On a beautiful sunny day not too long ago, Raptor Lifts founder Jeff Troester figured it was a great day to load the family into the car and take the boat out on the lake. After spending the requisite 2 hours getting kids, towels, sunscreen, life jackets, snacks etc… together the family headed out.
They all got to the dock and loaded up the boat into the lift and lowered it, only to discover they were about 2 inches from floating. A small distance for sure, but when you think about it, it might as well be 2 miles. While his family looked on, Jeff tried every clever thing he could think of to get the boat off but nothing worked. Plus, how would he get it back on? For want of an inch, the great family day was lost, the family piled back into the car, and ate their snacks on the way back home. To avoid this problem over the years, Jeff paid for extra dock sections and engineered floating devices under the boat, but nothing worked consistently and all were expensive and royal pains in the *!?*$!. But as Benjamin Franklin famously said, “necessity is the mother of invention,” and it never sat right with Jeff that no boat lifts available could put a boat directly in the water without the 15 or so inches they typically require as bottom clearance. For lakeside boats in low water launch conditions, that is simply a non-starter. Fast forward a few years later and Jeff is now the founder of “Raptor Lifts,” (https://raptorliftsmarine.com) a premiere maker of shallow water lifts for recreational boats, and the latest customer to discover CPI’s line of Waterproof Limit Switches. CPI Limit Switches were made for Marine applications.CPI limit switches are no strangers to the mobile lift and crane markets where manufacturers have relied for years on their unique mechanical characteristics to solve tough environmental and operational requirements. Take that durability and put it underwater, and you have a perfect description of the kind of applications CPI switches were made for. As sensors for lift positioning and end of travel sensing, CPI limit switches are all but perfect. CPI limit switches allow customers to choose a fully sealed, truly waterproof limit switch, with a wide variety of electromechanical properties such as, button travel, maintained or momentary closure, electromechanical endurance, temperature range, and voltage and wiring configuration. This switch is then paired with one of our many stainless-steel mounting brackets which facilitate mechanical switch actuation inside of your equipment. In the case of Raptor Lifts, the team chose the B3112 industrial grade waterproof limit switch. This switch offers momentary operation from a normally closed position but normally open variations are available as well. The switch is mounted inside our E1100 Mounting bracket which provides a straight lever actuator. When the lift moves into position, the lever is depressed, activating the switch which stops the motor. Almost any CPI Waterproof Switch Can be placed in our many actuator brackets.This switch and actuator combination is run at >5A and in that environment, CPI has tested the switch to have electromechanical endurance over 1 million cycles. This means no expensive in-warranty field failures, and reliable operation throughout the life of the lift. Give your Marine Equipment a Lift! With CPI Limit Switches. To learn more about our waterproof limit switches, please visit our website at: https://www.cpi-nj.com/ Originally posted: www.cpi-nj.com/blog/raptor-lifts-with-cpi-switches/ Taken directly from a competitor’s website, is this description of their watertight limit switch “…have internal parts that are protected against splashing or hose-directed water seepage within the limits of the NEMA specified tests for type 4 watertight enclosures. These switches are not sleet or ice-proof.” That’s a lot of words to say, “not really waterproof”. For engineers looking for a small form factor, truly waterproof and can’t-kill-it-with-a-hammer limit switch we offer, well…our whole product line. To break it down lets take a look at the major types of switches and switch configurations we manufacture. Ball and Plunger Limit Switches Our J4 series limit switches come in both a ball and a plunger variation. These have seen use in military vehicles, construction vehicles, emergency and work trucks, even submarines. These switches can be mechanically activated by a transmission sliding into neutral, or a door or hood closing, or a valve opening up and reaching the limit of its travel, or any one of a hundred other applications where size and durability were the primary concerns. Made of all stainless steel with a patented double seal mechanism, these switches are usually the final resort of engineers who don’t want to mess around with safety limit switches who fail in the field. That’s because configurations of our limit switches have been qualified to over one million cycles. Shown here is one of our cab down detect applications for a military transport. These applications can use our J4 plunger switch typically though many make use of our E1 series switches discussed below. E1 Series Limit Switches When you take one of our Santoprene or Neoprene (extended temperature range) sealed momentary or maintained contact pendant switches and combine them with CPI’s custom actuators and bracket mounting options, the result is a broad line of waterproof limit switches that can be readily configured for your specific applications, usually with an off the shelf purchase from one of our distributors. Many combinations of travel parameters, electrical configurations, roller lever or panel mounting configurations as well as our standard high-endurance capabilities are offered as standard products. It’s Easier to say “Heavy Duty” with CPI Limit Switches. Did we mention that our limit switches actually operate underwater? And at -40F or 220F? Here’s how we say that in our product description. “CPI limit switches are waterproof and weatherproof.” Easy right? Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/a-heavy-duty-limit-switch-with-a-simple-explanation/ Designers looking for a robust waterproof limit switch, will almost certainly run across our switches at some point. It’s that “all roads lead to Rome” thing.
