Under the Enclosure with eMotors Direct

Since the invention of the AC electric motor, motor manufacturers have been innovating to make the motor more resilient, more capable, and more energy efficient. Some industries have benefitted from these innovations more than others, especially where a standard efficiency motor just doesn’t quite cut it. Heavy, harsh, contaminated, severe-duty environments need higher reliability and better efficiency from their electric motors. Industries like Oil & Gas, Chemical, and Pulp & Paper, face the problem of excessive unplanned downtime due to early motor failures. That is, until the release of the IEEE-841 motor standards in 1986. Who is IEEE? The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (or IEEE) is the world’s largest technical professional society. It leads the development of industrial standards for telecommunication, electric power, and consumer electronics. History of IEEE Though electricity had technically been around for a while already, it wasn’t widely adopted by society until the late 1800s. And in 1884, in the state of New York, the IEEE was founded to encourage the innovation and development of electrical products and components. The early leaders of the professional organization include some major names like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. The membership of IEEE consists of Engineers and Scientists at its core, however, it also encompasses Computer Scientists, Software Developers, IT Professionals, Physicists, and even Medical Doctors. Now, in 2021, the organization has a portfolio of almost 1200 electrical standards for various industries, with many more currently under development. Included in these standards is the IEEE-841 standard. What is IEEE-841? The IEEE-841 standard was developed in 1986 for the continuous and severe-duty operations of the Petroleum and Chemical industries. The environments and processes found within this industry place great mechanical stress on equipment and are often full of contaminants like dirt, dust, water, ice, etc. A standard efficiency electric motor will fail long before its expected lifespan due to stress and contamination, with bearing failure due to lubricant contamination being the number one cause. The goal of the IEEE-841 motor standard was created to improve the reliability, efficiency, and performance of severe duty motors in this industry, effectively helping to prolong the life of the motors and decrease unwanted and costly downtime. The standard has now been widely adopted by other industries, such as Pulp & Paper, and has been globally accepted for electric motors used in the most extreme conditions. What Type of Motors Does IEEE-841 Cover? The IEEE-841 electric motor standard covers “premium-efficiency totally enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) and totally enclosed nonventilated (TENV), horizontal and vertical, single-speed, squirrel cage polyphase induction motors, 0.75 kW to 370 kW (1 hp to 500 hp), and up to 4000 V nominal, in National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) frame sizes 143T and larger, for petroleum, chemical, and other severe-duty applications (commonly referred to as premium-efficiency severe-duty motors).” (https://standards.ieee.org/standard/841-2021.html) However, it does exclude sleeve bearings and some additional features which are specific to explosion-proof electric motors. No matter the manufacturer, every single motor advertised as IEEE-841 must meet the specs set out by the standard, with many of them featuring designs and testing that goes above and beyond what is set out by the standard. Additionally, there is a standardization of motor sizes across manufacturers. This allows for easy interchangeability which is convenient when you have difficulties sourcing a certain brand. IEEE-841 Specifications As of the most recent update published on May 28th, 2021, these are the most notable specifications set out by the IEEE-841 standard: Service conditions must be: -25°C to 40°C ambient temperature A maximum altitude of up to 1000m Humid, corrosive, or salty environments Full voltage starting Class I Division II hazardous locations Standard 5-year warranty Totally enclosed fan cooled (TEFC) or totally enclosed non ventilated (TENV) enclosure IP55 protection rating NEMA Design B torque and current characteristics and starting capabilities A minimum of a Class F insulation system Not to exceed a service factor of 1.0 Allows for long-term reliability A short-term overload of no more than 15% is still allowed Stainless steel nameplate Specialized bearings Inner bearing cap L-10 lifespan Cast iron frames, end shields, fan covers, and terminal boxes (corrosion resistant) Specified efficiency ratings based on motor size/guaranteed minimum efficiency Improved seals Corrosion-resistant paint and internals such as stator, rotor, and shaft surfaces Reduced system vibration (.08 ips) Non-sparking fan Must contact the manufacturer when pairing with a speed drive – issues with harmonics and voltage spikes It’s important to note that even if the motor meets and exceeds these specifications, regular maintenance is required to meet the premium efficiency standards. The Dollars and Cents of It When searching for your IEEE-841 electric motor, you may find that the initial purchase cost is higher than that of a similar motor at standard efficiency. So, why invest? When switching to IEEE-841 motors, there is an up to 50% decrease in early motor failures. This equals cost savings due to less unplanned downtime, spoiled product, and wasted employee resources. Less maintenance budget will be directed to motor repair and replacement costs. And an increase in power efficiency equals large cost savings on power consumption over the motor’s lifetime. Summary So, should you consider an IEEE-841 electric motor for your application? If your electric motors will be operating in harsh and contaminated environments and placed under significant mechanical stress, then yes, you should. You’ll benefit from reduced downtime, increased reliability, low noise levels, and high efficiency, all resulting in cost savings for your business.

Whether you’ve already purchased an electric motor or are still in the planning stage, familiarizing yourself with the different electric motor controls can help you maximize the productivity and efficiency of your operation while extending the service life of your motor, electronics, and all the mechanical assets connected to your motor. Motor control is any switch or device used to start, stop, or control the speed of an electric motor. Because each application has unique objectives and operating parameters, it is often necessary to control the motor's speed and protect it from a variety of risks specific to your usage. To select the right control for your application, the first step is to take a look at what you need the motor to do, and then select the motor control that gives you the capabilities you require. Soft Starters If your motor will be started under substantial load, especially if it occurs frequently, there is a high risk of damage from the electrical and mechanical shock that occurs when full power is applied to a motor at standstill. Depending on the load, a motor may experience a current surge up to five times the rated level at start-up, which can damage sensitive electronics and overheat the motor windings, drastically reducing its service life. This current surge also makes the motor accelerate suddenly, causing mechanical shock that can damage the motor bearings, gearbox and driven load. Over time, this will greatly increase maintenance, operational downtime, and parts replacement costs. It is highly recommended to install a soft starter to safely manage your motor's start-up process if your motor is started under a substantial load. The soft starter ramps up the power to the motor slowly, alleviating current surges and preventing overheating in the windings. This means that your motor will accelerate slowly and smoothly, protecting the motor, gearbox and load. You can also customize the soft starter's start-up parameters, including the time it takes to reach full speed, to suit your project needs. When your electric motor is required to run at full speed all the time, a soft starter may be sufficient. However, to precisely control and manage your motor's speed during all phases of operation and respond to changes in operational conditions, speed control is necessary. Speed Controls Speed controls enable your electric motor's speed to be continuously adjusted to meet the requirements of your operation, giving you the ability to maximize efficiency and performance at all times. Speed controls can replace soft starters to safely bring an electric motor up to speed, maintain a specific speed or adjust to changing circumstances. They are often capable of providing dynamic braking, which is useful for quickly and smoothly bringing a heavy load to a stop. AC and DC speed controls operate on different principles, but they are designed to achieve the same result. AC motor speed controls are commonly divided into two categories: Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), and Vector Controls, also known as Field Oriented Controls (FOC). VFDs manage the speed of the motor by modifying the frequency of the power supply and are the most common and cost-effective way to control the speed of an AC motor. However, they lose precision at lower speeds and are unable to create holding torque in a motor. Vector Control drives enable the speed of an AC motor to be precisely controlled over the entire speed range, even giving a motor capability to provide full torque at zero speed (holding torque). They achieve this by managing the motor's speed and torque separately, using a sophisticated control algorithm to produce the desired output. This enables servo-like control of an AC motor, a capability that was previously only available with DC motors. Vector Control drives are generally more expensive than VFDs, but their precise speed-control capability is essential for many finely-tuned, responsive electric motor applications. A special Vector Duty or Servo motor is needed for this type of drive. DC motor speed control is much simpler, as it only requires management of the input voltage, which is usually achieved using a PWM voltage regulator. DC speed controls also provide good precision over the entire speed range of the motor. Magnetic Starters A magnetic starter is a device that enables an electric motor to be started and stopped safely, especially when operating a heavy load. Magnetic starters offer controls for the operator and safety protections to prevent damage to the motor in case of overload. Magnetic starters consist of an electromagnetic contactor or switch and a thermal overload relay. The relay is usually closed manually by the operator pushing the start button. It is then held in a closed position by an electromagnetic force that can be automatically cut off when a hazardous situation is detected. The relay opens when excessive current passes through or overheating occurs, opening the switch and cutting off power to the motor to protect it from damage. If you start your motor with a heavy load, or it experiences intermittent high load during operation, it is recommended to use a magnetic starter to protect your motor from damaging surge currents. Summary Selecting the right motor controls gives you the capability to fine-tune the productivity of your application and protect valuable assets from electrical and mechanical damage. Here at eMotors Direct, we offer a comprehensive range of electric motors, gearboxes, and motor controls, giving you the components you need to build a complete package that meets all your performance objectives.

Regardless of industry, modern businesses are moving from an outdated linear supply chain model to a new paradigm that leverages technological tools to improve visibility, forecasting, and stock management. Let us introduce you to the key technologies and practices driving this shift and what they can offer for you and your business. The Evolution Traditionally, supply chains have operated in a linear network made up of parts that operate largely independently. This structure suffers from several issues that prevent optimization and reduce efficiency. Linear supply chains often employ an outdated silo approach that involves each link in the chain operating either independently or with limited collaboration with its immediate neighbours. Instead of freely sharing information to build a clear understanding of the company’s needs from one end of the supply chain to the other, each link in the chain works with incomplete information that often changes, interfering with efficiency and increasing operating costs. This approach misses the fundamental understanding that different parts of the supply chain are dependent on each other in complex ways. Each link contains knowledge, expertise, and information that could greatly improve the ability of other parts of the chain to operate effectively. To combat this problem, modern supply chain management has recently evolved toward a much more collaborative model that prioritizes information sharing, driven in part by the development of smart technology that allows rapid recording and processing large datasets. A New Supply Chain Paradigm In the last few years, industries have shifted towards using advanced digital tools and technology to develop a deeply connected and highly resilient supply chain. This approach leverages data-gathering across the entire network to create predictive models that drive strategy development and use automation and optimization tools to streamline performance. Analytics Recently, many businesses have benefited from data-driven software tools used to gather large amounts of performance data in different areas of the business and harvest them for insights into risk and opportunity. This creates a rich source of information that can be used to drive strategic planning. To get this data, industrial automation tools are being deployed that use IoT (Internet of Things) technology to continuously record data on equipment health and process performance, storing it in cloud-based servers that can be securely accessed from any geographical location. Machine Learning This decentralized data can then be operated on by advanced machine learning algorithms that look for ways to optimize the business's performance and spot opportunities for improvement. When both data and machine learning algorithms are deployed on the cloud, parallel computing power can be leveraged to massively speed up data processing and generate useful insights extremely fast. Having this type of aid enables managers to react to important signals in data gathered from all over their businesses, compare these signals to historical data and predicatively model future outcomes based on different actions they take right now. Real-timeVisibility With the advent of data-driven analytics and modelling tools, managers and operators are being provided with real-time visibility into key performance and health indicators, no matter where on the planet they are located. With the recent availability of 5G networks, massive amounts of low-latency data can be recorded and processed in record time, powering live dashboards that update on a moment-to-moment basis. Warnings about equipment health and performance can be broadcast to off-site personnel or even generate automatic orders for parts replacement, and information about potential opportunities sent directly to travelling business managers on their personal laptop or phone. Robotics and Automation Recent advancements in robotics and industrial automation tools provide an unprecedented opportunity for predicting and mitigating risk and optimizing process performance. Automation tools can react incredibly fast to shut down expensive equipment when they are put at risk by a developing fault or human error and can even manage the switch to backup equipment or alternative production pipelines when something goes wrong. This can enable production to continue uninterrupted in circumstances that would previously have resulted in a temporary shutdown. That’s only the beginning. Robotics and automation can assist across the entire supply chain, including inventory management, data distribution, spotting errors and trends in all kinds of datasets, and notifying relevant personnel with clear, concise information when events occur. The Human Element With advanced technology changing the way businesses operate, many people are worried that robots will take over their jobs and they will be made redundant. While this fear is sometimes overblown, many types of dangerous, repetitive, and mundane tasks will indeed be transferred to automation in the coming years. But what will not change is the requirement for the human element in virtually every part of industrial plants and businesses. Computers and robots are best at doing jobs that have clear boundaries and consistent parameters. Most jobs are never completely routine since unexpected events can necessitate a different course of action to what a robot or automation software is programmed to do. This means that people will continue to be needed to make the final decision in many areas, and robotics will aid their creativity and thought processes. Regardless, the modern workforce is not the same as it was decades ago. For many different reasons, the days of a person working at a single job for an entire career have been dwindling for some time. Modern workers in both blue-collar and white-collar jobs are well-advised to continually update their knowledge and diversify their skills, not just because of the risk of technology taking jobs, but also to continually increase the value they provide to the company and improve their career prospects. Summary Advanced technologies are revolutionizing how businesses and supply chains operate, providing new opportunities for reducing risk and optimizing productivity. Implementing modern supply chain management will position your business well to take advantage of the opportunities and meet future challenges.

