After European brands left Russia, domestic consumers faced a shortage of high-tech solutions – including those developed by Russian manufacturers of low-voltage switchgear (LVS). This situation became a real challenge for electrical equipment manufacturers. IEK GROUP accepted this challenge and in 2024 presented a "hot" novelty – the FORMAT PRO low-voltage switchgear system.
The company's flagship solution is based on IEK's premium products: disassemblable metal housings of the FORMAT series and the ARMAT switching equipment line. The system is designed for rated currents up to 2500 A, designed in accordance with GOST 61439 and successfully passed the entire test cycle, including destructive short-circuit current tests.
Fast and even faster
To design a system, manufacture prototypes, integrate company products into it, test... How quickly can this be done? One of the European manufacturers that left the Russian market, for example, spent 8 years creating its LVS system. Our team of professionals, with
— FORMAT PRO is a large and complex project that will ultimately combine power LVS for the entire range of rated currents (up to 6300 A), an automatic transfer switch solution, as well as software with local control of the electrical installation state and remote monitoring functions. The product we offer today is just the first step towards a big goal, — says Sergey Petrukhin, head of the Development and Integration Solutions Department at IEK GROUP. — We completely rethought the existing solution based on FORMAT housings and developed a completely new system, with safety of operating personnel, convenience and speed of installation, flexibility in design at the forefront.
What is included in the IEK LVS system?
The FORMAT PRO system resembles a constructor consisting of individual cubes – in our case, modules (or functional blocks). Using instructions, the modules can be assembled into a single solution.
Functional blocks exist for all tasks:
- for installing active equipment,
- for implementing the busbar system (main, distribution, N, PE),
- for ensuring various forms of compartmentalization (up to 4b).
An integral part of the FORMAT PRO system is an album of examples of LVS implementation. It has answers to all questions: which busbar to choose, which method to ensure the best contact connection, what size air gaps should be. Everything has already been designed by IEK engineers, and LVS assemblers only need to carry out assembly according to the project. This saves tens of times on design time and determining project estimates.
The FORMAT PRO system consists of modules, and its "heart" – air circuit breakers ARMAT.
What does the FORMAT PRO system consist of? Its key elements became, of course, ARMAT power circuit breakers.
At the LVS input, ARMAT air circuit breakers of fixed or withdrawable design are installed. All circuit breakers have electronic releases, operate at temperatures from to +70 °C (and in a special design can function at °C), have the ability to measure network parameters, wide communication capabilities, low derating of rated currents, high resource.
Another component of the LVS are power ARMAT molded case circuit breakers of fixed, plug-in and withdrawable design. These are current-limiting circuit breakers with a contact group with double break and increased breaking capacity, ability to measure network parameters and transmit data.
For the entire ARMAT power equipment line, a wide range of accessories is provided, allowing implementing projects of any complexity.
Tests
Testing – the most crucial stage in any project, as its result should be a conclusion about the correctness of design, about the safety of the proposed solution.
FORMAT PRO LVS was no exception. Before presenting the solution to our customers and partners, we manufactured a test assembly and went to Ulyanovsk, to the "Kontaktor" testing center. In terms of switching tests, it is one of the most powerful centers in Russia, accredited, among other things, for testing LVS.
Want to see how FORMAT PRO LVS tests went? Follow the link – it's interesting!
The longest was the temperature rise test, during which a rated current of 2500 A is applied to the input, the total load also amounts to 2500 A. The tests last up to 8 hours and end when steady-state temperature is reached at the control points.
For the test, 42 sensors were mounted at characteristic points, which continuously recorded temperature values in real time. IEK specialists made sure that when rated current flows, the temperature rise value in the FORMAT PRO LVS remains within the limits regulated by the standard. At the same time, no derating is observed at the declared degree of protection, which indicates the high quality of the solution and guarantees the operability of all equipment during long-term operation of the LVS.
One of the most important tests – testing the system for resistance to short-circuit currents. FORMAT PRO LVS successfully withstood it: the thermal withstand current of the main busbars – 45 kA (for 1 second), the peak withstand current (electrodynamic) of the main busbars – 100 kA. This is approximately 25% higher than the value that can be encountered in a real electrical installation, meaning that in emergency modes, the LVS will maintain its integrity and after power supply is restored, it will be ready to continue operation.
Before and after the entire test cycle, the FORMAT PRO LVS was tested for power-frequency withstand voltage and impulse withstand voltage. During the test, no problems arose either. The system withstood everything and remained fully operational.
FORMAT PRO LVS – for projects of any complexity.
— Our solution is designed according to all modern norms and standards, taking into account complex physical processes that occur during normal operation and during emergency modes of operation, — says Dmitry Dryuma, head of the SBE "Power Distribution Systems" at IEK GROUP. — The new solution allows easy design, production and scaling of LVS due to modular construction. We offer a system with which our customers will be able to implement projects of almost any complexity – quickly, efficiently and with minimal labor costs. And most importantly, when operating LVS based on our solution, complete safety of all personnel is ensured. The successfully conducted test cycle is 100% confirmation of that.
During the test, LVS for currents up to 2500 A was tested. However, the company's specialists are now developing a system for higher currents, in perspective – up to 6300 A.
FORMAT PRO system – in the IEK exhibition space.
FORMAT PRO LVS, assembled based on IEK products, was first presented at the "Electro" exhibition in June 2024, where it aroused great interest among visitors. And now you can get acquainted with it in the IEK exhibition space, at the company's central office in Shcherbinka (Moscow).