Timber at Pluim with 30 years old frequency inverters

  • 30 years old MOVITRAC® 304 frequency inverter still working properly

    From dust till down

    The MOVITRAC 304 has proven to be reliable for more than 30 years, which is very amazing, in view of their age, but particular because of their location.

It is not exactly an everyday occurrence that we have the opportunity to exchange two 30 years old MOVITRAC® 304 frequency inverters that are still working properly. This is nothing less than unique, all the more since these inverters have been operating in an environment that is not really free of dust, to say the least: In the timber yard and sawmill of Pluim in Otterlo.

‘Light let trees grow, trees let saws saw, timber provides connection’

This maxim sits on a work of art that was offered by friends to the company on the occasion of the move at the beginning of 2015 to the new location on the outskirts of Otterlo. The skillfully decorated saw is located by the window in the canteen and catches the eye immediately.

The Pluim timber yard and sawmill has been a family business in Otterlo for years now. Grandfather Pluim had a calves fattening farm and these calves were housed in wooden sties. The family saw opportunities. Tinus and Jan Pluim, father and uncle of the current directors Jan and Arie Pluim, started constructing wooden sheds, initially for their own and as they went along for others too. In this way the sawmill was established in 1970. However, it was gradually surrounded by houses, which hampered the supply and transport of materials increasingly. As a result, in 2014 it was agreed with the Ede city council that after 45 years the company would move to a new space at the Apeldoornseweg, just outside of Otterlo. Arie Pluim, who is the company’s director since 1999, is overviewing his company proudly. It now has enough room at its disposal to prosper and grow. Arie himself is covered with dust, as he had just finished repairing a technical failure in one of the tree-trunk supply conveyor lines.

15.000 m3 of tree-trunks

Six people currently work in the company. They make sure that approximately 15.000 m3 of timber is processed annually. The processing is done by means of an immense tree-trunk machine production line, made by EWD, The SawLine Company, in Germany. The line is provided with many motors and gear units of SEW-EURODRIVE. Pluim saws – made to order only – Dutch tree-trunks, especially the larch douglas spruces into planks and beams of all sizes.

These planks and beams are used for fences, shed panelling, porches and for the lining with parts on which the bark and shape of the trees are still visible.

It’s a competitive market, but Pluim mainly has regular customers, who require a timely and correct delivery. Therefore the company is known for its acting flexibly and decisively.

Frequency inverters of 30 years old

The MOVITRAC 304 outmoded but still working

As said earlier, SEW-EURODRIVE recently replaced two frequency inverters of the MOVITRAC 304 type, for two new MOVITRAC®’s B. For insiders: The MOVITRAC 304 is an outmoded inverter. Both devices have proven to be reliable for more than 30 years, which is very amazing, in view of their age, but particularly because of their location, right beside the sawing line and in an environment full of dust. The frequency inverters control several motors (multi-motor operation). One inverter makes sure that the tree-trunks, fixed in a swivel bar, are transported through the saw, whereas the other is responsible for the transport of the planks via the run-out roller table.

We asked Mr Pluim, if we could keep the old inverters. He agreed and now one is mounted to the wall in our DriveAcademy® in Rotterdam, as a trophy from a rich past.

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