• ABB Limited

Abb Launches Its Smallest Drive

ABB Drives has launched its first micro drive, taking the power rating of its extensive AC drives range from 2.2 kW down to 0.37 kW, in 200 V and 240 V single-phase and three-phase. Simple operation, accurate speed control, easy installation and fast commissioning are features of the low cost ACS 100. Measuring 80 mm wide, the drive is the only one in its class with a detachable front mounted control panel. The six-pushbutton, matchbox-size removable control panel is of particular advantage to those installing many small drives with the same settings, as the panel can copy parameters from one ACS 100 and paste them into as many other ACS 100s as required. Users only need to purchase one ACS 100 drive with a control panel to programme all their micro drives. The detachable panel can be mounted on the cabinet door, giving panel builde'rs and OEMs more flexibility with their system designs. In the simplest of applications, the control panel is not needed at all. The standard unit is simply installed and, using the default settings, the user can begin operation. With a switch, five ramp times and the supply frequency (50 or 60 Hz) can be chosen. Should the application requirements change, a control panel can be purchased and the features/ parameters of the base unit can be further expanded. The IP20 rated ACS 100 is also the only micro drive to offer three alternative mounting arrangements: DIN rail, flange and wall mounted. Of particular interest to OEMs and panel builders is the flange mounted arrangement. The drives can be densely packed into panels with the heatsinks in a ventilation duct. Typically, two-thirds of drives' losses are dissipated through the heatsink. Thus with flange mounting, the electronics are inside and the cooling is undertaken outside, thereby increasing the reliability of the electronics. The drive is also rated for operation up to 50? C ambient, which together with the flange arrangement, allows the drive to be integrated into machinery or used in warmer environments. The drive has been designed for 400,000 hours of MTBF, ensuring long periods between services or replacement. The flexibility of the ACS 100 I/Os allows a simple and direct PNP and NPN interface with any PLC, without any relays. The drive accepts 0-20 mA and 0-10 V analogue signals, making it easy to apply to analogue control systems. Typical applications for the drives are materials handling conveyors, pumps, fans and mixers.