The functionality and dependability of motors play a critical role in industrial processes. Soft Starters can help to ensure optimal performance by limiting the starting current and torque to best fit the application. Mechanical equipment is accelerated softly to reduce wear and tear and prevent brownouts, current spikes and other electrical grid disturbances.

The Siemens 3RE47 enclosed soft starter offers a comprehensive range to provide a smart alternative for even the most demanding applications.

For example, for an animal feed application, the Siemens 3RE47 enclosed soft starter was used with fans to remove dust from the facility. Without the soft starter, the very large fans would slam the bearings that guide the fans when turned on. The soft start solution reduced the inrush current and the mechanical stresses and provided the customer with better power on peak demand—times when the electricity is more expensive.

In addition, the communication via EtherNet/IP was important because the PLCs being used had anemic enclosures that gave them the ability to mount on the wall within the facility rather than adding the expense of new enclosures.

The Siemens 3RE47 enclosed soft starter was successfully used with the air handlers for a similar application on a soybean farm in South Dakota. The customer needed to keep the area cool and eliminate excessive dust. In this instance, the customer used a PROFINET system with a Siemens PLC rather than an EtherNet/IP .

By replacing an older soft starter with the advanced 3RE47 enclosed soft starter, the customer gained more control and was able to mine more data to maximize the application for that area and increase uptime, as well as communication with their operators. The additional data produced reports about voltage usage, the amount of current drawn on the facility, number of starts and stops, and other information needed to manage the air handlers and the Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) that control the fans.

With that data, the facility can manage the number of fans, usage, and coordination required to maximize air flow and dust elimination.

The Siemens 3RE47 enclosed soft starter also was successfully used for a lead-lag irrigation application. The soft starter combined with a VFD to start the pump and manage the required gallons per minute required. For example, if the irrigation facility needed 50 gpm, the soft starter allowed for that requirement in normal operating conditions. However, often there is a request to add another 50 or 60 gpm. Rather than adding another soft starter to meet that requirement, the VFD controls the speed of the pump and slows the production down or speeds it up to accommodate the added amount. This solution allowed for a maximum flow rate at the most competitive price by using smaller drive cabinets.

While these specific examples demonstrate several uses for the Siemens 3RE47 enclosed soft starter, it can also be utilized in conveyor belt systems and other applications and industries. For example, in a food and beverage facility that has glass bottles on a conveyor belt, the soft starter uses a soft torque to gradually ramp up—limiting excessive jolts that could tip the bottles.

Because it is sold as an enclosed product or a loose piece, this new soft starter can easily be retrofitted with an older, existing system within hours if the appropriate wiring already exists. If hard wiring the ethernet is required, then it could take a few days to install.

Once installed, customers benefit from the robust soft starter’s features (including small footprint, removable terminal blocks, ease of configuration, flexibility of control, massive amounts of data to track, and auto parameterization) for several decades.

More information about the features and benefits of the Siemens 3RE47 enclosed can be found by following this link.