With the SCT5564 ring-type current transformer, Beckhoff offers a universal current-sensitive measurement system for AC and DC differential currents in conformance with the EN/IEC 62020-1 standard. Its use in machine monitoring ensures, among other things, increased system availability and minimized maintenance costs through the early detection of insulation faults. Crucial advantages and added value with PC-based controlFault currents can also occur during normal operation, e.g. due to the magnetizing of an electric motor during startup. In such cases, the seamless integration of the current transformer into PC-based control technology from Beckhoff creates special application advantages. In the example mentioned, the information available in the control system regarding the startup of a motor can reliably exclude false tripping. This important capability is particularly relevant for machines with multiple motors or actuators since an increasing residual current and thus a probable insulation fault can be assigned directly to the corresponding component without having to measure the differential current of each individual drive. The same applies, for example, to the monitoring of heating elements in plastics machines, where early replacement can prevent insulation loss due to aging in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Here, just one central measurement device and its corresponding control data make this possible.
