ABB has launched its newest medium voltage air-cooled drive, which it says represents an evolution, building on over 50 years of experience in delivering drives to industrial applications and bringing reliability, performance, and flexibility to the next level.
The ACS8080 drive enables “innovative motor control, versatile design, and digital capabilities”. The global company adds that the converter can achieve up to 98% efficiency, targeting optimal performance for the entire drive system.
ABB, which in 2023 generated US$32 billion in revenues, says new motor control technology MP3C pushes efficiency and “motor friendliness to the limit”, while preserving the dynamic performance and robustness of the predecessor DTC. It also reduces harmonic distortions by around 50% compared to classic control and modulation schemes, thereby extending equipment lifetime and achieving energy savings.
Designed for versatility and ease of integration, the new ACS8080 easily adapts to a wide range of applications and industries. The launch comes after the company last year spent US$1.3 billion on R&D investment.
Chris Poynter, President of systems drives division at ABB Motion, says the modular and flexible design includes the possibility of utilising an external transformer and selecting a sine filter option, making it an optimal match not only for new applications, but also for retrofitting existing drive systems or direct online (DOL) machines.
A high degree of flexibility is also possible due to the advanced digital features: the integration of the open software platform, Crealizer, into the ABB drive operating system allows for advanced programming capabilities that enable the rapid development and deployment of innovative application-specific functionalities, reducing reliance on external controllers.
“At ABB, we invest in R&D to deliver new solutions that enhance productivity while reducing emissions and operating costs. With over 50 years of experience in mission-critical applications, we recognize the importance of reliability and flexibility,” says Poynter.
“This is why we continue to evolve—integrating clean, adaptable designs, stepping up our testing capabilities, and embedding the latest digital technologies. This product reflects our commitment to advancing reliability, performance, and flexibility to help the industries outrun- leaner and cleaner.”
The leaner design of the ACS8080 translates into a lower number of components than its predecessors, increasing reliability but also simplifying maintenance and service processes.
ABB says enhanced sensing capabilities and a next generation control hardware also enables the collection of up to 10 times more diagnostic data for better and faster monitoring solutions. The new ABB Connectivity Edge Gateway allows connectivity whether on premises or to the cloud.
The new ACS8080 is developed to protect against unauthenticated access, malicious firmware, data breaches, and insecure connectivity allowing customers to benefit from all modern digital capabilities.
ABB is a global technology company focused on electrification and automation. Building on more than 140 years of experience and with more than 105,000 employees worldwide, ABB optimises how things are manufactured, moved, powered and protected.
The company’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). At the heart of the energy transition, ABB helps the world’s industries outrun – leaner and cleaner.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: ABB
