cbi-electric (circuit breaker industries) - corporate profile · 2021. 1. 28. · profile page 3...

low voltage

Corporate Profile

Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

ForewordCBI-electric: low voltage – Your partner in customer specific solutions for electrical protection and IoT

Thank you for your interest in our company and the products and solutions we offer. CBI-electric: low voltage is a company that exists to support our customers and industries across the world to manage their low voltage energy needs. We do this by engineering, manufacturing and distributing devices that oversee the protection of electrical infrastructure, devices that measure and communicate energy data, electrical wiring accessories, IoT enabled devices, switchgear and many other products and solutions that enable the safe and effective use of electrical energy.

We are very proud of our 70 year history as a Global supplier into the world’s Telecommunications industries, Data centers, Renewable Energy, Railway signaling and a vast array of other mission critical applications. We are the only manufacturer of scale in the southern hemisphere and in Africa. Being geopolitically independent from the usual points of global manufacture we offer our customers some safety from supply risks associated with global political shifts, health risks, and other major events that can disrupt supply chains.

We have an extensive range of products and solutions with multiple global certifications but we welcome all opportunities to engage directly with our customers to understand their needs and partner to solve our customers’ unique challenges.

Terry LawrensonManaging Director

100% rated, unaffected by ambient temperature

Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Company ProfileCBI-electric: low voltage, formerly Circuit Breaker Industries (CBI), is a wholly owned South African subsidiary of Reunert Ltd., which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. CBI has more than 70 years of experience in the design and manufacture of a comprehensive range of technically advanced hydraulic-magnetic circuit breakers for electrical protection. Founded in 1949, the company is a world leader in circuit breakers and residual current devices for residential, industrial and equipment protection applications.

While the company is a world leader in the design of hydraulic-magnetic circuit breaker technology, it also uses thermal-magnetic and electronic sensing operating principles in some of its products. The company has excelled as a technology leader through continual and substantial investment in the research and development of its products and in maintaining its modern manufacturing facilities.

Engineering and Development

CBI is committed to continual improvement in the design and development of new products and technology. Its substantial design and development capability includes professional engineers, technologists and technicians who have won numerous national design awards over the past three decades.

Using the latest 3D-modelling computer software, CBI engineers design the tools required for the production of every individual component of the circuit breakers manufactured at its facility. Thus, throughout the process, the company has the capability to design products customised for any customer’s requirements.

CBI owns the intellectual property rights to all products it manufactures, making it a global leader in the development of electrical protection products based on hydraulic-magnetic technology.


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Manufacturing and Assembly

Manufacturing is CBI’s core business. Proficiency in this area has enabled the company to secure good market share in every sector in which it operates.

A single circuit breaker may consist of approximately 100 individually manufactured parts. CBI has the manufacturing capability to produce more than 25 million parts a month, all within very tight tolerances.

CBI also has extensive tooling design and manufacturing capabilities in South Africa. All tooling and moulding required for component manufacture are designed and made in-house, as are all jigs, fixtures and test equipment required for product assembly and testing.

CBI has manufacturing facilities in South Africa and Lesotho.


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Test Centre

CBI has a world-class test laboratory proudly carrying ISO 17025 certification through the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), which is signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

The competency of the CBI Test Centre is recognised by UL, VDE, SABS, CQC, NSW, TUV and other international laboratories where third party testing is conducted.

The test facility is equipped with various test capabilities for compliance with international standards and has a 65 kA high-current test bay.


The Test Facility at CBI

Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

CBI is committed to Quality

CBI’s commitment to quality is one of the factors to which CBI owes its success. With a dedicated team at its production facilities, CBI conforms to ISO 9001 quality management standards. The entire organisation is driven by a culture of quality, both to international standards and customers’ specific requirements.

All CBI products are manufactured and then tested 100% on the production line, and then sample tested in a separate action by the quality control department, and sampled by quality assurance as part of an ongoing quality audit programme. This high level of conformance to quality standards has helped to entrench long-term supplier-customer relationships. Most products manufactured by CBI are packaged and shipped to customers worldwide.


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

CBI actively invests in skills development programmes. The company sponsors various education initiatives at secondary and tertiary levels in technician training schemes, apprentice training and commercial advancement training schemes.

The CBI Concerned Business Initiative funds various South African projects to educate first-time users of electricity, is involved in small-scale entrepreneurial support programmes targeted at previously disadvantaged communities and, to fulfil the future needs of the company and the country, provides opportunities for people within this pool of transformed talent.

Corporate Responsibility and Training

With a dedicated team of technical and sales experts, CBI has offices in America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. CBI utilises a well-established network of distributors worldwide to support its own marketing and sales operations, ensuring quick and appropriate service to its customer base.

While CBI is a global player, it takes pride in its reputation as being a specialist technical partner to its customers investing in resources to understand the customer’s specific requirements and developing cost effective customer specific solutions. CBI not only prides itself in the field of circuit breaker technology but also in assisting customers with value added solutions making CBI a valuable partner in their business processes.

