You´ve always asked yourself how you should select the right frequency converter for your application? It takes you hours to dig through data sheets to find out what converter suits you? Then you should have a look at this guide!
A quick guide to select a frequency converter
Tip 1 –
Select the correct degree of protection
For an operation
without disturbances you have to choose the correct degree of protection. There
are different protection classes for converters. Which protection class you
need depends on the location of the installation. If you install the converter
in a control cabinet an IP20 degree of protection is adequate. For decentral
installation – e.g. next to the motor or mounted to a wall – you should go with
a converter that is IP55 certified (or higher).
Tip 2 – Select
the optimal power, current and voltage
Before selecting
a converter, you should know the line voltage and the motor connection. Once
you know that, you can further narrow your choice based on the rated power
and/or the rated current, which also impact the size of your converter.
Converters differ
in modularity. Basic, compact converters are e.g. used in pumping, moving,
processing applications. For other applications e.g. positioning or machining you
can choose a flexible device with a modular design. You can select modular
converters based on space requirements, design flexibility and many more
criteria.
You can also choose converters with a function for energy recovery. These
converters feed braking energy back into the line supply to use it as a
sustainable resource instead of just converting it into heat.
Tip 3 –
Select the communication capabilities
Communication is everything. What applies to our social lives is also true
for converters. You can select from a wide variety of communication solutions,
such as Profinet, Profisafe, Profibus DP, Ethernet/IP, USS/Modbus RTU, CANopen and
many more. This also helps you to further narrow down which converter you need.
Tip 4 – “Safety Integrated” – ensure the maximum protection of employees
and production
Let´s talk safety: At this point you should ask yourself whether the planned
measures to protect employees and production are sufficient and compliant with
legal stipulations. If safety is required in your drive system, you can rest
assured: most state-of-the-art converters already have the necessary integrated
safety functionalities available. “Safety Integrated” devices include
functions such as STO, SS1, SBC, SLS, SDI, SSM. With “Safety
Integrated”, you can enhance the safety of your system or your machine while
reducing costs for design, configuration, installation and commissioning.
These are our four tips to quickly select a converter. For further information about our drives, please have a look at our frequency converter website. Download the SINAMICS Selector App to easily choose your converter here: IOS or Android
