⚡️ High Voltage Motion Systems Scale Up in Industrial Axes! 🚀

[Elif Özaksu]

Next-Generation Motion Control from Kollmorgen​

Kollmorgen is expanding its Essentials motion system with 240–480 VAC three-phase drive capability, targeting positioning, conveying, and other motion axes in industries such as manufacturing, automotive, logistics, and packaging.

Compatibility with Industrial Power Infrastructure​

Large manufacturing facilities typically use 400–480 V three-phase power. Kollmorgen's expansion allows machine builders to use a high-voltage servo architecture for lower-power axes, eliminating the need to switch to complex platforms. This reduces the need for separate voltage conversion equipment for axes with different power and performance requirements.

High-Voltage Servo Drives for Distributed Machine Functions​

Kollmorgen's expanded Essentials portfolio includes servo drives rated for 240–480 VAC three-phase input. These high-voltage drive variants are available in 3, 6, and 12 Arms continuous current versions, supporting applications requiring up to 5 kW of shaft power.

The corresponding Essentials servo motors are offered in a power range from 400 W to 4 kW for 400/480 VAC operation. These motors operate at a nominal speed of 3,000 rpm, with maximum mechanical speeds reaching 6,000 rpm in some models. This combination allows lower-power axes within a larger machine to be connected to the facility's three-phase high-voltage supply.

Simplified Servo Configuration and Commissioning​

The Essentials system integrates servo motors, servo drives, and cables through Kollmorgen's WorkBench software. The system supports industrial Ethernet connections such as EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET. Integrated safe torque off (STO) is specified as SIL2 and Category 3, Performance Level d. These features simplify the configuration process for machine builders by meeting different axis requirements with a single common drive family.

Scaling Motion Performance Per Axis​

The technical significance of this high-voltage expansion is not to increase the maximum performance of a machine, but rather to broaden the range of axes that can use a common motion architecture. For example, a packaging machine might have smaller positioning axes in addition to high-load axes. This can make the motion architecture more consistent without requiring every axis to use the same performance class.

Electrical Integration in 400–480 V Systems​

Kollmorgen's high-voltage Essentials drive variants are designed for 240/400/480 VAC three-phase operation. This differs from previous 100–240 VAC configurations and eliminates the need for isolating transformers when connecting to a 400–480 V grid. This architecture is particularly important in situations where many independent motion axes are distributed within a machine, as it simplifies the electrical design by avoiding unnecessary voltage conversion stages.

Technical Significance for Machine Builders​

This expansion demonstrates a broader design principle in industrial motion control: electrical infrastructure, mechanical load, and required motion performance must be considered together. A scalable servo family can offer an intermediate approach where the motor and drive capacity are selected according to individual axis requirements while the supply voltage is standardized.