Solution Offerings for Experiencing the Power of Premier Integration

New Power Ranges and Motor Control Capabilities Available for PowerFlex 6000 Drives

Medium-voltage drives offer sensorless vector control and new output-voltage ratings

Users in heavy industries have a new motor control option for compressors, pumps and fans. Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 6000 medium-voltage AC drives from Rockwell Automation offer expanded, user-friendly control for variable and constant torque applications. The latest release delivers a wider voltage range (2.4 to 11 kV) and provides 100 percent starting torque, leveraging sensorless vector control.

The PowerFlex 6000 drive is easy to commission, use and maintain, with standard faceplates and EtherNet/IP connectivity.

The drive is a cost-effective solution for heavy industries with higher power needs for their applications. “Our scalable portfolio of medium-voltage drives offers a breadth of functionalities to best fit application needs,” said Marjan Sprajc, product manager ETO, Rockwell Automation. “Together with the PowerFlex 7000 drive, users can now select the right feature set for their application requirements.”

With an extended power range, the drive can be used for applications with output-voltage ratings up to 11 kV and motor current ratings up to 680 A, while remaining an air-cooled design. With eco-designed main cooling fans, users in IEC-based markets can meet EC regulation 327 and ErP directive 2009, and avoid the larger footprint of a liquid-cooled drive. Internally powered cooling fans reduce customer-supplied control power requirements, and equipment and installation costs. A tertiary winding on the isolation transformer provides internal power for the fans.

New output-voltage ratings are available –11 kV for Australia and New Zealand. The full range of ratings includes 3.3, 6.6 and 11 kV.

With optional, automatic cell bypass up to 680 A, users can keep their operations running in case of a power cell failure and reduce unplanned downtime. In addition, an uninterruptible power supply helps increase system reliability, minimize downtime and mitigate potential machine damage.

PowerFlex 755TL Drive for Mitigate Harmonics

The PowerFlex^® 755TL drive provides a complete solution that includes a line side converter, harmonic filter, and inverter to help reduce the adverse effects of harmonic distortion on adjacent electrical equipment and control system instrumentation.

• Mitigates harmonics with active front end technology combined with active converter and LCL filter
• Lower harmonics reduces the need to oversize electrical power equipment
• Eliminates the need for external multi-phase transformers or filters along with the associated wiring, labor, installation and maintenance costs.

PowerFlex 755TR Drive for Regeneration

With built-in regeneration, the PowerFlex 755TR drive provides regenerative and low harmonic capability to help reduce energy consumption by delivering energy back to the incoming supply rather than wasting it as heat. The line regeneration reduces the need for braking resistors and associated cooling equipment and helps avoid wasteful dissipation of energy.

• Minimizes the need for braking resistors and cooling equipment along with associated wiring, labor, installation and maintenance costs
• Recovers dissipated energy and re-use that energy for other applications, creating energy savings that increase the return on investment made in the drive
• Active front end technology with regeneration and lower harmonics provides means for regeneration

PowerFlex 755TM Drive System for Flexible Configurations

The PowerFlex 755TM drive system is a world-class coordinated multi-motor common bus system with best-in-class system footprint, usability and motor control performance. It is designed to enable coordination of multiple motors based on two main building blocks: regenerative common bus supplies and common bus inverters. The common DC bus optimizes the sizing of the bus supply so that energy consumption remains strictly matched with the requirement of the application.

• Flexibility to combine inverter and bus supplier into different arrangements and ratings to create a high power dense system with a small footprint
• Integrated control bus in each unit for efficient distribution of auxiliary 24V, 240V, and an optional 120V throughout a cabinet line up
• Optimizes floor space, installation, and hardware with drives connected via common bus
• Reduces costs associated with additional hardware, wiring, installation when using common bus system
• Uses one interface to configure and program the converter and inverter

Comprehensive Solution for Measuring Temperature

As part of the Solid-State Condition Sensors portfolio, Allen-Bradley® 837T Temperature Sensor is built with high-accuracy and new technology, providing users with a comprehensive solution for measuring temperatures in liquids, gases, and vapors.

