Integrated motor-drive is claimed to reach efficiencies up to “IE7”
12 November 2024 
At the SPS show in Germany, the automation supplier Lenze has unveiled an integrated motor-drive system which, it claims, achieves energy efficiency to IE5 and IE7 levels, and can cut motor losses by up to 60%. The system, which delivers 300% overload torque, combines Lenze’s m550/m650 permanent magnet synchronous motors, g500 gearboxes and i550 and i650 variable-speed drives. It is said to be as easy to use as an asynchronous motor.
Lenze is offering the system with the m550 motor for applications in the power range 0.25-11kW, and the m650 version for more dynamic applications from 0.75-22kW. Both can be combined with Lenze modular gearboxes in helical, angular or bevel formats.
The system does not need sensors, even in dynamic applications. This cuts costs because there are no encoders, feedback systems or sensor cables. Mounting and installation are also quick and safe, contributing to system reliability.
If the motor is controlled by a decentralised VSD, there is even less need for hardware, because brake resistors are unnecessary. A regenerative capability built into the motec drives feeds any braking energy back into the mains. Lenze’s i500 cabinet-based drives can exchange excess energy via the DC network, making it available to other axes.
The company expects the new motor-drive system to open up new applications in intralogistics and in sectors such as textiles, packaging and material processing. It sees the VSD-controlled synchronised control as a cost-effective alternative to more expensive servodrives, with added reliability because of its low complexity.
Lenze reports that it has had good feedback from pilot users in the intralogistics sector. “Our customers are primarily interested in lower energy costs and reducing their carbon footprint,” says Lenze’s electromechanics product manager, Klaus Dierkes. “This is a very big issue, especially in logistics, and we can deliver this with the m550. Reality shows that the new motor-drive system can reduce motor losses by up to 60%. This is achieved by a newly designed permanent magnet synchronous motor. What’s more, the motors are the same size or smaller than comparable IE2/IE3.
“We promise a 300% overload torque from a standstill and we deliver it,” he adds. “The start at full load from standstill is achieved without any problems. The beverage industry, the textile industry and, above all, intralogistics benefit from this. This means that the system can be sized more precisely for continuous operation, as it is not oversized, and then immediately delivers the required power.
“Efficiency and usabilty are crucial for our customers,” Dierkes reports. Users only need to enter one parameter to set the motor data on the drive. “There is no encoder, therefore less wiring, no adjustments and fewer components.”
A SLSM (sensorless synchronous motor control) algorithm built into the drives can achieve performance similar to closed-control loop, without needing a motor feedback system and its cabling. “This allows us to realise sensorless and precise positioning,” says Dierkes. It can help to position goods in material-handling applications.
The pilot customers used Lenze’s new System Designer software in the design phase, resulting in precisely-dimensioned drives and energy-efficient machines. The Web-based engineering tool shows the energy consumption of applications and the drive components.
