The PowerFlex Family: A Comprehensive Overview of Allen-Bradley VFDs

As a leader in industrial automation, Rockwell Automation, under the Allen-Bradley brand, is one of the most recognized names in the field, offering a full line of industrial automation solutions and Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) suited for various industrial applications. The Rockwell Automation PowerFlex family of VFDs showcases innovative, flexible, and high-performing products. As such, this article will cover the PowerFlex VFDs, which come in three main product categories: Low Voltage VFDs, Medium Voltage VFDs, and DC Drives.

Low-Voltage VFDs

The PowerFlex family of Low Voltage VFDs is designed with flexibility in mind to provide a wide variety of control modes, features, options, packaging, global voltages, and power ranges. This agile portfolio is designed to ensure that operations stay connected while enhancing productivity. The Low Voltage VFDs are divided into three sub-categories: Standard VFDs, Compact VFDs, and On-Machine Drives.

Standard VFDs

PowerFlex 755TS

The PowerFlex 755TS VFD is designed for a broad spectrum of motor control applications, ranging from general-purpose to the most demanding industrial requirements. These six-pulse variable frequency drives, featuring patented TotalFORCE smart technology, provide flexible, high-performance motor control, real-time operational intelligence, and comprehensive commissioning and optimization of applications. Grainger and ABB expand the power range for PowerFlex 755TS Frame 7A drive up to 500 Hp / 355 kW, also introducing a new panel-mount option for high horsepower applications. It is 75% smaller than floor mount solutions to ease installation and meet premium footprint requirements.

PowerFlex 753

The PowerFlex 753 VFD is an economical and simple solution for general-purpose applications with safety requirements. These drives feature the built-in I/O and full system approach required for machine builders and systems integrators seeking to reduce engineering costs and deliver more productive machines to end users. This makes the PowerFlex 753 ideal for a wide range of motor control applications, including pumps, fans, and conveyors.

PowerFlex 755

The PowerFlex 755 VFD is easy to use, application flexible, and high performance. These harness various control and hardware options as well as optional embedded safety features. Using Integrated Motion on EtherNet/IP, you can mix these drives with Kinetix drives on the same network. Supporting ring, linear, and star topologies, the Dual-port EtherNet/IP Option Module features Device Level Ring (DLR) functionality for fault-tolerant connectivity and extremely high drive availability.

PowerFlex 755T

The PowerFlex 755T VFD incorporates TotalFORCE technology, a patented field-oriented control that provides leading-edge, adaptive control of velocity, torque, and position of electric motors. This technology enables the drives to respond quickly to operating conditions and automatically adjust to achieve the system’s high performance. The PowerFlex 755T VFD can provide predictive diagnostics and maintenance settings to monitor drive and motor operating conditions to analyze system health.

PowerFlex 700S

The PowerFlex 700S AC Drives provide optimized Integration for the most demanding stand-alone, coordinated drive control, and drive system applications. The PowerFlex 700S AC drive with the DriveLogix option combines the robust performance and adaptable control of PowerFlex AC drives with a powerful Logix engine, creating a highly versatile and economical drive and control solution.

PowerFlex 700L

The PowerFlex 700L AC Drives offer either PowerFlex 700 Vector Control or PowerFlex 700S Control on a fully regenerative, liquid-cooled power structure. These drives are designed for precise, high-response speed and position control, continuous holdback, rapid deceleration, and stopping of high-inertia loads.

Compact VFDs

PowerFlex 523

PowerFlex 523 AC Drives provide 0.2 to 22 kW / 0.25 to 30 Hp and global voltages from 100 to 600V. It features a modern, modular design with an advanced, removable control core, allowing for simultaneous hardware installation and software configuration. This series also has extensive motor control abilities, including volts per hertz, sensorless vector control, and sensorless vector control with Economizer mode.

PowerFlex 525

The PowerFlex 525 AC Drives offer power ratings of 0.4 to 22 kW / 0.5 to 30 Hp in global voltages from 100 to 600V. These drives feature a modular design with an innovative, removable control core that allows simultaneous installation and software configuration. They support seamless integration into the Logix environment and EtherNet/IP networks, featuring built-in EtherNet/IP capabilities.

