News –

System design made easy with NORD decentralised and modular drive electronics

With a new offer, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS provides more freedom in system design: A modular system comprising decentralised drive electronics and efficient motors offers full consistency. This is based on the NORDAC LINK and NORDAC ON frequency inverters, which now have identical communication and safety functions, making them flexible in use.

Brampton, ON, 2026-03-09

The spacious intralogistics of e-commerce providers, parcel distribution centres or airports benefit from space-saving, decentralised drive solutions. However, planners often face challenges in their system design: If frequency inverters for wall mounting or motor mounting have different safety and communication properties, additional installations are needed. With its new modular system, NORD provides users with decentralised drive electronics for consistent use.

Expanded communication and safety functions

The modular system comprises the asynchronous IE3 and synchronous IE5+ motors from NORD, and two decentralised frequency inverters as the centrepiece: NORDAC ON in the power range from 0.37 to 3.7 kW for wall mounting and motor mounting, and NORDAC LINK for power ranges from 0.37 to 7.5 kW for wall mounting. Both have identical communication and safety functions that have been extensively expanded by NORD.

Seamless integration into fail-safe applications

The frequency inverters feature on-board Ethernet and are compatible with PROFINET and EtherCAT. Both NORDAC ON and NORDAC LINK can be integrated seamlessly into a fail-safe application via PROFIsafe or FSoE. An extended safety function package has already been integrated. STO and SS1-t (each in accordance with SIL3 / PLe) as well as SS1-r, SLS, SMS and SSM (each in accordance with SIL 2 / PLd) have no encoder. Thanks to safe inputs and outputs, fail-safe components such as emergency stop buttons or photoelectric sensors can be directly connected.

Encoderless control of dynamic applications

Also for dynamic applications, NORDAC ON and NORDAC LINK allow for encoderless control of the highly efficient IE5+ synchronous motors. The CFC open-loop injection method allows for a start-up with 150 % overload and implements more dynamic accelerations through short ramp times. The method achieves high energy efficiency, especially in the partial load range. As no encoder is required, the CFC open-loop injection control reduces material and installation costs.

Lean system design with less wiring

The new modular system provides users with more flexibility in system design. Thanks to the consistent functionality, they can easily choose between motor-mounted or wall-mounted frequency inverters. The integrated functions furthermore reduce wiring efforts, simplifying installation and maintenance. All in all, NORD thus ensures less complex, lean architectures with an extended performance scope.