B&R’s Latest Control Software Could Advance Soft-start Technology for Electric Motors

Soft-start Technology can Increase Equipment Longevity

Soft-start technology has made its way into many different industries to increase equipment lifespan and reduce costly equipment downtime.  

Electric motors often create large torque numbers upon initial start-up. These torque spikes lead to shock loading on the entire system. Starting a motor slowly can reduce fatigue created on motor shafts, belts, and any other equipment being moved by the motor. 

Soft-start technology includes benefits beyond just applications with electrical motors. Parts and equipment continually subject to cyclic heat cycles may benefit from a slow heat up schedule.  

 

Burnt electrical equipment that may have been avoided if a soft-start method was used. 

 

Fast temperature changes can lead to stress and fatigue in metals and other materials. A slower heat up or cool down cycle can reduce fatigue caused by heating and cooling cycles.  

In addition to slower heat up or cool down cycles, even heating of parts helps to reduce fatigue traditionally caused by uneven heating. This uneven heating is caused by different temperatures within a part, causing uneven expanding and contracting of the parts. 

The technology is useful across many different industries, including most manufacturing plants, extrusion processes, injection molding, crane operations, hydraulics, and web handling. 

 

B&R’s mapp Control

B&R Industrial Automation recently released their new mapp Temperature control software to help manufacturers get their machinery up to temperature in a controlled manner. This software is designed to help reduce fatigue in equipment. The software is preprogrammed and can help reduce mechanical stresses within the equipment and produce controlled evaporation of liquid residue inside the system.

 

B&R's latest map Temperature control software. Image used courtesy of B&R Industrial Automation

 

mapp Temperatures Soft-start function can be used on extruders, filtration systems, and injection molding systems to help bring them up to temperature quickly and safely. Safe heating is attained by using a temperature gradient to heat up zones together or using a system of target heating with limited power. Strain is reduced on the system's hardware because maximum power is never used in the Soft-start process.

 

Suited for Various Temperature Zones

B&R’s mapp Temperature Soft-start has the bonus of being preprogrammed. Since the software doesn't require additional set-up, costly programming can be eliminated with their system. All of the needed settings, such as desired operating temperature, are easily configured and may not require a steep learning curve for the software to be successful.

Different heating zones can be configured to heat up individually or be eliminated from the start-up process completely if a customer needs specific functionality. The software aims to help to create an easier method of soft starting equipment. B&R designed this to be more flexible with its ability to map out and heat different temperature zones.  

mapp Temperature control software may be a useful tool when starting machines in the injection and molding industries.