Drive`s decade-long reign nears an end
Mitsubishi is the US has announced a new variable frequency drive to supersede its E500 model which has been in production for almost a decade. The new E700, which is expected to reach Europe later this year, offers a clutch of improvements including: 200% torque at 0.5Hz, giving a smooth, open-loop speed range of 120:1; a wider range of communications options, including Modbus RTU; PC-based set-up and diagnostics via a built-in USB port; remote operation; a 100kA fault rating; and RoHS compliance.
"While it’s a challenge to replace a versatile workhorse like the E500, so much new technology has been developed that we feel obligated to get it into the hands of our customers," says Mitsubishi`s product manager, Chris Cusick. "The E700 offers a host of new benefits for the user. Though it’s a new VFD from the ground up, it will be simple for an existing E500 customer to move across to it."
The E500 and E700 share the same footprint and mounting arrangements, and the terminals and parameters have the same numbering system as before.
"Although E700 has superior dynamic performance to the E500, it can copy the exact same performance characteristics of E500, so machines that have been tuned over the years to work with E500 will not see the difference," Cusick explains. "The E700 will still be able to operate with any programming originally developed for the E500."