Technical guide, , by Green Automatica engineering team · 2 min read
Control Techniques VFD programming and commissioning in Kenya: Unidrive M, Commander C and Unidrive SP
Control Techniques VFD programming and commissioning by on-site engineers in Kenya and across Africa: Unidrive M, Commander C and Unidrive SP. Connect (drive commissioning), fault finding, upgrades and full documentation.
Control Techniques (Nidec) drives are found on cranes, extruders, winders and process machines. We commission Unidrive M and Commander drives, program their onboard PLC and migrate older Unidrive SP and Commander SK drives.
Control Techniques VFDs we work on
- Unidrive M200 to M702: drives from simple speed control to high-performance and servo
- Commander C200 and C300: general-purpose drives
- Unidrive SP and Commander SK: older drives we maintain and migrate
Software: Connect (drive commissioning), Machine Control Studio (onboard PLC programming). Networks: Modbus RTU, Ethernet on Unidrive M700 series, option modules for PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and others.
Control Techniques VFD services
- Drive commissioning and auto-tune with Connect
- Onboard PLC programs in Machine Control Studio
- Unidrive SP and Commander SK to Unidrive M migration
- Fault diagnosis and replacement
Our drive commissioning checklist
- Motor nameplate data entered and an auto-tune or motor identification run completed
- Correct control mode for the load: V/F for fans and pumps, vector control for high starting torque
- Acceleration and deceleration ramps, current limits and braking set for the machine
- Protections set: motor overload, phase loss, earth fault, stall and dry-run where relevant
- Speed reference and start/stop from the right source: keypad, terminals, PID or fieldbus
- Parameters saved to a file and a printed list left with the panel drawings
Why drive set-up matters for your energy bill
- On centrifugal pumps and fans, power falls with the cube of speed. Running 20% slower uses roughly half the power (0.8³ ≈ 0.51).
- A correctly tuned drive starts motors smoothly, which cuts mechanical stress, water hammer and belt wear.
- Built-in PID control holds pressure or flow without throttling valves, which wastes energy.
- Energy counters in the drive show exactly what each motor uses, so savings can be measured.
Tips from our engineers
Use the onboard PLC
Unidrive M drives (M400 and above) include an onboard PLC programmed in Machine Control Studio, which can replace a small separate PLC on simple machines.
Migrate SP drives with a plan
Control Techniques provides migration paths from Unidrive SP to Unidrive M. Transferring and checking parameters before the shutdown keeps downtime short.
Related guides
See also our VFD service page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you commission Control Techniques Unidrive M drives?
Yes, including onboard PLC programming and migration from Unidrive SP.