AC Drives control motors rated from .25 to 3 hp.

ABB Industrial Power Products Apr 28, 2005

Press Release Summary:

Able to be DIN-rail or screw-mounted in control cabinets, ACS50 series ramps speeds up and down and operates motors at optimal speeds for extended periods of continuous operation. Component drives, offered in 3 frame sizes from 2 x 5.75 x 5 in. to 3 x 6.25 x 7 in., control 230 V, 3-phase motors and feature built-in 16 kHz switching frequency for silent operation. Products are available for 100-120 Vac or 200-240 Vac single-phase systems.

Original Press Release:

The Most Affordable ABB Drive, the ACS50, Extended up to Three Horsepower

(Micro drive provides precise control, optimal energy usage, across range of small-horsepower motors)

NEW BERLIN, Wis., April 4, 2005 . . . With an extension of the company's component drives to three (3) horsepower, ABB continues to expand low-cost drives across applications that enable end users to achieve precise motor control and optimal energy usage for motors ranging down to .25 horsepower.

Extremely Affordable -- Calling it "the most affordable ABB drive ever," Jukka Nurmi, ABB Inc., Low-Voltage Drives, product line manager for the ACS50 series, notes that "these units provide a very simple, basic AC drive that saves energy, space- at a minimal investment." And the drive is extremely easy to use: "the drive is the manual-just set the few switches that are right there; it's self explanatory," he said.

"These compact drives enable users to achieve in small-motor applications benefits common to larger-horsepower drive installations, including ramping speeds up and down and operating motors at optimal speeds for long periods of continuous operation," Nurmi said. Using an AC drive also prolongs the operation of small motors and reduces wear and tear in installations and OEM machines, "because they avoid the 'hard' starts of line contactors."

With the .25 to 3.0 horsepower range the ACS50 series now offers, the component drives are ideally suited for pumps, fans, packaging machines and conveyors across a host of industries. The smaller-horsepower units also continue to find new appliance applications, such as pizza ovens and training equipment, Nurmi noted.

Compactness, combined with the drive platform, technology and built-in know-how aim ABB component drives directly at high-volume Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), according to ABB. "Such users demand low-cost, high-quality, tailored solutions for their products, with some range," according to Nurmi. "This series now extends what we can deliver to them."

Save Panel Space -- Because the three frame sizes the component drives are offered in are so small, they are ideally suited for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) "who need motor control and want to minimize the space needed on their panels," Nurmi said. The smallest model is less than two inches wide, 5.75 inches high, and 5 inches deep; the mid-sizes frame is slightly over 2.5 inches wide-and the three-horsepower drive is 3 inches wide, 6.25 inches deep and less than 7 inches high.

Flexible Mounting Choices -- The drives can be either DIN-rail- or screw-mounted in control cabinets. When the depth of a cabinet is a consideration, an innovative mounting clip can be fitted to the side of the drive, so it can be attached with the cooling fins against, or away from, the wall. The drives are available either for 100 to 120VAC or 200 to 240 VAC single-phase systems. And they are suitable for 230V three-phase motors with power ratings from .25 to 3 HP.

Silent Operation -- Because the drives also have built-in 16kHz switching frequency, they are virtually silent when in operation. "This is especially important in small motors, because they often are operating closer in proximity to people than high-horsepower motors," Nurmi points out.

ABB Inc., Automation Technologies, Low-Voltage Drives, is the world's largest manufacturer of electric motors and drives. In the USA, an integrated channel of sales representatives, distributors, and system integrators allow ABB, New Berlin, Wisconsin, to supply a complete line of energy-efficient electric drives, motors and engineered drive systems to a wide range of industrial and commercial customers. Products manufactured include AC and DC variable speed drives for electric motors from 1/8th through 135,000 HP, and application-specific drive system solutions to meet diverse customer needs (http://www.abb-drives.com).

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 115,000 people. The company's U.S. operations employ about 9,000 in manufacturing and other facilities in 40 states.

ABB ACS50 Contact:

Jukka Nurmi
262-785-8339 phone
262-785-8501 fax
jukka.nurmi@us.abb.com