The MD60 AC drive is a high-performance frequency converter from Rockwell Automation (Reliance Electric), suitable for various industrial motor control applications. This guide is based on the MD60 user manual (version 3.0) and systematically introduces its safety instructions, installation requirements, parameter settings, communication configuration, and common fault handling methods. It aims to provide practical and comprehensive reference materials for electrical engineers, system integrators, and maintenance personnel.
Safety Notice and Precautions
Before operating the MD60 drive, the following safety regulations must be strictly followed to prevent personal injury or equipment damage:
Qualification requirements: Only professional electrical personnel familiar with the structure, operation, and related hazards of the equipment are allowed to install, debug, and maintain it.
High voltage capacitor discharge: The driver contains high voltage capacitors inside, and after power failure, it is necessary to wait for at least 3 minutes to ensure discharge to a safe voltage. The LED display turning off does not mean that the capacitor has been completely discharged.
Zero speed operation warning: The driver can operate at zero speed, and users must use protective devices, sound and light alarms, and other means to alert operators to avoid accidental injury.
Electrostatic protection: The driver contains components that are sensitive to static electricity, and anti-static measures must be taken during operation.
External emergency stop circuit: A hard wired emergency stop circuit independent of the driver circuit must be configured to ensure that the system can be immediately cut off in case of abnormal conditions.
Grounding and shielding: The safety grounding (PE) of the driver must be reliably connected to the system grounding. The shielding layer of the motor cable should be grounded at both ends of the driver and motor, while the shielding layer of the control signal cable should only be grounded at the source end.
Power and motor matching: Ensure that the input power of the driver matches the rated parameters of the motor to avoid equipment failures caused by voltage and frequency discrepancies.
Product identification and model description
The MD60 driver can be identified by a model label, which includes information such as voltage level, power, phase, and whether a filter is included. For example:
6MDAN-1P5: 230V single-phase input, 0.2kW, including EMC filter.
6MDBN-012:460V three-phase input, 2.2kW.
Drivers are classified by rack size for easy selection and installation. When storing, avoid corrosive environments with a temperature range of -40 ° C to 85 ° C and a humidity of 0% to 95% without condensation.
Installation and wiring specifications
1. Installation environment requirements
Temperature and protection level:
IP20/Open: -10 ° C to 50 ° C
NEMA 1/IP30 (requires installation kit): -10 ° C to 40 ° C
Installation spacing: Adequate heat dissipation space should be maintained around the drive, and it is recommended that the top and side spacing be ≥ 100mm.
Installation method: 35mm DIN rail or M4 screws can be used for fixation, and the thickness of the installation panel should not be less than 1.9mm.
2. Power wiring
Input power check: Confirm that the power supply voltage matches the driver nameplate, especially paying attention to whether it is a grounding system. In non grounded systems, the MOV ground jumper (located at the bottom left of the power terminal block) needs to be removed.
Power filter: When single-phase drivers or external filters are used, the ground leakage current may be high, and it is necessary to ensure reliable grounding of the AC power system.
Cable selection: It is recommended to use 600V, 75 ° C or 90 ° C copper core cables, and Belden 295xx or Shawflex series shielded cables are recommended.
Protection device: The input terminal must be equipped with a fuse or circuit breaker, as specified in Table 5.4 of the manual.
3. Motor cables and reflected wave protection
Cable length: It is recommended to keep the motor cable as short as possible. Long cables should be equipped with output reactors to suppress reflected voltage.
Cable type: Shielded or unshielded cables can be selected. When multiple cables are parallel, it is recommended to use shielded cables to reduce interference.
4. Control wiring
Control cable: It is recommended to use twisted pair shielded cables, such as Belden 8760, with a minimum distance of 0.3m between the control signal line and the power line.
I/O terminal description:
Digital input: Supports source type (SRC) and drain type (SNK) modes, set through DIP switches.
Analog input: Supports 0~10V voltage input (100k Ω impedance) and 4~20mA current input (250 Ω impedance).
External emergency stop: A hard wired emergency stop circuit independent of the driver must be configured, in accordance with EN 60204-1 standard.

Parameter Setting and Programming
The MD60 driver parameters are divided into basic parameter group (P), advanced parameter group (A), and display parameter group (d), which can be set through integrated keyboard or RS485 communication.
1. Basic parameters (examples of key parameters)
P031/P032/P033: The rated voltage, frequency, and overload current of the motor must be set according to the motor nameplate.
P034/P035: Minimum and maximum output frequencies.
P036: Start source selection (0=keyboard, 1=3-wire control, 2=2-wire control, 5=RS485).
P037: Stop mode (0=Slope stop, 1=Free parking, 2=DC braking).
P038: Speed reference source (0=keyboard potentiometer, 2=0~10V analog input, 5=RS485).
P039/P040: Acceleration and deceleration time 1.
2. Advanced parameters (common functions)
A051/A052: Digital input function selection, which can be set as jog, preset frequency, fault reset, etc.
A067/A068: Acceleration and deceleration time 2.
A078/A079: Jogging frequency and acceleration/deceleration time.
A080/A081: DC braking time and current.
A091: PWM carrier frequency (2~16kHz), increasing the frequency can reduce motor noise, but attention should be paid to reducing capacitance.
A105: Communication loss action (0=fault stop, 3=maintain last speed).
3. Display parameters (monitoring class)
D001: Output frequency
D003: Output current
D006: Driver Status Word
D007-d009: Fault History Record
Communication configuration (RS485/MDI protocol)
MD60 supports RS485 multi station network and adopts Modbus RTU mode.
Wiring method: Use twisted pair shielded cables, only connect pin 4 (D+) and pin 5 (D -) of the RJ45 interface, and install 120 Ω terminal resistors at both ends of the network.
Parameter settings:
A103: Communication baud rate (default 19.2kbps)
A104: Node address (1-247)
A107: Communication format (default 8-N-1)
Control and monitoring: The driver can be controlled by writing registers 8192 (logic command) and 8193 (speed reference), and the status can be obtained by reading registers 8448 (logic state) and 8449 (fault code).
Fault diagnosis and handling
When the drive fails, the keyboard displays a fault code and flashes the FAULT LED. Common faults and their solutions are as follows:
Fault code description, possible causes, and handling measures
F3/F4 power loss/undervoltage check input power supply, fuse
F5 overvoltage check power supply voltage, extend deceleration time or install braking resistor
F7 motor overload check load, adjust P033 (motor overcurrent protection value)
F8 radiator overheating check cooling fan, clean radiator, reduce ambient temperature
F12 hardware overcurrent check motor insulation and cable connection, reduce startup boost voltage
F13/F38~F43 grounding/phase to phase short circuit inspection motor and output cable insulation
F81 Communication Loss Check Network Wiring, Terminal Resistance, Node Address
The fault can be cleared by pressing the stop button, turning off the power, setting A100=1, or using a digital input (set as fault reset). The automatic restart function (A092/A093) can be used for self-healing faults, but caution should be exercised when enabling it.
Appendix and Accessories
Dynamic braking resistor: used for rapid braking, selected according to the driver and voltage level (see Appendix E).
EMC filter: suitable for occasions that require compliance with electromagnetic compatibility standards.
Operation Panel (OIM): Provides remote control and monitoring functions, supports CopyCat keyboard copying function.
RJ45 splitter: used to connect multiple peripheral devices (such as keyboards and communication modules).
