New Industry Products

Whedco Introduces the Power Cube Stepping-Motor Drive

March 13, 2001 by Jeff Shepard

Whedco (Ann Arbor, MI), a subsidiary of GE Fanuc Automation, introduced the Power Cube stepping-motor drive. Measuring 12.5 cubic inches, the Power Cube has a 250W drive in a potted enclosure that mounts on machines in industrial environments. Quick-disconnect terminals and an optional, industry-standard, din rail-mounting plate. The 4A drive operates with input voltages from 24Vdc to 48Vdc, maintaining current for NEMA 23 and 34 stepping motors in the 61 to 605 oz-in range.

The Power Cube features dedicated I/O for enable, OK, stall detection and power save. Inputs for pulse and direction are available in the 18Vdc to 30Vdc range or in the 3.5Vdc to 4.2Vdc range. Lower voltage pulse and direction inputs subscribe to the RS-422 standard for noise immunity and long cable runs. Step size selection offers the choice of 200, 400, or 1,000 steps/revolution at a maximum input frequency of 50kHz for high-speed applications.

Dip switches located on the bottom of the Power Cube select the appropriate Whedco stepping-motor model and automatically configure the firmware to operate at the designated current. The units feature front-panel LEDs.