Drives and motors

Drives go with the flow 01/03/2013
Optimised for efficient flow control with pumps and fans, AC variable speed drives in the new VACON 100 FLOW range are said to offer easy set up with dedicated application menus for water and other pump and fan segment applications, economy with integrated two-zone PID control, and versatility with multimotor control facilities provided as standard. Full Story...

User-friendly variable frequency drives 18/02/2013
Eaton Corporation has introduced the PowerXL variable frequency drives with a rating up to 250 kW. Full Story...

Introducing a whole new drives family aimed at manufacturing automation 02/01/2013
Control Techniques launched its Unidrive M range at the SPS/IPC/Drives 2012 event. This new family has been designed according to feedback from customers to meet the specific needs of manufacturing automation customers. Full Story...

Fixed speed applications: starting solutions 18/12/2012
It is easy to assume that variable speed drives are the best choice for controlling any motor in any application. However, this may not always be the case, according to Peter Schaffel of Ralspeed. He explains how the right choice of motor starting technology is key to optimising energy efficiency and to maximising plant life. Full Story...

8 MW high voltage flameproof motor 12/12/2012
A new 8 MW high voltage flameproof motor from ABB offers benefits for the chemical, oil and gas industries, including low vibration levels which increase reliability for an extended lifetime, and reduced maintenance requirements for a lower cost of ownership. Full Story...

Energy efficient standard motor range with 40% less losses 04/12/2012
WEG has launched a new range of motors – the W22 Super Premium – claimed to be the only complete standard range available on the market worldwide that exceeds IE4 regulations. Full Story...

40% energy savings shown for permanent magnetic synchronous motor 03/12/2012
The results of a direct product comparison test show how the latest IE4, super premium efficiency permanent magnetic synchronous motor, from Bauer Gear Motor, performed against a standard asynchronous motor. Full Story...

Soft starters cut wiring times 22/11/2012
Savings in wiring time and costs are said to be benefits offered by new versions of the DS7 soft starters from Eaton’s electrical sector which feature built-in interfaces for the SmartWire-DT panel wiring system. Full Story...

Bringing high-performance control and information solutions to machine and equipment builders 21/11/2012
The expanded Midrange system portfolio of scalable Allen-Bradley servo drives, variable frequency drives, industrial Ethernet switches, and unified engineering and design from Rockwell Automation aims to help machine and equipment builders reduce cost and complexity. Full Story...

Inverter optimised for water and pumping applications 30/10/2012
Mitsubishi Electric has upgraded its FR-F700-EC range of inverters with functions that meet the specific needs of water and pumping applications. Full Story...

Compact inverter with Profinet 19/09/2012
The compact Sinamics G120C inverter from Siemens is now also available with Profinet communication. The drive is suitable for the operation of pumps, compressors, fans and mixers and extruders; and also for conveyors and simple handling machines. Full Story...

Vacon takes its product offering to the next level 19/06/2012
Three new AC drive products have been introduced by Vacon. The VACON 100, VACON 100 X and VACON 20 X have been designed to improve the company’s product offering, helping customers to optimise efficiency in application processes throughout a wide range of industries. Full Story...

Servo amplifier offers improved safety, productivity and energy efficiency 08/05/2012
With the introduction of the new MELSERVO MR-J4 series - and corresponding positioning modules, motion modules and motion control systems - Mitsubishi Electric believes it can now offer a servo amplifier that will enable machine manufacturers and end customers to improve both safety within the production process and productivity. Full Story...

Cold plate version of servo drive announced 10/04/2012
A compact, cold plate version of the DIAS Drive SDD 310 is now available from Sigmatek. The three-axis servo drive system can be operated with 3 x 10 A continuous and 3 x 20 A peak current and is therefore optimally suited for multi-axis applications in a power range up to 14 kW. Full Story...

EtherNet/IP-enabled servo drive 10/04/2012
The new Allen-Bradley Kinetix 350 single-axis EtherNet/IP servo drive, from Rockwell Automation, is said to offer cost-effective co-ordinated motion for low-axis machines. The drive can lower costs for the deployment of integrated motion on low-axis machines found in applications such as indexing tables, process skids, case packers, erectors and packaging. Full Story...

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...

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...

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...

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...