Industrial motor control is about far more than simply starting and stopping a motor. Across mining, manufacturing, processing, utilities, and materials-handling operations, motors must operate at the right speed, respond to changing process demands, and integrate seamlessly with the wider automation system.

Allen-Bradley PowerFlex® variable frequency drives (VFDs) provide industrial operations with a scalable approach to controlling motor speed, torque, and overall performance.

For companies looking for reliable PowerFlex Drives, Staro Process Control provides much more than product supply. As an authorised Rockwell Automation Value-Add Distributor, Staro helps industrial clients engineer PowerFlex solutions that perfectly suit the motor, process, control architecture, and operational lifecycle of the application.

Quick Answer: What Are PowerFlex Drives Used For?
PowerFlex Drives are variable frequency drives used to control the speed, torque, and operation of industrial electric motors. They are applied to equipment such as pumps, fans, conveyors, compressors, and mixers where precise control, energy efficiency, and automation integration are required.
Staro Process Control supplies authorised Allen-Bradley PowerFlex solutions, helping industrial clients identify the exact drive technology required for their specific operating environment.

Motor Control Must Start With the Application

Selecting an industrial drive should never begin with a part number. It must begin with the equipment being controlled.

A conveyor carrying material through a mining operation demands high starting torque and controlled acceleration, whereas a centrifugal fan operates with continuously changing process requirements. Selecting the correct drive requires answering critical questions:

What is the motor power, voltage, and load type (constant vs. variable torque)?
Does the speed need to change continuously?
What safety functionality (e.g., Safe Torque Off) is required?
Will the drive communicate with a central PLC or SCADA system?
What are the environmental conditions (heat, dust, moisture) of the enclosure?

Rather than treating a VFD as an isolated electrical component, Staro Process Control helps clients evaluate how the drive fits into the complete motor-control architecture before procurement begins.

The PowerFlex Portfolio: Matching Drive to Demand

The Rockwell Automation PowerFlex portfolio covers a broad spectrum of motor-control requirements, from simple standalone pumps to complex, heavy-industry processing.

1. Compact and General-Purpose Control

Smaller PowerFlex drives provide practical, cost-effective motor control for machines where compact installation and straightforward programming are priorities. As process requirements increase, general-purpose PowerFlex drives offer the flexibility and communication capabilities needed for process pumps, cooling systems, and production machinery.

2. High-Performance Applications

Certain industrial applications demand considerably more from a drive. High-performance motor control is necessary where equipment experiences rapidly changing loads, demanding torque conditions, or requires tight interaction with a production process. For a deeper technical dive into high-performance capabilities, read our overview of the PowerFlex 755TS VFD.

3. Medium-Voltage Motor Applications

Large motors used in minerals processing, heavy pumping, and materials handling demand medium-voltage drive solutions. These require careful engineering to match the electrical infrastructure and process environment. For facilities operating legacy MV systems, our guide on the PowerFlex 7000 Medium Voltage Variable Frequency Drive provides essential background.

The Dual Benefits: Process Control and Energy Management

Many industrial motors do not need to operate at full output continuously. Running a motor at a fixed speed and throttling the output mechanically is highly inefficient.

A VFD allows the motor output to respond dynamically to what the process actually requires. This delivers two major benefits:

Process Optimisation: It reduces mechanical stress during starting, controls acceleration, minimizes unnecessary wear, and improves overall production consistency.
Energy Management: By matching motor speed to actual process demand (particularly in variable-load applications like pumps and fans), plants can substantially reduce unnecessary electrical consumption.

Integration and Advanced Diagnostics

Modern industrial drives are no longer standalone power devices; they are intelligent nodes within connected automation architectures.

When a motor-driven application trips, the motor itself is rarely the root cause. The issue could stem from the electrical supply, a mechanical overload, process conditions, or network faults. Modern PowerFlex drives provide deep diagnostic information directly to your PLCs, HMIs, and plant monitoring systems.

This visibility helps maintenance teams move from asking, “Why did the motor stop?” to stating, “The drive detected a sudden torque spike; let’s inspect the conveyor load.” For production-critical applications, this rapid troubleshooting is invaluable.

Do Not Ignore Drive Lifecycle Planning (The 2027 Shift)

A VFD may operate reliably for years, but product availability and supported technologies inevitably evolve. Waiting until an obsolete drive fails turns a planned upgrade into an urgent production crisis.

Lifecycle planning is critical. For example, Rockwell Automation has announced that the legacy PowerFlex 7000 VFDs will be discontinued and no longer available for sale after 31 March 2027, with migration toward the modern PowerFlex 6000 family highly recommended.