Sometimes however, its not just the stainless steel, high electromechanical endurance aspect of our switches that wins the day with engineers and OEM’s. Sometimes, it’s about how easily and flexibly our limit switches can be mounted into an application and how many different types of actuation we support. With over 70 years’ experience designing switches for demanding engine compartment, cab, door, cockpit and valve applications to name just a few, we’ve developed a set of low profile, hardened mounting and actuator combinations that fit into almost any contraption out there. Think “off-the-shelf”. Waterproof Switch Mounting Brackets A picture is worth 1000 words. Check out a few examples of the thousands of mounting configurations we support with off-the-shelf mounting hardware and actuators. Almost any of our sealed pendant switches can be mounted in this hardware, making this one of the most flexible waterproof switch configurations in the world. Surface Bracket With Momentary Switch Pictured here is our E1008 surface bracket used with any of our B series Momentary Waterproof Switches or K Series Waterproof Rocker Switches. This two-piece assembly is made of 304 stainless and welded together for a rock solid, flat surface mounting. A reverse mount option (E1005) isalso available. Right Angle Mount with Simulated Roller In this application our B9112 switch uses a simulated roller actuator to detect mechanical closure for anything from a truck door to a dump body. The mounting bracket is our standard stainless steel right angle mounting bracket. The switch internals are held inside the bracket, sealed in Santoprene including lead connections which can be ordered in any length. The switch itself can be any of our momentary or maintained waterproof pendant switches. Pipe Mount Rocker Switch Our curved metal pipe mount bracket is easily secured to a wide variety of common pipe diameters. Shown here is our K1007 Maintained Contact Rocker Switch. With our standard Neoprene seal, this switch can operate from -60F to 180F without issue and can be specified with current capability up to 15A or endurance to 5 million cycles at lower amp ratings. Angle Mount with double simulated roller Actuator In this configuration, any two of our low profile momentary or maintained pendent switches can be used to create redundant, or complementary sensing of mechanical actuation. All lead connections are sealed within the neoprene coating. Waterproof Roller Limit Switch Roller limit switches of varying angles can be used in many of our bracket configurations including both flush mount and angle mount housings. These switches see diverse usage as safety limit switches for doors, hatches, outriggers, cranes, emergency vehicle systems and much more. Did we Mention Custom? If after all this and more, you still don’t have the bracket or actuator you need, our custom design team is standing by to tweak a high performance switch exactly to your needs. Our switches are all IP68 rated and Military and Space Qualification documentation can be made available for most switches. Give our engineers a call today to discuss your application. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/cpi-limit-switches-climbing-that-mounting/ For many applications requiring robust toggle switch functionality CPI sealed, waterproof toggle switches can be a good solution. Whether your application ishand actuated or needs be actuated mechanically, we have a complete off the shelf part configuration that incorporates all the necessary switch electrical parameters as well as an appropriate mounting bracket for your application. The niche for our switches is really for applications that are in wet, or outdoor environments, or environments that get a lot of heat and vibration. That’s because we manufacture our base pendant style switches with either a Santoprene or Neoprene coating. Not only does that make them completely waterproof (not water resistant or “splash proof”) but it makes them operational in extremes of temperature or toxic environments. CPI Switches in Action – Marine Toggle SwitchesCPI switches have seen hundreds of uses as boat toggle switches and marine