Mitsubishi Electric is expanding its F700 series of variable speed drives for electric motors with 15 larger sizes up to 530kW.

At the launch the range ran from 0.7kW to 55kW, the most popular sizes for OEM and end-user applications. The full range now covers virtually every likely use for drives in fields as diverse as manufacturing, HVAC, utilities, wind tunnels and commercial kitchen appliances.

The FR-F700 features both optimum excitation control and optimum torque patterns so the drive is always giving maximum performance and efficiency to the load. It has redefined energy efficiency expectations since its initial launch. It is able to automatically optimise energy usage for every possible load profile. For instance, some materials, such as batter, can change their viscosity when being mixed and the F700 can detect this and constantly re-optimise its settings to follow the changing conditions.

Other features for which the F700 is already recognised include ease of commissioning, a predictive maintenance monitor, high-level connectivity to control systems and tripless reliability. Additionally, a flux vector option is available for applications requiring high levels of dynamic control.

The enhanced energy savings can provide up to 12percent extra savings compared to other drives, which is particularly significant in the many pumps and fans applications where an oversized motor has to be fitted to allow very occasional peak conditions. Actual energy savings can be monitored via the front panel, which can display the power, percentage or cumulative energy saving in kilowatt/hours or local currency. This information, along with other performance measures can be downloaded via the communication network to a central location.

The F700 has many other features, such as the removable terminal block, which means that if a unit has to be exchanged, say during a system reconfiguration project, time-consuming rewiring is not necessary. 

For more information, visit www.mitsubishi-automation.co.uk