Sprint Electric 3200i Series DC Drive

The Sprint Electric 3200i series is a range of compact, fully isolated, single-quadrant DC motor drives designed for industrial speed and torque control applications. With options available from 8 A to 48 A, the range covers DC motor applications from approximately 2.2 kW to 11 kW when operated from the standard higher-voltage supply range.

Designed for permanent-magnet and shunt-wound DC motors, the 3200i combines analogue closed-loop control, selectable armature-voltage or tachogenerator feedback, adjustable acceleration and deceleration, current limiting and multiple industrial control inputs. Its compact open-chassis construction also makes the range practical for integration into existing control panels and DC motor systems.

Sprint Electric 3200i Series in Brief

The exact motor power depends on the selected current rating and incoming AC supply. The 3200i/8/16/32, and 48 models provide progressively higher armature-current capability, with the 48 A version reaching 11 kW on the 360-440 V supply range.

Sprint Electric 3200i Models and Ratings

Selecting a DC range drive should start with the motor’s armature current, armature voltage, and supply requirements, instead of simply choosing a drive based on kW rating of the motor.

3200i variants you can choose from:

At the lower 200-264 V supply range, the corresponding typical armature voltage is 180 V, with nominal power ratings of approximately 1.1 kW, 2.2 kW, 4.5 kW and 7.0 kW respectively.

This difference is important when you are replacing an existing DC controller. A drive may have sufficient current capacity but still be unsuitable if its supply or armature-voltage configuration does not match the motor and existing panel arrangement.

What Does Sprint Electric 3200i DC Drive Control?

The Sprint Electric 3200i DC drive uses dual-loop proportional-integral control to regulate speed and armature current of the motor. Depending on the installation, speed feedback can be obtained from armature voltage feedback or a shaft-mounted tachogenerator.

With tachogenerator feedback, the manufacturer’s specification gives typical speed regulation of approximately 0.1%; armature-voltage feedback provides approximately 2% regulation. This makes the feedback method an important consideration where tighter speed regulation is needed.

The Sprint 3200i DC drive also provides adjustable parameters for:

• Maximum motor speed
• Minimum motor speed
• Acceleration ramp
• Deceleration ramp
• Maximum armature current
• IR compensation
• Stability adjustment

Acceleration and deceleration ramps can be independently adjusted over a 1-30 seconds range, allowing the drive to be configured around mechanical inertia and process requirements of the machine.

Current Limiting and Short-Term Torque

One of the most useful characteristics of the 3200i for industrial applications is its ability to accommodate short-term increases in motor torque.

The drive can provide up to 150% of the preset maximum current for up to 30 seconds, subject to the relevant configuration and protection functions. This can be useful during acceleration, starting against a load, or short-duration process disturbances where the motor needs additional torque.

This should not be interpreted as permission to continuously operate the motor above its rated current. Motor thermal capacity, duty cycle, mechanical loading, and the manufacturer's motor data must still be considered when configuring the current limit.

The 3200i also incorporates stall and overload-related protection functions. If the commanded speed cannot be obtained, the stall timer can remove motor power after the specified period, while additional overspeed, over-torque, and inverse-time overload functions are provided within the control system.

Industrial Control I/O

The 3200i is designed for integration into wider machine-control systems rather than standalone speed adjustment.

Available inputs include:

• Speed reference
• Torque reference
• Auxiliary speed inputs
• 0-10 V signals
• 0-20 mA / 4-20 mA signals
• Drive run
• Tachogenerator feedback
• Pushbutton stop/start

Outputs can provide speed, current, ramped setpoint, and total demand signals, together with zero-speed and stall ready functions. The drive also provides auxiliary supply rails for compatible control circuitry.

The availability of 4-20 mA and 0-20 mA control makes the 3200i particularly useful where the DC motor forms part of a PLC-controlled industrial process. The isolated control terminals also allow integration with other control equipment when correctly designed and wired.

Torque Control for Winding and Tension Applications

A conventional DC speed controller is not necessarily limited to simple speed regulation. The 3200i includes a torque control input intended for applications such as basic winding or tension control, with overspeed limiting. This can be very useful in machinery where motor torque needs to respond to an external process signal rather than simply maintaining a fixed speed.

Compact Design for Smooth Panel Integration and Retrofits

The Sprint Electric 3200i has a compact open-chassis construction for installation inside a suitable electrical enclosure. The standard 3200i dimensions are approximately 150 mm high x 20 mm wide x 110 mm deep. It makes panel space an important advantage where an older DC controller needs to be replaced without redesigning the whole cabinet.

For UK machinery builders and maintenance engineers, this makes the range relevant to:

• DC motor control panel replacements
• Machinery refurbishments
• Legacy DC drive replacement
• Conveyor and material-handling equipment
• Winding and tension-control systems
• Process machinery
• Speed-controlled production equipment
• Industrial machines using permanent-magnet or shunt-wound DC motors

The 3200i is a single-quadrant drive, so it should not be selected where the application requires four-quadrant regenerative operation or controlled braking in both directions. Applications requiring those characteristics should be assessed against an appropriate regenerative DC drive instead.

Sprint Electric 3200i for DC Drive Replacement

Replacing an obsolete DC drive is rarely just a matter of matching the old unit’s kW rating. The replacement should be checked against the original motor data, armature current, armature voltage, feedback arrangement, speed reference, control signals, braking requirements, and machine sequence.

The Sprint Electric 3200i series provides a practical option where an existing industrial machine needs a compact, isolated analogue DC drive with configurable speed and current control. Its multiple signal inputs, selectable feedback, adjustable ramps and current-limiting functions allow the drive to be adapted to a range of established DC motor control architectures.

For retrofit work, engineers should also verify the original drive’s terminal functions and control philosophy rather than assuming that a drive with the same current rating is electrically interchangeable.

Sprint Electric 3200i Series from Industrial Motor Warehouse

Industrial Motor Warehouse supplies the Sprint Electric 3200i range for UK industrial motor-control applications, including the 3200i/8, 3200i/16, 3200i/32, 3200i/48 variants. Product selection should be based on the motor’s electrical characteristics and requirements of the complete machine rather than power rating alone.

If you are replacing an existing DC drive and are unsure which 3200i model matches best the application, check the motor nameplate for armature voltage, armature current, field requirements, and motor power, then compare these against the required AC supply and feedback arrangement.

Technical Summary

The Sprint Electric 3200i speed controller is suited to industrial DC motor applications where compact construction, isolated analogue control, and configurable speed/current regulation is required. The range extends to 48 A and 11 kW, provides armature-voltage or tachogenerator feedback, supports analogue process-control signals, and includes short-term overload capability for demanding acceleration and load conditions.

For UK machinery maintenance, OEM and retrofit applications, the key selection criteria remain armature current, armature voltage, supply configuration, feedback method, quadrant operation and machine duty.