Electric Motor Noise and Vibration Testing

Motor Noise & Vibration Testing

The existence of abnormal mechanical noises or vibrations when an electric motor is running can be a sign of internal damage; you should endeavour to have your motor serviced as soon as you notice a change in the sound of the motor, catching these subtle changes early can prevent damage and potential downtime in the future.

Noise and Vibration testing is used for preventative maintenance, reducing the chance of breakdowns by analysing any change in the noises or vibrations coming from the motor – any deviation found can then be used to diagnose and repair problems that could lead to motor failure down the line.

What Causes A Change In Noise and Vibration Levels In An Electric Motor?

Noise and vibration testing of electric motors ensures that faults can be diagnosed and repaired before they cause extensive damage to the motor.  A change in the noise or vibration levels in a motor whilst operating can be caused by a number of issues including:

• Damaged or loose bearings / coils
• Bent motor shafts
• Loose parts inside the motor
• Improper alignment
• Loose or weak motor base
• Electrical imbalances

In addition to ensuring you don’t experience downtime, monitoring the noise and vibrations of your motor can ensure compliance with certain industry standards – we work very closely with companies operating in Naval & Marine sectors that must ensure their equipment operates to a certain noise and vibration standard.

What Damage Can Be Caused By A Vibrating Motor?

As well as potential failure, a motor that is vibrating excessively or more than it should can eventually lead to a number of problems including:

• Overheating and damaging components inside
• Premature carbon brush wear
• Carbon brush sparking
• Damage to the motors’ commutator
• Winding faults due to low insulation resistance (IR)

The Noise and Vibration Testing Process

As mechanical or electrical faults develop in motors, vibration levels increase. These increases in vibration and noise levels occur at different severities of a developing fault.

Using our state of the art noise and vibration testing machinery, we analyse the severity and frequency of the noise and vibrations being produced by the motor to diagnose and repair any problems.

Talk To The Experts

In addition to our noise and vibration testing service, we can manufacture bespoke AC & DC motors with noise and vibration levels to your specifications. For more information about our N & V service, or any of our other motor services – please give us a call on 0117 955 2481 or fill out a contact form and we’ll get back to you.