Variable Speed Motor Drives

In today's age, where up time and low mean time between failures are critical in today's manufacturing environment, an area where review might be necessary is on all your current Variable Frequency AC Drives.

If your systems are critical to your companies performance, then a drive that fails without the fast ability to switch to direct AC line power means increased down time and lower profits.  Here is a way to cure that potential pitfall. 

These packaged systems work with any manufacturer's drive!   Starter control starts the motor and provides motor overload protection when the bypass is in the "LINE" position.  Here are some details on the system:

Starter Control with Motor Overload starts the motor and provides motor overload protection when the IBYSS® is in the "LINE" position.  

The Motor Overload Protection is provided by a UL Listed Class 10 Overload. Line Start and Line Stop pushbuttons are provided in the enclosure door.  

A Control Circuit Transformer with 120 volt fused secondary is provided for control power. All field wiring connects to factory installed Terminal Strip.  

Inverters provide an economical means of regulating the speed and performance of motors. Inverters have gained a prominent place in today’s industrial and commercial arena. But as dependable as modern inverters are, they still malfunction and cease operation, generally at the worst possible moment.

For this reason, several methods of isolating the inverter have been developed. Until now these methods involved expensive and unreliable contactors, relays, and timers.

Advance Controls' Patented IBYSS ® (Inverter Bypass Safety Switch) eliminates all of these unreliable methods of removing the power from the inverter drive.   The IBYSS ® is a manually operated "Positive Break" switch. It does not rely on relays, contactors, or timers; all of which can burn out and stop the application from running. The "Positive Break" feature mechanically ramps the contacts open. The IBYSS ® does not use springs (as used in contactors and relays) to open the contacts.

Should the inverter malfunction, the IBYSS ® is manually switched from the “DRIVE” to the “LINE” position. This redirects power around the inverter straight to the motor and completely removes all power from the inverter. This provides total isolation of the inverter from both the incoming power line and the outgoing line to the motor. Since the power to the inverter is completely cut off, the inverter can be serviced or even removed, while the application is operating at full speed / full power.

The IBYSS ® is the answer for a low cost, direct acting, straight forward and reliable means of providing an inverter bypass and total isolation of the inverter during a malfunction while still providing full power directly to the application. The IBYSS ® is also furnished with a "TEST" position. This "TEST" position allows power into the inverter for setup and diagnostics, but does not allow power to the application. The "TEST" position simplifies the installation and maintenance of the inverter.

All IBYSS ® can be customized for specific applications. Enclosures, switching patterns, connections, etc. can be customized to meet unique needs.

Operation

• “Drive” (Normal) Position Incoming Power is routed through the Inverter Bypass Safety Switch to the inverter drive, from the inverter drive back through the switch and then to the application.
• “Off” Position Incoming Power is stopped at the Inverter Bypass Safety Switch. No power is routed to either the inverter drive or to the application.
• “Line” (Bypass) Position Incoming Power is routed through the Inverter Bypass Safety Switch directly to the application (motor). In the "bypass" position, no power is routed to the inverter drive from either the incoming power line to the switch or from the outgoing power line to the application. In the "bypass" position, power is completely removed from the inverter drive. The application continues receiving full - direct power.
• “Test” Position Incoming Power is routed through the Inverter Bypass Safety Switch to the Inverter Drive. No power is allowed from the switch to the application. The "TEST" position allows calibration, adjustments and diagnostics to be performed on the inverter drive without allowing the power to flow on to the application. This position allows easy setup for the inverter drive.

We have standard designs offered on our website, if you have needs that don't seem to be listed on our site please contact us as we can work with you on your requirements to find the package to fit your needs.  If you have a need for a Variable Frequency Drive and a 3 contactor bypass in a single enclosure our facility can provide that value added option for little investment. 

Contact Marshall Wolf Automation at 847-658-8130 or contact us via email at sales@wolfautomation.com, or our website, www.wolfautomation.com and we can help determine your inverter by pass needs.
 

I received a call the other day regarding a customer setting up his newly purchased TECO Westinghouse brand of a high performance AC drive.  As he was finishing wiring from the motor back to the output side of the drive and had a question in his mind. 

