Siemens Industry, Inc. announced today the launch of the new Sinamics® S120 CU320-2 multi-axis drive control unit. The CU320-2 increases axis count and functionality, for the same price as the original control unit. Additionally, the second generation Sinamics control unit provides an Ethernet port, more I/O and controller-to-controller communication.

The Sinamics S120 CU320-2 control unit manages up to six high performance servo or vector axes per control unit. For standard applications, up to 12 V/Hz axes can be operated from one CU320-2 control unit.  The enhanced processor enables increased functionality for positioning, safety integrated functions and drive control charts to be handled by one control unit, thus significantly reducing drive system costs.

The new Sinamics CU320-2 control unit also offers greater flexibility through enhanced programming options and a higher number of digital inputs. It provides a higher I/O count, with up to 12 binary inputs. To provide users with added convenience, the CU320-2 includes an Ethernet port that expands the programming options.

With the goal of delivering more functionality more economically, the Sinamics S120 CU320-2 also cuts costs for users through simplified performance licensing, fewer hardware requirements and smaller cabinet space requirements.

To learn more information about the latest generation of the Sinamics S120 control unit, click on http://www.usa.siemens.com/motioncontrol.    

When speaking of renewable energy, wind power stations are among the first images that will probably visualize before your mind's eye. It is hard to imagine nature's power that the rotors of those towering promises of a clean future are exposed to. Seemingly slowly but steadily the rotors of the turbines are turning round and round - the perfect scenario for the generation of electricity. But when maintenance work or repairs must be be carried out, the rotors must stop. In this case, rotor blades turning at a top speed of up to 300 km/h have to be slowed down and secured. The hydraulic and electromechanical rotor-lock systems produced by Optima Spanntechnik GmbH have been developed for exactly this scenario. Inspection and maintenance works on medium-sized and large wind power stations can thus be carried out safely and thoroughly.

Optima Spanntechnik GmbH is a manufacturers of clamping systems for presses and special machines.  Optima is now exploring new terrain and applying its skills to the pioneering segment of hydraulic and electromechanical rotor-lock systems for wind turbines.

Optima's systems are suitable for locking rotors of medium-sized and large wind power stations with a performance of up to 6 MW. The elements are available in a standard or an offshore version.

The principle of locking rotors is relatively simple: depending on whether the hydraulic or the electromechanical system is used, a piston working as locking mechanism is pushed into the notch in the brake disc of the rotor by oil pressure or by an electric motor. In the hydraulic rotor-lock system HRV, a double-acting hydraulic cylinder moves the piston forwards and backwards. The check valves and the manually operated mechanical latches are additional options which serve as a second backup.

HRV rotor locks are avaialble with with bolt diameters ranging from 120 mm (HRV 120-50) to 240 mm (HRV 240-80). Depending on the type, the components are designed for lateral forces of up to 4,000 KN. The final positions of the locking element are indicated by two mechanical feelers and can be visualized by means of the machine control. That way, the operator can tell the status of the system at first sight. The HRV components resist corrosion and can be used in temperatures ranging from -30° C to +60° C.

The electromechanical rotor locks from the design series ERV are positioned by an electric motor. The advantage of this system is that is does without oil-carrying ducts. It is equipped with a self-locking feature and all functions can be monitored conveniently. In the standard version, the electromechanical rotor-lock system (ERV 240-80) is available with a bolt diameter of 240 mm and designed for lateral forces of up to 4,000 KN. As in the hydraulic system, two mechanical feelers operate the system. An inductive proximity switch indicates the predefined pressure that the piston exerts on the rotor disc.

For more information visit http://www.optima-spanntechnik.de .

Hitachi America, Ltd., Industrial Components & Equipment Division, today announced the new WJ200 series of inverters. The WJ200 is a sensorless vector (SLV) drive that the manufacturer says is capable of 200% or greater torque across the speed range. Speed regulation at low speed is dramatically improved – fluctuation is half that of previous models. Improved trip avoidance measures have been incorporated for unsurpassed system reliability and availability.

The WJ200 offers PLC-like functionality by means of the integrated programming function called Easy Sequence (EzSQ). Programs up to 1024 lines can be created on a PC using this structured language tool, and can then be transferred to the WJ200. In this way, very sophisticated control schemes can be created without the use of external controllers.

