Industrial Motor & Gearbox FAQs

Oil pump gears rotate inside the pump housing, creating pressure that draws oil from the sump and pushes it through the lubrication system to critical engine parts.

High-quality oil pump gears ensure consistent oil flow, reduced friction, and proper cooling of engine components, which helps prevent premature wear and engine damage.

Production of heat is normal in the motors, but when the motor is too hot to touch, then this is normally due to the lack of synchronisation in the duty cycle or mechanical overloading. The surface areas where FHP motors are cooled are smaller; with an FHP motor that is supposed to be used on intermittent duty, but one is operating continuously, the heat will accumulate quickly. Also, inspect "overhung load" - When the belt or chain attached to the shaft is overly tight it causes friction within the shaft resulting in overheating.

It is a typical electrical problem, and it can be attributed to the failure of a start capacitor or the lack of starting torque. In single phase AC FHP motors, the capacitor gives the push to get the rotation going. When it fails, the motor will vibrate without moving. In the event that the capacitor is good and the load is too high, the motor may not be powerful enough to overcome the first "static friction" of the gearbox, particularly in cold conditions where the internal grease has become thick.

When the motor in question runs at the right speed when it is empty and slows down to a crawl when a load is added, the most likely offender is voltage drop or undersizing. When the power cables are excessively long or the wire gauge is too small, the motor will not be able to get the necessary current to sustain the torque. This may also be a symptom of mechanical nature in that the internal centering between the motor and the gearhead has become loose or stripped.

One of the means of communication of distress of a gearbox is noise. A high pitched whine is one of the indicators that the teeth of the gears are not fitting into position normally due to wear of the bearings that has allowed the shafts to move a little. A grinding or clunking sound is more concerning, and can either be an indication of pitting on the teeth of the gears or an indication of something that has been carried around the lubricant (a metal chip).

Oil spills are normally caused by the failure of the seal that may occur due to a number of reasons. High internal pressure forces oil through the seals (which in most cases has been caused by a plugged breather vent). Another option, in case the gearbox is not aligned with the associated equipment, then the created shaft vibration may unevenly wear the seal. In the older units, the seals just get brittle with time and are unable to hold the rotating shaft by a tight grip.

The correct spare part can be identified by checking the machine model number, part specifications, technical drawings, and manufacturer recommendations to ensure proper compatibility.

Machine spare parts are widely used in manufacturing plants, automotive industries, construction equipment, agricultural machinery, and heavy industrial operations.

Timely replacement of worn or damaged parts helps maintain optimal performance, reduce mechanical stress, and prevent costly repairs or production interruptions.

Machine spare parts are typically manufactured from alloy steel, stainless steel, cast iron, brass, bronze, and other durable materials depending on the application and load requirements.

A torque motor will be weak or stalling due to either being undersized to the load, or due to the drive not supplying it with sufficient current or torque limit. Poor performance is also caused by mechanical jamming, high gear ratio and still running close to stall speed. Test the correspondence of the actual load to the torque speed curve of the motor and check the drive settings (current, torque and ramp).

Torque ripple (uneven torque provided by drive), misalignment, loose mounts, or unbalanced loads can be the causes of vibration and jerky motion. This can also be caused by poor control tuning, wrong encoder feedback or gear backlash in a geared torque motor system. Proper alignment, proper mounting and well-tuned drive parameters tend to reduce noise and even out motion.

Re-occurring trips are normally caused by overcurrent, mechanical overloading or improperly adjusted drive settings. Ordinarily, they are jamming, abrupt heavy load variations, violent acceleration, or disparity between drive capacity and motor rating. Check mechanical binding, check overloads and current limits on the drive and make sure that the motor is of the right size to suit peak and continuous torque requirements.

Select the right one, use the demanded continuous torque, peak torque, speed profile, and duty cycle and compare it to the motor ratings. The choice of cooling, mounting style and whether you require an integrated gearbox or brake should be considered. Do not simply pick based on power (kW), but examine the torque speed curve and protection characteristics. In case of any doubt, refer to the selection guide or the technical staff of the manufacturer to verify the appropriate model to use in your machine.

Excessive voltage (more than 110% rating), under voltage, loose wiring, or incorrect AC/DC supply burns out the coil resulting in buzzing without operation or complete failure. Measure resistance at a multimeter and stabilize power input.

