The Electric Drive with Mechanical Simplicity

The new Varmeca is a motor with some simple but clever circuitry in the terminal box and a large knob on the outside with which to control the speed.

The idea of putting a variable speed drive in the terminal box of a motor is not new.

Several companies offer a solution, but like separate inverters, they tend to be comprehensive, if not a little complex.

Now there is a new solution aimed particularly at markets such as materials handling, conveyors, mixers, pumps and fans.

These markets need robust, reliable, easy to set up equipment and tend to use mechanical solutions at the moment.

Mechanical solutions, involving pulleys, belts and discs are far from perfect, though.

Users pay a penalty in low efficiency and high maintenance cost.

Now, Leroy Somer has the answer with the new Varmeca.

This is a motor with some simple but clever circuitry in the terminal box and a large knob on the outside with which to control the speed.

The circuitry has been totally developed by Leroy Somer, based on their experience as manufacturers of motors, gearboxes and electronics.

Comprehensive experience that very few manufacturers in the world can match.

And they have solved the problems of vibration and temperature.

Varmeca is currently available in power ratings from 0.37 to 4.0Kw, in three basic versions with extensions to 7.0 KW under development: · A standard version with a potentiometer to control speed · A unit with a speed potentiometer and start/stop switch · An externally controlled unit for start and forward/reverse with speed control from a potentiometer or a 0 to 10v signal.

Constant torque is available over a speed range of 1:7 and a power factor of close to unity is maintained throughout the whole speed range.

This and the optimum design of the unit lead to a 15% improvement in efficiency over previous stand-alone units.

It also offers a considerable reduction in size and weight.

There is also an optional RFI filter to ensure full EMC compliance.

Acceleration and deceleration ramps can be user selected and it is possible to coast or ramp to a stop.

There is short circuit protection and driver status can be easily monitored via an output LED.

There is a 0 to 10v remote speed input and a 0 to 10v remote speed output.

Speed may be set at standstill.

It is the ease of installation and absence of any need to set it up, that really sets Varmeca apart.

For the conveyor user, it is an 'electronic pulley'.

For the pump user it is an 'electronic flow regulator'.

For the fan user, it is 'electronic pole changing'.

For the mixer user, it is 'electronic process control'.

It offers high starting torque, high overload capacity and an extremely compact size.

It connects directly, as easily as a motor, to a single or three-phase supply and is fully protected to IP55.

Because it offers everything that many users want but not the things they don't, it is also very competitively priced.

Why Leroy Somer motors are green The International conferences of Kyoto and Buenos-Aires set targets for a world-wide reduction of 5.2% in CO2 levels by the year 2010.

In 1995, the European Commission for energy began discussions with the manufacturers of electric motors.

Always at the forefront of developments in motor technology, Leroy Somer has based its energy policy since the 1970's on two distinct axes.

First, renewable energy sources as demonstrated by a co-operation with Vestas, one of the world's leading manufacturers of wind generating systems, since 1996.

Second, by developing a range of high efficiency motors in the 1980's, with the development of motors specifically designed to work with inverters and with motors such as Varmeca with electronics built in.

Earlier this year, LS was at the forefront of discussions that led to the European Manufacturers Commission signing an agreement with the European Commission.

This will define efficiencies for 2 and 4 pole motors up to 90kw, promote high efficiency ranges and, as from January 2000, label all motors with their efficiency, either EFF3 for the lowest, EFF2 or EFF1 for the highest.

This will include all standard, single speed, 2 and 4 pole motors to IEC standards with IP54 or IP55 enclosures and a 230v or 400v, 50Hz supply.

Determined to stay at the forefront in this vital area, LS has decided that from January 2000, the EFF2 range of energy efficient motors will become the standard AC motor range.

It will also offer a range of high efficiency motors to EFF1.

EFF2 means that the efficiency of a standard LS 1.1kw motor will be in the order of 83% instead of 76% with the previous generation.

Similar figures for an 11kw motor will be 91%, a 3% increase on an already high figure.

As the technology of motors, bearings, ventilation and design techniques continue to improve so will the efficiency of electric motors.

Leroy Somer is determined to stay ahead in the race.

It is no coincidence that the colour of an LS standard motor is green.

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