n TECHNOLOGY May 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 16 ABB HAS EXTENDED its ACS580-01, ACQ580-01 and ACH580-01 family of drives to include 315kW and 355kW wall-mounting versions, which it says are among the smallest in this power class. It adds that the new frame size is a response to a growing demand for higher output powers, combined with smaller installation spaces. The compact design of the new drives will help to reduce cabinet sizes, panel footprints and system complexity, cutting integration costs across applications such as cooling and refrigeration, water and wastewater, heat pump systems, and industrial processes. Installation, commissioning and servicing have been simplified using an optimised wiring terminal section, and a patented tilting cabling box, that provide fast access to internal components and improve accessibility during installation and maintenance. The drives can be skid-mounted onto an application or installed inside cabinets, including flange mounting and under-unit horizontal mounting options. This allows efficient integration into machine and system structures, supporting compact layouts, optimised thermal management, and modular designs. All variants of the drives are available in IP21 and IP55 enclosures, making them suitable for installation either in cabinets, or in more demanding environments. The drives will operate in ambient temperatures up to 55°C (40°C without derating) and meet C3 (IP21) and C4 (IP55) environmental classifications for long-term reliability. Offline configuration allows parameters to be set up and the drives to be commissioned without needing the physical drive, thus helping to cut commissioning times. For cooling and refrigeration applications, there are dedicated compressor functions with support for standard refrigerant tables and Antoine coefficients for custom refrigerants. A2L and A3 refrigeration conformity documentation is included to support compliance with modern refrigerants. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are available, helping manufacturers and system integrators to assess environmental impact and achieve sustainability goals. “The demand for higher-output systems continues to grow, while available installation space is becoming increasingly limited,” says Andy Organ, ABB’s global product manager for HVACR drives. “By extending the ACS580, ACQ580 and ACH580 families up to 355kW in a wall-mounted design, we are helping our customers to build more compact, costeffective and reliable solutions across multiple industries.” www.abb.com p SemiQ, the US developer of SiC (silicon carbide) devices, has announced a family of 1.2kV half-bridge Mosfet modules with “industry-leading efficiencies and power densities” for use in applications such as motor drives, compressors and converters for energy storage systems. The QSiC Dual3 modules can replace IGBT modules with minimal redesigns, saving space and weight compared to silicon IGBTs, while delivering SiC efficiencies. p ABB has integrated its Ability Industrial Knowledge Vault (IKV) generative AI platform with its Ability Energy Management System (EMS), giving EMS users access to energy and sustainability insights through natural language interaction. It will also enhance dashboards, analytics and reporting capabilities already embedded in the EMS, which is used in heavy industries. Energy managers will be able to ask direct questions about energy usage, emissions, costs and equipment performance, avoiding the need to navigate multiple dashboards. p Three Japanese electronics manufacturers – Mitsubishi Electric, Rohm and Toshiba Electronic Devices & storage Corporation – are in talks about merging their power device and semiconductor businesses. They have signed a memorandum of understanding about the proposed merger, saying that it will be a globally competitive business in terms of both scale and technology. p Mujin, the global supplier of robotic automation systems, has announced a subscription model for its MujinOS operating system. This will provide customers with continuous access to software upgrades, technical support, and dashboards that make operating costs more predictable. The subscription service will also manufacturers and warehouse operators to analyse and maintain peak performance across their robotic systems. p The Chinese automation manufacturer Inovance and the stateowned Chinese telecommunications operator China Unicom have launched a platform that integrates CU’s network, cloud and computing resources in IT and CT, with Inovance's expertise in industrial controls, drive systems, software and industrial data on the OT side. Called the Universe Ecosystem CoCreation Platform, the development marks a new phase in their strategic collaboration. They aim to address challenges faced by manufacturers, such as data silos and difficulties in IT/OT integration, and to develop new production models that are more flexible, efficient and intelligent. TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS Novel cabling box speeds access to 315 and 355kW wall-mounting drives A tilting cabling box provides rapid access to internal components in ABB’s new wall-mounting drives
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