ABB ADO Terminal Blocks Offer Fast, Reliable Connections

ABB Low Voltage Controls has released a new family of terminal blocks that dramatically reduce installation times without compromising safety. Based on ABB's insulation displacement connection (IDC) technology, the new ADO system terminal blocks can reduce wiring times by up to 80% compared with conventional terminal blocks. The system eliminates the most common risks associated with connections, such as forgetting to strip the wire, folding over of wire strands, stripping too much wire, incorrect tightening torque or badly inserted terminal ends. The ADO system uses a hand-operated tool to enable the operator to execute simple and accurate high-speed wiring and cutting.

By ensuring a tight connection every time, ADO Terminal Blocks eliminate the problem of loose screw terminations, maximising safety in heavy industrial applications subject to vibration and shocks and reducing subsequent maintenance time and cost. When a connection is made, the tool strips away the wire insulation and pushes the non-prepared conductor cable into a cutting jaw, which holds it tight and ensures a sound electrical contact. The manual tool has been specially designed for on-site maintenance and can remain permanently inside a panel. A semi-automatic version is also available, which enables repeated connections to be made quickly with minimum effort from the installer. For wiring flexibility, users can choose ADO system blocks with an IDC termination on both sides or with a combination of IDC and screw clamp terminations. Another key benefit of ABB's ADO system blocks is their reduced size. Up to 50 terminals can be installed per foot of DIN rail, helping to reduce the overall installation space compared to conventional terminal blocks.

R58 Expert Series

R58 Expert (R58E) sensors offer maintenance-free solid-state reliability for all color contrasts found in common product and material registration applications. Fast 50-microsecond sensing response produces excellent registration repeatability, even in ultra-high-speed applications. This fast response, coupled with the small 1.2 x 3.8 mm (0.05" x 0.15") sensing image, allows register marks to be made small and inconspicuous. R58E Banner Sensors feature TEACH mode sensitivity adjustment by presenting the output ON and output OFF sensing conditions to the sensor. TEACH mode has two options: Static TEACH and Dynamic TEACH. Static TEACH is used to manually set the two sensing conditions individually. Dynamic TEACH provides a means for teaching a series of conditions on-thefly; the R58E samples the sensing events and automatically sets the switch point between the lightest and darkest conditions.

The sensor determines whether the lightest or darkest condition is present for the shortest time and sets the output ON condition and LO/DO for the shortest-duration event sensed. The sensor uses a tri-color LED during Static and Dynamic TEACH and automatically selects red, green, or blue, based on the contrast between the register mark and the background. Sensitivity may be fine-tuned at any time by simply clicking the "+" or "-" buttons on the sensor. The eight-element signal strength light bar clearly displays the relative received signal strength. The discrete bipolar (one NPN and one PNP) outputs may be programmed in SETUP mode to include a 30-millisecond ON and/or OFF-delay, if required. Both Static and Dynamic TEACH and output SETUP are accomplished either by using the push buttons on the R58E Banner Color Sensor, or by supplying input pulses via the Remote TEACH input. The construction of the R58E is extremely robust, with a die-cast metal housing, plastic optics, and IP67 and NEMA 6 leakproof design for harsh sensing environments.

G7 Wins Control Engineering Editors' Choice Award

The "480 V, three-level inverter architecture" of the Yaskawa Drives G7 solves high-performance speed, torque, and position-control applications. Increased speed and torque response is said to provide servo-like motor control; and a new open-loop control method produces true torque control without an encoder. Three-level power architecture reportedly limits detrimental voltage-switching effects of IGBT power-switching devices to 50% the dv/dt value of conventional PWM drives. Yaskawa G7 drive simplifies 480-V installation and provides enhanced system protection.

This technology also solves major installation and reliability concerns in industrial plants, for example: long cable length between motor and drive; induced shaft bearing current; EMI/RFI radiation; common mode currents; audible noise; and surge voltages, according to Yaskawa. Yaskawa G7 Inverter Drives come in a 0.5 to 500-hp power range. Drive programming is DriveWorksEZ Yaskawa's PC-based, object-oriented graphical icon programming tool. All of Yaskawa's products must pass rigorous quality assurance (QA) standards, combining leading edge technology, unsurpassed performance and user friendly application with absolute reliability. Yaskawa Drives consistently applies quality control (QC) and reliability control (RC) methods across the company's operations, beginning with product planning and design and extending to order entry and after sale service.