That’s why manufacturers such as Nord Drivesystems now always opt for a combination of intelligent frequency inverters and integrated PLCs, which are able to evaluate the motor and gearbox status data with the aid of “virtual” and physical sensors. This predictive maintenance concept includes both temperature and vibration sensors and algorithms that calculate the condition of the gear oil and automatically schedule the date of the next oil change. (The provider demonstrated how this works in practical application at the HANNOVER MESSE Trade Fair 2018.)

Nord Drivesystems has also prepared its decentralized drives for Industry 4.0 applications, both on the interface side and through a PLC integrated into the converter. The tendency to bring more and more production intelligence into the field little by little is thus evident in this area, too. The aim here is not only to relieve the burden on the main controller, but also above all to implement modular automation, so that intelligent components can be used productively as quickly and easily as possible to convert a production line, as is required increasingly often now.