AC Tech SMVector vs. TECO MA7200 VFD?

I am looking to retrofit a Toshiba S7 drive that came with my Bridgeport with Acer E-mill head. Seems like swapping out the existing VFD is the easiest solution to power up the mill. The existing drive has a braking resistor. Would this be needed for another drive?

I have narrowed it down to either an AC Tech SMVector drive or the TECO MA7200. What are the pluses or minuses for each one. I am simply looking for the easiest one to swap out from the existing Toshiba drive(I'm assuming similar functionality I guess). Price and ease of use is a consideration. The current drive is house already in an enclosure hanging off the mill.

How hard is it to retrofit one of these? Simply move the wires over? I'm hoping it isn't too complicated. I have all of the wiring diagrams for the current setup.

Thanks.

I've commissioned only one MA7200, so my expertise is limited on that drive. There are three SMVectors in my shop. Here are my observations FWIW

The MA7200 is a very capable drive. It is available in NEMA 1 or NEMA 4. One really neat feature of the NEMA 1 drive is the ability to remove (with only two screws) the digital operator & locate it near the machine or on the machine. That allows the main drive enclosure to be located out of harms way where chips or coolant cannot reach it. I don't know why other makers don't do this.

Simple settings, like freq up or freq down, requires pushing one button that moves through selection screens & then pushing the up/down button to change motor speed. I find this less than convenient, but you get used to it after a while. Also, the physical size of the drive is extra large - which is not a factor if you remote mount the enclosure & keep only the digital operator on the machine.

The SMVector is much more compact, even in the NEMA 4 enclosure. Configuring the drive seems faster/easier, but that may be because I've done a few of that model. I managed to drop a NEMA 4 drive on a wooden floor from six feet - it landed on the heat sink fins & bent the fins quite a bit. They were straightened out with a long screwdriver & the drive never missed a beat - pretty tough if you ask me. Operation seems more intuitive.

I'll order another SMVector or two, as it does a nice job in a small package. Becky at Wolf Automation is the person I call.

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Barry Milton

I have a MA 7200 on my DoAll band saw, and I like it. Easy to program and no surprises. I like the better enclosure also.

--Doozer

I'd use AC Tech SMVector any day over TECO MA7200. AC Tech SMVector series is far superior to low cost VFDs in the market. AC Tech SMVector is relatively less expensive and made in the US.

http://www.ctiautomation.net/AC-Tech-SMVector-Drives.htm