Digital switchgear takes condition monitoring to a new level, improving the capacity to collect, access, analyse and act on the data your equipment and infrastructure creates and helping you achieve cost savings of up to 30 percent. It enables not only continuous monitoring of the switchgear and performance trends, but also helps to efficiently define the correct maintenance procedures.
Such solutions can empower operation managers to improve efficiencies, optimise their maintenance schedules and lower the associated costs with inspection and maintenance intervals extended by up to 30 percent. By minimising the need to shut down switchgear, plant operators can focus on continuity of plant production and mission-critical operations.
ABB’s digital low-voltage switchgear MNS Digital – combines the latest digital technologies within ABB’s well-known and established switchgear, and brings increased flexibility, reliability and safety. The complete MNS portfolio is available as digital switchgear across all segments and applications.
The MNS Digital smart device family includes the on-site ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for electrical systems that provides the hardware and software backbone to collect data for condition-based maintenance. In-built smart devices, such as Emax 2 and Tmax XT low-voltage circuit breakers, UMC100.3 or M10x motor controller and others enable not only continuous monitoring of the switchgear and performance trends, but also provide further insight on the condition that help to define correct maintenance procedures.
“In its simplest form, monitoring the condition of electrical equipment is a pre-emptive way to carry out maintenance,” said Saw-Chin Toh, Product Marketing Manager - Primary MV and LV Switchgear, ABB Australia.
“While there will always be a need for maintenance teams, the evolution of digitalisation and digital switchgear is shifting the focus. Today, it is all about using integrated solutions to provide actionable information that helps prevent downtime and ensure smooth operations within an industrial plant.”
The MNS switchgear is based on the renowned MNS 3.0 design for both energy distribution and motor control applications in withdrawable, plug-in and fixed designs. The newcomers to the portfolio include:
MNS® motor control centre with M10x-TCP motor controller:
- Fully integrated solution of the LVS Digital platform and ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for electrical systems (CMES)
- Comes with a Modbus TCP interface module, which enables the product to be integrated into Ethernet networks directly.
FC610 solution for energy feeder module:
- Extensive range of power monitoring, energy analysis, power quality analysis functions
- Local HMI panel (LHMI) to allow operator to monitor the data in front of the switchgear
- Fully integrated to monitoring and control systems as well as the on-premise ABB ABB Ability™ condition monitoring system (CMES).
MNS® switchgear with MS572 converter:
- Generic converter used in MNS® switchgear including motor control centre and energy and power control centre
- Facilitates Modbus RTU devices to be integrated to Modbus TCP Ethernet networks. For example: Temperature sensors with Modbus RTU interface as part of the LVS temperature monitoring solution (TMS) can be connected to Modbus TCP network and LVS Digital Gateway via MS572; Multiple Modbus RTU devices can be connected to a single MS572 device to form a cost-effective digital switchgear network.
Making the switch to digital switchgear can be achieved without having to replace a previously installed switchgear. Smart, safe and flexible solutions can be achieved utilising pre-installed technology in a smarter way, enabling you to monitor the performance of the electrical system and providing the necessary visibility and knowledge to identify when and where maintenance is required.
"Predictive maintenance is an efficient new way to keep maintenance costs low and your operation healthy and in peak condition, allowing you to step away and focus on other important tasks,” said Saw-Chin.
