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Successfully Establishing a Comprehensive Motor
Management Program
By: Doug Hart of Progressive Maintenance Technologies, Inc.
Introduction
This paper will address the importance of focusing an effort on the
majority of a plant’s equipment reliability: the driven component or
electric motor. By developing a comprehensive Motor Management
Program (MMP), you are well on your way to reducing 50% of the
potential equipment failures incurred at any given industrial or
manufacturing operation.
The intent of this paper is to provide some very specific and
practical guidance in undertaking a motor management improvement
initiative. Therefore the many ideas to implement actual MMP
improvements will be communicated in a bulletized format. The
following items represent the key topics covered in this paper:
• The importance in developing a Motor Management Program
(MMP)
• Conducting a Motor Management Program (MMP) Assessment
• Briefly addressing twenty (20) of the top Critical Success
Factors in implementing an effective MMP:
• Forming an MMP team
• Identifying current in-service & spare electric motors
• Performing a visual safety inspection of all in-service
electric motors
• Conducting a criticality assessment
• Tagging all critical electric motors
• Identify energy efficient motor opportunities within the plant
• Review and update new motor purchasing specifications
• Establish a reliable motor storage program
• Review current motor repair vendor(s)
• Review and update plant motor repair policy
• Establish a repair vs. replacement policy
• Review the plant’s corrective motor practices
• Establish a precision shaft alignment program
• Identify PM tasks and frequencies to apply to critical plant
motors
• Review and improve plant motor lubricant program
• Identify PdM tasks and frequencies to apply to critical
plant motors
• Provide for electric motor troubleshooting and root cause
analysis
• Establishing MMP Metrics
• Provide a fundamental 1/2 day electric motor basics
training course to aid in developing motor troubleshooting
skills within the plant
• Auditing the improvement process
/ Reliability Engineering
Why Implement a
Motor Management Program
In order for today’s industrial and manufacturing companies to obtain
ever-increasing production goals, a comprehensive Motor Management
Program must be in place. As the demand for greater run-ability
continues to surge higher, it is imperative that the reliability of critical
plant assets is realized. By focusing on the “driver” of these key
machine trains, you will address 50% of the potential problems in any
given plant. Whether the motor is running a pump, compressor, fan, etc.,
by shoring up the reliability of this common denominator, you will be sure
to increase overall plant uptime.
Another advantage is that companies are recognizing financial
gains by investing time and effort into developing a sound motor
management program. By formally pursuing a site-specific MMP,
organizations are reducing motor purchasing and repair expenditures
while increasing mean time between failure (MTBF) events and
overall extended life cycles. Some companies are also still realizing
fiscal advantages by pursuing certain energy efficiency opportunities.
Conducting a
Motor Management Assessment
In an effort to benchmark your current Motor Management
Program vs. future motor management improvements, it is important
to identify where your current program is. By locating your position
on the MMP improvement continuum, you will be in a better position
to more objectively evaluate a prioritized course of action.
An easy way to determine your present state-of-affairs is to use a
simple question and answer survey in which a value is assigned to
the various levels of MMP achievement. A numerical one (1) to five
(5) rating is very straightforward and can highlight needed areas of
improvement. It is helpful to separate the questionnaire into various
areas, thus determining which areas score the lowest and could
benefit by a focused improvement effort. Typical MMP Assessment
areas include:
• Physical Condition of Motors (cleanliness/housekeeping practices,
lubrication, ventilation, moisture, temperature, paint, etc.)
• Physical Condition of Motors & Bases (grouting, looseness, feet
condition, jacking bolts, shim conditions, etc.)
• Condition Monitoring Program (vibration, meggering, polarization
index, motor circuit analysis, ultrasound, oil analysis, etc.)
• Motor Reliability (reoccurring failures, root cause analysis, run-
out checks, soft foot, shaft alignment, belt alignment and
tensioning, thermal growth, motor scorecards, etc.)
• Motor Data / Documentation (criticality assessment, nameplate
data, vendor information, on-hand spares, etc.)
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• Motor SOPs / Standard Operating Procedures (new motor
purchasing specifications, repair specifications, repair vs.
replacement policy, etc.)
