By Christo Kotze, product application leader, TeSys, Power Products Division at Schneider Electric.
Motor management plays an all-important role controlling motor energy costs in various industries, segments and applications. Research and practical experience have consistently shown that effective motor management practices can result in significant energy savings, reduced operational costs, and improved overall system reliability.
The above also makes a compelling case for organisations to use motor management to control motor energy costs, while maintaining operational resilience. From plant stoppages, damage to equipment, and risk to people or even the environment, motor failure can be quite expensive.
Implementing a holistic motor management strategy requires careful planning and the right combination of technologies. In the past, companies have been reluctant to implement a complete motor management due to the perceived technical complexities.
Fortunately, with the advent of IIoT, digitisation and advanced connectivity, a motor management strategy is far more attainable. Here are some important steps:
Implement application-oriented tools: For machine builders who source many of the motorised solutions, efficiencies increase when core machine components are easy to select, install, wire, commission, and can be remotely maintained.
Taking this one step further, automated configuration tools now allow OEMs, panel builders and even end users to generate quick and comprehensive solutions. These tools have been proved to reduce design and selection time by up to 40%.
Optimise energy performance: Connected service-orientated devices have the intelligence to operate motors at the optimum efficiency points, which in turn reduces electrical consumption by at least 30%.
Furthermore, intelligent motor starters such as Tesys Island and digital load management solutions make it much easier to optimise machine performance.
Each load feeder can provide asset data to optimise the machine and the process, and to provide actual line current data. These devices offer machine builders the option to monitor installed devices remotely, to provide their clients with a cloud-based predictive maintenance service, and ultimately monetise the newly accessible load asset data.
Improve software analytics: With intelligent motor management solutions in place, maintenance personnel can troubleshoot equipment remotely. Abnormal occurrence can be addressed before it becomes critical and results in production interruption. This intelligent pre-alarming is based on pre-set behavioural parameters.
The data gathered is combined and analysed with dedicated software solutions such as Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Asset Advisor, which allows for the future asset performance prediction.
By implementing a sound motor management strategy, organisations can accurately estimate how long a motor has been in use, when maintenance is needed, and how efficiently it is being utilised.
Ultimately, there are motor management solutions that are tailored to specific segments and which prioritise uptime, safety and efficiency. At Schneider Electric we provide the tools and data needed to make informed decisions about motor management and energy consumption across various industries
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