Ensuring that your electrical machinery is performing at the peak of its performance is one of the most important aspects of running an industrial business.
To ensure that your machines run well, you will also need to ensure that you have the equipment necessary to provide efficiency and productivity. For some companies, this might mean investing in DC drives. However, for many others, this means investing in specific devices called AC drives and soft starters.
That said, before you can begin to plan to invest in these, you will first need to understand the purpose of each device and how it can potentially benefit your business. After all, you probably don’t want to install something you know nothing about.
What Is an AC Drive?
AC drives, also known as variable frequency drives (VFD), are fairly straightforward. An AC drive is a device that converts a DC power machine into one that runs on AC power. Ultimately, this will give you more precise control over the speed of the electrical motor inside the machine.
Depending on the type of machine you are working with, this can give you added productivity and higher-quality results from the machines. This also allows you to control how much power the machine is consuming, since you can make sure that the motor is working no harder than it needs to.
If you want to control the speed of your machine’s electrical motor more, you should look at variable-frequency drives that fit your machinery. Industrial automation standards and trends are not easy to follow, so it’s important to get a specialist to help you decide which drive is best for your requirements.
What Are Soft Starters?
Soft starters are devices that work with AC drives. Usually, when you first start up a machine with an AC electrical motor, there is a surge of electrical current during startup, which you will generally want to avoid if you can. Thankfully, soft starters are here to do exactly that.
The purpose of a soft starter is right in the name. They are designed to temporarily reduce the torque and load that the electrical surge of power brings on the startup of the machine. This can easily prolong the life of your machinery, meaning that if your machines have AC electrical motors, you will want to consider looking into a soft starter.
What Are the Benefits of These Devices?
Both of these devices can add a lot of potential to your industrial machinery. For example, the biggest benefit of an AC drive, as stated here, is that it enables an industrial operator to have complete control over the direction, torque, and speed of an induction motor machine.
As a result, the precision you can get out of controlling the electrical motor and the fact that your machinery will become much more energy-efficient are two very valuable aspects to consider.
After all, when you can control the amount of power your electrical motor needs, you won’t have to worry about wasting money on excess power. Instead, you can use that potentially saved money to better other parts of your industrial business. These are just a few reasons you should consider getting an AC drive for your machinery.
Similarly, soft starters can prolong the life of machinery. By reducing the impact of the electrical surge that comes with the machine’s startup, you can ensure that your AC electrical motor doesn’t take the brunt of the surge.
This will eventually ensure that your motor is better able to stand up to the test of time, which means that you can save money by not replacing your motor as often. In the long run, being exposed to repeated electrical surges can damage your electrical motor, making it all the more important for you to consider what some high-quality soft starters could do for your industrial business.
