Easier route to multi-axis drive control
First Quarter 2007
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
We take a look at some recent drives and drives control product developments from KEB, which could make life a lot easier for machine control systems integrators
Multi-axis drive applications like transfer lines or web processes usually require some form of special interface between the host controller and the various drive elements of the machine. This can involve the purchase of expensive secondary hardware or, alternately, the embedding of special control functions within each drive in the form of bespoke software. In both cases, the additional systems integration tasks add cost and time to the project.
KEB has recently come up with an effective alternative approach to this problem in the form of its Combicontrol C5 module, which can be interposed between controllers such as PLCs or industrial PCs, and the motor drives themselves. It is primarily designed to Interface controllers to KEB's Combivert F5 series of AC motor drives, and is freely programmable using the company's CoDeSys IEC 61131-3 compliant software. In some cases, the Combicontrol C5 module can replace a PLC in a decentralised control application.
With a 32-bit microcontroller at its heart, the Combicontrol C5 offers a host of communications options, including drive bus connections for up to eight separate axes, Ethernet for parameterisation and visualisation, CANopen and Profibus fieldbus connectivity and eight digital inputs and outputs. The unit mounts on a standard 35 mm top-hat rail.
While on the subject of Combivert F5 drives, KEB's latest offering in this series is the Version SCL (sensorless closed loop) option, which is available across the power range, 0,75 to 630 kW. Working on the principle of real field orientation without encoder feedback, this drive package could save you unnecessary investment in motor-mounted encoders, the additional cabling required to route encoder signals back to the drive and the cost of a drive encoder interface. Combivert F5 SCL can presently be used in conjunction with servomotors, spindle motors and torque motors.
Recently added to this series is the Version ASCL (asynchronous sensorless closed loop) used in conjunction with linear and asynchronous motor operation.
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