rocker switches over the years. Here are some examples of specific CPI toggle switches in real-world marine applications. Engine Start/Kill – Mounted in one of our custom waterproof switch panels, Or K1 series toggle switches have been used as start/stop switches on work-boats and other commercial fishing boats owing to their extremely high durability and of course, completely waterproof operation. Horn and Signal Operation – In the same panel our switches which are rated to 28VDC and 5A can be used to control manually activated onboard horns or alarms. Bulkhead Lighting Controls – CPI switches can be used to control bulkhead lighting either manually or automatically when used in a door open/closed configuration. Bilge Pump Control – Our K1007 SPST Maintained Rocker Switch. sees use as a toggle switch for bilge pumps in everything from jet skis to commercial fishing boats. For expert help with your waterproof toggle switch application, call the team at CPI today. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/waterproof-toggle-switches-for-marine-and-outdoor-applications/ Emergency vehicles like ambulances, law enforcement vehicles, police cars and motorcycles, and fire trucks represent some very specially designed vehicles. Packed with special equipment, and special usability requirements, these vehicles are equipped with safety systems and fail safe systems way beyond what would be needed in your average family sedan.
Because of the critical and specialized nature of the work done by first responders, one might say that “failure is not an option”. Imagine an ambulance that accidentally speeds away without the door being fully closed…or a helmet microphone that fails during a critical police motorcycle chase. Or a fire truck that becomes unstable at the scene because outriggers were not set properly. These, and dozens of other safety systems on emergency vehicles rely on CPI switches to be there every day, under all conditions. Ambulance Door Switch – Emergency Unlock One great example of an emergency vehicle application is the use of our E1005-B7151 waterproof limit switch as a hidden ambulance door open switch. Used by several ambulance manufacturers like Braun and PL Custom, these hidden waterproof switches allow operators into the vehicles when keys are not available to open the door. (You know, like when someone locks them in the ambulance…) Our switch Is mounted by manufacturers in a “hidden” area that is known only to the ambulance operators and allows them quick access in an emergency. For obvious reasons we can’t divulge exactly where the switches are mounted but suffice to say that our B7151 waterproof switch was chosen due to its ability to withstand the elements including water and vibration, as well as its extremely high electromechanical endurance. This switch has been qualified to over 5 million cycles without failure, with variations that can handle current up to 20A (at lower endurance ratings). Our basic B7151 switch is an industrial grade sealed pendant-style switch. It is normally open and features a high pushbutton, low actuation force configuration. The variation above is mounted in our stainless steel E1005 surface bracket. The leads are sealed into the switch at the factory and can be delivered in any length required by your application. Delivering Robust Switches And Sensors to Emergency Vehicles and Beyond While just one example, our switches actually provide numerous points of interface with man and machinery in the emergency vehicle safety system space. We usually get the call when manufacturers and integrators need a truly reliable, field proven, and USA made solution. You know, when failure is not an option. Call CPI’s Waterproof Switch team today to discuss your application. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/first-responders-rely-on-cpi-switches/ Sometimes in engineering design, you just get it right. The right combination of materials, simplicity and elegance. Just the right amount of cleverness. Sometimes it even looks pretty. Sure as time goes on you make tweaks here and there, but if your basic design is sound, reinventing the wheel is seldom necessary.
