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Control Techniques rebrand aims to end confusion

23 October, 2020

The Welsh drives-maker Control Techniques has launched a new identity aimed at clearing “confusion” in the marketplace about the company. CT, which is owned by the Japanese group, Nidec, has also launched several new products including: its largest-ever drive; a dedicated pump drive; a series of I/O modules that allows drives to manage applications without needing a PLC or Scada system; and a new version of CT’s Motion Made Easy servo control suite.

Explaining the reasons for the new identity – which includes the adoption of the slogan “drive obsessed” – Pam Chahal, Control Techniques’ global marketing director, says: “It has been evident for a while that there was some confusion in the marketplace over who Control Techniques is, and where it stands in today’s competitive landscape. In recent years, the business has changed ownership, which brought its own challenges, but we are now completely aligned and looking to the future.

“With the launch of our new identity, we took things back to square one and tried to answer the fundamental questions facing any organisation,” she adds. “Control Techniques has been active for nearly 50 years, so there was a lot of heritage we had built up. By focusing on our strengths, we have developed a bold new vision for the future of our organisation, confirming our position as a challenger to the establishment.”



“Control Techniques has, for too long, been the best-kept secret in the drives world. That must stop,” adds CT president, Tony Pickering. “We were the original drives brand, with a long history of industry-firsts. We have reason to shout, and reason to be confident. This exciting new identity will help us get people’s attention and put us back where we feel we belong.”

Control Techniques' new products include the RTMoE remote IO module which can avoid the need for an external PLC

As well as its largest-ever drive and dedicated pump drive, Control Techniques’ new products include:
• Two new series of I/O modules that allow applications “of moderate complexity” to be managed by the drive without needing a separate PLC. The modules have direct high-speed access to all drive parameters and can control sensor I/Os including LEDs, pushbuttons, temperature controls and machine status indicators. In the first option, add-on RTMoE or Modbus TCP modules connect via the on-board Ethernet port of CT’s M7XX drives, or via the on-board Ethernet port of MC210 machine control modules. In the second option, add-on EtherCat remote I/O modules connect via the on-board EtherCat port of MCe or MCz controllers, and can also connect via any EtherCat port on a PLC or controller.
• The next generation of CT’s Motion Made Easy servo control suite, consisting of the new PTi210 module and accompanying software, and designed for use with Unidrive M and Digitax HD servodrives. Integrating PTi210 allows users to access the PowerTools Studio software for motion control. The PTi210 module offers five high-speed digital I/O points which expand on the drive’s onboard I/O, while PowerTools Studio provides tools for programming Digitax HD or Unidrive M drives using Modbus RU serial ports or on-board Ethernet.




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