VFD Panels Designed, Built and Supplied from Queensland
You’ve got a drive to fit into an enclosure, and it brings heat and electrical noise with it. Size the panel wrong and the drive loses output, overheats or upsets the controls beside it.
IPA engineers and builds VFD control panels in its South East Queensland workshop, tests every one before dispatch, and supplies projects Australia-wide to Australian standards.
Send your drawings and we’ll build to print. Or bring us in at the design stage and we’ll engineer the panel around your drives, loads and site.
What a VFD
Control Panel Does
A VFD control panel houses and protects a drive that controls the speed and torque of an AC motor. The drive converts fixed frequency and voltage into a variable output. In Australia, VFD and VSD mean the same thing, so a VSD control panel is the same build under another name.
A typical panel holds:
- The variable frequency drive
- Line reactor or DC choke
- EMC filter
- Isolation and circuit protection
- Braking resistor, where the load needs one
- Door-mounted keypad
- PLC and network communications interface
Pumps and fans follow the cube law, so reducing motor speed by 20% can cut the power required by 50%. Typical applications include pumps, fans, conveyors and mixers.
Designed Around Drive Heat and Electrical Noise
Drive losses come from the heatsink and the control section. When the whole drive sits inside the enclosure, both add to the heat load; when the heatsink is flange-mounted through the back panel, the two are counted separately. That figure sets enclosure size and cooling method.
Ambient temperature and altitude also reduce what a drive can deliver once they pass its rated limits. Queensland heat, outdoor enclosures and elevated sites are factored into the design from the start.
Electrical noise is handled in the layout. Power and control wiring are segregated, shielded motor cable is specified with the shield grounded at both ends, and output filters are considered on long motor runs. On the supply side, chokes and line reactors reduce harmonic distortion, with impedance chosen to balance lower distortion against voltage drop.
EPLAN documentation covers schematics, wiring diagrams, cable and termination schedules, I/O lists and as-built drawings.
Local, Remote and PLC Control of Your Drives
Operators shouldn’t need to open a panel to change a speed setting. A door-mounted keypad lets them adjust speed and read drive faults with the enclosure closed.
Where the drive needs remote control, a local/remote selector switches command between the panel door and a remote source. That source can be hardwired start/stop and speed reference, or a network link from a PLC or SCADA system.
Drives also report real-time motor data, including rpm, frequency, current, voltage and running status, for display on a local HMI or SCADA screen. Most requests for a VFD remote control panel come down to one of these arrangements.
Drive Panels We’ve Designed and Built
Our clearest example of drive panel work combines variable speed drives, soft starting and safety circuits in one enclosure.
Project Example: Alginate Control Panel
A food and beverage client in Yatala supplied a functional description, and IPA designed and fabricated the control panel from it. The scope covered flow control of water to two mixing tanks, with two mixers, two pumps and one 40kW motor.
The build included a 40kW soft starter, three variable speed drives and two safety relays. IPA conducted a Factory Acceptance Test and handed over detailed as-built drawings of the panel.
Built and Tested Before Dispatch
- Each drive panel is assembled in-house and goes through visual inspection, point-to-point and torque checks, and a pre-energisation check before power is applied. Factory Acceptance Testing then covers continuity, insulation resistance and functional testing, and the test records come with the panel. All testing follows the AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules.
- Applicable switchboards are design-verified to AS/NZS 61439, with thermal performance addressed as part of the project requirements. Panels leave the workshop checked, and we hold a 0% rework rate once panels reach site.
Why Choose IPA Control Systems for VFD Control Panels
System integrators, engineering firms and electrical contractors bring drive panels to IPA for a quality output every time. We are trusted because;
- Design, build and FAT in-house. Engineering, panel build and Factory Acceptance Testing all happen under our roof, so drive decisions carry straight through to the finished panel.
- 80+ years of combined hands-on experience. That experience spans VSD, soft starter and motor control panels for pumps, fans, conveyors and machinery.
- EPLAN-certified electrical design. Drive schematics, schedules and as-builts are drawn in EPLAN, giving your engineers clear documentation to check against the build.
- AS/NZS 61439 design verification. Where required, switchboard assemblies are verified to the Australian standard, with the manufacturer responsible for proving the design meets it.
- Fast turnaround, shipped Australia-wide. Once drawings are approved, suitable drive panels in standard off-the-shelf enclosures take 14 days on average, depending on component availability, then ship from South East Queensland.
Ready to Spec Your VFD Panel?
Send your drive schedule or motor list with kW ratings, plus any drawings, specifications and site conditions. If your site runs a standard drive brand, include it and we’ll build around it.
Still at concept stage? Speak with our team about designing the panel from the start.
FAQs
What goes inside a VFD control panel?
A VFD control panel holds the variable frequency drive plus the protection, filtering and control components it relies on. The drive varies the frequency and voltage it supplies to an AC motor, which sets the motor’s speed and torque.
Is a VSD control panel the same as a VFD control panel?
Yes. Modern electronic VSDs are also known as variable frequency drives, because they control motor speed by varying the frequency of the power fed to the motor. Both names describe the same drive, so a VSD panel and a VFD panel are the same build.
Can a VFD be controlled remotely?
Yes. The drive keypad can be mounted on the panel door, so operators adjust speed and read faults without opening the enclosure. Local/remote selection can also hand control to a PLC or SCADA system, either hardwired or over a network.
What should I send for a VFD panel quote?
Send a drive schedule or motor list with kW ratings, plus drawings, specifications and site conditions such as heat, dust, moisture or washdown exposure. If a site-standard drive brand applies, include it so the quote reflects the right hardware.
Will IPA build a VFD panel our own engineers designed?
Yes. We build to print from your drawings, specifications and bills of materials. Each panel still goes through Factory Acceptance Testing and comes with test records and as-built drawings, whether we designed it or you did.
Do you supply VFD panels outside Queensland?
Yes. Panels are designed and built at our South East Queensland workshop, prepared for transport and supplied Australia-wide. Documentation and test records travel with the panel, so the receiving team has the full record from day one.
