Wood’s@Work

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Something to Crow About
By Curtis Litten
The Thanksgiving holiday has just passed
and the last thing most of us were thinking
about was the processing of the large
stuffed bird on our table. It was something
we took for granted. However, for us at TB
Wood’s, poultry processing is an industry
we never take lightly. For many years,
Wood’s drives have been the drive of
choice by many poultry processing facilities.
With simple programming and a robust
enclosure, we had the right stuff to pluck
the competition out of the market.
The E-trAC‚ WFCHT and WF2 series of
drives have specific features that allow
them to excel in the food processing industry.
Looking at specific applications such as
the conveying system, the kill line, and the
automated plucking machines, the E-trAC
series of AC drives has proven time and
again to be the right choice. As illustrated
in the story about the Rio Casino in this
issue of Wood’s@Work ® , the standard features
of our drives allow them to do more
with less energy.
For example, in a typical conveying system
the “birds” are hung from shackles suspended
from a chain conveyor.The application
basics are not difficult, although care in the
sizing and positioning of motors can be a
bit unique from installation to installation in
multi-motor drive systems.The advantage
of variable speed becomes evident when
the process changes in either quantity or
size of birds.This advantage is shared by all
manufacturers of drives in the market.
However, the Wood’s advantage goes way
beyond this. First, with our robust NEMA
4/IP66 enclosure, we can mount the drives
right on the process line and not back in
the control room. Since our enclosure
Continued on next page.
AHR Expo, January 27 - 29, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.
January 22 - 24, 2003
International Poultry Exposition
Atlanta, GA
The International Poultry Exposition is one
trade show you shouldn’t miss! Every segment
of the poultry and egg industry is represented:
feed milling, live production, hatchery,
processing, further processing, packaging,
commercial egg, marketing, and all.
January 27 - 29, 2003
AHR EXPO
McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
Since 1930, the International Air
Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating
Exposition has been the leading source for
new HVAC&R equipment, products, components,
systems and services.
W i n t e r 2 0 0 3 • V o l u m e 6
March 17 - 20, 2003
19th International Pump Users
Symposium
Texas A&M University, College Station,Texas
The Pump User Symposium is dedicated
strictly to users of pumping systems.The
technical lectures, short courses, discussion
groups, and user case studies make this the
most valuable trade show in the industry.
May 5 - 9, 2003
TB Wood’s Product Clinic
TB Wood’s Corporate Headquarters
Chambersburg, PA
This is a full week of mechanical and electronic
training.