ONE PIECE MOTOR DRIVE COMBINATIONS

Variously called intelligent motors, smart motors or integrated motors and drives, these units combine a three-phase electric motor and a pulse width modulated inverter drive in a single package. Some designs mount the drive components in what looks like an oversize conduit box. Other designs integrate the drive into a special housing made to blend with the motor. A supplementary cooling fan is also frequently used for the drive electronics to counteract the rise in ambient temperature caused by being in close proximity to an operating motor. Some designs also encapsulate the inverter boards to guard against damage from vibration.

Size constraints limit integrated drive and motor packages to the smaller horsepower ranges and require programming by remote keypad, either hand-held or panel mounted. Major advantages are compactness and elimination of additional wiring.