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The duration of manufacturer warranties and support is not only relevant for end customers, but also affects system integrators and machine builders. There is consensus that automation technology providers should support their products for as long as possible. On average, most manufacturers offer support and replacement parts for discontinued product lines for around ten years after they are withdrawn from the market¹. But what happens after that?

Users are often left with no choice but to replace all drive components at great expense or search for used replacement parts – because only a few manufacturers guarantee consistent backward compatibility between old and new series².

Mitsubishi Electric has been committed to sustainability through long-term backward compatibility for many years. One example: The MR-J5 series is partially compatible with the MR-J2S series, which is over 25 years old, via its mounting interface. It is also fully compatible with the MR-J4 series, enabling a smooth transition and simplifying upgrades.

What does this backward compatibility mean in concrete terms?

• Same connection dimensions for motors and servo drives
• Operation of MR-J4 motors with the MR-J5 series
• Special versions of the drives (MR-J5-B) with SSCNETIII/H interface for existing networks
• Shared use of older and newer servo drive series within an application in compatibility mode
• Software tools for easy parameter transfer between generations

Mitsubishi Electric thus ensures backward compatibility on multiple levels – both in hardware and software.

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^[1] Average data from the ten leading servo drive manufacturers on the European market.

^[2] Only one in ten companies surveyed guarantees complete backward compatibility.

In addition, strict legal requirements apply to energy efficiency. Regulations such as the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) or the EU Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions (IED) require a reduction in energy consumption, which often means high investments.

According to current electricity price trends, the price for industrial companies in 2024 was around 15.16 ct/kWh for procurement, grid fees, and distribution, while levies stood at 1.43 ct/kWh. In 2022, the total electricity price was still 38.62 ct/kWh. These sharp price fluctuations illustrate the uncertainty of the development.

The price development of electricity and emission allowances shows clear parallels, indicating that prices will continue to rise even after the geopolitical situation stabilizes. EU climate policy, in particular the “Fit for 55” program, suggests that no fundamental relief is to be expected. Companies therefore remain under pressure to optimize their energy efficiency and develop new strategies to reduce costs.

For at least a year now, we have been intensively engaged with the topic of artificial intelligence in all its facets. It is now almost impossible to find someone who has never heard of ChatGPT or other AI-based tools that support us in our everyday tasks, whether at work or in our private lives. But how does artificial intelligence find its way into industrial automation? Many would probably point to complex, distributed systems based on powerful servers and cloud computing. But that is not necessarily the case. Artificial intelligence can also be used in smaller applications and integrated into standard devices such as industrial robots, frequency converters, or servo drives.

An outstanding example of the use of state-of-the-art AI technology is Maisart, Mitsubishi Electric's artificial intelligence, which is used in many automation devices. A particularly clear example of its application is the predictive maintenance function – a machine diagnosis function integrated into the servo amplifiers of the MELSERVO J5 series. This function enables a predictive approach to be applied not only to the drive components themselves, but also to the associated mechanical systems such as ball screws, belt and gear drives, and mechanical gearboxes.

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[6] The global market for Industry 4.0 is expected to reach a volume of US$165.5 billion by 2026, compared to US$73.9 billion in 2022, representing an annual growth rate of 20.6% (growth between 2021 and 2022 was 39.12%). Source: “Industry 4.0 Market Size, Share & Industry Growth Analysis Report by Technology (Industrial Robots, Blockchain, Industrial Sensors, Industrial 3D Printing, Machine Vision, HMI, AI in Manufacturing, Digital Twin, AGV's, Machine Condition Monitoring) and Geography - Global Growth Driver and Industry Forecast to 2026,” Market&Markets

We hope this article has given you a concise insight into the latest developments in the mechanical engineering industry. This industry is constantly changing, with increasing demands on energy efficiency, maintenance strategies, and future-proofing. Mitsubishi Electric is growing with these demands, and the MELSERVO J5 series has been developed precisely for this purpose: for energy-efficient operation, AI-supported predictive maintenance, and maximum backward compatibility.

Of course, we cannot cover all functions and parameters in one article. Please visit our product page to learn more about the MR-J5 series and other servo drives in our portfolio.

In the first part of our blog series, we take a look at the most important trends shaping the use of modern servo drives. Find out how Mitsubishi Electric's MR-J5 series provides

• higher precision and shorter response times,
• improved machine and system safety,
• open network connections, and
  
• compact design

to answer today's industrial challenges.