Renew Magazine - Quarter 4, 2023. Energy Efficiency focus

r new

The journal f rom

Quarter 4 2023

FOR THE MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, REPLACEMENT AND MONITORING OF ROTATING MACHINERY

FOCUS ON:

Energy efficiency Pump maintenance: can you afford not to?

Don't let grease incompatibility lead to motor failure

Industry News

Innovations

Applications

Expert Opinion

New Motors Brook Crompton

TT Electric

IP23 Cast Iron Range from 18.5kw—710kw in frame sizes 160 to 355

Full range of High Quality DC Motors from 1kw to 2000kw IP23— IP55.

In Stock

In Stock

Re-Conditioned Motors Large Stocks of Electric Motor Spares Both Current and Obsolete Including:Brook Crompton Series 7 Steel Motor spares Brook Crompton Series 6 Cast Iron Motor Spares • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • •

Cage up to 1mw Ex Stock Slip-Ring up to 500kw Ex Stock D C Motors High Tension Motors 3.3Kv Geared Motors Two Speed Motors Vibrator Motors

Fan Covers Terminal Box Assemblies Endshields Bearing Covers

Slip-Ring Assemblies Brushgear

Carbon Brushes Cooling Fans

Variable Speed Drive Specialist Schneider Altivar Range of Variable Speed Drives from 0.18kw to 315kw available Ex—Stock

LARGEST STOCK OF ELECTRIC MOTORS IN THE U.K. 87 Kingstown Broadway, Kingstown Industrial Estate, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 0HA Tel : 01228 552000 Fax : 01228 552001 E-Mail: electrics@park-gate.co.uk

CONTENTS 3 Editor Chris Callander chris@renew-mag.com +44 (0)1732 671123 Contributing Editor Suzanne Gill suzanne@renew-mag.com Publisher Andrew Castle andrew@renew-mag.com +44 (0)7785 290034 Accounts Touchwave Media Ltd accounts@renew-mag.com Production G and C Media Ltd production@renew-mag.com Founded in 1945, the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades is an International Association representing companies in the electrical and mechanical service and repair industry.

W

elcome to the latest issue of Renew magazine. I'm delighted to write this, my first welcome note since taking over the position of President of the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades. I am honoured to have been trusted with the role and look forward to working with members, the council and the executive team, as we continue to develop the association for the benefit of its membership and the businesses those members support.

A few weeks after this issue is published, we will be staging the sixth running of the AEMT awards. This fantastic event recognises and rewards the excellent work done by businesses operating in the electromechanical repair sector. I'm thrilled to report that this year, we had a record number of entries, and on page 14 of this issue of Renew, you will find details of the 39 finalists shortlisted across seven categories.

Our members perform vital work, helping to ensure critical services are maintained.

They help to ensure energy is supplied, that fresh water and wastewater can flow, that life-saving services can be maintained, that food supplies can be relied upon, and so much more. And they do this 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, often at short notice and in all manner of conditions. Therefore, it is an honour to be involved in celebrating this great work.

We will report on the worthy winners and the evening's highlights in the next issue of Renew. But of course, the best way to find out who's won is to be there on the night and join the celebration. There's still time to book a place at the event; you can find out how on page 14.

I hope to see you there!

James Stevens, President, AEMT

NEWS AEMT Tower House Business Centre Fishergate York YO10 4UA www.theaemt.com

Twitter @AEMT_Updates Renew is a controlled circulation journal published quarterly on behalf of the AEMT by Touchwave Media and G and C Media. For a copy of the magazine’s terms of control and to request a copy please email circulation@renew-mag.com The content of Renew magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, publishers, or the AEMT. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any products or processes mentioned within it. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the publisher’s written consent.

6

Industry news

10

AEMT update

12

Product news

14

AEMT Awards update

16

Project updates

PEFC Certified This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources PEFC/16-33-254

www.pefc.org

www.theaemt.com

22

26

AI is transforming field service operations

28

Reliability-centred services cut maintenance costs

32

Sales of ultra-low-voltage drives set for huge growth

Focus on Energy Efficiencey

features 20

Pump maintenance: can you afford not to?

32

6

© AEMT. All rights reserved.

24

34

Don’t let grease incompatibility lead to motor failure Bearings designed to last and protect

Implementing energy-efficient drive systems

Opinion 38

A dying breed? I think not Quarter 4 2023

Megger Electrical Test and Measuring Equipment

AVO835

2 Amp DucterTM Low Resistance Ohmmeter

New “difference meter” for quick data comparisons n Safely tests the resistance of inductive loads at 1A n <600 V active protection against inadvertent live connections without blowing a fuse n

MPQ1000

Power Quality Analyzer

Automatic CT recognition n Onboard data analysis n 1000 V ac and 1000 V dc range n

AVO835

True RMS Multimeter

High/low sensitivity live circuit detection n Phase sequence measurement for 3 phase circuit and motor testing n 10 MΩ and 10 kΩ input impedance switching n

www.megger.com n +44 (0) 1304 502100

MPD SCAN

MPQ1000

DLRO2

DLRO2

DCM305E

For over 130 years, Megger has been the premier provider of portable test and measuring instruments for electrical power applications. Although Megger is best known for its world-famous range of insulation testers, we can assist your acceptance, commissioning and maintenance testing for predictive, diagnostic or routine purposes. By working closely with electrical utilities, standards bodies and technical institutions, Megger contributes to the dependability and advancement of the electrical supply industry.

DCM305E

Earth Leakage Clampmeter

0.001 mA resolution n Up to 100 Amp range for standard ac current measurements n Low pass filter to aid stability of readings n

MPD Scan

Handheld Scanner for PD Surveying

Fast verification of partial discharge activity in MV and HV plants n Universal application range due to a wide variety of sensors n Integrated camera and QR code scanner n

PD and Tan delta testing, PD online monitoring Partial Discharge and Tan delta testing is together with Static testing complementing the standard FAT and on site testing procedure of the insulation status for critical HV motors and generators.

The ICMflex system can perform PD and Tan delta testing in one simultaneous test sequence with one common test report. It is a compact and portable all in one unit suitable for on site, as well as workshop testing. Portable AC Hipot solutions are available too.

The ICMmonitor system is an approved solution for online Partial Discharge monitoring on HV rotating machines and it can come as a portable unit for temporary monitoring/ spot testing, or as a permanently installed monitoring cabinet with remote access and alarming.

Megger Baker Electric Motor Analyzers The Baker Instruments family of electric motor analyzers provides a comprehensive suite of tests which characterize the health of your motors and generators. These testers are valuable in industrial settings for predictive maintenance, and in motor repair/rewind shops for troubleshooting and QA.

ADX

EXP4000

n

Asset-centric approach promotes turnkey testing for operators

n Separating Asset from Installation

ADX

provides greater insight into asset service needs and issues n PowerDB Dashboard secure

cloud-based analysis software n Choice of Manual, Automatic, or

Sequence testing n Screen-level context sensitive help n Adaptable search capability

Dynamic Motor Analyzer

EXP4000

Automated Diagnostic Test Equipment

n

The Megger Baker EXP4000 is a portable Dynamic Motor Analysis System

n

Test domains: Power quality, machine performance, current, spectrum, torque, variablefrequency drives, continuous monitoring, transient analysis (e.g. start-up), motor efficiency

n Asset management tools

NetEP

Site Installed Dynamic Monitoring System n

MTR105

n

Permanently installed, fully automated machine system monitoring solution which evaluates each component of the electromechanical system and identifies electrical and environmental factors that will accelerate insulation degradation

High Voltage Motor Tester

PPX

NETEP

PPX n

For high voltage machines and large form-wound coils, the Baker PPX series extends HiPot and Surge test voltages of the DX and AWA up to 40 kV.

n

Available models: PPX30 (30 kV) - PPX40 (40 kV) - PPX30A (30 kV with armature testing capability)

The system continuously acquires health and performance data on up to 32 electric motors and the rotating machine systems they operate

MTR105

Rotating Machine Tester n

Full colour graphic display built to CAT III, IP54 and for use up to 3000 metres,

n

Adjustable IR from 10v up to 1kV and 200GΩ using: 3 Phase Spot, PI, DAR, IRt and Guard Terminal

n

4 wire Low Resistance (uni and bidirectional measurements) , LCR, Temperature, Motor rotation, diode test

n

Voltage (measures ac 10 mV up to 1000 V; dc 0 to 1000 V; TRMS), Frequency (15Hz to 400Hz), Phase Rotation

www.megger.com/baker n 800-752-8272

6 INDUSTRY NEWS

AESSEAL LAUNCHES CHILEAN PARTNERSHIP THE AES ENGINEERING GROUP HAS established a partnership in Chile, joining forces with ALTE Industrial S.A. as part of the group’s ongoing global growth strategy.

Under the terms of the deal, ALTE Industrial S.A. (formed in Santiago, Chile, in 1991) has acquired a minority stake in AESSEAL CHILE operations to serve its country-wide major industrial customers and especially the important mining and minerals sector in which AESSEAL commands a leading global position.

The UK-based group, which owns AESSEAL, will make the entire product and service portfolio of both AESSEAL and AES Sealing products available to serve the Chilean sealing market to the

highest global standards.

This move means key employees from AESSEAL and ALTE Industrial S.A. will come together to create a new, strengthened local AESSEAL organisation uniquely placed to provide a country-wide product and service support network for all industrial segments.

The new General Manager, Gabriel Trivelli, said that AESSEAL’s product technology and dedication to customer service and reliability made the decision to invest and join forces an easy one.

“This coming together will immediately improve AESSEAL Chile’s market coverage, will open up new opportunities in other markets and meet the request of AESSEAL’s global mining customers to increase their presence in Chile.”

ACQUISITION AND EXPANSION FOR WEG WEG HAS ANNOUNCED, THROUGH its indirect subsidiaries abroad, the acquisition of the industrial electric motors and generators business of Regal Rexnord Corporation, a global manufacturer of electromechanical equipment. The acquisition value is $400 million, subject to common price adjustments for this type of transaction.

The transaction focuses on the industrial electric motors and generators businesses of the Marathon, Cemp, and Rotor brands within the Industrial Systems operational segment of Regal Rexnord, a company headquartered in the United States and listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

WEG will also integrate a team of approximately 2,800 employees operating in ten factories located in seven countries (United States, Mexico, China, India, Italy, the Netherlands, and Canada), as well as commercial subsidiaries in 11 countries.

The net operating revenue of these businesses in 2022 was approximately R$ 2.8 billion (US$ 541.5 million), with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 9.5%.

The completion of the transaction is subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions precedent, including the necessary regulatory approvals related to the transaction.

