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Contents
A4 What does the Internet of Things
mean to people who make things?
Think: The connected machine.
From resource management to intelligent machine devices to
predictive maintenance, IoT offers plenty of things to do to make
manufacturing automation even more robust.

A4

A11 Selecting and applying VFDs

Clear understanding of the application, noise sources, and
configuration parameters ensures peak VFD performance,
efficiency, and reliability.
Modern VFDs have made changing the speed of a 3-phase
ac motor simple, but it has not always been that way.

A11

C OMMENT
Investing in automation opportunities

Jack Smith
Editor

istorically, I have tried to avoid buzzwords. Frequently, word choices defy

how some buzzwords are applied. For
example, taken literally, what does the
Internet of Things (IoT) actually mean?
To the author of this issues cover story, IoT
means connecting machinesto each other and
to the enterprises they serve. In manufacturing, its really all about connecting machines to
get more actionable information using intelligent
devices at lower levels of the system architecturethan ever before.
Perhaps the words are intended to convey
that, because of the Internet, we have more
ways to connect things than we have ever
had. IoT offers plenty of things to do to make
manufacturing automation even more robust.
Is this new? We have had this connectivity for
some time. We have also had the infrastructure.
But, as the cover story author points out, the

focus of IoT and big data has been CEOs and

CFOs. Now that the context is shifting toward
manufacturing automation, the costs of implementing the technologies behind this buzzword
are becoming more justifiable.
The other story in this issue examines variable frequency drives (VFDs), which have
evolved considerably over the years. While digital displays, comprehensible error messages,
and easy configuration are some of the outward
manifestations of technological evolution, the
internal changes are even more beneficial to
those who use and maintain them. Better power
electronics help minimize switching noise, better circuit designs help minimize harmonics, and
better quality has helped to greatly increase reliabilitywhich is perhaps the most valuable of
these attributes.
When manufacturers see opportunities for
improvement, they should act on them.

ON THE COVER Manufacturing automation is about connecting machines to obtain more actionable information than ever before, regardless of how
you label it. Courtesy: B&R Industrial Automation Corp.

Applied Automation

February 2015

A3

Figure 1: Manufacturing automation is

about connecting machines to obtain
more actionable information than ever
before, regardless of how you label it.
All graphics courtesy: B&R Industrial
Automation Corp.

A4 February 2015

Applied Automation

C O V E R S T O RY

What does the Internet of Things

mean to people who make things?
Think: The connected machine.
By John Kowal
B&R Industrial Automation Corp., Roswell, Ga.

eve heard a lot about the Internet of

Things (IoT), centering on big business
and big data. But what kinds of things
do we want to do in manufacturing
automation?
And what does it take to implement
IoT? What about the standards, vision, connectivity, integration, and processes necessary to meet the specific
requirements of IoT in industrial automation? Answering
the first question will provide reasons to invest in the second question.
Whether you call it Industrie 4.0 or IoT, in manufacturing, its really all about connecting machinesto each
other, to expert systems, to management execution systemsto get
more actionable information using
intelligent devices at lower levels of
the system architecture (push-buttons, servo drive auto-compensation,
energy monitors, vision cameras,
accelerometers, and E-stop buttons)
than ever before (see Figure 1) (see
Industrie 4.0 vs. industrial IoT: Take
a unified approach, on page A7).

Yet, in large part, the sensors exist today. They just

havent been cost justified before. Therefore, they arent
in RFQs yet. A common rationale has been, Why spend
an extra $100 on a smart sensor that is going to get hit
by a fork truck?
The big security breakthrough in 2014 has been the
growth of secure virtual private network (VPN) servers and cloud services to address ITs concerns (see
Standards for industrial IoT, page A8). The trend in
2015 will be to seamlessly integrate the secure server
into the control software suite.

