Breakthrough motor cures reliability Synseal reliability problems 30 September 2014

PVC-U profiles manufacturer Synseal Extrusions is using ABB's SynRM (synchronous reluctance) motor to cut the number of motor failures on two of its main extruders.

The SynRM motor replaced ageing servo motors at the firm's Nottinghamshire plant – which produces extrusions for double glazed windows, doors and conservatory roofs – has since ensured high reliability and maximum production up time.

"The existing extruder motors were 20 years old and largely obsolete," explains Synseal works manager Steve Scurrell.

"Although we kept refurbishing them, they were lasting for shorter and shorter times between refurbishments. If we did not replace them, either could fail at any time and we would lose the use of an extruder line completely."

ABB was looking for a suitable constant torque application to test its new SynRM motor and Phil Nightingale, of ABB partner Inverter Drive Systems (IDS), says the application was ideal.

"The servo motors were long and thin. Although they could have been replaced by normal squirrel cage motors, the SynRM motors were a better fit, as they offer more power for their size than conventional motors," says Nightingale.

Also, because the SynRM rotor runs cooler than other technologies, the bearings also run much cooler, making the motor much more reliable.

Scurrell says that as well as curing the reliability and obsolescence problems, the SynRM motor has also cut 20% off the running costs of the extruder, saving £754 a year on electricity.

"The motor and drive are now fitted as a permanent installation and we have another machine to convert to this configuration later in the year," he says.

"The main benefit to us is that we now have much better availability of spare motors off the shelf and know that we can keep our extruders running."

Brian Tinham

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