Latching Technology Used to Isolate Power Faults

A robust latching solenoid was designed with a manual reset feature for a manufacturer of medium-voltage power distribution equipment who needed a solution for actuating the fault interrupter in a padmount switchgear.

Customer Problem

A manufacturer of medium-voltage power distribution equipment needed a solution that would actuate the fault interrupter when their system detected a safety concern. It needed to remain in position until their system hardware was manually reset. The solution also needed to be stable in a wide range of temperatures.

The TLX Solution

TLX Technologies designed and produced a latching solenoid with a manual reset feature that eliminates the durability failure modes of standard U-frame designs. A permanent magnet holds the solenoid in the latched position, and when the system detects a fault, a short pulse de-latches the solenoid to activate the system’s fault interrupter. When the technician manually resets the system’s hardware after the fault is cleared, the solenoid consequently resets too. This solenoid is temperature stable and can release at -40°C in less than 12 msec.

View Design Solution

Manual Reset Latching Solenoid

Specifications

Release voltage: 3 to 30 VDC

Minimum trip energy: .030 Joules

Coil resistance at 20°C: 5.75 ± 0.3 Ω

Stroke: 22.9 ± .635 mm

Response time: 12 ms max

Latched spring load: 59.16 ± 5.78 N (13.3 ± 1.3 lbs)

Net holding force: 12 lbs min

Operating temperature range: -40 to 50°C

Electric strength: 500 VAC for 1 second

Durability: >100K cycles

All TLX components are customized to fit system requirements, meaning technical specifications are unique to each customer and design. Examples given on our website are for illustration purposes only.

Working with TLX

Experienced partner of industry leaders, first-tier suppliers, and OEMs
Direct access to our design and engineering team
Localized production in USA and China
Dependable single-source solution from design to delivery

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Our Process

Step 1 / Initial Review

Our engineering team works directly with you to determine the viability of your program and identify the best solution based on your specifications.

Step 2 / Quote

Quotes include all costs related to your project - tooling, prototype, piece part, production and project specific costs.

Step 3 / Design Review & Prototypes

Our engineering team reviews the design with you and makes any adjustments needed. Prototypes are built according to design specifications for testing.

Step 4 / Testing

Prototypes are tested according to your specifications, with all relevant test data provided to you for evaluation.

Step 5 / APQP

DFMEA’s, PFMEA’s, control plans and process flow diagrams are started to drive the product intent design.

Step 6 / Pre-Production

Working drawings are developed for production. A second prototype build and a set of production parts are made from tooling and thoroughly tested.

Step 7 / PPAP/Production

The final design along with the PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is developed and the new product enters production.

Step 8 / Ongoing Improvements

Our team collaborates with you to continue making improvements to the product to best meet your needs, increasing efficiency and reducing cost.