Networked safety
Perhaps the biggest shift in mind-set for industrial
automation users is moving from hardwired safety PLCs
and relays to networked safety. It just plain scares
people to move from tightening down copper wires with
a screwdriver to consulting a software
display. Yet, we get on fly-by-wire airliners without a second thought. We
take driverless shuttle trains to the airport terminal. We dont think about it
because we cant see it, but even the
car we drive to the terminal depends
on networked devices, such as antilock brakes, airbags, and cruise control.
Networked safety holds perhaps the
greatest potential for improving productivity, along with functionality that
prevents workers from attempting to circumvent safety
systems. Networked safety has many advantages, including installed cost, testing, and diagnostic capabilities.
The concept is simple. Keep control and line power on
while ensuring that operating speeds, torques, directions,
and positions can cause no harm. Implementation is in
keeping with traditional safety implementations, comparing the primary control system status with a checksum on
an independent controller.
But instead of E-stops dropping out all power, networked safety calls for continued operation in safe
mode. Safe-mode operation is intended to prevent an
operator from being tempted to defeat a door interlock
to clear a jam, or to operate with machine guarding
removed to save steps. Instead, nip rolls cant turn in an

IoT offers plenty

of things to do to
make manufacturing
automation even
more robust.

IoT: Things to do
IoT is much more than extending industrial networks to
the device level architecture. Its even more than distributing safety, motion, machine-to-machine intelligence, automated maintenance resources, and enterprise connectivity
to heretofore inaccessible manufacturing intelligence.
From resource management to intelligent machine devices
to predictive maintenance, IoT offers plenty of things to do
to make manufacturing automation even more robust.

Secure remote connectivity

IoT promises connectivity for diagnostics, recipe management, collaborative engineering, and all kinds of data
acquisition, from OEE to serialization. IoT will provide
access to data we cant get now because we havent
deployed the sensors to get it and IT hasnt allowed it.

Applied Automation February 2015 A5

C O V E R S T O RY
Figure 2: Condition-based monitoring uses networked sensors to
detect trends that could indicate
possible machine failure.

Predictive maintenance

unsafe direction. A robot arm cant push hard enough, fast

enough, or far enough to put a maintenance worker at risk.
Where does IoT come in? Safety is networked over
deterministic industrial Ethernet, and every state change,
every instance of operation in safe mode, is logged and
can be transferred to management via the Internet. The
interlock or light curtain can communicate the nature of
the breach, time, and interval to help management analyze root cause.

Safe motion
Of the networked safety functions, safe motion is the
most powerful. Using intelligence and software embedded into servo/inverter drives with hardware, such as
safety encoders, it is possible for networked safety to
maintain operation of production lines, printing presses,
robots, and more in safe mode. This intelligence provides
not just the now-familiar safe torque off information, but
safe limited torque, safe limited speed, safe position, safe
limited acceleration, and much more.
Now, the machines on a line can continue to run in
safe mode when in the past an E-stop or a controlled
shutdown would be initiated to clear a jam, make a
repair, or replenish materials. The productivity potential is
enormous.

Networked E-stops
Speaking of E-stops, the E-stop button no longer
needs to be hardwired. Yes, E-stop buttons are now
available on the Ethernet network and integral to the
control panel. Enough said.

A6 February 2015

Applied Automation

Key to predictive maintenance is monitoring based on

actual machine conditions,
not just cycles or hours. And
key to monitoring machine
conditions are mechanical
disturbances. Use of networked sensors, such as
accelerometers, can detect
frequencies of bearings,
shafts, couplings, and other
mechanical devices indicating
a trend toward failure that can
be interpreted and analyzed
to schedule preemptive maintenance (see Figure 2).
The more critical the process, the better the cost justification. But the failure of even a simple device can have
a catastrophic result in a process.
Frequency analysis can also lead to identification of
root cause before a device is damaged beyond recognition. If conditions such as lubrication, spalling, or corrosion can be documented, preventive maintenance measures can be taken.

