Mitsubishi Electric Automation Introduces New Compact Variable Frequency Drive
Mitsubishi Electric Automation has introduced its latest compact variable frequency drive, the E700. The new VFD will replace the E500 model that has been in production for nearly a decade.
"While it’s a challenge to replace a versatile workhorse like the E500, so much new technology has been developed that we feel obligated to get it into the hands of our customers," said Chris Cusick, Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric Automation. "The E700 offers a host of new benefits for the user. Though it’s a new VFD from the ground up, it will be simple for an existing E500 customer to move across to it."
Cusick explained that the E500 and E700 have the same ’footprint’ and mounting arrangements will be unchanged. All the terminal markings and parameter numbers that the two drives share will have the same numbering systems as before.
"Although E700 has superior dynamic performance to the E500, it can copy the exact same performance characteristics of E500, so machines that have been tuned over the years to work with E500 will not see the difference. The E700 will still be able to operate with any programming originally developed for the E500," said Cusick.
According to the company, among the E700’s innovations are: improved speed range (200% motor torque is now possible at 0.5Hz, giving a smooth open loop speed range of 120:1); more interoperability (the E700 shares the full range of communications options with the bigger F700 and A700 drives, as well as Mitsubishi’s own RS 485 programming protocol, Modbus RTU); simple interface (a dedicated USB port allows direct set-up and diagnostics via a PC); remote operation (drive I/O can be remotely operated over any supported network, regardless of what the drive is doing); easy mounting (in smaller panel spaces, the E700 can be ’bookshelf’ mounted without a gap in between, and DIN Rail mounting is also possible); 100kA fault-withstand rating simplifies panel construction; self-contained (the E700 has a built-in operating keypad and display yet still supports standard panel mounting keypads); removable control terminals (makes for faster drive installation or replacement); "Maintenance free." – intelligent fan control, fewer moving parts, more robust bus capacitors and custom-made intelligent power modules are all designed to have a 10-year operating life so that users can fit the E700 and forget it.
