Umar Rasool’s Post

Why Redundancy in Control Systems matters In process plants, downtime is expensive. Really expensive. That is why critical control systems are designed with redundancy. But many people only think of redundancy as “two of everything.” That is not the full picture. Let's look at examples you will see in the field: Redundant Controllers: If one CPU fails, the other takes over instantly. No operator intervention. Redundant Power Supplies: One fails, the system keeps running on the other. Redundant Networks: If a cable is cut, communication continues on the secondary path. Redundant I/O Cards: For safety-critical loops, signals are split across two cards. The principle is simple: no single failure should bring down the plant. But redundancy is not free. It comes with higher cost, more space, more maintenance. That is why engineers must evaluate which parts of the system truly require it. Next time during the design phase you look at a control cabinet, ask: if this component fails, will the process stop? If yes, redundancy should be on the table for a consideration. #Redundancy ##ControlSystems #instrumentation #IndustrialAutomation

One phrase I keep coming across in system design: “Design for failure.” At first, it sounded pessimistic. Why design something expecting it to fail? But here’s what I’ve come to realize: - Networks will fail (partitions are inevitable) - Services will go down (even the best high availability setups) - Clients will send bad requests (always) The difference between a fragile system and a resilient one is whether these failures were expected in the design. Some patterns I’ve been exploring: - Circuit breakers to prevent cascading failures - Retries with exponential backoff - Bulkheads to isolate failure domains - Chaos testing to expose blind spots Failure isn’t the enemy. Unanticipated failure is. I’m curious — what’s the most valuable “failure” you’ve learned from in your systems? #SystemDesign #Resilience #DistributedSystems #TechLeadership #Microservices

Case Study: Solving the "Singing" 48V Power Module in a Server Rack 🎵➡️🔇 A client's new high-density server power module was failing final QA. The issue? An audible, high-frequency "singing" noise under specific loads—a classic yet elusive problem. The Challenge: 🔸 Audible noise from the main power inductor, unacceptable for datacenter environments. 🔸 Efficiency dip of ~3% at mid-load, creating a thermal hotspot. 🔸 Project timeline at risk due to unpredictable debugging. Root Cause Analysis: Our team diagnosed it as combined magnetostriction (from the core material) and winding vibration (from the AC current). The standard ferrite core and bobbin winding structure acted like a tiny, unwanted speaker. Our Engineered Solution: We didn't just swap a part. We redesigned the magnetic solution: Core Material: Switched to a specialized low-magnetostriction ferrite blend. Winding Tech: Implemented pressure-wound, flat wire construction to minimize air gaps and dampen vibration. Process: Used vacuum impregnation with a high-thermal-conductivity epoxy to lock the windings and improve heat dissipation. The Results: ✅ Audible noise eliminated. (Passed acoustic QA) ✅ Mid-load efficiency improved by 2.5%. ✅ Peak temperature reduced by 15°C. ✅ Client secured a major order, and the design is now in mass production. The lesson? Not all inductors are created equal. A component engineered for the application's specific stresses is often the key to reliability. Struggling with noise, thermals, or efficiency in your #UPS, #ServerPower, or #IndustrialDesign? 👉 Let's diagnose it. DM me "Noise" for a copy of the full technical case study. #PowerElectronics #CaseStudy #EMC #HardwareDesign #ThermalManagement #Engineering #Magnetics #Innovation #[IKP ELEC]

When we talk about reliability, many engineers think uptime. But real reliability goes deeper:   𝗔 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 - 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿.   That distinction - faults vs. failure - shapes system design:   - A 503 doesn’t have to end the user journey.   - Retries with backoff absorb temporary errors.   - A circuit breaker prevents cascading impact.   - A fallback ensures graceful degradation.   Reliability isn’t about preventing every fault. It’s about making sure the user never feels them.   I built a small .NET demo showing these patterns in action: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/djZkuSZm   💬 Curious: Which strategy has saved your system the most pain — retries, circuit breakers, or fallbacks?

When Variable Speed Drive systems aren’t optimized from the start, performance issues ripple across the entire operation, causing unexpected downtime, energy waste, and faster wear on critical components. Proper drive selection and integration isn’t just about specs, it’s about load matching, control architecture, and how the system responds under real-world conditions. 💡 And once it's live, commissioning support makes the difference between “works on paper” and works in production. Because in high-demand environments, small misalignments become significant problems quickly. 📩 Let’s talk about future-proofing your systems: valbrid.com/contact-us #IndustrialAutomation #DriveEngineering #SmartManufacturing #ProcessOptimization #ControlSystems #EnergyEfficiency #AutomationEngineering

When Variable Speed Drive systems aren’t optimized from the start, performance issues ripple across the entire operation, causing unexpected downtime, energy waste, and faster wear on critical components. Proper drive selection and integration isn’t just about specs, it’s about load matching, control architecture, and how the system responds under real-world conditions. 💡 And once it's live, commissioning support makes the difference between “works on paper” and works in production. Because in high-demand environments, small misalignments become significant problems quickly. 📩 Let’s talk about future-proofing your systems: valbrid.com/contact-us #IndustrialAutomation #DriveEngineering #SmartManufacturing #ProcessOptimization #ControlSystems #EnergyEfficiency #AutomationEngineering

⚡ Legacy reliability with innovative solutions!   We’re proud to unveil the EASY UPS 3M ADVANCED WITH BUILT-IN GALVANIC ISOLATION TRANSFORMER – a powerful UPS solution that blends time-tested Galvanic Isolation transformer-based architecture with modern advancements, tailored for small and medium businesses, commercial & Industrial applications, data centers, healthcare and other mission critical applications > Available in 50kVA, 100kVA, and 150kVA ratings > Built with Galvanic isolation transformer-based architecture for enhanced durability and performance > Ideal for mission-critical environments across industries > IEC 62040-1 Safety TUV Certified > IEC 62040-2, EMI/EMC/RFI Category : Best in Class 2 Tested > Compatible with VRLA & Lithium-ion (Li-ion) external batteries   Explore the product:   https://lnkd.in/gHq7U5pM   https://lnkd.in/g_HnrJQf

Robust Control in Modern Engineering : Robust control focuses on maintaining performance and stability in the presence of uncertainties and disturbances. Key design techniques include loop shaping, which adjusts the open-loop frequency response for desired performance and optimization methods like H₂ and H∞ control, which minimize system errors under uncertainty. Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) is another powerful approach, allowing engineers to design controllers that meet specified performance bounds across a range of system variations. #NouhaBousshmine #RobustControl #LoopShaping #H2Control #HInfinityControl #QFT #ControlEngineering #Automation #EngineeringInnovation

Designing for high performance means thinking through every layer. We focus on materials that help engineers build smarter, smaller, and more reliable systems from the inside out. Whether it’s reducing component count, improving signal integrity, or streamlining thermal performance, our embedded resistor foils are built to support real-world challenges across industries. It’s not just about meeting spec. It’s about pushing what’s possible. https://bit.ly/3ImTlPh #QuanticOhmegaTicer #ElectronicsInnovation #EngineeringMaterials #HighPerformanceDesign

Today the combination of 48V architectures and high-density DC-DC converter modules are driving down size, weight and cost, which soon will make active suspension ubiquitous across xEVs. The Vicor BCM6135 delivers optimal performance and reduces the size and weight of the active suspension power system, as well as a 48V zonal architecture. The BCM6135 is a 98% efficient 2.5kW isolated fixed-ratio BCM® bus converter, which converts 800V from the traction battery to 48V. https://ow.ly/i1Cq50Wmx3l