Square One Electric Motors and Pumps knows that downtime can take a big chunk out of production and, therefore, profits. When unexpected breakdowns occur, you need a partner that is committed to getting your system up and running asap.
We specialize in a wide range of industrial and commercial equipment repairs, including single and 3 phase, from small, fractional horsepower up to large, 2,500hp motors, both low and medium voltage.
Our industrial maintenance repair services include inspection, testing and documentation, motor rewind and reconditioning, and machine repair.
We use only the highest quality materials and thoroughly test every component during equipment repairs to make sure the problem is fixed.
Equipment rigging and removal, pickup, and delivery services are available, and we have a live answering service that will take your call 24/7 and notify us even if it's 2 a.m.
We’re also an authorized warranty service center for most brands.
ELECTRIC MOTOR REPAIR COST
Electric Motors repair prices depend on the size of the motor and what is wrong.
For example, bearings for a 1hp motor are significantly cheaper than bearings for a 50hp motor. Likewise, only replacing bearings takes less time and materials than a rewind.
Read our blog on common bearing failures
Once an electrical motor is inspected, we provide a quote with our findings and the repairs needed. If the repair is close to the price of a new unit, a price is also provided for a replacement motor.
Many people choose to replace the motor if repair exceeds 70% of the replacement cost.
MECHANICAL SHOP
Our full service mechanical shop has overhead cranes with up to 7.5 ton lifting capacity and a low and medium voltage test set. We are also a UL certified repair facility for explosion proof machinery.
These are the procedures that we follow for every piece of equipment we receive:
- Perform incoming electrical and mechanical tests to determine the cause of failure.
- Dismantle and inspect all parts and mechanical fits for proper sizing.
- Complete an incoming inspection form and shop card with required repair parts and estimated time for repair.
- Quote you, the customer, with repair details and the price of a new unit if the repair cost is close to the price of a new unit.
- No repair work begins until we receive your approval.
- Final tests are performed after each repair before your equipment is returned.
- If you decide not to repair the equipment, it will be returned as fast as possible. If you don’t want it back, we’ll send a Scrap Authorization form for your approval before disposal.
Most frequently serviced equipment by our technicians:
- AC Induction Motors
- DC Motors
- Metric Motors
- Pumps
- Hoist Motors
- Vertical Hollow Shaft Motors
- Gearboxes / Speed Reducers
- Brakemotors
- Gear Motors
- Blowers / Fan Assemblies
- UL Explosion Proof Motors
- Synchronous Motors
- Cooling Towers
- Industrial Generators
- Actuators
MOTOR REWIND
Square One's electrical department is fully equipped to rewind whatever you send our way. Our team strives to exceed quality standards for optimum performance and energy savings.
We only use inverter duty magnet wire and high quality Class H materials in everything we wind. This increases the ability to withstand overload conditions without degree of damage experienced with lower temperature rated systems. Our standard insulation system is rated higher than standard factory B and F class windings.
Studies conducted in 2003 and 2019 show that, with premium efficient and IEEE motors, post-rewind efficiency values range from an increase of 0.3% to a reduction of 0.5%, with an overall average decrease of 0.1% when good practices are followed.
We also offer redesign services that can be used, for example, to increase electric motor performance or to alter speed and horsepower. A mechanical or electrical redesign can also be used to customize a new motor to fit an unusual application, and dramatically reduces cost and lead time on special order motors.
Our Electrical Department's testing protocol includes:
- Stator winding resistive imbalance
- Stator winding insulation resistance (Meg-Ohm checks)
- Polarization Index (PI)
- Step voltage test
- Surge test
- Core loss testing
MACHINE SHOP
Having an in-house machine shop allows us to have greater quality control, faster turnarounds, and offer lower prices.
Our Machine Shop Services Include:
- Spray welding
- Dynamic balancing up to 5,000 lbs.
- Shaft fabrication and modification
- 100 ton horizontal press
- Welding
- Sandblasting
- Keyway cuts and repairs
- Metalizing
- Sleeve endbells
- Milling
- Drilling and tapping
Our team is experienced in correcting the damage caused by vibration and misalignment; and can ensure your equipment will give you long lasting performance.
