What is adaptive acceleration control?
Fourth Quarter 2020
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Adaptive Acceleration Control (AAC) is a new soft start control type that allows the selection of different acceleration and deceleration profiles according to application needs. Soft starters offer a variety of methods for the control of motor starting and stopping. Each type of the control uses a different primary control parameter.

AAC is a new intelligent motor control technique. In an AAC soft start, the ASAB soft starter adjusts the current in order to start the motor within a specified time and using a selected acceleration profile. It is based on two algorithms, one for measuring (learning) the motor characteristics and one for controlling the motor. During each start it makes two speed estimates, zero speed at LR and maximum speed at the point when the motor is operating at maximum efficiency. During subsequent start and stop operations, measuring the motor characteristics and using this value to determine the speed between the two known end points provides an estimate of motor speed.
The control algorithm creates a time based speed profile which can create curves from a mathematical function. During each start and stop operation the control algorithm compares the speed estimate with the speed ramp profile. If the speed estimate is too low it increases the power to the motor and decreases the power when it is too high. This allows for control of the three accelerating and three decelerating profiles, and if the motor does not start and stop smoothly, to fine-tune adjust the adaptive control gain.
Further reading:
Magma X100 delivers AMB systems for wide range of industrial machinery
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
SpinDrive launches Magma X100 controller, bringing active magnetic bearing technology to a new generation of industrial applications. The Magma X100 expands SpinDrive’s oil-free, frictionless AMB technology to applications below 150 kW, unlocking new addressable markets.
Read more...
Mammoet completes major bridge replacement at Amsterdam Centraal Station
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Mammoet completes the second of five major bridge replacements at Amsterdam Centraal Station, transporting steel deck sections by water to keep the station open throughout the works.
Read more...
Compressorless hydrogen turbine generates electricity using detonation waves
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have demonstrated a hydrogen gas turbine that generates electricity without a mechanical compressor.
Read more...
Why lubrication fails in mining and what to do about it
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Lubrication Engineers explains the recurring failure points behind mining lubrication problems and how the right product, storage and application practices can improve equipment reliability.
Read more...
Echain protects cables in cleanrooms
igus
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Advanced polymer manufacturer igus has developed a new cleanroom energy chain with an innovative guide system that allows for abrasion-resistant travel over distances of up to 30 metres.
Read more...
PowerFlex drives cut energy use by up to 30% amid rising costs
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Rockwell Automation’s PowerFlex 755TS variable frequency drives are delivering energy reductions of 10 to 30% in Africa’s industrial operations, with adaptive control and predictive maintenance features that cut downtime by up to 50%.
Read more...
Next-generation oil-free motor systems with active magnetic bearings
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
WEG and SpinDrive are collaborating to integrate SpinDrive’s AMBs and built-in IoT condition monitoring into WEG’s market-leading electric motor offering, creating an oil-free, maintenance-free drive solution.
Read more...
Direct drive with integrated control
Vepac Electronics
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The PSD 40 direct drive is a mechatronic system with integrated control, bus interface and absolute measuring system, with no battery required.
Read more...
AI-powered on-premises analytics for industrial drives
Siemens South Africa
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens is introducing a new on-premises analytics solution for industrial drive systems. The software enables users to evaluate drive data entirely within their own infrastructure and meet stringent data-sovereignty requirements.
Read more...
Hydrostatic machine base for ultra-precision grinding centre
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Hyprostatik Schönfeld has developed a high-precision hydrostatic machine base for a new ultra-precision grinding centre for Optotech. The machine platform enables a previously unattainable combination of dimensional accuracy, dynamics and surface quality in the ultra-precision grinding of optical surfaces.
Read more...