SIEMENS & IBERCISA
Technological allies for permanent magnet motors

by Jose Santiago Prado Novoa/SIEMENS

For more than 20 years, Ibercisa has been developing a long-term collaboration with Siemens in order to equip their machinery with the latest state-of-the-art technology. Electrically driven machines are, at present, the best proven solution for many winching applications, a fact that has already been accepted by the market after many years of Ibercisa’s winches proving their reliability and capability.

The trend towards greater productivity and more sophisticated products requiring the use of more complex techniques demands the use of state-of-the-art drive and automation technology that is also extremely rugged. The companies’ continuous collaboration has launched the development of a new type of machine, integrated with heavy duty torque Permanent Magnet Motors. Ibercisa’s great expertise with this type of machine has allowed them to develop their own motor specifications with the correct requisites needed for on-deck operation. Siemens is the ideal company to transform these requisites into a new motor, which is only possible with a tight-knit design process between both teams, not only in the mechanical design but also in the electrical conception.

Ibercisa Machine Concept collaborating with Siemens Gamesa Electric Permanent Magnet Motors has allowed the creation of a machine with minimum inertia, maximum dynamics and optimum efficiency. Designed as a completely water-cooled motor of Type IM B5 construction, these Siemens Gamesa Electric Permanent Magnet Motors are easy to integrate in the Siemens SINAMICS S120 Frequency Drive System for reliable commissioning. The powerful permanent-magnet motors set themselves apart with their high dynamic response and precision. The motors also have a mechanical design that is especially rugged. Therefore, these torque motors are ideally suited to follow the dynamically demanding motion profiles of higher-level motion controllers, even under harsh operating conditions. This vision of the Integrated Drive System as a complete concept, from the vessel electrical network supply to the mechanical drum, has allowed a unique and reliable package design, with powerful capabilities. The Siemens Integrated Drive Systems are the only true one-stop solution for entire drive trains on the market. They help to improve the productivity, efficiency, and international competitiveness. All this becomes possible thanks to the three axes of integration at the core of the Integrated Drive Systems concept.
 

- On the horizontal drive portfolio level, all frequency converters and motors are guaranteed to interact and integrate seamlessly – all available from a single source. Perfectly integrated, perfectly interacting.
 

- On the vertical level, the integration into automation, Integrated Drive Systems are part of Totally Integrated Automation (TIA), and, as such, fully integrated into the entire automation environment from the field level all the way to the main controls. This enables optimal processes through maximum communication and control.
 

-The third level, lifecycle integration, comprises software and services for all project steps from planning, design, and engineering to operation, maintenance, and all the way to modernization measures.
 

The frequency converter type chosen for this application is the high-performance Siemens SINAMICS S120 - The flexible, modular drive system for demanding drive tasks. The SINAMICS S120 infeed - Active Line Module (ALM) is capable of feeding energy back into the grid. Active Line Modules and the associated closed-loop controls are used as core components for the complete inverter systems. The Active Interface Module (AIM) is the line filter, and therefore the other core component of the inverter infeed. The Active Line Module and the line filter must be optimally harmonized and coordinated with one another, to achieve the correct filter function and the desired vessel clean network. Additionally, the Siemens SINAMICS S120 Motor Modules have got excellent dynamic performance and accuracy; also including integration of extensive technological functions in the drive control system. Water cooled S120 frequency converters are used in main drives, avoiding increase of control room temperatures.