Sticking is as a result of dust, oil contamination, misalignment, or improper air gap that results in motor humming, overheating, or resistance to starting. Wash up the assembly, check air gap requirements and grease moving parts without exposing friction surfaces.

Vibration is caused by imbalanced fans, misalignment, or mechanical wear and damages bearings and seals during the course of time. It is solved by checking the fan blades, re-aligning the shaft and the motor, and balancing the parts to prevent the damage.

Poor lubrication, contamination, or overload causes wear, which causes the appearance of grinding sounds and failures. Change bearings when performing a regular check-up, grease should be of good quality, and the play on the shaft should be monitored.

Sudden stoppage of the motor and downtime are caused by power surges, short circuits or loose connections. Check wiring, fit surge protectors, and periodically check electrical parts.

Low pressure usually comes as a result of blocked filters or blocked ductwork and this makes the unit strain more. Look at intake blockages and make sure that the direction of rotation is correct because wired backwards will not move the air effectively and will lower performance.

Abnormal sounds normally indicate wear of bearings or insufficient lubrication. At this point, thumping may be occurring as a result of debris creating an imbalance on the impeller. Clean internal blades regularly and also lubricate bearings so it does not permanently fail due to mechanical reasons.

The build-up of material on the fan blades or loose mounting bolts usually causes heavy vibration. This unbalance has the potential of ruining the shaft. Check the unit every now and then to be clean and be sure that all structural supports are tightly secured.

A low airflow usually means that there is some type of resistance such as after a filter is clogged, a duct is leaking or the drive belts are slipping instead of the motor not working. In case the motor turns normally but the output is low, there is a possibility that the system is choked or there is an escape of air.

High vibration normally indicates the imbalance of the system due to the accumulation of debris on fan blades. This causes the unit to work harder, shaking the housing. Considerable cleaning of impellers and loose belts also contribute to the normal operation with a smooth and quiet procedure.

The dampers are fully open, which usually causes tripping due to the resistance associated with the startup. This causes a huge wave of power because the motor shifts excess air within a short period of time. This start up mechanical load can be minimized by partially closing dampers. 

Although a certain range of temperature change is natural, excessive heating at particular area is normally an indicator of an "Efficiency Mismatch" or a "Voltage Drop." Dual-speed windings are sometimes designed to run at a single speed; operation at the second speed at a heavy load may cause performance to be suboptimal and may cause higher resistive heat. To avoid this it is essential to make sure that your wiring is rated to accommodate the full current of the highest setting possible.

This is a result of a transition spike. As the speed is changed to a higher one, the motor temporarily pulls a large amount of current as it attempts to counter the inertia of the current load. When the control panel does not have a synchronized defined pause or the interlocking contactors are not synchronized in time, then it may result in a momentary short or an amperage spike that is beyond the limit of the breaker.

Standard starters come in single winding. Dual-speed systems need special pole changing switchgear or Dahlander switchgear to physically rearrange the connection of internal windings. When trying to use a standard starter, there is a chance of the motor running but not rotating and in the worst case, burning the internal insulation permanently because of a wrong phase order.

The cause of premature failure is most likely to be the errors in alignment or incorrect grounding. Loss of alignment during installation will result in permanent mechanical grooves and stray electrical currents may be used to pit bearings, which will produce noise and ultimate seizure of moving parts.

This is normally caused by instability in the voltage or heat overloading. Internal heat and slip are caused by voltage drops when there is a spike in power demand. Make certain that your infrastructure is rated properly and sensors are adjusted so as to differentiate between the temporary surges and serious faults.

This ghost overheating is usually a pointer of sensor or communication failure. The internal resistance probes can give false reading because of interference of wires. Check the signal path in your control software and then assume that there is a defect in the hardware. 

This stalling is normally a sign of electrical quality problems such as unbalance of voltage. The motor will not produce the necessary magnetic field without a balanced power and this will result in high energy consumption. Check your source of power to make certain that you are delivering a stable and clean voltage.

Misalignment or inappropriate lubrication is likely to result in bearing failure. The internal components are destroyed by parasitic forces due to poor alignment. Install integrated geared units to make sure all has been aligned factory perfect and follow strict lubrication schedules in order to lengthen the mechanical life.

Unexpected downtime normally results as overloading by thermal. Internal heat will cause safety trips when the motors are over-rated or not ventilated. Make sure that the proper size of motor is used and use TEFC designs to make the required thermal headroom.