Anthony Byatt External contributor
The pioneers of the electric motor, which emerged just over 200 years ago, could never have imagined how the invention would change the world. Electric motors, in their tens of billions, are now to be found in every imaginable application. Nearly 70 percent of all industrial electrical energy goes to powering electric motors. These industrial motors are the workhorses of business operations, where they run pumps that move fluids or fans that move air or operate compressors, conveyors and every type of machine that depends on rotational force to get its job done.
But motors do not work in isolation; they have to be controlled in some way and this is the purpose of the electric motor drive. The drive plays a pivotal role in regulating the operation of electric motors, enabling precise control over their speed, direction and torque. The drive is the brain of the motor system, receiving inputs and translating them into commands for the motor. In essence, an electric motor drive serves as the intermediary between user inputs, sensor data and the motor itself, ensuring efficient and accurate control in countless applications, from industrial machinery to household appliances and electric vehicles.
And, of course, there are different types of drives for different applications – for AC, DC, low-voltage, or medium-voltage, for example. ABB offers all these plus a wide range of variable-frequency drives (VFDs) and variable-speed drives (VSDs). The ability to tune the electric motor’s speed (or torque) is an ideal way to save energy and improve performance →01.
Other drive types (or controllers) include stepper motor controllers, servo motor controllers, three-phase or single-phase controllers and soft starters. The soft starter, for example, gradually increases the voltage supplied to the motor, reducing inrush currents and minimizing mechanical stress during startup.
Putting it all together
Traditionally, the motor and drive have been separate elements. However, more users have turned to integrated motor drives (IMDs), which offer significant cost and performance benefits over separated systems. Designing IMDs for beefier applications poses thermal management and electromagnetic emission challenges but ABB has now successfully developed a 7.5 kW IMD with excellent performance – especially in terms of thermal management and electromagnetic emission.
The choice of electric motor drive depends on factors such as the type of motor, the required level of precision, energy efficiency and the specific application’s demands. These considerations mean that vendors, such as ABB, usually offer a wide range of drives, each with unique advantages, to allow for versatility across industries and use cases.
More information on the new ABB IMD can be found on pp. 42 – 47 of this issue in the article “Beat the heat: Performance integrated motor drives that run better and cooler.”
