Smart Motor Controller Offers Advanced Soft-Starter Functions

Feb. 13, 2013
Electric soft starter gives OEMs and end users more voltage and monitoring control.

Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley SMC-50 smart motor controller includes a newly designed three-phase, fully solid-state, silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) power structure. The new SMC-50 controller has been designed to address the motor-control needs of OEMs and end users seeking a more economical alternative to drives and more advanced control than across-the-line starters.

Designed for customer flexibility, the SMC-50 controller combines advanced monitoring and protection features, multiple start and stop options, and expandable control inputs and outputs. These features can help users increase efficiency, reduce downtime and improve control.

Rated at 200V-690V AC and with software from 90 to 520 amps, the SMC-50 controller is suitable for controlling motor speed and torque in a range of normal-duty applications, including pumps, compressors and short conveyors, as well as in heavy-duty applications, such as rock crushers, wood chippers, centrifugal fans and long conveyors.

For application scalability, it features nine standard starting modes, six stopping modes and several slow-speed functions. In traditional starting mode, for example, if the SMC-50 controller senses that the motor has reached full speed before completing the selected ramp time, it will automatically switch to providing full voltage to the motor.