Two new software packages from ABB are set to make commissioning, monitoring and process control of the company's ACS 600 AC drives as straight forward as operating a mouse, claims the company. DriveWindow simplifies commissioning and DriveLink allows ACS 600 drives to be controlled via Windows applications.

DriveWindow is a dedicated drives commissioning and maintenance tool available to any user of the ACS 600 drives range. The software uses detailed graphics and concise text instructions designed to enable users to commission drives quickly. Instead of working through large manuals, the program guides users through each step logically.
Problems can be responded to rapidly, according to ABB, as DriveWindow allows drives to be constantly monitored and any problems flagged immediately. The software can be interfaced from one to at least 250 drives. This is suitable for building up large systems, such as a metals line, where several drives need to be connected. Any drive can be addressed and an analysis made of what it is doing or how it is performing.
If, for example, a metal rolling stand is not behaving correctly, then any drive can be addressed; the fault can be uploaded from the drive and the enquiry sent to ABB; or the information can be stored for later analysis.
The software can be run on a laptop or desktop PC and connected to a drive with an optical cable and PCMCIA card or ISA card respectively. A MODBUS serial link RS485 is also available.
DriveLink enables Dynamic Data Exchange communication between ABB drives and Windows packages such as Excel, WonderWare Intouch, Visual Basic and Iconics Genesis. Information from drives such as speed and torque, can be incorporated into these packages to be used in control systems, on man machine interfaces or manipulated into other formats such as graphs and charts.
Monitoring and control is on-line as DriveLink updates the Windows software every 500 milliseconds. Operators can see graphically the status of their drives at all times and alter any parameter immediately.
Drive operational commands such as start, stop, accelerate or decelerate can be sent from a PC or other display terminal. Setting references and changing drive parameters can also be done via DriveLink.
"Drives are becoming more common place in industry and it is essential that there is a link between the factory and the office," comments Rami Jokela, Product Manager. "The new packages provide that connection."

For further information please contact:

S.A. ABB N.V.
Peter van de Moortel
Roge Wei 27
1930 Zaventem
Tél. 02 718 63 40
Fax. 02 718 66 64
http://www.abb.com/vsd

ABB Industry Oy
Rami Jokela, Product Manager
P.O. box 184
FIN-00381 Helsinki, Finland
Puh. +358 10 222 3730
Fax. +358 10 222 2681
http://www.abb.com/vsd

ABB Industrie & Gebäudesysteme GmbH
Heinz Niessner
Wienerbergs, Austria
Tel.: 01 60109 - 3755
Fax: 01 60109 - 8305

ABB Industry (Pty) Ltd
David V. Sheldon
P.O. Box 11494
1457 Randhart, South Africa
Tel: 011 864 5340
Fax: 011 908 2061
http://www.abb.com/vsd

ABB S.R.O.
Vladimir Lexa
Vinohradska 184
13052 Prague 3, Czech Republic
Tel: 02 6713 2387
Fax: 02 6713 2384

ABB Industria
Carlo Cecchi
Viale Edison 50
I-20099 Sesto San Giovanni, Milano, Italy
Tel: 02 26232 792
Fax: 02 26232 979

ABB Normelec Ag
Elektrische Antriebssysteme
Badenerstrasse 790
CH-8048 Zürich, Switzerland
Tel.: 01 435 66 66
Fax: 01 435 66 05

ABB Systemen B.V.
Marten Meesweg 5
NL-3000 CS Rotterdam, Netherlands
tel. 010 4078362
fax. 010 4078433

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