How to achieve high voltage in industrial systems without high complexity

In industrial amenities the place 400–480V three-phase energy is customary, machine builders don’t should ask themselves if they should use excessive voltage; that’s a given. As a substitute, they want to determine how one can design movement methods to work successfully inside that setting with out introducing pointless complexity.

Oftentimes, folks assume that working in high-voltage environments requires stepping as much as a extra complicated, higher-spec movement system. It’s true that bigger machines and better throughput do place better calls for on sure elements of the system.

Nevertheless, based on Kollmorgen, this doesn’t imply each axis inside a machine must be designed to the identical excessive specification. So, this implies the problem isn’t in adopting excessive voltage, however in making the perfect use of it.

Challenges that include scaling movement methods

Giant manufacturing vegetation, automotive manufacturing strains, logistics hubs, and high-throughput packaging amenities are sometimes constructed round 400–480V infrastructure. Introducing lower-voltage methods into these environments can add pointless complexity, requiring extra elements similar to transformers and further safety {hardware}.

Traditionally, nonetheless, working inside high-voltage environments has typically meant shifting towards extra complicated movement platforms designed for max efficiency. These methods do supply spectacular capabilities, however they’re not all the time the perfect match for each a part of the machine, Kollmorgen famous.

Even in giant industrial environments, not each axis is doing the form of heavy lifting that warrants top-of-the-line specs, the corporate added. Many are chargeable for positioning, guiding, or dealing with supplies. These duties are important, however they don’t essentially require the best ranges of energy or efficiency.

Making use of a high-end answer throughout the board can subsequently introduce pointless price, improve commissioning time, and make methods tougher to combine and keep. That is the place the actual problem lies: designing movement methods that match naturally inside high-voltage environments with out over-specifying the answer, stated Kollmorgen.

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What’s the price of complexity?

This query displays a broader shift in how movement methods are evaluated, Kollmorgen asserted. Efficiency metrics like torque and velocity nonetheless matter, however they’re now not the one elements that outline an excellent answer. Engineering time, ease of integration, and long-term usability have gotten simply as essential.

Extra complicated methods are inclined to demand extra from the folks working with them. They take longer to configure, require extra specialist data, and might be tougher to troubleshoot when one thing goes flawed. None of that is instantly apparent from a specification sheet, nevertheless it has an actual impression on venture timelines and total price.

In lots of instances, the time required to combine and fee a system can outweigh the advantages of upper efficiency on paper. Consequently, machine builders are more and more taking a extra measured method. They’re specializing in options that meet the wants of the appliance with out including pointless complexity.

That is the place the thought of “right-sizing” turns into essential, Kollmorgen claimed. The aim isn’t to restrict functionality, however to use it the place it’s wanted and keep away from it the place it’s not.

Kollmorgen has greater than 100 years of movement expertise throughout motors, drives, AGV controls, and automation management platforms. | Supply: Kollmorgen

How Kollmorgen expands the position of scalable movement platforms

To assist this method, movement suppliers are starting to rethink how one can construction platforms. Reasonably than forcing engineers to maneuver between totally completely different product households as necessities change, there’s a rising concentrate on scalability, permitting a constant method throughout a wider vary of purposes.

Kollmorgen stated its Essentials system is an effective instance of this. Initially developed as a simplified, cost-effective movement answer for medium-voltage (120–240V) purposes, the product line has now been expanded to incorporate high-voltage choices. This brings Necessities into alignment with customary industrial energy, permitting it for use straight inside 400–480V environments with out requiring extra infrastructure.

The corporate stated its Necessities platform is designed to cut back the effort and time required to specify and fee a movement system. Pre-matched motors and drives simplify choice, whereas a targeted vary of choices helps engineers keep away from pointless complexity.

Kollmorgen additionally stated that commissioning is streamlined, with intuitive instruments that permit methods to be introduced on-line rapidly, even with out deep movement experience.

Availability is one other key benefit. With merchandise sometimes held in inventory, Necessities may help shorten lead instances and scale back venture threat, the corporate stated. By extending these advantages into high-voltage purposes, the system permits machine builders to use a constant, scalable method throughout completely different machines and environments.

That is notably helpful for purposes that sit inside bigger machines however don’t require the highest-end movement options, stated Kollmorgen. By utilizing a extra appropriately sized system for these axes, it turns into potential to optimize the machine as an entire quite than making use of a single, uniform specification all through.

Kollmorgen has expanded its Necessities system to incorporate high-voltage choices. | Supply: Kollmorgen

Take a extra versatile method to voltage and movement design

As automation continues to develop into bigger and extra different environments, this sort of flexibility will solely turn out to be extra essential, acknowledged Kollmorgen. Machine builders are being requested to ship methods that aren’t solely succesful, but additionally environment friendly to design, construct, and keep.

In that context, the best options aren’t essentially probably the most highly effective or probably the most superior. They’re those that match the appliance carefully and make the perfect use of the infrastructure already in place.

Excessive-voltage operation has lengthy been a basis of business automation. The problem now could be to make sure that movement methods take full benefit of that basis – with out including pointless complexity alongside the way in which, stated Kollmorgen.

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