This announcement from WEG comes alongside further news from the company regarding a significant investment in several of its branches across Europe. WEG branches in Italy, Turkey and Portugal have all embarked on notable projects to improve manufacturing and warehouse facilities, expand floor space and hire new staff — with the ultimate goal of reducing timeto-market for WEG customers on the continent.

WEG Italy, known locally as WEG Italia, boasted its fastest ever year of growth in 2022. As part of the investments, WEG has committed to a significant expansion of the Italian facility, based in Lissone, Milan, increasing the total floor space by 6,000 sqm.

The announcement follows the completion of a significant building project for WEG Portugal. Portugal is a flagship branch for WEG, manufacturing an impressive 10,000 electric motors annually. The investments at the branch include the construction of a new 22,680 sqm factory in Santo Tirso, Portugal – doubling the size of the site.

WEG Turkey will develop a 7,000 sqm warehouse which will act as the centre for the organisation’s operations in Eastern Europe and South-West Asia. It will be used to provide technical support to customers in the region.

SKF MAINTENANCE PRODUCT PARTNER STATUS AWARDED TO ACORN POWER TRANSMISSION STOCKIST ACORN Industrial Services has become the first company in the UK to be awarded new maintenance product partner status by the bearing and maintenance product manufacturer, SKF. SKF awarded the accolade to ACORN in recognition of it meeting criteria set out by the manufacturer that focused on Quarter 4 2023

stock holding and related maintenance services.

To achieve the certified partner status, ACORN met all of SKF’s requirements, including providing a range of maintenance equipment for hire, onsite training for customers and staff, and substantial stock investment to ensure stock is readily available for same-day despatch.

ACORN’s Bearing Product Manager, Andy Fletcher, said: “We are honoured to have been awarded such an important certification by SKF. It highlights ACORN’s commitment to providing the very best customer service and support, backed by the broadest range of SKF products available in the UK.” www.theaemt.com

www.brookcrompton.com

Keeping industry turning every second... every day...every year With over 110 years of technical and design expertise, Brook Crompton offers leading edge energy efficient electric motors across global markets. As the original innovator in electric motor development, Brook Crompton are trusted to power limitless industrial processes and its robust motor design drives fans, pumps, compressors, conveyors and more.

Driven by technology and innovation, Brook Crompton has one of the widest available ranges of electric motors for operation in safe areas, hazardous atmospheres and hostile environments.

The extensive range of stock can be quickly modified to suit customers’ needs and with a high level of technical support from our knowledgeable team we ensure the correct selection of motors is provided for your application.

Brook Crompton’s focus on product and service development ensures we continue to move forward to improve efficiency, offer lower cost of ownership throughout their lifecycle and to reduce environmental impact.

Contact us at: T: +44 (0)1484 557200 E: sales@brookcrompton.com

8 Industry News

NEW MENZEL HEADQUARTERS ON-SCHEDULE FOR 2024 COMPLETION INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION HAS been completed, on schedule, at Menzel Elektromotoren’s new motor plant in Hennigsdorf, near Berlin, Germany.

Moving to the new site, with a total area of 24,000m², the electric motor manufacturer will increase its floor space and capacities, optimise the factory layout for an efficient production flow, and create additional jobs.

The crane capacities will be increased to 80 tons, and the entire shop floor will be accessible via two crane levels, which will bring significant logistical advantages.

In recent years, MENZEL has seen a growing demand for larger, more complex drive systems with a variety of auxiliary equipment such as transformers,

converters, controllers and starters. The new test facilities are tailored to this need.

For example, the area for load testing of large machines and generators has been enhanced to cater for the largest frame sizes and loadings. A two-floor construction inside the load test field will house the control room, offices for the test field technicians and a separate lounge from which customers can observe ongoing tests. The soundproofing measures have been completed, and heavy-duty racks for shelf loads of 6,000 kg have been procured, which will accommodate part of the large MENZEL motor inventory and further shorten delivery times.

In the next few months, the gradual

relocation from the existing headquarters in Berlin will commence. The production and shipping of industrial motors in the high output range will continue without interruption. Commissioning of the new company headquarters is scheduled for early 2024.

HOUGHTON INTERNATIONAL INVESTS IN NEW DEDICATED WIND TURBINE REPAIR FACILITY ELECTROMECHANICAL engineering specialist Houghton International is investing significantly to support the country's energy transition by creating a dedicated 20,000 sq ft wind turbine repair and life-extension facility at its works in Newcastle.

The company recently completed a repair and life-extension project on an Enercon direct drive wind turbine in the Faroe Islands – its second successful project on such equipment – and expects a significant upturn in demand for its unique services in the coming years, driven by the world's need to generate clean energy and reduce the length of outages experienced by wind farm owners and operators when their turbines fail.

Michael Mitten, CEO of Houghton International, said: "We were a subcontractor on our first Enercon turbine repair project, but with this one, we were

the primary contractor, leading the entire job. This included diagnosing the fault and specifying the solution, which included a marked improvement in the generator's insulation system and weatherproofing from the original design. We then managed safe dismantling and logistics, executing the whole repair and life extension project as well as reinstalling and commissioning the unit. This was all carried out under incredibly challenging conditions in the Faroe Island's volatile weather environment."

Repairing and life-extending direct drive turbines, including upgrades to the original design, has taken roughly six months, which is far quicker than waiting for a new replacement that can take up to two years to be delivered. The new investment in creating a dedicated repair facility within the company's existing facility will reduce those lead times by roughly 20%, meaning asset owners can return their generators into service far quicker, generating clean energy and profits much faster.

Importantly, repairing rather than replacing is essentially a carbon-neutral process. All the original equipment is being reused, and what is not reused is fully recycled with only a small percentage of waste material, meaning far less energy is consumed and less harmful greenhouse gasses are produced via the repair process compared to manufacturing an entire new unit.

MANUFACTURER INVESTS IN DYNAMIC BALANCING MACHINE ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST manufacturers of separating decanter systems for the chemical, food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors has invested in a ZB3000/G/GV horizontal balancing machine from CEMB Hofmann UK. The engineering company’s portfolio of services includes advanced process technology that enhances the sustainability Quarter 4 2023

and efficiency of production processes, plus component supply and support services.

In addition to installing the machine, which was completed at the company’s UK headquarters in the South Midlands, CEMB Hofmann UK also undertook comprehensive training and is delivering an annual calibration and service.

Prior to the installation of the ZB3000,

the engineering business used CEMB Hofmann UK’s contract balancing service until the new machine was fully operational.

Several factors led to the decision to select CEMB Hofmann UK, including a UK-based service team of engineers and support staff available to be onsite within 24 hours if required and the delivery of training on the company’s premises. www.theaemt.com

Contact Electrom’s trusted partner in the UK: Wire Electric Supplies

+44 (0) 1952 208 730 sales@wes.uk.com

+1 720-491-3580 info@electrominst.com

www.wes.uk.com

www.electrominst.com

10 AEMT Update

UPDATE FROM THE AEMT SECRETARY STEP AWAY FROM THE GRINDSTONE AND BREATHE IN THE fresh air. We all need those precious moments to recharge and reflect on what truly matters. I hope you've seized the moment to step off the hamster wheel and catch your breath, just as I did this summer.

But as we bask in summer's afterglow, let's pivot our gaze toward the horizon of possibilities. Drumroll, please… We're thrilled to unveil our brand-new website – a digital powerhouse that's been a labour of love for over a year. This isn't just a website; it's a dynamic platform that amplifies your AEMT experience, personalising the training, resources, and support you need to thrive.

And that's not all. We've also rolled out the AEMT Training Academy, a game-changing platform designed to elevate your professional journey. Hold onto your hard hats because we're about to launch 'AEMT's Introduction to Rewinding an Electric Motor'. This course will be a guiding light for newcomers, offering a comprehensive guide to mastering the skill and craft of winding without compromising machine efficiency.

Our autumn council meeting was a melting pot of ideas and enthusiasm, with a record turnout from our global community.

We revisited our mission statement and core values, which guide us toward a future where sustainability isn't just a buzzword – it's our way of life.

Speaking of sustainability, we're not resting on our laurels.

Next year, we're assembling a task force committed to scrutinising our industry's carbon footprint. The goal? To benchmark carbon emissions and spotlight the transformative impact we're making in the fight against climate change.

Quality isn't just a standard; it's our signature. To ensure the AEMT logo remains a seal of unparalleled excellence, we're revamping our codes of practice to resonate with today's challenges and opportunities. These codes will be the bedrock upon which our members build their own legacies of excellence.

Last, but not least, leadership is the linchpin of our collective success. We'll be spotlighting members who are not just leading but inspiring. Their stories will serve as a catalyst for us all to elevate our game, enrich our collaborations, and embody the values that make AEMT a beacon in the industry.

So, let's gear up for a future that's not just promising but electrifying. Together, we're not only making machines work better; we're making the world a better place. Onwards and upwards.

Forthcoming AEMT led Courses & Events COURSE TITLE

START DATE

LOCATION

Ex Theory & Hands-On

Monday, 16 October 2023

Loughborough

Ex Theory

Monday, 16 October 2023

Loughborough

Ex Refresher

Wednesday, 18 October 2023

Loughborough

Ex Theory & Hands-On

Monday, 13 November 2023

Online

Ex Refresher

Monday, 13 November 2023

Online

AEMT Conference & Awards

Thursday, 23 November 2023

Coventry

Ex Theory

Monday, 27 November 2023

Doha, Qatar

Ex Theory & Hands-On

Monday, 27 November 2023

Doha, Qatar

Ex Refresher

Wednesday, 29 November 2023

Doha, Qatar

Ex Refresher

Monday, 4 December 2023

Online

Ex Refresher

Monday, 4 December 2023

Online

Ex Theory

Monday, 11 December 2023

Loughborough

Ex Theory & Hands-On

Monday, 11 December 2023

Loughborough

Ex Refresher

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

Loughborough

For more information or to book any of the couses listed please visit www.ex-repair.com Quarter 4 2023

www.theaemt.com

EW N

01299 252990

Introducing the new TEC Modular Range

"With the right partner, the battle is already won"

The new TEC modular range is the product of market feedback, designed as a modular casing to allow for all mounting positions and ratio's, reducing stock inventory, without compromising output speed options and mounting options.

TCNDK

MK

MR/MRF

WKM

TEC Worm Gearboxes Ratio: 5-100/1. Torque: Up to 1520Nm. Hollow bore: 11- 60mm.

Features: Alternative bores, solid Input shaft reducer, double reduction combinations, assortment of output fanges, output shafts and torque arms.

