Nidec Drives has launched Control Techniques KI-Keypad Plus, its most technically advanced drive user interface to date.
According to the company, this is designed to make drives easier to use and add operational flexibility to applications and machinery. The KI-Keypad Plus reportedly enables the user to gain easy access to the key drive features needed to improve the machine’s performance, whether it’s running a simple conveyor or a complex multi-axis motion system. It also comes with FastStart which guides the user through the drive configuration process.
The new larger and clearer colour display reportedly allows the drive status information and parameter descriptions to be easier to read. The addition of Bluetooth allows for remote and flexible connectivity to Nidec’s suite of PC Tools for commissioning and programming tasks.
The KI-Keypad Plus allows for flexible and simple system monitoring. The keypad can show up to 10 user-selectable parameters on the status screen, which can be scaled individually with custom units to best suit the user’s application. With its trouble-shooting help feature, errors can be identified and resolved thanks to in-depth error code definitions, suggestions of possible causes and recommendations for action. The keypad is certified to rating IP54 (NEMA 12).
The KI-Keypad Plus has built-in PIN protection that ensures no unauthorized amendments are made to the drive settings. Additionally, the KI-Keypad Plus is a multilingual solution, featuring seven standard languages, with scope to add more if the user requires it.
The Hand/Off/Auto features are present in the version of the KI-Keypad Plus, designated for fan and pump applications when paired with the Control Techniques Pump Drive F600 or HVAC Drive H300. The KI-Keypad Plus acts as a universal interface to Control Techniques drives. It is compatible with the flexible Commander C range, specialist pump, HVAC, and elevator drives, as well as with the high-performance Unidrive series and dynamic Digitax servo ranges.
