Power Electronics Variable Frequency Drives | Industrial Power & Control – Industrial Power & Control Inc.
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Variable Frequency Drives

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Overview

Customize your crane! Power Electronics is the only company that designs and manufactures motor controls exclusively for cranes and hoists. Conventional control systems such as resistor banks, timers and fluid couplings can be done away with. Contactor arcing is eliminated and brake wear is reduced resulting in longer service life on your crane equipment.

Over 35 years of crane and hoist control engineering experience has been dedicated to Micro-Speed CX, Smart-Move and Multi-Vector drives. The result is the most rugged, reliable, easy to use Variable Frequency Drive exclusively for the crane & hoist industry. PE drives are the single most productive and cost effective method for updating industrial cranes.

PE Theory
A.C. squirrel cage induction motors are typically characterized as constant speed when they are run from a 60Hz power source. If the source frequency can be adjusted, the motor speed and associated motor characteristics can be controlled to various levels of performance. Variable speed crane drives use existing A.C. power and convert it to D.C. via an electronic technique known as pulse width modulation (PWM). The Direct Current is then turned back into variable frequency alternating current (VFAC). With variable frequency A.C., the motor is now capable of performing to torque, efficiency or speed characteristics that are not typically associated with standard A.C. systems.

Why should you chose a drive that has been developed for Crane use instead of a generic drive?

Variable frequency drives are common in many industrial applications including the control of conveyors, pumps and fans. So why should you invest in a PE drive designed for a crane when there are many cheaper generic drives available?

PE drives are more robust than a generic drive. They have been developed for cranes by people who know cranes.
Generic drives provide maximum current at full speed. PE drives have been developed to reach maximum current when the torque is required - for example, at very low speeds to release a load brake on a hoist.
Regeneration resistors are on-board for models up to 5HP (no additional resistors to source / install)
110 Volt control circuitry that does not require additional cards
Vibration and shock load capable
Designed to allow up to 300% in rush current to save nuisance trips like sticky load brakes
Rated for continuous operation up to 60 degrees Celsius
Exclusive Gang-Set programming allows you to customize your VFD to common crane settings with the touch of a button - no specialized programming required
Multi Vector Drive setup can be done while the motor is coupled to the hoist
Crane specific technical support available - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Industrial Power & Control can provide a full range of solutions, from complete control panels to variable speed AC drives and 2-speed "Smooth Move" controllers.
Standard products are described below - contact us for your specific application.

 

Smooth-Move Micro-Sized Soft Start Controls

Modernize with smooth starting, reversing, jogging, more precise spotting and inching. Smooth-Move reduces or eliminates breakage and wear on drive trains, gearing and belts with voltage control (reduced torque). All three phases are controlled with SCR's to provide for the heavy use that is only seen in the harshest environments. These controls increase the life, reliability, productivity and safety of new or existing 3 phase motorized equipment.

 

 

Variable Frequency Drives

Smart-Move and Micro-Speed CX are the only A.C. variable voltage, variable speed "scalar" drives designed specifically for the overhead crane industry. They feature Gang-Set instant programming and rugged enclosures. Units are available with up to 5 speeds, including infinitely variable modes. Select Micro-Speed CX for high horsepower, high current applications. Smart-Move offers many of the features of Micro-Speed CX for smaller, low horsepower applications.

For the most accurate, advanced Variable Frequency drives look to Micro-Speed Multi Vector. The multi vector is an advanced "closed loop" VFD for superior "no load brake" style overhead hoist control. With its high duty cycle rating and rugged design, all types of A.C. single speed and wound rotor hoists can now operate with safe multi-speed capability, regardless of the load. One drive for all CMAA duties A through F.

 

 

Why Use Line Inductors?

Shock absorbers are a necessity on a rocky, bumpy road for your vehicle's longevity and safe ride. Likewise, an electrical shock absorber (3 phase inductor) can increase the reliability of electronics equipment on 3 phase A.C. lines having noise, line spikes, surges, hard lines, black outs or brown outs etc.

Switching capacitor banks by utility companies can cause high voltage power spikes which can damage electronics on motor drives. Also, induction heating furnaces, electrical smelting, electrical arc welding, close proximity to generators and power mains can all destroy variable speed drives under certain conditions. Arcing from single shoe or roller bar collectors on electrification systems can cause a gradual breakdown of input diode bridges on variable speed drives.

With 3 phase inductors, it is possible to absorb many of these destructive processes in a simple an inexpensive manner. Inductors are small, light and less expensive than alternative protection methods like 100% transformer isolation. The destructive pulses are absorbed in a magnetic field in the device, effectively smoothing out what would have been a large spike of voltage / current.

Selection of the 3 phase line inductor is based on motor full load amperage. On multi motion systems it is necessary to protect the input for each drive separately. A single unit for all motions is not effective unless all motions run simultaneously. In certain conditions when large distances between the variable speed drive and the motor are present, an inductor may be used on the drive output side. Inductors can also be used to clean up electrical noise generated by VFDs going back to the line. If you believe a surge protector is a wise investment for your personal computer hardware, you may want to consider the added security that is available to VFD's with Line Inductors.