AC & DC Drives - We have the tools and software to solve your drive and motor issues. We use the "tool bag"
approach. Whether a drive is running a ski lift, a plastic extruder, a printing press or whatever your machine
is doing, the concepts and tools required to keep it running are the same and we understand how to use them.
PLC & Relay Controls - More than an electrical contractor, we have the experience and ability to solve your
control problems. We have a passion for machine controls. Our persistance and drive will work for you,
your staff and your customers to get your equipment up and running again.
One loose connection or failed cooling fan can cause machine downtime that will cost you money. We have the
skills and experience to create and implement a preventive maintenance program that will increase the reliability
of your equipment. We will train your staff to do it themselves, or we can contract to perform the maintenance
for you, to keep your machines running during critical times. Using Microsoft Access, we can create a system to
track critical maintenance performed by your staff or by GMCS. We can perform this service 24/7, as our mutual
schedules permit to keep you up and running.
A contract PM program is a great way to for us to get to know your machines inside and out and, to find potential
problems.
Controls - Does your machine or chairlift control system look like the one at the right? We can clean-up your existing
panel and get it operating the way that it was originally designed. Or we can design/build a new system using up-to-date
PLC and relay controls that will give you dramatically increased reliability and fault location abilities. The two panels
below were built and installed by GMCS. All components are high quality, listed products installed to the manufacturer's
specifications.
Motor Drive Systems - If you have a wound rotor or across the line AC motor starter, we can install a Variable
Frequency Drive or soft starter that will improve the performance and lower your electric bill significantly.
We can replace your obsolete or problematic analog DC motor drive with a state of the art SSD or ABB digital regen drive.
Not only will this improve the reliability of the machine but it will also have much better control. On the left below is a
60 HP ABB DCS800 DC drive that we installed on a T-bar ski lift. Parts were not available in the US for the existing BMB
analog drive. On the right is a 60 HP Parker SSD regenerative DC drive that we retrofited to replace a Fincor 3120 drive
on a 1978 Thiokol triple chairlift. In both cases, we reused the existing cabinets to keep costs down. We can also build a
system in a new cabinet that would be UL listed and labeled by our UL approved Industrial Control Panel shop.
We have the tools and experience to build any type of control panel. We can build to your schematic drawings or we
will work with you to design the system you need to control any type of machine. The panels at left were built for
Skytrans, Mfg. for a skyride at a zoo in Massachusetts. They supplied the engineered drawings and we built the entire
system and then assisted their engineers with shop testing. When the panels arrived at the installation site, they
were basically ready to run. Send us your schematics for a quote or, call us and let us know what you need your machine
to do and we'll design a system to meet your needs. In 2011, GMCS became a UL listed Industrial
Control Panel shop. This means that we can build listed and labeled panels approved for installation in the US and
Canada.
On a skilift, the comline is a vital communication link between the tower detection system, top terminal and drive
system. If the comline is compromised either by a poor original installation or failure due to wind, ice or other factors,
the result will be intermittent faults or total communication failure. One way to improve a lift's reliability is to have a
new comline installed. GMCS personnel have been involved in the installation of over 30 comlines at resorts all over North
America. We are constantly perfecting our techniques, tools and components to assure a trouble-free installation that will
last for years to come. We can even do mid-season troubleshooting and repairs if necessary.
Contact us today to get a quote.
We are proud to offer our "FGR" control panel for fixed-grip skilifts. This panel can be retro-fitted to any
manufacture or configuration of lift. It features an easy to troubleshoot, relay based system with PLC monitoring.
The proven Allen-Bradley Micrologix 1000 PLC provides for overspeed, rollback, accel/decel, and stop relay monitoring
safeties. The panel meets all ANSI B77.1-2006 requirements. Panel front indicators and full momentary bypass capability
make for simple operation. Keyed bypass enable and PLC bypass switches are securely locked inside the cabinet yet
accessible to maintenance personnel. This panel is a perfect upgrade for older Hall or Borvig single loop systems.
This panel along with a new comline and operator stations will vastly improve the reliabilty of your lift and make it
more user-freindly. The panel on the right is a stand alone, retrofit panel that can be installed with your exisiting
drive system. Or, the system can be built with an integral drive system like the one on the right. This system, fabricated
for Mount Snow in 2011, includes a 400 HP ABB DCS800 Regenerative DC drive. Give us a call and we will arrange for a
demonstration of one of these systems.
Troubleshooting
Comline installations and repairs
