Are smart VSDs pointing in the right direction?

When an inverter drive trips, the  first question is why. The A VSD tripping is not the problem, but a symptom of the problem. lt is supposed to do that to protect the motor and process machinery. But how easy is it to discover why and decide how best to resolve it?

Inverter drives are packed with features that go beyond simply controlling the speed and torque of a motor.  But whether you need a smart drive or a really smart drive, there are some features that you just can’t live without.

Smart diagnosis starts with the keypad. With a clear display, it is easier to see exactly which drive has tripped. Trip histories, particularly if time stamped, allow users to spot patterns of events and perform preventive maintenance before a major issue occurs.

ABB’s new VSD display supports graphics, charts and icons to make complex information instantly understandable. The innovative views, transitions and screen will be very familiar to users of Smartphone technology.

The keypad also supports text editing to allow users to re-name fault messages to match plant specific actions. Plain English is much more preferable to codes and symbols that you have to interpret or memorise. Customer specific start-up images and parameter favourites make the keypad easily tailored to customers and OEM requirements.

Intuitive machine interface

ABB’s assistant control panel provides additional functionality over the basic keypad, with its intuitive use and ease of  navigation. The panel saves on commissioning and learning time by  means of different assistants, making the drive simple to set  up and use.

It is possible to organize parameters in different ways and  store essential parameters for different configurations  for any specialized application needed. The menus and  messages can be customized for specific terminology so that each application can be set up and configured to its optimum performance. This makes the drive easier to use with information that is familiar to users.

With the panel’s text editor, users can also add information, customize text and label the drive. Powerful backup and restore functions are supported as well as different language versions. The help key provides context sensitive guidance. Faults or warnings can be resolved quickly since the help key provides troubleshooting instructions. One control panel can be connected to several drives simultaneously using the panel network feature. There is an assistant control panel mounting platform, DPMP-01 IP55 kit available for cabinet door flush mounting.

ABB VSDs and accessories are available at discounted prices from 999  Inverters.com