DUAL PRESS REDUNDANT VFD INSTALLATION PROGRAM
THE MANUFACTURER’S CHALLENGE
This automotive industry project was driven by the need to reduce downtime risk in mission-critical press operations where failures directly impact production across multiple identical applications. Existing drive systems lacked redundancy, creating single points of failure that led to extended outages and significant production losses. Troubleshooting and recovery efforts were often time-consuming, further increasing operational disruptions. In addition, inconsistencies in system design and exposure to electrical noise affected reliability and maintenance efficiency. A more robust and standardized solution was required to improve system resilience, enable rapid fault recovery, and support continuous, stable operation in a high-demand manufacturing environment.
COALMONT’S TURN-KEY SOLUTION
Coalmont designed and installed sophisticated redundant VFD systems for both Press #1 ($1.5M) and Press #2 ($1.4M), replacing existing Rockwell PowerFlex drives with dual ABB ACS880 regenerative drive configurations featuring mechanically interlocked isolation switches ensuring only one drive connects to each motor at any time. These parallel turnkey projects include complete engineering design and CAD drawings, custom 1200A feeder breaker cabinets, line-side and load-side isolation switch cabinets with viewing windows and voltage indicators, dual 1000HP ABB regenerative VFDs with integral cooling, replacement motor encoders with dual outputs for independent speed feedback, complete cable replacement for feeders and motor circuits, remote I/O panels with ControlLogix PLC and 15-inch HMIs, fiber optic communications between press areas and drives, engineering workstations with Rockwell and ABB software, comprehensive shop testing with customer factory acceptance tests, and 24 consecutive days of onsite engineering standby support during production startup for each installation.
This high-availability program supports mission-critical automotive manufacturing drive systems, where downtime directly impacts production across multiple identical applications. Hyundai gained industry-leading redundancy with automatic failover capability on both presses, mechanically interlocked safety systems preventing simultaneous drive connection, comprehensive shop testing validating system performance before installation, fiber optic communications eliminating electrical noise concerns, standardized designs enabling consistent maintenance procedures across both presses, extended production support ensuring smooth startup for each system, and ABB DTC (Direct Torque Control) providing emergency open-loop operation if encoder failure occurs. The complete system redesign with new feeders, isolation switches, and dual drives provides Hyundai with maximum uptime assurance for critical press operations while maintaining precise control and energy efficiency through regenerative braking across their production line.
CAPABILITIES: Redundant Drive Design | High Availability Systems | Shop FAT | Multi-Project Coordination