CBI Values its Customers

CBI values its customer relationships and has successfully set up supply agreements with internationally reputed customers. The company has positioned itself as a supplier to large multi-national organisations involved in telecommunications, railways, industrial and commercial applications, automation and renewable energy and related industries in various countries, ensuring long-term partnerships and supply agreements.


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

The Environment

CBI strives to maintain its technological and manufacturing capabilities in a manner compatible with environmental protection. The company takes care to monitor all types of pollution to ensure that these are well within internationally acceptable norms. CBI complies with RoHs and REACH.

Global Footprint


CBI has taken its local products to a global level and established subsidiaries and distribution channels in North America, Australia, Asia and Europe. CBI is successful in international markets, while maintaining a leadership position on home territory.

Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage


Shareholders

CBI-electric: low voltage is part of the electrical engineering segment of Reunert Limited. Reunert is a leading South African company listed on the JSE in the industrial goods and services (electronic and electrical equipment) sector. Reunert manages a portfolio of businesses in the fields of electrical engineering, information communication technologies (ICT) and applied electronics.

Applied Electronics

Electrical Engineering

Information Communication

Technology

CBI-electric: african cables

CBI-electric: low voltage

CBI-electric: telecom cables

Nashua

Nashua Communications

ECN

PanSolutions

Quince Capital

Reutech Solutions

Reutech Communications

Fuchs Electronics

Ryonic Robotics

Terra Firma Solutions

Omnigo

Nanoteq

BlueNova

SkyWire

CBI-electric: zamefa

The Organisation

The CBI-electric’s greatest resource is combined experience. The company has built a diversified group of companies, each with a major footprint in different sectors of the electrical and telecommunication industries.

One of its key competitive advantages is commitment to the continual development of new technology and intellectual property, enhanced by the company’s structure, which facilitates information sharing. The group’s ability to analyse the latest trends in technology, current and future market conditions and the economy enables CBI-electric to provide the best possible solutions for customers.

The CBI-electric is united by a common vision: to be a solutions provider to niche markets around the world.

Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Telecom / datacom

In the critical arena of telecommunications infrastructure, IT and data centres, where continuity of supply is critical, CBI offers a range of products approved specifically for power distribution units, battery protection and other critical applications, complying to UL 489, UL 489A and IEC 60947-2.

Railways

In safety-critical applications of railway signalling, railway infrastructure and for rolling stock, CBI offers a range of both AC and DC products that complies with railway specific performance and safety regulations such as the NF F 16-101 & 102, and ASTM.

Solar and renewable energy

Products are available for solar and inverter applications where consistent performance is required in varying environmental conditions.

Mining, industry and utilities

Products are available to handle harsh environmental conditions where critical performance and safety protection is required for personnel and equipment.

Military

Similarly, CBI products operate successfully in the military and defence applications demanding precise protection.

Residential and commercial

Products used in residential and commercial applications range from components to distribution, including panel boards protecting both people and the electrical installation and IoT solutions.

ApplicationsProducts supplied by CBI are used in the residential, commercial, industrial, mining and utilities sectors and by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company also holds a strong position internationally as an equipment supplier to the telecommunications, rail and solar/renewable energy industries.


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Features of the Hydraulic-Magnetic Principle

• Circuit breakers can carry 100% of rated current independent of ambient temperature• Do not require de-rating for temperature• Always trip at 125% of rated current independent of ambient temperature• Immediate resetting after trip• Any current rating possible, even fractions of amperes• Large range of time delays available• Can mount a large number of circuit breakers side by side

Features

• Trip free operation: Even if the handle is locked in the ON position, the breaker will trip if an overload occurs• Positive ON and positive OFF: The handle always indicates the status of the breaker contacts• Silver alloy contacts: The contact tips ensure a long, trouble-free life, even in harsh environments, ensuring a low

impedance connection throughout the life of the breaker• Superior quality polymer materials: Materials meet or exceed the requirements laid down by international

specifications for polymer materials to be used in circuit breaker applications, such as IEC 60947-2 and UL 489• Environmental Safety: Ensures better safety properties for flammability, toxicity and isolation, ensure safety for

users and the installation• Hermetically sealed sensing / time delay mechanism: These ensure no aging or deterioration and thereby a

longer service life, with precise time-delay and tripping characteristics throughout the life of the breaker• Multi-pole Circuit Breakers are fitted with common trips: All CBI multi-pole circuit breakers are externally

coupled with a handle tie-bar and internally with a common trip linkage, ensuring that all poles switch and trip simultaneously

Features of the Construction Common to all CBI Circuit Breakers

Circuit Breaker Components

1. Handle2. Mechanism assembly3. Line terminal4. Fixed contact5. Contact tips6. Moving contact7. Arc runner line side8. Hermetically sealed tube9. Magnetic frame10. Solenoid coil11. Armature12. Load terminal13. Pole piece14. Arc runner load side15. Arc grids16. Clip-in springs

1

2

3

45

6

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9

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11

12

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1516

Hydraulic-Magnetic Circuit Breaker


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Hydraulic-Magnetic Technology

Hydraulic-magnetic circuit breakers operate on the magnetic force produced by a load current flowing through a series-connected solenoid coil that is wound around a hermetically sealed tube containing an iron core, a spring and dampening fluid, as shown in Figure 1.

