Elgin, Ill. –Dunkermotor’s new line of brushless dc Solar Tracker Motors (STM) with integral fieldbus-enabled motion controllers are optimized to reduce development time, lower installation costs and provide lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) in a variety of solar tracking applications. Electric energy production can be increased by up to 35% with solar tracking compared to fixed photovoltaic panel systems. 
The new STM line is designed to enable the control of up to 127 motors over a 5,000 meter (16,400 feet) bus length using the motors’ integral CANopen interface with a single economic, off-the-shelf PLC having a solar tracking function block. The STM integral control brushless motors can also be used with industrial PCs as well as Profibus and Modbus networks. The embedded intelligence of the STM motors’ integral controls, which are designed with up to 650,000 hour MTTF, dramatically reduces bus traffic by running complex routines onboard, such as homing and closing the position loop with an attached absolute encoder or inclinometer. In addition, the motors’ embedded intelligence can also take over mission critical functions, like returning to a safe position, when the network is down.
The low-voltage brushless dc STM motors are available in three millimeter frame sizes (45, 65, 75) with powers up to 530W (0.7 hp) and can be easily integrated with existing design slew drives, pan and tilt mechanisms and linear actuators used in the solar industry. Where additional gear reduction is required, the STM motors can be mated to Dunkermotor’s own modular planetary or worm reducers offering up to 678 Nm (6,000 in-lb) peak torques.
The standard STM motors are designed to be maintenance free for life. They are rated for IP65 environmental protection, employ special venting devices to prevent condensation, as well as proprietary lubrication techniques for the low speed, high torque and wide temperature ranges found in solar applications. The STM’s integral control also features speed and torque regulation capability to prevent mechanical damage.
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