Such is the case with the CPI J4 Ball Switch, the gift that keeps on giving as it were. Originally designed for military applications on armored vehicles and tanks, this reliable, virtually indestructible waterproof ball switch with our patented seal mechanism keeps getting design win after design win in a variety of control and sensing applications such as:
Most recently the J4 Ball received another design-in at a major manufacturer of armored vehicles. This time it will see use in a transmission sensing application where it provides feedback on gear range inside the transfer case (low, med, high). J4 Ball Switch Operational Niche Our ball switch has a few defining characteristics that make it an excellent choice for certain high endurance applications
CPI Ball and Plunger Switches for Harsh Duty Applications Tough and durable is what we make and who we are. All our products are designed and manufactured in the USA. If you think your application is tough enough for our switches, give us a call today. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/j4-ball-switch-a-study-in-hardness-durability/ The design of the modern work truck is moving forward at an amazing pace. With long haul trucks, the focus has been on collision avoidance systems and advanced controls for fuel economy, but dump truck builders have long had a different focus.
For Dump Trucks, it’s all about safety. Historically, makers of class 8 dump trucks have not exactly been “early adopters” of technology, preferring instead to allow these advances to trickle down after many years of trial by fire on long haul trucks and other vehicles. More recently however, increased safety regulations, modularized construction methods and accelerated adoption rates for technology have conspired to put more and more intelligence in the “Dumb Dump Truck” than ever before. That means an increasingly connected vehicle, with improved fuel economy, and an ever increasing focus on safety systems. Switches Used in Work Trucks Must be Robust It turns out that CPI switches and sensors are critical components of safety systems on dump trucks, work trucks, and many construction vehicles owing mostly to their extremely durable, and watertight operational characteristics. CPI waterproof limit switches have an extremely small pendant switch style form factor and can be mounted in a wide variety of actuation mechanisms, allowing flexible placement in machines and vehicles. They can be sealed in either Neoprene or Santoprene making them fully waterproof and capable of extended temperature operation from -20 to 120 degrees F. And finally, the switches are capable of extremely high electromechanical endurance. CPI has qualified certain switch models to over 5 million cycles of operation. Safety Systems In Dump Trucks and other Work Trucks Here are just a few safety systems that have used CPI limit switches over the years along with the parts commonly used. Dump Body Detection – Our E1092 simulated roller mechanism is mounted easily under the truck bed using one of our waterproof pendant switches like our B9112, NO switch. When the bed is raised, a circuit is completed, raising a visible (and potentially audible) alarm in the cab. This design is used for safety sensing in bucket trucks, loaders, and other vehicles that require mechanical feedback as to boom or bed position. Cab Down Detection – This is a safety interlock switch function, which prevents the system from operating until the hood or cab is closed. While any of our E-series limit switches can be used, CPI actually makes a specific plunger style switch for this application called our J4 Plunger Switch. Originally developed for the military, this switch has an ultra-rugged design featuring a wiper seal and a plunger that can withstand 50 psi to overcome hardened-sand and ice buildup. Neutral Safety – One of the most common safety systems in commercial vehicles is neutral safety detection. In this application, various vehicle operations are prevented until the transmission is confirmed to be in neutral gear. Commonly chosen for this is our J4 ball switch, a hardened, small form factor, stainless steel ball switch designed with our patented seal exclusion system that actually forces contaminants out of the housing every time the ball is actuated. This waterproof switch design is so reliable and robust that it was used to detect the status of torpedo doors on navy submarines. Back Up Alarm – Another common requirement of work trucks is the audible back-up alarm which sounds when the vehicle is moving in reverse. Our E1092 is a great example of a robust limit switch with a simulated lever actuator that is commonly used in this application. Completely made of high grade stainless steel it is truly waterproof, and completely customizable with almost countless mounting and actuator combinations available. This switch can be designed to meet operational standards for military use (B2 series) as well as heavy duty industrial applications (B3 thru B9 series). Parameters such as travel length, current rating, and electromechanical endurance are customizable. CPI has achieved endurance qualifications over 5 million cycles with this