ABB has extended its all-compatible family of machinery drives with the new ACS180 variable speed drive (VSD) for applications up to 22kW. Particularly, the easy-to-use and compact VSD brings reliability and performance for machinery builders.

The ACS180 suits OEMs and system integrators across several industries and for a wide range of applications. For example, the ACS180 can control conveyors, pumps, fans, mixers, and compressors.

YiRan Jia, ABB global product manager, said: “The ACS180 is an important addition to our machinery drives family that establishes a solid foundation for the majority of straight forward applications.”

In addition, Jia pointed out the ACS180 is not a stripped-down version of larger drives. It delivers high level of performance, robustness, flexibility, and functionality for machine builders who want an affordable and simple-to-integrate drive option.

Excellent Motor Control

The ACS180 joins ABB’s well-established family of All-Compatible drives for machine building. Moreover, it features a robust and compact design that offers precise control as well as scalability and flexibility. All-Compatible ABB drives share the same architecture and user interface for ease of use.

The ACS180 can control both induction and permanent magnet motors ranging up to 22kW.

The VSD is inside an IP20 enclosure in five frame sizes for cabinet mounting. More importantly, it features a robust design and optimized airflow for cooling to ensure a long and reliable service life. To provide the functional safety essentials when designing and building machines the VSD has embedded Safe Torque Off (STO) functionality that brings motor safely to a no-torque state.

When it comes to performance, the ACS180 offers excellent motor control without an encoder. Furthermore, it supports both scalar control for effortless, robust, and basic speed control and vector control for more demanding regulation of speed and torque to ensure accuracy throughout the speed range.

Connects to Plant’s Automation System

The VSD can interface with an overall plant automation system via its built in Modbus RTU protocol. Otherwise, it can can also use digital/analog input and output control connections. Graphical icons make the built-in control panel straightforward to operate and reduces the need for translation, which is important for OEMs selling in global markets.

Moreover, the ACS180 can provide adaptability to machine automation needs. This is through its new generation adaptive and sequence programming that allows customization of the drive’s functionality.

This uses the embedded small-scale programmable logic controller to offer a common approach to drive programming that enables the drive functionality to be tailored to suit its specific application.