Service factor plays a crucial role in a long-lasting, reliable gearbox. Service factor is a way to measure how well a gearbox or a gearbox motor will handle specific demands and operating conditions, depending on the application. Let's take a look at why the gearbox service factor is essential, what it means, and how to optimize it for your requirements. Why Is Gearbox Service Factor Important? When choosing an industrial gearbox, it's essential to account for typical usage and operating demands. Doing this will enable you to select a gearbox that won't experience rapid wear and tear or premature failure, costing your business lost productivity and parts replacement. Two electric motor drives of the same size doing the same primary function may be subject to entirely different stress levels when operated in other conditions. Especially in harsh industrial environments, it can be challenging to predict the maximum stress levels that a gearbox will experience. Gearboxes that start and frequently stop, cyclic loads, high peak loads, vibration, high duty cycles (i.e. running 24 hours/day), and high ambient temperatures will experience a shorter lifespan. High-stress environments greatly accelerate the average rate of wear and tear. This massive usage results in a service life that is much shorter than expected. Typically, choosing the correct gearbox designed for higher horsepower applications extends its life span exponentially. But higher horsepower gearboxes are more expensive, so you may be wondering how much oversizing you need for your application. To answer this question, let's first examine what gearbox service factor is. What Is Gearbox Service Factor? The gearbox service factor is the ratio between the horsepower that a gearbox is rated to handle and the horsepower required for the application. In practical terms, it defines a performance safety margin that may be required by incredibly demanding tasks to help ensure long-lasting and trouble-free operation. For example, a service factor of 1.0 means that a gearbox only meets the application's design horsepower requirements, without any safety margin. A service factor of 2.0 indicates a gearbox that can handle double the required application horsepower and is highly oversized for the task. The gearbox's service factor directly impacts the durability and resistance to pitting and bending fatigue of the gear teeth. As a general rule, the gears' longevity is proportional to the increase in service factor raised to the 8.78th power. For example, a 30% additional service factor will result in a 10x increase in the gears' lifetime. But how exactly is the service factor calculated for different types of gearbox applications? How Do I Calculate My Gearbox Service Factor? To choose the right gearbox, calculate the service factor you require and then match it to the rating on the gearbox to determine if it will be suitable. Calculating the service factor required of a gearbox is not an exact science. Numerous operating conditions have different impacts on how well the gearbox will perform. The gearbox properties, including gearing, the construction materials, bearing quality and design characteristics, affect its ability to withstand its demands. Calculating the service factor is based on practical experience guidelines rather than empirical formulas. The American Gearbox Manufacturers Association (AGMA) provides widely used standards for determining a gearbox's service factor. These are guidelines that primarily consider the type of application and the duty cycle to provide a good value based on gearbox manufacturers' extensive experience supplying different industries. Manufacturers use these guidelines to determine the service factor rating for a gearbox used in a specific application. For example, for typical industrial tasks, a value of 1.4 is adequate. However, this rating can increase depending on how long the gearbox is in use and load characteristics. Suppose your gearbox will be operating in exceptionally stressful circumstances, or you're unsure of the operating conditions. In that case, select a higher service factor, or consult with a trusted gearbox supplier to determine whether it can handle the demands you'll put on it. What Is Gearbox Service Class? Many manufacturers use the concept of service class rather than a service factor value to simplify matching a gearbox to an application. A service class essentially corresponds to a range of service factor values, and each service class is around a commonly used service factor. Because calculating service factor isn't precise, using a service class instead can be more useful than a numerical value and provide a small margin of safety when selecting the right gearbox for the task. There are three main service classes in common usage. Service class I corresponds to a minimum service factor of 1.25. Service Class II corresponds to a minimum service factor of 1.40, and Service Class III corresponds to a minimum service factor of 2.0. Class I gearboxes would be used in typical industrial tasks, while Class III gearboxes uses would be in a very heavy-duty application that requires exceptional resilience. Summary Determining a gearbox's service factor is a crucial step in selecting one that will perform reliably and help ensure your application's lasting productivity. To get started building your perfect gearbox, visit our Gear Reducer Builder, or get in touch with us today to speak with our experienced team who will help you find the right gearbox for your needs.

Maintaining a safe work environment is paramount in industrial settings that involve high-voltage infrastructure and rapidly moving components. Proper electric motor safety is an essential step toward achieving trouble-free operation. Safety practices span across motor installation, everyday operation, and maintenance. It is necessary to develop and consistently follow proper safety procedures during each phase to achieve the best outcomes for your company and personnel. With the right approach, the risk of accident can be minimized, and a safe and productive working environment maintained. Motor Installation Safety Before installing a motor or developing electric motor safety procedures for your application, it is essential to become familiar with local and national safety codes related to your industry, as well as risk factors specific to the type of motor you have purchased. Please read the information provided by the manufacturer and always follow their recommendations. After developing comprehensive safety procedures for your operation, ensure that all operators and technicians involved are familiar with the procedures and apply them consistently. Find manufacturer technical specifications, data packages, warranty policies, features sheets and dimensional drawings to inform your safety procedures for motors on our product pages. Following the right steps during the installation of the motor helps prevent accidents that can cause injury and damage to infrastructure. Before installing the motor, inspect it thoroughly for defects or damage. If any issues are found, contact the seller before commencing installation. To reduce the risk of accident, check that the motor characteristics are adequate for the requirements of the application and that the voltage and connections on the motor match the power supply. When installing the motor, ensure that it is properly grounded and all connections are tight. This helps protect against electrical shock if the motor connects with the skin. Install all necessary safety measures such as thermal protection and electrical fuses, which protect the motor and prevent potential accidents such as fires caused by overheating. Ensure that the motor is securely mounted and properly aligned and connected to the load. Before start-up, it is advisable to run the motor in-place without a load to ensure that it has been installed correctly. This is a good time to review safety procedures for the operator and relevant personnel, including start-up, shutdown and emergency stop procedures. During normal operation of the motor, including start-up and shutdown, it is essential to develop consistent procedures that protect the safety of not just the motor but any personnel in the area. When starting a motor, make sure that all personnel in the area are alert and aware of it. Motor Operation Safety One of the best ways to spot problems with a motor in advance is for operators to use sight, smell and temperature to detect abnormal circumstances. However, this can be dangerous unless operators are properly informed. A motor's surface can be extremely hot during normal operation, especially after sudden changes in the load that draw unusually high current, and this temperature can persist well after the motor has been stopped. Correct safety gear should be used around running motors, and fingers and other objects kept away from ventilation ports and other points of entry into the motor. Everyone should keep a safe distance from moving or rotating components of the motor or driven load. When power outages occur, make sure that the motor power is cut off so that it does not start unexpectedly when power returns. Motor Maintenance Safety Whether routine or not, electric motor maintenance involves repeatedly handling and testing the motor. Maintenance personnel work near hot and rapidly moving components. Besides being qualified to disassemble and service the motor, maintenance personnel should be trained in proper power lockout procedures, safety gear, first aid and any relevant safety codes. This ensures that maintenance is a low-risk operation and productivity can be restored as quickly and safely as possible when a fault occurs. Locking out power before working on the motor is extremely important, and it is not enough to simply switch it off. Power can be suddenly and unexpectedly restored if the motor was stopped by a thermal protector, which can automatically re-connect power when the motor has cooled down. The motor may also be inadvertently switched on by someone unaware. Proper power lockout involves physically locking the main power switch in the off position, for example, by enabling each technician to apply their own padlock before working on the motor. The main power switch should also be clearly labelled with a warning to ensure that operators know that maintenance is being performed. Before handling the motor, ensure that the work environment is safe and that the motor has been fully de-energized. Capacitors can store a lethal charge and must be properly drained if they are to be handled. Ensure that the motor has cooled down sufficiently so that it does not present a risk of burn. Check the work area for pools of liquid or leaked lubricant, increasing the risk of an accident. Summary Prioritizing personnel safety by developing and adhering to strict electric motor safety procedures helps ensure that operators and technicians carry out their jobs smoothly and effectively, maximizing productivity and reducing the impact of maintenance schedules on your business.

