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drivingforward
Issue 1 2007
Reliability drives our business
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk
We’ve got a blog
Check out our new Gibbons Drives Systems blog for daily musings, pictures and
reviews of all that’s topical in the world of motors and drives.
Blogging is the latest online
outlet for anyone out there
with something to say. The
term “blog” comes from “web
log” and basically takes the
form of an online diary that
you can update instantly and
as often as you like.
Here at Gibbons Drives
Systems, our blog will aim to
raise key issues – the more
controversial the better – in
the hope that we can create a
dialog within the industry and
hopefully get your hard
questions answered.
Fish & Trips
Two lucky readers have
been selected to join
Matthew Gibbons on a
weekend fishing trip in the
Black Water Estuary after
entering the competition in
the last issue of Driving
Forward. The winners are
Darren Smith, Maintenance
Contract Manager, Norfolk
and Suffolk West, Anglian
Water and Jon Bolton,
Purchasing Manager,
Polestar Group.
FREE drives and motors
catalogue
learn
more
Alternatively if you’ve got a
query or issue that you’d like
the electric motor or low
voltage drive world to follow,
then post your question.
Quick News
Why not take a look
www.abbdrivesgibbons.blogspot.com/
Printer wins DV camera in on-line prize draw
Ray Whiteley (right) of magazine printers,
Wyndeham Heron Ltd is presented with a
DV camera by Matthew Gibbons (left) after
purchasing a drive on-line from the all new
Gibbons Drive Systems website (visit
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk) and being
entered into a prize draw.
In this issue of Driving Forward you have
the chance to win a NAVMAN PiN 570
satellite navigation system. Simply visit
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk and register to
receive your FREE copy of future issues of
this newsletter. All registrations
received from February 1st,
2007 through to April 5th,
2007 will be entered into a
prize draw.
ABB drives alliance
ABB has published its 2007
Drives and Motors
catalogue. It is now free to
download from
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk
under “Manuals &
Downloads”
All manuals available for
download
You can now get your
hands on all the ABB drive
technical manuals and
brochures by visiting
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk
and going to our “Manuals
& Downloads” section.
Soft sell
A range of ABB soft starters
is now available from
Gibbons Drives Systems
following its appointment
as an official ABB Soft Start
Alliance partner. Visit
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk
to see the range available
and to buy on-line at
discounted prices.
How to select a motor
To get the best return from your motor investment, it pays to consider the entire lifecycle of how you use your motor. The
motor needs to be durable and robust to avoid breakdowns and have a high efficiency. But as important is the help and
support that you get from your motor supplier.
Application know-how
STEP
Look for a supplier that offers
pre-purchase advice on which
motor is the most suitable for
your application. Even a motor
of the finest materials will
perform poorly if it is the
wrong size or being used in
the wrong place.
2
Selection and dimensioning
STEP
The depth of a supplier’s
know-how about your processes
and applications is often reflected
in the breadth of their
product offering.
3
Availability
As important as having a wide
motor range is the ability of a
customer to be able to get
hold of a particular motor,
quickly and efficiently.
STEP
1
4
Standards and classifications
Gibbons Drives Systems motors
are also recognised by the
following marine classification
authorities:
• American Bureau of
Shipping (ABS)
• Bureau Veritas (BV)
• China Classification Societies
(CCS)
• China Corp. Register of
Shipping (CR)
• Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
• Germanischer Lloyd (GL)
STEP
STEP
Here are 7 top considerations when choosing your motor and your supplier. Remember, though, this is not an exhaustive
list. Why not join our blog at www.abbdrivesgibbons.blogspot.com/ and enter “The Great Motor Debate”.
5
• Korea Register of Shipping
(KR)
• Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
(LR)
• Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK)
• Polski Rejester Statkow (PRS)
• Registro Italiano Navale
(RINA)
• Russian Maritime Register of
Shipping (RS)
Documentation
Today good motor
manufacturers should be able
to meet your requirements for
documentation which should
be readily available by
telephone enquiry, CD-Rom,
email, regular mail or on a
website. Many manufacturers
have detailed
quality/environmental
standards documentation.
Please ask your supplier for
this documentation.
Make sure you can get easy
access to:
• Motor drawings
• Performance curves
including speed-torque
curves
• CAD drawings and
dimensional drawings
- well presented drawings
with all parameters clearly
highlighted
• Test certificates
• Environmental certificates
• EC declarations of
conformity
• Quality certificates
• Classification societies’
certificates for marine motors
• Type examinations
certificates for hazardous
area motors
• Noise spectrums
• Type test reports
• Certificates together with
frequency converters
• Motor catalogues
• Manuals
• Spare parts and option lists
• Educational guides
Gibbons Drive Systems, Woodrolfe Road, Tollesbury, Maldon, Essex CM9 8RY U.K. Telephone: +44 (0)1621 868138 FAX: +44 (0)1621 868188 Email: [email protected]
STEP
STEP
6
Supplier knowledge
7
Product features
When looking at the bottom line,
few businesses stop to consider
the financial impacts of their
electric motors. However, your
choice of motor can affect the
profitability of your operation.
