Decentralised motor starter eases conveyor systems operation

When motors in conveyor systems are safely turned off in the traditional manner, the wiring and energy distribution involved is typically very complex. Wieland Electric wanted to reduce the complexity in installation and make it more user friendly, and has developed the podis MS 5HP motor starter. 

This compact, robust and user-friendly drive component includes an integrated STO (Safe Torque Off) function that, when activated, renders the connected motor torque-free and allows the power supply to be completely disconnected from the emergency stop circuits. As a result, STO circuits no longer need to be routed over long distances to a central distributor and assigned to a specific energy branch.

Wieland Electric says this combination of starter functions enables the distribution of all energy and the decentralised assignment of STO circuits in the field. Furthermore, it adds, a high level of safety (SIL 3, PL e) can be attained with little effort. All motor starters in an emergency stop circuit are connected to STO female sockets, and the STO circuit is monitored and controlled by an auxiliary voltage generated in the field, as well as a two-channel safety relay. In addition, multiple STO circuits can be powered by a single power supply.

When an energy bus system, such as Wieland Electric’s podis 5G6, is used, additional benefits of separating energy and signal are realised, as the energy distribution for multiple motor starters and motors can be combined on a single line with only one feed. This saves space in the cable trays and simplifies wiring in the distributor panel.

With a single size of the podis MS 5HP covering a power range of 0.25 kW to 4.0 kW, there are reduced storage and administration costs. The procurement and materials management processes are also simplified because there is only one order option. The processes for installation and commissioning are also straightforward: DIP switches can be used to fully program the motor starter; the user can make the settings for the motor and the application concerned after being guided through the procedure step by step by an intelligent web configurator guide. Scanning the QR code on the front of the device with a smartphone or tablet will bring up the configurator and other information on the motor starter.