Armature

Trip Latch

Frame

TubeCoreCoilSpringOilPole

Figure 1: Series Connected Coil

Normal Operation

At the circuit breaker’s rated current or below, the magnetic flux in the solenoid is insufficient to attract the core towards the pole piece, due to the spring force shown in Figure 2. Therefore the circuit breaker remains loaded and the circuit is energised.

Figure 2: Rated Current or Less

Principle of Operation


Corporate Profile

CBI-CP-V3JAN 2021

low voltage

Overload

When an overload occurs, i.e. current Is greater than the circuit breaker’s rating, the magnetic flux in the solenoid produces sufficient pull on the core to start its movement towards the pole piece. During this movement, the hydraulic fluid regulates the core’s speed of travel, creating a controlled time delay inversely proportional to the magnitude of the current. This time delay is useful in that if the overload is of short duration, e.g. start-up of motors etc., the core returns to its rest position when the overload disappears (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Overload Current (Time Delay)

If the overload persists, the core reaches the pole piece. As a result the reluctance of the magnetic circuit is reduced, so that the armature is attracted to the pole piece with sufficient force to collapse the latch mechanism (toggle), and trips the breaker (Figure 4). The contacts separate, the current ceases to flow and the core will then return to its rest position.

Figure 4: Overload Current (Trip)

Short Circuit

With high values of overloads or short circuit, the magnetic flux produced by the coil is sufficient to attract the armature to the pole face and trip the breaker even though the core has not moved. This is called the instantaneous trip region of the circuit breaker characteristic (Figure 5). Unlike thermal circuit breakers, the hydraulic-magnetic circuit breaker’s trip point is unaffected by ambient temperature. After tripping, the breaker may be re-closed immediately since there is no cooling-down time necessary. By the nature of the principle of operation, it is possible to obtain any variation of time / current characteristic.

Figure 5: Instantaneous Trip


All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by CBI (Pty) Ltd. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose other than personal use. Therefore, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. CBI (Pty) Ltd reserves the right to alter any details of this document / agreement without notice and while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, no warranty is given as to the accuracy of this document and no responsibility will be accepted for error or misinterpretation and any resulting loss.

A member of the Group© 2016.09 CBI (Pty) Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Head Office:

1 Tripswitch DriveElandsfonteinGautengSouth Africa1401

Private Bag 2016Isando1600

Tel: +27 11 928 2000Fax: +27 11 392 2354Hotline: 0860 BREAKREmail: [email protected] [email protected]: www.cbi-lowvoltage.com

AUSTRALIACBI-electric: Australia27 Wedgewood Rd, Hallam Victoria 3803 AustraliaTel: +61 3 8752 9300Fax: +61 3 9796 5407Email: [email protected]: www.cbi-electric.com.au

SOUTH AFRICAJOHANNESBURGCBI-electric: low voltageTripswitch Drive ElandsfonteinGauteng South AfricaTel: +27 11 928 2000Fax: + 27 11 392 2354Email: [email protected]: www.cbi-lowvoltage.co.za

USACBI-electric: North America35 E. Uwchlan Ave Suite 328Exton PA 19341 USATel: +1 610 524 9949Fax: +1 610 524 9945E-mail: [email protected]: www.cbibreakers.com

BLOEMFONTEIN(Free State / Northern Cape)PO Box 9719, Bloemfontein, 93006 AE Viljoen Square, Hilton, BloemfonteinTel: (051) 430 8613/4Fax: (051) 430 1141E-mail: [email protected]

CAPE TOWN(Western Cape)PO Box 17055, Ravensmead21 Radnor Road, Parow IndustriaTel: (021) 928 1388Fax: (021) 928 1389E-mail: [email protected]

DURBAN(Kwazulu Natal)PO Box 7, Durban, 409814 Heron Park, 80 Corobrick Road, River Horse Valley, 4017Tel: (031) 569 1087Fax: (031) 569 6455E-mail: [email protected]

PORT ELIZABETH(Eastern Cape)PO Box 3584, North End, Port Elizabeth, 605645 Fettes Road, North End, 6001Tel: (041) 374 1270/1/2Fax: (041) 373 1919E-mail: [email protected]

low voltage

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International Offices:REST OF THE WORLDCBI-electric: low voltageTripswitch Drive ElandsfonteinGauteng South AfricaTel: +27 11 928 2000Fax: + 27 11 392 2354Email: [email protected]: www.cbi-lowvoltage.com

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cbi-electric (circuit breaker industries) - corporate profile · 2021. 1. 28. · profile page 3...

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