Two weeks ago, we discussed the importance of quality assurance (QA) to ensure a healthy start toward achieving a full design life expectancy of the motor. This week, we want to continue with the second of the three basic reliability fundamentals (QA, trending and troubleshooting).
Trend is your friend, and this is never more obvious than when a catastrophic failure occurs with no historical comparison available. Unfortunately, all too often, the first test performed is the post-failure test. Not all tests are going to present an obvious fault. Instead, they will present a slow trend that will alert the analyst with a change from baseline alarm.
So, allocate the necessary time to collect data at the recommended intervals based on the criticality of the asset being monitored.
For more information on electric motors, visit the PdMA Web site at www.pdma.com.