TEC Bevel Helical Gearboxes Ratio: 7-250/1. Torque: Up to 8000Nm from stock and 50,000Nm ex factory. Hollow bore: 30-90mm from stock, up to 160mm ex factory. Features: IECB5 standard Input flanges, alternative bores, output flanges, shafts and torque brackets.

TEC Helical inline Gearboxes Ratio: 3-250/1 in two and three stages. 20-120mm shaft diameters. Foot and flange mounted and ability for foot and flange combination in MR modular range. Features: IEC-B5 standard input flanges, bolt on output flange options.

TEC Hypoid Gearboxes Ratio: 7-300/1. Torque: Up to 500Nm. Hollow Bore: 20-38mm.

Features: Alternative bores, 2/3 Stage reductions, assortment of output flanges, output shafts and torque arms that interchange with worm gear range.

Contact our offices for all TEC product enquiries

www.tecmotors.co.uk

Unit 291-296 Oak Drive, Hartlebury Trading Estate, Kidderminster, Worcs, DY10 4JB

12 Product News

IE5 ultra-premium motor efficiency for explosive environments ABB HAS EXTENDED ITS AWARDwinning IE5 SynRM (synchronous reluctance motor) series with a-new addition: the IE5 SynRM Increased Safety motor.

In what is believed to be a world-first, customers operating in hazardous area industries can now ensure safety and boost their energy efficiency by deploying motors that offer up to 40% lower energy losses than commonly used IE3 motors.

The new version of the IE5 SynRM motor has been developed for use in potentially explosive atmospheres across a wide range of demanding variable speed industrial applications. It offers accurate control and high efficiency throughout the speed range, even at partial loads. This makes it a good upgrade choice for standard induction motors in pumps, fans and compressors for industries where explosive gas, vapour or dust might be present, such as oil and gas, chemicals, wood processing and flour milling.

In addition to energy savings, the new SynRM Increased Safety motors can help customers specify a more cost-effective installation. For example, in Zone 1, the cooler running design could allow the use

of an increased safety motor where a flameproof motor with a special enclosure would be the traditional choice. While in Zone 2, the improved loadability of SynRM motors, which enables more power to be delivered from the same size as an induction motor, is important. This could allow a smaller, and therefore lower-cost, motor to fulfil the same duty.

Stefan Floeck, Division President IEC Low Voltage Motors at ABB, said: “We have achieved a significant world-first by bringing the benefits of IE5 ultra-premium efficiency to the hazardous area sector.

Adopting best-in-class technology has made our IE5 SynRM motors a gamechanger for operators in a wide range of industries. They see the capability to improve energy efficiency as key to achieving their net zero ambitions while optimising business costs.”

A key benefit of IE5 SynRM Increased Safety motors is that they run cooler than standard designs. Bearing temperatures are reduced by up to 15°C and winding

temperatures by up to 30°C. This provides increased reliability, prolongs the motor’s lifetime and reduces maintenance needs.

The SynRM design combines the performance advantages of permanent magnet technology, with the simplicity and service-friendliness of an induction platform. To ensure an environmentally friendly design, the motors don’t contain magnets or rare earth metals.

IE5 SynRM Increased Safety motors are available with an output power of 5.5 to 315kW in frame sizes IEC 132-315.

new.abb.com/uk

BRUSH LIFTING DEVICES ADDED TO STANDARD PORTFOLIO MENZEL ELEKTROMOTOREN can fit slip ring motors with shortcircuiting and brush-lifting devices on request and has now added this option to its standard portfolio.

Motor brush lifting can be worthwhile for motors from about size 630, operating with long running times and infrequent restarts. It serves to significantly reduce maintenance requirements.

Sample applications include pumps, fans and conveyors in continuous operation (duty type S1).

After motor ramp-up, the rotor windings can be short-circuited and the carbon brushes lifted. This reduces brush wear. Smaller brushes can be used, which often last the entire motor lifespan. This eliminates the cost and effort required for regular Quarter 4 2023

brush replacement. Also, the slip ring compartment needs to be cleaned much less frequently due to reduced amounts of carbon dust.

The modular brush-lifting devices feature a high-quality, low-maintenance and robust design. Specifically designed for each application, the slip-ring body,

including the short-circuit ring, is dimensioned relative to the motor rotor data. The carbon brushes are selected to suit the application and the place of use. The travel range of the brush rocker is adjusted, allowing the rollers to rest during normal operation and thus saving wear.

Customers looking to source a slip ring motor with a shortcircuiting and brush-lifting device benefit from the fact that Menzel is a one-stop shop for motors featuring this facility, offering selection, configuration, manufacture, testing and commissioning.

bit.ly/MenzelBLD www.theaemt.com

LOW COST ALTERNATIVE TO OEM HIGH QUALITY SPECIFICATION SHORT LEAD TIMES CUSTOM / BESPOKE DESIGN & BUILD

SUITABLE FOR MOST MAJOR MOTOR MANUFACTURERS INCLUDING

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY DELIVERIES THROUGHOUT THE UK CREDIT CARD PAYMENT OR ACCOUNT

AND MANY OTHERS

ARFON REWINDS (PUMPS, DRIVES & MOTORS) LOCATIONS : NORTH WEST ENGLAND & WALES UNIT 4 STADIUM COURT, BROMBOROUGH, WIRRAL, CHESHIRE CH62 3RN TELE: 0151 334 6808 / FAX: 0151 346 1763 / E-Mail: sales@arfonrewinds.com

14 Awards Update

2023 AEMT Awards finalists revealed The Association of Electrical & Mechanical Trades (AEMT) is delighted to be returning to the West Midlands on Thursday, 23 November, for the 6th Annual AEMT Awards Ceremony. With a record number of submissions across the seven categories, this year’s programme has again produced some truly exceptional entries from across the electromechanical arena.

T

he judging panel was particularly impressed with the collective deliverables presented by this year’s submissions, with the quantifiable results providing a clear demonstration of the fine work the AEMT community is supporting, including: • The implementation of flood defences to protect the lives of 30 million people living below sea level.

• The regeneration of the drinking water supply of 3 million people across 250 cities.

• A reduction of CO2 emissions by 2,500 tonnes a year across just two projects.

• The use of hydropower to reduce CO2 emissions by 6 million tonnes.

• The irrigation of 3,000 hectares of land helping to yield more profitable farming, and reduce weekly shopping bills.

The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Coventry will host the presentation dinner, at which professional endeavour, product innovation, project management, skills development, engineering prowess and service delivery will all be acknowledged and celebrated.

During the day, the venue will host the AEMT’s Annual Conference, where industry-renowned speakers will share their knowledge and expertise in a series of talks and presentations designed to be of tangible value to all those companies operating within the service, maintenance, and repair sector. Further details on the conference can be found on page 21.

The combination of a valuable daytime conference and prestigious evening awards dinner will underpin and promote the skill, effort and dedication of the people and businesses serving this important sector.

With support from some of the sector’s leading brands, AEMT members and their customers can be assured of an informative, enlightening, and entertaining experience.

FINALISTS Following another comprehensive judging process, the AEMT is delighted to announce the following 39 finalists across the seven award categories:

Quarter 4 2023

Contribution to skills & training – sponsored by Sulzer • CovElec • Hidrostal: Incorporating Avonmouth Engineering Services, Bedford Pumps & Hidrostal • Ian Pattinson: The Faraday Centre • MKE Expert Training Day • Rotamec Engineering Solutions Product of the year – sponsored by DFA Media Group • ABB: IE5 SynRM Increased Safety Motor • Megger: ADX • Menzel: Pressurized Explosion Proof (EXP) Motors for Zone1 • Preformed Windings: QualCoil Life Project of the year – sponsored by EMIR Software • ABB: Lister Drive Greener Grid Project • Bedford Pumps: Fulfil Flood Mitigation Project for Indonesia • Houghton International: The Onshore Wind Turbine Life-Extension Project • Menzel: All from a Single Source - State Water Supply with a Slip Ring Motor with Brush Lifting Device • MKE Engineering Group: Browndown Pumping Station • Preformed Windings: Project Holter • Sulzer: Retrofit of Five Membrane Feed Pumps for a Desalination Plant Service centre of the year – sponsored

by ABB • Avonmouth Engineering Services • Brothers-EMR • Fenflow Engineering • Hayley 247 Engineering Services • Hidrostal’s Service & Distribution Centre in Castleford • MKE Engineering Group • Neutronic Technologies • Sulzer's Aberdeen Service Centre Supplier of the year – sponsored by Megger • Bearings and Drives • Menzel Great Britain • Preformed Windings • Sulzer • TEC Electric Motors

Rising star – sponsored by TEC Electric Motors • Josh Gannon: Central Group • Jack Simmons: CovElec • Josh Bottomley: EMiR • Joe Felton: Neutronic Technologies • Jac Pearce: Preformed Windings • Riley Burton: Rotamec • Cameron Calvert: Sulzer Diversity in engineering – sponsored by Preformed Windings • Hidrostal: Incorporating Avonmouth Engineering Services, Bedford Pumps & Hidrostal • Jacobs and upReach: The Engineering Springboard • Sulzer UK Sincere congratulations go to all those who have been selected as a finalist, and we look forward to announcing the seven award winners during the charged atmosphere of the presentation ceremony on the evening of Thursday, 23 November.

If you have not yet booked your place at this highly respected event, please visit the website and complete the online booking form. Individual places or tables of ten can be secured, with the package including reception drinks, a superb three-course meal with wine, the awards ceremony itself and excellent post-awards entertainment. It is a night not to be missed, and it provides an excellent opportunity to engage, unite and celebrate the outstanding achievements of this vital industry sector. TIMES-CIRCLE

www.aemtawards.com www.theaemt.com

16 Project Updates

ARC FURNACE BREAKER UPGRADE FORGES STRONGER PRODUCTION FUTURE FINKL STEEL HAS RESOLVED LONGstanding production and maintenance issues at its Canadian facility in Sorel, Quebec, since switching up to ABB’s VD4AF1 vacuum arc furnace circuit breaker.

As the world’s leading supplier of forging die, plastic mould, and die-casting tool steels, processing over 200,000 tons of steel each year, Finkl Steel was keen to address disruptive quarterly maintenance cycles and annual reconditioning of its circuit breakers that slowed production and tied up resource.

When two of its four circuit breakers reached the end of their service life, it made financial sense to upgrade the electrical cabinet with just one specialised VD4-AF1 arc furnace breaker, which has much greater longevity and endurance, slashes maintenance costs and brings added technological benefits.

By halving the number of circuit breakers required, the facility is also significantly reducing its waste footprint.

