Electric Motors

Electric motors are found everywhere in commercial facilities and industrial plants, where they power fans, pumps, compressors and exhausts as well as manufacturing and assembly equipment. Electrical energy consumption can be greatly reduced by replacing older, worn out motors with energy-efficient equivalents and specifying energy efficient motors in new equipment. Such practices not only lower energy costs but also improve equipment reliability.

Videos

  • Motor Management Best Practices

    Part I: Creating a Motor Inventory, Repair/Replace Guidelines
    • Video Icon Creating a Motor Management Plan
      This segment discusses the steps necessary to establishing a program to manage your facilities motors. Industry experts discuss aspects key to getting started.
    • Video Icon Importance of a Motor Assessment Plan
      Why do you need a motor management plan? This discussion with leaders in the field lay out the reasons you need to better manage your facility's motors and energy program.
    • Video Icon Motor Survey Criteria
      What goes in to developing a survey? What information needs to be gathered to develop an effective program for motor management? Motor Energy experts provide the answers to help you.
    • Video Icon Motor Management Software Tools
      There are a number of effective tools for you to manage your motor inventory. Most are free and extremely effective. This video describes tools to use to help with your program.
    • Video Icon Repair/Replace: Making the Right Decision
      When to replace versus repair can be a costly mistake if the wrong choice is made. This segment highlights the need and importance for choosing wisely and discusses the means to make the correct decision.
    Part II: Motor Failure Policies and Purchasing Specifications
    • Video Icon Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA)
      Industry experts discuss the 2007 legislation (Effective 12/2010) and lay the groundwork for establishing an effective motor management plan.
    • Video Icon Discounts and Incentives
      A discussion of the means to realizing the largest discount possible when purchasing motors.
    • Video Icon Corporate Support
      Motor experts provide assistance in securing upper management support and suggestions for developing a well-thought motor purchasing policy.
    • Video Icon System Efficiency
      How motors fit into total system efficiency is discussed by leaders in the motor field.
    • Video Icon Repair versus Replace
      The developers of the Horsepower Breakpoint tool at Advanced Energy and the developer of the MotorMaster+ software at Washington State University’s Extension Energy Office discuss these valuable tools and their relevance to making smart motor repair/replace decisions.
    • Video Icon Downtime and Critical Motors
      This segment demonstrates the importance of making the right decisions to eliminate downtime and addressing the preparation for dealing with critical motor failure.
    • Video Icon Spares Inventory
      Why having a spares inventory of the right motors should be a part of your motor management best practices. Here experts offer solutions.
    Part III: Repair Specifications, and Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
    • Video Icon Motor Repair Specifications: Choosing a motor repair facility
      Discussions with one of the country’s leading motor repair facilities on what to look for in making a decision on who to repair your motors.
    • Video Icon Preventive Maintenance
      Discussions with leaders in the motor industry explain the need for preventive maintenance of the right kind.
    • Video Icon Predictive Maintenance
      How predictive maintenance can make a huge difference in maintaining a smooth running facility. Experts provide insight into selecting the tools to accomplish this important aspect of a motor management plan.
    • Video Icon Additional Considerations
      A further discussion by one of the experts at Washington State University’s Extension Energy office regarding tools available to assist your facility’s motor operations.
    • Video Icon Motor Repair Facility: Quality Matters
      An industry leader and repair facility personnel discuss the need for quality work in returning your damaged motor to top-notch working condition.
  • Video Icon Energy Independence and Security Act
    Dr. Edwin Brush explains the Energy Independence and Security Act as it pertains to electric motors. NEMA Premium is the minimum efficiency standard in most cases.
  • Video Icon Motor Loss Categories
    Dr. Edwin Brush of BBF and Associates explains the loss categories in an electric motor using a motor cutaway.
  • Video Icon Above-NEMA Premium Motors
    Explanation of motors that exceed NEMA Premium efficiency, particularly cast copper rotor motors. Each of the losses categories is explained, and how each is reduced.
  • Video Icon Benefits of NEMA Premium
    Randy Breaux explains that these motors run cooler than standard motors, can improve up-time.
  • Video Icon NEMA Premium vs. Above-NEMA Premium Motors
    Super premium motors, some featuring a cast copper rotor, are available that offer even lower losses than NEMA Premium, exceed the minimum efficiency required and save even more.
  • Video Icon Replace Rather Than Rewind
    When a motor fails, that's the ideal time to consider a more efficient replacement. Rewinding an older, inefficient motor only produces a rewound inefficient motor.
  • Video Icon IEEE 841 Electric Motors
    An explanation of IEEE 841 industrial duty motors relative to standard NEMA Premium motors.

Education

  • INFOGRAPHIC: Copper's Key Role in Keeping America's Motors Running [PDF - 57Kb]
    This infographic illustrates the benefits of copper in electric motors for commercial facilities and industrial plants. Motors rely on the strength and superior electrical and thermal conductivities of copper to increase productivity, be more energy efficient and reliable.
  • Copper Motor Rotors
    Super premium motors are now available.
  • Introduction to Premium Efficiency Motors
    This article describes the several loss categories in motors, how premium efficiency motors reduce these losses, and shows several tables with purchase and operating cost comparisons, as well as paybacks available when selecting premium efficiency motors as replacements for, or in place of standard models.
  • Go Beyond Minimum Requirements: NEMA Premium ® Motors Mean Big Savings, Fast Payback and Higher Reliability
    This article explains reasons why you want to consider Premium Efficiency Motor and contains several examples of energy and dollar savings available with NEMA Premium ® Motors.
  • A Systems Approach to Calculating Energy Savings
    This section will help you calculate the best, most efficient designations for wiring, motors and transformers.
  • MotorSlide Calculator™
    A sliderule tool for quickly approximating the annual operating cost of a specific electric motor, or for calculating the approximate annual savings possible when comparing a more efficient motor versus another, less efficient model of comparable size. The calculator also has a built-in table of NEMA Premium ® nominal efficiencies versus EPAct minimums (up to 200 hp), for quick reference. 
     Visit our Publications List for a free copy (U.S. addresses only.)
  • High Efficiency Motors & Transformers CD-ROM
    Explains how premium motors and transformers are made, how they differ from standard-efficiency products, and details their advantages, particularly in heavy-duty-cycle use. Includes information on the latest DOE rules and Energy legislation. Also contains numerous video clips and text material on both technical and life-cycle-cost issues.
    Visit our Publications List for a free copy (U.S. addresses only.)
  • Motor Systems Training
    WSU Seminars The Washington State University (WSU) Energy Program offers motor systems management workshops that can help plant engineers, electricians, and maintenance staff as well as facility operators to optimize their motor system effectiveness and efficiency. This includes presentations and a demonstration of power quality monitoring, data logging, motor control, and power factor correction as well as hands-on training of motor selection and systems analysis software tool.

Case Studies

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