The flexible 837T display model is embedded with IO-Link 1.1 communications protocol, which allows sensors to integrate into The Connected Enterprise®, delivering data from the sensor directly into a control system in a very cost-efficient and easy-to-use manner via an IO-Link master and EtherNet/IP™.

It has temperature ranges from -20 to 80°C (-4 to 178°F) and features a compact, rotatable house (320°) and head (330°) to accommodate any complicated applications. These sensors have 2 x PNP and 1 PNP + 4 to 20 mA analog output configurations, probe lengths from 25 to 350 mm and an IP67 enclosure rating.

Other options available from 837T Temperature Sensors:

837T Non-Display
• Temperature range: -50 to 250°C (-58 to 482°F)
• Analog Outputs: 4 to 20 mA (25 to 400 mm probe lengths)
• Enclosure Rating: IP67

837RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector)
• Temperature range:  -50 to 200°C (-58 to 392°F)
• Enclosure Rating: IP67
• Pt1000 measuring element

837T Solid-State Temperature Sensors are accessible in various process connections to fit user’s application needs. For easy-on-machine programming, the temperature sensors can be configured manually; or users can experience Premier Integration by completing the settings through the Studio 5000 Logix Designer® software.

An Enhanced Sensing Solution for Packaging Industry

The Allen-Bradley 42JT VisiSight™ family offers a broad range of sensing modes, and a teach push button that simplifies sensitivity adjustment and provides light versus dark operate output selection. It comes in a small rectangular package with class 1 “Eye Safe” red laser and visible red LED beam for ease of alignment and industry standard mounting hole spacing of 25.4 mm.

The unique “Auto PNP/NPN” output continuously monitors how the load is connected and automatically configures the output for proper operation. When connected to an IO-Link master, the 42JT can take advantage of advanced functionality including real-time diagnostics, automatic device configuration (ADC) and multiple job-specific profiles. These features make the 42JT VisiSight easy to apply in challenging packaging and assembly applications; hence optimizing the supply chain by reducing the number of models to be stocked by 50%.

Embedded with IO-Link functionality which helps minimize downtime and increase productivity, the 42JT VisiSight photoelectric sensors can be integrated into The Connected Enterprise® easily.

Ethernet Switches for Rugged Environment

The series B of Allen-Bradley Stratix^® 2000 Industrial Unmanaged Switches with compact design maximize user’s cabinet space. An industrial-grade enclosure with IP20 to IP30 rating provides upgraded environmental protection that’s ideal for small control networks requiring reliable network connectivity and extended temperature range (-40 to 75 °C). Users can enjoy:

• 100 MB or 1 Gb speeds for increased network flexibility and performance
• Broadcast storm protection against unwanted network traffic
• Dual power inputs to help maximize uptime in harsh environments

In addition to these benefits, users can enjoy easier installation and integration with the “Plug-and-Play” operation.

Out-of-box Integration Tools Ease Entry to Smart Manufacturing

Rockwell Automation has expanded its scalable manufacturing execution system (MES) to allow operations to configure their environment without programming, add more applications, increase DCS process system integration, and expand deployment options. Comparing to traditional MES, the new modular MES applications can be easily deployed and used, with instructive and more graphical configuration.

A new suite of capabilities improves functionality across its portfolio of scalable MES applications based on the FactoryTalk^® ProductionCentre^® R10 platform. With the increased integration of process applications, manufacturers can address specific manufacturing challenges, like quality, machine performance, track/trace, and genealogy. Solutions can start at the machine or work-area level with a single application and with minimal infrastructure requirements, and scale to an integrated MES solution as ROI is realized.

Process manufacturers can seamlessly connect FactoryTalk MES applications, including their DCS, LIMS, QMS, PLM or CMMS systems and other databases by using Enterprise Integration Hub (EIHub) – An application that streamlines data translation across The Connected Enterprise®. Through this vendor-agnostic integration, operators can transport batch-reporting parameters, GMP critical alarms for ‘review by exception,’ and consumption, production and order-completion data.