Phillipe Tremblay, Project Engineer at Finkl Steel, said: “It’s been a very sound investment, as a year in no one has touched it. The ABB VD4-AF1 is capable of 150,000 operations, and as we’ll probably have it for at least ten

years, that equates to a decade of no maintenance.

Before that, it was continuous inspections, repairs, rebuilds and all the associated breakages, part costs and hours of downtime.

“This new breaker also brings smart technological advancements, as by synchronising the opening of the poles, it ensures that overvoltage is eliminated when it closes. This is also mission critical for us, as overvoltage can damage transformers and other important electrical equipment on the line.”

The VD4-AF1 is the first mediumvoltage (MV) circuit breaker with servomotors, which enables precise drive control and eliminates the need for inrush limiting reactors and resistances for applications up to 38kV, leading to significant cost and space savings. It also brings 24/7 predictive health indication and accurate synchronisation with network voltage to control the accuracy

and precision of the electrical current passing through the furnace, while reducing the risk of component failure and enhancing safety.

With the objective of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions, Finkl Steel is looking to electrify all of its operations – the Sorel plant has been identified as the first facility in the Swiss steel group capable of electrifying all of its operations thanks to its strategic position and the availability of 100% renewable electricity produced in Quebec.

new.abb.com

MULTIPLE LARGE MOTOR AND FAN PROJECTS WEBB ELEC HAS BEEN BUSY WITH several large motor and fan projects, including a large 132kW industrial centrifugal fan unit that was repaired and rebuilt, along with a 287kW ABB DC motor repair and a new 355kW AC motor supplied for a large press application.

The fan unit was rebuilt with a full motor overhaul, winding Baker test, re-insulation and new bearings. The secondary fan drive shaft component had new bearings fitted, and the main support housing was machined and sleeved on the worn journals. The impeller was dynamically balanced, and the complete unit was rebuilt before all components were laser aligned. Both of these processes were carried out using high-quality CEMB Hofmann equipment. Upon assembly, the unit was run-tested, and all vibration levels Quarter 4 2023

were checked to ensure they were within acceptable tolerance limits.

The DC motor underwent a full degreasing cycle, and then all components were stoved to remove any residual moisture. The field, interpole and armature windings were fully Baker tested and re-impregnated with anti-tracking varnish.

The armature was dynamically balanced, and new bearings were fitted. Both

bearing housings were worn, so Webb Elec machined and sleeved them back to the correct size before assembly.

The commutator was then machined, undercut and polished to remove all wear from the brush track and to ensure good commutation. Finally, the brushgear was overhauled with new carbon brushes fitted.

The motor was then assembled, run-tested and painted.

The new 355kw AC motor was a special build from the manufacturer as it was a 6-pole 1000rpm machine, that will be mounted vertically, shaft down, on top of a large press. This is part of an ongoing project for a machine upgrade.

webb-elec.co.uk www.theaemt.com

THE ZB2000 TO ZB4500 RANGE OF HARD BEARING HORIZONTAL BALANCING MACHINES FOR BALANCING ROTORS UP TO 6,000 KGS The range can be supplied with dual drive - a cardan shaft drive and a belt drive with manual or pneumatic tensioning - and allow the balancing of rotors at a wide range of speeds. All machines are supplied with the latest B11 instrumentation for high precision balancing, and we offer a complete range of support services delivered by our very own highly trained engineers, including installation and calibration.

Comprehensive stock of genuine spare parts for swift availability and fast response times to your support requests helps us ensure production downtime is minimised. And our dedicated help line offers you advice and support with any machine or application issues.

So whatever your balancing requirement we’ve got you covered.

For further information contact us: T: 0161 872 3123 or E: enquiries@cembhofmann.co.uk www.cembhofmann.co.uk

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18 Project Updates

PUMP ENSURES PEAK PERFORMANCE SNOZONE MILTON KEYNES IS Europe’s largest indoor snow resort, boasting an impressive 170m long realsnow ski slope that was the first of its kind in the UK when it opened its doors in 2000.

The award-winning resort is located inside the Xscape Centre, a large leisure destination home to a huge variety of activities and entertainment venues, shops and restaurants, a trampoline park, and a 16-screen cinema, joining other sister snowsports venues in Madrid and Yorkshire.

It is imperative that the snow inside the resort is always maintained at the correct temperature, with a sophisticated subsurface system used to prevent melting.

Beneath the surface of the snow are two centrifugal pumps, which operate 24/7 and usually alternate duty on a monthly basis. The pumps are used to circulate Glycol through coolers, which cool to around -15°C, then through a network of pipes buried beneath the snow. This draws any warmth from the snow to stop it from melting and ensures

the surface remains at around -6°C. The return to the pumps is in the region of -10°C. When one of the pumps failed and needed to be replaced, T-T Pumps was able to supply the ideal solution to ensure peak performance over the long term.

After carefully assessing the specifications and requirements needed to supply a suitable replacement for the existing pump, the company supplied a SAER IR80-200 O pump from the IR electric pump range, a close-coupled, surface-mounted centrifugal pump built to offer the highest output performance and efficiency.

Manufactured by SAER Elettropompe, the pump is constructed from cast iron and stainless steel for superior durability, coming complete with a 45kW, 2-pole,

400V/3Ph/50Hz IE3 electric motor, a DN100 horizontally flanged inlet connection, and a DN80 vertically flanged discharge connection.

Since installing the new pump, it has been working continuously for over 400 days, showcasing the superior performance and reliability offered by SAER products, for which T-T Pumps is the UK’s sole distributor.

www.ttpumps.com

EXPANDING PRODUCTION FROM THE WORLD’S LARGEST NATURAL GAS FIELD NIDEC ASI, PART OF THE NIDEC Group’s Energy & Infrastructure Division, has signed a €30 million agreement for the production and supply of six electric motors of 45MW each, to support the production expansion of the world’s largest natural gas field located in Qatar.

The goal is to reach a production of 126 million tonnes per year of LNG (liquefied natural gas) by 2028 through the implementation of two new gas transport trains that will make Qatar one of the world’s largest LNG exporters and Europe’s largest supplier.

The project stands at the heart of the major transformation Europe is undergoing in terms of energy supplies after Russia cut off natural gas supplies and forced countries to look for alternative energy sources. LNG is the ideal solution to rely on to fill the supply gap.

The system, designed by Nidec ASI, is unique in the industry because it uses a 4-pole motor model driven by PWM-

Quarter 4 2023

type inverters. Compared to traditional solutions using 2-pole motors with LCI-type inverters, the installation is able to offer increased operability and high productivity, and is less expensive, more robust and reliable.

The entire development and production of the motors were assigned to the Nidec ASI plant in Monfalcone, Italy, and this new technology will play a leading role in the electric revolution taking place in the LNG sector, where more and more gas turbines can be replaced by electric

motors with minimal environmental impact. The project demonstrates how, technically, CAPEX and OPEX emission levels can be minimised while guaranteeing even higher efficiency.

“We are proud to provide our expertise and facilities to meet Europe’s urgent need for more alternative energy sources, especially LNG, and to be able to support even more ambitious investments in productivity and footprint reduction for the entire industry,” said Dominique Llonch, CEO of Nidec ASI. “Our technologies are naturally at the heart of the ongoing green transition, and we are, in fact, increasing the range of these motors to 100MW from the current 45MW so that they can replace higher power turbines, reaching new standards of efficiency and productivity.”

www.nidec.com www.theaemt.com

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20 Lubrication

Don’t let grease incompatibility lead to motor failure Many potential risks, such as incorrect electric motor rewinds, poor maintenance, or an ineffective lubrication strategy, can cause motor bearings to break down. Singapore-based Maintech Engineering & Supplies explores the importance of grease compatibility in reducing failures and unplanned downtime.

E

lectric motors use rolling-element bearings responsible for supporting the rotor, maintaining a consistent air gap between the stator and rotor, and transferring load from the shaft to the motor frame.

As a refresher, grease is not similar to oil despite both acting as lubricants. Grease is a thicker substance than oil, making it easier to stay on surfaces despite centrifugal force and gravity acting on it. Furthermore, grease can also remain between surfaces even when subjected to tremendous amounts of pressure. Despite these capabilities, it is important to keep in mind that not all types of grease are compatible with one another.

ELECTRIC MOTOR GREASE Grease in electric motors, specifically for their bearings, is designed primarily to reduce friction and wear, prevent corrosion, and work as a sealant to keep contaminants away from the motor’s critical rotating components.

Making a grease solution that achieves these goals requires the following key ingredients: base oil, thickener, and additives.

Base oil: The base oil is the most important component of grease as it makes up between 70-90% of its total content, and it is also what does the actual lubricating. Base oil is categorised into two types, namely mineral and synthetic. The greases based on mineral oil work well in virtually all industrial applications, while those made from synthetic oils are more suited to applications involving extreme temperatures.

Thickener: The base oil gets mixed with a thickener, which creates the semisolid texture of the grease and makes up 3-30% of its content. Thickeners come in three types: simple metal soaps, complex metal soaps, and nonsoap thickeners. Polyurea, a simple metal soap, is often used in grease for motor bearings.

Additives: The Machinery Lubrication magazine explains under the Grease Basics section that additives enhance the existing

Quarter 4 2023

desirable properties of the base oil and thickener, suppressing the unwanted ones and imparting new properties to the solution.

The vital additive packages that typically make their way into grease solutions are oxidation inhibitors and antiwear.

INCOMPATIBLE GREASES Mixing different greases leads to major issues because although the two grease compounds may be the same in their base oil, performance indicators, colour, and other factors, their thickener and additives are most likely not. In the case of mismatched thickeners, two greases with dissimilar viscosity lead to a combined result with suboptimal performance.

On the other hand, additives play a crucial role in determining grease performance despite representing just a small fraction of its total content. Thus, if the additives in two different types of grease do not match, they may create unwanted deposits, develop corrosive conditions in the grease, and reduce the effectiveness of the additive packages.

All in all, combining incompatible grease solutions means a loss in lubrication that will result in the moving parts of a motor experiencing accelerated wear, increased vulnerability to rust and corrosion, and ultimately ending up completely unprotected. In time, catastrophic motor failure will follow.

Three characteristics determine if two

greases are compatible: consistency, mechanical stability, and dropping point.

Checking the consistency involves observing the change in viscosity of the combined mixture following storage at elevated temperatures. Ideally, the change should still be within the ranges of the individual greases after they experience the same high-temperature storage conditions. The same applies to the mechanical stability of the new mixture, and it must remain within the range of consistency of each grease solution being mixed. The dropping point of the mixed grease must not be significantly lower than that of the individual greases.