Resource management
Think energy monitoringand not just electrical power
but water, steam, compressed air and vacuum, natural
gas, temperatureand you will recognize the immense
potential for improving sustainability.
Bring these monitoring activities into individual
machines and down to process unitsnot just branch
circuits or incoming power metersand the data become
much more actionable. Why does one shrink tunnel
or one shift use more energy than another? What is
the optimum line speed to balance energy costs with
throughput?

Autocompensation
Pushing more intelligence down to the device level
isnt just about communicating in the IoT. Its about inherently improving performance while removing the need
for human intervention. Leading-edge servo drives are a
good example.
Autocompensation within the drive lets it respond to
anomalies, predictively smoothing out disturbances without a technician fine-tuning the drive. No need to bring up
the oscilloscope function; no need to plug in a laptop.

Autoconfiguration
The same holds true for replacing an older component
with one that has a newer firmware version. In the past,
this has required manually resetting the new component, which often required software loaded on a PC.
Now its automatic, requiring no intervention on the part
of the user.
Onboard intelligence and Ethernet communications
between a controller and device today means that the
controller can query the new component and automatically downgrade its firmware to the version in use.
This means no need for a technician, no maintenance
software, no need to upgrade a software license, no
faults showing up, and importantly, no preconfigured
spares gathering dust on a shelf.

Intelligent I/O slices

Another example of pushing intelligence down to
the device level is having I/O slices with onboard field
programmable gate arrays that allow a direct response
between devices and the I/O slice, bypassing the backplane, the PLC CPU, and the system scan time. The
result is a response time as short as 1 microsec.

Figure 3: Machine-mounted sealed drives can now communicate

over Ethernet and provide onboard I/O.

Industrie 4.0 vs. industrial IoT: Take a unified approach

recall a trusted German colleague telling me a few

years ago that Industrie 4.0 would be a big deal.
I scoffed, to be honest, at the obviously promotional messaging. My initial reaction to IoT was the
same.
After all, weve had the ability to put smart photoelectric sensors on conveyors for decades. Nobody
wanted to pay $100 extra for them. But, when the
conveyor jammed up, it was okay to waste time
walking the line, using human eyeballs to determine
the cause of the stoppage.
Today, that smart sensor allows you to pinpoint
the problem from the line controller, from the state
model on any HMI on the line (PackML, a.k.a. ISA
TR88.00.02 helps here, too). Your tech brings the
replacement part with him or her, and readjusts or
changes out the sensor in a matter of minutes.
Its the same scenario for Industrie 4.0 and industrial IoT. The difference is mind-set.
Germany has a deserved reputation for engineering, applied technology, and advanced machinery.
Its the basis of the countrys export economy, its
economic engine that is trying to drag the rest of
the EU out of persistent recession, and a lot of
national pride. So its understandable that Germany
would seize on the potential of IoT and focus on
industrial applications.

In Germany, and throughout Europe, technologists tend to sell technology to other technologists.
That is, as opposed to the U.S., where technologists
need to convince financial managers focused on
quarterly results that increased investment in technology is required to keep competitive and generate
organic growth. I believe this is why IoT proponents
in the U.S. tend to emphasize big data instead of the
connected machine. They are selling IT solutions to
chief financial officers.
Does this mean that 4.0 has a better chance
of actually happening in factory automation
than industrial IoT? Ive become convinced that
European industry collectively believes in the vision
of the connected machine. So perhaps machine
builders and technology providers that also believe
should target the European market first.
In Europe, call it 4.0, and when the technology
becomes established, next approach the overseas
subsidiaries of your European customers. There,
call the technology whatever they call it in those
markets. Dont let your organization be caught up in
the debate between 4.0 and industrial IoTtheyre
the same thingan Ethernet/Internet-based strategy for connecting machinery to deliver more effective operations than previously possible.
Lets make sure they use the same standards.

Applied Automation

February 2015

A7

C o v e r S t o ry
Does this unheard-of speed serve a practical purpose?
Think of firing a glue gun on a case packer more accurately,
high speed registration mark sensing, or shrinking the distance between sensor and reject station on a flow wrapper.
The I/O slices are programmed in the IEC 61131-3 languages, in the same project as the rest of the machine.
They just execute down at the slice level.

