Durability + Reliability = Quality

Poor durability motors are costing British industry millions of pounds annually in plant downtime, wasted energy and replacement of the inferior motors. My concern is that the continued price erosion in motors that has benefited end users and OEMs in recent years is about to backfire as a series of premature motor failures from various manufacturers have recently been brought to our attention. In the last 18 months, Gibbons Drives Systems has received many calls to replace motors from other manufacturers that have clearly failed through the use of inferior materials and low cost production methods. The problem is knowing which motor represents durability, as motors with second rate materials inside can look perfectly adequate on the outside and even be perceived as being of a respectable brand. I can’t stress strongly enough how important the durability of motors is for the reliability of processes. If your motor goes down, you will have an unplanned production stoppage until it is repaired or replaced. This can cost as much as a new motor every five minutes. While a high durability motor often gives you more than 10-15 years trouble free service, dependent on frame size, the cheaper alternative may only give you two or three years. When comparing the life cycle cost between the two alternatives, there is just no contest.

Are you experiencing premature motor failure? Let us know your thoughts here.