Product category:
Industrial Drives/Controls
News Release from: ABB Automation Tech (Drives and Motors)
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 07 March 2001
Drives and motion control liaison
Two of the world's most advanced drives products have come together to create a powerful integrated drive and motion control system.
Two of the world's most advanced drives products have come together to create a powerful integrated drive and motion control system that can be applied to virtually limitless applications In a major breakthrough for industry, ABB Automation's world leading ACS 600 standard AC drives are being fitted with Quin Systems world beating machine control software, Programmable Transmission Software (PTS) Outwardly, the ACS 600 will look no different, as the Quin card slots easily into the drive, needing no additional mounting, protection or connecting
But the ACS 600's already superior performance - thanks to the advanced motor control platform called Direct Torque Control - is even further enhanced.
The result is that both the ACS 600 and Quin Systems own servo drives can, between them, tackle applications normally out of reach for both ABB Automation and Quin.
For example, the system offers a perfect solution for packaging, paper, converting, textiles, printing, general automation and similar web applications where tension control is vital.
A proven tension control algorithm easily deals with varying conditions, such as holding tension whilst stopped or even reversing.
In practice, PTS provides the ACS 600 with a motion language which has evolved over 60 man years.
PTS is already in use through out the world, working in large end-user companies and machine builders alike - often within Fortune 500 category.
The technical alliance between Quin and ABB will result in both companies sharing the benefit of a much wider market.
Motion control within the drive world has so far been seen as a fairly low priority.
However, with modern machinery utilising motion control to a far greater extent than even two years ago, it has now risen to high priority.
In addition, the requirement for managing modular/process lines requires a distributed control philosophy which requires a network designed for high speed synchronising of multiple drives.
To achieve this, Quin's second piece of technology comes into play - Servonet.
Being Servonet ready, the system is equipped for instant linkage to the modular network for distributed control.
Using Servonet takes advantage of the computing power within each drive to ensure that a system works in a fully integrated fashion.
The Servonet machine manager performs all programming and diagnostics and distributes control instruction to the individual controllers.
These can then act individually or broadcast information as appropriate, for the best possible network usage.
This brings all the Quin Systems benefits to a large networked system, while adding in the machine manager benefits of additional communications options, including DeviceNet, Profibus and Ethernet.
The flexibility of Servonet - handling any permutation of AC servo, AC induction, hydraulics and other servo systems, linear motors and much more - delivers a single point of system contact.
This means that, regardless of network size or scope, full communications and diagnostics are available remotely.
• ABB Automation Tech (Drives and Motors): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
