CABINET-FREE DRIVE TECHNOLOGY IS A MODERN REALITY
CABINET-FREE DRIVE TECHNOLOGY IS A MODERN REALITY
By Bosch Rexroth
Plant space is valuable . To keep up with the competition , end-users need more compact machines in order to optimize their production capacities within their existing space . In addition , separate control cabinets can be bulky and take up useful space . For this reason , manufacturers are dedicating time and resources to make cabinet-free technology a reality with cabinet-free drive technology . This technology includes decentralized supply and mains modules , allowing machine manufacturers to integrate all drive components directly into the machine without the need for a control cabinet . Cabinet-free drive technology is designed with a cabinet-free supply and mains modules to protect against dust and water stream protection for robust use directly in the machine .
The mains module includes a mains filter , mains regulator and the mains protection in one device . The energy recovering power supply , control electronics , brake resistor and brake transistors are located in the supply module . The machines and modules are connected to the power supply directly without deviation via the cabinet . This reduces machine assembly wiring by 90 percent .
With the decentralized modules , machine manufacturers can also connect up to 30 cabinet-free drive units in series in a cable harness . This capability means significantly more drives can be switched in series , depending on power consumption , cable length and selected options . In adjacent near-motor drives , a newly developed hybrid plug further reduces assembly work . These protected connector pieces , used for communication and power supply , are simply plugged into an adjacent cabinet-free drive unit by assembly technicians .
Flexible Control Connectivity
Some cabinet-free drive technology offers the following multi -Ethernet protocols : Sercos , PROFINET IO , EtherNet / IP , EtherCAT , and POWERLINK allowing the user to connect to essentially any control . the space-saving technology supports all of the common Ethernet-based protocols , such as ProfiNet , EtherNet / IP and EtherCAT , and Sercos the automation bus all on one piece of hardware The hardware remains identical and selection occurs purely via software .
To achieve consistent modularization , machine manufacturers can increasingly re-allocate control functions to the individual machine modules . With a drive-integrated control unit , drive functions , motion control and motion logic merge into a single , open automation platform . Using a drive-based control allows coordination between up to nine cabinet-free drive units as slaves in real time .
Energy-Saving Technology
Cabinet-free power supply is a regenerative power supply , which means it returns excess energy to the power grid therefore reducing energy consumption . Additionally , some cabinet-free drive technology has smart energy-saving modes , which prevents peak loads and greatly reduces average energy consumption . The result of this feature is increased grid compatibility , and the same machine performance with smaller components to reduce cost .
For more information about IndraDrive Mi cabinet-free technology , order the free Advancing Factory Automation Resource Kit at :
www . boschrexroth-us . com / factoryautokit
Modular Design
Cabinet-free drive technology extends the possibilities of modularized machine concepts . Machine manufacturers can pre-assemble modules and then connect them to one another at the cabinet without any further work . In addition ,
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