Magnetek Awarded Patents for IMPULSE•VG+ Adjustable Frequency Drive Technology | Industry News

Magnetek Inc.  has been awarded two patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for features on their IMPULSE•VG+ Series 4 Adjustable Frequency Drives. Patents for the new technologies, Adaptive UltraLift™ and Brake Test, were issued for methods and apparatuses for load dependent speed control of a motor, enabling earlier preventive maintenance, and for calibrating and testing brake holding torque, providing safer working conditions.

Magnetek’s Adaptive UltraLift feature introduces continuous motor torque monitoring and correspondingly adjusts the maximum rotational speed at which the IMPULSE•VG+ drive motor runs for peak performance. Adaptive UltraLift allows for hoist operations above base speed with a light load or empty hook and compensates for the potential addition or subtraction of the load on a system.

“Adaptive UltraLift is ideal for repetitive, high-cycle count applications that demand maximum speed, such as lumber, paper, or marine terminal industries and especially applications where wire rope over-wraps on the drum,” said Aaron Kureck, Magnetek’s director of product and development. “Continually measuring torque and regulating rotational speed throughout a run reduces cycle times, increases process speed, and improves productivity.”

Brake Test is a feature on Magnetek’s IMPULSE•VG+ drives that determines the condition of a brake so preventive maintenance can be performed or brake accessories can be replaced. With the simple push of a button, Brake Test validates that the holding brake is capable of developing rated torque, when the motor/drive combination is sized accordingly, and captures and displays maximum developed torque information on an easy-to-read graphic display. If the brake slips, Brake Test will capture breakaway torque information and present it on the display. Periodic measurement of brake performance with Brake Test can help prevent problems such as load drops resulting from weakened springs or worn brake pads, thereby improving safety.