There are pre-configured value packs in EIHub software that offer increased productivity for the discrete, automotive and pharmaceutical industries.

In addition to the introduction of FactoryTalk Warehouse, there are recent updates to FactoryTalk Production, FactoryTalk Performance, and FactoryTalk Quality applications which provide a simplified, visual drag-and-drop tool to build out new workflows with no coding needed. Therefore product changeovers can happen more quickly and more flexibility is allowed for new product introductions.

New FactoryTalk Warehouse Application

Plant-floor operations are tasked with fast and accurate tracking of material movement and stock information. The latest MES application, FactoryTalk Warehouse, streamlines warehouse logistics to allow fast, precise inventory management and tracking capabilities from goods receipt through stock records and goods issuing. Improved insight and control benefit manufacturers looking to better manage raw-material lots, palette load tracking and work-in-progress (WIP) inventory while accessing sublot-level details – all synchronized with the company ERP system. With this information at their fingertips, personnel can manage material levels in near real time, including forward and backward product genealogy. The FactoryTalk Warehouse application is scalable to fit individual deployment needs.

FactoryTalk Production Application – Manufacturers are challenged to optimize production processes, lower structured costs, improve productivity and achieve a near zero-inventory system. The FactoryTalk Production application is a scalable MES solution that addresses the challenges associated with enforcing processes in manufacturing. This application integrates with ERP and tracks the order and recipe parameters necessary for production. The Production application supports end-to-end production management within a facility, offering a vital platform for continuous improvement.

• Synchronizes production activities
• Improves work-instruction delivery to personnel
• Better manage material flow from warehouses and suppliers
• Sustains continuous improvement with manufacturing context for operational procedures
• Integrates genealogy reporting

FactoryTalk Quality Application – Facilities relying on disparate systems and antiquated paper processes cannot guarantee consistent production quality. The newly expanded Quality application allows manufacturers to effectively model and enforce their plant’s in-process quality regimens at a scalable rate. The application supports a facility’s efforts to deliver a timely, quality product and react quickly to quality issues. Manufacturers can use the Quality application on a project basis and scale up when value is proven. The application can be expanded to include other functionality within the FactoryTalk ProductionCentre MES system or run as a standalone. Including user-friendly intuitive widgets, the application recommends pre-configured visual widgets, such as gauges or historical data charts, speeding time-to-value and reducing the cost of quality-management efforts based on choices that manufacturers made in setup.

•  Reduces cost of compliance (trading partner & regulatory)
• Eliminates plant floor quality paperwork
• Increases first time yield and first time through
• Dynamically changes quality testing regimens based on test results
• Reduces IT infrastructure costs

FactoryTalk Performance Application – Manufacturing companies today lack visibility into real-time production performance and productivity data. Performance is a modular application that assists manufacturing companies with factory efficiency and production improvement. By providing visibility into the operations performance, this application allows for lean and continuous improvement, preventive manufacturing, improved asset utilization and operational intelligence.

• Increases capacity with higher production from existing equipment and deferred capital expenditures
• Decreases manufacturing costs with lower overtime and reduced labor costs
• Lowers material costs through improved quality and reduced scrap
• Reduces overhead costs by saving time collecting data and preparing reports and real-time availability of efficiency information

Each expanded MES application is implemented on thin clients for a modern user experience and reduced, IT infrastructure cost. Users can add on each application to their current framework, helping protect their current investments while realizing these additional benefits. Moreover, the scalable MES applications are cloud-enabled, supporting centralized deployments in private, public and hybrid configurations.

Today, Rockwell Automation provides infrastructure-as-a-service offerings via pre-configured and managed industrial data centers. Yet, investment in new delivery options never stops. Manufacturers will soon be able to purchase and enjoy Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings and cloud-based versions of the FactoryTalk MES applications.