• Motor Storage Program (clean environment, humidity-free
location, organization and accessibility, shaft rotation, proactive
testing, etc.)
It is also a good practice to enlist the input of the MMP
Assessment from multiple people. By interviewing a representative
number of various plant personnel, (maintenance, production, stores,
purchasing, management staff, etc.) you will be more likely to receive
an accurate evaluation of current performance and therefore more
easily identify areas for needed improvement.
Critical Success Factors
Twenty of the top critical success factors in implementing an
effective Motor Management Program include:
• Forming an MMP team:
• Once you have conducted the MMP Assessment, one of
the first tasks to undertake is to identify those individuals
within the plant that can contribute to improving the Motor
Management Program. By engaging key individuals from
throughout the organization, you will be able to accomplish
more improvements in a shorter period of time while
enabling the plant culture to a more team-oriented
approach. This methodology will also enhance ownership
in the reliability of your motor management efforts at the
plant. It is advised to include a number of detail-oriented
and self-managing personalities as possible.
• Identifying current in-service & spare electric motors:
• After forming the plant MMP team, one of the first items of
business is to identify both in-service and spare plant
motors. By capturing this important data, you will then be
in a position to review the two lists to ensure that a
sufficient “in-service to spares ratio” is optimized. This
updated knowledge will also serve to aid in conducting
obsolescence studies.
• Performing a visual safety inspection of all in-service electric
motors:
• It is recommended that early on in the improvement
initiative, an inspection of current conditions of the in-
service motors be conducted. Members of the plant safety
committee or of the MMP team should walk down the
plant motors and note any safety issues. Often new
employees that are not yet immune to the plant
environment make good inspectors as they see potential
hazards through “fresh” eyes. Consideration is typically
given to items such as:
• Missing coupling guards
• Damaged belt shrouds
• Worn-thru chain housings
• Excessive lubricant leaks
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• Looseness conditions
• Excessive heat
• Etc.
• Conducting a criticality assessment:
• Many companies overlook the simple step of conducting a
criticality assessment. This key exercise adopts a formula
to objectively and quantitatively identify those motors that
are critical to the plant. Typical formulas include a
“weighting” of the following attributes:
• Missing coupling guards
• Cost of repair as a percentage of new
• Time to repair vs. availability of new
• The age of the motor
• The number of times the motor has been repaired
• The frequency in which motors are failing in that
application
• Efficiency rating of the motor
• The extent of the repair required to fix the motor
• By conducting the criticality assessment, you will be in a
much better position to ensure the following key motor
management items occur:
• The specific motors that need to be stocked as
spares
• The specific motors that need to be scheduled for
preventive maintenance
• The specific motors that need to receive periodic
predictive maintenance
• The specific motors that will warrant a root cause
analysis to be performed upon failure
• Etc.
• Tagging all critical electric motors:
• It is important to implement a tracking method whereby
you can follow a specific motor throughout its life. Many
organizations simply consider the reliability that they are
experiencing in key parts of the manufacturing process and
ignore the specifics of a particular motor and its travels
from the storeroom to the plant, out to the repair plant,
back to the warehouse and later back into operation
(perhaps into the same application and perhaps not).
• By affixing a site-specific motor/plant asset i.d. number, you
now have an asset-specific number that can be electronically
traced throughout the life of your critical motors. This
identifier will also enable you to monitor the expenses of a
given motor as well as to identify any “lemons” that may not
be performing in a variety of plant applications. Consideration
should be given to tag size, tag construction, tag color,
imprinting size and method of adherence.
• Identify energy efficient motor opportunities within the plant:
• With the competitive pressures facing many companies, a
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popular cost-savings initiative has been to identify plant-
specific opportunities to reduce energy consumption. With
utility bills commonly reaching into the tens and even
hundreds of thousands of dollars per month at some
operations, pursuing energy efficient motor retro-fits has
proven to be a viable financial contributor.
• The Department of Energy (DOE) Motor Challenge program
offers a popular calculation tool to easily identify the
viability of changing out standard efficiency for premium
efficiency motors at your facility. Key attributes of the
viability formulas include the horsepower, number of
operating hours and cost for energy at your site.
