n TECHNOLOGY January 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 22 SUMITOMO DRIVE TECHNOLOGIES – a name traditionally associated with premium power transmission products – is entering the lower-cost end of the market with new generation of gears and gearmotors with prices starting at €172 in Europe. The Neo Essential lineup is designed to deliver robust torque, high efficiency, and long-term reliability for everyday applications. Sumitomo says that for decades it has set a benchmark for high-end gear technologies, with products that prioritise precision, durability and advanced features. The new lower-cost range represents a strategic expansion for the company, bringing premium engineering principles into economy versions that focus on proven designs, easy integration and dramatically lower costs of ownership. With universal fittings and covering the most common power ratings, the new range is designed to fit into existing applications, without costly customisation. Sumitomo says that by reducing complexity and prioritising reliability, the Neo Essential series gives manufacturers a cost-effective path to increasing uptime. The rugged designs, simplified features, and compliance with industry standards, mean quicker commissioning, less maintenance, and longer service lives. The company adds that its pricing strategy makes advanced gear technologies accessible to a wider range of industrial users. There are four families: n Prest Neo gearmotors, which deliver efficient power with low noise and high reliability n Altax Neo gearmotors, built on the Cyclo principle, which have been engineered for exceptional shock and overload resistance, and long lives. Their rugged design supports maintenance-free operation in demanding duty cycles. n Hyponic Neo right-angle gearmotors offering hypoid gears in a right-angle, hollow-shaft configuration. They provide smooth, quiet, efficient transmission. n Planetra Neo robust, space-saving planetary gears capable of handling higher radial and axial loads, for applications where footprint and value are critical. https://emeia.sumitomodrive.com/ en-gb/neo-essential-series Sumitomo expands downmarket with gears and gearmotors starting at €172 AT THE SPS AUTOMATION SHOW in Germany, ABB unveiled a simulation package that allows drives users to test and simulate how a drive will behave without needing physical hardware. The ABB ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus is a digital version of an ACS880 industrial drive that can be used to design, configure, and validate systems virtually, reducing risks and avoiding delays caused by waiting for physical equipment. By enabling accurate, hardware-free testing early in the project, the package speeds up development, and cuts commissioning times and costs, helping users to bring products to the market faster. The ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus can operate as an inverter, active rectifier, or DC/DC chopper in a virtual environment. Its simulation features are easy to expand and customise, allowing customers to use a virtual drive on a PC to model their own systems, replicating real-world applications. The Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) package runs a low-voltage drive’s control firmware to ensure accurate simulation of its behaviour. It is said to deliver microsecond-accurate electromagnetic transient simulations, providing virtual drive blocks for users to develop and test applications – configuring grids, loads, processes and system-level controls – just as they would with physical drives. Final-stage hardware-based validation and real-time integration can be completed using ABB’s ACS880 DriveLab package. “We are providing our customers with more than just a model; we are providing the authentic core of ABB drive technology,” explains Xinhua Ke, product manager in Motion High Power at ABB.“With a verified foundation, universal integration, and baseline models for fast starts, ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus is the ideal choice for customers aiming to innovate, accelerate development, and reduce risk.” Through its IP-secure technology, the simulation package also allows OEMs to expand their service offerings. Using digital models that replicate the behaviour of physical drives, they can bundle the virtual drives with their own service and support, and resell licensed applications to end-users. “The simulation solutions portfolio represents our vision for model-based engineering, where simulation and realworld performance are connected,” explains Adrian Daeppen, global offering portfolio manager of Motion High Power at ABB. “Our customers can build their own innovative businesses on top of our trusted technology. It connects digital engineering directly to commercial growth, helping our customers to outrun their competition.” www.abb.com/global/en/areas/motion/ digital-tools/virtual-drive-plus Software simulates drive behaviour, cutting time and costs ABB’s Virtual DrivePlus simulator reduces risks, saves time and cuts costs
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