He asked if it was important to wire his ground wire back to the drive because he already had a ground from the motor to his machine frame. 

My answer is grounding is one of your variable frequency drives best friends.

In addition, a grounding conductor must be brought back from the motor to the VFD's internal grounding terminal. This direct motor ground to the VFD is required to minimize interference and for the ground-fault protection function of the drive to operate properly. 

In other words, please don't take the short cut route and just ground from the motor to a panel but to the PE terminal on the output side of the the drive. 

While we are discussing grounding, a couple of other quick points to remember:

1)  If your application has the motor operating at reduced speeds it will also have reduced cooling; as a result, it may fail due to thermal breakdown of the motor windings insulation. Thus, the optimum protection for a motor is thermal sensing of the motor windings. This sensing is then interlocked with the VFD's control circuit. This is highly recommended for any motor that is to be operated for extended periods of time at low speeds, just a little tip to help obtain maximum life of the motor. 

2)  Altitude affects the heat dissipation capability of the heat sink and units in locations at 3300 ft (1000 m) above sea level must be derated. A common rule of thumb is a 2% derating for every 1000 ft above the 3300 ft altitude level.

When you need a high performance AC drive, consider Wolf Automation as your Industrial Supply Distributor for AC Freqency drives, we carry 9 different brands of drives to assist in all your application needs.  Contact us at 800-325-9653 or check us out at www.wolfautomation.com contact us we can help!

 

'My Automation Education' continues with variable-frequency drives. These are pretty important parts of an automated system. They are what allows an automated process to be paced and not running wide-open all day.

A variable-frequency drive (VFD) is a system for controlling the speed of a rotational or linear alternating current (AC) electric motor by controlling the frequency of the electrical power supplied to the motor. Variable-frequency drives are used in a wide number of applications to control pumps, fans, hoists, conveyors, and other machinery.

I like to think of motors as the brawn in an automated system, and a drive as the brains. Let's try exploring this analogy a little further:

Pretend you are a farmer in the 1800s trying to plow your new plot in the beautiful heartland. You have to plow your entire field in one day. Your oxen will pull with all their might and have little direction or control, leaving you with a pretty worthless field because it will be crooked, uneven and probably just torn up. Without you - the drive - to regulate their effort and direction, the task is a failure.

Another analogy for a VFD would be the tortoise and the hare. Without a VFD the motor is going to be the hare and run itself at full power until it just has no more to give. A variable-frequency drive allows a motor to be both tortoise and hare, slow and consistent production with the ability for bursts if needed.

Marshall Wolf Automation, your number one industrial automation distributor, carries a wide variety of VFDs to meet any need you may have. We offer AC Tech Lenze and TECO Westinghouse drives, plus many more. If you want to rein in your oxen or turn your hare into a distance runner check out our website.

Rugged and Versatile!   No, unfortunately not me.  But what is rugged and versatile is the EQ5 drive from Teco.

Marshall Wolf Automation, your full-line industrial automation distributor, is an authorized Teco Westinghouse distributor.

Some typical applications for using the Teco EQ5 are:

• Crushers, Grinders
• Compressors
• Water and Wastewater
• Warehouse Automation
• Mixers
• Winders
• Material Handling

Some Features and Benefits of the Teco EQ5 drive are:

• Models are dual rated for constant or variable torque operation
• Reduced motor instability at low speed
• On-line tuning system
• Global Products and Communication
• Intelligent Keypad Panel

Please view more information on the Teco EQ5 drive on our website at www.wolfautomation.com.

Please email your requests to sales@wolfautomation.com.

Thank you for your time and I hope to order from you very soon.

 

 

 Question:  I have a single phase, 120volt AC motor and I need a variable speed frequency drive, can you get me one?

Answer:  “No drive for you!”  But don’t fear!  Even though a drive like that doesn’t exist, Marshall Wolf Automation has a solution to control the motor through voltage control via a DART brand controller.  These nice little speed controllers will control your single phase motors in either 120v or 240v. 

