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Product category: Industrial Drives/Controls
News Release from: Parker Hannifin - SSD | Subject: Servo systems
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 28 November 2000

Low cost, OEM machine control package

Eurotherm Drives has developed a high performance yet cost-effective machine control package.

In a key development in the area of servo systems, Eurotherm Drives has developed a high performance yet cost-effective machine control package, comprising a micro servo drive with in-built motion controller and increased I/O, a new servo motor range, and a simple operator interface At the heart of the system is the 631 micro servo drive with in-built motion controller, enabling the drive to be used in speed or positioning applications without additional hardware

The drive - which includes an internal power supply - is only 72mm wide, minimising on panel space requirements.

Providing the 631 with added flexibility to tackle machine control applications, Eurotherm Drives has launched a new I/O module.

Four lines are configured as inputs, whilst the remaining four can be configured as either inputs or outputs in any combination.

Signal changes on inputs are treated as interrupts and will immediately cause a corresponding message to the target unit.

The I/O can be daisy chained between drives, so that if a total of eight I/O are needed to be spread across, say, three servo drives, only a single I/O module is needed.

The I/O modules offer an alternative to the need to employ a PLC to add extra I/O to the application, helping OEMs to keep system costs low.

For applications where a PLC is still required, the signal levels are PLC compatible Operator interface For machine control applications that don't require the sophistication of a fully-fledged MMI product, Eurotherm Drives has launched a simple BCD thumbwheel operator interface with LED display.

The DIN rail mounted unit allows the operator to enter a single variable parameter and view a second parameter.

It is particularly useful for applications such as cut-to-length (for setting cut length, while indicating batch count for example) and indexing applications (for setting index distance and reading units processed) Completing the machine control package is a new range of high performance, low inertia, compact servo motors.

The AC G motors employ high-energy NdFeB magnetic materials to generate a higher flux density, allowing increased powers to be developed by a more compact motor.

Developed specifically as a high volume "OEM" motor to complement the 631 servo drive, the AC G motor offers a high acceleration capacity thanks to their low inertia.

Heat losses are low, and the motors are rated at IP54 levels of environmental protection.

Eurotherm Drives Sales and Marketing Manager Mark Hartley comments: "This a key step forward for servo systems.

Micro servo drives have traditionally been dumb drives, with the intelligence located elsewhere in the control set-up.

They have also been expensive.

But with the 631 series brushless servo drives, we have packed a highly functional specification into a extremely compact package, whilst reducing costs by using many common power components and the high volume manufacturing associated with our inverter ranges.

And we've matched that with a range of complementary servo products to provide OEMs with the complete package." The development meets the growing needs of OEMs for more functional yet more compact servo products in applications such as packaging, printing and materials handling.

Eurotherm Drives believes the price/performance ratio will allow many OEMs to look at servo systems for the first time where cost might have proved prohibitive in the past.

Whilst servo control was once the province only of the machine tool industry, the 631 - employing the latest in microprocessor technology operating sophisticated motor control algorithms brings the advantages to machine building as a whole of replacing linked mechanical sections with independent, electronically driven sections.

Matched with an appropriate, compact servo motor offering low inertia, extremely high torque loop bandwidths are achievable.

This means that the drive is extremely stiff, reacting quickly to any changes in speed or torque demand.

Thus, it effectively emulates the properties of the mechanical system.

The fully featured, built in motion controller provides the functionality to tackle the most complex of motion control applications.

Functions include point to point positioning, electronic gearbox and CAM profiling.

Up to 1500 steps of sequential motion control can be programmed, via a powerful but easy to use BASIC style language.

Offered as standard are an internal dynamic brake switch for braking particularly high inertias, and an internal filter designed to meet the stringent European EMC regulations.

The 631 is suitable for direct connection to 220/240V single phase AC supplies without the need for interposing transformers or external power supply.

Drives are available in four ratings from 1 to 6A, and offer a 200% overload capability.

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