Episode 13 of The Downtime, WTWH Media’s weekly manufacturing podcast, was published on July 17, 2025. In this episode, Mark Arisman, manager of business development – control products at Nord Drivesystems, joined the show to discuss inverters, which were recently featured in a Packaging OEM story, along with the company’s modular technology and how it can be used to improve efficiency on packaging lines.
Inside Nord’s approach to packaging line automation
Nord’s Arisman joined The Downtime co-hosts, Sarah Wynn and Sheri Kasprzak, to talk about how the company helps OEMs simplify automation while boosting efficiency with modular, customizable drive solutions, backed by NordCon software and U.S.-based support.
With North American headquarters in Waunakee, Wisconsin, Nord offers variable frequency drives (VFDs) in both panel-mounted and decentralized designs, giving OEMs flexibility in integrating drive control on packaging lines.
“Adding a VFD has two key elements. It’s the control side of things. Now I can make that drive system run at whatever speed I want. I can control torque. And then on top of the control side of things, I can get a lot of protection for my drive system,” said Arisman.
Nord’s inverter technology
Arisman also featured Nord’s inverter technology, including the NordacPro, a compact, panel-mounted frequency inverter, along with decentralized options for larger operations, including the Nordac Base, Flex, and Link.
“Our products are flexible. They are modular, and in conversation with customers, we can put together a nice, configurable, customized solution that meets the application requirement,” said Arisman.
To learn more about Nord Drivesystems’ inverters for packaging lines, click here.
NordCon software and U.S.-based support
NordCon software can be used on both mobile devices and desktop computers, offering quick access to drive parameter management, programming, and diagnostics.
The company also provides U.S.-based support for OEM parts and system needs, along with after-sales support to increase drive system longevity.
“We have an application support team here in Waunakee (Wisconsin) that supports the control side of the development,” said Arisman. “We have all the resources available, and that’s where I think Nord really shines.”
Read more about Nord’s NordCon software and after-sales service.
Condition monitoring and the Eco Box
Arisman also described condition monitoring and Nord’s Eco Box, a helpful tool for plant engineers.
“We could place that [Eco] Box in either a test loop, or an actual facility installation, and monitor the power usage on your drive components, and collect that data over a period of time. And then we could compare that to alternative drive solutions and see what efficiencies you actually gain, what that does for the customer,” said Arisman. “It’s not so much a product as it is a service from Nord.”
Drive selection and episode wrap-up
Kasprzak also shared a story from Control Engineering on how to select, configure, and tune industrial motor drives, written by Rich Houtz, controls and automation engineer with Hargrove Controls & Automation.
To wrap up the episode, the dynamic duo played a game in honor of World Emoji Day.
Show lineup for The Downtime | Episode 13: Driving Forward:
00:17 – Wynn begins the episode
01:35 – The co-hosts preview the National Emoji Day game
03:27 – The co-hosts introduce an interview with Nord’s Mark Arisman
04:02 – Interview with Arisman on Nord’s product line
6:56 – Arisman explains the benefits of decentralized drives
13:14 – The co-hosts speak with Arisman about predictive maintenance and condition monitoring
16:42 – Arisman highlights NordCon software
18:35 – The trio discusses the trends in VFDs
21:02 – Arisman details the Nordac Pro cabinet-mounted drive and Nord’s resources available in the United States
23:23 – Arisman spotlights the Eco Box
24:46 – Wynn thanks Arisman for joining
25:26 – Kasprzak introduces Control Engineering’s article on how to select, configure, and tune industrial motor drives
28:32 – The dynamic duo plays a game in honor of World Emoji Day
35:17 – The pair signs out of the episode
About The Downtime’s co-hosts
The Downtime is a weekly manufacturing podcast from WTWH Media that features insights from its automation and controls publications. It’s co-hosted by Wynn, who serves as the senior editor (digital) for Packaging OEM, and Kasprzak, who is the managing editor for Plant Engineering, Control Engineering, and Consulting-Specifying Engineer.
New episodes are released every Thursday on this website, as well as on SoundCloud, Spotify, and YouTube.
Check out The Downtime’s archive!
Episode 1: Packaging + Robots + Tariffs, Oh, My!
Episode 5: Thinking Inside the Box
Episode 6: Conveyance, Copilots & College Grads
Episode 7: Running on AI and Coffee
Episode 10: Manufacturing Fun!
Episode 12: Digital Transformation
