• New range provides 500kW of power in a single module.
• The lightest drive of its size on the market today.

Control Techniques, a Nidec brand, is launching a new 500 kW (700 hp) High Power Drive, the largest drive in its 48 year history. 

Launching 500 kW High Power Drive is a logical progression for Control Techniques – its previous largest drive operated up to 250kW – but it has moved to deliver a product more flexible and user friendly than anything else of its kind.

Installation and servicing

For many drive users, designing and building a high-power drive cubicle requires extensive in-house engineering expertise. Enter the 500 kW High Power Drive, which can be fitted with Control Techniques’ celebrated Unidrive M70X or its Powerdrive F300 control module and can be installed into an industry standard cubicle which accommodates both module and accessories.  Alternatively, the frame is available pre-assembled in its own industry-standard cabinet, as part of the DFS Series. 

It has been engineered to be the lightest high-powered drive of its kind; and one which has pre-engineered accessories to allow replacement by a single engineer in under 30 minutes. And because the drive is smaller than any of its equivalents currently in use, every time it replaces an existing drive it will fit in the space available. During servicing, factory-tested sub-assemblies can be exchanged on site without returning the complete drive to base.

The wider front face design and lower centre of gravity provide greater physical stability and safety during installation, so an installer can handle the wiring and connection singlehandedly using fixed lifting points on the chassis and the comprehensive range of accessories supplied.

Controls, communication and configuration

500 kW High Power Drive is an extension of Control Techniques’ prestigious Unidrive series of AC Drives, targeting fans, pumps, compressors and extruder applications, which makes it ideal for use in processes such as water plants, handling systems and steel manufacture.

All leading industrial communications protocols are supported as standard or with user-fitted option modules. The modules have direct, high-speed access to all drive parameters. In addition, for high performance servo networks such as EtherCAT and CANopen, the drive control loops are synchronized with the communication system to eliminate delays and enhance performance. 

Electronic drive optimization

Severe harmonic distortion can cause sensitive electronic equipment such as AC drives to malfunction. 500 kW High Power Drive has two rectifiers as standard enabling a 12-pulse supply connection that greatly reduces the most harmful harmonic currents. 

500 kW High Power Drive also uses the latest microprocessor technology and Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) technology to reduce EMC/RFI emissions and allow for longer motor leads. Innovative techniques enable IGBTs to shut down rapidly when external faults are detected. 

Anthony Pickering, president of Control Techniques, said: “Our new 500 kW High Power Drives mark a bold new direction for Control Techniques, allowing us to provide a high quality, high power system into a new world of applications and industries. 

“As these new drives are effectively an extension of our Unidrive M range, users can be confident they are getting a product that is built with exceptional levels of performance, durability and flexibility in mind.  

“It is no secret how important it is to a business to have effective and working machinery. For a business that runs its machines 24/7 downtime has a huge, negative effect that will run through the entire production process. What if long stoppages become a thing of the past? 
“500 kW High Power Drive enables on-site repairs to be carried out if necessary and replacement emergency breakdown units can be available in as little as 24 hours.

“Put simply, this is both our largest ever drive and one of our simplest to commission. People across the world know and respect us for our smaller drives, so we’re naturally excited to introduce our large drive.”