Articles Archive > Energy efficient drives actual in focus

Energy efficient drives in focus

Virtually a third of the investigated machine-builders plan the change to energy efficient drives. So last year’s trend continues intensified.

How energy efficient drives are determined?

March 20th, 2010 - They are determined for this survey as:

  • constant speed of motors becomes variable by frequency converters
  • use of energy-saving three-phase motors according to IE1 to IE3 (IEC 60034-30)
  • use of permanent-field motors.

Use intensifying

Implementation of energy efficient drives in 2010

30% of the investigated machine-builders plan to change to energy efficient drives this year. This value is by 20% higher than the value of the previous year with 25%.

Various ways toward energy efficiency

  • „With transport drives the trend is going to go…using servo drives without cooling…One is related to energy efficient drives “strongly in transition”. The complete transition will last the next 5 years but not like “turning around a key”. (Packaging machines)
  • „One uses for medium and more significant machines regeneration…This regeneration is realised as a control system concept, one do not care whether the regeneration is located in the motor or in the converter.“ (Packaging machines)
  • „One had contactor-based control technology and star-delta connection, wants now according to the regulation 2011 to change to asynchronous motors and energy efficient drives instantly using a better energy efficiency.“ (Rubber/plastics machines)
  • „Energy efficiency is ever more strongly specified by large customers requiring both the use of frequency converters and servo motors and in addition the substitution of hydraulic drives by electrical drives energy efficiency included because of oil pollution.“ (Wood processing machines)

"Customers do not pay energy efficiency yet"

The obstacles changing to energy-saving drives are almost exclusively of economic nature. Among them there is the obstacle that the customer does not accept a higher price for energy-saving drives.

  • „Customers have to pay energy efficient drives, however, do not accept it yet.“ (Wood processing machines)
  • „One will offer energy efficient drives only on customer’s request. If the customer pays them, he will get them. Otherwise one will use IE3. “ (Machine tools)

 

Partly with some applications the power saving does not seem to prove its worth itself fast enough.

  • „The motors operate in start/stop mode and not during 24 hours. Since the energy efficient drives are more expensive, it does not prove its worth itself within 3 years for the customer using these more expensive drives. The 1–2 customer requests that came in have been answered in such a way. Only if a EU guideline specifies this accordingly this topic would be differently evaluated.“ (Rubber/plastics machines)
  • „One is checking energy efficient drives. Since elevator motors do not operate permanently, the total system is also to be considered. The checking process is still in children’s shoes.“ (Conveyer)

 

Finally it is a question of the point in time changing to energy-saving drive technology:

  • „One wants to turn to energy efficient drives only next year.“ (Building/glass/ceramic machines)

Representative results

These results are based on the actual study of Quest TechnoMarketing „What the machine-builders want to change in the automation technology 2010“. They are representative because 36% of the machine-builders with 100 and more employees in 10 sectors took part that comprises scarcely 250 companies.

 

 

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