ABSTRACT

Automobile and Engineering industries are significant contributor to Indian economy and GDP. According to Indiainfoline, $ 93 billion automotive industry contributes 7.1% to India’s GDP and almost 49% to the nation’s manufacturing GDP (FY 2015-16). Apart from being key pillar to India’s growth, this sector has its own challenges in the form of continuous R&D, enhancing safety (passenger and within manufacturing process), energy efficiency and competitiveness. With advancement in technologies, this sector has seen numerous changes in manufacturing technologies in last couple of decades. One of the key change is the type and use of welding machines. Welding process, which was earlier a time consuming and manual process, now has been converted to robotic, automated and more advanced precision welding machines. With upgrade in the technology of welding process, industry has been benefited immensely in terms of quality, reliability and productivity.

However, due to nature of load (single phase or two phase), load characteristics – fast switching, and control techniques involved, welding machines create problems in the electrical network. Typical problems created by the welding machines are voltage unbalance, rapid voltage variation, reactive power management and harmonics If above power quality issues are ignored, it can impact reliability of operation, safety and cause increased losses in the system.

This case study presents an industrial situation where Power Quality Issues, arising out of use of welding machines, were successfully addressed and resolved.

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