Handheld instruments
Another motor was also installed next to this one in 2019, and its temperature readings have also been captured on a monthly basis, in figure 2 you can see how that motors temperature compares.
Figure 2 illustrates the temperature trends of Electric Motor 2 over several years, highlighting a few key observations:
Seasonal Similarities and Rising Temperatures: Initially, the temperature patterns mimic seasonal changes similar to the early years. However, a noticeable increase is observed by 2021, diverging from earlier trends and indicating a potential issue.
Temporary Decline in Temperatures: A significant drop in temperatures during August and September 2022 suggests a corrective action or change in conditions, leading to a return to acceptable operating temperatures.
Operational Norms and Reliability Predictions: Despite these fluctuations, the temperatures remain within the motor’s operational norms. Understanding this motor’s history aids in predicting its future reliability.
Environmental Influences: Such temperature trends are common in environments where dust and debris gradually block cooling fins and airflow, leading to a steady temperature rise. A subsequent cleaning can restore cooling efficiency.
Alternative Causes: It’s important to note that this trend could also stem from various factors such as motor loading, larger debris, changes in drive chains or belts, cooling fan placement, or hot air extraction.
Importance of Monitoring and Maintenance: This graph serves as a reminder of the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance. It highlights the need to be aware of different factors that can influence motor temperature and emphasizes the significance of addressing basic cooling issues to prevent more serious problems in the future.
In summary, while this thermal graph points out anomalies and suggests possible issues, it cannot definitively pinpoint the cause. Regular monitoring and maintenance, along with a keen understanding of the motor’s operating environment and history, are crucial for ensuring its optimal performance and longevity . Now, let us investigate a third electric motor that was also installed in 2019 and see how that compares. The graph in figure 3 illustrates the temperature trend of Electric Motor 3, offering valuable insights:
Initial Temperature Readings: The motor shows a temperature of 73°C , which falls comfortably within the manufacturer’s specified operating norms. This indicates that, initially, the motor was functioning as expected.
Significance of a Single Temperature Reading: While a oneoff reading of 73°C is not alarming and could even be seen as reassuring, it is the overall trend that demands attention. A single data point does not always provide a complete picture of the motor’s health.
Comparison with Other Motors: Motor 3’s performance, up until a certain point, was consistent with the yearly seasonal variations observed in Motor 1 and Motor 2. This suggests a pattern of behaviour typical for these types of motors under normal conditions.
Recent Temperature Increase: However, the graph shows a change starting from January 2023. The motor’s temperature began to rise, deviating from the usual pattern. This change could signify an underlying issue affecting the motor’s performance.
Need for Further Investigation: The recent increase in temperature, especially when compared to historical data, suggests that there may be a developing issue with Motor 3. This warrants further investigation to identify the cause and to determine whether any maintenance or adjustments are needed to prevent potential failures.
What could the future look like for the third electric motor? Here are two potential scenarios shown by the two graphs in figure 4 and figure 5. If the motor in figure 4 was left in use with no investigation, maintenance or further action then the temperature could continue to rise until the point of failure. The graph provides an insight that temperatures exceeding 105°C cause immediate failure.
Figure 3. Temperature Trends of Electric Motor 3 (Years 2019-2023): Rising above seasonal norms within manufacturer’s specifications, indicating potential need for investigation
Instrumentation Monthly May 2025
The second graph (see figure 5) tells a different story, perhaps the demand placed on the motor was purposely increased by the production process that the motor operates being spedup to meet a new output
Figure 4. Temperature Trends of Electric Motor 3: Risk of overheating without maintenance leading to failure beyond 105°C
Figure 5. Temperature Trends of Electric Motor 3: Man- aged temperature increase within safe limits
requirement? The temperatures are still within the motors acceptable operational range and there is a clear explanation as to the root cause of this thermal anomaly.
CONCLUSION
Individual temperature readings provide an insight into the condition of equipment which can only be compared to the manufacturer’s recommended operational range for a motor, or other asset in a manufacturing or production process. This can be misleading and will fail to provide real insights into the condition of assets and equipment which may be vital to the reliable operation of a business.
Taking regular temperature readings builds a picture of the condition of every asset inspected. This does not mean that temperatures will never change, but there will often be reasons for thermal anomalies. If there is an unexplained temperature change then it may be possible to inspect, clean, maintain or take other action to restore the equipment to its normal operating temperature or it may simply now run hotter and require further monitoring to predict the point of failure more accurately.
If your business relies on manufacturing or production equipment, electrical panes, motors, pumps, machinery or other mechanical or electrical equipment to survive then it is probably important to you that this equipment does not fail unexpectedly. FLIR condition monitoring solutions are commonly used in manufacturing or production environments to take temperature readings accurately.
Teledyne FLIR
www.teledyneflir.com 57
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