Rexroth’s New Drive System Contains Drive, Motion Cotrol and Logic Control Mounted on the Motor

The IndraDrive from Rexroth is a new motion control design concept. The motor casing serves as the heat sink for the servo/control system, which is attached to the long axis of the motor, adding only a small amount to the cross sectional profile. According to the company’s press release, this results in up to 30% less area required compared to other integrated systems where the electronics are fitted behind the motor, and more than 50% less total space compared to a traditional servo system with separate motor and drive packages. Overall, this reduces the required space and air conditioning requirements of the control cabinet. In addition, a single cable carries both power and SERCOS communications. When several IndraDrive Mi systems are connected in series, the wiring costs are reduced even further. Instead of two cables running from the control cabinet for each axis, only one cable comes from the cabinet. Each additional axis is daisy-chained to the preceding axis with pre-fabricated connectors. All connections, as well as the IndraDrive Mi itself, are rated to protection class IP65. The new IndraDrive Mi combines top power density with total functionality and is fully compatible with the IndraDrive range. As with all IndraDrives, these servo drives have over 100 technology functions, including the integrated Motion Logic system conforming to IEC 61131-3. The integrated concept of IndraDrive Mi eliminates the need to replace wearing parts such as fans, electrolytic capacitors and relays. Specialized electronics are designed to handle extreme temperature ranges while providing more rated power than competitive solutions.