Comfort and Safety in Elevators with Control Techniques’ E300 Drive

The vertical expansion of cities has transformed elevators into vital elements for buildings and their occupants. However, what lies behind what appears to be a straightforward journey to a desired floor? This is where drives come into play—a pivotal technological component that ensures safety, efficiency, and utmost comfort during the ride.

Control Techniques, a Nidec Group company and a global leader in the development, production, and marketing of high-performance and efficient electric drives, boasts a state-of-the-art solution whose technical capabilities position it at the forefront of drive technology for the elevator industry. We are referring to the E300, a versatile, secure, and easily configurable solution adaptable to various building types and sizes. Whether it is a small residential building or a luxurious high-rise skyscraper, for new build or modernization project, Control Techniques’ E300 drive streamlines every step of the process, from installation and set up to service.

In an elevator system, safety undeniably has priority as the foremost and most critical consideration. Control Techniques’ TÜV-certified E300 drives comply with current international standards, guaranteeing the highest levels of safety required by law. The E300s are equipped with an advanced Brake Contact Monitoring (BCM) feature set, enhancing overall system safety in compliance with EN81-20 and EN81-50 requirements for Uninteded Car Movement (UCM). Furthermore, in accordance with EN81-20 and EN81-50, the Safe Torque Off (STO) functionality employs an exceptionally reliable method to prevent the motor from being moved, removing the need for both output motor contactors. This advancement offers several benefits, including reduced EMC issues, acoustic noise containment, simplified electrical installation, improved system reliability, and ultimately, reduced costs and a smaller cabinet space.

While safety remains paramount, in the industry of elevators, the quality of the ride truly sets the bar. Thanks to motor control algorithms and start sequences driven by dedicated microprocessors, the E300 drive reduces travel time, ensuring the smoothest car movement and accurate direct-to-floor positioning. Whether employing standard AC asynchronous motors or high-efficiency permanent-magnet (PM) motors, the ultra-fast current loop guarantees optimal motor control performance, eliminating vibrations for an exceptional travel experience.

One of the most valued features of the E300 is its whisper-quiet operation. Intelligent thermal management of the drive activates fans only when circuits require additional cooling, removing unwanted background noise.

Installing and configuring the E300 is straightforward, with an intuitive menu structure that allows settings adjustments without the need for a user manual. Even the static calibration algorithms enable the current loop to be configured in a smart mode, sparing operators from extensive adjustments and without getting “his hands dirty”. Control Techniques provides various mounting options to optimize space in the control cabinet. For parameter setting, a backlit LCD keyboard is available, while tools running in a standard PC environment ensure intuitive and straightforward data visualization.

The E300 drive stands as a dependable solution that minimizes service disruptions. Features functions like the blocked cabin release, cut maintenance time, and operation risks are mitigated. It removes the need to climb into the shaft by assisting in releasing the cabin remotely after the safety gear has been deployed.

Determining the size of emergency power systems can be complex and costly. The E300 drive offers an incredibly flexible DC operating voltage range, from nominal to up to 24 VDC, supporting UPS and battery operation. The drive also provides a load direction signal, simplifying rescue operations. A built-in maximum power control function limits the drawn power during rescues based on the UPS size, ensuring efficient UPS usage.

The E300’s built-in, data logger can monitor any drive parameter, recording up to four different variables simultaneously. For instance, speed setpoints, speed feedback, current profiles, and I/O sequences can be logged for each journey. This invaluable feature allows users to investigate incidents in case of failure, readily identifying and resolving root causes with minimal technical downtime. The system’s real-time clock provides precise date and time stamps. Alarm log data can be automatically written to a smart card or on board SD memory card and retrieved from the controller.

Control Techniques’ E300 drives offer phase-loss detection on both input and output. This safeguards components, increases system lifetime and helps avoiding unnecessary downtime.

Lastly, all electronic circuits in E300 drives undergo tropicalization treatment, bolstering their durability and ensuring reliability even in the harshest environmental conditions.

More information about Control Techniques’ E300 Drives on the website.