Rockwell Automation has expanded its family of smart motor controllers with the new Allen-Bradley SMC-50.
The smart motor controller with internal bypass brings greater operational control over motor starts and stops, and delivers greater functionality and efficiency across industries, according to the company.
Soft starters traditionally use solid-state, silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) to control voltage to the motor during startup, runtime and shutdowns.
The reduced torque and current slowly introduces energy to the motor, mitigating electrical and mechanical stress to the application. If these SCRs remain in the circuit once the motor is up to speed, the heat generated by these devices leads to electrical inefficiency.
Now, users have the option of choosing the right power structure for their application. For operations that run over an extended period, built-in internal bypass allows users to shift from solid-state switches to bypass contactors.
By switching over to the bypass circuit, users can save on energy and decrease operational costs by minimising excess heat build-up.
