Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

John David Allan

Marius G Chis

Reginald A Drake

Zhongyuan Cheng

Scott D Braun

Garron Koch Morris

Angelo R Bortolus

Catalin Florin Gemanaru

Al J Campbell

Tahsina Hossain

An airflow health predictive maintenance system and method for a motor drive includes a differential pressure sensor that senses an air pressure differential between a sensing location within an enclosed cabinet space of the motor drive and a reference location. The system includes an electronic control system configured to select a setpoint that indicates that airflow through the cabinet space has reached a value associated with a need for air filter maintenance. The control system is further configured to obtain air pressure differential measurements periodically from the differential pressure sensor and generate an actual trend comprising a series of values, wherein each of the values of the actual trend is derived from one or more of the air pressure differential measurements. The control system is also configured to project the actual trend to derive a projected trend based upon the series of values of the actual trend and compare the projected trend to the setpoint to predict an end of life event that can be used to determine a time when air filter maintenance is predicted to be required, wherein the end of life event is based upon a predicted intersection of projected trend with the setpoint.

Airflow health predictive maintenance for motor drives

A method may include receiving, by respective processing circuitry of one or more power modules of an industrial automation device, a control signal from a controller of the industrial automation device. The power modules may include driver circuitry and a power converter that may provide power to a motor based on the signal. The method may also include, detecting, by the respective processing circuitry, a lack of communication from the controller based on the signal, and, in response to detecting the lack of communication from the controller, transmitting, by the respective processing circuitry, a first command to gating signal enable circuitry to disable the driver circuitry, and transmitting, by the respective processing circuitry, a second command to driver power circuitry to prevent power from being provided to the driver circuitry.

Functional safety techniques for industrial automation devices

Motor drive diagnostic and control methods and apparatus are provided in which rectifier and inverter switching devices are individually monitored for malfunctions, and detected malfunctions initiate implementation of a safety function to signal a drive controller to shut down non-safety-related processing, to discontinue command pulse signaling to the switching devices, and to disable optical transmitters between the drive controller and the rectifier and inverter switches, and an input contactor or other switching circuit is opened to disconnect input power from the motor drive after implementation of the safety function.

Power structure diagnostic method and apparatus for improved motor drive diagnostic coverage

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Cambridge, Canada

John David Allan