Bremerhaven, November 2017 - At this year's SPS IPC Drives, Rotek will also be showcasing the small BLDC motor Romotion 44, which was launched in 2014 and was the first motor in the Romotion series. With these intelligent BLDC motors, the Bremerhaven-based small motor manufacturer wants to open up new markets.
The heart of the motor is a three-phase brushless DC motor. The electronics, which operate in the low voltage range, are integrated directly into the drive as standard. As an option, it is possible to place the control unit externally, especially if higher temperature ranges need to be covered. The motor is based on the technology developed for Rosync motors. They are world leaders on the market in the power class up to 100 W and are characterised by their first-class efficiency. As capacitor and three-phase motors, they achieve efficiencies of up to 75 per cent and 90 per cent respectively. At the same time, they are particularly compact.
The intelligent electronics of the Romotion offer possibilities that go far beyond simply controlling the motor windings. The drive can be supplied with control signals via analogue as well as via an integrated bus. ModBus, which is also used for parameterisation, is standard. The electronics have a modular design and can be easily expanded to include additional functions. A plug-in board makes the drive CAN bus-capable, for example. Solutions for Profibus are also possible as an option. In the basic version, commutation is sensorless, i.e. there is no need to install additional sensors to detect the rotor position. This enables cost-effective and space-saving installation of the control unit. The operating principle is simple: The speed controller of the electronics receives its setpoint value from a DC voltage signal of 0 to 10 V. The DC voltage is converted by the electronics into a voltage signal. The DC voltage is converted into a digital signal by the electronics. The electronics receive the actual speed value via the frequency of the motor's EMF. The current for controlling the motor coils is calculated from the comparison. The controller sets the speed to the desired setpoint and keeps it largely independent of the required torque.
In addition to the analogue input for the speed setpoint, there are digital inputs, e.g. for enabling and the desired direction of rotation of the motor. Error and brake chopper outputs are also integrated. In addition, three unassigned digital inputs/outputs are available, which can be used depending on the application, e.g. for optional rotor position detection (Hall sensors, optical sensors or angle encoders) or for end position detection in apparatus engineering.
The serial interface, a 1-wire bus that works according to the ModBus protocol, is particularly important. Firstly, it offers the option of parameterising the electronics. Among other things, this allows ramps for acceleration and braking or the assignment of the analogue setpoint to the speed to be set. The motors can also be integrated into other bus systems such as CAN bus or Profibus via gateways and several motors can be networked with each other. For use in customised applications with several drives, direct network operation via the 1-wire bus can be used via the software programming. This means that one drive operates in master mode and the others as slaves, whereby the free connections can then be used as signalling inputs and outputs. This allows complex processes to be implemented without separate electronic control.
In the download area of the website, Rotek offers the latest version of the MotorManager parameterisation software with an extended range of functions. In addition to standard settings such as speed ranges, ramps and current limits, users can now also customise the PID controller according to their requirements. A very interesting feature is the output of motor data such as current consumption and speed to a connected computer. This makes it possible to immediately recognise how heavily the motor is loaded and whether the drive is correctly dimensioned. The data can be output either as a diagram or as a table. For easy commissioning, the drive can be operated on a control panel.
The Romotion 44 is available with a maximum output power of up to 100 W. The speed range is 750 to 4000 rpm. Possible areas of application for the motor result from its special characteristics. It shows its strengths wherever variable speed, independent of torque, high power density and a long service life are required. With the same external design as all previous Rotek motors, it matches the components from the Rotek modular system. The drive is available with planetary gearboxes, worm gearboxes and spur gearboxes. Rotek manufactures mechanical adaptations according to customer requirements.
About Rotek:
Rotek GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 2000 and took over the business area of Hasselbach & Kausch Elektrokleinmotoren GmbH in Bremerhaven, which was founded on 10 July 1984 by Paul Hasselbach and Hans-Werner Kausch. The company is managed by three partners. Dipl.-Ök. Rolf Treusch is responsible for the commercial area, Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Treusch is responsible for design, production and quality assurance and Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Wilfried Treusch is head of development.
The family-owned company specialises in the production of geared motors in small and medium-sized series. Precision motors from Rotek are used in equipment and apparatus engineering, mechanical engineering, heating technology and intralogistics. The Bremerhaven-based motor manufacturer has developed into a global specialist for customised drive solutions with a long service life. In February 2010, the company won the "preis umwelt unternehmen: nordwest" award for its Rosync energy-saving motor. In 2016, the intelligent drives in the Romotion series were honoured with the bronze medal at the Schütting Prize, the most important innovation competition in the state of Bremen.