An industrial water filtration specialist that has used gearmotors from SEW-EURODRIVE (Pty) Ltd. for many years has adopted its MOVIDRIVE® inverters with CMP servo motors and customisable iPOS software for its latest self-cleaning GraviFilter screen filters.

This is an example of a longstanding client relationship that has progressed from a standard product to the latest automation technology as the client itself develops and transforms its product range, SEW-EURODRIVE (Pty) Ltd. MAXOLUTION® Engineer Dylan Enslin comments.

The new gravity screen filter has been designed for cost-effectiveness and to reduce its manufacturing complexity. Consisting of sheetmetal that is easy to laser-cut and bend, the quantity of welding needed has also been reduced. In addition, the use of the MOVIDRIVE® inverter with the CMP servo motor allows for effective repeatable positioning of the spray assembly.

“In terms of our iPOS software, we were able to assist with a customised program to control the machine – from aspects of homing to running to manual functions for maintenance, jogging the machine, and then also a Graphic User Interface for the client to adjust basic settings via laptop,” Enslin explains.

The advantage of MOVIDRIVE® is that it essentially replaces the functionality of a PLC, from servo positioning to switching pumps and solenoids on and off. Using the drive for positioning, for example, also does away with the old-fashioned crank system, in addition to being able to control extra peripherals.

“We have used SEW-EURODRIVE (Pty) Ltd. for many years for gearmotors. This is the first time we have done something more advanced and automated. We are very thankful for the programming and all the extra effort with our prototype unit. I do not think there are many suppliers willing to go that extra mile for their clients,” Superior Filtration Technical Director Laurence Sachs highlights.

The latest GraviFilter prototype is being trialled at a citrus-processing plant, where fruit pulp is very difficult to filter. “We have received good feedback to date on the performance of the prototype,” Sachs reveals. A latest version with even more improvements is on the cards.

The CMP servo motors are IE4-rated for maximum energy efficiency, and are synchronous compared to the traditional ac motors. “You can also control the ramps, which is something that mechanics with camming and crank arms is quite tricky to get right.”

Ramps place extra strain on the bearings and the structure itself. Essentially this is a scalable solution, with a longer belt drive that can be added if need be,” Enslin elaborates.

The prototype has a 10 m3/h capacity, with the largest screening filter manufactured by Superior Filtration producing an impressive 200 m3/h.