The company has started producing medium voltage (MV) soft starters at one of its facilities in South Africa, reducing delivery times for customers and boosting local manufacturing.
The SSW7000 soft starters are produced at WEG's manufacturing unit in South Africa, with high-efficiency standards. The SSW7000 line is well recognised in the market and widely used in pump and fan applications in the mining segment.
WEG's soft starters
With the growing demand for WEG's medium voltage soft starters in recent years, customers can now benefit from the local manufacturing of these products. One immediate benefit is the reduced delivery time.
The use of soft starters has become evident as users seek ways to reduce electricity costs
The use of soft starters has become evident as users seek ways to reduce electricity costs, protect their electric motors, and increase their operational cycle. Soft starters allow for a smooth acceleration of electric motors, reducing the peak current during startup. Motors with a conventional direct start can reach up to 700% of their nominal current, while a soft starter can reduce the starting current to only 300%.
Customer application requirements
Local manufacturing increases the ability to customise medium voltage soft starters, with units designed to meet specific customer application requirements, as was the case with a recent project for a mining customer in Angola.
The package with 11 units was delivered in modules that could be easily transported and installed on-site for quick commissioning. In addition to reducing starting current, the SSW7000 soft starter line includes monitoring features capable of protecting the electric motor against overheating or excessive current consumption.