IF IN DOUBT, CHANGE IT OUT If there is not enough of the original grease and you are not sure if the new one is compatible with it, it is safer to replace the former. This means purging the existing grease and thoroughly cleaning out the parts before applying the new grease to the electric motor bearings.

Using and reapplying the right grease is essential in electric motor maintenance, as using incompatible mixtures will inevitably lead to motor failure, costly repairs and downtime, and reduced productivity. TIMES-CIRCLE

www.mes.com.sg www.theaemt.com

For all those who repair, maintain, service and renew rotating electrical equipment, and ancilliaries.

Thurs’, 23rd November 2023 DoubleTree by Hilton, Coventry.

Opportunities for the Repair Sector

Book Today:

Speakers*

Reasons to attend

Thomas Marks, AEMT

Skills development, a helping hand for members.

Fraser Kennedy, Croner

Maintaining staff morale during the ongoing cost of living crisis

Tom Ison, SULZER

Rotor balancing in a high speed facility.

Anders Thormann, CeramicSpeed

The facts behind ceramic hybrid bearings in electrical motors.

TBA, Grundfos

AI and condition monitoring for predictive maintenance

Dr. Hugh Falkner, InnovateUK

Electrification of the UK and the opportunities for the repair sector.

www.aemtconference.com

1. Improve Staff Retention We’ve strived to find the most knowledgable people on retaining staff and keeping morale high. Our speakers will provide actionable insights and key takeaways to help you maintain your staff.

2. Increase Productivity Find out how you can get the best out of your workforce to improve your business’s performance and profitability.

3. Seize Opportunities The conference highlights the areas which are ripe for the pickings. The electrification of things, artificial intelligence, and new ways of thinking.

Display Partners

Catherine Sturman, Tomorrow’s Engineers Collaborating to inspire the next generation of Engineers: The Tomorrow’s Engineers Code

Mark McBride-Wright, Equal Engineers Attracting more talent to Engineering

Member’s forum

Select AEMT members to disucss the day’s learnings.

Our Gala Awards Ceremony follows the Conference at 6:30pm. Book seats at www.aemtawards.com * Speakers and subject matters are still being finalised.

22 Bearings

Bearings designed to last and protect

As an integral part of many operations, the demand for stronger, more durable and longer-lasting bearings is on the rise – and, for many applications, conventional steel ball bearings can often not compare to their hybrid counterparts. Steve Bacon, Sales Director at Bearings and Drives Limited, shares an insight into the latest innovative technologies in operational efficiency to achieve new competitive advantages.

W

ith a higher performance than traditional steel bearings, hybrid bearings are a combination of steel or stainless-steel rings used in conjunction with silicon nitride ceramic balls. As new technologies emerge, rolling elements (ceramic balls) of the highest quality, which on some occasions can take up to 60 days to manufacture, can be up to 58% lighter, four times smoother and have a 70% reduced thermal expansivity which can typically run at operating temperatures between 14-47°C lower than standard steel bearings. A combination of those pioneering properties can heighten efficiency, ensure that the bearings are less prone to the effects of contamination and corrosion, and have a greater intolerance to heat.

When taking into consideration the reasoning behind bearing failures, electrical currents are an increasing problem. The CeramicSpeed Insulate range includes custom-made ball bearings with a guarantee against damage caused by stray currents. The nonconductive ceramic balls, with an insulating capacity of at least 15kV/ mm, are ideal for use in electrical motors, generators and other applications where the passage of electrical currents must be avoided, offering significant advantages in terms of performance and durability over aluminium oxide coated bearings which are often offered as an alternative in these applications.

Another important factor is the large energy savings that they deliver – up to 70%.

Quarter 4 2023

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES Issues caused by stray currents are often seen in systems run by frequency converters; however, other systems are also facing the problem.

In an electric motor, a potential between the rotor and the stator can be induced by capacitive coupling or by frictional charging from a belt.

Discharging will then happen through the bearings of the motor. This electrical current can damage the runways of the bearing rings, the balls and the grease in the bearing.

The current can take different paths in the motor depending on the origin of the induced voltages; if the voltages are created due to asymmetries inside the motor, the currents will circulate, as shown to the left in Figure 1. If the voltages are induced due to external factors such as a frequency converter, the current

will flow from the axle to the housing in both bearings, as shown to the right in Figure 1.

A widely used step in order to prevent bearing currents is to apply an insulating coating on the outside of one of the bearing rings.

The coating typically consists of a thin layer of aluminium oxide. An alternative, however, is to use a hybrid bearing such as the CeramicSpeed Insulate, where the balls themselves are insulating as they are made of silicon nitride instead of steel.

Other protection methods are shaft grounding rings and ceramic coatings on the motor housing or the shaft.

Electrical current can damage the runways of the bearing rings, the balls and the grease in the bearing.

HYBRID BEARINGS VS. INSULATED COATING High DC voltages can cause the insulating material to break down electrically, resulting in sparks/large www.theaemt.com

Bearings 23

Figure 1. In an electric motor, a potential on the rotor can cause electrical current to flow from the rotor through the bearings to the housing.

currents running through the material – also described as the dielectric strength of the material. The DCcurrents that flow before a dielectric breakdown are so small that they are irrelevant.

In a coated bearing, both the oil film and the coating can break down.

In the case of a DC voltage, the coating determines the breakdown voltage as the coating is much thicker than the oil. For coatings of 100µm, the breakdown voltage will be 1.3kV. At voltages below this value, the coating protects against DC currents.

For the hybrid bearing, however, the air between the bearing rings will break down before the balls. The thickness of the air is determined by the size of the bearing. A 5 mm air gap (6005 bearings) will break down at 5kV, and a 28mm air gap (6330 bearings) at 28kV. The breakdown voltage of a hybrid bearing will, therefore, increase with the increasing bearing size, while the breakdown strength of a coated bearing stays the same for all bearing sizes.

If a breakdown takes place in a coated bearing, the current will go through the balls and hence damage crucial parts of the bearing.

If a breakdown happens in a hybrid bearing, the current will run through the air at the edge of the bearing and will not affect the performance of the bearing.

In the case of AC voltages, the picture changes completely for the coated bearing. Now it is not the thickness of the insulation layer which is most important but rather the area of contact between www.theaemt.com

conductor and insulator. The contact area determines the capacitance and, hence, the impedance (the AC-equivalent to resistance). The contact area between the balls and the bearing rings is much smaller than the contact area between the coating and the rings. The impedance of the oil film is therefore much larger than the impedance of the coating. This means that almost the entire voltage drop over the bearing happens over the oil film.

The dielectric breakdown will therefore happen in the oil film and not the coating.

The coating will not prevent AC currents but only limit the amount of current through the bearing due to its resistivity.

When using a frequency converter, frequencies at 0.5MHz have been measured. The impedance of the coating will, in this case, only be a few ohms and explains why large currents are able to flow in the event of an electrical breakdown of the oil film.

A hybrid bearing does not suffer under high-frequency AC fields as the balls are not conducting. Even at 0.5MHz frequencies, the impedance of a 6316 hybrid bearing is estimated to be 11kΩ compared to 18Ω for a similar coated bearing.

As the hybrid bearings will not be damaged at either large DC or AC voltages, CeramicSpeed offers a no-risk guarantee against bearing damage due to current through the bearing.

END-USER BENEFITS While cost can often be a significant factor when making the switch from traditional to hybrid bearings, the additional expense of hybrid bearings, in particular, is certainly not relevant to each and every bearing application. Many maintenance engineers will have experienced at least one application where repeated and frequent bearing failures have led to regular loss of production, increased maintenance costs, and probable damage to other machine components.

If bearings are failing on a regular basis, it is important to consider why.

Could it be temperature issues, corrosion, contamination, grease problems or a combination of those factors? With new technological advancements, there could be a solution to aid the reduction of bearing failure downtime – whether it’s an off-the-shelf product or a bearing designed to suit very specific individual needs.

As new technologies emerge, not only can the lifespan of bearings be increased by an approximate factor of nine times, but the potential to increase production and make significant cost savings in reduced downtime is unlocked. TIMES-CIRCLE

A hybrid bearing does not suffer under high-frequency AC fields as the balls are not conducting.

www.bearingsanddrives.co.uk Quarter 4 2023

Pump Maintenance 24 FEATURE

Pump Maintenance: can you afford not to?

Regular pump system maintenance is essential to prevent significant cost and reputational issues. Chris Callander looks at issues that can result from poor pump maintenance, and outlines some of the key steps that can be taken to minimise the chance of them emerging.

F

ailing to adequately maintain industrial pumps can compromise the safety, efficiency, and longevity of the equipment and the wider systems the pumps are part of. One of the most immediate risks is the failure of the pump itself. Worn-out parts, clogged systems, or misalignments can cause a pump to break down, leading to potentially costly unplanned downtime. In addition, further unnecessary costs can be incurred when a poorly maintained pump consumes more energy to deliver the same output.

Inadequate maintenance can also accelerate the wear and tear of pump components, leading to more frequent parts replacement and higher maintenance costs. And pumps that are not adequately maintained tend to have a shorter operational lifespan, leading to more frequent pump replacements.

Frequent breakdowns, reduced efficiency, and the need for replacement parts can significantly increase operational costs.

Worn-out seals or corroded parts can lead to leakages, resulting in the loss of fluids, environmental contamination, and safety hazards. Without proper lubrication or cooling, pumps can overheat, damaging internal components and reducing their lifespan.

Other issues, such as misalignment or imbalance, can cause excessive vibrations, damaging the pump and its supporting infrastructure. While cavitation, which can be a symptom of poor maintenance, can damage a pump’s impeller and other components as vapour bubbles in the pumped liquid collapse, causing destructive shock waves.

Of course, without regular cleaning, contaminants can enter the pump, affecting the quality of the fluid being pumped and potentially damaging the pump.

REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE Leakages, overheating, and equipment failures can pose safety risks to personnel working around the pumps. This can lead to accidents, injuries, or even fatalities. While leaks or spills due to poor maintenance can also lead to environmental contamination, which can result in regulatory penalties

Quarter 4 2023

and damage to a company’s reputation.

And for companies that rely on pumps for critical operations, frequent breakdowns or safety incidents can also damage their reputation and customer trust. Indeed, in some industries, ensuring that equipment like pumps are adequately maintained is a regulatory requirement. Failure to comply can lead to financial penalties or legal actions.

GOOD MAINTENANCE PRACTICES Regularly inspecting pumps for signs of wear, damage, or corrosion is essential.