Electric motors are often required at potentially explosive or flammable sites, such as chemical plants, coal mines, or petrochemical plants. Accidents could result in damage, injury, or loss of life. This makes it vitally important to select a motor that won't create an ignition source. Let’s take a look at the four key criteria used to classify different types of hazardous locations and how electric motors are designed and rated to operate safely within them. Understand The Hazard When selecting a motor for a hazardous location, the first step is to classify the site according to the standards that apply in your local area. In the US, hazardous location classification is determined by the National Electrical Code (NEC), while the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) applies in Canada. In practice, site classification is complex and requires a thorough inspection and analysis of every aspect of the motor's environment. Consult the relevant safety authorities in your local area for detailed guidance. The following sections will give you a broad overview of the four main criteria used. 1. Class The Class of a hazardous location describes the form that the principal hazardous material takes within it. There are three Classes, in order of highest to lowest risk of ignition. Class I locations contain highly flammable gases and vapours in the atmosphere, which could be explosive when ignited. Examples include petroleum refining plants, gas plants, spray painting facilities and refuelling areas. Class II locations contain combustible or electrically conductive dust particles in the air. Materials such as coal dust or flour and conductive particles such as aluminum and magnesium dust can become highly explosive when dispersed in the air at sufficient concentrations. Class III locations describe environments where combustible material is present in a larger particulate form, such as filings and shavings, usually settled on surfaces. Examples include industries where the processing of wood or textiles takes place. 2.Division The Division of a hazardous location describes the conditions under which the principal hazardous material is present, and there are two divisions. Division I locations designate areas where the material is present under normal operating conditions, either as part of the process itself or during a scheduled activity such as maintenance. Division II locations are those where the material is exposed only under abnormal conditions. The material will usually be present in a contained volume such as inside sealed pipes or tanks, potentially coming into contact with the motor only during an accident such as a rupture or leak. 3. Group The Group that a hazardous location belongs to represents the behaviour of the principal combustible material after ignition. There are seven Groups labelled from A to G. Groups A, B, C, and D describe flammable or explosive gases, vapours, and liquids, in order of highest to lowest risk. For example, acetylene, a particularly volatile gas that burns intensely, belongs to Group A, while Group D contains the less dangerous ethanol. Groups E, F and G contain combustible dust that would create a Class II hazard in order of higher to lower risk. Materials range from aluminum dust in Group Eto corn, sugar and wheat flour in Group G. 4. Auto-Ignition Temperature It is important to obtain the Auto-Ignition Temperature (AIT) of the hazardous materials in the vicinity of a motor. This is the minimum temperature at which a material will ignite independently, without any other ignition source. As you will see in the following sections, this is a key part of determining whether a motor is suitable for the site. In practice, the AIT value is not simple to obtain, as it depends on environmental factors such as oxygen concentration and environmental pressure. Mixtures of several different materials can complicate this step further, and a conservative estimate may be required. Choosing A Motor Once a site has been classified, it is time to choose a suitable motor. Let’s look at the types and ratings of electric motors designed for hazardous locations. Motor Ratings Hazardous location motors usually come with a rating for the Class, Division, and Group for which they are suitable. For a long time, only Division I motors were rated, so many motors do not have a Division rating as they were rated for Division I locations by default. Division I motors can operate in Division II locations but may be over-engineered and unnecessarily costly compared to Division II rated motors. Electric motors also come with a T-code rating, which specifies the maximum temperature that any part of the motor surface that might become exposed to a hazardous material will reach, including in the event of burnout, power overload or locked rotor. This temperature rating must be compared to the AIT of hazardous materials at a site to determine if the motor surfaces pose a risk of ignition. Motor ratings must be authorized by safety authorities such as the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) in North America or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Explosion-Proof Motors Explosion-proof motors, which are a requirement for Class I, Division I locations, must be able to contain an internal explosion of a specified hazardous material without creating an ignition source for the environment around them. This is based on the assumption that over some time, the gases and vapours in the atmosphere around the motor could make their way inside, coming into contact with internal elements that could produce a spark or generate excessive heat, especially during a fault. Explosion-proof motors are designed with thick, hardened cases to contain the pressure of an initial explosion, and they must allow hot gases to escape in a controlled way that does not create an ignition source. To do this, they use flame paths, which are long, narrow corridors through which burning gases can escape while being cooled to a safe temperature. Flame paths are usually built into the shaft or body of the motor. Division II Motors These can often be regular TEFC motors that have been CSA approved for use in Division II areas. They must include a secondary nameplate with the CSA rating, Class/Division/Group rating and a Temperature Code. Dust-Ignition Proof Motors In Class II locations, where the hazardous material is present in the form of airborne dust, a dust-ignition proof motor is required. This type of motor features dust-proof seals and bearings that prevent dust from entering the motor altogether. It is important to determine the T-code rating of dust-ignition proof motors properly. They often accumulate a layer of dust on the outside of the motor body that inhibits cooling and increases the surface temperature. Using VFDs In Hazardous Locations Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) modify the frequency of an AC power supply, enabling speed control of AC electric motors. However, they often create extra heat inside the motor due to the creation of harmonic frequencies in the motor windings. Additionally, when VFDs are used to run a motor slower than the motor’s base speed, it can greatly affect a shaft-mounted fan's ability to provide cooling. Explosion Proof Inverter duty motors designed to work with VFDs while mitigating these heating effects are available. It is important to keep in mind that these motors must meet the Division, Class, Group and T-code ratings of the area and be rated for VFD use. Summary Now that you are familiar with the key concepts used in hazardous location classification, as well as the motors designed for different types of hazards, you have taken the first step toward selecting the right electric motor for your needs. https://www.emotorsdirect.ca/motors/explosion-proof

Regardless of the application, you and your team need to depend on your electric motor to operate consistently. Not all industrial applications are the same, but you can determine which motor will be best suited for your job by using this checklist. Consider these six factors when selecting your next industrial motor: 1. Size and Power 2. Reliability 3. Durability 4. Cost-Effectiveness 5. Precision 6. Safety By understanding these characteristics and why they are required, you can select a motor that will offer cost-effective performance over its full-service lifetime. From food processing to chemical manufacturing, this checklist applies. 1. Size and Power Industrial applications often require large, powerful motors capable of delivering high productivity over many hours. In these conditions, an electric motor that isn’t adequately sized will quickly deteriorate and wear out, causing downtime and loss of productivity while incurring a replacement cost. When choosing an industrial motor, confirm it’s rated for the power required during the most intensive part of its operation, typically during acceleration and peak load times. If the required speed is lower than the motor’s base speed, a gearbox solution allows for a smaller, more cost-effective motor operating at a higher efficiency. Industrial motors' duty cycle can be very high, especially when they’re the primary component in an operation. Ensure the rated duty cycle of the motor can be operated for its condition, or the motor will experience overheating and shorter service life. 2. Reliability Industrial motors are often utilized in high-use applications that depend on consistent performance and productivity. By selecting industrial motors that are reliable and require minimal maintenance, plants can save on unplanned maintenance costs. The use of brushes in the commutator of a motor can become problematic in these conditions, as the brushes quickly wear down and require periodic replacement that causes significant downtime. Because of this, brushed DC motors can be less reliable and potentially unsuited to high duty-cycle operations. As an alternative, AC induction motors have a simpler, brushless, low-maintenance design that is well suited for intensive industrial use. Please look at our AC & DC Motor Speed Control to learn about the difference in controls for both motors. If a motor requires regular maintenance, ensure it’s easy to dismount to reduce the downtime of the application. 3. Durability Motor environments often contain pollutants such as moisture, dust, oil, and corrosive chemicals. To maintain performance, the motor must be able to operate effectively in this environment without becoming damaged. The crucial factor in a motor's durability is its enclosure, which protects the vulnerable windings from encountering harmful pollutants. Open Drip-Proof (ODP) motors should only be used in clean, dry climate-controlled environments, as they provide little protection against airborne contaminants. For highly polluted environments, Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled (TEFC) motors are a great option, as they prevent the free exchange of air from the interior to the exterior motor body. Washdown duty motors use TEFC enclosure to protect the motor from regular washing. To gauge whether an enclosure provides enough protection, its IP (Ingress Protection) rating should match or exceed the conditions that the motor is subjected to. 4. Cost-Effectiveness In many motor applications, the cost of the motor is not the only consideration. Depending on the job, the costs may include the electric motor, gearbox (if required), and any other peripherals such as speed control, which are required for the motor to perform its function. The AC induction motor is the most cost-effective solution for medium to large applications that do not require precise speed control. If a speed control is required, consider incorporating this as part of your project budget and timeline, as speed controls can be complex to set-up with AC motors. For medium to large applications, the speed controller pricing is usually offset by the savings on the cost of the motor. DC motors are relatively expensive for their complex designs in medium to large applications. Speed control is simpler compared to AC motors, especially for smaller applications. They can effectively compete in terms of the total cost of the motor solution. 5. Precision Many industrial applications such as robotics, actuation, and manufacturing automation require a different kind of motor solution that performs complex tasks consistently at high precision. The two main types of motors used in these applications are stepper motors and servo motors. Stepper motors rotate a fixed amount known as a ‘step,’ providing holding torque when that step is reached. This makes them ideal for situations where the motor will rotate a specified amount and then come to a stop, such as in manufacturing and machine tools applications. Servo motors are motor packages with precise speed and torque control capable of precise complex-motion performance. DC motors can be effectively controlled over a wide speed range with a simple circuit, as they dominated the servo motor industry for many years. However, improved AC motor speed controllers, such as Vector Control drives, have made it possible for cost-effective AC motors to provide servo-like precision and holding torque. They are a great option for medium to large applications. 6. Safety Depending on your industry, a higher level of safety may be required for the motor environment. In the chemical and petroleum industry, where the atmosphere is volatile, an explosion-proof motor may be required by law. These motors can contain an internal explosion of a specified substance without igniting the surrounding atmosphere, providing much-needed protection to personnel and infrastructure in the vicinity. In food manufacture and processing, minimizing the risk of pathogens is a high priority. All the equipment, including motors, need to be regularly washed down and thoroughly cleaned. A fully enclosed washdown-duty motor would be ideal for this environment, with the physical exterior using approved paint or a paint-free stainless-steel body. Check out our Electric Motor Safetyarticle for additional tips on maintaining motor safety. Summary Industrial motors often face exceptionally tough operating conditions, and downtime can be very costly for the operating company and those dependent on the productivity of the application. When selecting an industrial motor, it is important to prioritize the key characteristics required for the conditions that it will operate in to ensure it provides long-lasting performance.

So, you’ve input the ratings you need your new motor to meet, and your choices are down to two motors. Seemingly identical, the ratings on the product data sheet match your requirements precisely. The only difference? One motor is a Baldor motor, and the other a Leeson. How do you make your selection between these two top brands? Below, we’ll cover the history of these manufacturers and how to choose the correct motor for the job. History of Baldor Two employees at St. Louis Electric Company saw a chance to upgrade the design of the electric motors their company manufactured. The two friends were Emil Doerr, the plant supervisor, and Edwin Ballman, a talented electrical engineer with an affinity for inventing. In 1920, they pooled their savings and leaped into entrepreneurship. Baldor motors was born. Baldor’s brand mission to “make a better motor” served them well as they grew bigger and bigger over the decades. The company only faced two years of losses in its century-long history. Coming off of one of those years (1960 due to the impending “Energy Crisis”), the company’s leadership looked at their product offering and knew it was time for a change. Baldor began to focus on offering services rather than just motors; instead of a small line of standard motors, they began to manufacture custom motors for various industrial purposes. By 1965, they had the widest range of motors on the market. The company always embraced change; they brought the electric motor industry to new heights and dominated the motor efficiency race. In 2011, Baldor was acquired by ABB Ltd. Their motors are still sold as Baldor-reliance, and the brand is held under the ABB umbrella. They are now headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas, with 15 manufacturing locations across eight states. History of Leeson A lot of people don’t know that the history of Baldor is also the history of Leeson. In fact, the two companies share family ties. In 1939, three of Emil Doerr’s sons created Doerr Electric, which was brought under the Emerson umbrella and eventually sold to Nidec. One of the sons who created Doerr electric was named Lee Doerr. Lee also had three sons, all just as passionate about motors as their father and grandfather. To continue the familial tradition, Lee’s three sons created Leeson Motors in 1972. Throughout the decades, Leeson Motors acquired four industrial manufacturing companies, and were eventually acquired themselves in 2000 by Regal-Beloit Corp. Leeson motors are still Leeson branded but are now manufactured and sold under the Regal-Beloit umbrella. Best Uses for Baldor Baldor motors are best known for their (link to energy efficiency post). Their line of Super-E® motors meets and exceeds the NEMA Premium® efficiency standards. The standard industrial motor sits around 88% efficiency, while the Baldor•Reliance® Super-E® motors are upwards of 94.5% efficient. Best Uses for Leeson Leeson motors have developed a reputation for handling the harshest conditions found in industrial applications. And you’ll also find that their warranty period can be almost double that of their competitors. Summary When it comes down to it, you can’t go wrong with either brand. Both are top manufacturers in North America, utilizing the latest in electric motor technologies. With decades of design evolution under their belts, either brand is a top choice if the motor has the ratings required for the application. Your choice comes down to brand preference and loyalty. Keep in mind that it’s a good idea to select one brand and stick with it. You can reduce your spares inventory and ensure you always have the right motor on hand by standardizing your brand selection.

