OEM source for VFDs?

[nuterra]

I was tempted to ask this question to the smart fellas in the "Single Phase Motor VFD" thread, esp. during their rants on OEM using VFDs. But, I'll bump it up one level.

We are an OEM. We are in need of a source for OEM'ed VFDs. Only a few thousands a year, so no it's not a 480V, 3HP hair dryer although.....

My question is that where do I start? Been googling and googling..... calling some rep's here and there, but hasn't gotten much of a nibble. Must be fishing in the wrong spot!

Can someone point me to a few companies that would be interested in working with us on this? Maybe it's your company? We are in Southern Cal.

Much appreciations in advance!

 

[itsmoked]

Why do you not just find one of the 20 brands that floats your boat then talk to the maker directly for your bulk purchase?

Or are you wanting a tweaked one? (gack!)

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[ozmosis]

nuterra
I don't want to dissuade you from posting but this sort of email tends to attract an undesirable amount of attention to Eng-Tips of sales folk selling their wares.
If you want to talk to a drives company with 'a few thousand' drives then I would google Variable Frequency Drives and contact the many hundreds of companies who appear.
If your enquiry is of interest then I guess they will beat down your door.

 

[LionelHutz]

I think it depends on what you expect from the few 1000 a year and also what size. The small ones sell for little margin and the manufacturer won't likely do much to sell them without engineering fees.

Actual manufacturers;

Vacon
Parker SSD
Invertek
Yaskawa
AC Tech
Delta

I'm sure there are others but I can't recall offhand. Most of the big electrical suppliers (AB, Cutler Hammer, Automation Direct etc) don't actually manufacture the VFD lines.

I would try Parker SSD in Charlotte NC or AC Tech in Uxbridge, MA first. I believe they both have engineering and manufacturing in those locations so they might be more likely to work with you.

Vacon bought TB Woods VFD division a little while back and they also have manufacturing in Chambersburg, PA so they might work with you.

 

[rovineye]

Also Baldor. They manufacture in Ft Smith Arkansas, and have sales offices in Commerce and Hayward CA.

http://www.baldor.com/support/literature_load.asp?LitNumber=PR2534

 

[ScottyUK]

Crikey, some big names missing! ABB, Siemens, Allen Bradley, Control Techniques, Mitsubishi, Danfoss...

If you tell us the size of drive and what you are using it for maybe we can add a few or exclude a few.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[controlsdude]

mitsubishi drives never fail, most are below them.

 

[Skogsgurra]

I'm not so sure those are willing to do OEM versions if volume is below 10 000 - or more. Some do not do it at all.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[itsmoked]

I'd agree. You would be making an expensive error without first doing everything in your power to use a stock OTS unit.

For starters you instantly lose all bargaining power. Just like going to a car dealer and not buying an available car but wanting a different color, etc..

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[ScottyUK]

The OP must be doing something pretty obscure to need a custom VFD. Even the low end standard drives can do so much these days.

Perhaps a bit more explanation regarding why a custom VFD is required...?

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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[LionelHutz]

I knew I missed some... but I'm sure AB does not belong in the manufacturing list.

I can't believe I forgot ABB and Control Techniques aka Emerson though.

It still goes back to what the OP is expecting. Hopefully, he's just looking for the best volume pricing and not on something like a 1hp VFD.

 

[Skogsgurra]

The need for an OEM inverter gets very obvious when you see where they are applied.

Those that I have seen are not only a VFD - they are the complete control center, often with specialised interface and an integrated control panel with all the symbols that are needed and "human friendly" for that application. There are also transducer interfaces and safety features that are hard/impossible to find in any standard OTS VFD.

Re manufacturers. Do not expect the big companies like AB, ABB, Siemens and the like to produce these. They won't even talk to you. In fact, quite many of those companies outsource their production to companies like Invertek (well, perhaps not ABB and Siemens, but many other do).



Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[sreid]

The OP should tells us how is is using the term OEM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_equipment_manufacturer

 

[itsmoked]

Yes Skogs but why would you try to wrap all that other junk in with a VFD? Why would you not mount the VFD, that has to deal with power, down in the machine next to the motor and then use a small flexible HMI focused controller to run HMI and let it punch the buttons on the OTS VFD?

Seems a so much nimbler design that lets someone shop all the makers and suppliers and never get held over the barrel by whichever one decides to do a custom.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[Skogsgurra]

Remember that OEMs usually produce tens or hundreds of thousands - or millions - of one and the same product. Just have a look at a Panasonic heat pump/AC unit. Do you think it would be possible to produce and sell them (with a profit) at a little more than USD 1000 if they were put together from standard components?

This is true for all white goods producers. Pack all functionality in a compact, optimized package and see to it that cables are kept to a minimum. Carrier, Electrolux, Whirlpool (if they still exist) all do that. I do not really understand how you mean it could be done otherwise.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[ScottyUK]

True Skogs, but this is only a few thousand a year in this instance. A COTS drive with some on-board logic capability or a COTS drive with a microcontroller running it would probably be more economical than a full custom design. The reverse logic would apply if the volume was much higher.

We're all speculating until the OP gives us some more information. Where is he...



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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[Skogsgurra]

Agree. A few thousand unit may be a problem. Although I have been designing for total batch sizes around 10 000 units over a few years. That would be the equivalent of 2000 units/year. The cost benefits of having everything on-board and a minimum of wiring and connectors are real. Connectors and separate push-buttons and indicators with their wires are a large part of the cost. Reliability usually also benefits fom such solutions.

Cost for a semi-custom design, which it usually is because you build on existing designs, is not as prohibitive as one would think. Much of the schematics can be reduced to one set of PCB description files. That is a benefit seldom considered.

Believe me. Been there, done that for many years.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...