Description
Application Scenarios
In a food packaging facility retrofitting a high-speed filling and sealing line, engineers faced a recurring problem: eight servo axes were powered by discrete drive units with individual AC inputs and rectifier stages. Braking energy from the sealing station’s frequent stops was dissipated as heat through braking resistors, while the filling station’s acceleration demanded peak current from the grid. The control cabinet had reached its spatial limit.
The solution involved consolidating the drives into a shared DC-bus architecture anchored by a single 2198-P208 power supply. The physical connection was achieved using 2198-BARCON-55DC200 links between dual-axis inverters and 2198-BARCON-85DC200 links where single-axis drives were integrated. These Kinetix 5700 DC-bus Link Kits—the components collectively referenced by “2198-208”—enabled the DC bus to flow seamlessly across module boundaries. The retrofit reduced cabinet width by approximately 35%, eliminated the need for separate braking resistors on most axes, and allowed regenerative energy from one station to be consumed by another. The site maintenance engineer noted that module replacement now takes minutes instead of hours, because the link kits can be unlatched without disconnecting bus bars or verifying torque specifications.
Parameter
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product Family | Kinetix 5700 DC-bus Link Kits (2198-208 series) |
| Manufacturer | Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation |
| Product Category | DC-bus link (passive electrical connector) |
| Maximum Bus-Bar Current | 208 A |
| Available Width Variants | 55 mm, 85 mm, 100 mm, 165 mm, 220 mm, 275 mm, 440 mm |
| End Cap Catalog Number | 2198-KITCON-ENDCAP200 |
| Compatible System | Kinetix 5700 multi-axis servo drive configurations |
| Installation Method | Insert into DC-bus connectors between adjacent drive modules; zero-stack tab-and-cutout alignment required |
| Environmental Rating | IP20 (control cabinet installation) |
| Typical Drive Compatibility | 2198-D006/D012/D020/D032-ERSx (55 mm); 2198-S086/S130-ERSx (85 mm); 2198-S160-ERSx (100 mm) |
| Connection Type | Drive-to-drive DC bus extension; no discrete wiring |
Technical Principles and Innovative Values
Innovation Point 1: Zero-Stack Tab-and-Cutout Alignment. The Kinetix 5700 DC-bus Link Kits rely on an integrated mechanical alignment system. Each Kinetix 5700 drive module features zero-stack tabs and cutouts that interlock with adjacent modules when mounted side-by-side on a panel. This engagement guarantees that the DC-bus connectors are perfectly aligned before any link kit is inserted. The result is a blind-mate connection that eliminates the risk of misaligned bus bars, which is a common failure mode in conventional bolted bus-bar systems.
Innovation Point 2: Width-Matched Link Architecture. The “2198-208” family is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each 2198-BARCON-xxDC200 catalog number is dimensioned to the specific module width it bridges. A 55 mm link serves only the compact dual-axis inverters, while a 440 mm link connects the high-power regenerative bus supplies. This design minimizes bus-bar length, reduces impedance, and ensures optimal electrical contact geometry for each drive class.
Innovation Point 3: Shared-Bus Energy Efficiency. In a properly configured multi-axis system, the Kinetix 5700 DC-bus Link Kits enable regenerative energy from one axis to power the motoring needs of another. For applications with high duty cycles and frequent deceleration—such as pick-and-place robots or packaging machinery—this energy circulation reduces total system power draw and eliminates the heat load that would otherwise be dissipated through braking resistors.
