SWITCH® Pinsetters

Our innovative Switch® ST1 has been designed and developed to provide you with control, both manually and automatically, for each pair of lanes in your centre. The four PC Boards within the chassis bring you the most innovative technology available for the management and maintenance of each machine.

Design and Safety Measures

The Switch® ST1 has a luminous display on the PC board that is visible to the operator through the transparent rear cover. The status of each input and output circuit is constantly displayed to aid diagnostics by identifying the source of an anomaly. An LED light assigned to the circuit generating the alarm will turn red.

The design of the Switch® ST1 reflects the commitment of Switch® to the total safety of both the bowling centre staff and their clientele. The safety measures incorporated ensure that both regular maintenance and impromptu interventions are carried out under the safest conditions in the industry.

In the event of an emergency situation, the voltage supply to all motor control circuits is automatically disconnected. This prevents a cycle start from any source, as well as any attempted manual operation of any of the motors in the ST1 Pinsetter.

Interfacing with other bowling systems

To ensure that the Switch® ST1 can be interfaced with scoring systems on the market today, each pinsetter comes equipped with the following command signals: Pinsetter On/Off; ball status (1st/2nd ball instant changeover without cycling the pinsetter); cycle start; sweep reverse; short strike cycle; foul cycle; continuous cycle; integrated bumper and glow light control circuits; fully automatic pin sensing (APS) interface; and internally/externally polarized inputs. The Switch® ST1 is also capable of handling motor encoders as well as cam switch systems.

In addition to the features above, the inclusion of the innovative CAN Bus (Bosch 2.0 standard) system ensures the control of the bowling lanes benefits from the high levels of reliability, efficiency, speed and security of information transmitted and received from the Switch® scoring system. The CAN Bus ensures that individual systems and sensors communicate on a single or dual-wire networked data bus up to one megabit per second. The inclusion of the CAN Bus saves cost and time due to efficient wiring and flash programming that automatically re-transmits lost messages.

To enable connection to other scoring systems, the Switch® ST1 is supplied with comprehensive input and output circuitry. Unlimited software updates and customization is available through the provision of dedicated connectors. The process includes optional add-ons, such as customized safety guards, to ease re-programming.

The Switch® ST1 comes complete with web server and ethernet connection, enabling access to all functions, including lane administration, energy and current monitoring data, and useful information for efficient bowling centre operation.

Continuous Monitoring

The Switch® ST1 continuously monitors the status of the pinsetter and the position of the table and sweep motors. The Switch® ST1 will go into alarm mode upon identification of any anomaly in the normal operational sequence of the pinsetter motors.

Once the anomaly has been identified and rectified, the normal operation of the pinsetter must be manually restored. The integrity of the pinsetter is also continuously monitored by sampling the current absorbed by each component part of the ST1 pinsetter. When any value exceeds the pre-set limit, the chassis protects itself and the electrical parts connected to it by shutting down and entering alarm mode.

Three-Phase Technology

The 3-phase AC system is used worldwide for power generation, power transmission, distribution and the operation of electric motors.

The three-phase system has the following advantages compared to single phase system:

• Alternator: The power to weight ratio of a 3-phase alternator is advantageous compared to a 1-phase alternator. As the 3-phase alternator is smaller and lighter, the overall cost of the alternator is reduced yet generates the same amount of power. As the alternator requires less space, transportation costs are reduced and installation is more convenient.
• Power Transmission: The requirement of conductor materials is less in the 3-phase system than the 1-phase system.
• Motor: The power to weight ratio of a 3-phase induction motor is higher than that of the 2-phase induction motor. The size of the 3-phase induction motor is significantly smaller than that of the 1-phase induction motor, making it less expensive. Furthermore, due to the reduction in weight, transportation and installation is more convenient and less space is required to accommodate the induction motor. The 3-phase induction motor is self-starting, as the magnetic flux produced by a 3-phase supply is rotating and constant. In short, a 3-phase motor has better power and is more efficient than a 1-phase motor.
• Transformer: The power to weight ratio of the three-phase transformer is higher compared to a 1-phase transformer. Therefore, for the same electric power consumption, the size of a 3-phase transformer is less than a 1-phase transformer. In turn, this means the overall cost of the transformer is reduced. If a fault occurs in any winding of the 3-phase transformer, the other two windings can serve the 3-phase load, a function not possible in 1-phase transformer. This ability increases the reliability of 3-phase transformers. Moreover, a 3-phase system can be used to feed a 1-phase load, whereas the opposite is not possible.

Energy Efficiency

Switch® developed the ST1 to be energy efficient and robust. The use of inverters permits the total control of both speed and torque, enabling the motors to reach their peak efficiency while reducing wear and tear to the moving parts. Electrical values are constantly monitored, allowing the sophisticated central control system to intervene immediately when any irregularity is identified.