The modern drive incorporates a large number of functions that were historically located in separate controllers. This trend is continuing apace with the result that there is an ever growing number of interfaces needed to the drive. It is also a sobering thought that the greatest cause of problems in many industrial plants is in the interconnecting wiring. There is clear need therefore to understand the interface types on a modern drive and how they should be used in order to ensure that the design of the system is correct. Furthermore, by understanding the different types of interface it is possible to simplify the physical interfaces by, for example, the use of a Fieldbus, and here the limitations and characteristics of such a digital communications system need to be understood if a system design is to be optimised. Finally, the growing complexity of drive functionality, including the opportunity for users to write their own functions in a drive, has led to the development of advanced PC tools for the configuration and commissioning of individual drives and drive systems as well as data logging and fault-finding capabilities. An understanding of such tools and what benefits they can bring is important to getting the most out of a modern drive.

Inspec keywords: power engineering computing; peripheral interfaces; electric drives

Other keywords: PC tools; digital communication system; interconnecting wiring; physical interfaces; industrial plants; fault-finding capability; data logging; individual drive system

Subjects: Drives