Product Description:

Bosch Rexroth Indramat manufactures the RD51.1-5B-018-L-C1-FW as part of the RD 500 Drive Controllers series. The unit is a drive controller intended for speed-regulated operation of three-phase induction motors in automated machinery and process lines. By converting fixed mains voltage to a variable frequency and amplitude, it lets production equipment match motor speed to load demands, improving energy use, reducing mechanical wear, and allowing smoother acceleration and deceleration in process equipment.

The hardware includes a built-in brake chopper so regenerated energy during deceleration is routed to an external resistor rather than returning to the DC link. Motor flux is managed through U/f curve control, a scalar method suited for pumps, fans, conveyors, and similar loads that do not require encoder-based vector feedback. Heat is removed by forced air cooling; integral fans move ambient air across the heat sinks, allowing the controller to maintain rated output without external chillers in standard cabinet installations. The controller has an output rating of 18.5 kW, which is the maximum continuous motor power at nominal conditions. For input power, the drive uses a three-phase AC supply that connects directly to a mains feeder through the RD-series rectifier stage.

The mains terminals accept a line-to-line range up to 500 V, matching common 480 V industrial networks while leaving headroom for voltage fluctuation. Control electronics remain active during mains outages because the unit offers 24 V stand-by power; this external low-voltage feed keeps fieldbus communication and parameter memory active on systems rated at or below 110 kW. The drive is a generation 1 unit and uses the mechanical dimensions and interface pinouts of first-release RD 500 modules, so mating connections follow the earlier series layout. This arrangement helps the controller fit established cabinet designs used with other modules in the same product line.