ABB’s New ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus Delivers Simulation for Drive Application Development
ABB has released its ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus. This high-fidelity software-in-the-loop (SIL) system runs low-voltage drive control firmware to ensure accurate simulation of a drive’s behavior, explained ABB.
This SIL system reportedly delivers micro-second electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation accuracy, allowing users to accurately develop and validate specific applications before the physical drive hardware is installed. Ready-made virtual drive blocks can be used to develop and test applications, such as configuring grids, loads, processes and system-level controls in the same way as with physical drives.
A key capability of the ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus is its capacity to operate as an inverter, active rectifier or DC/DC chopper within a virtual environment. The system’s simulation features enable engineers to use virtual drives on a PC to model their systems and create simulations that replicate real-world applications.
ABB added that final-stage hardware-based validation and real-time integration can be completed with ACS880 DriveLab. The company said this combined workflow de-risks projects, reduces commissioning time and accelerates time-to-market.
For OEMs, the IP-secure technology of the ACS880 Virtual DrivePlus means they can bundle the virtual drives with their own service and support, as well as resell licensed application solutions to their end-customers.
