Title
Sensorless variable speed control of AC drives
ASIC technology reduces elevators costs
Technologies used

Mixed Signal ASIC

Industrial sector (PRODCOM code)
    29 Lifting and Handling Equipment
Abstract
PUARSA is a 211 employees company that delivers components and systems to the European lifts distributors since 1976. PUARSA designs and manufactures all the components required for an elevator system, and its turnover in 1998 was 22 MEUR. The industrial sector of the company is "Lifting and Handling Equipment", NACE 2922 according to the EU standard classification of economic activities.

PUARSA acts as the manufacturing part of an industrial group involving five companies. The company product is only elevators and parts of elevators systems, which are sold via commercial companies of the same group, either as complete turnkey systems to builders, or as components to other elevators manufacturers. The product application area is quite obvious: moving people and goods to different floors of tall buildings, both residential and commercial.

Puarsa has recently developed as a part of its elevator systems a new 7.5 HP variable speed drive for induction motors, based on microprocessor and a standard PWM chip, using vector control techniques in order to improve speed control and, consequently, to increase comfort level in elevator cabin. To achieve this precise control of speed and position a speed sensor is required.

In order to reduce costs and increase reliability of this product, the company intended to replace the costly and delicate optical encoder used as by an electronic device that estimated the speed of the motor. This approach would provide great savings in manufacturing, adjusting and maintenance costs. In this way, PUARSA will reach a more advantageous position in the market

The objective of the Application Experiment was the development of this speed sensor. The sensor estimates the speed of the motor by measuring waveforms of voltages and currents in the motor, already available for the Vector Control system, and performs a complex estimation algorithm based on a precise model of the electro-dynamic behaviour of the induction motor.

In order to get the desired performance and cost, mixed-ASIC technology is required. This will be the first project of this company using this technology, as its previous experience was in electronic design was with microcontroller, DSP and FPGA technology.

The total cost of the Application Experiment was 137 KEUR and it was completed in 19 months. The industrialisation costs were of additional 5 KEUR. The estimated payback period is 20 months, and the Return Of Investment over 3 years is app. 320%.

The project will help the company to improve its market share, and will consolidate its position as market leader in Spain.
Company
PUARSA
POLÍGONO MALPICA-ALFINDEN,
CALLE H 22
E - 50171 ZARAGOZA
SPAIN
Detailed information
You can also benefit from microelectronics

Mixed Signal ASIC technology provided PUARSA with the means of improving its products and enhancing its market position. You can also achieve significant benefits by acquiring the right microelectronics technology and utilising it in your product or manufacturing process. You can get help from FUSE to realise this.

FUSE is a technology transfer programme, funded by the European Commission to stimulate the wider use of microelectronics technologies by European enterprises to increase their competitiveness and enhance their economic growth. The demonstrator described here is one of many examples in the public FUSE portfolio covering the whole spectrum of microelectronics technologies and spanning a wide range of applications and industry sectors.

FUSE provides you with:

  • Best practice in acquiring specific microelectronics technologies and conducting full development projects through the FUSE portfolio of real life demonstrator documents.
  • Local training and expert support to plan your innovation realistically and help you conduct your project successfully.

Further information and support relating to this and other demonstrators can be obtained from the addresses below.
Further information   Guiding Technology Transfer Node
For further information and support regarding this case study, please contact a Technology Transfer Node (TTN) in your region.
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COTEC
C/Marques De Urquijo 26, 1 C, Izq.
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Spain