One of the first steps in doing a job right is to have an established goal. One of the primary goals of the service center should be to return a repaired electric machine back to its owner with no reduction in machine efficiency or reliability. This is the whole premise of the EASA Accreditation Program.

Uno de los primeros pasos para hacer bien un trabajo es tener una meta establecida. Uno de los objetivos principales del centro de servicio debe ser devolver una máquina eléctrica reparada a su propietario sin reducir la eficiencia o confiabilidad de la máquina. Esta es toda la premisa del Programa de Acreditación de EASA.

ANSI/EASA AR100 is a must-have guide to the repair of rotating electrical machines. Its purpose is to establish recommended practices in each step of the rotating electrical apparatus rewinding and rebuilding processes.

I suspect that just about everyone in our industry at one time or another has had the joy of repairing a “purpose-built” motor. This kind of motor is built for a specific purpose and has characteristics that may allow it to operate under non-standard conditions. Due to the limited information that some of them display on the nameplate, the repair of these motors can be somewhat of a challenge. Sometimes these motors possess differences such as the color of paint, the shaft size, the bearing size, or type. It can be the operating temperature and at times it can be the motor in its entirety. Following are a few useful tips we use when repairing a motor with so many question marks.

When faced with an ailing or failed motor, plant operators typically consider whether to repair or replace it. According to a 2014 study conducted by Plant Engineering magazine for the Electrical Apparatus and Service Association (EASA), just more than one-half of plants have a policy of automatically replacing failed electric motors below a certain horsepower rating. While that horsepower rating varied depending upon the plant’s installed motor population, the average rating was 30 hp.

While such policies address a portion of the motors used at most plants, they do not cover what occurs with those motors. That question was addressed in a more recent research project commissioned by EASA that focused on the disposition of electric motors considered for repair.

Before getting underway with this marketing discussion, you may be asking: Why should I even care about the Recommended Practice for the Repair of Rotating Electrical Apparatus (ANSI/ EASA AR100-2015)? Actually, that’s a good question! This article will tell you why you should care.

Electric motor efficiency can be maintained during repair and rewind by following defined good practices. This article builds on a previous discussion of PM and PdM for three-phase squirrel-cage motors ("PM and PdM for electric motors") by outlining some of the expectations and good practices for repairs of these types of motors.

In a previous article in Plant Engineering ("A systematic approach to AC motor repair," Plant Engineering, April 2015), EASA highlighted the good practices for electrical repair found in ANSI/EASA Standard AR100 Recommended Practice for the Repair of Rotating Electrical Apparatus, and the significant impact they can have on motor efficiency and reliability. But that was only part of the story, because mechanical repairs—and even documentation, cleaning, and inspection—can also markedly affect motor reliability and efficiency.

By this time we should all know that stator core loss testing is a required part of a quality rewind. A core loss test before and after burn-off is specified in the EASA Recommended Practice for the Repair of Rotating Electrical Apparatus (ANSI/EASA AR100) and The Effect of Repair/Rewinding on Motor Efficiency; EASA/AEMT Rewind Study and Good Practice Guide to Maintain Motor Efficiency.

Topics covered in this article include:

• Lessons learned
• Rebates add incentive
• Learning from other members
• Determining if the core is usable
• Accurate iron measurements

Do customers and prospects view your company as just another EASA repair facility? Not sure? The most successful EASA members have learned to position their businesses in a way that is not like all others.

How do they achieve this uniqueness? It’s not through fancy marketing, websites or slick-talking salespeople. Rather, it is a business strategy that provides superior service by demonstrating adherence to EASA’s recommended practices. Note: This is not a technical session. It is a strategic marketing session that illustrates how your company can enhance customer value.

Some of the EASA standards addressed include:

• ANSI/EASA AR100-2010: Recommended Practice for the Repair of Rotating Electrical Apparatus
• Root Cause Failure Analysis
• The Effect of Repair/Rewinding on Motor Efficiency: EASA/AEMT Rewind Study and Good Practice Guide to Maintain Efficiency