Industrial manufacturers are under constant pressure to improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and increase machine performance without adding unnecessary complexity. Addressing these challenges, Adroit Technologies is introducing the Mitsubishi Electric EM-A Series permanent magnet motors to the African market, offering a new class of motor that delivers servo-like performance at a significantly lower cost.

Designed for applications requiring precise speed and position control, the EM-A Series combines Mitsubishi Electric's patented sensorless control technology with its FR-E800 inverter platform to eliminate the need for conventional encoders while maintaining exceptional control accuracy and energy efficiency.

Closing the gap between induction and servo motors

Traditional induction motors remain the workhorse of industry thanks to their simplicity and affordability, while servo motors provide the precision required for demanding automation applications. However, servo systems are often more expensive, require additional wiring and components, and increase installation complexity.

The Mitsubishi Electric EM-A Series occupies the space between these two technologies, providing manufacturers with an attractive alternative that combines many of the advantages of servo motors with the simplicity of inverter-driven motors.

“The EM-A Series represents an entirely new category of industrial motor,” comments Steve Brits, Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric South Africa. “Customers no longer have to choose between the affordability of induction motors and the precision of servo systems. They can now achieve highly accurate speed and positioning performance while reducing installation costs and simplifying maintenance.”

Patented sensorless technology simplifies installation

At the heart of the EM-A Series is Mitsubishi Electric's patented sensorless vector control technology. Unlike conventional servo systems that rely on encoders to determine rotor position, the EM-A motor uses permanent magnet technology together with an adaptive magnetic flux observer inside the FR-E800 inverter to continuously estimate motor position and speed.

This eliminates the encoder entirely, reducing wiring requirements, improving reliability and lowering maintenance requirements while still delivering precise speed and positioning control. “The removal of the encoder may sound like a small design change, but it has a significant impact on the total cost of ownership,” explains Dave Wibberley, Director at Adroit Technologies.

“There are fewer components to install, less wiring, reduced maintenance requirements and improved reliability, making it particularly attractive for machine builders and system integrators,” he adds.

Delivering IE5 energy efficiency

Energy efficiency remains one of the strongest advantages of the EM-A Series. The motors achieve and exceed IE5 efficiency levels across their operating range, significantly outperforming conventional IE3 motors while reducing electricity consumption and lowering carbon emissions.

According to Mitsubishi Electric, replacing conventional motors with EM-A units can deliver measurable annual energy savings while also reducing the environmental impact of industrial operations.

“The combination of permanent magnet technology and advanced control enables extremely high efficiency while maintaining excellent performance under varying load conditions,” explains Marco Clerici, Export Factory Automation Division at Mitsubishi Electric Europe. “For manufacturers looking to improve productivity while supporting their sustainability objectives, the EM-A Series offers a compelling solution.”

High performance without unnecessary complexity

The EM-A Series can deliver up to 200% starting torque from zero speed, maintains high precision during load changes and supports both speed and simple positioning control. When paired with the FR-E800 inverter, users also benefit from built-in PLC functionality, enabling point-to-point positioning and motion control without requiring external PLC programming for many applications.

The motors are available in ratings from 0.1 kW to 7.5 kW and can be supplied with or without brakes, making them suitable for a wide range of industrial applications. Typical applications include material handling systems, conveyor automation, packaging machinery, textile equipment, lift and crane systems, pumps, medical equipment and  gravimetric dosing systems

Supporting Africa’s drive towards smarter manufacturing

As manufacturers across Africa continue investing in automation, energy efficiency and digital transformation, technologies that improve machine performance while reducing complexity are becoming increasingly important.

By combining high efficiency, compact design, simplified installation and servo-like performance, the Mitsubishi Electric EM-A Series enables manufacturers to modernise existing equipment and design more competitive new machines without the cost typically associated with full servo systems.

“Industrial customers today expect solutions that improve productivity while reducing operating costs,” concludes Wibberley. “The EM-A Series delivers exactly that. It allows manufacturers to achieve higher performance, lower energy consumption and simplified machine design, making advanced automation more accessible across a broad range of industries.”