Distributed motion
Its not uncommon to see machine mounted, integrated motor/drives today, communicating over
Ethernet and providing onboard I/O. This concept
has been extended to machine mounted, distributed,
sealed drives operating conventional motors to meet
higher torque and speed requirements (see Figure 3).
Meanwhile, small drives, such as steppers used for
format changes, are taking the form of IP67-rated distributed I/O blocks.

Intelligent push-buttons
Even the lowly push-button is now a network node.
Instead of old-fashioned, hardwired, dedicated pushbuttons, push-buttons now plug into the same industrial
Ethernet cable as the I/O. They are multifunctional and
programmable, with multicolored LEDs indicating their

modes and removable legends making them easy to

customize. And they are available with E-stop buttons
and IP65 sealing.
Typical applications include conveyor modules, where
long runs of wire get expensive and complicated.

Autonomous maintenance
This kind of onboard intelligence, combined with inexpensive solid-state memory, leads to another big cost
saver that can make machines more efficient. The benefits
of using animation and video to walk operators and technicians through work instructions are well documented.
Why not tie those animations into the fault codes in the
control system, and walk the operator through first-echelon
troubleshooting? Using virtual network computing (VNC)
and Wi-Fi, the animations can run on the operators smartphone or tablet and they can walk around the whole line if
necessary, connected to their interactive troubleshooting
aid (see Figure 4).
This is known as autonomous maintenance. It means
that a maintenance technician may not be required to
bring the machine back on line because less experienced
operators can handle problems on their own, and that language and literacy barriers can be overcome.
Of course, if the problem cannot be resolved, the con-

Standards for industrial IoT

The following paragraphs explain the standards necessary for the success of IoT, and why.

Ethernet to Internet
Fundamental to IoT is the continuity of TCP/IP, HTTP,
FTP, and other universally accepted Internet communications standards across Ethernet-based industrial
networks to intranets and the Internet. Today, even a
low-cost controller is expected to provide a Web server and one or more Ethernet connections.

Network security
ISA/IEC-62443 (ISA 99) provides a comprehensive
overview of cybersecurity measures for industrial control systems. This is a complex topic requiring subject
matter experts. Suffice to say that just as IT has security standards, so does automation.
Secure VPN servers and hosted cloud services are
now widely available. Emerging now are secure services
catering to the specific needs of industrial automation.
Secure VPN capabilities are also being built into automation software suites. Large users and integrators with
extensive IT resources can apply their own solutions
across these interfaces. Machine builders and users can
source software-as-a-service solutions without investing
in additional IT infrastructure.
Services are available from third parties, control suppliers themselves, and machine builders and integrators.

A8 February 2015

Applied Automation

Secure services include turnkey remote data acquisition,

monitoring, data storage, reporting, and diagnostics.
The bottom line is simple: Security concernsexemplified from Stuxnet to Sonyare real, but the countermeasures are out there.

VNC access
Virtual network computing epitomizes the IoT. VNC
is an open-source sharing system that allows remote
access to an IoT-enabled controller without the vendors software suite. No licenses and no dedicated
communications software or hardware are required.
All you need is the controllers IP address.

Open networked safety

Without standards, IoT will fail. IoT cant tolerate
closed systems because its about connecting everything. And contrary to popular belief, networked safety
does have an international standard. The openSAFETY
protocol stack is an implementation of the openSAFETY specification according to IEC 61784-3-13 and is
licensed free of charge.
Also, openSAFETY has been tested and proven to
run on the application layers of the major industrial
networks: Profinet, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, SERCOS
III, EtherCAT, and POWERLINK. However, it will be up
to control users to specify openSAFETY from their
suppliers.

