New Ethernet-based control technology for drives and systems
Drives manufacturer Sprint Electric introduced at the recent SPS/IPC/Drives show in Nuremberg, Germany, an Ethernet-based distributed control system for DC drives. drive.web includes graphical configuration tools that provide diagnostics and configurability of all drives on the network, either locally or remotely via the Internet. The graphical tools allow the full configuration of the drives, provide service diagnostics, full documentation and an operator interface for local control, all without the need for a PLC or supervisory computer.
The drive.web hardware consists of an Ethernet port and processor that takes information dynamically from the drive and makes it available over the Ethernet network. Additional hardware includes interfaces to AC drives and remote I/O modules that provide increased access to the network for other control elements. The configuration software runs on the platform-independent Java operating system, therefore the control system will run on PCs, Macs and Linux based computers. The software provides graphical configuration and documentation tools for AC and DC drives, start-up / commissioning assistance with real time information from the drive and network and a very clean operator interface with dynamic access to machine information. The Drive.web control technology is cost-effective in systems of any size and complexity, without the need for a PLC or supervisory computer.
Sprint Electric offers a wide range of DC motor control, with over 150 models covering both single phase and three phase, regenerative and non-regenerative DC motor applications together with digital slip ring motor controllers. Sprint Electric’s full range of products include analogue and digital DC drives from 12 Amps up to 2250 Amps. Whether in retrofits or original equipment, DC drives from Sprint Electric are being used in many different applications including metal processing, the pulp and paper industry, rubber and plastic processing, lifting equipment, food processing, leisure industries and many more.