Electric motors have been around for centuries, becoming more refined and powerful over the years. Their role is to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy used in everything from your household appliances and computers to powering mega factories around the world.

The first motors were developed as far back as the 1740’s, however due to the challenges in generating the high voltages they needed for operation, these motors were never used for any practical purposes.

DC motors made a rise through the 1830’s, running up to 600 revolutions per minute, they powered basic tools and presses.

By the 1880’s the modern AC electric motor was taking shape, able to be adapted to many applications.

Today there is a wide variety of electric motor options for your plant. Key factors to consider when making your selection include:

• Input power source
• Environment – will the motor be operating in areas where it would be at risk or dust or water contamination or extreme temperatures. Is it located in a Hazardous Area?
• Motor specifications – the weight, size, shape can all have an impact on the suitability of the motor for the job.
• Motor performance – the speed and torque, starting/stall torque and the load profile will all impact on whether the motor is the right fit. A motor that has not been matched appropriately will cause significant damage to the machine, likely resulting in stalling or failure.

The EAS team can work with you to help take the guesswork out of choosing the right motor for your application.

To ensure the longevity of your motor, maintenance is also a key consideration. Over their lifespan of your motor, both mechanical and electrical inspections should be carried out to help identify issues such as:

• High resistance connections – Terminal box
• Winding contamination
• Rotor bar faults
• Bearing Housing
• Motor Feet
• Base-plate/Foundations
• Motor Insulation

The importance of including these checks as part of your preventative maintenance plan have been proven by the Cooper Bussmann brand which found that old age was responsible for only 10% of the failure of electric motors.

The most common causes of motor failure are actually:

Source: A.Bonnett & C. Yung

In addition to regular checks on your motors some early warning signs for motor failure may include:

• Motors tripping circuit protection
• Hot motor housing
• Excess vibration noise
• Increased operating costs
• Reduced torque
• Oil leakage at bearing seals
• Rust

Ignoring these warning signs may lead to costly repairs and downtime for equipment. Getting a qualified and experienced electrician you can trust in to diagnose these issues is paramount for safety and the lifespan of your motors and equipment.

If you would like advice on the best motor selection for your machines, or if you would like maintenance or repair assistance, get in touch with the EAS team today on 07 834 0505 so we can work together to find the best solution for you.

The work an Industrial Electrician does is quite different to that of a residential or commercial electrician.

While all electricians have core skills in installing light fixtures, wiring and installing outlets; Industrial Electricians require skills that allow them to work in manufacturing environments where they maintain a far more extensive range of electrical systems from micro currents to high voltage components.

The Electrical and Automation Solutions (EAS) team of specialist industrial electricians are highly skilled in this work including:

• plant automation, specialising in dairy and food processing
• distribution centre and coolstore electrical installation and maintenance
• new installations and servicing of packaging equipment, conveyor belts, agitators and all other types of plant and equipment.
• plant instrumentation installation, maintenance and calibration
• scheduled and preventative maintenance
• lighting design and LED upgrades
• electrical panel design and build
• machine breakdowns
• switchboard repairs and upgrades
• thermal imaging surveys
• EV chargers supply and install.

• Working in Confined Spaces
• Working at Heights
• Elevated Work Platforms
• Installation and Inspection of Hazardous Areas

EAS’ extensive experience working in food manufacturing environments means we understand the stringent protocols required to ensure the safety of your food manufacturing processes. Health & Safety is also a priority for our team. EAS are SHE and Prequal certified and go above and beyond to ensure that we fully understand and comply with all health and safety requirements of the sites we work on.

As an ISO9001 registered company, you can be assured that you will be delivered a quality solution that you can rely on.
If you need a Specialist Industrial Electrician you can trust to deliver your projects seamlessly, get in touch with the EAS team today on 07 834 0505 or [email protected].

Sign On Bonus

• To be eligible for the $5,000 sign on bonus, applications must be received by Wednesday 15 September – so don’t delay apply today.
• Bonus will be paid on the successful completion of your 90 day trial period.

Referral Bonus

To be eligible for the $1,000 referral bonus the following conditions must be met:

• Referral’s must be received by 15 September.
• EAS must employ the person you recommend.
• The referrer must be identified in the covering email/letter sent with the job application.

From 1 July 2021, people buying new and imported EVs can get a rebate of $8,625 on new EVs, or $5,750 on new hybrids. So now may be a great time to investigate moving to Electric Vehicles for your business.

So why choose an EV?

• They’re more cost effective to run and easier to maintain.
  A petrol car travelling 12,500km a year costs approximately $2,500 while a fully electric vehicle would cost only about $500.
• The latest EVs have a range of at 300km – more than enough for most days. The average daily trip in New Zealand is 29km ad 90% of travel by car is less than 90Km. Plus as part of the Government’s announcement they are planning to install fast EV charges every 75km along most state highways.
• EVs are great for the environment and your brand.
  They demonstrate that your company is future focused and care about the environment.
  Battery EVs emit 60% fewer climate-changing emissions over their full life cycle when compared to petrol vehicles. Converting to electric vehicles is one of the biggest ways that New Zealand can reduce our emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels, since transport makes up about 21% of New Zealand’s annual emissions.

  If you want to work out the total cost of ownership for EVs for your business check out genless – cost of ownership tool

EAS have the skills and experience to assist you with installing EV chargers for your fleet or staff carparks. For more information, just get in touch with the team today on 07 834 0505.

Variable Speed Drives (VSD) control motor speed in response to varying process demands in your plant. The motor speed adjustment can be based on feedback from the process; for example flow rate, temperature or pressure so that process control can be improved.

Due to the ‘magic’ of affinity laws, small decreases in the speed of pumps and fans or the pressure of pumps can lead to large decreases in energy use meaning the use of VSDs can provide significant energy savings. For example:

• Using a VSD to reduce the speed of a motor reduces energy consumption by around 50%
• Using a VSD to reduce the pressure of a pump by 20%, reduces the energy consumption by around 28%

Other benefits of using VSDs include:

• Reduced stress on system components
• Accurate system control of parameters such as flow, pressure  and temperature
• Improved workplace safety through reduced heat and noise levels

Variable Speed Drives are a vital component of your plant and as such they require regular preventative maintenance checks to ensure your plant is operating at peak performance.
Key checks include:

• Visual check:
  These are done to ensure the drive is clean and the cooling fan and cooling system are all in good condition. Dust on VSD hardware can cause a lack of airflow, diminishing performance. Dust also absorbs moisture which can contribute to failure.Connections should also be checked as heat cycles and mechanical vibration can lead to sub-standard connection and cause erratic operation resulting in damage to machinery.
• Settings:
  Parameter settings should be checked and recoded so that if there is a failure, the drive can be easily replaced. EAS utilise Drive Software to enable us to upload the correct settings straight back into your drive to get it up and running as quickly as possible.
• Stocktake of spare parts:
  By performing a stock take of the spare parts available we can ensure that any breakdowns can be handled quickly and efficiently. It also gives the opportunity to identify drives where spare parts are no longer available so that a planned upgrade of the drive can be scheduled where it will be least disruptive to production.

Why are preventative maintenance checks so important?
Preventative maintenance checks reduce the risk of your manufacturing equipment failing, resulting
in costly unplanned downtime. With regular preventative maintenance checks of your variable speed drives and other key equipment you can:

• Reduce the chance of unplanned downtime
• Gain more control over budgeting and scheduling for equipment replacements and upgrades
• Increase the life of your critical machinery

If you need assistance checking your Variable Speed Drives or other plant and equipment are in top condition – get in touch with the EAS team today on 834 0505.