We use dynamic balancing to make corrections to the mass distribution of your fan, centrifugal blower, shaft, or flywheel.
Benefits of Dynamic Balancing:
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Minimize vibration
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Prevents damage to coupled equipment
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Lower noise
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Longer bearing life
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Increase machine life
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Reduce structural stress
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Improve workplace safety
If your rotating equipment is large or difficult to remove, our skilled mechanical contractors will perform on site repairs and dynamic balancing.
Likewise, if your rotating equipment is large or difficult to remove, we’re happy to come to your facility to perform dynamic balancing onsite.
The advantages of onsite balancing is that it allows compensation for assembly tolerances, gears, couplings, and other components that influence the equipment. Plus, it allows operations to resume immediately.
Click here for more information on Mechanical Field Services
Machine Shop Department services include:
- Spray Welding
- Dynamic Balancing
- Custom Shafts
- Sandblasting
- Keyway Repair
- Metalizing
- 100 Ton Horizontal Press
- Sleeve Endbells
- Milling
- Drilling and Tapping
GEARBOX REPAIR
Square One’s experienced staff of machinists and mechanics are available to work on your industrial gearbox and get you up and running in the shortest possible time.
Repairing an existing gear reducer often costs less than purchasing a new unit, and the lead time can be shortened by weeks.
Our technicians can work on any brand, including SEW Eurodrive, Grove Gear, Falk, Rexnord, and Peerless Winsmith.
Click here for an overview on SEW Eurodrive products
GEARBOX MAINTENANCE
There are many reasons for gear equipment failure, some of which may have nothing to do with the gears themselves. This article provides a brief overview of gears and common failures.
First, it is important to know that there are two types of metallurgical compositions in gear manufacturing:
- Case-hardened gears have a hard surface and softer core. Their tough exterior creates powerful durability, and any signs of pitting should be cause for concern.
- Through-hardened gears have the same hardness throughout the entire tooth and typically aren't as hard as a case-hardened unit. The material depends on the application.
Over the last fifty years or so, manufacturing has shifted from favoring through-hardened to case-hardened styles. For instance, almost all enclosed reducers built in the last 20 years have case-hardened parts.
All of that aside, here are some culprits for gear failure to keep an eye out for:
- Pitting is one of the most common causes of gear equipment failure, also found in bearings, cams, and other equipment with rolling and/or sliding contact under load. Pitting begins as subsurface cracks that evolve into holes, and is often difficult to see due to corrosion elements. Damage is typically between the tooth root and pitch line in the dedendum. More common in through-hardened gears, pitting can change the tooth profile and cause vibration and noise.
- Lubrication viscosity is a critical factor to consider. For instance, over the last twenty years, manufacturers have been building enclosed gear reducers with smaller casings and increased power output, which leads to more heat. To monitor lubricant viscosity, take the temperature of the lubricant when equipment is running near or at full load, and check it against the viscosity chart for that oil.
- Micropitting is the formation of small holes on the tooth surface, typically below the pitch line. More common in surface-hardened gears, micropitting presents as a light gray, frosted area that changes the tooth profile and may lead to transmission error, noise, and vibration. Micropitting may also lead to bending fatigue.
- Bending fatigue failure results from bending stress at the base of the tooth, and has three cycles: crack nucleation, crack propagation, and final unstable fracture. Following nucleation, cracks typically form along the tooth-root thickness.
- Scuffing (commonly referred to as scoring) is a serious type of adhesive wear that instantly damages tooth surface and may lead to catastrophic failure. Scuffing results when surfaces are unprotected and metal-to-metal contact occurs; metal particles detach and transfer from meshing teeth, scratching teeth flanks as rotation continues.
- Wear is an ongoing situation in which materials are removed from teeth surfaces, typical in applications that lack an ample lubricant to separate tooth surfaces. Abrasive particles in the oil, however, may also lead to wear.