Unplanned downtime lasts an average of four hours and can cost companies about $2 million.

The good news is that if your issue is with a DC motor, troubleshooting one is pretty easy. That said, you should know what to do before something goes wrong so you can get back up and running as soon as possible.

Read on, and we’ll tell you how to check a DC motor if you run into problems.

1. Disconnect the Motor From the Power Source and Prep the Wire Ends for Diagnostics. 

Use a screwdriver to remove the set screws from the wire connections running between the motor and battery. Once removed, disconnect the wires so the motor can’t get power.

If necessary, expose the ends of the wires so you can use them to complete the test circuit. 

2. Detach the Motor From Its Machine Housing. 

Remove the DC motor from its machine housing so the rotor can move freely during diagnostics. Depending on the motor type, you’ll either have metric or SAE bolts, so make sure you have the right tools for the job. 

3. Prepare the Volt-Ohm Meter for Testing. 

Set the volt-ohm meter to its ohms setting. Plug the red volt-ohm meter lead into the ohms point, and the black lead into the ground point. Attach the alligator clip leads to each motor power input wires. Touch the two leads together and ensure the volt-ohm meter reads zero ohms. 

4. Run the Test: How to Check a DC Motor for Defects.

Touch the exposed wires of the motor with the volt-ohm meter leads. Black goes to black and red goes to red. Now, read the screen and determine the results:

10 to 100 ohms: This is a low resistance range and indicates there is nothing wrong with the motor.

Infinite ohms: This means there is an open circuit and requires further testing.

5. Rotate the Motor’s End Shaft and Take Note of the New Readings. 

Slowly rotate the motor’s shaft.

If the meter readings change while the shaft is in motion, the motor is good, but there’s a problem with the circuit.

If the meter readings still show an open circuit, there’s an issue with the motor. In most cases, you’ll find it’s one of three issues:

1. A short in the ground
2. Bad conductive bushings
3. A failed commutator

6. Test for a Short in the Ground. 

Find a metal part of the frame’s motor and attach the black alligator clip to it. If the meter shows an open circuit, there is a short in the ground.

7. Remove and Inspect the Bushings. 

Locate the motor bushings under the plastic end caps on the other side of the driveshaft. Use a screwdriver to remove the bushings and then inspect them.

Look for cracks or breaks across the surface of the bushings. There should be a smooth curve where the bushings sit against the commutator.

If you find no defects, the problem is usually the commutator.

8. Remove and Inspect the Commutator. 

Remove the two screws that run the length of the motor and take off the rear end cap. Inspect the plates that make up the commutator assembly.

You should see an opening between each plate and no broken wires or burnt varnish. If you find anything else, the commutator has failed, and you’ll need to replace the damaged parts. 

Do You Need a New DC Motor? 

We’re glad we could share information on how to check a DC motor for failure. If you’ve conducted your tests and found that you need a new DC motor, Kor-Pak can help with that!

We have an array of Surplus DC Mill Motors to choose from. Each motor comes with an electrical warranty and has been rebuilt to prime working condition. Plus, you’ll get to pick from top brands like GE and Westinghouse.

We’ll repair your current motor and exchange it for a reconditioned one for a price you can’t beat.

Review this GE Table Motor Guide for more information about our offerings or contact us anytime with questions.

Did you know that every year, on average, each American uses 40,000 pounds of newly mined materials? Mining and the stuff we get from it are essential to our way of life; it’s a vital industry.

The mining industry uses all types of machines for various stages of the mining process. Here are three pieces of earthmoving equipment that are used to help move earth and excavate the land.

1. Excavators as Mining Equipment

An excavator is a standard piece of heavy industry machinery used as earth moving equipment. Excavators can be seen in most construction jobs, from mining to building sites. An excavator is a piece of machinery that uses hydraulics to function and has a long arm with a bucket attachment.

The standard excavator has a cab for an operator and can be driven using wheels, or the more familiar tracks. An excavator can be used for many types of construction jobs and fitted with special attachments most suitable for each project.

Excavators are used in mining to remove earth and materials like coal. They work by digging with a hydraulic arm and hauling away with a bucket. Many different types of excavators are used in both small and large scale mining operations. 

2. Commercial Grade Equipment Backhoe Loaders

Backhoe loaders are another standard piece of heavy machinery used in mining and construction. This piece of earthmoving equipment is convenient because it’s three components built into one piece of equipment. Backhoe loaders are typically driven on wheels with a cab for the operator.

Backhoes consist of the following three components:

• Backhoe
• Loader
• Tractor

Having this one piece of machinery that’s equipped with the above elements is helpful, especially on sites where there’s limited space for various pieces of machinery. 

3. Dump Truck for Moving Earth 

Dump trucks are also used as earth moving equipment in mining. A dump truck usually has a large open bed that lifts at the front near the cab. This allows the vehicle to dump its materials that may include anything from sand to coal.

Haul trucks are extra-large dump trucks used explicitly for industrial mining. These trucks are heavy duty and used to haul large quantities of mining materials and even other equipment. 

Excavators on your job site will use a dump truck to haul away earth materials that are extracted by them. The bigger the excavator, the more earth moved, and the bigger your dump truck needs to be. 

