2009-10-19 - ABB, the leading power and automation group, has officially launched a new line of industrial drives modules, called ACS850, designed specially for the region’s OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and system integrators.
ABB’s new ACS850
industrial drives are robust yet flexible AC drives that can easily be configured to meet the needs of various industries, especially process industry segments such as pulp and paper, mining, cement, as well as chemical and oil and gas. These drives (1.1kW up to 500 kW) can also be used for applications such as cranes, winders and mixers.
At the launch event held recently in the UAE, ABB local business unit manager for drives and motors in the Gulf, Aki Maenpaa, commented, “ABB’s new ACS850 is the first industrial drive range from ABB that has been designed with OEMs and panel builders in mind. This means these customers can build their own, customized drive solutions while reaping the benefits of proven ABB drive technology."
Energy-efficient drives
Maenpaa went on to say, "ABB is well aware that energy efficiency is a top priority for our customers, which is why we have now added an energy savings calculator on all our new drives, including this new range.The calculator is the latest in a comprehensive range of tools that enables ABB customers to take maximum advantage of the extensive energy savings to be made by using ABB drives to control the speed of industrial motors and machines."
The built-in calculators continuously measure in kilowatt-hours and megawatt-hours precisely how much energy the drive has consumed since installation and – more importantly – how much energy the drive has saved in relation to the preceding method of flow control.
ABB’s installed base of low-voltage AC drives is the largest in the world and has already saved an estimated 170 terawatt-hours of electric power. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 42 million households in the European Union and reduce global CO2 emissions by some 140 million tons a year, equivalent to the yearly emissions of more than 35 million cars.
Easy installation and maintenance
ACS850 modules include everything that is required for a complete drive. They offer a wide range of inbuilt options such as different I/O and communications and typically have an IP20 enclosure class.
As the modules are designed for cabinet assembly, they can be mounted side-by-side. Each module is only 90mm wide, which means more drives can be stored in one cabinet thus. These design features lead to space- and cost-savings in the cabinets as well as in electrical rooms.
The drives offer fast and more accurate drive configuration thanks to a large alphanumeric display showing different assistants and macros and ABB’s DriveStudio PC - a computer program that provies easy access to drive parameter setting and start-up features. ABB has also incorporated a removable memory management unit into the drive where complete drive settings and configurations are stored.
Since preventing downtime in process industries is key, the ACS850 drives are designed for reliability. Advanced thermal protection helps prevent damage to the drive's semiconductors and motors. Meanwhile, the 'Maintenance Assistant' indicates preventive maintenance needs of drive by monitoring running hours, cooling fan running hours, number of relay switchings and more.
Supporting our customers
To help OEMs and system integrators build such drive solutions quickly, ABB provides detailed cabinet installation documentation, which provides examples of different cabinet configurations, examples of drawings and hints on the selection of auxiliary equipment.
ABB offers its drive customers exclusive access to its AC drive modules Engineering Tool website. The site is a perfect package of product information manuals, electrical documents, mechanical drawings, assembly photos and presentations.
In order to ensure that customers can reduce their downtime, ABB has set up a Gulf-based drives and motors service team that is making a name for itself by providing quick and professional service across the region.