Developed by ELAU AG and launched in 1998, PacDrive M continues to be used on many production lines around the world. PacDrive products continued to be sold until the end of 2018 when its obsolescence was announced.
So how does this affect SM motors and why consider upgrading SM motors to SH3 motors?
SM motors are PacDrive M components and consequently became obsolete at the end of 2018. In addition they are also subject to the “End of Service and Repair” period which was effective from the end of 2024. For now SM motors remain available although how long this will remain the case is uncertain; the same is true of spare parts needed for any repairs.
There are three options:
First – and the highest risk – is to continue using SM motors. If this option is chosen it would be essential to ensure there are spare motors onsite. It should also be factored in that should future repairs be necessary the spare parts may no longer be available.
Secondly, a complete upgrade to PacDrive 3. This would eliminate all risk, but would likely be expensive – especially where there are multiple lines.
Lastly, upgrade all SM motors to SH3 motors. This can be a viable long-term solution as SH3 motors are standard for PacDrive 3, meaning that should this path be chosen in future they would not need replacing.
The option chosen will depend on factors such as risk appetite and budget. However, what is most important is being aware of the situation regarding SM motors. This allows informed decisions to be made and the appropriate plans to be put in place – much better than finding out when there is unplanned downtime due to a motor failure.