This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services
Water flows from the faucet. Elevators transport you to the desired destination. Buildings keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. What is making all of this possible? Contactors.
You benefit from contactors multiple times a day, and likely don’t realize it. Contactors are used to turn on and off the conveyors, pumps, compressors, and blowers in machines and equipment. These motor controllers are used in everyday systems and equipment that dramatically improve our lives. And, what’s more, the contactor that was present at its origins, TeSys by Schneider Electric, is celebrating 100 years this year!
Happy birthday, TeSys! At Schneider Electric, we are celebrating a century of leadership in motor control as our TeSys brand of load management solutions turns 100 years old. Hard to believe the journey began in 1924 and we are still innovating today.
I’m really excited about this milestone, partially because we’ve earned some bragging rights with respect to being an industry leader in motor control systems for so long. We are not stopping there, though. Schneider Electric is leading the way with solutions that make an IMPACT by innovating new controls that help improve workforce productivity and safety while also reducing energy waste and reducing CO2 emissions.
Why does motor control matter?
An estimated 50 million motors are in use in the U.S. right now. These motors are often in the background, accomplishing the work that makes our lives simpler and more convenient. Motors affect everyone’s lives, even if it’s not something we think about. When you get down to it, we rely on them to:
- Run machines and equipment across countless industries
- Produce consumer products we use every day
- Keep our water and wastewater facilities running effectively
- And so much more!
The odds are, there are multiple TeSys motor controllers impacting your life every day.
Schneider motor control systems are everywhere
Let’s look at just one example to demonstrate: the food you eat.
Did you know there are multiple motors and associated motor controls involved in the process of getting food to your table? Motor control systems are used to:
- Irrigate fields to grow produce
- Pump water to feed livestock
- Gather and move crops to storage and trucks
- Wash, process, heat, and freeze food
- Package finished products to ship to grocery stores
And when you walk into a grocery or convenience store, motor controls help operate:
- Automatic doors that open for you as your arms are full
- Lighting systems that illuminate the store
- Refrigeration units that keep food fresh
- Heating and air conditioning units that keep the shoppers comfortable
That is just one example. Motor controls are used in many other places that affect you. They are used to help cool data centers that connect you to the world. They supply your household with energy and clean water. They also are used to process, package, and transport consumer products and medicines, build automobiles and airplanes, process materials used to build homes, move elevators and cranes, and so much more.
TeSys motor controls are in the background, adding so much value to peoples’ lives. We invite you to celebrate this 100-year milestone with us!
How we got here
For a century, TeSys has been at the forefront of electrical control and power management, setting the standard for reliability and performance. It started with the invention of the industry’s first bar contactor to handle high-current electrical loads.
From there, our innovation continued with:
- The first enclosed motor starter (1935)
- The first modular contactor (1973)
- The first compact three-in-one motor starter (2004)
These improvements have led to better safety, reliability, and functionality. Organizations using these and other innovative solutions have more efficiently run their operations and made consumers’ lives better.
Today, our TeSys Deca line of contactors is the world’s best-selling load control solution. For larger motors, TeSys Giga is the newest Schneider load control solution with sustainable, predictive maintenance embedded in the design to meet future industry needs.
You’ll find TeSys solutions in agricultural applications, processing plants, packaging and warehouse facilities, water and wastewater plants, mining operations, commercial buildings, and other industries that touch our lives in tangible ways.
What’s next for us
As we kick off the next century, our ambition is bold. We’re tackling some of the biggest challenges our customers face. For example, industrial organizations feel enormous pressures to improve worker productivity while at the same time reduce energy waste.
Our needs are impacted by new challenges:
- An aging labor force, leaving fewer workers to accomplish skilled tasks
- Escalating sustainability standards and requirements
- Rising energy costs
Our focus includes several key areas to help our customers get more efficient and more sustainable:
- Machine monitoring: Building connectivity into our motor solutions from the start for plug-and-play data gathering
- Energy monitoring: Creating solutions that improve energy management for reduced CO2 emissions
- Predictive maintenance: Giving operators the data they need to reduce downtime and waste, while extending the lifespan and TCO of their equipment
Monitoring and sustainability: Examples from our catalog
Here are just a couple examples of recent Schneider innovations that deliver on these goals.
TeSys Deca Green contactors use up to 91% less energy than traditional contactors for immediate CO2 emission reduction due to their electronic coils (rather than traditional electro-mechanical coils).
TeSys island is a smart motor control solution that come with built-in connectivity so you can view machine performance.
This digitizes machines and equipment so organizations can:
- Remotely monitor equipment status and health
- Get alerts and alarms for potential issues to avoid unplanned stoppages
- Implement predictive maintenance
- Avoid energy waste
- Improve worker productivity
The next hundred years
While I personally don’t know what the next hundred years will bring, based on this trajectory, I’m confident we will continue to build on a good thing, designing innovative solutions that make a positive impact on our world. I am so proud of our success over the past century, and invite you to celebrate with me!
Add a comment