silversaddle1
Jr. Member
- Dec 11, 2008
- 92
- 6
So I am in the process of scrapping 5 old (1999-2000) IBM VTL's. These things are 20 feet long, 6 feet high, and 3-6 feet deep depending on the section or module your looking at. They have a track or raceway that this robotic shuttle runs down. It runs the entire length of the machine. This robot would store and retrive data tapes that are stored in the machine. Anyway, there are doors along the machine that you can open and add or remove data tapes by hand. You could almost step inside the machine to add tapes if you wanted to. Well, the problem is, when you have this door open, your right in the path of the robot. When we were running this machine before we removed it, we were running this robot back and forth along the track. It would fly past up and down that track so fast it would amaze you. So if you had the door open and you were loading tapes, and the robot got a run command, well, it would not be good for you. I'm guessing the robot weighs about 50 pounds. So while I'm a scrapping this puppy out, I notice these interlock switches on every door. Pulled one down just for the hell of it and opened it up. Well, take a look. It has gold plated contact points in it. The "mounts" that the contacts are mounted on are brass, but they appear to be plated too. I am saving them all, and I have about 60 of the switches so far. I'm guessing the gold plate to insure the robot won't run with the door open. You can see in the last photo where I ground off the contact point to see the silver (Manufacturing website says the contacts are silver) under the gold plating. I guess you really do have to look everywhere!
