Yaskawa frequency converters, as commonly used equipment in the industrial control field, may have their internal dust accumulation affect heat dissipation performance, cause circuit short circuits or component aging. Therefore, regular dust cleaning is of vital importance. The following are the key precautions and operational suggestions during ash cleaning:
1. Preparations before ash cleaning
Power-off and discharge
The power supply of the frequency converter must be cut off and wait for at least 10 minutes (the specific time is according to the equipment manual) to ensure that the internal capacitors are completely discharged and avoid the risk of electric shock.
Before operation, insulating gloves should be worn and a multimeter should be used to confirm that there is no residual voltage.
Tools and Protection
Prepare anti-static brushes, compressed air tanks (pressure ≤0.6MPa), vacuum cleaners (with HEPA filters), and non-woven fabric or anti-static cloth.
The operating environment should be dry and dust-free to avoid secondary pollution.
2. Dust cleaning operation steps
External cleaning
Use an anti-static brush to gently sweep the dust off the surface of the shell. Avoid using wet cloths or chemical solvents.
For the gaps of the heat dissipation fins, a compressed air tank can be used to blow at a 45° Angle, maintaining a distance of 10 to 15cm, to prevent the airflow from directly blowing on the components.
Internal cleaning (Machine disassembly required)
Remove the detachable components such as the control terminal cover and the cooling fan, and mark the position of the cable for restoration.
Use the low setting of the vacuum cleaner to clean the floating dust on the surface of the PCB board, with a focus on the areas around the heat dissipation module, electrolytic capacitors, and IGBT modules.
For stubborn dust accumulation, a small amount of electronics-specific cleaner (such as isopropyl alcohol) can be dipped in a non-woven cloth to wipe, to prevent the liquid from seeping into the components.
Special treatment for the heat dissipation system
Check whether the cooling fan is operating normally, clean the dust accumulated on the fan blades and bearings, and add special lubricating oil if necessary.
When cleaning the gap of the heat sink, avoid using metal tools to prevent scratching the aluminum fins.
3. Inspection and testing after dust removal
Function recheck
After installing the casing, run the frequency converter without load and observe whether the rotation direction and speed of the cooling fan are normal.
Use an infrared thermometer to detect the temperature rise of key components (such as IGBTs and electrolytic capacitors), ensuring it is ≤65℃ (at an ambient temperature of 40℃).
Parameter verification
Check through the operation panel whether the set values of the motor parameters, acceleration time, etc. have been restored to the default (if the parameters were reset during the dust cleaning process).
Conduct a light-load trial run to confirm that the output voltage and current waveforms are undistorted.
4. Suggested dust cleaning cycle
High-dust environments (such as cement plants and mines) : Clean the dust once every three months.
For medium-dust environments (such as textile factories and packaging workshops) : Clean the dust once every six months.
Clean workshop: Clean the dust once a year and check the condition of the dust-proof filter screen at the same time.
5. Precautions
Prohibited operation
High-pressure water guns, hair dryers (not anti-static) and other tools are strictly prohibited.
Avoid cleaning when the frequency converter is powered on to prevent static electricity from breaking down the components.
Component protection
Fragile parts such as the explosion-proof valve on the top of the electrolytic capacitor and the pins of the IGBT module need to be handled gently.
After cleaning, it needs to be thoroughly dried (by natural ventilation for 24 hours or with the assistance of a low-temperature hot air gun).
Professional support
If any abnormality such as component discoloration, expansion or leakage is found, the machine should be stopped immediately and Yaskawa after-sales service should be contacted. Complex disassembly operation suggestions are carried out by trained engineers.