All models feature single-phase AC input and fully variable AC output. The enclosed version comes with a rugged housing, power on/off switch, power on indicator lamp, front access fuse, as well as convenient input and output cords and plugs.

The heart of the control is a triac fired in a manner to adjust phase and thereby vary speed.  The Dart Controls 55 Series is designed to work with shaded pole, permanent split capacitor, universal motors or any resistive load. It is not designed for capacitor start motors.

• Variable AC voltage supply
• Available in 120VAC single phase input or 240VAC single phase input
• Choose chassis style or enclosed
• Enclosed version comes with rugged housing, power on/off switch, power on indicator lamp, front access fuse and convenient input/output cords and plugs
• All models feature single phase AC input and fully variable AC output
• Temperature ...-10° to +45° C.
• AC Input Voltage ...±10% Rated Line Voltage
• Input Frequency ... 50/60 Hz.
• Designed to work with shaded pole, permanent split capacitor, permanent split-phase, universal motors or any resistive load
• Great for fan, pump, heating, lighting and vibratory feeder industries

Contact Marshall Wolf Automation through…   sales@wolfautomation.com.

Our website is www.wolfautomation.com.

Answer:

Marshall Wolf Automation not only has a large inventory of high performance AC drives ready for same day shipping, we also have an in-house technical department to help you figure out which drive would be best for you.

We are authorized industrial automation distributors for AC Tech Lenze, Hitachi, TECO Westinghouse, Fuji Electric and Delta, among others.

View all of our variable frequency drives now!

 

Is it really an age old question? Well no, but it is a legitimate question. 

 

Now is the time to take a look at the feature-rich TECO EQ5 series!

We have deeply discounted this series to help our customers take a look and try out this series. Special pricing is valid through March 31, 2012.

This high performance AC drive line is available from 1/4 hp to 800 hp. Other features include:

• Dynamic torque-vector control
• Reduced motor instability at low speed
• New on-line tuning system
• Environment-friendly features
• Advanced functions
• Global communication
• Intelligent keypad
• Advanced programming and monitoring via TECO-Link Software

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized industrial automation distributor for the complete line of TECO Westinghouse drives.

Search all of our variable speed AC drives now!

A motor soft starter should be used if you are looking to reduce the stress on your motor and shaft during startup.

Basically a motor soft starter temporarily reduces the load and torque of the motor during the startup.

Applications that would benefit from the use of motor soft starters:

• Conveyors - are you looking for a smooth start? A soft starter can avoid jerking
• Pumps - avoid pressure surges
• Any application using belt drives would see a reduction in belt slipping

Are you looking for even more control of the motor? Our full line of variable speed AC drives can do the job. Learn more about variable frequency drives from this blog.

Confused? Our in-house engineers can help you decide if a motor soft starter or variable speed AC drive can help you in your application!

The name sounds more complicated than the system actually is.

You've probably seen these, especially if you've been in a plane lately. Those big green circles out in the fields? Courtesy of a center pivot irrigation system.

Basically the irrigation sprinkler pivots around a central point. The center pivot (get it?) is fixed and rotates around to water a large circle.

Marshall Wolf Automation has a number of products that can benefit and upgrade an existing center pivot irrigation system or simply improve a new one.

Variable frequency drives are one way to lower peak current demands and run the motors at a reduced speed. A simple energy management solution.

We also are an authorized IDEC distributor which means we can offer you great pricing on SmartRelays, industrial DC power supplies, industrial stack lights, pushbuttons, sensors and much more.

Even better, we have in-house technical support ready to recommend the best products for your center pivot irrigation system.

The TECO N3 series now has BACnet Communications included as a standard feature.

BACnet can be selected via parameter configuration. Then, with optional SIF-485 connector module, the TECO N3 drive will communicate on a BACnet network.

This gives you an excellent solution compared to other available methods of communications, including Gateway modules or 3rd party communication cards.

Gateways have typically been separate cards or mounted devices that are 'translators' from another protocol (Modbus for example) to BACnet. The TECO N3 model can eliminate this added step.

