Let’s just jump right into it!
- Adjustable Operating Speed:
The main goal of having Speed Drives is to modify the motor speed based on process requirements, this goal faces mechanical and electrical limitations, depending on the type of AC motor used. Thanks to its ability to convert AC supply into DC (Rectify Process) and then turn this DC Power into AC Power (Inverter Process) they can modify the Voltage and Frequency fed into the AC Motor.
- Controls Starting Current:
Due to its ability to control the Voltage and Frequency fed to the AC Motor, having a Speed Drive starting an AC motor lowers significantly its stating current as well as its mechanical effort, giving a longer life to the Motor it’s controlling.
- Reduces the Power Line Disturbance:
Starting an AC motor takes much more than the actual amount of current required, therefore, it puts an enormous strain on the power distribution system used in the manufacturing company. The increase or decrease in the supply voltage can cause other equipment attached to the same power line to trip. Items such as sensitive computers and other motors that cannot take the toll of this shift in the power supply can be saved if a speed drive is used.
- Controls Acceleration:
A speed drive starts the motor at a low speed and then accelerates it with precision in order to avoid a sudden change in the current that might shock the motor and possibly damage the whole system.
- Controls Stopping Motor’s Speed:
When a motor suddenly comes to a stop, it causes a change in the overall load that the system was initially going through. The use of speed drives helps reduce the sudden shock that the system has to go through otherwise. The drive helps the motor to slowly come to a stop.
- Saves Energy:
The use of speed drives can help reduce the high amount of energy consumed by the equipment of a manufacturing company. Centrifugal fan and pump loads operated with adjustable speed drives reduce energy consumption; thanks to the use of Speed Drives, the fan and/or the pump run with the required speed for the process. Without a Speed Drive, the Fan / Pump would run at a higher rate than needed, and the excess would be either restrained or recirculated. The energy savings are related to a return on investment in approximately less than two years.
- Increases Motor Life:
Carefully managing a motor’s operations can increase its life greatly. Motors left on their own to perform their functions can cause a sudden increase and decrease to the system without warning, which can burn them. These factors, if not treated on time, can cause overall damage to the whole system and the motor’s lifetime. The use of speed drives can carefully monitor any fluctuations occurring in the motor and keep it steady; reducing any damage that might take place otherwise.
- Helps Control the Torque:
When using an adjustable speed drive with torque control capabilities, the torque applied by the motor to the load can be controlled accurately. This feature can protect machinery, as well as the process and the product, from damage.
- Controls the Reverse Operations:
The use of an adjustable speed drive eliminates the need for a reversing starter, as the output phases of the motor can be electronically changed without mechanical devices. Eliminating the reversing starter reduces the cost that comes with its use; making it less expensive overall.
- Stabilizes the Flow of Current:
When a sudden surge of power is drawn to activate a motor, the excess must flow through the power lines feeding the system. The motor handles more load than necessary for the efficient functioning of the system. Additionally, when motors draw a huge surge of power, other components in the system get starved, which can cause them to trip offline due to inadequate voltage. This can damage computers, various sensors, and proximity switches over time.
For all of these named reasons, having a speed drive in your manufacturing plant, whether big or small, is one of the most beneficial actions you can take towards your business. Here at ICA, we offer the latest products in the market from top brands such as Schneider and siemens, we will be thrilled to help you get the speed drive you need, or upgrade the one you already have.