Drive engineering com-pany SEW-Eurodrive launched its MOVI4R-U frequency inverters at the Electra Mining Africa trade show, which was held at the Nasrec Expo Centre, in Johannesburg, in September.

The simplistic and durable frequency inverters improve equipment efficiency and sustainability, owing to its design, supporting the essential function of an electrical inverter – which is simple speed control for asynchronous motors, often used to power hydraulics and pneumatics equipment.

The new MOVI4R-U series of products covers a power range from 0.25 kW to 1.1 kW or 0.25 kW to 0.55 kW.

SEW-Euro-drive electronics manager Norman Maleka notes that the MOVI4R-U frequency inverters are supported by a straightforward and intuitive operating concept.

“A user-friendly control knob, which is a combination of a rotary switch and pushbutton, allows for full control of the start-up, set point selection and the operating status,” he explains.

The control knob is used to set all equipment parameters through two menu levels. The coloured status light-emitting diode indicates the status of the device and provides prompt information about the cause of any occurring fault.

An operating card, standard with the device, enables users to perform start-up and trouble-shooting with no external help or additional product documen- tation.

Further, external computer software is not required for operation of the inverter, thereby ensuring efficiency and added user convenience, and the MOVI4R-U frequency inverters are housed inside an IP54-certified alu-minium case, ensuring the units are able to withstand the harsh African operating environment.

The IP54 certification ensures that the unit is dust- and water- tight, enabing the user to wall-mount it on the outside of a switch cabinet. “Thanks to its user-friendly design, the unit can also be installed inside the switch cabinet if the application requires it,” Maleka continues.

The innovative design of the MOVI4R-U frequency inverters allows for the quick and easy removal or replacement of parts, as the products feature a maximum of four components, held together by a single screw.

The components include the aluminium housing, operating unit, internal power section and fan assembly. “This allows for easy installation and repairs. This design concept is also sustainable, as it ensures that used materials can be recycled and reused at the end of the product’s operational life span, without a great need for dismantling,” he concludes.