Motor Control and Switchgear

NORD provides efficient, reliable drive solutions for distribution centers

29 March 2022

Post and parcel distribution centers are fast-paced environments where machine failures and unplanned downtimes can cause huge delays with shipments and deliveries. That’s why NORD’s drive solutions are designed to perform with high efficiency, exceptional reliability, long service life and low maintenance. NORD’s modular system of gearboxes, motors and variable frequency drives (VFDs) can be configured in over 20,000,000 unique combinations, tailored exactly to application needs. The modular system also allows for each unit to be individually serviced — minimizing maintenance, downtime and repair costs.


NORD’s comprehensive product portfolio includes complete drive systems with the highest energy efficiency in their class, as well as a space saving designs that allow for easy installation. These units include the revolutionary DuoDrive integrated gear unit and motor, IE5+ synchronous motors, and NORDAC ON/ON+ VFDs. These innovative units are engineered to maximize performance and efficiency forSource: NORD DrivesystemsSource: NORD Drivesystems horizontal conveyor applications.

The patented DuoDrive design combines a single-stage helical gear unit with an ultra-highly efficient IE5+ motor in one optimized housing. Not only does the DuoDrive provide extremely high system efficiency of up to 92%, the compact design saves on installation space, operates quietly and reduces variants through constant motor torque over a wide speed range. The DuoDrive also offers full plug-and-play compatibility for simple commissioning and significantly reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to other drive systems.

Also included in NORD’s latest technology for warehouse and distribution centers are their ultra-highly efficient IE5+ permanent magnet synchronous motors. The new generation of electric motors are compatible with all gear units and VFDs from the NORD modular system and feature minimal space requirements paired with high overload capacity. With their constant high efficiency over the entire adjustment range, these motors provide economical operation of partial loads and reduce the number of variants, resulting in a fast return on investment. Additionally, every IE5+ motor solution is tailored specifically to the customer's needs and the individual load range that will be required, ensuring maximum cost effectiveness.

NORDAC ON/ON+ VFDs were developed for interaction with IE5+ synchronous motors (NORDAC ON+) in conveyor applications. These VFDs are an economic solution for industrial internet of things environments and feature an integrated Ethernet interface, full plug-and-play capabilities and a compact design. Operational safety is a key component to any system to prevent serious injury to operators and minimize damage to products and materials. To provide the highest possible safety, NORDAC ON/ON+ VFDs feature optional integrated safety functions such as STO (Safe Torque Off) and SS1 (Safe Stop 1). These intelligent VFDs communicate via an internal PLC that passes data to a main control system, allowing a specific conveyor line to be adjusted if there is a backup to proactively prevent a major shutdown. NORDAC ON/ON+ VFDs also support various fieldbus and industrial Ethernet systems to integrate seamlessly into new and existing conveyer systems.

The LogiDrive complete drive solution from NORD is engineered to be energy efficient and maintenance-friendly — allowing for a reduction in the number of variants in a system. This in turn reduces parts inventory and maintenance costs. The modular design consists of a highly efficient two-stage bevel gear unit, an IE4 or IE5+ permanent magnet synchronous motor, NORDAC LINK field distribution system, power plug connector, signal connector, incremental encoder and pre-assembled cable. Configuring this solution with the new IE5+ synchronous motors greatly minimizes overall costs during service life and achieves considerably higher energy efficiency even with partial load ranges and low speeds. Like the full IE5+ product portfolio, the LogiDrive solution also includes plug-and-play capabilities for fast installation and commissioning. It follows the standardized modular concept of NORD’s other drive and electronic control products that allows individual components to be quickly replaced, resulting in less downtime in a busy parcel distribution environment.


Condition Monitoring for Predictive Maintenance records operating and status data periodically or continuously to optimize operational safety and efficiency of machines. Important information can be derived from the data analysis and applied to proactively maintain the machines and systems, reduce downtimes and increase the overall system effectiveness. This method focuses on status-based maintenance rather than time-based maintenance to effectively reduce unplanned downtimes. Condition-based maintenance also results in reduction of service and material costs, increases service life of components and machines, and increases system availability with plannable, cost-optimized repairs.

To contact the author of this article, email GlobalSpecEditors@globalspec.com


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