Motors, Drives

Figure 2: EASA and Plant Engineering (CFE Media) research included asset management strategies for motors and rotating equipment. Those who lag in adopting asset monitoring technologies may risk losing business to those who do. Courtesy: EASA and Plant Engineering
Motors, Drives August 16, 2019

Motors, fans, pumps, compressors: IIoT avoids downtime

Think Again: Remote monitoring, sensors, analytics and real-time intelligence is helping those who manufacture, use, and repair motors and attached critical assets to avoid downtime with prescriptive maintenance technologies, says EASA and Plant Engineering research.

By Mark T. Hoske
After the male and female snaps have been inserted, the UR5 places the fabric under a vision camera lens for quality inspection and sorts it in either a “good” or “reject” pile. Courtesy: Universal Robots
Robotics August 15, 2019

Do-it-yourself collaborative robotic project

Case study: Collaborative robots at a thermal wrap manufacturing company deliver a zero-defect rate while doubling production output. Installation, integration and use has been a do-it-yourself (DIY) project.

By Joe Campbell
Pump selection for parallel pump control is critical in determining the desired total system output. Check pump curves to make sure that the number of pumps, flow, head, and multi set points are adequate for your system needs. Head pressure may not remain constant in some cases, as the flow is increased to multiple pumps. Courtesy: Crane Pumps & Systems.
Motors, Drives August 15, 2019

Use of variable frequency drives in injection molding saves money

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) improves process cooling optimization and pump efficiency.

By Timothy Albers and Dan Roberts
Figure 3: As-found condition of the hot gas expander rotor. Courtesy: Sulzer
Gears and Bearings August 8, 2019

Understanding failure to improve turbomachinery designs

Expert failure analysis techniques deliver improved reliability for demanding manufacturing operations.

By Kirill Grebinnyk, Dr. Vamadevan Gowreesan, and Ricardo Guerrero
Figure 1: Shown on the left is a 200W servo motor and compatible servo drive with the necessary power and feedback cables for connecting the motor and drive together. Shown on the right is a comparable 200W integrated servo motor that combines the individual motor and drive components into a single package while providing the same speed and torque performance. Utilizing integrated motors into a machine design reduces system complexity and saves space. Courtesy: Applied Motion
Motors, Drives August 8, 2019

Integrated motors offer flexibility with fewer components

Integrated motors save space compared to separate motor and drive components by reducing the number of components in the system, simplifying cabling and reducing costs over conventional solutions.

By Eric Rice
Figure 2: Material handling conveyors are a common constant-torque application well-suited to ac motors. Courtesy: AutomationDirect
Motors, Drives August 6, 2019

Three steps to size motors

Proper motor sizing precludes equipment failures, ensures efficiency and reduces maintenance issues.

By Bryan Sisler
Typical cause of being failure by percentage. Courtesy: ABB
Lubrication July 1, 2019

Top 5 Plant Engineering articles June 24-30

Articles about lubrication and bearings, the 2019 Lubrication Guide, oil's return on investment, predictive maintenance obstacles, and worker safety best practices were Plant Engineering’s five most clicked articles from June 24-30. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra
Courtesy: CFE Media
CNC Motion Control June 25, 2019

Motion control and motor market reports decline in first quarter of 2019

The Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA) reported that the global motion control and motor market saw a very small decline in shipments in the first quarter of 2019 compared to 2018.

By Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA)
Typical cause of being failure by percentage. Courtesy: ABB
Lubrication June 10, 2019

Understanding lubrication from the bearing’s perspective

Many factors can impact how proper use can avoid friction.

By Keith Bartley
Lubrication in a plant setting shouldn’t be taken for granted. In fact, a proper system to ensure oil cleanliness also can extend the life of equipment and improve productivity. Courtesy: Mobil Industrial Lubricants
Lubrication June 7, 2019

Clean oil is productive oil

The care of your lubricant stock is all about the basics.

By Brad Prickett