English
Modern motors may be more efficient and reliable than their ancestors, but sometimes errors can occur.
How long does the motor actually last before failure occurs? The answer is often disputed, with some manufacturers saying 30,000 hours and others saying they can power up to 40,000 hours.
However, most manufacturers agree that motors will last longer if properly maintained
Understanding the health of your motor requires a range of tools and techniques, as well as complete record keeping and regular maintenance. This allows engineers to easily identify trends or weaknesses.
Reduced insulation
Almost half of all electrical faults in electric motors begin to weaken the insulation of individual wires in the surrounding motor coils. This is usually caused by thermal stress, contamination and winding movement caused by magnetism during starting and stopping of the motor.
Overheating also causes rapid deterioration of winding insulation - with every 10°C increase in temperature, insulation life is halved.
Overheating can occur when the power quality is poor or when the motor is forced to operate in a high temperature environment.
pollute
Contamination is another major cause of motor failure. Contaminants include airborne dust, dirt or any abrasive substance that enters the motor. When they come into contact with the motor, foreign objects can dent the bearing raceways and balls, causing high vibration and wear.
Fortunately, preventing contamination is very easy. The main sources of contamination include dirty tools, work areas and hands. Motors can also be contaminated by foreign matter in lubricants and cleaning solutions
Engineers should keep work areas, tools and equipment clean to help reduce contamination failures. Additionally, when laying out the space, companies should try to keep motor components and operating areas away from the grinder to reduce the amount of foreign matter that could become contaminated by the motor.
lack of maintenance
Careful preventive maintenance is the key to reliable, long-life operation of motors and generators. It also helps reduce unplanned production downtime or lengthy shutdowns for repairs.
The first step in preventive maintenance is knowing how often to test your motor. This depends on the age, condition and quality of the machine and its operating environment.
Static testing is an easy way to identify weak points in motor windings. Test concentrated winding and insulation resistance as well as inter-turn and phase insulation conditions.
These tests can be performed using appropriate equipment without requiring the motor to be off-site, reducing downtime.
Motor failure can lead to downtime, meaning companies can lose thousands of pounds every minute action is stopped.
Rather than exposing themselves to downtime, customers should request regular motor testing and analysis, preferably every six months, to ensure motor health, efficiency and reliability.