Drives and Controls Magazine
Home
Menu
Motor-drive analysers guide you through troubleshooting
Published:  04 October, 2018

Fluke has announced a pair of variable-speed drive (VSD) analysers designed to simplify the troubleshooting of complex motor-drive systems, and to save time. The portable Fluke MDA-510 and MDA-550 Motor Drive Analyzers incorporate graphical displays that guide users through the set-up procedure, while a report generator provides records of actions taken.

The user simply chooses a test and the step-by-step guide shows them where to make voltage and current connections. Preset measurement profiles ensure that all of the data needed is captured for each section of the drive system – from the input to the output, the DC bus, and the motor itself.

The analysers can:

•  measure key motor-drive parameters, including voltage, current, DC bus voltage level and AC ripple, voltage and current unbalance, and harmonics (on the MDA-510), as well as voltage modulation and motor shaft voltage discharges (on the MDA-550);

•  perform harmonics measurements to identify the effects of low and high order harmonics on an electrical system;

•  conduct guided measurements for motor-drive inputs, DC bus, drive outputs, motor input and shaft measurements, with graphical step-by-step voltage and current connection diagrams;

Fluke's portable analysers guide the user through the process of troubleshooting motor-drive installations

•  use simplified measurement set-ups with preset measurement profiles to trigger data collection automatically, based on the chosen test procedure;

•  create as-found and as-left reports that can be used to document troubleshooting and collaborative work with others; and

•  measure other electrical parameters using a 500MHz oscilloscope, and metering and recording capabilities.