Motor starter and frequency inverter
Decentralized drive technology for the IIoT
With the Ramo motor starters and Rasp frequency inverters of generation 5.0 of the Rapid Link series, Eaton offers decentralized drive solutions for Industry 4.0.
In addition to the familiar ASI bus devices, Ethernet/IP or Profinet variants are now also available, which can be easily integrated into modern IIoT applications. All Eaton Rasp devices can now also be used with IE4 motors - permanent magnet as well as brushless DC or synchronous reluctance motors. At the same time, the power range of the Rasp devices has been extended to 4 kW. New functions such as "Safe Torque Off" or the integrated PLC function block simplify the implementation of conveyor technology applications. The devices of the Rapid Link 5.0 drive system were presented at SPS IPC Drives and will be available from May 2019.
Rapid Link 5.0 forms a consistent system, so AS-i, Profinet and Ethernet/IP variants are available for both the motor starters and the Rasp frequency inverters. This makes it possible to implement remote maintenance down to device level or even comprehensive energy management. Cyber security aspects were taken into account during development; in addition to a threat analysis, each device must pass a security assessment.
The Rapid Link 5.0 devices have a PLC function block that allows signals to be processed directly in the device. This not only reduces the load on the PLC, but also enables highly dynamic processes within the system. With the drive-integrated "Safe Torque Off" function, an improved performance level can also be achieved easily and cost-effectively. The devices also include an effective motor protection function; the electronic wide-range overload protection reduces the number of variants, saves space and lowers costs.
Thanks to protection class IP 65, the motor starters and frequency inverters can be positioned in close proximity to the motor in almost all applications. All motor starters up to 3 kW and all frequency inverters up to 4 kW have the same square form factor and therefore identical mounting dimensions. As the dimensions and connections are identical, motor starters can be replaced with frequency inverters in just a few simple steps when the system is expanded. This simplifies installation, speeds up commissioning and reduces costs. All devices in the Rapid Link 5.0 series have CE, UL and CCC approvals.
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