
VFDs for Soft-Starting: Not Glamorous, but Necessary
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) can be used in a variety of applications for a variety of purposes. As a service engineer, I’ve seen some interesting applications using VFDs: tunnel boring machines, carnival rides, mechanical bulls, and electric cranes are just a few that come to mind. On a list of interesting tasks assigned to VFDs, using one for soft-starting is at the bottom, yet it is very common and often necessary. Because a VFD varies the voltage as well as…