Introduction of electric motor

Electric motors are essential components in various industries, such as manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and agriculture.

Sourcing electric motors can be a challenging task, as there are many factors to consider, including quality, price, delivery date, and service.

This guide will provide you with valuable information on how to source electric motors and make informed decisions.

Step 1: Define Your Needs

The first step in sourcing electric motors is to define your needs.

Consider the following factors:

• Application: What is the motor’s intended application? Will it be used for heavy-duty or light-duty operations?Different applications require different types of electric motors, such as AC or DC motors, servo motors, or stepper motors, make sure the right motor for your equipment.
• Power requirements: What is the electric motor’s power requirement? This is usually measured in horsepower (HP) or kilowatts (kW).
• Voltage: What is the motor’s voltage requirement? This can vary depending on the application and the country’s electrical standards.
• Speed: What is the electric motor’s speed requirement? This is usually measured in revolutions per minute (RPM).
• Environment: What is the electric motor’s operating environment? Will it be exposed to extreme temperatures, humidity, or dust? This can impact the electric motor’s performance and lifespan.
• Certifications: What certifications does the electric motor need to have? Some industries, such as the automotive or aerospace industries, have specific certifications that electric motors must meet.

By defining your needs, you can narrow down your search and find electric motors that meet your requirements.

Step 2: Research Suppliers

Once you have defined your needs, the next step is to research suppliers. Here are some tips for finding reliable suppliers:

• Use search engines: Search engines like Google can help you find suppliers. Use relevant keywords, such as “electric motor supplier” or “AC electric motor manufacturer,” and add your location to the search query to find local suppliers.
• Attend trade shows: Trade shows are an excellent opportunity to meet suppliers in person and see their products. Look for relevant industry trade shows and attend them to find potential suppliers.
• Ask for referrals: Ask colleagues or other industry professionals for referrals. They may have worked with reliable suppliers in the past and can recommend them to you.
• Check online directories: Online directories, can help you find electric motor suppliers. These directories allow you to search for suppliers based on location, product type, and other criteria.

When researching suppliers, consider the following factors:

• Quality: Look for electric motor suppliers that have a reputation for producing high-quality electric motors. Check for certifications, such as ISO 9001, that indicate the supplier’s commitment to quality.

• Price: Compare prices from different suppliers to ensure that you are getting a competitive price. However, keep in mind that price should not be the only factor you consider.
• Delivery date: Check the supplier’s delivery date and ensure that it meets your needs.
• Service: Look for suppliers that offer excellent service, such as technical support or after-sales service. This can be crucial if you encounter issues with the electric motors.

Step 3: Evaluate electric motor Suppliers

After researching potential suppliers, the next step is to evaluate them.

Here are some factors to consider:

• Samples: Request samples from potential electric motors suppliers and test them to ensure that they meet your requirements.
• Manufacturing process: Ask the supplier about their manufacturing process and quality control measures. This can give you insight into the supplier’s production capabilities and quality standards.
• Payment terms: Discuss payment terms with the supplier and ensure that they are acceptable to you.
• Communication: Evaluate the supplier’s communication skills and responsiveness.You want to work with a supplier that is easy to communicate with and responds to your inquiries in a timely manner

Step 4: Negotiate and Place an Order

After evaluating potential suppliers, the next step is to negotiate and place an order.

Here are some tips for negotiating with suppliers:

• Be clear about your needs and requirements.
• Ask for a competitive price but be willing to pay a fair price for high-quality products.
• Discuss payment terms, such as the deposit amount, payment schedule, and currency.
• Clarify delivery dates and shipping terms.
• Ask about warranty and after-sales service.

Once you have negotiated with the electric motor supplier, it’s time to place an order.

Be sure to confirm the order details, including the product specifications, price, delivery date, and payment terms, in writing.

Step 5: Follow Up and Maintain a Good Relationship

After placing an order, it’s essential to follow up with the supplier and maintain a good relationship. Here are some tips:

• Confirm the order and delivery date before the scheduled delivery date.
• Inspect the products upon delivery to ensure that they meet your requirements.
• Provide feedback to the supplier on the quality of the products and the service provided.
• Address any issues or concerns promptly and work with the supplier to resolve them.
• Maintain regular communication with the supplier to stay informed of new products or updates.

