Emerson Bearing Boston, a bearing company catering to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) markets around the world, has expanded their bearing line to include Shaft Grounding Devices, which reduce the risk of danger and protect motor bearings from damage.

Motor shaft voltages have the potential to damage the components around them. If a shaft’s voltage exceeds the insulation capabilities of nearby cables or parts, it can cause both long-term and acute damage to motor bearings. Some high voltages can even lead to arcing between the shaft and the bearing. When this occurs, the arcing rapidly elevates the temperature of the bearing. Metal can vaporize and become permanently damaged and pitted from this process.

Shaft grounding devices are a cost-efficient solution to preventing the currents produced by shaft voltage. They are utilized in a number of industries, including Marine, Manufacturing, Industrial, and HVAC.

Shaft voltage can occur for a number of reasons. Usually, it can be traced back to leakages or induction. Some external sources may even influence the likelihood of shaft voltage occurring. Rubber belts creating friction against drive pulleys and other nearby coupled machines are a few examples of these. AC and DC motors with variable frequency drives (VFD) often produce induced electrical currents on the motor shaft.

Emerson Bearing includes top brand Helwig Carbon shaft-mounted grounding devices, which are the most economical means of protecting bearings from electrical discharge. AC systems with VFD control and DC motors with pulse width modulation (PWM) drives benefit greatly from this added security. Grounding provides a low-impedance path for shaft voltage to travel through. Currents are forced away from bearings and voltage is prevented from building gradually over time on rotors. This simple technology is all it takes to dramatically reduce the risk of danger or property damage.

Helwig Carbon shaft-mounted grounding devices offer exceptional bearing protection and prevent failure. With sizes available for both large and small motors and internal mounting capabilities, they’re ideal for a number of applications, including HVAC units; Pump motors; Fans; air-handling equipment; Compressors; Elevators; Data centers; Chillers; and Conveyors.

Shafts ranging from 6mm (.2500-in.) to 225mm (9.000-in.) are available. Sealed options also increase resistance in contaminated environments like wash-down applications.

“Grounding devices are the most effective technology for minimizing shaft voltage and often outlast the units they’re installed on,” explained Steve Katz, president of Emerson Bearing Boston. “Grounding devices are the smartest choice an organization can make when it comes to protecting their people and their equipment from dangerous, damaging currents.”

Emerson Bearing Boston
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