Earth Moving Equipment at Kor-Pak

Do you need help with your current earth moving equipment, or are you looking for new products for a job? Either way, we have you covered at Kor-Pak. We work to keep your heavy industry machines operating at peak efficiency.

If you need help with replacement parts, refurbishing, retrofitting, or repairs, we can help you. Contact us today at Kor-Pak for a quote for one of our products and services. 

Whatever your industry, the cost of broken machinery is an expense you can do without — the downtime resulting from broken machinery results in billions upon billions of dollars of lost revenue every year.

That’s why one of the smartest capital decisions you can make is to safeguard and maintain your equipment.

Spending a few hundred dollars (or even less) on upkeep for your operating machinery is a lot less painful than the tens or even hundreds of thousands you will spend in the event of an industrial machine failure.

If you’re wondering how to keep all of the gears running, here are three straightforward ways to avoid machine failure. 

1. Implement a Condition Monitoring System for Your Operating Machinery

Any responsible industry veteran will tell you that a rigorous condition monitoring system is essential. Put simply, condition monitoring involves using data and analytics to continually keep an eye on the health of your operating machinery. At its most basic level, condition monitoring consists of placing sensors on all of your machinery.

Thes sensors will all be connected to a central monitoring platform that can usually be accessed on a tablet or laptop. The sensors will continuously provide updates on your machinery and alert you to any real or potential problems.

Conditional monitoring sensors prevent commercial equipment breakdown by monitoring aspects such as machine vibration, temperature, acoustics, and lubrication.

By being able to monitor the health of your machinery, you’ll be able to catch any issues before they become serious problems. 

2. Detect and Destroy Any Defects

It’s not enough to act whenever a question arises. There are steps you can take to prevent commercial sector equipment failure before any malfunctions occur. If you’re using second-hand machinery, try and find out if the previous owner experienced any issues with the equipment.

Even with brand-new, top-of-the-line equipment, there will likely be preemptive measures you can take. For example, if a particular brand of a gearbox is known to work better with certain types of lubricant, make sure only to use those types.

Even getting in touch with equipment manufacturers for advice on how to avoid wearing machinery down can go a long way.

Every piece of machinery has optimum environments. Take steps to find out what these are, as well as which situations are more likely to cause deterioration.

This preliminary step may save you a lot of time and money further down the line. 

3. Routine Maintenence is Key 

Lastly, it’s essential to incorporate routine maintenance into your work schedule. Even machines that are in perfect working order should receive at least essential maintenance on a regular or semi-regular basis. This doesn’t have to be a particularly strenuous ordeal.

For example, setting up a schedule for tightening screws and applying lubrication to moving parts once a fortnight or so can prove more than sufficient. Even the best sensors cannot always predict when a machine will break down.

That’s why you need boots on the ground to perform regular maintenance. Even if there is no work to be done on a machine, merely having a human set of eyes checking the equipment is an essential preventative measure. 

Learn More 

If the worst does happen and your operating machinery breaks down, there is no need to panic. You can find comprehensive repair advice on our blog for all of the expert insight you will ever need. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the governing body that dictates whether or not your company is safe. They issue health and safety standards that you must follow if you want your business to operate legally. 

As such, OSHA issues mandatory inspections into every relevant aspect of your workplace. To pass, you will need to prepare by knowing what things to double-check before an inspection. 

When you have an upcoming OSHA inspection and want to be sure that you pass it, these are the tips that you need to be aware of. 

Ruthlessly Check and Double-Check Compliance Issues

Compliance issues should be one of your highest priorities when you have an upcoming OSHA inspection that you need to pass. In many situations, inspectors will go straight to these issues to find the most apparent disqualifiers.  

This means that you always need to be aware and up-to-date on the latest OSHA regulations. Carelessly overlooking a single instance of compliance could be the difference between passing and failing. 

Look Into Your Fall Protection

In a recent year, there were close to 400 fatal falls, which made up nearly 40 percent of all fatal injuries that year. The main reason these statistics are so staggering is that most falls are entirely preventable. 

To pass your OSHA inspection, be sure that you shore up all elevated areas, and make sure that you have a proper railing and other safeguards to prevent falls. Implement toe boards and make sure that you keep floor areas clean and dry so that the risk of slips and falls is heavily negated. 

Ensure That Your Communication is Rock Solid

Communication is a foundational aspect of workplace health and safety. Your ability to communicate hazards and issues effectively can save people from being hurt or killed. 

This means making sure that preventative communication goes out in the form of clearly worded memos and consistent training. It also means isolated hazards upfront and categorizing them so that everyone in the workplace is aware. 

Further, you need to have an emergency plan in place and train it regularly. 

Be Sure Every Single Employee is Properly Trained

Keeping your workplace safe starts by properly training every employee. 

By making sure that every employee is OSHA certified and trained in the critical safety and skill-based techniques, you will also keep your workplace compliant and able to pass an inspection.

Offer several refresher courses and make sure that you can go down the list and show that each of your employees is appropriately certified. 