Simple position control applications are also possible with the WJ200 utilizing the integrated pulse input. Together with EzSQ, intricate motion profiles can be developed. Further adding to its flexibility, the WJ200 has the capability to drive both induction motors and permanent magnet (PM) motors – a single drive for two motor realms.

A new EzCOM peer-to-peer communications function is standard and allows multiple WJ200s to share data. One drive is designated as the “administrator,” and controls the network. Other drives on the network can be master or slave, with masters able to write data to any designated slave(s). Master/slave roles are rotated under the control of the administrator automatically. Up to 8 masters can reside on the network, and up to 32 drives (up to 247 drives, if external signal repeaters are used). The administrator can be master or slave also. EzCOM allows for creation of sophisticated coordinated systems without any additional external hardware
or programming.

Other standard features include a safe-stop function (meets ISO/IEC standards), password protection of parameters, real-time clock, standard Modbus/RTU RS-485 serial port, micro surge voltage suppression, dynamic braking circuit, and much, much more. The WJ200 is designed for long service with bus capacitors and cooling fans designed for 10 year life and varnish coating of circuit boards. The WJ200 also is RoHS compliant. Option boards will be released in the near future to allow communication via DeviceNet, CompoNet, ProfiBus, CANopen, and others.

International Rectifier (NYSE: IRF) has a new online Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) selection tool that enables design optimization in a wide range of applications including motor drives, uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), solar inverters, and welding.
 
IR’s Tool evaluates application conditions including bus voltage, switching frequency, and short circuit protection requirements.  Located at mypower.irf.com/IGBT, the online tool provides an estimate of losses and suggests parts that can function within the given constraints.  The tool also provides pricing for each part to enable designers to consider the effects of device choice on system cost.
 
“IR offers a broad array of IGBT products enabling optimized inverter designs for different applications. The new online selection tool enables engineers to quickly and easily compare choices to select the optimal IGBT for their design,” said IR product manager Elk Kabaker.
 
IGBT selection requires evaluation of many parameters that cannot be simplified into a single metric.  As switching losses can be traded for conduction losses, for example, calculating operating losses requires both operating frequency and bus voltage parameters, in addition to operating current.  Also, the requirement of some motor drive inverters for minimum short circuit withstand time comes at the expense of higher losses.
 
IR offers a wide selection of IGBTs offering various tradeoffs in switching speed as well as devices designed for applications that do not have minimum short circuit requirements.  The new selection tool helps designers make use of IR’s broad IGBT portfolio and weigh the performance tradeoffs.

The Rexroth MLC motion logic controller with Version 10 firmware is based on a powerful one-gigahertz PAC controls platform that provides high-performance motion logic and robotics capabilities.

The platform supports real-time Ethernet communication on Ethernet platforms, including SERCOS III, Ethernet IP and ProfiNet for interfacing with connecting controls, drives, I/Os, safety, HMI, web and machine-to-machine synchronization, which helps to lower the controls cost and simplify integration for OEMs, systems integrators and end users.

The MLC motion control, Version 10, has a free web-based service and engineering tool for easy access using a web browser to access the system data, and also has configuration tools for maintenance and commissioning. The system status and diagnosis of control hardware, drives and communication interfaces can all be viewed. The parameter editor, PLC variables and electronic name plate data is also available.

The MLC uses the IndraLogic 2nd Generation (2G) PLC editor that offers several enhancements: new visualization concept for testing and monitoring functions, object-orientated programming in project structure, new data types, new operators and variables. IndraLogic 2G also supports standard IEC 61131-3 program languages such as: Function Block Diagrams (FBD), Ladder Diagrams (LD), Instruction Lists (IL), Sequential Function Chart (SFC), and Structured Text (ST).

Suitable for the most sophisticated packaging and high-speed robotics applications, the Rexroth MLC powerful processor allows for control of up to 16 robotic kinematics concurrently, and up to 64 axes of motion and logic on a single controller. Version 10 firmware also provides advanced Flex Profile camming capabilities to help reduce engineering time and provide automatic cycle time optimization of machines and entire packaging lines.

With Flex Profile, cams can be multi-segmented and cycle times can be automatically optimized for velocity, acceleration, position or time to avoid having to rebuild cams each time a parameter changes. Flex Profile provides masters as an axis, as a specific time, or a combination of both. By changing values in the segments, the profile can be automatically modified to accommodate any changes in products. The MLC 10 can generate PLC function blocks for online creation of FlexProfiles, CAM preview with several axes simultaneously and provide definition of FlexProfile events. For more information, visit http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/BRC .