Figure 4: Using VNC and Wi-Fi, animations

can run on an operators or technicians
smartphone or tablet to provide work
instructions or aid in troubleshooting.

troller will text the maintenance tech on call, advise him

or her of whats been done already, and even identify a
faulty part and submit a purchase order for a new one.
And the fault will also be documented and communicat-

ed back to management, the machine builder, and the

component supplier.
John Kowal is director of business development at B&R
Industrial Automation Corp., Roswell, Ga.

Proprietary safety protocols (those limited to the

networks for which they were originally designed)
dont support IoT because they limit connectivity. They
may also effectively limit third-party access to develop
master rather than only slave interfaces. To be open,
safety must allow any automation supplier to develop
compliant controllers and devices.

TR88 is a key standard for machine programming,

as well as machine-to-machine and management data
acquisition.

OPC UA

OPC UA (IEC 62541) stands for OPC Unified

Architecture, developed by the OPC Foundation to
replace the original OPC (OLE for process control,
ISA TR88.00.02
OLE standing for object linking
and embedding, a Microsoft-centric
Better known as OMAC PackML,
Without standards,
interface based on COM).
this standard describes a state
OPC UA is based on Web sermodel, modes, and tag naming
IoT will fail. IoT cant
vices and is platform independent.
conventions originally intended
Cooperation is underway between
to communicate with packagtolerate closed systems PLCopen (representing IEC 61131ing lines typically comprising
3) and OPC Foundation to map
machinery from many different
OPC UA to the popular control
suppliers using different control
because its about conprograming standard. It is anticiplatforms.
pated
that the OMAC initiative, ISA
Developed by the Organization
necting everything.
TR88.00.02 (PackML) will follow.
for Machine Automation and
This is both a game changer and
Control (OMAC), PackML has
a necessity for industrial IoT practitioners. Compared
been demonstrated to pertain equally well to any
with the proprietary data acquisition tools provided by
discrete control scheme. OMAC has specifically
the PLC suppliers and limited to their products, OPC
taken this standard through the ISA (International
UA is a true international standard. OPC communicaSociety of Automation) review process to become
tions fit the need for data handling between Ethernet
an ISA Technical Report, ISA TR88.00.02. OMAC
and the Internet, and between factory and managenext will initiate the International Electrotechnical
ment systems.
Commission (IEC) review process.

Applied Automation

February 2015

A9

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VFD ISSUES

Selecting and applying VFDs

Clear understanding of the application, noise sources, and configuration parameters
ensures peak VFD performance, efficiency, and reliability.
By Chip McDaniel
AutomationDirect, Cumming, Ga.

wide variety of variable frequency drives

(VFDs) are available, and are sometimes
referred to as inverters, ac drives, variable
speed drives, or adjustable speed drives.
Despite the differences in terminology,
these components are all VFDs and control
an ac motors speed and torque by adjusting the input
frequency and voltage to 3-phase ac induction or synchronous motors.
Modern VFDs have made changing the speed of a
3-phase ac motor simple, but it has not always been
that way. Even though 3-phase ac induction motors were
invented in the late 1880s, for almost 100 years, operating an ac motor at more than one or two speeds was difficult. The number of magnetic poles and an ac motors
physical construction made a variable speed ac motor
drive cost prohibitive, so instead, dc motors were used in
variable speed applications.
In the 1980s, VFD technology started becoming less
expensive and more reliable. Today, the VFD competes well with traditional dc motor control, but when
specifying VFDs, a clear understanding of the application, installation methods, and configuration is critical.
Common issues with
VFD application,
operation, and configuration include:

Drive selection
Drive overload
Drive overvoltage
Sources of noise
Electromagnetic interference (EMI)/electromagnetic
field (EMF) problems
 Grounding issues
 Incorrect configuration and/or parameter settings.