Get Ready For Your Next OSHA Inspection 

If you have an upcoming OSHA inspection, it is always important to be prepared. This will protect everyone that you work with, and you’ll also be able to prevent unnecessary damages, accidents, and legal liabilities. 

When you need access to the best safety infrastructure and equipment repair, we’re the professionals that you need to get in touch with. 

If you want to reach out to us, contact us online or give us a call at (866)923-7436.

One of the essential parts of utilizing technology in the construction industry is saving energy while making sure processes are better and achieved more quickly.

The evolution of this is based on digital computer-based tools.

Industrial manufacturing and Blockchain is an integral part of the next wave in construction. Blockchain is a newer technology that is making inroads through the construction industry.

Blockchain first came about as the infrastructure behind bitcoin and is often one of the least discussed parts of the cryptocurrency space.

In spite of this, it is expected to change the industry significantly. Some of the changes are impossible to anticipate. Read on to find out how.

What Is Blockchain?

Blockchain was originally used as the technology behind the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Its technology is, in essence, a ledger but in a digital format.

This ledger is distributed between users. These users have varying levels of access to see what is in the ledger and make changes to it.

The name of the technology comes from its actual structure. There are blocks of information that are chained together. Each link in the chain displays a historical record of the working between these blocks.

These records include the changes that have been made, the digital identification of the person responsible for them, the time these changes were made, and more.

How Might Industrial Manufacturing and Blockchain Work Together?

In general, the construction industry takes up newer technology much more slowly. When they finally make the change, however, it is very abrupt and significant.

Drones are one example of this. At first, there were not many drones at all on industrial sites. Now they are used frequently to measure and monitor projects.

It is expected that this pattern of change will happen with Blockchain. Many large companies will embrace Blockchain before it becomes a commonality.

Having a network of information allows manufacturers to track the use of supplies, transactions, and designs between those working on a project. This will allow for errors to be mitigated before they take place.

‘Smart contracts’ within Blockchain allow companies to keep an eye on projects in real-time and change contracts or adjust them on the fly.

Smart contracts are unusual in that they can be made to be self-executing. The use for this within construction is very apparent, as even regular documents are altered frequently, due to the nature of projects being different.

Blockchain may also be used to reduce fraud in the supply chain over time, giving greater control of identity verification and intellectual property.

The Future of Blockchain in Industrial Manufacturing

Although Blockchain is still in its beginning stages, its applications for the industrial sector are vast, even just from what can be anticipated so far.

For Blockchain to become commonplace in industrial companies, some challenges need to be addressed—namely, the unclear frameworks behind the technology and the lack of speed that makes Blockchain hard to compare to other existing processes.

However, if these issues are resolved, it could disrupt the industrial industry (and many others, including agriculture) in a massively.

For more about the changes in industrial manufacturing and Blockchain, please take a look at our blog.

Industry 4.0 is the latest industrial revolution. Its advent is changing manufacturing in a variety of ways.

Industry 4.0 is giving manufacturers the chance to make use of advanced industrial manufacturing tools and technology through the life-cycle of products. 

Because of this, there is much more visibility into how operations are conducted.

Manufacturers are also saving a great deal, speeding up production, and providing customer support that is above and beyond. They can stay ahead of competitors – as long as they embrace the changes coming.

Any manufacturers that want to thrive are making use of the newest industry 4.0 technologies. Below are some of these technologies that are changing manufacturing.

1. The Internet of Things

Manufacturers are making use of the Internet of Things (IoT). In essence, this works by connecting unique devices in existing infrastructure online.

This is so useful because there are a wide variety of goals that can be fulfilled. These include reducing costs, improving efficiency and safety, and, most of all, increasing innovation.

The Internet of Things has come about due to a few factors. These are having Internet access readily available everywhere, smaller sensors, and the advent of cloud computing.

2. Predictive Maintenance

Specialized equipment breaking down can be very costly to any manufacturer.

This can cause expenses in repairs, as well as money lost through a lack of productivity. Making sure equipment is always functioning at its best is a priority that manufacturers are now focusing on.

There is a variety of predictive maintenance technology that can detect incoming issues with equipment and mitigate these issues before they even arise.

3. Big Data and Visibility

While the Internet of Things is making use of sensory input to improve data collection, it is also allowing for this data to provide insights in real-time.

Having a variety of data from different sources goes hand-in-hand with cloud computing.

This is making constant access to data not only usable but useful in a way that can improve the understanding of the manufacturing process.

In turn, manufacturers can improve their productivity and optimize their operations all at once. They can also handle issues before they arise.

4. 3-D Printing

3-D Printing is enabling manufacturers to produce items in a much faster and less expensive way.

The use of 3-D Printing allows for quick prototypes to be made, giving designers a cheap way to see how their products work and troubleshoot them at the earliest possible time.

Items can also be produced on demand rather than creating in bulk and then warehousing them.

The Future of Industrial Manufacturing

As long as manufacturers stay savvy to the new changes within industry 4.0, they will be able to improve the processes by which they manufacture and grow exponentially.

Adapting new processes and investing in technology is crucial in today’s world of industrial manufacturing.

Take a look at some more of our articles to find out the latest manufacturing news.