Eaton Corporation is expanding its motor protection offer with the C440 and XT electronic overload relays, which provide customers with advanced, reliable and accurate motor protection. The electronic relays feature both integral ground fault protection and communications capabilities, in a single, compact device. Developed for global use, the C440 and XT overload relays have a universal design and engineered for machinery original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), project construction and industrial end-user markets.
 
“The C440 and XT electronic overload relays are engineered to protect valuable assets, manage costs and maintain system integrity,” said Raza Durrani, product manager, Eaton. “They directly monitor motor current in each phase and identify conditions that can lead to motor failure with greater speed, reliability and repeatability than traditional thermal devices. This can help customers reduce their total cost of ownership.”
 
With a patented, compact design, the new electronic overload relays are easy to install, maintain and configure. Integral communications and ground fault protection means there are fewer devices to install. A light-emitting diode (LED) display on the device provides easy-to-see indication of device status and fault indication, allowing maintenance personnel to quickly determine if the device and motor are operating appropriately.
 
Customers can select the motor protection features they need, with selectable trip class, ground fault detection, phase imbalance and full load current (FLA) adjustment (5:1). Further, the C440 and XT overload relays can integrate into plant management systems, allowing network monitoring and providing asset protection.
 
Eaton C440 and XT overload relays feature integral communications capabilities, which allow the relays to easily integrate with customers’ preferred industrial network. DeviceNet^TM, PROFIBUS^TM, Modbus®, Modubus TCP, Ethernet IP communication protocols are supported.
 
Designed for global applications, the overload relays allow for integration with National Electrical Manufacturer Association (NEMA), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and Definite Purpose (DP) contactors. Further, they meet the following standards:
    •    Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
    •    Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
    •    Conformité Européenne (CE)
Additionally, the solid-state overload relays are Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant.

ABB reports this morning that orders grew 5% in the second quarter of 2010, led by increases of more than 20% in each of the company’s automation divisions on the strength of the global economic recovery.

Industrial customers continued to invest in energy-efficient automation and power solutions to increase productivity and quality. Investments by utilities in large power transmission projects, however, remained cautious in most regions. As a result, base orders (below $15 million) grew 15 percent in local currencies while large orders (above $15 million) declined by 37%. The order backlog has grown 5% since the beginning of the year.

Revenues were 5% lower than the year-earlier period, mainly due to order declines in 2009 and the beginning of 2010 that flowed through to sales in the second quarter.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) decreased to $975 million, resulting in an EBIT margin of 12.9%. Included in EBIT are additional project costs in the Power Systems division of $80 million. Excluding net losses on derivative transactions and restructuring-related costs, the EBIT margin was 14.6%. Savings in the quarter of more than $400 million from the company’s cost take-out program played a key role in maintaining profitability.

Cash from operations in the quarter was $649 million, down versus the same quarter a year earlier, while net income amounted to $623 million.

"The strong second quarter results show how we are using our improved cost base and leading position in key industrial markets to take maximum advantage of the global economic recovery,” said Joe Hogan, ABB's CEO. “It’s the great strength of ABB’s portfolio that automation can drive profitable growth during a period of lower power demand.

“We feel more confident about the recovery in most of our markets than three months ago and believe that our short-cycle businesses will continue to perform well over the rest of 2010. After the severe industrial recession of the last two years, customers have started again to invest in technologies for energy efficiency and productivity. We expect customer capital expenditures, especially on the power side, to recover later in 2010 and into 2011,” Hogan said. 

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An all-in-one machine and motion controller is helping an innovative machine builder to set new levels of performance and economy in the stone cutting sector.  

Farnese Australia has been manufacturing stone cutting and polishing machines for 10 years. For its latest product, the Quantum bridge saw, the company switched to an Ethernet-based controller from Baldor Electric Company (NYSE: BEZ). This provides all of the resources required for the real-time interpolated control of four servomotor axes, all of the I/O on the machine, plus an ActiveX interface to the unique Windows user interface that Farnese has developed over many years to simplify stonemasonry.

