March 2017 – NORD Drivesystems has developed a new line-up of user-friendly, low-maintenance electronic drives for intralogistics systems. These new frequency inverter and motor starter models for distributed installations are especially easy to deploy and operate. Coded plug-in connectors ensure comfortable handling throughout a system's lifetime, from the initial installation, to maintenance, to eventual replacement. The devices provide very flexible mechanical and feature customization options that can all be configured to individual requirements: interface ports, manual switches, and a range of functions that even include closed-loop control and sequential control managed by an integrated PLC.

Distributed drives must execute commands from a higher-level central control system with absolute reliability. In many scenarios, however, operating staff and service technicians may also require optional direct access to individual drives or drive axes on location. Such access enables them to quickly resolve small problems like a jammed conveyor belt that might otherwise lead to a shut-down of the entire line, sometimes putting hundreds of conveyor modules out of work for a considerable amount of time. The company has therefore developed the new NORDAC LINK drive electronics line for particularly convenient and time-saving operation and maintenance. Key features of the new drives are coded plug-in connectors for all power and communication lines, as well as for various sensors, actuators, and encoders.

These greatly facilitate correct, quick, and safe connections. LEDs on the field distribution systems enable error diagnostics on the production floor, and operators can remedy problems then and there using the maintenance and control switches on the drives. The compact units are designed for wall or frame mounting. Featuring a busbar for the mains supply, they can be daisy-chained with short cabling from one drive to the next, which saves time and expenses. The field distribution systems are able to control asynchronous or synchronous motors. They come with comprehensive certifications for operation everywhere in the world. The drives support Profibus, CANopen, DeviceNet, and AS-i communication, as well as the Industrial Ethernet protocols ProfiNet, Ethernet POWERLINK, EtherCAT, and EtherNet/IP.

NORD Drivesystems develops, produces and sells drive technologies with around 3.200 employees, and is one of the international leaders in the industry. In addition to standard drives, NORD supplies application-specific concepts and solutions, even for special applications, for example with energy-saving drives or explosion-protected systems.