Industrial Drive Systems for Manufacturing and Automation

A motor converts electrical energy into mechanical rotation, while a drive controls how that electrical energy is delivered to the motor. The drive regulates voltage, current, and frequency to manage starting, stopping, speed, and torque. Together, they form a complete motion control system — the motor provides the power, and the drive governs its behavior to match process demands.

A soft starter controls voltage during motor startup and shutdown to reduce inrush current and mechanical stress, but runs the motor at full speed once up to speed. A variable frequency drive (VFD) continuously adjusts voltage and frequency to vary motor speed throughout operation, offering greater energy savings for variable load applications such as pumps and fans.

ValuAdd's drive systems cover both low voltage (240V–600V) and medium voltage (2.3kV–15kV) classes. Low voltage products range from 0.5HP micro drives to 1200A soft starters, while medium voltage solutions extend from 100HP to 25,000HP, accommodating the full spectrum of industrial motor control requirements.

Available enclosure ratings include NEMA 1, NEMA 3R, NEMA 12, NEMA 4X, UL Type 4X (IP66), and compact open chassis (IP20) configurations. Specific enclosure selection depends on the installation environment — indoor, outdoor, washdown, or hazardous duty — ensuring personnel safety and equipment protection in all conditions.

Yes. The Benshaw H2 519/519P Series Clean Power Drives are specifically designed to meet IEEE Std 519-2014 limits for both voltage (THDv ≤8%) and current distortion (TDDi ≤5%). Medium voltage VFDs also incorporate H-Bridge multi-level technology and IEEE 519 compliant designs, eliminating the need for costly external harmonic mitigation equipment.

Yes. The SW Series Washdown Drives feature a UL Type 4X (IP66) polycarbonate enclosure that exceeds NEMA 1, 12, 4, and 4X standards, making them suitable for food processing, chemical plants, and marine environments where high-pressure cleaning and corrosive exposure are routine. Built-in safe torque off (STO) functionality provides additional safety compliance.