Tubular Stranding Machine - Motor and Drive Retrofit

Background of Tubular Twisting Machines

Tubular twisting machines are widely used in the textile industry, particularly in the production of high-strength, high-quality yarns. Their primary function is to process and twist textile fibers into yarns with a certain level of strength and toughness through mechanical operations. As the textile industry demands higher product quality, production efficiency, and environmentally friendly practices, the technology of twisting machines has been continually advancing. The focus on energy efficiency and cost reduction has become a key driver of industry development.

 

Key Features of Tubular Twisting Machines

High-Speed Operation: To enhance production efficiency, modern twisting machines need to operate stably at high speeds, posing greater demands on motor stability and efficiency.
High-Load Operation: Under high-load and complex working conditions, the motor must provide consistent and stable power output.
Precise Control: Motors in the textile process must work seamlessly with variable frequency drives (VFDs) to achieve high-precision speed control and stable operation.

 

Common Issues and Pain Points

Low Energy Efficiency and High Energy Consumption: Traditional twisting machines mostly use asynchronous or conventional synchronous motors, which exhibit low efficiency under high-speed and high-load conditions, leading to significant energy waste.
High Temperature Rise and Energy Loss: During high-speed operation, traditional motors generate excessive heat, increasing the difficulty of cooling and maintenance while reducing motor lifespan.
High Failure Rate and Maintenance Costs: Under prolonged high-load conditions, traditional motors are prone to failures, particularly due to mechanical wear, leading to frequent downtime and high repair costs.
Large Size and Heavy Weight: Due to less optimized designs, traditional motors require larger sizes to provide sufficient power output, increasing the equipment’s size and weight, which affects layout and flexibility.
Excessive Noise and Vibration: Traditional motors often produce significant noise and vibration during operation, negatively affecting the working environment and the equipment’s stability.

 

Benefits of Replacing with Magnetically Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motors

1.Higher Efficiency, Lower Energy Consumption: Magnetically assisted synchronous reluctance motors (MASRMs) combine the stability of synchronous motors with the high efficiency of reluctance motors. They eliminate the need for rare earth materials while achieving energy efficiency levels up to IE5 or higher. MASRMs consume less energy during high-load and high-speed operation, significantly reducing production costs.
2.Thermal Stability and Reduced Heat Loss: MASRMs generate less heat due to reduced current and electromagnetic losses, ensuring lower temperature rise. This improves long-term stability and reliability, reduces cooling requirements, and extends the motor’s service life.
3.Reduced Weight, Improved Space Utilization: MASRMs are more compact and have higher power density, providing a smaller motor solution that reduces the overall weight of the twisting machine, saves space, and improves layout flexibility.
4.Lower Failure Rate and Maintenance Costs: The brushless design of MASRMs results in minimal mechanical wear, reducing failure rates and maintenance requirements. This minimizes downtime and ensures higher equipment reliability.
5.Low Noise and Vibration: MASRMs operate with minimal noise and vibration, creating a more comfortable working environment and reducing potential damage to the equipment and surrounding facilities.
6.Precise Control Performance: MASRMs work seamlessly with VFDs, allowing precise control of motor speed and torque output. This ensures stable operation at high speeds, achieving higher production precision and meeting stringent quality demands for textiles.

 

Working Conditions

Load Characteristics

The tubular twisting machine exhibits constant torque characteristics. It requires high starting torque and current during startup, which stabilizes after a period of operation. To prevent reverse twisting during stopping, braking mechanisms are used, which generate excess energy requiring the addition of braking resistors.

Operating Environment

Tubular twisting machines, being metal-based equipment, operate in a normal temperature environment with minimal mechanical noise.

Power Configuration

The common power setup includes a three-phase asynchronous motor with a VFD. Traditional motors have low efficiency and narrow high-efficiency zones, often operating in low-efficiency ranges, resulting in poor overall energy economics.

VFD Requirements

1. Stable speed to ensure consistent twisting pitch.
2. Smooth and stable acceleration with reliable torque output.
3. Built-in RS485 communication for integration with upper-level controllers.
4. Real-time monitoring of frequency, current, voltage, and other parameters for ease of operation and maintenance.

Proposed Solution

Motor: HCM5 Series

The retrofit leverages ultra-high-efficiency magnetically assisted synchronous reluctance motor technology. The HCM5 series motor, featuring low energy consumption, a broad high-efficiency range, compact size, and cost-effectiveness, is used as the main driving motor for the tubular twisting machine.

VFD: G6 Series

The G6 series VFD provides seamless control of motor frequency and AC voltage, ensuring smooth startup, simple and stepless speed regulation. Integrated with controllers like PLCs or industrial PCs via RS485 communication, the system adjusts speed and torque based on real-time tension and motor speed data. This ensures stable tension and speed for the twisting machine.



Application Effect

The implementation of MASRMs significantly enhances the energy efficiency and operational stability of tubular twisting machines. It reduces energy consumption, maintenance costs, and equipment failure rates. With their high efficiency, low noise, and low vibration, MASRMs offer an eco-friendly, economical, and high-performance solution for the textile industry, meeting the growing demand for energy savings, precision, and efficiency in modern industrial operations.