Diagnostic Technology: Take a Closer Look
Part 1: IAQ Monitors Help Create Healthy Indoor Environments
Part 2: Temperature Monitors and Thermal Imagers Identify Hot Spots
Part 3: Portable Equipment Detects Power Sags and Spikes
Part 4: Test Equipment Helps Develop Preventive Maintenance Programs
Test Equipment Helps Develop Preventive Maintenance Programs
By James Piper, P.E.
December 2008
Managers have a range of test equipment for motor testing from which to choose, depending on the application. Hand-held, infrared temperature sensors and thermal-imaging devices can help identify overheating bearings and loose electrical connections. Technicians also can use portable vibration analyzers to identify misaligned motor drives, loose couplings, and worn bearings.
Portable motor analyzers can perform a range of important tests. Technicians can upload data collected from the tests to a desktop computer, where they can store and use it to generate preventive- and predictive-maintenance reports. Then, they can combine results from successive tests to produce trending reports — a valuable indicator of motor condition and essential in projecting remaining service life.
