Today’s conversation impacts several industries. On this episode, host Mike Murphy is joined by Todd Huston, global segment manager for processed industries. Listen as Todd helps us better understand what there is to know about IEE841 Standards and how they impact the motor industry.
Learn more about Severe Duty motors
Learn more about IEEE 841XL motors
Today’s conversation impacts several industries. On this episode, host Mike Murphy is joined by Todd Huston, global segment manager for processed industries. Listen as Todd helps us better understand what there is to know about IEE841 Standards and how they impact the motor industry.
Learn more about Severe Duty motors
Learn more about IEEE 841XL motors
Hello, listeners, Mike Murphy here. And welcome to the ABB Solutions Podcast, where we discuss a wide variety topics faced in the industry. Big conversation today. One that impacts several industries. It's on IEEE Standards. I've been working with motors for a while, and I've always seen IEEE 841 in the severe duty motor section in, for example, the Baldor-Reliance 501 catalog, but never really understood what this IEEE means. So to help us better understand, I brought in Todd Houston, Global Segment Manager for Process Industries. Todd, it's great having you on.
Todd Huston:Thanks, Mike. Great to be here.
Mike Murphy:Yeah, so Todd is going to help us better understand what there is to know about IEEE standards. Alright, let's get started. Todd, can you first go over what IEEE 841 standards are and how they impact the motor industry?
Todd Huston:Sure. It actually started back in the mid 80s. Motor manufacturers all had their own version of a mill and chem duty or extra tough or some sort of severe duty product line. And every user had their own standard that they would want the motor manufacturer to adhere to. And none of those things lined up. All the users wanted their version of a severe duty motor in stock and available off the shelves. And it was difficult for them to evaluate all of the motor manufacturers' different offerings. So the users and motor manufacturers sat down and developed a standard that would achieve high reliability, but be available off the shelf. So 841 was formed in 1986 as the answer to that problem.
Mike Murphy:Okay, great. So how do these standards affect the construction of the motor?
Todd Huston:Well, as I mentioned, it is a severe duty or mill and chem duty or harsh environment type of motor. And so the standard is designed and developed around features and performance characteristics that will achieve long life and high reliability. So, things like re-greaseable so that you get long life out of the bearings. Low vibration, so you get long life. Low noise so that they're safe to work around. Foot flatness. Coating, the paint system has to achieve certain characteristics. So all of the features and requirements of the standard are designed to achieve again, high reliability and long motor life.
Mike Murphy:Okay, great. So what do the IEEE standards do with say operation for example, inverter duty?
Todd Huston:That's a great question Mike. Because in the past, IEEE 841 suggested that if the motor be operated on inverter power that that the user contact the motor manufacturer to understand the motor suitability for inverter duty. However, the new standard that was issued in 2021 considers inverter duty a normal condition. In other words, the motor needs to be able to run on an inverter power and they have some requirements around that, namely, it's a centrifugal load number one, and that it has to have the surge withstand capability defined in NEMA MG1, Section 31 such that the user can expect that the motor will operate safely on PWM power without any additional filtering necessary on the inverter itself.
Mike Murphy:Okay, Todd, yeah, you touched on this but I want to make sure we cover it again, can you go over how the IEEE standards relate to noise and safe vibration?
Todd Huston:Sure. Low vibration is a characteristic that does help motor life. With low vibration you have less mechanical forces, so inherently would extend the motor life. And so yeah, there are regulations within the standard that are referenced. So from a noise and vibration perspective, the standard that is referenced is NEMA MG1 which is kind of the motor manufacturers' Bible on the requirements that need to be met. However, there are more stringent requirements within IEEE 841 than just NEMA MG1's basic requirements. So they they have limits that are stated in the standard that are below both the normal noise level and vibration level that are referenced as as minimums within NEMA MG1. IEEE 841 gives you these lower limits but then they tell you how to verify through testing in accordance with the known standards like NEMA MG1.
Mike Murphy:Okay, so what options or features are not under these guidelines?
Todd Huston:Another great question because in the previous version of the standard and all previous versions, the last standard was 2009. As I mentioned, the new standard is 2021. Previous to the '21 standard, there was no real reference to anything outside of the standard itself. In other words, if you included some features that were not necessarily exactly within the guidelines of the standard, people took liberties on saying well, it's got 841 features yet doesn't exactly meet the standard, etc, etc. So, what 2021 did was in Section 14, they gave guidance as to here are the core features of the standard and then they list them and then they say, within this additional list of features, you can still nameplate it compliance with IEEE 841-2021. Then they give you a list that says if you include these features, you can nameplate it as an 841 features motor. But then they went further and said if you include any of these features, you cannot reference IEEE 841 in any way and those are things like an enclosure that is not compliant with the standard. The standard allows for totally enclosed non-ventilated and totally enclosed fan cooled. So, if you want to provide a motor enclosure other than that, then you cannot reference 841. Also the bearings, the IEEE 841 is an anti-friction bearing standard. So if you provide a motor with sleeve bearings, you cannot reference IEEE 841. And because it is a severe duty and rugged construction, cast iron frames and terminal boxes, for the most part are required as a part of the standard. So if you provide a frame material such as a steel band or an aluminum frame, you're not allowed to reference IEEE 841 at all.
Mike Murphy:Okay, I think that update in 2021 is a good thing not only to customers, but also to your top tier motor manufacturers as well. Todd, I got one last question Where can someone go to learn more about IEEE standards?
Todd Huston:Well, you can certainly reach out to any one of ABB, Baldor-Reliance sales folks. They can have a lengthy conversation on it, but certainly IEEE.org. You can learn a lot about it. And of course Baldor.com will direct you in the severe duty motor category. You'll see you'll see all kinds of literature and information about our 841 product line.
Mike Murphy:Okay, excellent. Hey, I think that's a great place to stop. Todd thanks so much for joining us and talking about IEEE standards. Piggyback on what he just said to remember if you would like more information on IEEE or IEEE 841 motors, contact your local ABB sales representative or visit us at www.baldor.com and look for it's under the severe duty motor tab 841 motors in the product section. And I hope you keep tuning in to the ABB Solutions Podcast in your favorite browser or app. Thanks again and have a great day.