WEG cuts metal for Sims waste shredding machine25 September 2014

Electronics and metal recycling specialist Sims Metals Management has selected electric motors firm WEG to design and build a bespoke, 6.6kV, 3MW motor for its Newark, Nottinghamshire, plant.

Wayne Oscroft, electrical engineer with Sims, explains that the new motor was required to fit the footprint of legacy OEM equipment that drives its giant shredder at the Newark site which processes over 1,000 tonnes of scrap per day.

"We looked at a number of options for replacing the existing motor, including a new OEM unit and repairing the existing motor, but the most cost effective solution was presented by WEG," states Oscroft.

"Key for us is maintaining our operational efficiency so, while cost is always a factor, we needed to minimise the downtime imposed by the motor change, as well as ensuring that the new motor would provide excellent efficiency and reliability," he explains.

"Sims has worked with WEG on other projects and that experience, combined with its reputation, gave us the confidence to place another order with them," he adds.

The new motor is based on the WEG 'M' Line range, with the casing for the 800 frame motor designed so that the fixing points and the footprint would exactly match those of the old motor.

With the precise measurements for the drive shaft height and diameter, the installation time for the new motor would be minimised, allowing the Sims installation team to complete testing and commissioning with a minimum of lost hours.

"The new motor was installed by our engineers without any problems and it has been performing at more than 96% efficiency, which is excellent for this size of motor," confirms Oscroft.

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
WEG Electrical Motors (UK) Ltd

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