Staro Process Control helps clients audit their installed base to identify production-critical drives, assess their current lifecycle status, and develop realistic, staged migration strategies long before obsolescence forces a shutdown.

Your PowerFlex Drive Supplier

Choosing the correct PowerFlex Drive involves more than matching kilowatts on a datasheet. Incorrect specification creates compatibility problems, excess engineering work, and costly commissioning delays.

As an authorised Rockwell Automation Value-Add Distributor, Staro Process Control is your premier partner for industrial motor control. We provide a single point of contact for the drive, the PLC integration, the MCC requirements, and the long-term support of your automation infrastructure.

Speak to Staro Process Control today about selecting, integrating, or upgrading to the right Allen-Bradley PowerFlex Drive for your facility.

FAQs

Which PowerFlex Drive is best for an industrial motor?

There is no single “best” drive. Selection depends entirely on motor power, voltage, load type, starting torque, communication requirements, and environmental conditions. A proper application assessment must take place before specifying a drive.

Where can I buy Allen-Bradley PowerFlex Drives in Gauteng?

Staro Process Control supplies Allen-Bradley PowerFlex Drives to industrial customers across Gauteng. As an authorised Value-Add Distributor, we assist with precise product selection for low-voltage, high-performance, and medium-voltage motor-control requirements.

Can PowerFlex Drives reduce industrial energy consumption?

Yes. In suitable applications (like centrifugal pumps and fans), VFDs reduce energy consumption by dynamically matching motor speed to the actual process demand, rather than running continuously at full speed.

What is the difference between a PowerFlex Drive and a soft starter?

A soft starter is used strictly to control a motor’s acceleration and deceleration, reducing electrical and mechanical stress during start-up. A PowerFlex VFD does this, but also continuously controls the motor’s speed and torque during normal, ongoing operation.

Can Staro help replace or modernise obsolete PowerFlex Drives?

Absolutely. We support customers in auditing their existing drive installations and planning automation upgrades. This is especially critical for plants operating older platforms, such as the PowerFlex 7000, which is scheduled for discontinuation in 2027.

BUSINESS UNITS

Process Control Systems (PCS)

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s)
Visualization (HMI and SCADA Systems)
Software Standards (Abnormal Situation Management)
Data Historian
Remote Operating Centres
Safety Control Systems

Electrical Systems (ES)

Distribution and Motor Control Centres (MCC’s)
Intelligent Motor Control
Advanced Variable Speed Drive Systems

Industrial Information
& Communication
Technology (IICT)

Industrial Ethernet Networks
Remote Connectivity
Cyber Security
IT Virtualisation
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
CMMS

We offer peace of mind project execution knowing that our activities are accredited by ISO9001:2015 Certification and a 5 star NOSA safety certification. This ensures that we maintain a high level of quality assurance and adhere to rigorous Occupational Health and Safety standards during project delivery.

SERVICES

Professional services include each phase of the project lifecycle:

Project management

STARO Integration manages every project with a comprehensive set of tools based on the PMBOK Project Management Standards.

Basic design

STARO Integration has over 25 years’ experience and our experienced engineering team works closely with the customer to understand the initial scope of work for a project and propose a high-level view of the system requirements.

Detailed hardware design

STARO Integration performs the Detailed Hardware Design in line with industry-, OEM- and Quality standards combined with our 25 years of industry knowledge. This is done with continuous client reviews and approval cycles.

Detailed software design

STARO Integration utilise our inhouse software standards as a baseline and with the client determine the standards to be utilised. The Control System Software is then developed utilizing these proven Software standards resulting in a consistent, correct, maintainable control system.

Design drawings

STARO Integration provides Design and Drawing services for instrumentation, field devices and electrical equipment. These drawings including layout, installation, wiring, junction boxes, and cable routing.

Network design

STARO Integration designs according to industry standards as well as vendor specific networks for distributing controllers, I/O, data servers, and operator stations.

Simulation and Factory Acceptance Testing

a FAT plan with checklists tests every loop and HMI/SCADA screen against the Software Design Specification. Quality of workmanship is reviewed against the Quality Assurance check sheets and a punch list of items are resolved before shipping the system.

Site Acceptance Testing and Start-up

After the control system and all the I/O have been installed and commissioned, STARO Integration works with the client to supply the Site Acceptance Testing in accordance with the SAT plan. Site Acceptance Testing proves that the supplied system, including the control logic and operator stations, is interfaced to the field I/O correctly and performs in accordance with the functional design specification.

Training services

STARO Integration can offer either OEM specific training or training specific to a control system project.

Maintenance and support

STARO Integration offers qualified engineers to support the customers installed Control System.
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) makes pre-designated engineers available for pre-planned work or for short notice call outs.