GA500 inverter drive with new functions

We prove just how versatile and easy to operate inverters can be with our GA500 inverter drive. The compact devices, which come in three sizes and cover power ranges up to 30 kW, are suitable for asynchronous, permanent magnet or synchronous reluctance motors and can be up and running in just a few minutes. Now high-speed applications can also benefit from these attributes, since the output frequency range of 590 Hz can be expanded to up to 2,000 Hz if necessary, e.g. for spindle drives in metalworking or woodworking applications or in centrifuges.

Mechanical engineers now have even more freedom when it comes to design. The new variant of the GA500 has no heat sink (finless) or fan and is suitable for mounting on special heat sinks, water cooling units or any other cooling elements. Depending on the size of the inverter, these can be mechanical parts of the machine or heat sinks for special applications, such as in textile machines where lint and dust can impair the cooling of standard inverters. Combining a GA500 Finless drive with the right heat sink solves this problem and prevents machine downtime and loss of production.

In the case of inverters with a heat sink, mounting can take place outside the control cabinet if necessary. As a result, 80% of the power loss is eliminated from the control cabinet. It is possible to use smaller control cabinets, reduce control cabinet cooling or fit more devices in the same cabinet. Less air flow in the control cabinet also reduces dust pollution and increases maintenance intervals.

Robust and easy to use

The robust inverter design with coated circuit boards enables continuous operation at an ambient temperature of up to 50°C with no reduction in performance (derating). At the same time, integrated functions for monitoring the machine status and for intelligent prediction of service life prevent unexpected production downtimes. The integrated STO function complies with the safety requirements of SIL3 or PLe. A 24 V interface can be used to add additional sensors, such as pressure sensors or temperature sensors. The inverters can be controlled by all commonly used fieldbus systems. With a fieldbus interface card in just one inverter, up to five GA500 inverter drives can be networked. This significantly lowers costs and minimizes the wiring work required. An intuitive keypad, simple navigation and an interactive assistant reduce the set-up time to just a few minutes. DriveWorksEZ for PC and DriveWizard Mobile for smartphones also provides a powerful programming tool with an icon-based graphical user interface, predefined function modules and numerous logic functions.

The electrical connection is also extremely practical. Mains and motor cables can be connected without removing covers. Spring-loaded control terminals create simple, long-lasting connections with no need for retightening screws. An EMC filter is integrated, which guarantees compliance with global standards and also reduces the number of components in the control cabinet.