Product category:
Drives, motors and power transmission, couplings, clutches
News Release from: ABB Automation Tech (Drives and Motors) | Subject: AC drives
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 February 2004
Standard drive to boost UK market
potential
Aiming for a 25% total market share, across all UK industries, by 2005 a major European electric motor manufacturer is introducing a new standard AC drive.
ABB's launch of a new standard drive seems set to reinforce the company's position as a market leader in AC drives The company is currently the world market leader in AC drives with a 16% market share
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Sep 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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It is also the UK market leader, with an 18% market share.
"We are aiming for a 25% total market share, across all industries, by 2005 in the UK," says James Haigh, senior vice president, drives, at ABB.
While the company's new products in recent years have focused on performance, the just launched standard AC drive primarily aims to provide ease of use, broadening the appeal of AC drives to a wider audience.
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Three AC drives are saving GBP 15,000 per annum off the electricity bill of specialist flooring manufacturer by saving over 220 tonnes of CO2 in the process, every year.
"Our aim with this product is to bring drive technology to new user groups who only want the basics of reduced energy consumption and improved process control," says Haigh.
"The new drive is just as easy to use as a mobile phone.
Control of speed or flow just isn't going to get any less complicated, even with the most basic mechanical control systems." "This is a product designed to bring down technology barriers," he continues.
"Its small size makes it unobtrusive and a reduced number of features makes it easily accessible for users." ABB is also basing application specific drives on the design of the standard drive.
The first one out is a drive targeted at HVAC applications, with industry specific software and other dedicated features.
"We are targeting the HVAC sector, because this is one of the fastest growing application areas for variable speed drives with over 12 percent of the global market for drives and an annual growth rate of 5 percent," explains Haigh.
"By designing a product for a specific application area, we are taking simplification one step further.
In the future, you may see other bespoke drives from us for other industry areas.
"We are not competing with product alone, however," Haigh continues.
"An integral part of our offer is the added value services that we offer as a company, such as stocking, support and backup." ABB is planning to stock the new drive in larger quantities than any before it, giving instant availability.
It will be available around the clock from its channel partners, including ABB Drives Alliance, a network of drive specialists servicing and supporting drive users across the UK.
The products are also supported and stocked around the world.
"This is the drive that the users have told us that they want, so we are pinning great hopes on this product," says Haigh.
"Today, the vast majority of AC motors have no form of speed control, yet two thirds of industrial electric energy is used by motors.
With vast potential energy savings in the balance, this is an issue that impacts both on the bottom line of companies and on the amount of CO2 emissions going into the atmosphere.".
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