To choose the right gearbox for your electric motor drive application, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of gearboxes, the key differences between gear designs, and how to match a gearbox with your application's requirements. A gearbox is a gear train designed to modify the speed and torque characteristics of a motor. When gearboxes reduce speed, they simultaneously increase the torque (turning force) at the output. When they increase speed, they reduce torque. Speed reducers are a popular term for gearboxes that reduce an electric motor's speed and increase the torque. Because almost every application of gearboxes involves reducing speed and increasing torque, these terms are often used interchangeably. However, speed reducers are really a subcategory of gearboxes, and it is possible to use a gearbox to increase the speed of the output at the cost of torque. Types of Gearboxes The two main types of gearboxes are in-line gearboxes and right-angled gearboxes, each using specific types of gears. In-Line Gearboxes In-line gearboxes transmit the RPM of the motor to an output shaft that is parallel to the motor shaft. Depending on the gear train, the output shaft can be coaxial (aligned) with the motor shaft or offset by a small distance. In-line gearboxes typically use the following types of gears: Spur gears Helical gears Herringbone gears Planetary gears 1. Spur Gears Spur gears are the most common gear design and are relatively economical due to the standardization of their design. However, they don’t offer as much torque capability as some other gear designs. 2. Helical Gears Helical gears have better meshing characteristics than spur gears, making them quieter in operation and able to handle more torque. However, due to their design, they produce axial forces that make them unsuitable for some very high torque applications. 3. Herringbone Gears Herringbone gears are essentially composed of two opposite-hand helical gears mounted side-by-side. This retains the benefits of helical gears while removing axial forces, making them useful for very high torque applications such as heavy-duty power transmission. 4. Planetary Gears Planetary gears typically provide the greatest speed reduction in the smallest volume and are very efficient. They also have a very low backlash, making them especially suited to applications with frequent stops and starts. Right-Angle Gearboxes Right-angle gearboxes transmit the RPM of a motor to an output shaft that is at right-angles (90 degrees from) the motor shaft axis. Right angle gearboxes typically use the following types of gears: Bevel gears Worm gears 1. Bevel Gears Bevel gears are essentially spur or helical gears that are tapered. They can mesh with another gear oriented at a different angle, making them suitable for creating a right-angle turn in the drive system. They offer similar characteristics to standard spur and helical gears. 2. Worm gears Worm gears are essentially a screw with a single tooth that spirals the length of the shaft, meshing with the teeth of a second gear mounted at right angles to the worm. Because the teeth interact in a sliding motion, they are usually quieter than other gear types. However, due to the friction produced, they have an overall lower efficiency, with a sharp drop in efficiency once the lead angle of the screw approaches 15 degrees. The friction also generates a significant amount of heat within the gearbox, and the correct maintenance of the lubrication system is important. Selecting a Gearbox Selecting a gearbox for your motor depends on the following gearbox characteristics: Torque output Speed output Efficiency Service factor Mounting and connection characteristics Backlash Radial load Moment of inertia Torque Output The gearbox must output enough torque to run the machinery that the gearbox is connected to. This includes the torque required to start and accelerate the machinery – which may be substantially higher than the normal operational torque – and the torque that is created during jams and load shocks. Speed Output If the application requires a specific speed output, the gearbox must maintain that speed while providing sufficient torque to the driven load. Efficiency If the motor output power closely matches the driven load's power requirements, the gearbox must convert that power efficiently. Efficiency is also important when one goal is to reduce the motor's operational costs, such as power costs. Service Factor The gearbox's service factor is the percentage of its rated torque that it can sustain for short periods of time. A substantial service factor is required if the gearbox will experience frequent fast accelerations or occasional load spikes on the output. As gear reducers do not have a cooling fan, the service factor is also based on how many hours a day it is used. The longer the production shift, the larger the case needs to be to dissipate the produced heat. Mounting and Connection Characteristics If the gearbox mounting area has space and profile restrictions, the gearbox size, shape, and configuration are important in determining which option is suitable. Different types of gears have different size efficiencies, with planetary gear trains generally the most compact and spur gears requiring a larger volume. Also, in smaller applications, it may be possible to utilize a gearbox that provides the mounting for the motor. In contrast, in larger applications, it is usually necessary to mount them separately to a chassis. Backlash Backlash is the amount of error or plays in the meshing of the gears in the gearbox, which results in the gearbox experiencing mechanical shock when started or stopped. For applications where the motor is run intermittently, it may be advisable to utilize a gearbox with a low amount of backlash, such as a planetary gearbox, to avoid premature mechanical failure. Radial Load Radial load refers to the force on the gearbox output shaft that occurs at right angles, such as when a belt pulley or sprocket is used to connect the gearbox to the driven load. Gearboxes have different radial load tolerances, so it’s important to make sure that a gearbox can withstand your application's operational conditions. Moment of Inertia The moment of inertia of the gearbox is essentially the resistance of the gearbox to sudden acceleration. In applications that require responsive speed control, such as robotic servosystems, it is important to choose a gearbox that features a low moment of inertia. Gearbox Installation and Maintenance The most common cause of premature gearbox failure is not the gearbox's quality and workmanship but the conditions in which it is run and the service factor it was designed for. The most important factor is maintaining the gearbox properly – ensuring adequate lubricant is always present in every part of the gearbox and replacing the lubricant when it wears down from mechanical pressure and heat. Also, it is essential to properly install the gearbox to reduce vibration and stress. Always ensure that the alignment error between the motor and the gearbox and between the gearbox and the driven load is within the gearbox's acceptable limits. Summary Gearboxes have a variety of characteristics that affect their suitability for different applications. When choosing a gearbox, it is important to carefully analyze your specific application to select an option that efficiently meets all the design criteria. When you have chosen a gearbox, it is essential to install and maintain it properly to ensure the longest possible service life.

Our Business Development Manager, Cory, sat down for an interview on "Talk to the Experts" on 650CKOM - a Saskatchewan NewsTalk radio station. This podcast is a recording of the second half of the interview, providing an overview of eMotors Direct's offering to our Agriculture clients. The following transcript was automatically generated: Welcome back, you're listening to talk to the experts this half hour presentation of e eMotors. Direct their website eMotors direct.ca. And the name really says it all electric motors over 20,000 different items in their inventory Brent Loucks with you joined by Corey Soetaert, who is their business development manager. And when I look over some of the items that you've got, man, just about every kind of electric motor, no one demand and no one to industry. We've got DC motors, we've got pumps, we've got general purpose, we've got oil, well. We've got two speed motors, and the list goes on and on. There's furnace motors, there's farm duty motors, you need an electric motor. It's as simple as getting online and checking out their selection, checking out their prices. And again, this is a great Canadian company. eMotors, Corey home base where Edmonton? So, head office is out of Edmonton, Alberta. But we do again service the entire country via drop ship from manufacturers warehouses across the country, I should say. And you were saying earlier, over 20,000 different items that I can search through on your online directory correct. From industrial motors to agricultural motors. We have it all. So, let's talk ag. Of course ag is the heart of our industry here in Saskatchewan along with mining and oil and gas. Talk to me a little bit about the motors and for your farm listeners out there, what you can provide for them from eMotors Direct. So the most popular products in the ag industry would be aeration, fan motors, motors and gearboxes for crop drying equipment. barn fans, as well as feed auger drives and gearing gearboxes as well as motors. And then we also do get into the control systems for that we have a specialty line called the sinus m VFD. And what that does for customers is it accepts single phase power in and produces three phase power out so they can actually control the speed of their motors. Not something that ag customers had good access to in the past. Interesting and a pretty broad selection of brands in that field of motors for ag. Correct. We carry Baldor nidec, TECO Westinghouse weg AGI, grainguard aeration fans, so a good selection of the products that they would require. I'm just curious the size of some of these motors what they get to when you think about going online to E motors direct.ca finding the motor you want, be it on the farmer at the mind, How big does some of these get in and when it comes to delivery, you think about an electric motor for the farm is that something that is required the more than just my half done truck to bring it home. For sure most ag industry customers wouldn't. The motors aren't overly large, because most ag customers only have a certain amount of power to their property. So most agricultural customers would stop at a 50 horse motor, which is probably in the 500 pound range. Obviously industry, they can get extremely large, a you know, eight to 10,000 pounds. You know when you think about these motors and the investment that farmers put into their operations each and every year. And they maybe don't have the expertise, they know that they need these electric motors to move grain whatever it may be. They're doing from eMotors direct.ca. You've got people who will help me basically put this project together? Correct. I think one of the legs that we have from an online marketplace, is we actually offer technical support. One of my pet peeves was always going to an online marketplace, I can find the thing I need but if I have a question, it's very difficult to get an answer. So one of our one of our claims to fame is we do list our phone number and when you phone in, you can talk to a technical expert to help you through that process. Boy, that's a big part of it, isn't it? That's what we all do. Your right it's easy often to find a part but then you try to think how am I going to make this work in my system. So you've got a team of experts who who specialize in agriculture and they're ready to help our farmers take on that next motor project when they order their motors and controls and gearing systems from eMotors e eMotors. direct.ca. free delivery involved for the farm folks? We some products are for sure free delivery. Boy, that's good to know. So any of our farmer folks who are listening right now that say We're in the need of some of these products, the electric motors, the motor controls, whatever it may be from eMotors Direct, make that order online eMotors direct.ca. And some other stuff you wanted to mention relating to farmer folks who may be ordering items from eMotors Direct at eMotors direct.ca. When it comes to delivery of these items, as you mentioned earlier, a lot of the stuff the farmer could simply throw on his half ton truck. What about the bigger items though Corey? So larger items, over 60 pounds, we typically send with an LTL carrier, so less than truckload, semi tractor trailer type of delivery, a lot of those are quite heavy, you can't just pick them off the back of the truck. So we actually offer free power tailgate delivery. So when that comes to your farm, the truck already has a power tailgate, they roll it onto the power tailgate, drop it on the ground for you. So you don't have to have a forklift on site to get your product. Oh, what a great idea that is. And I think the average person if you're not working on the farm, may not fully understand just how many applications there are at a particular farm for electric motors. And you cover the gamut here, all this different equipment as far as where these motors would be applied. For sure, and I think one of the real changes in industry, the family farm is less prominent, and the farms are getting bigger and bigger. So their applications for meeting larger equipment or specialized products for their system is is growing at a rapid rate. As you say you've got over 20,000 products. I think people will be quite impressed when they get online to your website just to see the variety of electric motors and fixtures that you guys provide. For sure the industry is a very wide industry with tons of applications. And we do our best to provide service for all those customers. We're talking about eMotors Direct. They are Canada's industrial motor supplier, based out of Edmonton, but it doesn't matter. It's all online. You can shop online right now seven days a week, 24 hours a day at E motors direct.ca. Cory Soetaert is our guest, Corey is business development manager with eMotors Direct. I think the biggest message we always want to get across is just the product selection and the availability information for our customers. We we do our very best to supply as much information, data packs, drawings, all of that stuff for the customers so they don't have to go searching, they look for the product, the information comes up. And if they have any technical questions or further information you require, we're easy to access, email, phone chat, just trying to be that real good resource for customers. When they're in a bind, well, motors break down and it's a panic. It's not Can I get one in two weeks? You definitely revolutionize the way businesses and farms are able to purchase electric motors all done online. You can see for yourself when you go to eMotors direct.ca Cory Soetaert. Thanks so much for your time today. Corey, thank you very much. Have a good day. You've been listening to our experts show for eMotors Direct on news talk radio. https://www.emotorsdirect.ca/industry/Agriculture

