Integrated drive-motor simplifies cabling, frees up panel space

Paul Sipe, marketing manager, Motion Business, Rockwell Automation, says: "Machine builders face a variety of challenges. They need to balance the goals of increasing machine flexibility by using more servo axes, while reducing machine size and assembly labour costs. Now, integrated drive-motor technology can help them achieve these goals."

Moving servo drives out of the control enclosure and onto the machine can deliver significant space savings, while reducing cabling. For example, replacing panel-mounted drives with the Kinetix 6000M integrated drive-motor system can reduce panel space required by up to 60 per cent for a typical eight-axis system. In addition, the number of cables exiting the control enclosure is reduced by as much as 75 per cent because a hybrid/network cable daisy chain replaces the individual power and feedback cables needed for panel-mounted servo drives. Fewer cables help to reduce assembly time, the potential for wiring errors, and the time it takes to troubleshoot and repair a machine.

Terminating servo motor power and feedback cables at panel-mounted servo drives can take about 20 minutes per axis. The Kinetix 6000M integrated drive-motor system allows machine builders to do this in approximately 30 seconds, so helping to reduce installation time.

Himanshu Shah, senior analyst with ARC Advisory Group, says: "Machine builders for motor-intensive applications need the flexibility to modify machine axes as easily as possible to meet future demands. With the Kinetix 6000M integrated drive-motor system, axes can easily be added or removed from the integrated drive-motor daisy chain without modifying components and wiring in the control enclosure."

Seamless integration

The Kinetix 6000M drive-motor is designed to integrate seamlessly with the Kinetix 6000 and Kinetix 6200 multi-axis servo-drive systems, and features an integrated drive-motor power interface module that mounts directly to a standard Kinetix 6000 power rail. The mounting flange and shaft dimensions of the Kinetix 6000M integrated drive-motor units are identical to the MP-Series motors of the same frame size, minimising the mechanical changes needed to use integrated drive-motor technology.

Rockwell's Kinetix 6000M integrated drive-motor system is suitable for servo motor-intensive applications, such as packaging, converting, print and Web machines. It meets the needs of food and beverage packaging and handling applications by offering features geared for the industry, including enhanced sealing techniques, corrosion-resistant materials and coating appropriate for food environments.

The new Allen-Bradley Kinetix 6000M integrated drive-motor is available in three different frame sizes, offering optional holding breaks and SIL2/PLd safe torque-off functionality. To find out more, go to www.rockwellautomation.co.uk.