Rockwell Automation has announced its first six-pulse drive to support its TotalForce technology, which combines high-performance motor control, advanced self-monitoring and a digital platform to deliver faster, more precise and more responsive AC drives. The technology has been incorporated in the new PowerFlex 755TS drives which, Rockwell claims, will help to cut unplanned downtime and to get motors running faster.

Previously TotalForce has been available only for Rockwell’s PowerFlex 755T drives with active front-end technology. It will now be available for a wider range of applications, including traditional fan, pump, and conveyor applications, as well as more advanced motor control processes that need high-performance functions typically found in specialised drives.

Rockwell says the drive will bring a simplified and consistent user experience to almost any motor control application in three main ways: • Flexible, high-performance control The drive’s power range, voltage classes and performance capabilities are suitable for a wide range of motor control applications. One drive can be used for multiple applications, simplifying support and reducing burdens on staff. • Operational intelligence Built-in predictive models use continuous monitoring to calculate the expected remaining lives of drive components. This will help users to reduce unplanned downtime and maintenance costs by replacing components when needed instead of on a fixed schedule. • Easier commissioning and optimisation Using a suite of “adaptive control” functions, the drive monitors machine characteristics that change over time and compensates automatically for any changes. This helps users to commission drives quickly and maintain them for the life of the drive without needing tuning experts. It also helps to reduce mechanical wear and increase uptime.

“Significantly more industrial companies can experience the benefits of TotalForce technology now that it’s available in a traditional six-pulse drive,” says Rockwell product manager, Adam Davis. “No other drive on the market delivers the combined performance and intelligence capabilities of the PowerFlex 755TS drive, which helps improve operational productivity and reduce burdens on the workforce.”

The new drive is designed to ease migration from other PowerFlex 750 drives. It is also a drop-in mechanical and electrical replacement for other PowerFlex 755 drives, having the same dimensions, mounting holes and wiring locations. It also uses the same slot-based architecture, allowing users to use I/O and safety cards from other 750 drives.

The drive is available with optional enhanced corrosive gas protection that helps to increase uptime and extend the drive’s operating life in corrosive gas environments. The drive has been tested using one of the most severe corrosive-environment-test protocols, combining 30-day exposure in mixed flow gas testing (in accordance with ASTM B845 Method K) with proprietary tests that go beyond standard requirements.

The drive is CIP-Security-capable, helping to protect control systems from cyberattacks by providing data authenticity, integrity and confidentiality. It helps to defend against attackers accessing a network remotely.

The PowerFlex 755TS drive will be available in the Spring of 2022.

Rockwell Automation:   Twitter   LinkedIn   Facebook

► 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

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