As Australia’s electrification gathers pace, permanent magnet motors are shattering performance benchmarks. Smart sensors and real-time data help engineers cut energy waste and transition to predictive maintenance.
Electric motors and the systems they drive account for more than 40 per cent of global electricity consumption. As the world economy makes rapid strides toward mass electrification, these motors are a critical focus for efficiency and innovation.
Rising electricity costs, the integration of renewable energy sources and the demand for higher system reliability make motor control a critical area for innovation. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities.
“Their performance and even the power density for such a small motor is incredible.”
To maximise the potential of these power sources, industry’s next step in making best use of electric motors is to optimise for energy and process efficiency.
Maximising the potential of the technology requires monitoring, operating and maintaining motors in ways best suited to the problem they are being used to solve.
Optimising for environmental considerations can be important, for instance, with some contexts requiring more rugged solutions.
“Take bakery facilities, for example. Because of the amount of airborne dust, those facilities need equipment with a higher ingress protection rating, whereas high-temperature environments will require motors with higher temperature ratings,” said Cherise Tabbiner, Schneider Electric’s Offer Manager for Soft Starters and Variable Speed Drives.
Schneider Electric’s soft starters and variable speed drives feature conformal coatings to aid longevity, but data is the most powerful tool to keep these devices running longer.
“We’re able to detect problems with the motor before they occur,” Hancock said.
“Things break down, but they usually give us warning signs that they’re going to break down. Being able to detect that before it causes a significant problem means we can schedule maintenance and repair it before it becomes critical.”
The best way to detect such problems is through data: smaller sensing devices, better vibration sensors and better thermal and current detectors. Faster voltage sampling can detect harmonics and analyse the effects of a motor’s coils.
Data at the source
Being able to access that data and detect the failures at the source, rather than relying on slow and energy-intensive transfers to the cloud or an external mainframe, transforms a motor into something approaching an autonomous agent that can report its own health.
Today’s industrial environments require intelligent, connected systems capable of delivering real-time insights, predictive analytics and automated decision-making, said Hyehee Shin, Offer Manager for Motor Control and Universal Enclosures, Schneider Electric.
“We offer customisable solutions that have different levels of complexity depending on the level of data required, as well as tools that customers can use to self-serve the right solution for them,” Shin said.
“A smaller installation, such as a small farm might require a basic level of data preconfigured for its specific use case, but we can also scale up for complex sites that have a lot more variability. It’s about finding the right solution for the specific application or partner.”
Collecting that data allows operators to make smarter decisions, Tabbiner said.
“Beyond predictive maintenance, we can also use data to operate more efficiently. Your particular process might work, but you might be able to run things slightly slower and tweak some settings while still having the same output and using less energy.”
Operators who control the speed of their motor will need to collect different data to those who do not, while elements such as harmonics will need to be operated for motors using a variable speed drive.
“The way a variable speed drive interacts with the motor puts more wear and tear on that motor,” Hancock said.
“Operators should then consider whether that is the right solution for their circumstances. It might require monitoring the temperature of the windings of that motor and the insulation rating a little bit more carefully.”
Data collection can also improve predictive maintenance, according to Tabbiner.
“Alongside motors, a lot of the equipment we’re dealing with will have a motor-starting solution, whether that’s direct online, a soft starter or a variable speed drive,” she said.
“Schneider Electric devices are engineered with interchangeability in focus. Taking a modular approach to much of the componentry means more options for repairs or upgrades without replacing an entire system. This saves money while being more sustainable as well.”
More than motors
For motor operators looking to improve their systems, Shin advises that a large company such as Schneider Electric is able to help with more than motor management in isolation.
“Schneider’s aim is to be an energy technology partner,” she said.
“We look at a customer’s project and its key requirements and then we can draw in a lot of expertise as well as products and solutions to create a seamless system that includes intelligent motor management.
“It’s not just about the motors; it’s about the full package.”
For deeper insights into the technologies and methodologies shaping the future of motor management, join Schneider Electric’s webinar exploring current solutions and emerging trends to prepare for.
