Bearings International accelerates with new variable speed drives

Bearings International (BI), through its relationship with Hudaco Group company Varispeed, is launching the VDrivePlus and AlphaDrive-Micro variable speed drives in the South Africa market.

Being part of the broader Hudaco Group allows BI to leverage synergies across a broad range of companies, meaning it can offer a complete product basket at its extensive branch network countrywide. One of these areas is electronic motor control solutions from Varispeed.

BI Marketing Manager, Victor Strobel, said: “For BI, it is all about the breadth of our product offering, which extends far beyond our customers’ core focus. This is because we look at customer requirements holistically. It is also a great way to introduce our customer base to the larger Hudaco Group.

“While the customer bases are different, there are definite synergies that we can tap into. It is all about positioning ourselves as a total solutions provider that is a single point of contact for all of our customer needs, as well as making them aware of everything else we are able to offer them.”

The AlphaDrive-Micro VSD (pictured) from Varispeed is a compact frequency inverter ranging from 0.2 kW to 5.5 kW, and available in 240 V and 400 V. Together with the VDrivePlus, these VSDs offer the best performance-to-cost ratio on the market, without compromising on quality and reliability, according to BI.

Certified in accordance with the latest European standards and regulations, the Alpha Drive Micro and Micro Plus are ideally suited to most applications in the South Africa market, including mining, food and beverage, manufacturing, and agriculture, BI says.

The compact design of the AlphaDrive-Micro VSD means it can be easily integrated into an electrical panel, as it mounts directly onto a DIN rail. A built-in software menu caters for optimised parameters for basic functions and applications such as fans, belts, conveyors, and pumps. Applications range from mining plants to water reticulation, HVAC, food and beverage, canning and bottling plants, and injection moulding plants, BI said.

The AlphaDrive-Micro VSD is based on the MODBUS protocol for open networking, with an EMC filter as standard.

One of the features of both drives BI highlighted was a parameter copy stick that allows for an automatic back-up of parameter settings in the event of load shedding. It also means that the same set of parameters can be transferred to many drives and even multiple sites.

The VDrivePlus from Varispeed is a much larger drive, ranging from 0.4 kW to 400 kW, available in 240 V and 400 V. This more advanced VSD features advanced motor control based on DSP technology, together with ‘smart’ auto-tuning, BI said. Additional features include flexible inverter control, dual high-resolution analogue inputs, and free mappable I/O channels.

BI said: “A universal function set is available for a range of industrial and residential applications, including integrated PID/pump controller routines. ‘Smart’ PC tools allow for quick inverter control, parametrisation, and troubleshooting. Here the size and range of the VSD makes it ideal for harsh operating environments from mining to industrial and even agricultural.”

Looking at future scope for synergy, Strobel pointed out that the VSDs can be easily supplemented with the Bauer electric motor range from BI.

These aluminium three-phase 380 V motors are made for industrial applications such as fans, compressors, pumps, sanding machines, and pedestal drilling machines, among others. The main benefit is that the motors are far lighter than their cast-iron equivalents due to the aluminium casing and end shield, according to the company.

The multi-mount design has the added benefit of being able to change the feet on-site. This gives customers the option of having the terminal box on the top or on the left- or right-hand side, depending on the specific requirements. In addition, Bauer motors can be fitted with an external brake of either an AC or DC type.