Advanced AC drive for variable speed motor control

A new high-end AC drive from Baldor provides closed loop vector control of motor speed, combined with Windows-based configuration and hardware modularity including plug-in industrial networking

This combination of features provides radical flexibility to process automation engineers and OEMs.

It allows advanced tasks such as positioning to be implemented both easily and economically for example, and supports the integration of the control system into factory-wide automation networks.

Called VersaFlex Vector, the AC drive family provides closed loop flux vector control, for the optimum in variable speed control of AC motors.

Drives may be configured for applications using a Windows package called Workbench D.

This tool provides intuitive applications programming, using a template approach with a library of function blocks that can be parameterised and interconnected in minutes using point-and-click operations.

In addition to blocks for standard application requirements such as ramps, speed loops and I/O control, the library includes advanced functions such as PID process control, as well as a suite of logic, arithmetic and decision operations to support complex applications programming.

The flexibility of Workbench D allows a drive's functionality to be very closely matched to process requirements, effectively transforming the familiar variable speed AC motor control into a versatile platform for building custom process automation.

Hardware modularity adds another dimension to application versatility.

For example, the drive's standard I/O complement for simple speed control applications can be expanded by means of a module that adds 5 digital I/Os and 2 extra encoder inputs with marker/indexer channels, and extends the precision of the four analogue inputs to 12 bits.

Drives additionally accept a plug-in fieldbus communication protocol expansion module from a choice including Profibus DP, DeviceNet, Modbus and RS485.

The hardware modularity means that the drives can be configured economically for an extremely broad range of tasks - and for easy integration into a customer preferred industrial network - providing a versatile systems platform for automation OEMs.

Among the potential applications opened up by this combination of software and hardware are registration, and phase-locked speed control of multi-drive systems.

Flexibility even extends to implementing basic variable speed control applications such as raising/lowering motor speed or providing pre-sets.

All drives come with a suite of pre-programmed applications software for such applications that can be controlled via a rugged human-machine interface (HMI).

And if the performance of true vector control is not required, then VersaFlex Vector drives will run in either an encoder-less (sensor-less) vector control mode using a sophisticated adaptive control algorithm, or as a simple frequency inverter.

The VersaFlex Vector range offers well over 100 choices, spanning power ratings from 0.75 to 410kW (1 to 550HP), in single- or three-phase variants, for 50 or 60 Hz operation.

All drives come in panel mounting enclosures protected to IP20 or IP40.

Compatible EMC filters are offered for all options - with built-in units available for the smaller sizes in the family.

Two compatible families of VersaFlex AC drives provide frequency inverter and encoder-less vector drive capabilities.

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