Maximize the Operating Life of an Industrial Motor

The electric motors at your place of business are likely one of your largest liabilities. These motors may even make up the bulk of your energy usage. This energy usage represents a significant percentage of your operating costs. By extending the operating life of a motor is one of the best ways to reduce costs and the possibility of unexpected downtime.

Calculating the Lifecycle Cost

One of the first steps in this process and one often overlooked is calculating the lifecycle cost (LCC) of the electric motor. Figuring the LCC is a simple matter. It is just a matter of calculating the operating costs through the expected lifetime of the equipment. By knowing the LCC, it is often possible to identify opportunities that allow you to save money on an ongoing basis.

When motors are operating under ideal circumstances, they may last for many years. In fact, many manufacturers claim that a motor can operate for up to 40,000 hours under the right conditions. In most cases, yet, problems with the electric motor causes it to weaken and breakdown over time. Causes of these problems may either be a result of anticipated degradation, operating stress, or operating conditions.

Two Common Electric Motor Issues

Two of the most common issues that occur with electric motors include:

• Insulation: Various issues expose the electrical insulation including voltage unbalance, voltage surges and temperature. Over time, the insulation may weaken and breakdown.
• Contact: Wear occurs when moving parts come in contact with each other. Accelerated wear occurs because:
• Contamination is present
• The motor overheats
• If lubrication is not applied as directed

Repair or Replace?

Once your motor starts down this path, you need to figure out what is more cost-efficient: repairing or replacing the motor. If the cost of repairing the motor outpaces the benefits of installing a new motor, the economic life of that motor has ended. This situation differs from one motor to another.

For example, if a small motor experiences a bearing failure, it may not be a wise decision to replace the bearing. If it is a larger motor of 20 HP or more, refurbishing the motor with new bearings may be the best choice. But, if a winding burnout occurred in a mid-sized motor, you would need to consider the cost of a rewind vs. installing a new motor. Often, rewinding large industrial motors occurs on a continual basis.

Testing Your Motors

Maximizing the life of the motor depends upon regular testing. These tests help identify problems that would otherwise go undetected. Those problems result in the possible breakdown of the motor and the associated downtime.

Bearing failure is the most common reason for motor failure. But there may be many other issues that could be taking place in the background. Take advantage of a predictive or preventative maintenance program. These programs end most of the guesswork involved with your electric motors.

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Originally published at www.lselectric.com on March 30, 2017.