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Drive Offers Flexibility and Functionality
Siemens' latest high-performance drives have a modular design and plenty of smarts
Joseph Ogando, Senior Editor -- Design News, September 23, 2007
Flexibility and functionality. That's what design engineers increasingly demand from drives. And SINAMICS S120 drives from Siemens Energy & Automation shine on both scores.
In terms of flexibility, S120 single- and multi-axis drives offer users a choice between high-performance servo or vector modes. Switching modes requires little more than “simply flicking a software switch,” says John Krasn-okutsky, Siemens' motion control marketing manger.
The drive also features a modular concept that separates the drive's power unit and controller, allowing users to select combinations best suited to a given application. And with a flexible backplane providing a link between the S120's components, the system can handle centralized or decentralized control of stand-alone or common-bus drives.
According to Krasnokutsky, the modular nature of the drive offers some added advantages on the shop floor. For example, the separation of power unit and controller has potential safety benefits — by giving users the ability to restrict access to the high-power parts of the system while making the control unit accessible. The system's modularity and flexible backplane also enable easy controller upgrades, while leaving the power units intact. Users can also add or remove axes more easily, often without interrupting production.
As for functionality, the S120 has plenty of smarts. Its Easy Positioning feature provides built-in control for point-to-point motion. The drive also has integrated safety functionality — including safe stop, safe torque, safe braking and limited speed. And the S120 drives now have a “Drive Control Chart” that adds PLC-like logic capabilities. In simpler or stand-alone applications, all this built-in intelligence may eliminate the need to buy a separate controller, Krasnokutsky says.
SINAMICS S120 ac drives are available in single-phase 230V for the 0.25 to 1 hp range. The come in three-phase 460V for the 0.5 to 400 hp range. Power modules are available in compact block construction for systems up to 125 hp or as chassis units for systems from 150 to 400 hp.
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