This helps identify potential issues before they escalate. Proper lubrication is also vital for the smooth operation of pumps. It is essential to use the correct type of lubricant and to ensure it is applied at the correct intervals.

Regularly checking and replacing wornout seals is crucial, as is ensuring that cooling systems are working efficiently to prevent overheating.

Vibration can indicate misalignment, imbalance, or other mechanical issues.

Regularly monitoring and analysing vibrations can help with the early detection of problems. Ensuring that the pump and its motor are properly aligned is also essential to prevent wear and tear and to ensure efficient operation.

As part of condition monitoring solutions, vibration sensors can now continuously monitor a pumping system to identify vibration-related issues as they emerge, and other types of sensors can track a pump’s

performance and help to identify problems like reduced flow or increased energy consumption. Systems such as these can also monitor the state of bearings to enable them to be replaced as soon as any performance issues are indicated.

Ensuring the maintenance team is well-trained and updated with the latest maintenance practices is crucial. This ensures that they can identify and address issues promptly and are fully up to date with and following necessary safety protocols during maintenance activities to prevent accidents and injuries.

Keeping detailed records of maintenance activities, parts replacements, and performance metrics can help plan future maintenance and identify recurring issues, while having a well-stocked inventory of essential spare parts, which can be informed by historical requirements, can reduce downtime in case of failures. And understanding the expected lifecycle of a pump and planning for eventual replacement or upgrades can help in budgeting and ensuring continuous operations.

Industrial pump maintenance is a comprehensive process that involves a combination of regular checks, timely interventions, and proactive measures to ensure the longevity and efficient operation of the pumps. But it is an essential process to avert the risks that can lead to wideranging consequences which range from increased operational costs to safety hazards and environmental damage. TIMES-CIRCLE www.theaemt.com

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FEATURE Service management 26 Field

AI IS transforming field service operations Software specialist Fieldcode explores six critical areas where AI is transforming the field service sector.

T

he field service industry is evolving at lightning speed, all thanks to the power of artificial intelligence (AI). From optimising technician workflows to enhancing customer experiences, AI-driven solutions are set to reshape field service operations and drive efficiency, accuracy, and productivity.

TECHNICIAN MOBILITY By leveraging machine learning algorithms, including Natural Language Processing (NLP), these AI-powered enhancements to technician mobile apps are transforming technicians' day-today operations.

Say goodbye to the days of tedious data entry. With automated data capture, AI, supported by NLP, can extract information from equipment sensors, customer databases, or previous service records, populating an app with essential data. NLP capabilities enable real-time communication and seamless task management through voice recognition.

Technicians can effortlessly access crucial information, update records and collaborate seamlessly. These intelligent features will skyrocket productivity, accuracy, and customer satisfaction.

DISPATCHING PROCESSES Dispatching can be a tricky business, but AI is paving the way here. AI scheduling, or optimisation algorithms, which can be a specific algorithm or a combination of algorithms, consider factors such as technician availability, skills, location, and job priorities to optimise schedules on the fly. By dynamically adjusting schedules

Quarter 4 2023

in real time AI optimises response times, reduces travel distance and maximises resource utilisation.

With AI-driven dispatching systems, field service organisations can enhance operational efficiency, minimise costs and improve customer service by ensuring the right technician is seamlessly matched to the right job at the precise moment it arises – no more delays or misplaced assignments.

ASSET SERVICE MANAGEMENT AI, through predictive analytics, can work wonders in asset service management with realtime monitoring and predicting equipment failures. Predictive analytics involves the use of various statistical modelling techniques, data mining methods, and machine learning algorithms to extract insights from data and make informed predictions.

Machine learning algorithms within predictive analytics analyse and learn from historical data patterns

and use that knowledge to make predictions on new data, including real-time sensor readings. This allows AI algorithms to predict equipment failures and schedule proactive maintenance. This approach minimises equipment downtime, improves asset reliability and optimises resource allocation.

Additionally, AI-powered real-time monitoring enables organisations to detect anomalies, trigger alerts and take prompt action to prevent potential issues, leading to increased asset lifespan and operational efficiency.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AI automates contract analysis, review, and compliance checks using a combination of NLP and machine learning algorithms.

Through NLP, AI systems can understand and analyse the textual content of contracts, enabling accurate extraction and interpretation of contract terms. By comparing these terms against the latest regulations, AI systems can www.theaemt.com

Field Service management 27 flag any inconsistencies that may have been missed. Automated alerts and notifications can then be sent to relevant stakeholders regarding upcoming compliance obligations, deadlines, or regulatory changes. Additionally, AI provides insights through predictive analytics, leveraging machine learning algorithms to identify trends, risks, and opportunities associated with specific contract terms or suppliers, leading to enhanced contract lifecycle management, risk mitigation, and optimised vendor relationships.

TRAINING AND ONBOARDING AI opens up exciting possibilities in technician training and onboarding. Interactive training modules analyse performance data and offer personalised recommendations for skills development. Using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, technicians can receive step-by-step instructions and virtual assistance and visualise complex procedures. They can also access remote guidance from experts, enhancing engagement and effectiveness while reducing onboarding time. Moreover, with generative AI such as ChatGPT, field technicians can quickly ask questions and receive in-depth responses, eliminating the need for product manuals or time-consuming searches. This empowers technicians with the knowledge and expertise required to deliver exceptional service. A study by Mordor Intelligence (2020) revealed that 33% of field service organisations identified augmented reality as a technology they plan to implement in the next five to 10 years, further highlighting its potential in the field service industry.

CUSTOMER SERVICE AI is reshaping customer service in field service by enabling faster response times, personalised support, and proactive recommendations. AI-powered chatbots and self-service portals utilising generative AI techniques handle routine customer queries 24/7, freeing up resources to focus on complex issues. Generative AI models are trained to generate humanlike responses, and NLP technology allows these chatbots to understand and respond to customer enquiries in a human-like manner. By utilising machine learning techniques, including generative models, AI algorithms can analyse customer data and historical records, reducing the need for repetitive explanations and delivering personalised service offerings while anticipating customer needs. For example, an AI system can send proactive reminders and suggest scheduling a service appointment for a customer with a specific piece of equipment that requires regular maintenance.

CONCLUSION The AI revolution is in full swing and field service organisations have a golden opportunity to harness its power. By leveraging the transformative power of AI in these six critical areas, field service organisations can enhance operational efficiency, minimise costs, and improve customer service. The future of field service is AI-driven and organisations that embrace this technology will be able to deliver exceptional service, stay ahead of the competition, and exceed customer expectations. TIMES-CIRCLE

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Quarter 4 2023

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Reliability 28 FEATURE

Reliability-centred services cut maintenance costs

As ABB prepares to release new survey results, which will reveal the high cost of outages in industry, along with the perceptions and trends of maintenance and reliability, Virve Viitanen, the company’s Global Head of Customer Care and Support for Motion Services, explains how reliability-centred services can help businesses save 40% or more on maintenance costs.

ABB ACS800 converters are utilised in 24 wind turbines at Enefit Green's Aulepa and Aseri wind farms in the Baltic region.

T

he risk landscape that industrial enterprises are navigating in 2023 is complex, volatile and distinctly lacking the one thing that almost every business craves – certainty.

As inflation cuts into margins and profits, budgets are being squeezed and efficiencies sought. For example, businesses are now, more than ever, looking to reduce unplanned asset downtime that has a negative effect on both productivity and output.

In very simple terms, reliability-centred services are all about increasing uptime.

To maximise uptime, customers should consider a range of recovery and/ or planned data and advisory services designed to meet their unique service and maintenance needs with the key objective of preventing downtime.

The financials involved with unplanned downtime are serious – it accounts for up to 20% of the overall cost of a facility’s operation. According to ABB calculations, in the food and beverage sector, for example, downtime can cost from $4,000 - $30,000 per hour, which becomes a very substantial amount when you consider that up to 12 hours can be lost in a single incident if cleanup operations are required. Paper

Quarter 4 2023

producers, meanwhile, lose up to $25,000 every hour when a key asset breaks down, with the steel industry averaging around $300,000 in losses per critical machine failure.

As well as the direct costs associated with wasted materials, replacement parts, labour, cleanups, loss of production, logistics disruption and restarting processes, downtime also presents businesses with several indirect costs.

These include reputational damage, health and safety risks, loss of team morale, insurance premium rises and inventory management shakeups.

INVESTING IN RELIABILITY Having spent 17 years inside ABB, I have seen first hand how the industrial technology landscape has evolved as well as how our industry is looking at new operating models, both with the aim of maximising uptime.

Technology is enhancing the value of reliability-centred services. Digital solutions such as augmented reality (AR) are unlocking opportunities to collaborate with customers virtually through remote installation, commissioning and general support. Service engineers can carry out

remote assessments on demand, providing speedier resolutions that help to reduce downtime, costs and health and safety risks.

Meanwhile, connecting assets and tracking their performance is enabling a shift towards predictive maintenance informed by data. This triggers early interventions and helps to prevent failures from occurring. This approach, also known as condition-based monitoring, is helping to transform maintenance operations across a range of industrial sectors.

Last year in Guangdong, China, ABB digitally connected 34 critical motors of various pumps, fans and mixers at the Zhuhai power plant, a two-unit 600MW coal-fired power plant that produces 3.9 billion kWh of electricity annually. The site’s desulfurisation plant had experienced unplanned downtime due to motor failures, resulting in power interruptions for the city of Zhuhai. The condition monitoring solution enables the customer to monitor operational variables and health indicators remotely, avoiding this risk by collecting data on key parameters from the motors.

This allows early intervention when needed and has significantly increased uptime, saved costs and increased employee safety > 30 www.theaemt.com

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Contact training@aemt.co.uk

30 Reliability by reducing the need to carry out manual monitoring work in high-risk areas.

The latest technologies and retrofitting capabilities are also helping companies deal with growing cost pressures. Upgrading ageing assets with the new functionality and features can often save them from being scrapped or replaced while also helping to maintain continuity of operations.

This was the case during our planned maintenance services schedule with Enefit Green, the largest wind energy producer in the Baltics. Across its portfolio, ABB ACS800 converters are utilised in 24 wind turbines at the company’s Aulepa and Aseri wind farms. Rather than purchase new converters, it replaced the old ACS800 units with reconditioned ones – as well as maximising reliability and extending lifetime; the reconditioning option has enabled Enefit to cut emissions by 79% compared to buying brand-new parts.

