The renowned Belgian trade magazine Motion Control approached us for an interview about a remarkable real-world project involving IE4 brake motors for a major dredging company.
What modifications were required? And why did not only the electric motors, but also the brakes need to be adapted?
For a major dredging company, we modified two 90 kW IE4 brake motors to withstand harsh weather, saltwater and the demanding conditions on board.
What modifications were required? And why were not only the electric motors, but also the brakes, adapted?
Read the full story below. 👇
As a manufacturer of electric motors, Cantoni has a strong focus on the heavy-duty market. More than a hundred years ago, these robust motors were already being used in the mining industry. Today, they also excel in terms of energy efficiency, making them ideally suited for demanding applications. In addition, the motors can be customized for specific applications. These modifications are carried out by Kolmer.
Cantoni electric motors are manufactured in Poland and then shipped to Kolmer in the Netherlands.
"From our warehouse, which stocks more than 20,000 electric motors in frame sizes 56 to 355, we supply customers throughout the Benelux. When required, we first modify the motors in our own workshop to create customer-specific solutions. ATEX motors and larger motors up to 7 MW are modified in Poland, in close cooperation with both the customer and the manufacturer," says Martijn Stoffelsen, Managing Director of Kolmer, the official Cantoni distributor for the Benelux.
Recently, Kolmer modified two large 90 kW, 4-pole IE4 electric motors for a leading dredging company. The motors are used to drive the mooring winches located on both sides of a vessel's deck, enabling the ship to be securely moored alongside the quay.
"These motors are regularly exposed to severe weather conditions and seawater. To protect the exterior against corrosion and extend their service life, we applied our specially developed offshore coating, KTC. Inside the motors, a waterproof epoxy resin prevents corrosion caused by water ingress."
To keep the mooring cables under tension, Kolmer equipped the motors with Cantoni brakes rated at 1,000 Nm.
"The brakes were fitted with a steel protective cover with an IP67 protection rating. These holding brakes are also completely waterproof," Stoffelsen continues.
Because the cooling fans were removed, the motors' duty rating changed from S1 to S2.
"Without forced cooling, the motors are no longer suitable for continuous operation. However, this is perfectly acceptable for this application. As an additional safety measure, we equipped the motors with PTC temperature sensors for thermal monitoring. We completed the entire project within one week."