As industries across the board move to a more distributed working environment, it is essential that OEMs and suppliers can equip their customers with supportive platforms to ensure that their operations never miss a beat. For this reason, Nidec Control Techniques prides itself on offering free software for commissioning, optimising and monitoring drive/system performance. “If you have already purchased our hardware, why should you have to pay again to get it working?” comments Bruce Grobler, regional manager, Nidec Control Techniques.
With M Connect, users are empowered with a free, easy-to-use tool to get their systems up and running. “Unlike others on the market, our software doesn’t require any annual fee and comes with no limits on licences,” adds Grobler. “The full version is free to download and share, keeping things simple and low-cost for our customers.”
M Connect is designed specifically for use with Control Techniques’ range of general-purpose drives, as well as the high-performance Unidrive M range. Each Unidrive M model has been tailored to specific application needs identified within industry. M Connect completes the package when using a Unidrive M model, allowing users to undertake a basic drive setup, optimising drive and motor performance even with minimal specialised drive knowledge. The tool is scalable to match application requirements and will assist the user to set motor and speed preferences, getting the motor from a standstill to fully operational.
One step further for process automation
Taking this programme to another level, the M range of drives is equipped with PLC programming functionality through its Machine Control Studio platform powered by Codesys – a development environment for programming controller applications. Through this platform, the drive can be used to automate not just the motor, but the entire line as well.
“The M Connect platform also links to a free real-time oscilloscope for viewing and analysing changing values within the drive,” explains Grobler. The PC platform, called CTScope, allows the user to follow operational trends, look at speed referencing, ensure motors are running at the right speed, and undertake fault-finding. Furthermore, the user interface is based on a traditional oscilloscope, making it familiar and friendly to all engineers across the globe.
“We believe that familiarity with a certain technology is key to its adoption,” concludes Grobler. “We aim to align all our systems and software for easy integration and simple adoption into your current system. While our products may change and mature, our interfaces are similar across iterations. This makes migration easier and takes the headache out of maintenance because the user already knows their way around.”
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