Arnold Taddeo , Head of Global Product Management , ABB Drives explains how PLCs and drives combine to enhance performance , energy efficiency , and safety .

Arnold C . Taddeo

Head of Global Product Management ABB Drives

Drives , often referred to as variable speed drives or VSDs , control the speed and torque of electric motors . The use of variable speed drives can significantly reduce energy consumption and enable precise control of key processes and machines , across a variety of industries .

Simply pairing an existing motor with a drive offers a significant opportunity to boost performance and energy efficiency . In fact , drives can typically decrease energy consumption by up to 25 % or more . But there is an additional way to optimise efficiency – combining a motor-drive system with a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ).

PLCs are compact , yet powerful , automation devices which actively monitor input signals from various sources , including drives . The PLC uses this data to make intelligent real-time decisions that can guide the actions of these drives . This results in more reliable , cost-efficient operation of the application they control .

A single PLC can seamlessly coordinate the movement of multiple drives connected to numerous motors , enabling precise synchronization even in intricate and large-scale operations . These PLCs are often pre-programmed with specific instructions tailored to the unique needs of the industrial process they oversee .

Uwe Maigler , technical manager of Wendlingen waterworks - which uses 11 ABB AC500 PLCs to ensure consumers have uninterrupted access to drinking water