Conclusion

Sourcing electric motors can be a complex process, but by defining your needs, researching potential suppliers, evaluating them, negotiating, and maintaining a good relationship, you can find reliable suppliers and high-quality electric ac motors.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can make informed decisions and ensure that your electric motor sourcing process is a success.

Get more information from the professional electric motor manufacturer in China – Dongchun motor China

It is a very important to find a professional electric motor manufacturer to save time.

Dongchun motor is a professional manufacturer of electric motors in China.

Please kindly check the products as follows

single phase motor: YC, YCL with cast iron body and ML , MY motor with Aluminium body

Three phase motor : IE1, IE2, IE3 motor for both cast iron body and Aluminium body

Brake motor: DC brake motor and AC brake motor

VFD motor : frequency variable drive motors.

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Select the right electric motor in 6 steps

Motors are used in all industries. In fact, everything that moves and turns is propelled by an electric motor. From small, standard motors found in fans, pumps and conveyors to (very) large motors that drive wind turbines, for example. Large motors usually require customisation, as smaller ones are mostly mass-produced and widely used. Selecting the right motor for your application is a meticulous process, in which a wide variety of criteria play a role. We will list the most important steps for you here.

What should you look out for when selecting a motor?

What do you need the motor for? And in what kind of production environment will the motor be used? The answer to these questions will provide initial guidance on what kind of motor is suitable for the specific application. Power requirements, speed and where the motor needs to be installed are other determining factors. What steps should you follow when selecting the appropriate small, standard 3-phase motor for your application?

Step 1 - Determine torque and revolutions per minute

The first step in choosing the right motor involves determining torque and revolutions per minute. You need this to calculate the desired power. That’s because the motor inside an application needs a certain torque and speed to cause a turning moment. Therefore, the questions you should initially be asking are: what do I need to move, how fast do I need to move it and how heavy is it? To further specify the function of the motor, it is also useful to know whether the motor is just intended to run something, provide constant speed or put something in place. The more accurately you can determine the function of a particular motor, the better the choice of motor type will be. After all, some motors are more suited to a particular function than others.

Step 2 - Analysing the production environment

The next important step in the selection process is to analyse the production environment in which the motor will need to operate. Will the motor be used in a laboratory environment where nothing much happens, or will it be running in a setting where it is exposed to one or more production factors? Choosing the right engine depends on, among other things:

• Temperature - At low temperatures, for example, you need specific bearings or a heating element when the motor is stationary.
• Medium - Will the motor come into contact with water/moisture or other liquids? If so, could these fluids affect the drive? In that case, a coating will need to be applied and the motor sealed in some way. This will also affect the choice of the motor type.
• Food safety - Some of the materials used in the construction of the motor may not be food-safe. If so, we recommend not using such motors in the food industry, especially when motor parts come into contact with food.
• Environmental factors - Is the production environment really appropriate for a particular motor? Brushed motors, for example, are unable to cope with polluted environments or those containing aggressive gases. These brushes also create sparks, so they shouldn’t be used in environments with flammable substances. You also have to factor in EMC, electromagnetic interference and radiation. In that case, you'd be better off opting for a brushless motor.

Step 3 - Determine the building form/installation space

The next step is determining the installation space for the motor. In some production environments, this space can be quite limited. An example might be AGV systems (Automated Guided Vehicles). Although these should all be able to lift pallets, the space underneath is very limited. In principle, some motors have a higher power density than others. And one type of motor might also be more compact and deliver more power with the same design than another. If space is indeed a challenge, you could look into applying separate parts of a motor, such as a rotor or stator, separately. The benefit of an electric motor is that it comes in different designs and can therefore be mounted in several ways:

