The installation and setup of a variable speed drive for optimal performance

A variable speed drive (VSD) is a versatile piece of equipment which must, by necessity, be designed to suit a wide range of industries, applications, and power systems. This flexibility requires that there are numerous parameters which must be programmed in the control which are specific to the installation. The drive must also be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines in order to achieve the stated performance specifications. This combination makes the installation and commissioning of the VSD one of, if not the most critical stage, of the project and often where things can go wrong. The commissioning of a VSD for optimal performance is a highly desirable goal for all parties involved in the project. It is common for the commissioning phase to be completed or accepted once the equipment has been energized and the motor operated at speed. This could mean that the drive may still have default protection settings and the setup or calibration of a number of operating parameters for the system may still have to be optimized to achieve the highest level of equipment performance and uptime. In many instances, the load and other system elements are not fully implemented which means that the drive system cannot be fully evaluated or the set up optimized.