ELAU DRIVE PS Series Power Supply Modules

Technical Dossier

Product Details And Specifications

ELAU DRIVE PS Series: Comprehensive Module Range and Technical Overview

The ELAU DRIVE PS series constitutes the dedicated power supply infrastructure for ELAU's PacDrive motion control and automation platform. Deployed across global heavy industry — chemical processing plants, nuclear facility auxiliary systems, oil refineries, and continuous-process manufacturing lines — the DRIVE PS line delivers regulated 24 VDC logic-level power to DRIVE and MC (Motion Controller) modules within the PacDrive backplane architecture. ELAU, a Schneider Electric brand, engineered this series to sustain controller rack operation during main bus interruptions and to support multi-axis drive configurations in high-demand industrial environments. Installations span facilities across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, where equipment lifecycles of 15–25 years make spare parts availability a critical operational variable. The DRIVE PS-5 is the most widely deployed variant: a standard 24 VDC, 5 A auxiliary power supply module used in PacDrive C400 and C600 rack configurations.

The Evolution of DRIVE PS Architecture

The DRIVE PS series was introduced alongside the original PacDrive C600/C400 controller generation in the late 1990s, designed to interface directly with ELAU's proprietary SERCOS-based motion bus. Early variants operated within strict voltage tolerance windows (±1% output regulation) and were not hot-swappable, requiring full rack power-down for module replacement — a significant constraint in continuous-process environments where unplanned downtime carries high cost. As the PacDrive platform matured into the MC-4 and MC-5 controller generations (mid-2000s), ELAU refined the DRIVE PS form factor to improve thermal management, extend MTBF ratings, and reduce standby power consumption. Compatibility between early DRIVE PS units and later MC-4 racks is limited and must be verified against the specific firmware revision of the host controller; cross-generation substitution without verification risks bus communication faults. Following Schneider Electric's acquisition of ELAU in 2006, the DRIVE PS series entered a consolidation phase. Production of several variants was discontinued between 2012 and 2018, transitioning end-users toward Schneider's LXM and Lexium drive ecosystems. However, the installed base of legacy PacDrive systems remains substantial globally, and DRIVE PS modules continue to be sourced as MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Operations) spares. No direct Schneider-branded replacement maintains backward compatibility with legacy PacDrive C400/C600 backplanes, making original DRIVE PS units the only viable option for like-for-like replacement.

DRIVE PS Full Catalog & Functionalities (SKU List)

The following catalog covers confirmed ELAU DRIVE PS series power supply modules and closely associated PacDrive power infrastructure components. Each entry reflects a distinct functional role within the PacDrive rack architecture. SKUs are organized by output class and functional variant.

DRIVE PS-5: 24 VDC auxiliary logic power supply, 5 A rated output, standard PacDrive rack mount — the baseline variant for C400/C600 installations.
DRIVE PS-10: 24 VDC auxiliary power supply, 10 A output, for expanded I/O rack configurations requiring higher sustained current draw.
DRIVE PS-20: 24 VDC high-current power supply, 20 A rated, supports multi-axis DRIVE module racks with dense I/O loading.
DRIVE PS-40: 24 VDC bulk power supply, 40 A, for large-scale PacDrive C600 installations with maximum module population.
DRIVE PS-5/24: Wide-input variant (85–264 VAC universal input), 5 A output, for installations with unstable or non-standard grid supply.
DRIVE PS-10/24: Wide-input 10 A variant, suitable for remote or generator-fed plant environments with variable mains voltage.
DRIVE PS-R: Redundant power supply module with automatic failover switching, for high-availability production lines requiring zero-downtime power continuity.
DRIVE PS-R/10: Redundant 10 A variant with dual-feed input terminals and active load sharing between primary and secondary feeds.
DRIVE PS-B: Battery-backed power supply module, sustains controller logic during mains loss events; integrated UPS function for PacDrive MC-4 racks.
DRIVE PS-B/5: Battery-backed 5 A variant with minimum 10-minute hold-up time under full rated load.
DRIVE PS-DC: DC-input power supply (24–72 VDC input range), for DC-bus plant environments and mobile automation platforms.
DRIVE PS-DC/10: DC-input 10 A variant, used in marine automation and offshore platform applications where AC mains is unavailable.
DRIVE PS-F: Filtered power supply with integrated EMC suppression stage, for high-electromagnetic-interference environments such as arc furnace or welding-adjacent installations.
DRIVE PS-F/5: Filtered 5 A variant, compliant with EN 61800-3 Category C2 EMC requirements for second environment industrial use.
DRIVE PS-HV: High-voltage direct input variant (400–480 VAC three-phase), eliminates external step-down transformer requirement in European industrial installations.
DRIVE PS-HV/20: High-voltage 20 A variant for three-phase industrial supply inputs with integrated surge protection.
DRIVE PS-S: Slim-profile power supply for space-constrained panel installations where standard rack depth is not available.
DRIVE PS-S/5: Slim 5 A variant, DIN-rail mountable outside the standard PacDrive rack for distributed panel architectures.

Sourcing Hard-to-Find & Obsolete DRIVE PS Parts

The majority of DRIVE PS series variants were officially discontinued between 2012 and 2018 following Schneider Electric's platform consolidation roadmap. End-of-life notifications were issued for the DRIVE PS-5, DRIVE PS-10, DRIVE PS-R, and DRIVE PS-B lines, with no direct Schneider-branded replacement maintaining backward compatibility with legacy PacDrive C400/C600 backplanes. DriveKNMS maintains a dedicated inventory of tested, pull-out, and refurbished DRIVE PS modules sourced from decommissioned production lines and controlled dismantling projects across Europe and Asia. All units are cataloged by hardware revision and firmware compatibility level to ensure correct cross-referencing before dispatch. For facilities operating PacDrive systems beyond their original design life, DriveKNMS provides lifecycle extension support including: multi-unit buffer stock agreements, cross-reference verification against host controller firmware revision, and failure-mode documentation for predictive maintenance planning. Procurement lead times for obsolete DRIVE PS variants are typically 3–15 business days depending on revision specificity and quantity. Inquiries for bulk MRO procurement or long-term supply agreements are handled directly by the technical sales team.

Quality Control for the DRIVE PS Range

DRIVE PS modules present specific test challenges due to their integration with the PacDrive backplane bus and their role in sustaining logic power across multiple downstream modules simultaneously. DriveKNMS applies a dedicated test protocol for this series: each unit undergoes full-load burn-in at rated output current (5 A, 10 A, or 20 A as applicable) for a minimum of 4 hours, with output voltage ripple measured at <50 mV peak-to-peak under dynamic load conditions. Backplane connector integrity is verified under insertion force testing to confirm contact resistance within specification. The internal DC-DC converter switching frequency is confirmed within ±5% of nominal using oscilloscope measurement. For battery-backed variants (DRIVE PS-B series), battery cell capacity is tested under simulated mains-loss conditions with a minimum 10-minute hold-up time requirement at full rated load. Units that previously exhibited overvoltage or undervoltage fault codes are subjected to additional capacitor ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) measurement and MOSFET gate drive signal verification before clearance for resale. All tested units are issued a DriveKNMS inspection certificate recording test date, technician ID, and measured output parameters.