basic roller limit switch design. Waterproof Safety Switches for Industrial Use There are hundreds of specialized safety switch applications on dump trucks, work trucks and other industrial vehicles. Those that choose a CPI solution generally do so because they want the most reliable operation in the field that they can possibly have. When the safety of operators is on the line, why would you want anything else? We have a vast amount of off-the-shelf options for our switches. And yet all our switches can be cost effectively customized for custom mounting and electrical parameters. Call us today to discuss your safety switch system requirements with a product specialist. https://www.cpi-nj.com Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/dump-truck-safety-system-design/ We’ve spoken in the past about the use of our limit switches as Dump Body position detection indicators, but recently this application was highlighted in a dramatically viral way. As Carlos Escobedo and his father were travelling down the East Loop in Houston Texas, they noticed this completely oblivious dump truck driver heading down the highway with the dump body extended in all its glory. Despite attempts by Carlos and other motorists to warn the truck driver, the best Carlos could do is pull out the cell phone to video this extraordinary collision. (WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE) Watch Video Here The force of this collision was such that it completely flipped the dump truck, and sent pieces of the overhead sign flying all over the highway, endangering motorists and shutting down the entire highway for several hours. Miraculously, no one was killed. The Case for Mandatory Dump Body Detect This is not the first video taken of this kind of incident, and the fact is that thousands of drivers of construction vehicles and bucket trucks make this mistake occasionally, hopefully with less spectacular consequences. Manufactures of work trucks have long been aware of this potential safety hazard and started to add dump body detectionto vehicles years ago to try and prevent such scenarios. CPI waterproof limit switches have been selected for this critical safety function by a number of different vehicle makers over the years owing to the high reliability and durability requirements this application presents. CPI Solution to Dump Body Position Detection Most commonly chosen for this application is a sealed E1 Limit switch like our B9112, housed in a simulated roller spring actuator bracket as shown. This switch is available in either normally open or closed variations. This configuration has a number of properties that really make it ideal for this application.
Other mounting brackets include straight lever mounts, roller lever, and flush mount lever variations to fit into any form factor available. Final Thoughts On Dump Body Detection While dump body detection is not currently required by law, smart work truck manufactures are not risking it. The potential safety issues are too extreme, and the cost of wiring a robust limit switch to a dashboard light is minimal. Plus, CPI has switches already qualified into this application. It’s kind of a no-brainer…(-: Whatever your vehicle safety requirement, the odds are that CPI has a switch that is a perfect, durable fit for it. Contact us today. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/dump-body-position-detection-gets-national-attention/ In vehicles requiring added stability during operation such as cranes, bucket trucks, backhoe’s, fire trucks, and all kinds of powered lifts, it is common to use an outrigger mechanism. Typically, hydraulic, outriggers can provide additional “legs” to a vehicle, making it less likely that extreme loads at odd angles will create a situation where both man and material is put in jeopardy.
In some cases the position of the leg is variable like on a backhoe, and locking is a function of the integrity of the hydraulic system. Operation of an outrigger in other vehicles involves the extension of the leg into a fixed position for maximum stability either by mechanical motor or even man made movement. If the leg is locked, certain operations can proceed, otherwise a warning light is typically activated and this safety indication may even be wired to prevent operation of the crane or lift until locking is verified. CPI Waterproof Limit Switches on Outrigger applications Major manufacturers of lift equipment and bucket trucks have tended to gravitate to CPI waterproof limit switches over the years, owing to their reliability, and the ease with which they integrate into the outriggers used on this equipment. Many times, this isn’t their first attempt at a solution, rather an attempt to replace low reliability parts suffering a high rate of in-warranty field failures. Versalift Bucket Trucks Versalift Chose our E1092 limit switch as outrigger locking detection on their line of articulated telescopic “bucket trucks”. The customer evaluated our switch for over 3 months in a phased rollout. Ultimately they realized significant improvements over what they were using before saying “Your switches work very well, easier to install, and no field