The New IMO Jaguar NXG – A Lot of Drive in a Very Small Package
We’ve recently started stocking the new IMO Jaguar NXG inverter drive at Avon Controls, and one of the first things that struck me was just how compact it is.
To put it into perspective, it’s about as wide as a can of Coke.
You can see exactly what I mean from the picture.
That might sound like a small detail, but anyone who builds control panels will know how quickly panel space disappears. If we can get the same performance and functionality from a drive that takes up less room on the DIN rail or backplate, that can make a real difference.
The Jaguar is back
Anyone who has been around industrial controls for a while may recognise the Jaguar name.
IMO has now brought it back with the new Jaguar NXG Series, and this isn't simply an old drive with a new badge. It's a modern inverter designed around what panel builders, machine builders and engineers actually need today.
The range covers motors from 0.2kW through to 22kW, depending on the supply voltage, so it covers a good proportion of the applications we come across at Avon Controls.
And despite its size, IMO has packed quite a lot into it.
As wide as a Coke can – but plenty inside
The compact size is probably the first thing you'll notice, but the specification is what makes the NXG interesting.
It offers up to 200% starting torque, torque vector control and Heavy Duty and Normal Duty ratings.
You've also got Safe Torque Off (STO) rated to SIL3 / PL e / Category 3 as standard, rather than having to add it as an expensive extra.
Fire Mode is standard as well.
For us, that's a pretty impressive list of features for something that can sit next to a Coke can and barely look any wider.
One feature I particularly like – USB-C
Something I think panel builders and commissioning engineers will appreciate is the USB-C connection.
You can configure the NXG through USB-C without having the main AC supply connected to the drive.
That's genuinely useful.
It means we can configure parameters while building a panel rather than having to wait until the panel is powered up. It's one of those relatively simple features that can make life considerably easier in the workshop or when commissioning a machine.
Communications are well covered
Modbus RTU comes as standard, and there's also an optional communications card for applications requiring industrial Ethernet.
That gives you support for:
- PROFINET
- EtherNet/IP
- EtherCAT
- Modbus TCP
So whether the NXG is being used in a relatively straightforward standalone application or integrated into a larger PLC-controlled machine, there are plenty of options.
Backed by a five-year warranty
Another thing worth mentioning is that IMO is supplying the Jaguar NXG with a five-year warranty.
That's a decent statement of confidence in a new drive and certainly something we'll be pointing out when we're comparing it with alternatives for customers.
What do we think?
From our point of view at Avon Controls, the NXG looks like a very useful addition to the market.
It's small, sensibly specified and straightforward, with features such as STO, Fire Mode, USB-C commissioning and Modbus already built in.
And I keep coming back to the physical size.
When you're trying to squeeze another inverter into an already busy control panel, having a capable drive that's roughly the width of a Coke can suddenly becomes quite important.
We'll be adding the IMO Jaguar NXG range to the Avon Controls website and will be happy to help with selecting the right model for an application.
If you've got a motor or application in mind, get in touch with us at Avon Controls with the motor kW, supply voltage and a brief description of what you're trying to control and we'll point you in the right direction.
Sometimes good things really do come in small packages.
