Stay Resilient Against Resonance with AC Drives Adaptive Tuning

April 16, 2019

By: Brian Fast, Senior Project Manager, Rockwell Automation

It can be a scary moment on the plant floor: A machine starts shrieking and shaking so violently, you think it might break.

This incident can result from mechanical resonances caused by a load attached to a motor. Many design factors attribute to the resonances such as physical size, material selection, and instillation procedures. And while workers can usually make a control adjustment to resume production, resonance issues have lasting consequences on your machines and your business.

In the past, the typical adjustment to resolve the resonance degraded performance or resulted in wasted energy.

New low-voltage AC drives with adaptive tuning can help you better combat resonance issues, so you perform better and spend less. During production, the drive identifies the problem and applies the correct solution – resulting in a higher performing machine that accounts for machine variations.

Think of these smart drives like guards. They keep a vigilant watch of your application for undesirable resonance. If they see something wrong, they can sound the alarm or even attack the issue on their own. And by helping you win the war against resonance, the drives can help you stay running longer while reducing your repair and energy costs.

Our PowerFlex 755T drives are designed to provide harmonic mitigation, regeneration, and common bus solutions that help reduce energy costs, add flexibility, and increase productivity.

Protect the Potential of Your Machines

Resonances result from design decisions which may or may not be modeled by the designer. Known design decisions include the load shape, material selection, dimensions and physical size. Unknown design decisions include tolerances, assembly processes and motor characteristics. The resonances may change over time because of normal machine wear and tear. This can include applications which use shaft extensions or large loads like winders.

The previous approach to resolving resonances are to detune the regulator gains. This can stop a machine from shrieking and shaking, but it can also decrease the machine’s performance. Over time, this hurts your throughput and slows your reaction time to issues.

An AC drive with adaptive tuning uses advanced analytics to continually look for and detect different types of resonance. The drive can alert operators of issues in real time, so they can quickly act. In more advanced configurations, the drive can use special filters to mitigate resonance instead of detuning the controller.

This ability to autocorrect issues allows you to maintain the high level of performance that you expect. Based on load characteristics, we’ve seen two- to four-times-higher performance when using adaptive tuning.

Also, AC drives with adaptive tuning allow you to monitor resonance over time and schedule repairs, if conditions warrant. This can help you work smarter by addressing issues proactively and during scheduled maintenance windows, rather than abruptly in the middle of production.

To learn more about drives with adaptive tuning, check out the new PowerFlex® 755T AC drives with TotalFORCE®technology.

Put to the Ultimate Test – Part 1: Torsion Tests by HELUKABEL

DCS Put to the Ultimate Test Part 1 Torsion Tests by HELUKABEL 1 400x275

Cables and wires in industrial robots and other moving machine parts are often required to withstand extreme stresses caused by torsion. Constant repetitive movements put materials under considerable strain. At the same time, operators expect components to function perfectly and reliably throughout their entire service life to avoid disruptions, outages and safety hazards.

For this reason, at HELUKABEL, we simulate intensive and continuous torsion stresses under realistic conditions with our high-tech testing equipment in Windsbach. We have several types of apparatus for doing this because some of our customers, for example those in the automotive industry, have very precise specifications for how a torsion test is carried out. The tests show that our cables and wires withstand speeds up to 1,000°/s, accelerations up to 2,000°/s² and torsion angles up to 720°. Hence, we make sure that each product always meets our customers’ high standards, and that they receive the impeccable quality they rightly expect from us as a leading supplier of cables, wires and accessories for more than 40 years.

What Is Torsion?

To learn the answer, click here

30 Minute Live Webinar 2:30 PM ET January 19th, 2023

With PC-based automation, you can implement applications and solutions that far exceed the functions of a classic controller. SIMATIC PC-based products offer you a flexible, innovative platform with long-term availability that give you a home field advantage when meeting the challenges of the digital factory for your machines and plants.

Festo Didactic at the Forefront of Developing Canada’s Future Work Force

DCS Festo Didactic at the Forefront of Developing Canadas Future Workforce 1 400x275

With Canadian manufacturing suffering from a growing labour shortage, the participation of industry in skills development is emerging as a vital component in hiring and retention.

The needs are stark: The Canadian Exporters and Manufacturers Association says almost 40% of its members have jobs they can’t fill. Five years from now, 60% expect to be short-staffed, especially when it comes to skilled trades. Statistics Canada forecasts the country’s labour force growth rate will remain below 0.2% for the rest of the decade, below replacement levels.

This growing shortage is affecting companies of all sizes. Already, some manufacturers acknowledge losing out on contracts because they can’t find the manpower to fulfill them.

In reality, the challenge is two-fold: to replenish and expand the workforce to help close the gap between the number of job seekers and vacancies through 2030 when the last baby boomers reach age 65, and ensure workers get opportunities throughout their careers to upgrade or add to their skillset as current technologies evolve and new ones emerge. Festo, through Festo Didactic, one of the world leading provider of equipment and solutions for technical education, intends to help Canada meet this challenge on both fronts. In essence, the approach Festo has always taken is that the learning never stops.

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