• B3: Mounting using a base - the motor is flat on the ground, with the shaft horizontal and attached to the base.
• B5: Mounting using an outer flange with a diameter larger than that of the motor housing. Flanged motors sit on a pump, for example, with the motor shaft then going directly into the pump.
• B14: Mounting by means of an inner flange with a diameter smaller than that of the motor housing.
• B35: Mounting using a base + outer flange (combination of B3 and B5)
• B34: Mounting using a base + inner flange (combination of B3 and B14)

The design (or mounting method) is indicated by a European IEC34-7 standard code. This standard defines the dimensions of a motor. These include shaft diameter, shaft length, shaft height and bore spacing. This is particularly valid for standard induction motors. Other engines either follow no or a different standard (NEMA). So, if you have a standard induction motor that meets the IEC34 standard, you should select from electric motor suppliers that are able to supply these IEC34 standard motors.

Step 4 - Determine the frequency of movement in relation to lifespan

The frequency of movement produced by the motor largely determines its lifespan. Are we talking about an application that needs to go back and forth once a day, or is it something that runs 24/7? An example might be brush motors. Although these contain brushes for transferring energy, they wear out as they are used more often. Brush motors are nevertheless a great solution for something that needs to move back and forth occasionally, as the brushes will last between 3,000 and 5,000 hours. They are obviously less suitable for applications that run continuously.

Step 5 - Determine the efficiency class

A motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. The efficiency between electrical energy and mechanical energy represents the efficiency of a motor. For example, car engines have very poor efficiency. You have to put a lot of energy into them to get back a certain amount of mechanical energy. Efficiency classes range from IE1 to IE4, with the highest number representing the most efficiency.

Applications involving the integration of a new motor may no longer use motors with efficiency classes IE1 and IE2. And from 2025, you will only be allowed to buy IE4 motors. Although these engines are more expensive, the extra costs associated with them are recouped in two years at most, and from then on you can start saving on costs. Companies don’t often see this investment in the short term; however, they usually take action when the current motor needs to be replaced, at which point they see that it can also save them money in the long run.

Step 6 - Controlling the motor

Steps 1 to 5 deal with the characteristics of the motor itself. But how should you control the motor? What kind of interface should the motor have with your system? If you have a system with a controller, and you want to be able to turn it on/off based on a particular output, or you want to have the option of checking the various statuses, so that you can continuously monitor the performance of the motor, the options in these situations are quite wide. There is plenty of choice between different manufacturers, where some have the option of hooking up to an existing system while others don’t. Here, customisation plays a major role.

In this context, the power system also comes into play. What kind of power system do I have? Can the motor be connected to the mains (AC)? Or is it a battery-powered system? If so, this will entail different demands being placed on the motor. A major trend these days involves controls being increasingly integrated into the engine. The benefit of this is that the whole unit is coordinated and compact. As such, the user doesn’t need to buy a separate control box with cables, which reduces the risk of malfunction.

Selection is about more than just the motor

So far, we have mostly talked about the motor and controls. But that's not all. Most motors have high rotational speed and low torque. As far as most systems are concerned, you want the opposite: high torque and low rpm. Similar to your bike and car, there’s a gear somewhere in between, and this usually comes with the motor. The same goes for the reduction gear, where you again have the same choices. Depending on the application, you should also assess which one is most suitable for it. Lifespan and noise are important in this respect. You can also expand the scope of your search by including the drive in the selection process; after all, even if the motor lasts for years, it won’t be of much use to you if the drive unit breaks down within a year. Selection is certainly important in this respect too; with drive technology often coming without maintenance, it simply has to last for a number of years.

ERIKS will help you find the right electric motor

ERIKS represents a number of major electric motor manufacturers. As a result, our range consists of motors that meet current standards and have the necessary quality so that they can be used in any production environment. We make calculations and specialise in programming drive systems so that we can provide our customers with the best possible advice when it comes to choosing a motor that best suits their application. We also create and manufacture completely engineered solutions ourselves. By getting us involved early on in the selection or design process, we will be able to develop solutions with you that lead to cost savings and more efficient production.

Want to know more about how to choose the best electric motor for your application and how ERIKS can assist you in doing so? Contact us - we are happy to tell you more.

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