Our Business Development Manager, Cory, sat down for an interview on "Talk to the Experts" on 650CKOM - a Saskatchewan NewsTalk radio station. This podcast is a recording of the first half of the interview, providing an introduction to eMotors Direct and what we do here. The following transcript was automatically generated: Welcome to talk to the experts this half hour a presentation of EA motors direct. I'm Brent cloaks your host joined by Corey. So tarde Corey is the business development manager with eMotors Direct and our half hour we're talking about electric motors being electric motors used on the farm. Electric motors used in the oil patch, electric motors used in mining electric motors used in industry, you're involved in any of these areas with electric motors, you'll want to pay close attention to our message today. E motors direct.ca. Cory, what's the story of your company. So eMotors Direct is an online platform for customers to find electric motors, gearing products and control products. The neat thing about eMotors is that we give real time inventory, you can look at your pricing, you can download your own quote, it's kind of like a self help website. Traditionally, bricks and mortar stores, you have to phone them up, give them the specs, and they take a certain amount of time to get you information back. With our website and the motors platform. You have all the information at your fingertips, you can look up data packs, drawings, all that stuff in one spot, boy, good efficient use of online services with eMotors Direct and you can find their website, EA motors direct.ca. And this is right across this great country of ours. If I'm in the far north, or I'm down on the US border or I'm out on the coast, I can get online to eMotors Direct take a look at your inventory and make an order right there and have it delivered to where I am correct. So we dropship from 30 different warehouses across Canada. So whenever you order wherever the stock is closest to you, that is the warehouse we ship from, what are the industries that you tend to serve the most here, Cory we do a lot with the agricultural industry, food med food manufacturing, aggregate and mining, and as well as a variety of oil and gas industries. Well, let's pretty well nailed all the industries right here in our great province of Saskatchewan. We got a lot of farm folks, of course, listening in to our expert show we got a big mining industry here the oil and gas industry and a good amount of manufacturing as well. So for somebody who's never explored IE motors direct.ca, what kind of inventory depth are we talking Have you got motors, all shapes and sizes pretty well for for every need that's out there? Correct. We have a full line of industrial electric motors, as well as h back and agricultural duty motors. Across the Canada there's a boat 75 million worth of inventory with all of our vendors, stocking warehouses, so pretty good product range. So I'm guessing then with that inventory that you've got spread across the country, we know how time is money these days. So if I'm online, no matter what my need is, I find the product I need at eMotors direct.ca turnaround time pretty quick from my purchase my online order and getting it to my yard. Typically the order is placed, say a Monday, the order to be processed Monday, during the day sometime and ship Tuesday. Average delivery would be two to three days. If it has to ship say from Vancouver to Ottawa, obviously, it's going to be four to five days. That's pretty impressive, though. So you guys have really changed the way that businesses and industry and farms are able to purchase electric motors. You're relatively new company, though, too, aren't you? We've been around for about four years, and obviously just still building up our presence and our exposure to the electrical motor industry. When you think about the inventory of electric motors to you must be talking about 1000s of different shapes and sizes of motors are we Yeah, we list about 20,000 active skews on our website. And with our cross reference database, we're sitting about 60,000 skews. So motors have been around for 100 years. And one of our our claims to frame on our website is we've listed all of the obsolete part numbers. So if you look up something that's 20 years old, that no longer exists, that part number likely will come up on our website and give you a cross reference to the new current cross referenced model. Man, that's brilliant, I think of so many different areas of life and work where you try to find that older product and it'll just say, you know, not in stock anymore, and you can't get the back history on it to find out what a new replacement part would be. That's got to be a huge plus for your customers. Oh, for sure. For sure. That's one of the one of the downsides is trying to find those replacement items. Especially if a company has gone out of business or in our industry. Corporate takeovers are a big thing. So your old us electric motor is now branded nidek. And the part number might be different, same product. But unless you know those crossovers very difficult to find. We're talking right now with our guest on talk to the experts Cory so Todd Cory is a business development manager with EA motors direct they are Canada's industrial motors supplier, see them online. It's all online shopping at E motors direct.ca For people that are listening in right now and hearing about that amazing amount of inventory, do they have to do all the work? Or if they're stuck on something, Cory? Is there phone numbers? Do you have customer service people that come online even and do a chat to help me figure out my order? For sure, we do have a managed chat. Basically you on the chat, it will ask you a bunch of questions, and that email will be sent to one of our experts. And we will get back to you with answers right away. There's also our one 800 numbers on the website 108 907593 that can put you to to our office where we can help you walk you through placing an order, or we have technical experts on staff to help you cross reference your product or even find the product that you need. Orders are typically placed online. It's usually the best model just for security purposes. I don't really want your credit card information myself, where if it's entered on the website, all of that is encrypted and well looked after sure. But you guys have really changed the way businesses are dealing with the purchase of electric motors. How's the uptake been from your customer base over the past four years? Oh, really, really good. Are you know, we're growing in leaps and downs, year over year. So it's it's been well accepted. And people really like the idea of having all that information at their fingertips as opposed to waiting one two to five days for for someone to get back to them. Well, and I'm guessing the beauty of it is everything online, all your inventory there the information, can I basically shop seven days a week, 24 hours a day? Correct. So those companies that have tween 24 hour day service, you know, the night shift guy wants to have everything put together. So their purchaser the next morning could order it, they can go on our site, download all the information, see where the inventory is at and just shoot an email to their purchaser, here's what I want. Here's where to get it. Here's the price just makes it more convenient for those next shift operators. You need a new electric motor or any of the other products they carry at eMotors Direct go online right now and take a look see for yourself. II motors direct.ca. And from what you're seeing out there, Cory? Is there more and more demand for electric motors? Are you seeing a lot of industry in that transition away maybe from diesel generation, that sort of thing and going to electric motors in the work that they're doing? most industries are very heavily incorporated with electric motors. every industry has multiple motors in every business. You think it goes everywhere from your mixmaster on your kitchen counter all the way up to conveyors at Suncor and Syncrude mining sites. Sure. So they're there. They're everywhere yet adoption. Electric motors have been well adopted into industry for many, many years. And with their push for more green energy, for sure. You know, the diesel market is being pushed out a bit and electrical electrically driven products are more prominent. Sure. Hey, you touched on something I wanted to ask you about. You mentioned the mixmaster on my kitchen counter. So if I've got a kitchen appliance, and I'm trying to figure out why it isn't working. So I get on YouTube and I find a how to video, do you even have motors of that size for a lot of the smaller household stuff. So we don't get into appliances and such most of those are made specifically for those applications. We do carry a lot of H back products. So for your little furnace, motor fans, AC units, that kind of thing. stuff that we wouldn't get into would be say your bathroom fan, or your mix master or appliances. Those are so specific. Just you have to go back to the OEM. Sure, sure. Boy, I liked how you mentioned though, you do carry motors for my furnace or for my AC unit, because with the heat that we've been having here on the prairies this summer, I know the people that are involved in servicing air conditioning units and furnaces have been super busy in my own home included and to know that I could get online and get that particular motor delivered. That's pretty impressive service that you're offering. So we're gonna take a quick break here. We've still got another segment to go but we're on the topic of E motors direct totally online with Cory so Tara Cory is the business development manager with eMotors Direct great Canadian company providing online electric motors, motor controls, gearing parts and accessories eMotors direct.ca. We're back with mo

At high altitudes, the properties of air change in ways that directly impact the way electric motors must be operated to maximize service life and productivity. Because air is less dense at high altitude, its capacity to carry heat away from the motor and keep it cool is significantly reduced. There is a range of approaches to combat this and maintain proper cooling of the motor. In addition, one of the altitude effects on electric motors that many operators are not aware of is that its insulating ability is reduced. In electronics with tightly packed components, this can lead to a phenomenon known as flashover, potentially destroying vital components and putting motor controls out of action. Motor Cooling Almost every electric motor is cooled by passing air over the body or through the inside of the motor, carrying heat away from the stator and rotor windings. The air's cooling ability is governed by the amount of air molecules that encounter hot parts of the motor. At high altitudes, the air is less dense, which means that there are fewer air molecules in a given volume of air, and therefore the air has less ability to cool the motor, and it runs hotter. Most motors are designed to operate up to 1000 meters above sea level without requiring any special attention to cooling. Some of the highest elevation cities in Canada include: Canmore, AB (1,428 m) Elkford, BC (1,300 m) Cochrane, AB (1,159 m) Airdrie, AB (1,098 m) Okotoks, AB (1,051 m) Calgary, AB (1,045 m) As a general rule of thumb, for every 100m above 1000 meters, the motor's maximum allowable temperature rise is reduced by 1°C. Operators have various options for achieving this and keeping the motor cool so that it provides long-lasting, trouble-free service. If the motor is operated in an outdoor environment, it may not be necessary to do any more to keep the motor properly cooled, depending on the environment. However, many applications involve operating the motor indoors, in hot or climate-controlled environments. This means that additional measures will have to be taken to keep the operating temperature at an acceptable level. A second option involves blowing air over the motor so that more heat can be carried away. For standard TEFC motors, this is not an option since the fan speed cannot be controlled independently of the motor. For a blower-cooled motor, increasing the speed of the blower will improve motor cooling. However, this may introduce additional problems, such as increasing the blower motor's operating temperature, which is also affected by altitude. Check with the equipment manual or manufacturer to determine safe speeds for your blower fan. A third way to reduce the heat generated within a motor is to choose a larger motor and operate at a lower percentage of its full load; this is known as derating the motor. Because the motor's temperature is roughly proportional to the square of the current, operating a motor at a lower current than it is rated for means that the motor will remain cooler. This is the most frequently used option in industrial settings, with the motor derating factor incorporated at the design stage. The precise derating factor required depends on the motor and how it is cooled and should be checked with the manufacturer. No matter which option is right for you, ensure that your motor is operating efficiently, with a minimum of stops and starts and changes in speed and torque. This will greatly reduce the heat stress and heat build-up inside your motor and reduce the need to address cooling issues. Preventing Flashover When operating electronics at high voltages, two conductors that come close together can experience flashover, where the electricity jumps across the air gap between them and creates a short circuit. This can destroy components and put vital electronics out of action, incurring high repair and replacement costs. One of the things that protect against this is the insulating capacity of the air. At higher altitudes, less-dense air has a reduced capacity to insulate against flashover. Most electronics are designed to operate at altitudes up to 1000-2000 metres. Above this, it may be necessary to purchase electronics such as speed controls designed specifically for use at high altitudes. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to modify existing electronics to operate at higher altitudes than they are rated for. It is necessary to take the risk of flashover into account at the design stage to ensure the right electronics are installed and the maximum service life is achieved. Summary The effects of altitude on electric motors can result in heat-stressed motors and damaged electronics unless careful planning is carried out at the design stage. By choosing the right motor and controls for your high-altitude application, you can save money and reduce your equipment's total cost of ownership. At eMotors Direct, we offer a wide range of electric motors, speed controls and accessories for every type of application and need. https://www.emotorsdirect.ca/knowledge-center/article/altitude-effects-on-electric-motors

