Innovations in drive technology from Siemens for sustainable and economical production
In the field of energy-efficient and sustainable drive technology, Siemens brought two innovations to this year’s Smart Production Solutions (SPS) trade fair in Nuremberg in November. The first innovation relates to the Analyze MyDrives Edge application, which is already established on the market. This is equipped with a new feature that ensures transparency regarding the energy consumption of the entire drive system. The AI-based feature of the Edge app calculates all data without the need for additional sensors and special measuring devices. The app shows how efficiently the drive runs, how high energy consumption and operating costs are and what carbon footprint the drive leaves behind. Drive settings can thus be optimized even better to customer needs.
With this new feature, Siemens is responding to the current needs of industry for greater sustainability. Electric motors are responsible for over 70% of industrial energy requirements. Simotics SD IE4 motors are already very energy-efficient with an efficiency of up to over 96% and are therefore also optimally designed for operation directly on the grid. By using motors of the very high efficiency classes IE4 or even IE5, savings of up to 6% of electrical energy are possible. Using perfectly matched motor and converter systems for variable-speed operation of pumps, fans and compressors, energy savings of up to 30% can be achieved, and in some cases even more.
However, the real key to greater energy efficiency lies in the system as a whole: the inter-action of all individual measures – from more efficient motors with variable-speed control, through digital system components and tools, to the use of electrically buffered energy in the motor network – can achieve savings of up to 60% in the system network. Digitalization will thus make a major contribution to increasing the energy efficiency of motor-driven applications in the future. Analyze MyDrives Edge is also part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, the new digital business platform. This enables customers of all sizes to accelerate their digital transformation and increase value creation. The new business platform is characterized by simplicity, flexibility, and openness – all geared to the overarching goal of making the digital transformation of companies easier, faster, and more scalable.
The second innovation concerns the hardware area. Here, Siemens is introducing another Compact DC-DC Converter to the market in time for the SPS trade fair. The Sinamics DCP 250 kW is available now. This means that a total of three Compact DC-DC Converters are available for connecting batteries or ultracaps to an industrial drive system. With the Sinamics DCP 250 kW, Siemens offers a device with which output voltages of up to 1200V can be realized. The new device meets the increased requirements in the automotive industry and offers the optimal basis for the realization of test benches for electric vehicles. In terms of efficient energy use, DC controllers offer additional advantages: In the system network, the use of energy storage devices such as batteries can be used to smooth the load absorption from the grid. This eliminates load peaks in particular. Furthermore, braking energy can be made available in the DC system. With suitable system design, DC converters also require fewer conversion steps. Another advantage is the simplified feed-in from renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics.
The Sinamics DCP is a compact DC-DC converter that is ready for immediate use without additional engineering. Power expansion can also be easily implemented by connecting several Sinamics DCPs in parallel.
