A Softstart control option for gas and diesel engines, as well as for clutches on electric motors, senses the exact point at which friction surfaces contact and then rapidly reduces the current to a level that lets the clutch safely slip, but not release. Using engine rpm feedback, the controller adjusts the clutch current that drives the engine rpm to fit a desired profile.
In high inertia applications, engagement of an electric clutch can cause machinery to jar. The controller allows smoother engagement, thereby reducing system shock resulting in less stress on mechanical parts and eliminating belt jump, which increases belt life. The device’s closed-loop design eliminates engine droop. Ratiometric rpm control automatically scales to rpm at the time of engagement.
Ogura Industrial Corp., Box 5790, Somerset, NJ 08875, (732) 271-7361, www.ogura-clutch.com