NEWS | OCTOBER 2022
THE ADVANTAGES OF PURCHASING A VFD FROM PE
P
ower Electronics International (PE) in Chicago, manufactures micro-speed, multi-vector, VFDs (Variable Frequency
Drives), smooth-move reduced torque control units, and custom control panels for all industries. Their products can be found in
overhead cranes, hoists, trolleys, bridges, dams, pumps, fans, monorails, conveyors, and other industrial applications. The company has released a report
on: ‘The Advantages of Purchasing a VFD from Power Electronics International for your Overhead Crane’, highlighting their durability; longevity and reliability. Unlike other drives, PE uses steel construction for its VFD structure, instead of plastic, which lasts longer against shock and vibrations, increasing the life and reliability of the drive. Plastic-cased drives are made for installation on or in non-moving equipment. Overhead traveling cranes have many abrupt movements all day long and sometimes for multiple daily shifts. Multi-purpose drives are not the answer. Additionally, electrically an overhead
crane will see many more start-stop processes during its lifetime.
These movements, sometimes in quick reverse, will cause higher currents and increased wear over time if you do not have the correct equipment. “Off-the-shelf generic drives do not handle these conditions well,” says report author Angela Habisohn, communications director, PE. “For example, a drive used for fan use will start up only once, see an initial ramp-up of current, and then simply run with very small starting and running currents. On a crane that is used heavy-duty and very quickly all day long, the average currents would be higher. Additionally, the heating of the electronic devices will be much greater, and the life expectancy of the drives and other equipment will be reduced. “We engineer and build our drives with a long-term mindset that allows your company to keep up with
upgrades to come. This is our Upgrade Path Philosophy. We engineer all our equipment for quick and easy upgrades or future replacements in the field. This allows for standardized equipment sizing, electrical connections, and software settings between drive models, so that past and present products are subsets of future drive models.” Temperature rating and current handling capacity are key to your installation of variable speed drives for your EOT crane or hoist. The temperature ratings are as follows: PE Standard Ambient: 14°F to +140°F (-10°C to +60°C). Many non-crane rated drives can only handle approximately 104°F (40°C). PE drives are made even more reliable because of the ability to handle periodic 300% of max rated current in many cases. That allows higher duty use, cycles, and years of extra life because of better electronic components. “PE VFDs are built especially for
heavy-duty applications resulting in fewer nuisance trips and higher reliability. Our VFDs have an average durability of more than a decade under normal crane and hoist use. Many units have been active for more than 25 years, depending on the environment. Lifetime quality and value are one of the main focuses we have in mind when building our equipment, saving costs long term. Situations and environments vary, but having the best in your plant will give you the best Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) available in nearly all cases,” adds Habisohn. ●
Overhead Crane Material Handling Industry Supplement | October 2022 | 13
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