• Review and update new motor purchasing specifications:
• In today’s hurried business environment where purchasing
decisions are often made based upon availability of a
replacement item, we encourage you to take a more cautious
and formalized approach to your electric motor purchases. By
researching the specific requirements of your plant’s electric
motors, you will be in a better position to provide your
operation with the “right motor for the right application at the
right time.” Common items to consider when drafting your
new motor purchasing specifications are:
• Enclosure requirements- Any specific hazardous
applications which would mandate the use of TEFC,
WP, Severe Duty or Explosion-proof Duty enclosures
• Bearing requirements
• Service factor requirements
• Insulation class requirements
• Efficiency requirements
• Make of construction- Cast steel, Aluminum, Rolled
steel
• Availability- Locally stocked, Factory stocked,
Special build
• Price
• Shipping charges- FOB factory, FOB your dock, etc.
• Warranty period- 1, 2 or 3 years
• Warranty start timeframe- Date of operation vs. date
of purchase
• Substitutions
• Etc.
• Establish a reliable motor storage program:
• Another key element in providing a reliable plant motor
management program that is often overlooked is
developing a good motor storage program. The following
items represent some of the tasks associated with this
important aspect of establishing a sound motor
management process:
• Locate spare motors in as clean and humidity-
controlled environment as possible
• Organize by HP, RPM & Frame
/ Reliability Engineering
• Conduct an obsolescence study
• Initially test motors to verify their readiness to be
put into service
• Remove and repair or discard motors failing the
initial testing
• Optimize the number of in-service to spares ratio
• Make appropriate stock level adjustments of critical
plant motors
• Implement a shaft rotation program
• Establish a megger and polarization index testing
frequency cycle including documentation policies
• Consider installing space heaters on larger motors if
the environment is conducive to condensation and
moisture
• Review current motor repair vendor(s):
• In an effort to develop more of a partnership with your
repair vendor(s), it is recommended to visit their facility on
an annual basis. This will demonstrate your interest in the
level of personnel and quality and breadth of services they
provide. It will also provide you with an opportunity to
communicate your specific requests on your company’s
motor repairs. You may wish to explain your new motor
management program to them as well as your approach
toward improved reliability, extending motor life and
conducting root cause analysis in some cases. This face-
to-face meeting will provide a better platform in which to
discuss your interest in reducing overall motor repair
expenditures and your request for them to play a role in
accomplishing that.
• Review and update plant motor repair policy:
• One of the areas in which a new approach to the motor
management effort needs to be made is in the area of
repair specifications and documentation. For many
companies, the practice of simply sending motors out to
the shop to be repaired and then getting them back,
marked as repaired is a common occurrence. Far too often,
too little direction is given to the repair vendor, resulting in
too little documentation on the back end. It is the plant’s
responsibility to develop clearly defined repair
specifications and documentation requirements. It is the
motor repair vendor’s responsibility to adhere to those
quality requirements and to provide technical expertise in
the event of a reoccurring failure.
• It is strongly recommended to request digital pictures to be
taken during the dismantle and inspection process as well
as throughout the reconditioning phase. Remember, this
opportunity to view the condition and health of your motor
from the inside out does not occur that often. Perhaps the
old saying is true, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
• Establish a repair vs. replacement policy:
• Surprisingly enough, many companies never establish a
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formal policy guiding the plant parties involved in wisely
determining whether to replace a failed motor with a new one
or to repair the existing motor. Some companies simply select
one criteria in determining whether to repair or replace their
electric motors. Unfortunately, by using only one criteria,
other, equally important elements are ignored.
