What is the necessity and cost-effectiveness of UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies)? Explained using a factory as an example!

Factories both in Japan and overseas manufacture all kinds of products necessary for our daily lives. In recent years, as factories have become more mechanized and automated, the importance of a stable power supply has increased, and it can be said to be a lifeline for factories.

In this article, we will explain why a UPS is needed, the different UPS types required for different purposes, and their cost-effectiveness, using a factory as an example.

1. Why do we need a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies)?

As you may know, a UPS is a device that acts as an "insurance" by providing a stable power supply in the event of a power outage or power trouble. However, if you live in modern Japan, you may feel that it is rare to encounter a long-term power outage.

So why do we need to spend money to install a UPS?

Occurring more than a dozen times a year!? What is a momentary power drop?

What is a voltage sag?

In fact, a power outage does not only refer to a state in which electricity is not supplied for a long period of time, as you might imagine. Power outages include short-term voltage drops of 0.02 to 2 seconds, known as "momentary voltage drops," and power outages of less than one minute, known as "momentary power outages." In factories that handle precision equipment and data, even a slight momentary drop can have a huge impact.

Frequency of power outages and voltage sags

The number of power outages per household at Tokyo Electric Power Company in fiscal 2021 was 0.1 times ^*1. On the other hand, it is said that voltage sags occur as often as once a month in some areas. In other words, even if long-term power outages are only experienced about once every 10 years, voltage sags are experienced quite frequently in some areas.

*1 Source: Number of power outages per household | TEPCO in a table

In factories, even a voltage drop can have a major impact on data and products.

Even "voltage drops" that go unnoticed in everyday life can have a huge impact in factories that handle precision equipment and data. For example, a voltage drop of less than one second due to a voltage drop can have a huge impact on manufactured products, resulting in losses in the hundreds of millions of yen. Inspection equipment can also stop working, resulting in the hassle and expense of having to redo the inspection.

As can be seen from the above, installing a UPS in a factory is very important not only to prepare for long-term power outages but also to prepare for frequent voltage drops.

2. How to choose the UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) you need? Basics of selection

There are many types of UPS in the world, but what kind of UPS does your factory need? We will explain the three most important steps when selecting a UPS.

Step 1. Determine the device to be backed up

Clarify the purpose of what you want to protect from power outages and other power problems by installing a UPS. Based on that purpose, determine the equipment to be backed up by the UPS.

For example, if you want to protect the "data" handled in a factory from being lost due to a power outage, you need to back up PCs, servers, network devices, inspection equipment, etc. On the other hand, if you want to protect the "products" manufactured in the factory from "defects" caused by power problems, you need to back up the production equipment and manufacturing lines, etc.

Step 2. Select by capacity

Once you have decided which device you want to back up (supply power to) with the UPS, you need to select the capacity of the UPS. You need to select a UPS with a "rated output capacity" that can handle the "power consumption" of the device you want to back up.

Step 3. Selection based on backup time (retention time)

In the event of a power outage or momentary drop, the backup time is selected based on the following questions: "How long do I need to supply power for? What do I want to do while power is being supplied?"

Other selection factors include power supply method and battery type to select the UPS that is most suitable for your factory.

Details page: How to choose a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies)! Capacity, backup time, etc.

3. What is a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) needed in factories?

Taking "capacity" and "backup time" into consideration, what kind of UPS does your factory need? To repeat, the type of UPS you need will vary greatly depending on what you want to protect from power outages and other power problems by installing a UPS.

In the following examples, we will introduce some examples of the UPS required for each purpose of "What do you want to protect from power outages and voltage drops?" Please take a look while imagining the costs and benefits of the UPS.

4. Application 1: UPS required to protect "production equipment and products" from power outages and voltage drops, and examples of anticipated damage

If a power outage or voltage drop affects the operation of production equipment in a factory, what kind of impact or damage can be expected to the products? Also, what kind of UPS is needed to prevent this?

Example of a 3D printer stopped due to a voltage drop

Examples of damage

• - A voltage drop occurred at a vehicle parts manufacturing plant.
• - A 3D printer that had been operating overnight to create prototypes stopped working for 10 hours.
• ・Delivery was delayed despite the short delivery time.
• -This had an impact on many companies involved in subsequent processes, leading to major complaints.

Required UPS image

• ・UPS capacity: 5 to 10 kVA
• A UPS with a "Double Conversion Online" that supplies high-quality power without momentary interruption even during voltage drops for precision machinery and does not adversely affect the equipment.
• *Please feel free to contact us for information about costs.

