ABB technology has tripled the life-cycle of motor starter components and cut power losses by a third for Uteco Converting.
Uteco is a world leader in the production of printing machines designed for flexible packaging applications. The Italy-based company creates a broad range of flexographic and rotogravure printing, laminating and high-tech machines with special configurations. For its production processes, Uteco was using conventional electromechanical contactors in its motor starters. These contactors had to be replaced frequently to maintain higher efficiency of operations.
A compact, robust solution
Consequently, Uteco switched to ABB’s Highly Functional (HF) electronic compact starters. They have the perfect attributes for the company’s needs. The HF range of ABB starters combines the benefits of solid-state electronics and a mechanical relay, producing the highest performance over an exceptionally long lifetime. These starters fully integrate a direct-on-line, reversed starting, motor overload protection and emergency stop. Moreover, the package is only 22.5 mm wide.
For Uteco, the ABB HF9-R-24VDC electronic compact starter lasts three times longer than the conventional contactors previously used. Its electrical life stretches through an amazing 30 million electrical operating cycles, providing the high-demand functionality the company requires. In the future, Uteco can expand functionality to include overload protection and emergency stop with the HF-9-ROL-24VDC starter and the HF9-ROLE-24VDC, which provides SIL3, PLe and Atex certification.
A longer life with sharply reduced power loss
The solid-state technology used in the HF range enables the motor to be switched on and off through semiconductors to prevent the bypass relays from arcing, when making and breaking. The motor inrush current passes through the semiconductors and bypass relays activate after a short time to carry over the nominal current. As a result, power loss is reduced by up to 34 percent, the motor’s life is extended and there are savings in space and wiring time, compared to conventional devices.
Overall, the ABB electronic compact starter makes operations easier for Uteco. They are ideally suited to the frequent forward-and-reverse modes of motor operation used when the cutting material is rolled and unrolled, when the cutting knife moves backwards and forwards, or in some applications, when the reels are wound and unwound.
