motor Repair

REA Technologies, Inc. has experience in the repair of not only more than Eighty different brands of servo motors, but also, many different models or types of each brand. See the list below and you will most likely recognize a brand that your company uses. Even if you don't see a brand you recognize, we will gladly quote any brand and any type of motor.

ABB, A and B, Allen Bradley, ACM, API, Baldor, Bautz, Bayside, Bodine, Brienz, Brinkman, Brock Compton, CEM, Comair, CMC, CMS, Cup Motor, Custom Servo, Daikin, Dumore, Duty Max, EG and G, Electrocraft, Electromotorwerk, Elektra, ETR, Fagor, Fanuc, Faurndau, GE, Gettys, Georgi Kobald, Giordano, Glentek, Gould, Groschopp, Hanning, Homag/Omlat, Honeywell, Indramat, Industrial Drive, Kollmorgen, Komo/Colombo, Lafert, Lenze, Leroy Somer, MAE, Magnetek, Marathon, Matador, Max Datwyle, MCG, MITS, Mitsubishi, Moog, Nuovo Remital, Okuma, Oriental, Pacific Scientific, Panasonic, Parker Compumotor, Peerless, QMC, RAE, Reliance, Rietchle, Rotron, Sangiacomo, Sanyo Denki, Selema, SEM, Shimpo, Siboni, Siemens, SM Cyclo, Stegman, Superline, Ultract, Unitec, Vickers, Vogel, Voith Turbo, Yaskawa, Ziehl Abegg.

Thinking of moving?

When you need to move a machine who do you think of first? Riggers? Well, how about the company that helps to take care of your equipment. They have helped with your electrical and electronic issues. They have helped with your mechanical repairs from hydraulic systems to replacing ball screws to reconditioning spindles. They have helped with your software and programming issues. They have even helped make your machines run more efficient so you could make a higher profit. REA Technologies has helped you with all this, then why not with your machinery move. Whether it is a new piece of equipment being moved in, relocating an existing piece within your building or a move completely out of your facility, we can help you accomplish it. Who would be better to help disassemble and then to reassemble than a company that has first hand knowledge about your equipment. The technicians at REA have been involved with all forms of equipment for over 20 years, including moves. We know what it takes to get that machine back into production as quickly as possible.

Just last week we quoted on moving a piece of woodworking equipment from its location in Wisconsin to a new home in New Zealand. This would require disassembling the equipment and preparing it for an ocean container; making sure it would be safe for the trip half way around the world. It would also require our technicians to unload the container and reassemble the equipment and to verify that it is in complete operational order. Because of our extensive knowledge of this particular piece of equipment, REA was the ideal company to help make this possible.

The next time you need to relocate that piece of equipment, don't just think of riggers, but think of REA Technologies. We can make the entire experience pleasant and beneficial.