Example of production equipment stopped due to voltage drop

Examples of damage

• - A voltage drop occurred at a communications equipment factory.
• ・Production equipment has stopped.
• -This production equipment may take up to 24 hours to restart.
• ・Delivery delays have also affected production volume.

Required UPS image

• -UPS capacity: 50kVA
• - A UPS that uses a "Parallel Processing" that maintains the quality of power supply while keeping costs to a minimum.
• *Please feel free to contact us for information about costs.

Example of a voltage drop occurring on a production line

Examples of damage

• - A voltage drop occurred at a precision equipment manufacturing factory.
• -The operation of the line itself was disrupted.
• - All work in progress in the manufacturing process had to be discarded.
• -Damage amounted to hundreds of millions of yen.

Required UPS image

• -UPS capacity: 100kVA
• - Because the products are very expensive, absolute power supply quality and reliability are required, so we recommend a "Double Conversion Online" that focuses on power supply quality and a "parallel redundant UPS" that provides peace of mind even in the unlikely event that the UPS fails.
• *Please feel free to contact us for information about costs.

Required backup time

The necessary backup time must be considered from the following perspectives:

• ・Power needs to be supplied only during the frequent voltage drops and interruptions ^*2... 3 minutes
• ・It also serves as an emergency generator, and only needs to be able to supply power while the emergency generator is running... 10 minutes
• ・To supply power for a long period of time: 180 minutes

*2 We also offer Voltage Dip Compensators. Although the backup time is as short as 1 second, it can reduce costs and space compared to a UPS.

5. Application 2: UPS required to protect "data and traceability" from power outages and voltage drops, and examples of anticipated damage

If a power outage or voltage drop affects the data or traceability handled in a factory, what impact or damage can be expected on the manufacturing process? Also, what kind of UPS is needed to prevent this?

Example of an inspection device malfunction

Examples of damage

• - A voltage drop occurred at an electronic parts factory.
• - The inspection equipment malfunctioned.
• - It is no longer possible to trace test results.
• It took a huge amount of time and money to redo the tests.

Required UPS image

• ・UPS capacity: 1 to 3 kVA
• A "hybrid type" UPS that efficiently switches modes and provides backup according to the power supply situation.
• *Please feel free to contact us for information about costs.

An example of a control computer for a transport line malfunctioning due to a power outage

Examples of damage

• - A voltage drop occurs at a logistics warehouse.
• -The computer controlling the transport line malfunctioned.
• ・The conveying line could no longer be controlled.
• ・Delivery delays occurred, which led to complaints and required time for recovery work.

Required UPS image

• ・UPS capacity: UPS capacity: less than 1kVA
• -If a computer and UPS are installed on each conveyor line, centralized monitoring via a network is effective in making management easier and reducing the burden of maintenance.
• ・We recommend that you also install the optional LAN card as part of the set.
• *Please feel free to contact us for information about costs.

Required backup time

The necessary backup time must be considered from the following perspectives:

• ・Power needs to be supplied only long enough to shut down the PC safely ... 5 minutes
• ・It also serves as an emergency generator, and only needs to be able to supply power while the emergency generator is running... 10 minutes

6. It really happened! Major damage caused by voltage drop in a factory

Above we have introduced some examples of potential damage, but we will now introduce some actual cases where power outages and voltage drops have caused major damage in factories.

This is an example of what happened at a semiconductor manufacturing plant. A momentary voltage drop occurred in the area where the plant was located. This caused some production lines to stop, and it took several days for them to be restored. At the time, the damage was estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of yen.

The momentary voltage drop in this area affected not only the semiconductor factory but also many surrounding manufacturing sites. This incident impressed upon people involved in the manufacturing industry that a voltage drop of less than one second can cause major damage.

7. Measures against power outages and momentary drops in power supply at factories! What type of UPS is suitable for what type of equipment? Please consult with SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.!

So far, we have explained a simple way to select a UPS and provided an idea of the optimal UPS for each backup target.

However, the best UPS for your factory will vary widely depending on the size of the factory, the production line, and the products produced. Please let us know about the risks of power supply troubles that your factory is currently facing! We will answer a wide range of questions such as "What does my factory need to protect from power outages and voltage drops?", "What kind of UPS do I need for that?", and "How much does that UPS cost?"

Supervisor: Dr. Kiyotaka Izumiya, Senior Technical Advisor, Sales Department SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.

Update date: 2023-06-07 00:00 /release date: 2023-04-03 00:00