Automation technology provider ABB has expanded its all-compatible drives offering to include the ACS6080 medium voltage (MV) drive for critical applications.

The new drive introduces an innovative control technology, developed by the company, that brings high-performance motor control to demanding processes used in industries such as mining, metals and marine. The drive brings precision, reliability and safety to demanding industrial processes.

The drive also enables plants to operate more efficiently and produce higher quality output.

Traditionally, achieving high dynamic performance and high power quality requires hardware with multiple devices. This increase in components, however, could decrease reliability of the equipment.

The ACS6080 drive maintains the same highly reliable hardware as its predecessor, the ACS6000, and includes the new advanced control capability. This is known as Model Predictive Pulse Pattern Control (MP3C).

ABB’s MP3C technology combines model predictive control with streamlined pulse pattern to modulate the semiconductors. This means that, at every point in time, this control can anticipate the best motor operation point by finding the perfect compromise between dynamics, efficiency and harmonic distortion.

The new control enables system integrators and plant operators to maintain stability, while reducing investment and operational costs by using a smaller drive or a smaller motor.

The increased power capability of the ACS6080’s single power module reduces the footprint of the drive by up to 20%. The new control helps to reduce operational cost in two ways.

It reduces operational costs as it is more energy efficient than other control solutions, and maintenance costs are reduced as there is less mechanical and thermal stress on the equipment leading to a longer lifetime of the components.

The ACS6080 also provides extensive input and output connectivity and supports all major fieldbus protocols, making it easy to integrate into existing systems and processes. It is compatible with ABB Ability condition monitoring services, allowing customers to obtain real-time data about the status and performance of the monitored equipment from any location.

“The ACS6080 MV drive provides benefits which help deliver exceptional value to industrial processes in terms of product quality, uptime, safety and energy efficiency,” says ABB Drives product manager Ester Guidi.

The new drive delivers a high level of safety for people and equipment via an arc-resistant design and certified functional safety features. The ACS6080 is built on ABB’s common drive architecture, enabling a faster and harmonised startup, commissioning and monitoring.

Once a user has learned how to use one all-compatible drive, they can then operate any other drive in ABB’s all-compatible offering.

The modular design of the ACS6080 enables it to be configured for single- or multi-motor applications. It controls all types of ac motors including induction, synchronous and permanent magnet, without the need for different software.

The ACS6080 can be tailored to any heavy industrial application, and has a power range from five to 36 MW.