Exhibit good EMC performance

ABB has now had its ACx580 frequency converters certified to the EMC-ILA standard. The certification is valid for the ACH580, ACQ580 and ACS580 frequency converters with a power rating of up to 55 kW. Conformity with the EMC-ILA (EMC Integration Guide Automotive Industry) is confirmed by Ceno Power Quality GmbH. The company, based in Gerstetten (Baden-Württemberg), is an EMC specialist for automation systems and test benches and, since 2021, publisher of the EMC-ILA.

More and more companies in the automotive and manufacturing industries are emphasizing EMC-ILA-compliant electrical components in order to operate low-interference equipment. By demonstrating EMC-ILA compliance, ABB can now prove that its ACx580 drives have good EMC performance. Equipment without good EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) will affect other equipment, which can lead to unwanted malfunctions and measurement errors. EMC ILA certification also provides clarity on the areas in which ABB frequency converters can be used and what additional measures are required for use in production and test bench areas.

The ACH580 is a frequency converter for applications in heating, ventilation and air conditioning. All essential functions are already integrated in the devices, from the EMC filter and an intuitive control panel to the native BACnet fieldbus interface. With the integrated BACnet MS/TP interface and other fieldbus protocols, users can control applications, communicate events and perform diagnostics. The water and wastewater sector is the field of application for the ACQ580, which has integrated functions for pump applications. The ACS580 standard frequency converter is one of ABB's all-compatible drives and is used to control industrial applications.

Ensuring a safe operation

EMC-ILA, unlike standard EMC standards and measurements, provides complete EMC as all frequency ranges are covered. The document was originally developed for the automotive industry, where the growing use of power electronics, as well as the operation of electrical networks with increasingly less compatibility margin, have increased the vulnerability of electrical equipment to EMC interference.  

"However, the higher EMC standards are not a special issue for the automotive industry, but for automation and test bench technology, where relatively many power electronics can be found in a small space," explains Thomas Kolb, managing director of Ceno Power Quality. "This results in a great deal of interference potential with a simultaneously large number of sensors and measurement technology. Among other things, the associated EMC problems can result in interference during measurements. By using EMC-ILA-certified equipment, such as ABB's ACx580 frequency converter, companies can ensure low-interference operation."

The EMC topic has become particularly topical due to e-mobility, Kolb said. This is because prototypes of electrical components are also used in the test bench area that have not been tested to determine whether they emit electromagnetic interference.