VFD loading
The main function of a VFD is varying the speed of a
3-phase ac induction motor. VFDs also provide overload
protection, start and stop control, and adjustable acceleration and deceleration. Programmable acceleration and
processor-controlled current limiting can reduce motor
inrush current at start-up, an important feature for controlling a factorys maximum instantaneous power load
and corresponding peak demand, which is often used by
the utility company to set rates or surcharges.
When specifying a VFD, its important to understand
the application and select the drive accordingly (see
Figure 1). The operating profile of the load must first
be considered. With both constant torque applications,
such as conveyors (see Figure 2), mixers, and compressorsand variable torque applications, such as
pumps, fans, and blowerscareful attention must be
paid to overload ratings.
For example,
attempting
to drive a
Figure 1: VFDs are available
fan
motor
faster
than
to fit almost any application
its base speed can
requirement. Understanding
significantly impact
these requirements helps ensure
the amount of power
optimal operation. All graphics
required as the fan
courtesy: AutomationDirect
horsepower varies with
the cube of the speed.
Running a fan too fast can thus consume
excess power and may overload the VFD,
while running it at half speed can reduce
horsepower requirements by 75% or
more, per the affinity laws, which apply
to pumps and fans.
Many applications can take advantage of this reduced power consumption at lower speeds to save energy.
An example is using a VFD to vary

Applied Automation February 2015 A11

VFD ISSUES

Figure 2: The photo shows a VFD installed in a conveyor systema common VFD application.

fan speed to match the load, instead of using dampers to

reduce airflow from a fan running at full speed.
To avoid the possibility of drive overload, the VFD
should be sized based on its maximum current requirements and peak torque demand, as sizing by horsepower
alone may not satisfy the maximum demands placed on
the motor. Although most VFDs can handle a wide range
of horsepower, oversizing is advised when limits are
approached.
An oversized motor is less efficient than a properly
sized motor, but a VFD helps to minimize this inefficiency,
reducing the oversizing penalty to little more than the initial cost for oversizing the drive and motor.

Overhauling loads
Another application that can cause issues is an overhauling loada high inertia load that must be slowed
faster than what would occur when coasting, or a load
that back-drives the motor during normal operation.
When overhauling loads are present, the motor becomes
a generator and the energy produced must be dissipated.
There are multiple options for handling this type of load.
In some instances, an oversized drive will help, but this
works only in marginal cases. A more common solution
is to use dynamic braking units with large resistors that

A12 February 2015

Applied Automation

convert the excess energy into heat. While some VFDs

can produce up to 20% braking torque with their built-in
resistors, adding an external braking resistor can greatly
increase a VFDs braking torque. Larger VFDs typically
require external braking units to accommodate overhauling situations.
A common issue in overhauling situations is an overvoltage drive fault during deceleration. However, a properly sized braking resistor can eliminate these overvoltage faults as the excess energy generated by the motor
is simply dissipated as heat through the resistor.
Higher end, more expensive solutions include regenerative drives that feed excess energy back to the line side
of the drive, and common-bus drives. In common-bus
systems, each of several VFDs has its dc bus connected
to a common bus so other drives can use the excess
power generated by the overhauling drive. These two
types of drive systems can be very cost-effective when
the amount of excess power generated from overhauling
is high.

Wheres the noise?

As part of a VFD application and installation, proper
accessories must often be specified with the drive to deal
with noise issues. Electrical noise can be present at the

line side and/or the load side of the

drive from external sources, and it
can also be created by the drive.
Existing noise on the factory or line
side of the drive generally does not
affect modern VFDs. However, the
drive itself can create harmonic noise
on the line side that may affect other
devices in the facility.
For most applications, the installation of a line filter upstream of
the VFD is worth the expense. At a
minimum, one should consider leaving room in the control enclosure for
filters, reactors, or drive (isolation)
transformersjust in case they are
found to be needed after installation
(see Figure 3).
A VFD and the motor it controls
can create EMI that can affect sensitive nearby devices, particularly
analog wiring and circuits. Using
proper grounding techniques goes
a long way toward reducing EMI.
Ground loops that occur when pieces
of equipment are connected to more
than one grounding path can be
eliminated by using a common power
circuit and single-point grounding.
Power filters, line filters, line/load
reactors, or even isolation transformers may also be necessary to minimize EMI/EMF from the drive.
Although not typically considered
electrical noise, VFDs can also
create disturbances on the motor
cabling, the most notable being
harmonics and reflected waves.
Harmonics are caused by the
high switching frequencies of the
insulated-gate bipolar transistor that
produce the pulse width modulated
output from the VFD to the motor.
Load reactors may be necessary to
minimize harmonics on the output
side of the drive, as these harmonics
can reduce motor efficiency.
Reflected waves on the drive-tomotor cabling can effectively double
the voltage that reaches the motor
at a given point in time. This can
produce potentially damaging voltage stress on the motor insulation.
Installing load reactors on the drive
output cables is recommended, particularly if cable distance is greater