Check that your supplier
understands your process and
has experts who really
understand how pumps or fans
or conveyors or compressors
are controlled in your industry
and can help you select the
right motor.
Poor quality motors can be bad
for business:
Technical queries:
Gibbons Drive Systems support process ensures that technical
queries are answered, wherever possible, immediately or at
least within 24 hours.
Quality of personnel:
Reliability can also be defined by the proficiency of the
supplier’s personnel at answering your technical questions.
Gibbons Drive Systems, for example, has a pool of engineers
able to tackle all issues. Its qualified applications engineers
are able to tackle all motor issues from harmonics to
bearing currents.
• The short-term benefits of
purchasing a poor quality,
cheaper motor are quickly lost when it is discovered that they
are likely to cost more to run
• They are more likely to suffer from
reliability problems resulting in more frequent breakdowns
requiring early replacement or rewind
• If you fit poor quality, cheaper motors into equipment you sell
on, it’s your company that will get the warranty claims and a
poor reputation when the motor breaks down
Product features - other considerations
Lubrication arrangements
• Sealed-for-life bearings
• Regreasable bearings
Terminal box
• How easy is it to connect the
motor?
• Size of terminal box
• Glanding options
• Accessibility of the terminal box
Insulation class
• The use of Class F insulation with Class B temperature rise
gives motors a 25°C safety margin. This can be used to
increase the loading by up to 12% for limited periods, to
operate at higher ambient temperatures or altitudes, or with
greater voltage and frequency tolerances.
Drainholes and plugs
• Are plugged drain holes required?
• Does the supplier have the application knowledge
and environment experience to advise you?
Corrosion resistance
• What corrosion resistance measures have been
taken?
- Surface treatment
- Internal corrosion protection
learn
more
Bearing choice
• Bearings account for main failures. 50% of motor failures
are due to bearings caused through poor maintenance or
poor greasing protocols
To find out more return the
faxback form or visit:
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk
Gibbons Drive Systems, Woodrolfe Road, Tollesbury, Maldon, Essex CM9 8RY U.K. Telephone: +44 (0)1621 868138 FAX: +44 (0)1621 868188 Email: [email protected]
In the spotlight: Motor rewinds
Despite the company name, Gibbons Drive Systems is also one of the countries leading motor rewind specialists.
Heading the motor rewind team is Brian Scripps who has been in the rewind game for 33 years, 11 of which have
been with Gibbons.
Q
A
What is the biggest motor
rewind challenge you have
faced?
Rewinding and rebuilding a
large motor gearbox for a
plastic extrusion line which
had to be returned to the
customer within 24hours. We
worked throughout the night
to complete the job.
Q
A
in the body of the motor and
that no one sees it!
Q
A
Q
A
How many motors do you
rewind?
Several hundred per year.
What do you class as a good
motor rewind?
A good motor rewind is one
where you feel proud of the
workmanship and finished
quality, where I would be
pleased to put my name on
the returned product.
Thankfully, at Gibbons, all our
motor rewinds meet these
exacting standards, it’s just a
real shame that all the work is
What are the main reasons
why motors need
rewinding?
Incorrect customer operation:
incorrect electrical installation;
or poor maintenance. It is also
possible for the power to be
lost on one phase of a three
phase motor and therefore,
the motor is damaged and a
rewind is necessary.
Q
A
Q
Is rewinding always the
best solution?
You would normally rewind a
motor that is a special build
and therefore not easy to
replace or on large motors
where the cost of replacement
is very high. Otherwise
replacing the motor would be
the normal solution.
A
Heading Gibbons motor rewind business is Brian Scripps
What are the major changes
in motor rewinds that you
have noticed during this
time?
No real changes, it’s one of
those rare things that has
stayed exactly the same. ■
Q
A
When would you NOT
suggest a motor rewind?
When the repair is more
expensive than a replacement
or where the damage is so
great it is not possible to
rewind the motor.
FAX BACK
✂
Tick the enquiry numbers below to receive the
relevant information
1
How to select a motor - checklist
Name:
2
FREE - ABB Drives & Motors
catalogue, 2007
Position:
3
ABB soft starter range and
specifications
Company:
Address:
Postcode:
Please fax your form to +44 (0)1621 868188;
or mail to Gibbons Drive Systems, Woodrolfe
Road, Tollesbury, Maldon, Essex CM9 8RY
Alternatively, you can visit our website at:
www.gibbonsdrives.co.uk
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
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