Electric motors do the physical work of moving air and driving compressors in HVAC systems, operating continuously for years, sometimes even decades, without regular maintenance. When equipment stops working, an HVAC technician must identify whether the motor has failed and often the motor is replaced instead of being repaired. Diagnosing Motor Failure HVAC systems fail for all kinds of reasons, and it’s important to make a correct diagnosis of the problem before ordering parts from your supplier. Testing the power supply and the motor is necessary to determine if it’s going to be an easy fix or a complete replacement. All you need is a multimeter and some basic tools. To troubleshoot a non-working HVAC motor, you’ll need to go step-by-step over the power supply, bearings, motor windings, capacitors, electronics modules and any other components that manage the operation of the motor. While there are many possibilities for what could go wrong, performing a basic diagnosis will enable you to rule out different parts of the motor drive and quickly expose many of the most common fail states of HVAC systems, saving you and your client from the extra hassle and unnecessary expenditure. We’ve created an in-depth guide on Troubleshooting HVAC Motors to help you get started. If you’ve thoroughly checked the motor and repair is not an option, it’s time to find a replacement. Before Ordering Your Replacement Motor Before you can order a replacement, you must identify what motor you’re dealing with. This information should be available on the nameplate that is attached to the motor body. If the nameplate is missing or corroded, it is possible to estimate the motor specifications by looking at the motor size, wiring and anatomy. Utilize our Smart Search feature to quickly find replacement candidates. When you input key information about your motors, such as the brand name, voltage, speed, or horsepower, we cross-reference the information with other products in our extensive database of HVAC motors. This means you’ll not only find direct OEM replacement motors, but also a list of different choices that are compatible with the application that you are repairing. From this list, you can choose based on brand name, performance, energy efficiency, and affordability, so that you are able to make a choice that not only fixes the problem but optimizes the outcome based on what is most valuable to you. Ordering Your Motor We’ve streamlined the process of ordering your motor and shipping it to you as quickly as possible. When you create a profile with us, we immediately set you up with all the tools you need to manage your orders, including live tracking information, order history, a flexible payment options system and notifications on our biggest promotions and offers. As you progress through our loyalty program, earn benefits including free ground shipping on all orders for Canadian customers, price discounts and an additional warranty period for that extra reassurance. Once you place your order, we ship from one of our many manufacturer warehouses located throughout Canada - whether you need the motor delivered to your head office or directly to your customer’s location. Our world-class distribution system enables you to get your motor delivered quickly so that you can get on with your business and maintain your bottom line. Installing Your Motor Once you receive your motor, installation is easy. Many of our HVAC motors feature flexible mounting attachments that enable them to be dropped into a wide range of different HVAC systems. Summary Once you’ve diagnosed your HVAC problem and identified that a motor replacement is needed, ordering a replacement is simple. Shop our online inventory or contact our motor experts for additional support. pTl1W9Mzg8ShPm9v9Qfk

Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about us - https://www.emotorsdirect.ca/ Electric motor bearings regularly experience high levels of stress when driving heavy loads. This makes them one of the most critical components you need to take care of to keep your motor running smoothly and consistently. In this article, we'll go over the main reasons why they fail and how to replace them when they do fail so that you can take both preventative and proactive action to maintain your electric motor bearings and operational productivity. Why Do Bearings Fail? Electric motor bearings support the motor's spinning shaft during operation, absorbing large radial forces and enabling surfaces to remain in contact while moving at high speed. Despite what they must endure, adequately maintained bearings could last many years before reaching the end of their service life. Several preventable factors accelerate wear and tear and lead to premature bearing failure. Excessive Torque and Speed Suppose your motor is operated outside its rated limits for speed or torque or a bearing is fitted that is not properly rated for the motor. In that case, the internal friction in the bearing will overcome the cooling ability of the lubrication. Thus, the bearing will experience overheating, damage, and vibration that ends in failure. To prevent this, make a thorough assessment of your requirements before purchasing a motor or bearing. Pay special attention to radial forces and cyclic or shock loads, as these place exceptionally high stress on the bearing. Inadequate Maintenance Inadequate maintenance and protection can cause a bearing to degrade very quickly. If it's not greased-for-life, you must regrease bearings periodically according to the schedule. You must pay special attention to the lubrication type and amount indicated by the manufacturer. It's also essential to do everything you can to keep contaminants out, including dust, moisture, or anything else which can cause pitting or corrosion of the inner surfaces. Proper seals and shaft slingers should be fitted to your motor where necessary, and bearings or motors that are not in use should be stored away in a clean, dry, and vibration-free environment. Incorrect Installation Incorrect installation or removal of bearings can cause misalignment of new bearings, resulting in focused stress areas that may cause it to fail immediately on start-up or not too far down the road. When removing old bearings, avoid using excessive force as you can damage the shaft or bearing housing and make it difficult to align a new one properly. If you use the wrong tools or techniques during installation, you can damage and deform the case or rolling elements of the new bearing. We'll cover in-depth the right way to replace bearings later on in the article, but first, let's take a look at what you need to consider when a bearing failure occurs. Replace or Repair? One thing you may be wondering when facing a motor replacement is whether it would be more cost-effective to have it repaired by a local shop instead. Especially if you see the signs of damage – such as increased noise, vibration, or excessive heat – but the bearings haven't completely failed, this might be an option. Typically, it’s not worthwhile to repair bearings on small motors, especially if they're standard type and relatively inexpensive. If you have medium to larger motors with a particular type of bearing that is costly to replace, you may want to contact your local repair shop about the option of having it professionally repaired. Ordering a Replacement Bearing To order a replacement bearing for your electric motor, first find the part number. This is usually visible if the surface has not become worn or corroded. If you have the parts number, especially if the bearing failed prematurely, double-check that it's the right one for the motor and the intended application. If you can't find the part number, we can help you with that. We stock a wide range of motor bearings for all motor sizes and types, and you can get in touch with us with the details of your motor to quickly find the right one. Replacing A Bearing Replacing an electric motor bearing is not a complicated task, but it's also not trivial. You run the risk of damaging the motor or the new bearing. You may end up saving more time and money by having the bearing replaced by a specialist. But if you want to do this task yourself, here are the key steps and things to look out for. Before you start, make sure that the motor has no connection to power and there's no chance of an accidental contact while the maintenance work is completed. Wear appropriate PPE, and make sure you have enough time allotted for the job so that you're not in a rush. Removing the Old Bearing Removing an old bearing can be a tedious job, especially when it has been in service for many years, and surface corrosion keeps it firmly attached to the shaft. The best approach is to use a bearing puller. There are several different types; common ones use two or three jaws clamped around the bearing to create an evenly distributed force and minimize friction resistance. While some pullers feature hydraulic assistance, it's not usually necessary for small to medium motors. Using such tools requires extra care to prevent damage to the motor shaft and minimize personal safety risks. Cutting the bearing off with power tools should be avoided, as there is a high risk of damaging your valuable motor. If you're having difficulty removing it, it's far less risky to have it done by a specialist instead. Before installing the new bearing, examine the old one for signs of the cause of the failure, such as corrosion damage or the presence of water or grit particles in the lubrication. If the problem is not found and the appropriate action isn't taken to correct it, the new bearing may well experience a similar fate. Clean the Shaft Ensure the entire length of the motor shaft that the new bearing will traverse is perfectly clean and smooth, free from corrosion, moisture, and particles of dust or other contaminants. Remove gouges or burrs to prevent damage to the bearing ring as it slides over. If you need to clean the shaft, a scotch-Brite pad or similar product is preferable to sandpaper, as it won't leave small grit particles behind. Heating the Bearing Bearings are designed to fit precisely, with tolerances in the ten-thousandths of an inch; getting it onto the shaft can be difficult. One way to make the process easier is to heat the bearing to expand it and/or cool the motor shaft to shrink it. This can be the difference between an easy job and a difficult one. We recommend you heat the bearing using a proper induction heater with a demagnetization cycle designed for the job. This enables you to avoid overheating the bearing and potentially damaging the lubrication inside. You should avoid risky shortcut methods such as torches, pizza ovens, or oil baths, as the temperature in these methods is difficult to track and control. Installing the New Bearing Install new bearings with a proper bearing installation kit, which contains the necessary tools such as a dead-blow hammer and impact sleeve that help you avoid damage to the bearing and motor shaft. In most cases, the new bearing should go on without too much difficulty. Take your time and avoid using brute force if you encounter resistance. Instead, check for irregularities on the motor shaft, and make sure the bearing is the right size and heated sufficiently. If the bearing is designed to be a very tight fit, using an arbor press is an alternative method, but make sure you have correctly squared and blocked the bearing so that it's not deformed or misaligned when force is applied. Once you have the bearing fitted, reassemble the motor and run it without a load to check for any vibration, noise, or other signs that the new bearing isn't installed correctly. Summary Electric motor bearings endure a lot of stress, but when properly selected, installed, and maintained, they will give you many years of effective service. If you need to replace a bearing on your motor, take a look at our range of bearings to suit all kinds of motors, or get in touch with us today, and we'll help you find the right one.

