Drives and motors

Ethernet-based smart automation for DC drives 03/04/2012
At the SPS/IPC/Drives show in Nuremberg Sprint Electric introduced a new version of drive.web, an Ethernet-based distributed control system for its range of DC drives. Full Story...

Handling drive-related tasks without an external controller 07/03/2012
A new model has been added to the Nord Drivesystems range to cater for functionally complex and dynamic drive applications. Full Story...

Enhanced range of AC drives 07/03/2012
Vacon has renewed its entire NXP premium product range of AC drives. The update involves improvements to the air-cooled and liquid-cooled units across the complete power range, from 0.55 kW to 5,300 kW. Full Story...

High efficiency motor range expanded 03/01/2012
Baldor has expanded its RPM AC range of high-efficiency, permanent magnet based motors, to power output levels of 900 kW. Full Story...

AC drives supplied to aluminium refinery 07/12/2011
Vacon has delivered over 300 variable-speed AC drives with a total power of 58 megawatts to Indian-based AnRak Aluminium for use in a new aluminium refinery that is being built near the City of Visakhapatnam in India's southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh. Full Story...

Medium voltage drives in oil & gas 06/12/2011
2011 will see medium voltage drives sales into the oil & gas industry outpace the market owing to the high oil prices seen in 2010 and early 2011, increasing investment for production capacity expansion, according to a new study from IMS Research, ‘The World Market for Medium Voltage Motor Drives’. Full Story...

Efficient drive solutions complement IE2 and IE3 motors 18/10/2011
More than two thirds of the total energy spend for industrial automation is consumed by electric drive technology and that an individual electric motor’s energy consumption makes up about 98% of its total cost of ownership over its average life. Full Story...

Inverter with safe torque off input 13/09/2011
The E700 series inverter from Mitsubishi Electric is now available with a safe torque off input, eliminating the need for a redundant contactor in installations seeking compliance with EN954-1 Cat3 and IEC60204-1 Stop Category 0. Full Story...

Drives make headway in the packaging industry 18/08/2011
The profit margins associated with the implementation of electric drives will see them experience widespread acceptance in the European packaging industry over the next seven years, according to recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan. Full Story...

Driving forward with energy saving compressed air system for printing machines 18/08/2011
Hobbs the Printers, one of the UK’s largest and oldest established specialist print firms, has succeeded in reducing its energy costs through the installation of Elmo Rietschle compressors and vacuum pumps fitted with variable-speed AC drives from Vacon. Full Story...

Intelligently making energy savings with drive optimisation software 09/08/2011
The new version 3.0 of the Lenze Drive Solutions Designer (DSD) is able to analyse motion profiles from simple point-to-point to complex cam profiles or dynamic reversing. Full Story...

Drives and controls upgrade for Saica Packaging 19/07/2011
The UK operation of Saica Packaging has succeeded in increasing its productivity levels following a drives and controls upgrade by Optima Control Solutions (OCS) on a corrugating line at its Edinburgh plant. Full Story...

Safe shutdown of motors up to SIL 3/PL e 12/07/2011
Two new fail-safe digital modules from Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies (IA&DT) have been implemented with the motor management system, Simocode Pro for safe shutdown of motors in process automation. Full Story...

Inverter technology controls airflow and saves energy 05/07/2011
When a major animal feed manufacturer, employing 200 people across the UK and producing over 34,000 tonnes of product every year, explored energy saving opportunities, it contacted Rewinds & J. Windsor, an official drives partner for Control Techniques inverters. Full Story...

Drives help submersible to excavate efficiently 28/06/2011
A motor control system supplied by AC variable speed drive manufacturer, Vacon is central to the operation of the revolutionary UT-1 submersible ultra-trencher, which was built by underwater engineering specialist SMD and is owned and operated by CTC Marine. Full Story...

Reducing drive harmonics: a look at the options 28/06/2011
Nick Brown, of ABB Ltd, explains the different options for reducing harmonics caused by AC drives. Full Story...

A move to AC drives negates the need for a separate PLC 31/05/2011
A manufacturer of extrusion, winding and coiling equipment for the metals, wire/cable and plastics industries has eliminated the need for a separate PLC and reduced the need for maintenance of its semi-automatic equipment by switching from DC to an intelligent AC drives solution. Full Story...

Integrated motors in packaging equipment on the rise 10/05/2011
A recent study from IMS Research indicates that integrated motor sales into the packaging industry are forecast to continue growing following a 48.8% growth in 2010. Full Story...

Linear motors application guide update 01/03/2011
Aerotech has released an updated edition of its popular Linear Motors Application Guide including a new section on applying linear motors as components in servo positioning systems. Full Story...

Multi-axis coating machine handles high volume throughput 15/02/2011
A real-time Ethernet motion control system has helped Advanced Coating Robotics (ACR) to create a new conformal coating machine that combines exceptional three-dimensional spraying accuracy with high throughput. Full Story...