complaints.” Versalift is now moving into broad production deployment using our switch. Dur-A-Lift In a similar application, Dur-A-Lift has also chosen the E1092. One of the primary design advantages of the E series limit switches from CPI the ease of application compared to off the shelf parts from other manufacturers. With CPI switches the entire assembly is provided to your specifications including the wire leads, harness, and termination/connector. All sealed and ready for installation insuring 100% waterproof performance right from the factory. The Advantages of a CPI Waterproof Limit Switch In Outrigger safety detection The E1092 is a great example of a robust limit switch with a simulated lever actuator. Completely made of high grade stainless steel it is truly waterproof, and completely customizable with almost countless mounting and actuator combinations available. This switch can be designed to meet operational standards for military use (B2 series) as well as heavy duty industrial applications (B3 thru B9 series). Parameters such as travel length, current rating, and electromechanical endurance are customizable. CPI has achieved endurance qualifications over 5 million cycles with this basic roller limit switch design. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/cpi-switches-wont-kick-the-bucket-on-bucket-trucks/ Like so many other manufacturing and production industries, automation has become a key part of the economical growth and harvest of agriculture across the United States. Essential to this growth are the large sprayers used to spread fertilizer and crop protection compounds across large swaths of plants covering thousands of acres of rolling farmland. In the past, the choices for a farmer were not great: either hire hundreds of workers to spray crops by hand, or hope it is a bad year for Japanese beetles. With margins on most produce being so low, profitable economies of scale can only be achieved by having maximum yield on acreage. Without it, one bad year of beetles, can make another tract of farmland into Condo’s. In 1947, Hagie Manufacturing took on the challenge of large scale farming and invented the world’s first self-propelled sprayer. Today Hagie has partnered with John Deere to engage globally in the sales and manufacturing of self-propelled sprayers, detasslers, nitrogen toolbars, cutter and puller attachments. One of the key features of Hagie sprayers is their long hydraulically controlled booms which can spread out on either side of the cab, yielding a wingspan of up to 132 feet! Critical to operation of these booms is that they travel to a locked position so that liquids are sprayed evenly and accurately. To provide closed loop feedback on the mechanical locking mechanism, a limit switch is typically used which is activated when the boom reaches its locked position. The problem however, is that these switches must be deployed in an area completely exposed to outdoor conditions on the boom including sprayed compounds like Urea Ammonium Nitrate (URN) which has excellent properties as a fertilizer when mixed with water. Unfortunately, it is also highly corrosive to steel over time and Hagie had difficulty finding a limit switch for this application that did not ultimately degrade, and require expensive field repairs. A High Endurance Limit Switch for Farm Equipment and Vehicles Hagie’s chosen solution for detecting the locked status of their boom turns out to be none other than our J4311 Ball Switch. Hagie worked closely with CPI engineers to develop a variation of our proven design that was hardened and sealed specifically for Hagie’s application. The J4311 is a normally open switch with screw in mounting from a .625 – 18 UNF-2A mounting thread. Our J4 ball switch is a much sought after solution to limit and safety switch feedback applications owing to its incredible resistance to environmental contaminants, shock, vibration, and its electromechanical endurance rating of up to 1 million cycles. Originally designed for demanding military applications the J4 Series switches replace standard ball switches in mission critical applications, where harsh environments cause high failure rates. Our J4 ball for Hagie was customized to use a fully corrugated loom covering the switch and the wiring as well as termination in a custom Deutsch connector. CPI can modify our J4 ball switches for appropriate lead lengths, terminations, and electrical and endurance parameters so that you are shipped a part that plugs directly into your application CPI High Endurance Ball and Plunger Switches for Your Application In the world of agricultural equipment and vehicles, wet and wooly deployment scenarios with corrosive compounds are a fact of life. But whatever your application, if the words “tough”, “corrosive” or “exposed” describes your environment, then our J4 series Ball and Plunger switches may be the solution for your closed loop safety switch or limit switch requirement. Call our engineering team today or visit our website at http://cpi-nj.com Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/industrial-farm-equipment-looks-to-cpi-ball-switches/ |
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