Original 90% New Siemens Inverter/Converter Igd Trigger Board Driver Board A5E00135620 A5EOO13562O

Siemens A5E00135620 | IGD Trigger Board with IGBT Power Module — Frequency Converter 90kW / 110kW / 132kW

Part Number: A5E00135620

Manufacturer: Siemens AG (Germany)

Product Type: IGD Trigger Board with IGBT Power Module Assembly

Function: IGBT gate drive trigger interface board for high-power frequency converter inverter section 

Overview

The A5E00135620 is a Siemens IGD (IGBT Gate Drive) trigger board integrated with the IGBT power module assembly, serving as the gate drive and switching interface within Siemens frequency converter drives in the 90kW, 110kW, and 132kW power range.

This board sits at the heart of the drive's inverter section — the stage responsible for converting the rectified DC bus voltage back into the variable-frequency, variable-amplitude AC that the motor requires to run at controlled speed and torque.

In a frequency converter, the IGBT power module contains the six transistor switches that form the three-phase output bridge. Each of these switches must be turned on and off thousands of times per second, under precise timing control, to synthesise the output waveform.

The A5E00135620's gate drive circuitry handles this switching: receiving low-level PWM timing signals from the drive's control electronics and translating them into the gate voltage pulses that drive the IGBT transistors.

At 90–132kW, the power handled by this inverter stage is substantial.

The individual IGBT modules carry hundreds of amperes on a DC bus in the 600V–800V range. Reliable, precisely-timed gate drive pulses are essential — poor gate drive leads directly to increased IGBT switching losses, additional heat generation, and in worst-case scenarios, IGBT failure due to incomplete switching or over-voltage during turn-off transitions.

The A5E00135620 board's design provides the correct gate voltage rise and fall characteristics for the specific IGBT device it drives.

Key Specifications

IGBT Gate Drive — The Switching Engine

The inverter section of a frequency converter works by switching the IGBT transistors in a carefully controlled PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) pattern.

This pattern, updated at each switching cycle, controls both the fundamental output frequency (determining motor speed) and the output voltage amplitude (maintaining the correct V/f ratio for torque production).

The motor's windings filter these high-frequency switching pulses and see the fundamental sinusoidal current they require.

The A5E00135620 trigger board receives the PWM command signals from the drive's control section and generates the isolated gate drive pulses for each IGBT in the power module.

Isolation between the high-voltage power stage and the low-voltage control stage is critical — without it, a fault in the power section could propagate into the control electronics and escalate a contained fault into a system-wide failure.

The gate drive isolation on this board ensures that the high-voltage and low-voltage circuits remain electrically separate even during fault conditions.

The board also typically implements the fast hardware protection logic. When an IGBT desaturates — indicating an over-current or short-circuit condition — the board detects this within microseconds and removes the gate signal, cutting off the current before the transistor fails.

This response speed cannot be achieved by software-based protection and is essential at these power levels.

90kW to 132kW — Power Class Context

The 90–132kW range represents a significant power class in industrial frequency converter applications. These drives are found in large pump stations, compressor plants, extruder lines, large conveyors, and heavy industrial process drives.

At these power levels, the IGBT modules are physically substantial — the current-carrying capacity, thermal demands, and switching energy involved all increase compared to lower-power drives.

The A5E00135620's IGBT power module is matched to this power class. Gate drive parameters — gate resistance, gate voltage swing, and desaturation threshold — are optimised for the IGBT characteristics at this current level.

Using an incorrect or mismatched gate drive board in this power range introduces the risk of IGBT damage from suboptimal switching, making correct part identification and replacement essential.

Fault Symptoms and Replacement Guidance

A failing A5E00135620 board typically produces output phase faults or IGBT fault codes on the drive's fault display. The most common failure modes include: failed gate drive optocouplers or isolated gate drive ICs, loss of gate drive on one or more phases, IGBT desaturation protection triggering incorrectly due to sense circuit drift, and complete loss of output after a power fault event.

Before replacing the board, verify that the IGBT power module itself has not been damaged. Gate drive board failures are sometimes caused by an IGBT module failure rather than the other way around.

If the IGBT module has failed short-circuit, a current surge through the gate terminal may have damaged the gate drive circuit.

Replacing the gate drive board without also replacing a failed IGBT module will result in immediate repeat failure.

When the gate drive board fails without IGBT damage, the replacement A5E00135620 should restore normal drive operation after installation, without requiring parameter changes — gate drive parameters are a function of the board hardware, not the drive's configuration software.

FAQ

Q1: The frequency converter shows an F0022 (output phase loss) fault on phase V only. All output cables and motor windings are confirmed intact. Is the A5E00135620 the likely cause?

A single-phase output fault with confirmed-good cabling and motor windings points to a gate drive fault on the affected phase — the IGBT pair for that phase is not switching correctly. Inspect the A5E00135620 board's gate drive circuit for the V-phase.

Optocoupler failures in the gate drive isolation stage are the most common component-level cause of single-phase faults.

Board replacement is typically more practical than component repair at this level of the power stage.

Q2: After replacing the A5E00135620, must the drive be recommissioned or are stored parameters still valid?

The gate drive board does not hold any drive parameters. All control parameters remain in the drive's control electronics, unaffected by the gate drive board replacement.

After installing the replacement A5E00135620, a standard power-on check and motor run test is sufficient to confirm normal operation. 

No recommissioning or parameter re-entry is required.

Q3: The IGBT power module tested shorted before the A5E00135620 was replaced. Should the gate drive board also be replaced at the same time?

Yes. A shorted IGBT failure applies a fault current condition to the gate circuit that can damage the gate drive ICs on the A5E00135620, even if the board does not show an immediately obvious fault.

Replacing the IGBT module without replacing the gate drive board risks re-damaging the new IGBT through a compromised gate drive waveform. Always replace both simultaneously when an IGBT short-circuit failure has occurred.

Q4: The drive is a 110kW unit. The A5E00135620 is described as covering 90kW, 110kW, and 132kW. Does one board variant cover all three power ratings, or are there sub-variants?

The A5E00135620 covers this power range because the IGBT module used in the 90–132kW class shares the same physical package and gate drive interface requirements. The board is matched to the IGBT device type, not just the drive's nameplate power.

Confirm that the IGBT module part number in the drive matches the specification for the A5E00135620 before installing.

If the drive has previously had an IGBT module replacement with a different device type, the gate drive board specification may also have changed.

Q5: How should the A5E00135620 be stored as a spare part to prevent degradation?

Store the board in its original ESD-protective bag inside a stable temperature environment — avoid high humidity and temperature cycling. The IGBT module portion of the assembly contains power semiconductors that are sensitive to both ESD and mechanical stress.

Do not store with heavy items placed on top of the assembly. If the board has been stored for more than two years without use, a visual inspection for electrolytic capacitor leakage (if present on the board) is advisable before installation.

Document the storage date and condition for maintenance records.