Real-time power quality data helped a red meat processor identify the cause of a major production interruption and assess how it could protect the site from similar events in the future.
A voltage sag can last less than a second. But for one red meat processor, that split-second drop in power led to more than 90 minutes of downtime and an estimated production impact of more than $1 million.
Fortunately, the site had the Hexeis power quality monitoring infrastructure that told them exactly what happened.
FINDING THE CAUSE
<p class="rteBlock">The client already had a Hexeis Energy Infrastructure Management System (EIMS) in place across its facility, supported by Class A Power Quality metering.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">In simple terms, the system gives the operations team a clear view of what is happening across the electrical network. When something goes wrong, it records the event in detail, helping the team understand the cause rather than relying on assumptions.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">In this case, the system captured detailed information about the voltage sag, helping the team investigate the event and understand its impact. Disturbance direction detection also provided evidence that could be presented to the electricity supply authority, indicating an upstream event.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">This gave the client clearer information to support root-cause analysis and contributed to the rapid recovery of operations following the event.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">But identifying the cause was only part of the answer.</p><br>
PROTECTING PRODUCTION NEXT TIME
<p class="rteBlock">Hexeis reviewed the event and assessed how the facility could be protected from a similar voltage sag in the future.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">The solution is a Voltage Conditioner, commonly known as an AVC or DVR.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">The Voltage Conditioner continuously monitors the electricity supplied to critical equipment, if the supply voltage suddenly drops, it responds almost instantly and corrects for the missing voltage.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">Put simply, it helps keep equipment running when the incoming power supply is unstable.</p><br>
THE COMMERCIAL CASE WAS CLEAR
<br><p class="rteBlock">Analysis of the original event showed that the Voltage Conditioner would have fully protected the facility from the voltage sag that caused the disruption.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">The event had an estimated production impact of more than $1 million.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">The investment required to protect the facility was less than $200,000.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">That means preventing one similar event could recover the cost of the solution many times over.</p><br><p class="rteBlock">The assessment gave the client clear, evidence-based information about the risk, the potential investment and the commercial value of improving the facility’s voltage resilience.</p><br>
COULD POWER QUALITY BE AFFECTING YOUR PRODUCTION?
Unexplained trips, recurring equipment faults and production interruptions are often blamed on machinery. But sometimes, the issue starts further upstream.
Hexeis can help identify the cause, quantify the risk and determine the right protection strategy for your facility.
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Hexeis helped a red meat processor rapidly recover from a voltage sag outage—with power quality metering and real-time alerts—minimising downtime and financial loss.