MOVING UP THE RELIABILITY LADDER In many ways, proactive reliability-centred services represent an insurance-style model that lowers or removes the risk of industrial operations away from the business and onto the service provider. The goal should be to “climb the reliability ladder” – moving from a high-risk reactive maintenance strategy (where you fix equipment only when it fails), to a moderate-risk conditionbased maintenance strategy (where you fix issues before they result in failure), to ultimately a low-risk long-term outcomebased service agreement (where a service provider guarantees an outcome, for example uptime or energy savings).

Each step up the ladder is also highly cost-effective – according to the US Department of Energy (DOE), a conditionbased maintenance strategy, including condition-based services, provides 40% savings over a reactive maintenance strategy, for example. Against a backdrop of inflation, budget squeezes and productivity challenges, the ability of industrial enterprises to maximise uptime by carrying out cost-effective, data-driven maintenance schedules is crucial to the ongoing viability and sustainability of operations.

In the middle step of the ladder, we find examples such as Ruchira Papers – an Indian manufacturer that produces printing, writing, and kraft paper from agricultural waste materials. Even though local service suppliers were fixing failing equipment, the facility was still experiencing four to five unplanned downtimes a year due to Quarter 4 2023

a lack of a solid maintenance strategy on drive-controlled applications. The company decided to enter into a long-term condition-based agreement, where ABB has now taken full responsibility for the servicing of 55 drives throughout their whole life cycle.

The agreement includes preventive maintenance, on-site support during interruptions, technical remote support, spare parts inventory management, reconditioning, and modernisation services or replacement.

Since the agreement started two years ago, the facility’s uptime has increased by 13% up to 94.8% – giving Ruchira Papers peace of mind for it to focus on its core competence.

The final step of the ladder is a fully outcome-based maintenance model, where a business only pays for the achieved outcomes, rather than purchasing individual products or maintenance and repair activities. This shifts all the risk onto the maintenance service provider, and therefore connectivity is key. Statkraft installed two new ABB synchronous condensers in Liverpool, England. The system helps ensure that the UK grid remains stable as it integrates more variable sources of energy – like wind and solar. To ensure that this vital system is available around the clock, ABB and Statkraft entered a 10-year service agreement that will ensure uptime by providing a full range of planned and quick response maintenance services.

These include digital condition monitoring that allows remote operators to analyse real-time data to plan corrective actions before issues occur – ensuring high system reliability and uptime.

TOWARDS A MORE RELIABLE FUTURE An additional benefit of investing in reliability is energy savings. A further DOE study showed that businesses can achieve 20% savings in annual energy costs by shifting to a preventive maintenance strategy that uses the latest technology to extend the life cycle of their equipment.

Digitalising equipment enables it to be used in the most energy efficient way. For example, we are working with CERN, the

world’s leading particle physics laboratory, to digitalise assets in its cooling and ventilation systems for condition monitoring purposes. Motors used to power pumps, fans, compressors and cooling towers – which account for about 20% of CERN’s energy consumption – now relay data back to remote operators for them to optimise energy usage. The aim is to achieve an improvement of up to 15% in the energy efficiency of the cooling and ventilation systems.

As industrial processes become more complex, the risk of downtime is heightened as skills gaps widen and new generations of operatives come on board.

However, the maintenance and uptime burden does not need to fall entirely on inhouse teams.

Providers of reliability services are there to plug knowledge and labour gaps, provide rapid response support when needed, and help companies transition to better ways of monitoring critical assets. Whether it’s fulfilling a callout-style emergency response need or playing the role of a longerterm strategic partner to help transform approaches to maintenance, reliability services can be tailored to suit every requirement.

Indeed, by tapping into an established supply chain of expertise, such as that offered by ABB Motion Services, organisations can put some much-craved security, resilience and certainty back into their operations and remove some of the risks associated with downtime. From saving money to avoiding reputational damage, reliability services exist to futureproof industrial businesses. TIMES-CIRCLE

bit.ly/ABBrcs www.theaemt.com

Giving special thanks and recognition to the people, companies, projects and services that play a crucial role in ensuring our food production, utilities, manufacturing processes, transportation and other essential services are maintained and secured.

Make sure you join the celebration...

Endorsements:

“The AEMT Awards is one of the highlights in the industry calendar, and ABB is delighted to have sponsored the ‘Service Centre of the Year’ Category since 2018. I’d like to thank the organisers and offer my congratulations to all finalists and winners on the night.”

Rob Wood ABB, UK

“We were delighted to win the Diversity in Engineering category. The AEMT Awards are a fantastic opportunity to network and share best practice within our industry.

It’s great to see so many businesses driving innovation and advancement.”

Eleanor McIntosh Houghton International

Thursday, November 23rd 2023 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Coventry The awards are a global celebration of business and professional excellence. They recognise the achievements of both individuals and companies manufacturing, distributing, maintaining and repairing industrial machinery such as electric motors, drives, pumps, fans, gearboxes, generators, transformers, switchgear and ancillary equipment.

Seven awards will be presented during the charged atmosphere of the gala ceremony, including: Product of the Year, Project of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Service Centre of the Year, Diversity in Engineering, Contribution to Skills & Training and the Rising Star Award. Make sure you book your place and be part of this industry wide celebration of engineering excellence.

Book Seats at: www.aemtawards.com

2023 Partners:

AC Motor Drives 32 FEATURE

Sales of ultra-low-voltage drives set for huge growth

Blake Griffin, an expert in automation systems, industrial digitalisation, and off-highway electrification at Interact Analysis, explores why sub-60V motor and drive architectures are gaining so much attention.

I

nteract Analysis has been covering the motor and drive space since the company’s inception. Within the AC motor and drive market, low voltage is commonly understood as being less than 690V. During last year’s edition of our annual low voltage AC motor drive market research, we noticed a common term being mentioned – ‘ultra-low-voltage’. This was the first time we had heard this used in the context of traditional motor and drive markets, and it immediately piqued our interest.

Upon further exploration, we found the term ultra-low-voltage to mean less than 60V and determined the strength of the trend was significant enough to warrant producing a dedicated report on the topic.

In April, we published the first edition of a market report titled 'Ultra Low Voltage Drives – 2023', which explores the drivers behind the shift towards <60V architectures and where they are gaining the most traction.

WHY <60V? From a product safety perspective, there are advantages to using <60V systems over their higher voltage counterparts. Within industrial applications, the UL product safety standard mandates that products with an input voltage of greater than 60V have additional protective features to mitigate the risk of shock to those encountering the device. As a result, using a <60V system where applicable allows for easier maintenance. Since the system is within a ‘safe’ voltage range, it can be maintained by a less skilled technician without risk of electrocution – something that carries a premium in today’s manufacturing landscape.

The emerging skills gap within the field of manufacturing technicians has been commonly cited as a driver for many trends within the industrial automation sector. As older, more experienced technicians exit the workforce, fewer younger engineers are entering as replacements. Manufacturers are, therefore, struggling to find labour

Quarter 4 2023

skilled enough to efficiently perform the necessary maintenance on crucial equipment.

For example, predictive maintenance and condition monitoring technology have seen a rapid increase in adoption as a mechanism to reduce this skills gap. The adoption of safer <60V architectures can be viewed through a similar lens.

BATTERY DRIVEN PROCESSES The second major driver towards <60V architectures stems from the increasing prevalence of battery-driven applications within industry. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) most notably, have seen sales increase significantly in recent years, and the market for these vehicles is anticipated to continue to grow at a steep rate. The majority of these vehicles operate with a 24V or 48V battery. Consequently, the motors and drives used fall within the ultra-lowvoltage threshold.

Over the next five years, ultra-low-voltage drives sold to the AGV and AMR sectors are forecast to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 71%, making it the fastest growing sector covered within our report. By 2027, we expect the sale of ultra-low-voltage drives to AGV/AMR applications to comprise approximately 55% of total market revenues.

AUXILIARY SYSTEMS The next significant driver of growth for the ultra-low-voltage motor and drives market is a bit more nuanced. Within machinery, particularly machinery with an abundance of small actuation points, there is an increased level of automation being employed in historically manual processes. A prominent example can be found within packaging

machinery because packaging machines are designed to accommodate multiple products and packaging materials, the machine has to become more flexible.

Historically, materials or systems had to be adjusted manually, whereas machine builders are now pushing more automation into these auxiliary systems to enable more efficient processes. Ultra-low-voltage brushless DC and stepper motors are often selected to carry out these automated processes due to their high level of control, ease of maintenance and low cost. As a result, ultra-low-voltage drive usage is increasing within these types of systems.

As market analysts, we often see trends in our areas of coverage influencing other sectors. Interact Analysis has covered general-purpose motor and motion control markets for some time. The ultra-low-voltage trend was brought up unprompted in several interviews with suppliers operating in both markets. This often indicates significant growth for the trend in question as it has begun to influence sales of related products.

We produced research into this market under the hypothesis that we would find significant growth. After speaking with suppliers of the products and finalising the research, we can consider our hypothesis confirmed. TIMES-CIRCLE

bit.ly/IAulvmd www.theaemt.com

FEATUREEfficiency Focus 34 Energy

Implementing energyefficient drive systems Power management specialist Eaton explains the effect that increasing energy efficiency in drive technology is having on switchgear.

W

hen using IE3 and IE4 motors, looking at the system as a whole is always necessary. This is partly because the full optimisation potential of a drive system can only be realised by coordinating the motor and motor controller components (motor starter, variable speed drive). However, it is also because IE3 and IE4 motors have special properties that directly affect the other components in the drive system – particularly the switchgear.

STARTING CURRENTS To meet the energy efficiency requirements specified in IEC 60034-30-1, IE3 and IE4 motors typically have higher inductance and lower copper losses, resulting in higher starting currents than standard IE1 and IE2 motors.

If we take a closer look at the starting period of IE3 and IE4 motors, we can distinguish between two types of current: The inrush current only occurs in the first and second half-cycle after the motor is switched on.

Compared to an IE1 motor, this peak inrush current – depending on the rated power – is between 20% and 50% higher in the case of IE3 motors, and even higher for IE4 motors.

The subsequent starting current is also significantly higher for IE3 motors – the starting current ratio (starting current/ nominal current) increases by up to 35% for motors with an output of less than <3kW, by up to 15% for medium-sized motors and by less than 7% for motors with more than 75kW. Here again, IE4 motors have a significantly higher

Quarter 4 2023

Figure 1: Inrush current occurs in the first and second half-cycle after switching on an IE3/IE4 motor and can be up to 50% higher than the actual nominal current.

starting-current ratio. The lower nominal current is only reached after the inrush and starting current has decayed.

Switchgear that is used together with IE3 and IE4 motors must be able to safely handle both the higher starting and inrush currents. This also means that the motor protection system needs to be able to distinguish between the motor inrush current and a fault (for exmple a short circuit). The relationship between the inrush current and the effective value of the full load current of the motor plays an important role because it is related to the response value

of the short-circuit release of the motor-protective circuit breakers.

