Traditionally, the primary use of drives has been in such applications as powering pumps, fans and conveyors. And while they will continue to be used in these applications, today’s end-users have a different approach to that of a decade ago.

    Drives are now fully developed and are therefore more widely accepted as a product. The need to answer the question, “what does it do?” has been replaced by the expectation that the drive will “just do it.” This shift in attitude brings with it the assumption that the drives are simple to buy, simple to install, simple to start up, simple to commission and simple to own and run.

    At the same time, drives are finding new applications: in exercise machines, pizza ovens, honey centrifuges and car washes. In these applications, the drive is definitely considered a commodity, and the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), who may not traditionally have used drives, are once again demanding pure simplicity. In fact, a recent survey showed that simple controls and set-ups (70 percent) and convenient operator interfaces (53 percent) were rated as very important by AC drives users.

    Simplicity and ease of use manifest themselves in many ways. The mere fact that drives can now be used in domestic washing machines is a testimony to their extreme compactness. Drives have become smaller, more capable, easier to use and cheaper, by orders of magnitude.

    Smaller drives are easier to install. Panel builders are able to fit more drives into a standard cubicle, so the whole panel can be smaller. This allows the use of smaller and less costly control rooms. It also becomes easier for OEMs to fit drives into their equipment. A classic example of this is in cranes, an application that has always had limited space for the drive.

    The reductions in drive size have resulted from the use of fewer components, greater packing density, improvements in semiconductor technology and improved...

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