Legacy Servo Drive Modernization – 1394 Ultra Drives to Kinetix Modernization

By Alex Honeycutt

Considerations: 

Replacing aging servo drives is an opportunity to do more than swap out parts. It is an opportunity to improve and get the most out of your investment and help address modern industrial challenges. 

Depending on your situation, not every improvement below will be applicable, but they should be considered if feasible.  

• Safety: Improved and advanced safety features can help reduce downtime and change over time while maintaining existing safety levels. 
• Flexibility: Increase the flexibility of the machine with Logix control integration. Logix control allows for easy adaptation during a changeover. 
• Sustainability: Energy saving opportunities with more efficient motors and the Kinetix 5700 CIP energy support and Regenerative bus supply. 
• Analytics: All new drives have Ethernet/IP. Data can be readily displayed on an HMI—leverage data with FactoryTalk Analytics. 

The Four New Servo Drives: 

Kinetix 5100 

The Kinetix 5100 is an excellent choice for directly replacing Ultra3000 indexing drives. This is best used in migrations when the desire is to keep the existing control method and not add a Motion capable controller.  

• Able to be used as a standalone drive or with a controller. It does NOT use Rockwell Automation Motion instructions. 
• It works well with TLP and MPL motors. It will not work with VPL single cable motors. 
• It can be controlled with the drives’ digital inputs and analog inputs. 
• Programmed with the KNX5100C software. 
• Hardwired Safe Torque Off. 

Kinetix 5300 

The Kinetix 5300 is an excellent choice for systems with low axis counts and is less expensive than the Kinetix 5500. Unlike the Kinetix 5100, this drive requires a capable motion controller. 

• Controlled via Rockwell Automation Motion Controller. It uses Rockwell Automation Motion Instructions. 
• It works well with TLP and MPL motors. It will not work with VPL single cable motors. 
• Hardwired Safe Torque Off. 

Kinetix 5500 

The Kinetix 5500 is an excellent choice for modernizing systems with a low or medium axis count. The Kinetix 5500 can be zero stacked, and the DC bus is shared across multiple drives. If modernizing the motor is also a concern, then this is the first drive on the list to support the single cable VPL motors. 

• It is controlled via Rockwell Automation Motion Controller. It uses Rockwell Automation Motion Instructions. 
• It works well with VPL single cable motors. With a feedback adapter kit, it can control other motors. It does not support the TLP motor. 
• Able to use standalone or zero stacked with a bus system. 

Kinetix 5700 

The Kinetix 5700 is the largest and most feature-rich Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley servo drive. It is excellent for large axis counts and large servo motors. It also has several features not available on the other drives, such as the regenerative bus power option, certain safety features, etc. 

• Controlled via Rockwell Automation Motion Controller. It uses Rockwell Automation Motion Instructions. 
• Ideal for large systems. 
• It has Dual Axis and Single Axis modules. 
• It supports CIP security for secure Ethernet/IP communications. 
• Monitor Energy with CIP energy support. 
• Advanced safety features are available on specific models. 
• Regenerative bus power supply available.  

Migration Guides from Rockwell

Here are some publications that go into further detail for certain drive migrations: 

Kinetix 300 to Kinetix 5500 Migration Guide 

Ultra3000 to Kinetix 5100 Migration Guide 

Ultra3000 to Kinetix 5300 Migration Guide 

Kinetix 350 to Kinetix 5300 Migration Guide 

Ultra3000 to Kinetix 5500 Migration Guide 

Learn more about Kinetix Servo Drives by registering for our Motion Control Foundations 101 webinar.