A gear reducer, or gearbox, is one of the most significant purchases you will make when assembling an electric motor drive for your application. A reducer that meets your requirements and is well taken care of ensures a long and trouble-free service life and improves the performance, efficiency, and ultimately your application's productivity. Here are the key things to consider when selecting, maintaining, and troubleshooting your gear reducer. The Right Gear Reducer Selection The first and most crucial step in optimizing your gear reducer is making the correct choice in the first place. There are many different types of reducers built for specific input and output performance characteristics that cannot be changed, so you must be careful to select the right one for the job. Speed and Torque The purpose of a gear reducer is to provide the optimum output speed and torque to the load at the motor's operating speed, which is typically the motor's base speed, where it is most efficient. Ensure the reducer's reduction ratio is sufficient to provide the torque you need to drive the load and that the output speed is optimal for your requirements. A drive that runs too fast or slow or cannot cope with the demands placed on it will suffer from poor performance and risk damage to the load, the motor, and connected equipment. Motor Performance While the necessary calculations involved in selecting a gear reducer are relatively simple, several additional factors are often overlooked, resulting in poor performance or short service life. If your application will experience shock loads or cyclic loads, even for short periods, add a sufficient service factor to the reducer so that it will be able to cope with the increased torque. Also, suppose you require precise control of the speed or position of the load. In that case, it's vital to achieve good inertia matching between the gear reducer and the load, which determines how well the load can be controlled during acceleration and deceleration of the motor. Level of Efficiency If reducing your operating costs is important to you, consider which gear system type will work best for your needs. Over a 10-year service life, the purchasing price of an electric motor drive typically only accounts for less than ten percent of the total cost of ownership, and the majority of your expenses will be determined by how efficient your motor and gearbox are. There are many different gear systems available with varying levels of efficiency and performance for various uses. Choosing an efficient one will go a long way toward optimizing your long-term costs, even if it's not the cheapest option. Maintaining Your Gear Reducer Once you've selected a gear reducer, there's still plenty to do to keep it maintained and running well over the long term. Here are the most important tips to consider: Lubrication Correct lubrication is the single most crucial factor in maintaining your gear reducer and keeping it operating reliably and productively for many years. Improper lubrication causes increased friction, resulting in pitting of the gear surface and a snowball effect that quickly ends in gearbox failure. Always use the correct lubrication for your reducer as recommended by the manufacturer, which will have the right properties to maximize its performance and service life. Follow recommended procedures for the break-in period when operating a brand-new reducer, which may involve replacing or filtering the oil after a short time to remove any metal filings and particles dislodged from the gear teeth. Periodically check the oil level and quality, and don't over-fill or under-fill it, as both instances can cause a reduction in the lubrication's heat dissipation capability. Contamination The only thing that should enter inside a gearbox is the lubricant. Suppose it is operated in highly polluted or weather-exposed environments. In that case, there is a substantial risk of dust and water particles coming in through faulty seals or exposed bearings, which can wreak havoc on the gears. If necessary, use bearing protection such as rubber seals and shaft slingers to protect the gears from contaminant ingress. When operating in colder climates, condensation can be an issue, and water inside the gearbox interferes with the lubrication and causes hotspots of friction and damage on gear tooth surfaces. Keep your gear reducer in as sheltered and warm an environment as possible, use desiccant air filters if necessary, and routinely check the oil for signs of water contamination, which typically presents as a milky, cloudy colouring. Immediately replace any contaminated oil. Storage When storing your gear reducer, keep it in a clean, dry, and climate-controlled environment, with all covers, vents and drains closed and sealed. Maintaining lubrication during storage is vitally important, especially if your reducer is a backup that needs to be ready to go on short notice. Rotate the shaft periodically to distribute the lubrication. Be sure to rotate it by as many turns as it takes to complete a full revolution at the output to ensure that lubrication is spread evenly over the gears. Troubleshooting Gear Reducer Problems When your gear reducer is in trouble, you may not have long to find out what the problem is and fix it before permanent damage occurs. Although routine maintenance is your best safeguard, there are additional telltale signs you should be looking out for. Vibration and Noise If you notice increased vibration or noise in your gear reducer, it is a strong warning that something is wrong. If possible, rule out the motor by operating it without a load, and check that the load isn't the problem by running the motor and gearbox with no load attached. Noise and vibration are often accompanied by overheating, so check the gearbox surface temperature as well. If your gear reducer is suffering from excessive vibration, it may be time to have it serviced or replaced to minimize the risk of interruptions to your operations. Overheating Overheating is a common problem when the lubrication in your gear reducer is insufficient or has deteriorated. Check the surface routinely with a temperature gun to track spikes in temperature that indicate increased friction between gears. When this occurs, make a thorough check of the lubrication type and quality. If the lubrication is satisfactory, your reducer may require servicing or replacement. Summary Your gear reducer is one of the cornerstones of your operation, and making the right choices in selection and maintenance will ensure that it provides you with many years of reliable productivity. To start putting your gear reducer together, visit our gearbox builder, the simplest and most powerful way to assemble the ideal gear reducer for your specific needs. 9GRn3zpxuPNgN70vguFo

In early spring of last year, as the news of the pandemic began to grow, so too did the fear of the unknown. As nationwide shutdowns began with businesses temporarily closing their doors, panic buying set in. Grocery store shelves containing perishables, meats, cleaning supplies, and more sat empty for weeks and even months while the Canadian food supply chain scrambled to catch up. As new restrictions were adding up, border closures mandated, and consumer demand became increasingly more unpredictable, the Canadian agricultural industry's outlook was only slightly less than doom-and-gloom. Articles posted online provided the public with a less than promising forecast for the remainder of 2020. But now that we’re seemingly coming out on the other side of this pandemic, we're taking a look back on the past year, thinking – "Hey, that wasn't so bad, was it?" The Three Greatest Threats to Canadian Agriculture in 2020 The less-than-positive news: not every sector within the Canadian agricultural industry came through 2020 unscathed. Labour Shortages Labour shortages both on the farm and at processing plants turned into a big pain point for Canadian farmers. Both farms and food processing plants utilize foreign workers to build out their labour force and cover busy seasons. But what happens when they can't get into the country? Faced with border closures, many migrant workers were unable to get into Canada. In the cases where they could reach Canada, the mandatory two-week isolation period provided another hoop to jump through that was too far out of reach for many. Migrant workers often stay in a shared living space provided by their employer but cannot complete the mandatory isolation period at these locations. Meaning they had to find a place to isolate themselves in a new country and finance that location and time on their own, all while not earning a wage. The financial stress was too much to bear and deterred many workers from making the trip. Processing and packaging plants faced labour shortages beyond a lack of access to foreign workers. Any workers who showed symptoms of COVID-19 or came into contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 had to isolate for up to two weeks. More workers than usual had to take advantage of sick leaves to follow these new health regulations. Parents also had to deal with school shutdowns and homeschooling. Families often had to make the difficult decision of one parent staying home to take care of the kids, meaning that many workers had to either quit or take long-term leaves until schools opened again. Social Distancing Pains Beyond labour shortages, the nationwide mandate to social distance caused additional pains for farmers and the like. Keeping a six-foot distance isn't always possible when sharing transportation or in shared living spaces, and equipment and work/break spaces are often shared as well (washrooms, tractors, tools, etc.). Shifts often had to be shorthanded and offset to avoid crowding workstations and locker rooms. Manufacturing plants struggled greatly with adapting to social distancing regulations. In particular, Meat processing plants had trouble adjusting to the new rules and providing a safe and distanced workspace for their labourers. They require many people to work each shift, and those workers are most often in close quarters. Many plants had to keep shifts short-staffed and offset shift start and end times to provide an environment where social distancing was a bit easier. They also scheduled shifts as “pods” that always worked together to help with contact tracing if someone was to fall ill. In keeping shifts smaller to promote social distancing, meat processing plants produced significantly less output. A backlog of livestock sat on farms for months, leaving the farmer to cover the costs of feeding, housing, and caring for animals that should have already left for processing. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the work and the inability to always stick to six feet apart, meat processing plants ended up being the center of quite a few outbreaks of the virus over 2020. Resulting in the closures of a few prominent locations across Canada; ex. Cargill, Olymel, and Belmont Meats, causing even further issues for farmers trying to get their livestock to market. However, social distancing problems and outbreaks weren't the only reason a backlog of livestock and crops sat to spoil while waiting for processing. Changes in Consumer Demand Restaurant shutdowns, working from home, and quarantine threw the supply and demand forecast for 2020 out the window. Consumer demand changed wildly throughout the past year and continues to show new trends in a few different areas. At the beginning of the first quarantine, while panic buying left many grocery stores empty, restaurants were ordered to temporarily close their doors. Food processing plants had to pivot to change their portion size offerings. Restaurants were no longer purchasing commercial-sized bags of potatoes or flour, chicken nuggets and wings were no longer being ordered by the dozens, and consumers were looking to save money rather than spend on the quality (ie. more expensive) cuts of meat. So, they retooled plants to offer more family-friendly and individual-sized servings. As the supply chain worked overtime to catch up, our government started placing new regulations on imports and exports to help keep Canadian foods inside our borders. While this was a required attempt at self-preservation for the country, other countries also did the same thing meaning that foods we regularly imported previously were temporarily unavailable to us. Consumers began looking for new ways to entertain themselves and learn new skills as quarantine dragged on longer than expected. Cooking at home and learning to bake were popular tasks throughout 2020. It is no surprise that as consumers began to make their foods at home, eating healthier and more ethically sourced foods started to become a large driving factor in food purchasing. Consumers' interest in knowing from where ingredients were sourced and how workers and animals were treated grew. Many farmers opened vegetable stands and small roadside markets where they could sell directly to their communities. This provided the consumer with food purchasing options that allowed them to see better where their money was going and directly support their community. At the same time, farmers could sell goods that otherwise should have entered the incredibly disrupted food supply chain. As we move forward into 2021, the food supply chain has had ample time to even out and things are looking up for all sectors. Restaurants are beginning to open back up, students are back at school, and workers that moved to remote workdays are starting to head back into the office again. Despite the challenges faced last year, farmers are still getting livestock and produce to market and most food processing plants are back up and operating, and moving forward with future plans. So, maybe it wasn’t as bad as we expected? On a Positive Note Not all Canadian agriculture industry sectors were hit as hard by the pandemic as livestock farms and processing plants. Pulses, grains, and oilseeds are doing incredibly well; there is a high demand for Canadian crops right now. This already highly mechanized industry didn't have to face the complex challenges of labour shortages or social distancing pains. Instead, it will likely be a significant economic driver over the next year as Canada rebounds from the pandemic. Canada is the world's top producer and exporter of canola, lentils, and peas, while wheat is our single biggest export earner in Agriculture; we produce 30 million tons each year and export seven billion dollars worth. Over 50 countries alone rely on our canola and flaxseed exports. In agriculture sectors where the outlook isn't as positive as crops, the Canadian government has stepped up to the plate, putting together funds for bursaries and grants in an attempt to stimulate growth and continue upward trends where needed. Changing the Motor Buying Game Here at eMotors Direct, we're helping in every way we can. This growing season, we're focusing on your motors so you can focus on keeping Canada fed. Shop over 20 thousand SKUs of electric motors, motor controls, gearing solutions, parts, and accessories; over 350 in-stock farm duty motors and 450+ farm-related products to keep your operation motoring forward. Take advantage of our free power tailgate delivery to get your motor where you need it without leaving the yard, so you can keep working. Plus, talk to one of our motor experts to learn how you could be saving tons of money in energy costs with premium-efficient motors. We'll get you started faster and working longer so you can focus on what you do best, putting food on our tables. Summary While the outlook for 2020 started quite negative at the beginning of the pandemic, the Canadian agricultural industry has proven its resilience once again. This tough industry has faced labour shortages, social distancing pains, and massive swings in consumer demand. Though our optimism waned last year, our agriculture and food supply chain has managed to even out again and gain traction within the international market. And in sectors that need the extra hand up, our government is stepping up to the plate by injecting funds and stimulating growth. Despite it all, it seems we're coming out the other end armed with new skills and a positive outlook as we work towards the next growing season.