Only if the short-circuit tripping current is above the ratio between the peak value of the inrush current and the effective value of the full load current of the IE3 or IE4 motor no unwanted tripping occurs when the motor is switched on.

Contemporary programs for dimensioning lowvoltage networks help with the correct selection of protective components. The xSpider program from Eaton, for example, also takes the influence of the motors into account when calculating the short-circuit current.

IE3 and IE4 motors typically have higher inductance and lower copper losses.

www.theaemt.com

Energy EfficiencyFEATURE Focus 35 35 MOTOR STARTERS Care should be taken to ensure that motor starters and soft starters are approved for operation with energy-efficient motors. This is because if the contactors are not suitable for IE3 or IE4 motors, the increased starting currents cause faster wear of the contact device and, thus, faster welding of the contacts. For applications involving frequent switching operations this can lead to the process coming to a standstill.

The same applies to motorprotective circuit breakers or motor starter combinations.

These must also be designed for operation with increased starting currents so that they do not lead to false tripping and faster wear.

As a result, there is no need to fear an increased maintenance effort. Eaton's motor starters meet the latest requirements of the IEC/EN 60947-x series of standards.

INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY To achieve the highest energy savings in an application the mechanical parts of the system should definitely be considered in addition to the motor, control gear and switchgear.

According to the ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association), approximately 10% of the potential savings that can be achieved in the drive system can be achieved by using efficient motors. Speed-controlled operation results in a savings potential of around 30%. However, the greatest potential of about 60% lies in the optimisation of the entire system.

Only with an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001 can companies implement systems

and processes that allow energy consumption to be continuously improved. An essential element of such an energy management system is the detailed recording of energy consumption throughout the company.

Instead of retrofitting or equipping a system with separate measuring devices at considerable cost, energy measurement can also be realised with modern digital circuit breakers such as the NZM from Eaton. Thanks to their communication interface, they provide important information in the framework of energy management systems. TIMES-CIRCLE

IE3 and IE4 motors typically have higher inductance and lower copper losses.

www.eaton.com

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36 Repair Service Directory R.E. Field Services Ltd

EUROSERV LIMITED SERVICES INCLUDE • • Pumps • • Motors • • Gearboxes • • Fans • • Servo Motors

Spindle Motors Inverter Drives Electrical Mechanical Rewinds

0191 519 3344 martin.mcguffie@euroservltd.net www.euroservltd.net

APPROVED BY NIDEC SIEMENS MAVILOR BOSCH TECMOTORS SCHNEIDER

Fletcher Moorland Ltd SERVICES INCLUDE • • • • •

Pumps Motors Gearboxes Fans Laser Alignment

• • • • •

Servo Motors Inverter Drives Condition Monitoring Rewinds Ex Motor Repair

SERVICES INCLUDE • • • • •

Gearboxes Laser Alignment Condition Monitoring Marine Repairs Thermography

• • • • •

APPROVED BY BP E-ON SSE INTERGEN VEOLIA VIRADOR

Vibration Electrical Mechanical Generators Rewinds

0114 256 0425 campbell.edgar@refieldservices.com www.refieldservices.com

Fyfe Wilson Ltd APPROVED BY ABB

01782 411021 hello@fletchermoorland.co.uk www.fletchermoorland.co.uk

SERVICES INCLUDE • • Pumps • • Motors • • Gearboxes • Fans • • Laser Alignment

Transformers Balancing Machining Fabrication Rewinds

01279 653333 engineer@fyfewilson.co.uk www.fyfewilson.co.uk

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FEATURE 37 37 repair service directory Arfon Engineering SERVICES INCLUDE • Laser Alignment • Pumps • Condition Monitoring • Motors • Marine Repairs • Gearboxes • Thermography • Fans • Switchgear • Inverter Drives 0151 334 6808 (Wirral) 01286 675 853 (Caernarfon) sales@arfonrewinds.com www.arfonrewinds.com

APPROVED BY

WEG Motors Wilo Pumps NORD Geared Motors Dertec Geared Motors Hoyer Motors Elmo Rietschle Pumps Robuschi Pumps Parker Drives Mitsubishi Drives Hidrostal Pumps Wistro Force Vented Fans

Wilson Fans Pumps and Motors SERVICES INCLUDE • • Pumps • • Motors • • Fans • • Laser Alignment • • Panel Building

The coloured dots in the listings indicate areas covered, please call or email repairers to confirm exact details.

020 7228 3343 carly@wilsonelectric.co.uk www.wilsonelectric.co.uk

ADC Electrical Ltd

Houghton International SERVICES INCLUDE • Electric motors • • • Generators • • Pumps • • Gearboxes • Transformers

Inverter Drives Balancing Electrical Mechanical Rewinds

Condition Monitoring

Electro-mechanical services Onsite testing and analysis Ex repairs - IECEx approved

APPROVED BY Baker Hughes

SERVICES INCLUDE • • Pumps • • Motors • • Fans • • Transformers • • Balancing

Condition Monitoring Marine Repairs Mechanical Rewinds Ex Hazardous Area

0191 234 3000 info@houghton-international.com www.houghton-international.com

0191 4165222 info@adc-electrical.co.uk www.adc-electrical.co.uk

Mechanica Utilities Ltd

GES Group

SERVICES INCLUDE • • Pumps • • Motors • • Gearboxes • • Laser Alignment • Condition Monitoring •

Marine Repairs Vibration Electrical Mechanical Generators

APPROVED BY

SPP Pumps Belzona Coatings Hydromarque Pumps Brown Europe Gearboxes

SERVICES INCLUDE • Pumps • • Motors • • Gearboxes • • Servo Motors • • Spindle Motors •

Balancing Condition Monitoring Marine Repairs Mechanical Rewinds

01304 206690 sales@mechanica-utilities.com www.mechanica-utilities.com

+44 (0)282 565 6406 info@ges-group.com www.ges-group.com

Rotamec Engineering Solutions

CEMB Hofmann UK Ltd

SERVICES INCLUDE • • Pumps • • Motors • • Gearboxes • • Fans • • Balancing

Marine Repairs Electrical Mechanical Generators Rewinds

01934 743165 paul.pearce@rotamec.co.uk www.rotamec.com

APPROVED BY Lowara Grundfos Motovario Lenze TEC NIDEC Marelli

SERVICES INCLUDE • Condition Monitoring • Laser Alignment • Balancing Machine • Balancing Service & Calibration • Thermography • Vibration

0161 872 3122 rob@cembhofmann.co.uk www.cembhofmann.co.uk

To feature in the Repair Service Directory, contact Andrew Castle: PHONE +44 (0)7785 290034 envelope andrew@renew-mag.com

APPROVED BY

Siemens LV Motors, Brook Crompton Motors, Nidec (Leroy-Somer)

FEATURE 38 Opinion

A dying breed? I think not Matt Flecther, Managing Director of electromechanical repair specialist Fletcher Moorland, believes that while industry needs more people skilled in the repair of electronic equipment, they are far from a dying breed.

L

ast week, I was tagged in a LinkedIn post about a TV series on UK TV Play titled Retro Electro Workshop.

A more electronics-based version of the BBC's successful The Repair Shop, it was a great watch, showing old electronics being repaired. If you are interested in repairing things, I urge you to watch it.

Reflecting on the program, I remembered a comment made by the narrator that's been bothering me. It referred to the guy repairing the 1920s radio and the 1980s Atari console as part of a 'dying breed'.

Granted, there are fewer people who can repair electronic equipment than there were 20-30 years ago as a direct result of our throwaway society. But a dying breed? I don't believe they are.

Just because we find ourselves surrounded by newer and more innovative devices in a race towards having the latest and greatest gadgets, we tend to overlook the value and potential of older electronic equipment that might still serve a vital purpose. We refer to these as obsolete – no longer produced or used; out of date.

Shifting from consumer to industrial electronics, such as a controller we were sent for repair; it is obsolete and no longer produced. But I'll say that it's not out-ofdate or no longer used; it's still required to do a job.

How old do you think this controller pictured here is? 10, 20 years old? Well, there is a way of telling with electronic components. Look at the photo showing an integrated circuit (IC or chip). The part number is MM5450N, and it's an LED driver device for the display. The manufacturing date is the other number, 8718. Broken down, the first two digits represent the year of manufacture, and the last two are the week of manufacture.

It was manufactured in the 18th week of 1987. If you've got any PCBs lying around, go and take a look; now you know how to date electronic equipment.

So, this controller is 36 years old and still required in an industrial application; Quarter 4 2023

The code on the chip above – 8718 – can identify the components date of manufacture.

after all, we wouldn't have it for repair if it wasn't needed.

That brings me nicely back to repairing electronic equipment and the dying breed of repairers. There is such a huge demand for people skilled in electronic repairs. I've got around 25 people at Fletcher Moorland who day-in, day-out, repair all sorts of industrial electronic equipment. Plus, we have the next generation of repair engineers, too.

Worldwide supply chain shortages have mainly driven recent demand for repairing, yet I do feel that more and more people see the sustainability

benefit of repairing electronics. Repairing equipment has a direct positive impact on worldwide resources.

Of course we need more people to do it, we need more people to be trained to do it, and we need to embrace repairing better than we have done.

Thankfully, there are people pushing this message, so the electronics repairers of the world will never be a dying breed. TIMES-CIRCLE

fletchermoorland.co.uk www.theaemt.com

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SUPPLIER OF LARGE MOTORS FOR ALL UK APPLICATIONS MORE THAN 20.000 MOTORS AVAILABLE FROM STOCK! Motors up to 25 MW and 13.8 kV • Low voltage slip-ring and squirrel cage motors up to 3,000 kW • Medium voltage slip-ring and squirrel cage motors up to 15,000 kW • Direct current motors up to 2,000 kW • Frequency converter-proof drives • In-house load test facility up to 13.800 V, 2.300 kVA, 120 Hz

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS

Customized special designs • Custom designs for special applications and operating conditions • Optimized motor design for higher efficiency • Mechanically and electrically interchangeable motors • Commissioning worldwide MENZEL Great Britain Ltd. | UK Branch Office 27 Hunt Drive | Melton Mowbray | Leicestershire LE13 1PB Martin Rooney | Tel.: +44 1664 500 844 | Mobil: +44 7957 618046 martin.rooney@menzelgb.co.uk MENZEL Elektromotoren GmbH German Headquarters Neues Ufer 19-25 | D–10553 Berlin | Germany

menzel-motors.com info@menzel-motors.com

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