Power transmission technology is in flux, and that adds up to a wealth of options for food and beverage manufacturers.
Mass production is gradually giving way to the Age of Customization. The shift is evident in motor and drive technology.
The days when manufacturers’ processes were dictated by narrow power options are gone. Food and beverage companies have committed themselves to meeting the highest global standards in food safety and hygienic production while also pursuing world-class machine performance. They are pushing suppliers to modify off-the-shelf equipment to meet the particular needs of food production, including optimized OEE and machine reliability. Whether they need electronic variable speed drives or mechanical power, food engineers can pick from a wide assortment of production-ready options.
The availability of stainless steel motors is one example. A rarity 10 years ago, stainless steel induction motors have become de facto standards in poultry production. Automation firms are following their mechanical brethren by introducing stainless steel versions of drives that can stand up to moisture and are air tight. Lean principles compel suppliers to engineer platforms that support multiple variations, depending on the end-user’s needs. Andy Hansbrough, vertical marketing manager-packaging at Radford, VA-based Kollmorgen, estimates more than one million variations of the firm’s drive systems can be delivered. “Design engineers are savvy fellows and know exactly what they want,” he says. “To be innovative and meet their needs, we’ve pursued the lean philosophy and pride ourselves in providing custom-like solutions off the shelf.”
For evidence of mechanical innovation, look no further than Albuquerque, home of Stainless Motors Inc. Company Founder and Chief Engineer John C. Oleson never expected his firm to be more than a niche supplier, building the occasional stainless AC motor to meet specialty applications for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Instead, the motor builder rode a demand wave that has made it the preeminent US supplier of those power systems.
If crude oil reaches the $140 a barrel prices it commanded three years ago, interest should spike for one of Oleson’s most interesting engineering achievements: a water-cooled stainless motor (see “Water cooled and stainless,” Food Engineering, February 2009). The first of these motors was 400hp and powered ammonia compressors at Beef Products Inc. in South Sioux City, NE. Bearing failure with conventional motors was a frequent event in summertime, when demand pushed RPMs as high as 4,000. In autumn, Oleson’s first water-cooled motor marked its third anniversary of continuous performance.
The purified water that cools the engine is piped to boilers and for other waste-heat applications, pushing motor efficiency to a theoretical 100 percent. The incoming water lowers the operating temperature approximately 50°F, accounting for the bearing’s longevity. But the upfront design work and piping requirements add cost, and the recent economic collapse and temporary easing of oil prices cooled commercial interest. “If you go by the MBA rulebook and say you need an ROI in three years, it’s a pretty tall bill,” acknowledges Oleson. “But at five years, it absolutely does pay back.” Interest in the motors is picking up, and Oleson anticipates an order to build a 700hp water-cooled motor.