AR Madhusudan, President, Drive Products, ABB India.

What are the latest trends in motion control technologies, particularly in industrial applications?

Many industrial applications are driven by motors. It may be well-known that drives or variable speed drives (VSD) help control the speed and torque of electric motors, enabling precise control of key processes and machines, across a variety of industries. Additionally, a servo drive paired with servo motors is also known for its precise positioning and speed control.

With advancements in technology, these motion control technologies today can be connected to networks and integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, enabling remote monitoring, data analysis, and predictive maintenance. They can also deliver improved performance with advanced control algorithms.

To further optimise control, motor-drive systems can be paired with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which can actively monitor input signals from various sources, including drives. This data can then be used to make intelligent real-time decisions that can guide the actions of these drives. This results in more reliable, cost-efficient operation of the application they control.

What are the key differences between traditional motion control systems and modern, digitally driven systems?

Traditional motion control systems often relied on analog components and involved extensive wiring, prone to longer downtime, higher maintenance and complex troubleshooting. As we mark a definitive shift to the era of Industry 4.0, digitalisation is already helping industries simplify complex processes at the tap of a smartphone.

Today’s advanced and modern motor-drive systems are well connected and enable data gathering and analysis to optimise several aspects, including energy usage, emissions, and maintenance. For instance, connecting drives to a larger network enables them to transmit data in real time about their energy usage, condition, and overall efficiency. This equips operators to remotely monitor their applications and make informed decisions to optimise performance, without the need to manually diagnose problems onsite.

Much like consumers and business users, industries also are pushing for mobile connectivity and simplicity. Operators can access a drive’s Bluetooth control panel with the tap of a smartphone and make changes without physically accessing sites, including remote locations. For instance, ABB offers ABB Ability™ Mobile Connect for drives – a platform for remote drives support to deliver easy commissioning and troubleshooting via smartphone. Offering simplicity is also a crucial part of effective digitalisation. In line with this, technologies adopt a ‘plug and play’ model, to ensure fast set-up without the need of a specialist intervention. Operators can even use a smartphone for easy drive configuration, technical information, and access to remote assistance from technical experts.

How customisable are modern motion control systems, and how easily can they be adapted to different scales of operation?

With rapidly evolving industrial needs, several sectors require solutions that are tailored to fit specific applications. Today’s motion control solutions are highly scalable driven by technological advancements. For example, ABB offers drives for a wide range of industries and offers drives with industry-specific features for various segments, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), cranes and water to better cater to each of them.

In addition, application-specific firmware can be pre-configured with customisable parameters, which helps significantly speed up installation and commissioning processes. This also allows for increased adaptability as parameters can be adjusted for various applications, from small-scale machines to large-scale production lines as engineers can simply input specific values to tailor the system to the application.

How do motion control solutions help promote energy efficiency and sustainability in industrial operations?

Motion control solutions like drives that help control the speed and torque of a motor can significantly reduce energy consumption. Simply pairing a motor with a drive not only offers a significant opportunity to boost performance but it also increases energy efficiency. VSD technology ensures that, rather than running at full speed all the time, motors can be controlled to run at the exact speed required by the process.

In fact, drives can typically decrease energy consumption by up to 25% or more in applications that continually vary the motor’s speed, such as pumps, fans and compressors. Industries can further leverage digitalisation to enhance energy efficiency. As mentioned earlier, modern motor-drive systems include data gathering, networking and control features that enable operators to continuously track real-time information on equipment performance. For example, operators can use data from their drives and motors to identify energy-intensive processes that could be optimised. They can track and identify systems that are least efficient and develop a plan to modernise them. With this, mechanical and environmental stress factors can also be identified and eliminated, thus minimising wear and tear, ensuring longer lifetime of the equipment and contributing to sustainable operations.

What role does real-time data and predictive analytics play in optimising motion control solutions?

Real-time data and predictive analytics play a vital role in optimising motion control solutions by providing continuous insights that enhance performance, improve energy efficiency, and prevent equipment failures.

ABB's digital solutions, such as ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring of drives and motors, facilitate this transition from reactive to predictive maintenance. By offering real-time insights into equipment health, these tools help minimise unplanned outages, improve energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and extend equipment life. Predictive maintenance ensures maintenance is performed only when needed, reducing costs and enhancing operational reliability.

(The views expressed in interviews are personal, not necessarily of the organisations represented) 

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