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CONNECTING INSTEAD OF WIRING

Darwin technology, Moeller's breakthrough first step towards simplest switchgear solutions based on the latest standards, has arrived in South Africa.

The new and simple connection technology replaces conventional control wiring between I/O modules and switching devices, and begins to eliminate the complex and unmanageable structures that could previously be handled only by expensive specialists.

Moeller claims it as a fundamental change in the conventional control cabinet.

First product to bring Darwin to South Africa is SmartWire, which enables the connection of motor starters directly to the PLC.

With SmartWire, the complex control circuit wiring between the PLC and the switching devices is completely replaced by pluggable, pre-assembled connection cables.

The wiring requirement for contactors and motor starters is considerably reduced, as is the number of remote I/Os, terminals and connectors.

Overall result is the prevention of wiring faults, and savings in mounting, commissioning and troubleshooting during operation. The I/O level is transferred directly to the contactor.

SmartWire has been designed as an addition to Moeller's tried and tested range of switching devices - as an accessory for them.

The result is that the flexibility of all standard switching devices is fully retained, since even existing system accessories can still be used. The use of standard devices means that inventory costs are not unnecessarily increased.

SmartWire replaces control circuit wiring, the latter involving the connection of motor starters by a separate control cable for each individual connection, and carrying a very high wiring requirement and increased risk of faults during installation.

Instead, using SmartWire, the user plugs a module onto the contactor to achieve a six-pole plug connector that replaces the control circuit connections. SmartWire is then connected without the need to be wired.

SmartWire eliminates the PLC I/O level, because the control circuit wiring is eliminated not only on the switching devices, but also on the PLC.

This saves the cost of I/O modules, which become redundant.

Wherever compact design is called for, the space saved provides additional options for effective design of the control cabinet.

SmartWire also eliminates wiring faults since only plug connections are used.

Finally, SmartWire considerably simplifies the engineering of motor starters.

Where previously the control circuit wiring had to be adapted individually to the machine or system configuration at hand, and where before the connection of the motor starter to the PLC required an individual circuit diagram, SmartWire now renders both of these steps unnecessary, as only the main circuit connection to the motor has to be planned separately.

Up to sixteen SmartWire-enabled motor starters can be connected together with a gateway without any complex control circuit wiring being necessary.

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