What is BACnet? It is a communication protocol that experienced significant growth in the past few years. BACnet is designed for Building Management Systems which include HVAC but includes other applications as well. These include energy management solutions, lighting, fire prevention and security access.

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized industrial automation distributor for the complete line of TECO Westinghouse high performance AC drives, industrial electric motors and much more.

Search all of our TECO products now!

Hitachi America has announced two new 100V class models in the WJ200 series. The new models will be rated at 1/2 hp and 1 hp, 100-120VAC single phase input and 200-240VAC 3 phase input.

The new models should be available by 2nd quarter of 2012.

To recap the Hitachi WJ200 is a sensorless vector AC drive (SLV) that is capable of 200% or greater torque across the speed range and has improved speed regulation.

The Hitachi WJ200 features:

• Integrated PLC-like functionality
• Programs up to 1024 lines can be created on a PC using Easy Sequence (EzSQ)
• You can drive both induction and permanent magnet (PM) motors
• EzCOM peer-to-peer communications

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized industrial automation distributor for the full line of Hitachi variable frequency drives.

Search all of our Hitachi high performance AC drives now!

Marshall Wolf Automation is the place to go for single phase variable frequency drives!

We are authorized stocking distributors for all the top names including AC Tech Lenze, Hitachi VFD"s, Delta, Fuji Electric and TECO Westinghouse drives.

The use of speed control with single-phase induction motors is popular because it not only provides variable speed but also reduces energy consumption and noise.

As you have probably already realized 3 phase input/output AC drives are easy to come by... single phase input/3 phase output can be a little bit more difficult.

If you would like to speak to engineer about your single phase VFD application just give us a call at 800-325-9653 or shoot us an email - sales@wolfautomation.com.

Take a look at our single phase VFD offering now!

View our most popular single phase input variable frequency drive now - the Teco EV!

What type of Motovario motor are you looking for?  Motovario B Series Helical Bevel Gear Reducers and Gear motors offer more torque in a compact housing for easy adaptations into a wide range of applications! 

Or is it the In-Line Helical Gear Reducers & Gear motors Motovario H Series? This series housing has wide bearing support seats. Wider supports mean better load and shock handling and less stress on the reducer housing! 

SmartBox H series housings have wide bearing support seats. The wider supports mean better load and shock handling and less stress on the reducer housing. The reducer feet, typically the focal point for torsion and other stresses, are relieved of some strain. By easing the stress on the reducer housing, reducer failure due to overhung load is eliminated.

How about the Smartbox Gear reducer?  The Modularity Concept of Motovario SmartBox™ means modular production and modular assembly for modular gear reducers. SmartBox™ is built with standardized parts, sharing gears, shafts, input sets and output shafts and flanges. SmartBox™ gear reducers are easily adapted for any application. With machined feet, tapped mounting holes and flange mounting available as standard, the SmartBox S Series can adapt easily to any application. Hollow bore or solid shaft output is also available, adding to the SmartBox S Series flexibility. Smaller SmartBox S Series units are also maintenance-free (sizes 050 and 060). These units are sealed and do not require a breather plug. All SmartBox PS and IS Series reducers are approved for the baking industry by BISSC.

Marshall Wolf Automation also carries Lenze motors, Weg motors and all of the variable speed motor drives to control the speed of your motor.

If you are looking for a distributor where a live person answers the phone, tech support is available to answer your questions and customer service is helpful, call us!  800-325-9653 We are here to help. 

The popular AC Tech Lenze SMVector series is a variable frequency AC drive series that offers a wide range of options:

Standard Enclosure Vector AC Drive
NEMA 1
120V to 600V
0.33 to 40 HP
Open loop vector, V/Hz

Washdown Enclosure Vector AC Drive
NEMA 4X
120V to 600V
0.33 to 30 HP
Open loop vector, V/Hz

Integral Disconnect Vector AC Drive
NEMA 4X
Integral motor and drive disconnect
0.33 to 30 HP
Open loop vector, V/Hz

Marshall Wolf Automation is your authorized industrial automation distributor for the complete line of AC Tech Lenze variable speed AC drives.