PowerFlex 527

The PowerFlex 527 AC Drives are specifically designed to operate with Logix Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs). These drives feature built-in dual-port EtherNet/IP, supporting various topologies and Device Level Ring (DLR) capabilities.

PowerFlex 4M

PowerFlex 4M AC Drives are the smallest, most economical members of the PowerFlex family of drives. Power ratings of 0.2 to 1.1 kW / 0.25 to 1.5 Hp / 1.6 to 6 A are available in worldwide voltages ranging from 100 to 120V, with V/Hz control, slip compensation, and integral RS-485 communications.

PowerFlex 4

The PowerFlex 4 AC Drives offer power ratings of 0.2 to 1.1 kW / 0.25 to 1.5 Hp / 1.5 to 6 A in global voltages from 100 to 120V. Designed with V/Hz control and slip compensation, the drives are equipped with integral RS-485 communication. They also have optional serial converter modules for any DF1 messaging controller.

PowerFlex 40

The PowerFlex 40 AC Drives offer power ratings of 0.4 to 1.1 kW / 0.5 to 1.5 Hp / 2.3 to 6 A in global voltages from 100 to 120V. These drives feature V/Hz and sensorless vector control, as well as process PID. They also offer integral RS-485 communication and optional serial converter modules for use with any controller with DF1 messaging.

PowerFlex 40P

PowerFlex 40 AC Drives to  [0.4 to 1.1 kW / 0.5 to 1.5 Hp / 2.3 to 6 A Global Voltages 100 to 120V (V/Hz; Sensorless vector; process PID)]. They also feature built-in RS-485 communication and optional serial converter modules compatible with any controller supporting DF1 messaging.

PowerFlex 400

The PowerFlex 400 AC Drives are also well suited for commercial and industrial fan and pump control. Parametric technologies are used for these drives, allowing for power ratings from 2.2 to 37 kW / 3 to 50 Hp /12 to 145 A in the global voltages of 200 to 240V, introduction of V/Hz control, slip compensation, PID control.

On-Machine Drives

Armor PowerFlex Drives

Armor PowerFlex 35-series On-Machine drives are for rugged environments, making them ideal when the minimization of installation time and cost is of maximum benefit. These drives deliver an all-in-one, close-to-the-motor, pre-packaged solution made to minimize installation expense and time, and unwanted downtime.

Medium Voltage VFDs

PowerFlex 6000

The PowerFlex 6000 VFD offers real-time predictive analytics and is designed for new and retrofit variable torque, constant torque, and high-speed applications up to 120 Hz. These drives are ideal for applications ranging from fans and pumps to conveyors and compressors that require 2.3 to 11 kV motor control.

PowerFlex 7000

The PowerFlex 7000 medium voltage variable frequency drive is available in a broad power range: 150 to 25,350 kW (200 to 34,000 Hp), rated 2.4 to 6.6 kV AC. These high-performance VFDs feature power regeneration capabilities and deliver soft-starting, variable speed, torque, direction, and stopping control for standard induction or synchronous AC motors.

DC Drives

PowerFlex DC Drives

The PowerFlex DC Drives offer power ratings of 1.2 to 224 kW/1.5 to 300 Hp/7 to 1050 A in global voltages from 200 to 240V. These drives offer both regenerative and non-regenerative configurations and feature advanced regulators with integrated DPI functionality, DC tachometer, and encoder capability.

The DC Field Controller offers a three-phase reversing field controller in the following ranges: 60 to 200V AC input, 17 to 570 A output, and 230 to 500V AC input, 17 to 570 A output. These controllers provide three-phase, four-quadrant (reversing) DC motor or generator field control and feature open-type enclosures.

If you would like to learn more about DC drives and how they compare against their AC counterparts, we have an article here for you!

Conclusion

The PowerFLex family of Allen-Bradley VFDs offers a range of solutions for various Industrial applications. From low-voltage to medium-voltage and DC drives, the PowerFlex family provides high-performance yet flexible motor control solutions. These solutions are designed to improve productivity, maximize uptime, and optimize energy efficiency. These include cost-effective solutions for general needs and high-performance drives for demanding industry-specific applications.

No matter what your application may be, we at DO Supply have the equipment to keep your process running as smooth as it can. We specialize in all of the drives you have just read and more. We also repair drives in dire need of attention if replacing it isnt what you want. Sounds like just the thing you need? Give us a call today!