The new Quantum bridge saw provides X, Y and rotational motion for the fast and efficient shaping of stone kitchen and bathroom surfaces, and is believed to set a radically lower price/performance standard compared with existing machines in this market sector.

Quantum provides a large cutting area of 3.7 x 2 meters. Four servomotors control the motion of the rotary saw tool - which moves over the worktable on a gantry. Two synchronized axes are used to drive the gantry along the worktable, because of the weight and rigidity of the tool that is required for precision sawing over such a large operating area. The other two axes provide transverse movement along the gantry, and rotational motion of the tool head. The latter axis eliminates any need to reposition the workpiece or tool for changes of cutting direction, and can make angular and circular cuts to radii as small as 10 mm.

The four axes employ single-phase Baldor MicroFlex e100 drives driving BSM servomotors. These axes, plus all of the sensors and actuators required on the machine, are controlled by Baldor's all-in-one motion and machine controller, NextMove e100. This controller uses the deterministic real-time Ethernet Powerlink Network.

Baldor's controller was selected for three main reasons. The first is economy – as it provides a single-box motion and I/O control solution for this four-axis interpolated machine. The second reason is expandability: Farnese makes a range of cutting and polishing machines and the Powerlink networking standard, and Baldor's controller makes it possible to use the same platform for almost any conceivable new machine or cell - with up to 16 interpolated axes. Baldor's development environment - Workbench - provided the final reason. This no-cost toolsuite is provided with the controller, and includes support for ActiveX, making it easy to interface with Farnese's existing PC/Windows-based user interface. Programming the real-time motion control was made easy by Baldor's Mint language, which offers high-level keywords for the complex movements that Farnese requires, such as angular and circular cuts.  Workbench also provides tools that allow Farnese to provide remote support for its machines, allowing diagnostics to be run, drives to be tuned, etc.

Here are a couple of useful posts on how to size overcurrent protection for VFDs:

Part One: http://www.inverter-china.com/blog/articles/frequency-converter/how-to-size-overprotection-for-vfd.html

Part Two: http://www.inverter-china.com/blog/articles/frequency-converter/how-to-size-overprotection-for-vfd-2.html

In April 2006, we reported here that: "It is no secret that machine makers (OEMs) are now the most important drive customers. Companies that make and sell pumps, turbines, compressors, HVAC equipment, boilers and escalators (and anything else that moves anything) have been bundling motors and controllers for years. But as global markets open and price pressure increases, OEMs are demanding more. Instead of just bundling common components, they seek special drive packages that speak special languages, do special jobs and connect in special ways with their machines. But to give an OEM such tailored systems means higher risk with less control for the drives manufacturers, so most haven’t yet responded well, yet."

Yesterday Frost and Sullivan issued a report that takes OEM importance in another direction, suggesting that in markets where there is a "lack of OEM base" market opportunities are reduced. They believe that without a modern machine on to which a drive can be attached, there can't be a market. Makes sense.

And today we received an interesting heads-up from an OEM, who for research privacy reasons, must remain nameless. Sufficient to call the company really big and really successful: they have products working in over 120 countries, employ over 30K people and have consistently returned a nice dividend to their shareholders, even in tough times.

Frustrated with what they see as resistance from traditional drive designers and manufacturers, this global machines leader is looking elsewhere for help with their next generation products. They report that every one of the top drive brands turned away their call for a truly seamless design: one of pure distributed control, mechanical/electrical integration verging on invisibility, and smart, clean power that requires no special in-field installation treatments.

They've gone back to the drawing board with a wide range of drive technology R&D projects to achieve this objective, and none of those projects has been commissioned to a drive manufacturer. Instead, universities, industrial designers, consumer electronics companies and creative firms are bringing their best ideas out of incubation and into the mix.

It may not seem like a new thing. OEMs seem to jump back and forth between vertical integration and outsourcing depending on the whims of the managers and the markets at the time. But this time it seems different. Why?

If we are to live in a smart (and possible peaceful) world, the race is to be smart… not just to be. It's no longer enough to call oneself a maker of one machine or another, but to play a role in understanding and fixing processes. It's now a race to see who can make smart their core business.

Drives, the biggest computers in the control and automation industry, are a key element in this transition.

As this CMO told us, "Our machines are unchanged in almost 100 years, except that now they are run by computers. Our machines will be valuable again only when they are the computers. We're not waiting anymore."

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