Feature Drives & motors Are you ready for IE3?
From 1st January 2015, IE3 motors become mandatory. But what do those who design, use or integrate motors need to do? And how do they ensure they get the right motor for their needs? Ian Allan, local business unit manager - Motors & Generators, ABB, comments
EC regulation
veryone concerned with specify- ing motors as part of machines or integrated systems needs to know that, as of 1st January 2015, IE3 (International Efficiency Class 3) motors become mandatory.
E
EC regulation 640/2009 specifies any motors placed on the market after this date, with a rated output between 7.5 and 375kW, will need to have a minimum efficiency class of IE3 or a minimum of IE2 if they are operated with a variable speed drive (VSD). From 1st January 2017, the regulations will also apply to motors rated up to 7.5kW. So what does this mean for OEMs, machine builders, systems integrators and manufacturers?
Implications
For machine builders and OEMs, there will be a tendency to think that all motors are now manufactured with the highest quality materials. Not all the motor offers will, however, be the same. Motor manufacturers will com- pete on other aspects such as reliability, service support and installation. Furthermore, changing to IE3 means a significant investment for manufac- turers, plus costs for the redesign of products, new tooling and increased use of more expensive material. The new regulations will also have implications for the range of motors an OEM can get from its regular supplier. They will find it beneficial to have access to a full range of IE3 motors from a single vendor, and this will be a particular benefit for OEMs with a significant presence in Europe.
Be specific with suppliers OEMs should be gearing up to use IE3 motors now. But, they need to be specific with their suppliers about what they want and what they don’t want. For instance, with constant torque applica- tions where there is no need to turn down the speed, fitting an IE2 motor and a VSD may not be cost effective.
18 Ian Allan
640/2009 specifies any motors placed on the market after 1st January 2015, with a rated output between 7.5 and 375kW, will need to have a minimum efficiency class of IE3 or a minimum of IE2 if they are operated VSD
They should also look at how the change will affect their logistics and supply chain, and get advice to ensure they get what is right for them and their market.
As an example, IE3 motors may be larger than the equivalent IE2 motor, which may mean product ranges have to be redesigned to take account of changed dimensions such as motor frame sizes, length and the position and size of fixings.
Machine builders also need to start the changeover to IE3 motors now in order to gain the maximum amount of time for possible constructional changes to machines and plants. The earlier the planning begins, the less chance there is of delivery bottlenecks. Currently, system integrators need to establish a preference for IE3 motors for high duty applications, well before they become mandatory, in order to ensure the future compliance of their design.
They will also find it useful to put a greater focus on energy consumption – use motor starters where they offer the most efficient solution, for
example, in fixed speed, constant load or low duty applications. VSDs should be used in applications where they bring added value, such as improve- ments to the operation or maintenance costs, or a significant energy saving.
What about the users?
Some of the bigger end-users – such as oil and gas processors and water companies – are already specifying IE3 for their latest motor projects. Despite carrying a 10-20% premium above the purchase cost of IE2 motors, they do offer a two year payback.
If smaller end-users are sure they want an IE3 motor, they need to spec- ify it explicitly to ensure they get it, and not just what the distributor has in stock.
The decision
The regulations are coming and the response to them needs to be planned well in advance to avoid potentially unpleasant surprises. Putting off these crucial decisions is not an option.
ABB T: 01925 741111
www.abb.co.uk/energy
Control solution for rapid assembly cranes U
sed in the construction of houses, flats and office buildings, rapid assembly cranes are often installed on small building sites where there is restricted assembly space and limited power.
To suit the requirements of these, a crane control system from Control Techniques has been selected by Arcomet for its rapid assembly T33, A33, A40 and A45 Eco City cranes. The cranes have been fitted with three electric motors and three drives: a lifting motor controlled by a 15kW Unidrive SP; an aligning motor controlled by a 7.5kW Unidrive SP; and a turning motor controlled by a 4kW SKC Commander. The new system has provided a number of benefits, including deployment at the touch of a button, precise positioning with millimetre accuracy, sway dampening, optimum use of load curves by working at maximum speed for any given weight, automatic compensation for supply current variations, remote control, and power restrictions at 20kVA on the A30 and A40 ranges to allow easy start up via generator or mains network. The speed adjustment feature also uses variable rotation speed motors for energy savings. Of additional benefit, the cranes are quiet to start up with high torque without current spikes, and offer smooth movement, intelligent and precise positioning with counter steering during lifting and aligning movements, and controlled lifting and aligning functions. In the future, the company is thinking of introducing the option of
reducing the operation of the crane from 400V to 230V in order to operate at even lower powers, and the possibility of transferring the concept to tower cranes. Control Techniques is looking into this. Arcomet
www.Arcomet.com/en Control Techniques
www.ControlTechniques.com Enter 211
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OCTOBER 2013 Design Solutions
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