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Vacon Motor Mountable drives are exactly what the name suggests: products that can be mounted directly on the motor or machine or wherever the most efficient location for the drive is. This is what the concept of a decentralized system means, and it can result in significant savings in cabling costs, space and energy. Introduced at the SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2010 last November in Nuremberg, Germany, the Vacon 100 Motor Mountable products are soon entering the market.

Decentralized AC drives are a new design philosophy in Vacon’s portfolio, and the Vacon 100 Motor Mountable AC drives are the first products designed with this concept in mind. Hans Carlsson, Product Marketing Director, OEM Drives, explains: “Decentralized AC drives are located as close to the motor as possible, typically mounted on the motor or on the machine they are driving. These drives allow engineers and machine builders to make the most of the available space in and around the machine. With drives available in powers up to 30 kW, the decentralized concept can be utilized in new applications that have previously been limited to traditional cabinet solutions.”

The benefits are significant. “This arrangement can give considerable savings since it does away with the need for separate electrical rooms that require ventilation, and for long, expensive shielded motor cables, complex wiring and drive cabinets. Vacon motor mountable drives are also not restricted to any particular motor supplier,” Mr Carlsson continues.

Tough drive for harsh environments

The Vacon 100 Motor Mountable drive is a tough drive designed for harsh environments. With a durable all-metal die-cast frame, the product is built to withstand heat, dirt and vibration. It is also perfectly suited for applications requiring control as smooth and soft as silk. Andrea Perin, Country Manager for Vacon in Italy, where the product has been designed, says: “We wanted to design products that are truly usable in a wide range of applications, such as high power pumps, fans, compressors and many more. For OEM manufacturers this is an opportunity to increase the number of drives in their deliveries while offering the customer an optimized solution.”

The Vacon 100 Motor Mountable AC drives are robust, featuring a die-cast frame and large, open cooling ribs. The enclosure is rated up to IP66 and designed to withstand severe vibration, so it is really made for a rough ride. These drives are not limited to a specific mounting location, so they open up completely new ways of using AC drives. The power range is up to 30 kW, which is the highest in this class.

Clean tech product

An electrically clean product, the Vacon 100 Motor Mountable AC drive incorporates a harmonics-filtering choke as standard. This means that the AC drive can be connected to public electrical networks without any extra precautions. Other environmental design values have been observed by complying with the RoHS directive and by using components that do not contain environmentally harmful substances, such as toxic electrolytes.

The decentralized drives concept in a nutshell

• Locating the drive as close to the motor as possible
• Minimizing the use of electrical rooms
• Integrating the drive with the machine
• No enclosure used for the drive

Designed in Italy

The Vacon 100 Motor Mountable has been designed in Italy ? a country famous for its design. The skilled Vacon R&D team in Naturns, in the beautiful Alps, has developed motor mounted drives before, so it was logical to choose them for the task.

“The solutions designed for the Vacon 100 platform have been adapted to the special needs of motor mountable drives. Our main focus has been on mechanics and cooling, which are the most critical areas in the product,” says Andrea Perin, Country Manager for Vacon in Italy. “Motor mounted drives have been on the market for many years, but because of the increased need for energy efficiency, this segment is really becoming interesting now,” he concludes.

Sales will start in few months

VEM motors Finland will start selling the new product as soon as it is ready. Estimated time for the start-up is  the 1. quarter of 2012.

Please contact: Markku Parpala Product Manager, AC drives Tel. +358 207 613 718