COST-SAVING AC SOLUTION
March 1st 2004

DC servo control systems on a pick and place gantry at the Cosworth Technology casting operation in Worcester have been replaced by ac geared motors and smd micro drives from Lenze. The decision to ditch the dc system was taken by maintenance manager, Joe Reeves, based on cost and performance. The original system was deemed over-complicated and costly to replace like-for-like when compared to the levels of accuracy and ease of integration offered by the new generation of small ac drives. Advances in power handling and reductions in size (a 2.2kW smd inverter has a panel size of just 146 by 114 by 140mm) meant four such drives would fit into the existing control cabinet. The ac solution using standard Lenze geared motors, de-rated to handle high ambient temperatures reduced purchase cost and will limit the cost of any replacements. Set-up takes just a few minutes on a lap-top with a Windows based software application.

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