Applied Automation February 2015 A13

than 125 ft. Specifying motors with

proper insulation ratings also helps
prevent reflected wave problems. For
example, inverter duty motors with
1,000-V insulation rating or higher
should be used if running at a high

line voltage such as 480 Vac (or 575

Vac commonly found in Canada).

Configuration issues
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communications in 1734
POINT I/O applications.

L1x

Whether your CompactLogix Modbus

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VFD Issues
Figure 4: Modern
VFDs show faults
by displaying fault
names instead
of cryptic codes,
speeding and simplifyingw troubleshooting.

A common
configuration
parameter setting is activation
of the auto-tune
algorithm in a
vector drive, a
feature that often increases efficiency and improves control.
Understanding these configuration parameters and settings,
and adjusting as necessary from default values can ensure
proper operation, maximum efficiency, and optimal control.

Final checks

Figure 3: The photo shows an ac drive mounted and wired in a control enclosure. Oversizing a VFD enclosure aids in heat dissipation,
and can also help accommodate additional related components.

data, but it often happens. Considering that the VFD also

provides overload protection for the motor, improperly
entered nameplate data can cause a variety of faults or
even lead to motor damage.
If there is a problem due to bad nameplate data or
other issues, it can often be located by checking the fault
code on the drives display. Older drives may display
somewhat cryptic codes, so quick access to the operating manual is a must for translating codes into actionable
information. Newer VFDs usually display fault information
as text in English (or other languages if available and if
so configured) instead of alphanumeric codes, greatly
simplifying troubleshooting (see Figure 4).
There are dozens of VFD configuration parameters that
must be understood. Although many parameters work
fine at their default settings, its a good idea to read the
manual and adjust parameters to optimize drive operation. Typically, suppliers can assist in this area because
they are familiar with the nuances of their products.
At a minimum, a new VFD should be programmed with
the motor nameplate data (full load current, rated voltage, and speed), desired control mode (keypad control,
2-wire, 3-wire, or network communications), and desired
speed reference (0 to 10 V, 4-20 mA, keypad, network
communications, etc.).

A14 February 2015

Applied Automation

Performing a few simple checks can help ensure effective application of VFDs. For any application, specifying
the correct input voltage and understanding the nature
of the load are critical. By understanding the load, most
overcurrent conditions can be easily eliminated. For most
applications, effective operation can be achieved by performing the following checks:
Ensure the input voltage is correct
Understand the nature of the load
Eliminate overcurrent conditions
Stretch out acceleration and deceleration time
if possible
n Get/keep the noise out of the VFDand the
rest of the plant.

n
n
n
n

Ease up on aggressive acceleration and deceleration

ramps to reduce overload or overvoltage faults and save
energy. Check the drive display and address any recurring faults. Follow good noise reduction techniques.
Careful attention to drive selection, parameter settings,
noise sources, grounding issues, overload conditions,
and overvoltage conditions will ensure successful drive
operation. With proper understanding of common drive
issues, the application can withstand changes to the
motion profile and motor speed. By following these recommendations, modern VFDs will offer years of troublefree service.
Chip McDaniel works in technical marketing for
AutomationDirect and is a graduate of Georgia Tech. His
30 years of experience in the industrial automation field
includes designing, building, and commissioning control
systems of all types.

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