AC induction motors are used in many industrial applications as well as commercial and domestic products and appliances. Due to their design, the speed of these motors is determined by the frequency of the supply power, and the current determines the motor torque (turning force) in the motor, which is determined by the voltage of the supply. To effectively manage the speed of the motor, even when the load varies, it is necessary to control both the frequency and the voltage of the supply power. This opens the possibility of great improvements in efficiency and productivity and reductions in maintenance costs. Managing the speed of an induction motor is achieved by using a solid-state electronics device called a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), sometimes known as a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) or simply as an AC drive. This device provides the ability to modify supply power frequency and voltage, giving operators and manufacturers fine control over how a motor behaves in an application. The motors used with a Variable Frequency Drive are usually three-phase induction motors due to their popularity and widespread usage. Still, VFDs can be used to achieve speed control with single-phase and synchronous motors as well. How a VFD Works The key goal of a Variable Frequency Drive is to modify the frequency and voltage of the supply power. Doing this converts the alternating current (AC) power of the supply to direct current (DC), adjusts the voltage, and then converts it back to AC power at the desired frequency. The first stage of a VFD is the converter. This device is typically a six-pulse full-wave diode bridge designed to only allow a single polarity output regardless of the input's polarity. This means that the alternating current (AC) on the input is converted to direct current (DC) at the output. In the second stage, voltage adjustment is carried out. Typically, this is achieved using a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM). This device takes the power at the input and pulses it at the output, which causes the voltage at the output to fluctuate. By controlling the pulse rate and using a capacitor on the output, the result is smoothed out at the desired voltage. This makes it possible to achieve a wide range of output voltages from an input source. The final stage of a VFD involves converting the voltage-adjusted input from DC power back to AC power. The device used to do this is known as an inverter. The output of the inverter stage of a VFD is usually quasi-sinusoidal, which is suitable for a motor. Benefits of VFDs Regardless of the application, there are innumerable benefits to controlling the speed of a motor using a Variable Frequency Drive. The main benefit is efficiency. When motors run at a constant speed that is not determined by the application, they are rarely operating near maximum efficiency. Depending on the application, this can result in substantial power costs and loss of productivity. With speed control, the optimum speed for each application can be determined and maintained. This doesn’t just mean savings in operating costs, but also the potential to claim benefits from energy efficiency tax incentives and utility rebates. Another advantage of speed control using a Variable Frequency Drive is a reduction in maintenance costs. When motors run faster than they need to, the entire mechanical system, including the motor, bearings, gearboxes and peripherals such as pumps or conveyor belts, wear out faster. Additionally, the shock of starting at full speed can create stress on the entire system and result in more frequent mechanical failure. In the long term, this can add up to a high cost. By controlling the speed of the motor with a Variable Frequency Drive, the lifetime of the entire system can be extended, reducing maintenance costs and the requirement for new parts. Using a VFD has the added benefit of protecting the motor and the entire system from fluctuations in the supply power that may be outside the control of the operator or manufacturer. Because VFDs maintain the supply's frequency and voltage, they provide over-voltage, under-voltage, and phase protection to the motor. This reduces stress, maintains optimal operating conditions and increases the lifetime of the system. Summary A Variable Frequency Drive is a handy device that provides you with fine control over your motor's speed and torque, allowing you to tailor the speed of the motor to the application, increasing efficiency and productivity, and reducing maintenance costs.

Farm Duty motors operate near people and livestock, performing a variety of tasks in harsh conditions. Accidents that result in electric shock, damaged machinery, or fires can spell disaster for your farm's productivity and severely impact your livelihood. Fortunately, the large majority of electric motor accidents are entirely preventable. With the right approach to safety during motor installation, operation, and maintenance, you can minimize the risk for you, your family, your employees, and your farm business. Safe Motor Installation During the installation of a farm duty motor, you have an opportunity to take steps to improve the safety of people and animals in the vicinity of where your motor will be operating. Before Installation Before installing the motor, make a thorough inspection of the electrical system that it will be connected to. Poor grounding from damaged wiring can lead to stray voltages on surfaces that people and livestock regularly contact. The effects can range from minor to deadly, depending on the condition of the wiring. Tiny voltages that humans overlook may be felt by livestock, increasing stress and interfering with your animals' productivity and management. If you are operating a large motor, the inrush current at start-up can create stray voltages even on a well-maintained system and create a voltage drop that impairs motor performance and affects sensitive equipment all over the network. Consider fitting the motor with a soft starter to prevent this from happening. During Installation To reduce the risk of live wires becoming exposed through damage, avoid using extension cords for permanent motors. Invest in proper wiring with protection from moisture and heat, out of the way of people and animals. Don’t wrap the excess cable around motors or any surface that could become hot and melt the insulation. When installing a motor, make sure the motor is properly and securely mounted, with correct alignment and belt tension. This will reduce vibration in the load. Vibration can damage equipment and pose a safety risk in a sudden failure event. Securely install guards and covers over any rotating parts of the motor or any exposed electrical contacts. Establish safety protocols with everyone on the farm for working in the vicinity. Safely Operating Your Motor When a motor is operating, every effort should be made to maintain a safe environment and reduce the risk of injury to people and livestock. Every time the motor runs, make sure that all guards are in place and that animals cannot stray or come into contact with cables, drive belts, or any moving parts on the motor. Keep dry, combustible materials away from motors and other electrical equipment to reduce the risk of a fire in the case of an accident, such as a short circuit or burnout. If the motor's start/stop switch is far from where it is operating, ensure that there is a separate manual isolating switch close to it. It must be possible to stop the motor immediately if it becomes clear that a problem or accident is developing. Ensure that the motor has overload protection in the event of a sudden excessive load situation such as a locked rotor. If the motor is not being used with separate controls or external overload protection, choose a motor with an integrated manual overload circuit. Ensure that circuit breakers and fuses are properly sized and avoid the temptation to oversize them to prevent interruptions from legitimate issues. Safe Motor Maintenance Maintaining a farm duty motor is a task that must be carried out regularly, and you may want to handle small maintenance jobs on your own. Always follow safety practices during maintenance work, as the risk of accidents greatly increases when someone is working on the motor. Before Carrying Out Maintenance Before working on the motor, the most important step is to cut off power to the motor by switching it off or unplugging it from the electrical system. If possible, use a lockout system that uses a padlock to prevent the main switch from being operated. Don’t trust that a switch is doing its job – check the voltage across the motor's terminals to ensure that power is really off before touching terminals and wiring. If the motor uses a thermal overload protector, make doubly sure that the power is shut off, as power may be restored suddenly to the motor when it has cooled down. If using an access ladder to reach the motor, try to use one that is made of a non-conductive material such as fibreglass to reduce the risk of electric shock if you accidentally come into contact with live wires. Safety During Maintenance Work Before doing anything else, if your motor is a capacitor-start type, make sure that all capacitors are fully discharged, as they can hold a lethal charge for some time after power is disconnected. Don’t open parts of the motor that you don’t need to, and keep guards and covers in place unless you must remove them. Keep hands and clothes away from any rotating parts and use basic personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce personal injury risk. When you are finished, fully reassemble and test the motor before putting it back into operation. Summary Maintaining strict safety protocols around farm duty motors helps protect you, your family, your employees, and your valuable livestock ensuring that your farm is a safe and productive environment season after season.

Commonly, industrial and manufacturing plants require a backup inventory including motors and parts. A broken motor can mean missed deadlines, employee downtime, or spoiled product. These businesses depend on their motors to work so having a replacement motor on hand can help decrease costs in the long term. Although the backup inventory is extremely important, the motor backups can stay in storage for several years if the replacement is not needed. Electrical Apparatus Service Association, Inc. (EASA) walks us through common factors to consider when storing a motor long term. "A very important consideration in storage planning is the environment. There is consensus across all reviewed sources on this requirement. Electric motors should be stored in a clean, dry and vibration-free area. One of the most important recommendations for proper storage is that motors should be stored in an environment where the air is ventilated, clean and free from dust with additional care and planning for protection against the infiltration of a motor by insects and vermin while in long-term storage." - EASA Common factors to consider include: Temperature: The motor should be stored between 5-60° C Humidity: Relative humidity range of less than 50-75% Vibration: The recommended maximum vibration level is not to exceed 0.15IPS (3.8 mm/s) or 0.8 mils (0.02mm) Moisture Protection: Commonly, it is recommended to utilize the onboard space heaters to keep the winding temperature about 5° C above ambient. Recommendations from OEM's vary Bearing Maintenance: The recommendations for sleeve bearings are very different from those for grease-lubricated rolling element bearings. See the below linked EASA article for full details. Insulation Resistance: One of the key recommendations is to correct the megaohm reading to 40° C. Generally speaking, store the motor in a climate-controlled environment with low vibrations. The area should be clean and free of dust. This article is posted with permission from EASA.

With the advancements in industrial automation and control systems, many companies are making extensive use of motors in applications that are sensitive to contamination, including food manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. Strict hygiene requirements mean that motors are operating in an environment exposed to high-pressure, high-temperature water, often combined with caustic cleaning chemicals. Stainless steel washdown motors provide the best characteristics for any application that requires frequent cleaning cycles with minimum downtime. Contamination Protection Contamination is a serious issue in any industry where electric motors operate in proximity to food and other biologically sensitive products. In the meat industry, where chicken, beef and pork are processed, equipment must be thoroughly cleaned to prevent opportunities for harmful bacteria such as salmonella and listeria to grow. Pharmaceutical manufacturing requires an even higher standard to ensure products manufactured in a sterile environment are free from impurities. These errors are disastrous for consumers, and the companies themselves must initiate costly product recalls resulting in massive revenue losses and lasting damage to brands and reputations. Limitations Even the best-painted washdown motors are limited in their ability to withstand the wear and tear of industrial environments, whether from scrapes and impacts or direct contact with corrosive cleaning chemicals. Ideally, a motor would not require a protective coating, but standard materials used to manufacture motors, such as cast iron, steel and aluminum, are readily corroded when exposed to a washdown environment. Washdown Duty Motor Features Washdown duty motors are designed to be pressure washed and cleaned in place. They are typically IP69-certified, meaning they can withstand direct contact with high-pressure, high-temperature water and steam jets. They are designed to prevent moisture from entering the motor by including sealed bearings with moisture-resistant lubrication and gaskets and oil seals that provide a barrier to liquids and moisture-laden air. Some motors even come with the windings fully encapsulated in a moisture-resistant potting compound as further protection. Reducing Downtime The strict hygiene requirements set by regulators can mean significant downtime and loss of productivity. Measures must also be taken to prevent moisture and contamination from entering the motor through bearings and seals, corroding the interior surfaces and windings. Even with plenty of preparation, the humid, wet and corrosive environment often drastically reduces the motors' service life, requiring regular maintenance and parts replacement, resulting in significantly increased costs. The stainless steel washdown duty motor has been developed specifically to operate in this environment to meet this challenge. Summary In recent years, stainless steel washdown motors have favoured stainless steel's exceptional characteristics. It can resist both chemical and water corrosion, and it does not require any protective coating that may become damaged. With a shiny, smooth, paint-free finish, stainless steel washdown motors provide minimal opportunity for particle build-up and are ideal for applications where washing and cleaning are frequent. These motors also have laser-engraved nameplates to eliminate the need for attached nameplates that can trap bacteria underneath. Stainless steel washdown motors are generally more expensive than their counterparts; however, some applications require such a high level of sanitization that stainless steel is the only viable option.