The global site of the UK's leading magazine for automation, motion engineering and power transmission
28 March, 2024

LinkedIn
Twitter
Twitter link

Decentralised IP66 drive is ‘first to support IO-Link’

06 February, 2020

At the reecent SPS exhibition, the German drives-maker Lenze unveiled a decentralised variant of its i500 frequency inverter which, it claims, is the first to support IO-Link. The IP66-protected i550 protec drive will initially be available in ratings up to 2.2kW. The range will be expanded later up to 75kW.

Incorporating IO-Link in the drives will make it easy to integrate sensors and actuators with the master control level to exchange process, asset or parameterisation data, without needing special cables or to address the nodes manually. If an IO-Link master is already in use on a network, the new drive can be connected at a low cost – regardless of the higher-level control system.

Devices are parameterised automatically during set-up or when they are replaced during servicing. Lenze claims it is the first drive manufacturer to support IO-Link v1.1 in its products, which is necessary for this automatic exchange of data. The IO-Link port can also be connected using the new ASi-5 decentralised communication standard. Other common fieldbus interfaces will be available as options.

Lenze says the new drive is particularly small. For example, a 0.75kW version occupies 3,100cm3 – claimed to be half the size or less than its rivals. The IP66 or Nema 4X protection resists high temperatures, dust, dirt or water jets during cleaning.

Lenze claims that its IP66-protected drive is the first to offer an IO-Link variant

The new drive is particularly suitable for large machines, distributed material flow applications, or where cabinet space is costly. There is no need for expensive shielded motor cables, and several inverters can be connected to one power bus to reduce costs.




Magazine
  • To view a digital copy of the latest issue of Drives & Controls, click here.

    To visit the digital library of past issues, click here

    To subscribe to the magazine, click here

     

Poll

"Do you think that robots create or destroy jobs?"

Newsletter
Newsletter

Events

Most Read Articles