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Floor-standing drives will ‘save time and money’
Published:  03 October, 2013

Yaskawa has announced a floor-standing, control-panel version of its A1000 vector control drive which, it says, will save time and money, and reduce the amount of work involved in the planning, installation and start-up of applications. The ready-to-install 400V panels are available with outputs from 90–355kW, and with IP23 or IP54 protection.

The drives can be used with induction or permanent magnet synchronous motors, with or without encoder feedback. Energy-saving functions allow efficient operation of both types of motor.

An auto-tuning function ensures quick and simple start-ups. The drive adjusts automatically to the connected motor for optimum performance. Application macros also help to customise the drive to the machine being operated.

Users can also generate their own functions and integrate them into the drive using Yaskawa’s DriveWorksEZ PC software. The drives can handle the switching and control tasks normally done by a PLC, thus cutting system costs while reducing the risk of failures because of the smaller components count.

Software options allow the drives to perform tasks that would usually need more expensive servodrives. For example, an electronic line shaft option allows speed-synchronous or angle-synchronous operation of two or more axes. Drives with outputs from 0.4–630kW can be synchronised with each other, and the speed or angle ratios between the individual drives can be adjusted while they are running.

The electronic line shaft option allows the drives to replace complicated mechanisms, minimising wear and the need for maintenance. The gear factors can be adjusted continuously during operation.

The drives offer:

•   built-in EMC filters for TN or IT networks;

•   main switches, with or without door handles;

•   optional braking modules for applications where excess braking energy needs to be diverted;

Yaskawa's floor-mounting drives are claimed to save time and money

•   optional moulded-case circuit-breakers or fuses;

•   separate air ducts for the power and control sections to optimise cooling;

•   plain-text LCD displays built into the control panel doors; and

•   the option to extend the panels to the left or right for easy integration of components such as power circuits.

The freely-configurable drives are supplied as ready-to-use packages tailored to an application. Their components are coordinated, and thermally and mechanically tested to ensure reliable operation. This avoids the need for configuration work, the procurement of components from different suppliers, as well as mechanical installation and testing.

The inverters include Safe Torque Off (STO) functions to ensure operational safety and reliability, and to cut costs by eliminating the need for motor contactors.

The drives are designed to operate continuously for ten years with minimal maintenance. Diagnostics monitor the condition of the most important components and inform the operator of any wear and tear. Momentary power loss ride-through and restarting functions help to ensure uninterrupted motor operation.

The drives support EtherCat communications, with optional connections for fieldbuses including CANopen, CC-Link, DeviceNet, Ethernet/IP, Mechatrolink-II, Modbus TCP/IP, Profibus, Profinet and Powerlink.