• The challenge is to develop a site-specific formula that
accounts for the pertinent critical elements in making this
wise decision. The following items represent many of the
criteria involved in properly determining whether to send a
failed electric motor out for repair or to simply replace it
with a new motor:
• Motor size / Horsepower
• Cost of new vs. cost of repair
• Time to repair vs. availability of new
• Number of times the motor has failed
• Time to repair vs. availability of new
• Number of times the motor has failed
• Frequency the motor is failing in that application
• Efficiency rating of the motor
• Age of the motor
• Extent of the repair required
• Consider using a process flowchart
• Review the plant’s corrective motor practices:
• At a minimum, your motor management program should
ensure that plant maintenance personnel or outside
contractors are properly performing the following tasks:
• Maintaining a degree of motor cleanliness
• Properly installing bearings
• Properly balancing
• Conducting precision shaft alignments
• Performing root cause analysis where applicable
• Identify training required for plant maintenance
personnel to successfully perform the above tasks
• Create, review, approve and implement written SOPs
for corrective motor practices
• Establish a precision shaft alignment program:
• As the criticality of needing to have a precision shaft
alignment program is so great, we have broken this key
discipline out from the corrective maintenance program and
highlighted the following key elements:
• Establish plant alignment tolerances (offset and
angularity) based upon various RPMs
• Establish shaft and coupling run-out tolerances
• Establish soft foot tolerances
• Establish pipe strain tolerances
• Address dynamic movement tolerances
• Establish standardized plant alignment procedures
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(for both direct coupled and belt driven machinery)
• Emphasize the importance of cleaning under the feet
prior to installation
• Address proper motor rigging/lifting practices
• Emphasize setting the proper axial spacing/coupling
gap
• Emphasize the importance of pre-cut, stainless steel
shims (number and condition of shims to use)
• Establish proper belt tensioning practices
• Establish proper chain tensioning practices
• Establish plant alignment documentation practices
• Review, approve and implement written SOPs for
direct coupled shaft alignment practices
• Identify PM tasks and frequencies to apply to critical plant motors:
• It is recommended to develop preventive maintenance
tasks to address your critical plant motors. The following
list represents potential items that you should consider
scheduling for your critical plant motors. By implementing
an active motor PM program, you can expect to extend the
life of these critical plant assets.
• Cleaning
• Changing filters
• Greasing/lubricating
• Visual inspection check list
• Use of strobe light
• Overall vibration testing with use of a vibration pen
• Overall temperature testing with use of a spot
radiometer
• Megger and polarization index when not in service
• Create, review, approve and implement written SOPs
for preventive maintenance testing motor
technologies and interval frequencies
• Review and improve plant motor lubricant program:
• The importance of developing a sound motor lubrication
program is often overlooked. Far too often, the statement of
“grease is grease” is heard and consequently, very little effort
is given to shore up a lube management program. Some of
the items to consider in this initiative are as follows:
• Accurately identify the actual number of grease-filled
bearings within your motor population as it is
sometimes assumed that the absence of a grease
zerk guarantees that the motor is a sealed bearing
motor
• Develop a motor lubrication route to ensure that all
possible motors requiring lubrication are, in fact,
lubricated
• Ensure that there are no incompatibility issues with
your greases (compare the OEM original fill with
what is being used in the plant grease gun)
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/ Reliability Engineering

• Address standardization opportunities to minimize Date of failure

the number of various lubricants being used Suspected cause of failure
• Ensure that proper storage and handling practices Estimated time in service
are being followed Estimated age of motor
• Seek any automated or self-lube applications Motor type (AC, DC, Synchronous)

• Identify PdM tasks and frequencies to apply to critical plant Nameplate Data:
motors: Motor plant asset #
• In recent years, many progressive companies have Motor manufacturer
implemented condition monitoring services to better Serial #
identify the health of their critical machinery. The task of
HP
reviewing those technologies that are being applied, the
frequency and the success to which they are being utilized Voltage
is a constant one. The common condition monitoring Frame size
technologies that will apply to your motors may potentially RPM
be as follows: Enclosure
• Vibration analysis Bearing # (D.E.)
• Oil analysis Bearing # (O.D.E.)
• Motor circuit analysis Insulation Class
• Ultrasound detection Full Load Amps
• Infrared thermography Visual Inspection & Diagnostic Data:
• Provide for electric motor troubleshooting and root cause Shaft turns freely
analysis: Signs of lubricant leakage
• The ability to troubleshoot and accurately diagnose motor- Signs of foreign material
related failures is key in reducing unscheduled production Signs of blocked ventilation
downtime. It is important to document all motor failures Signs of heat
and to take a “deeper dive” into all critical motor failures.
Signs of moisture
By utilizing a running list of plant motor failures, you can
Signs of bearing contamination
easily attribute the reason for these failures (electrical,
mechanical, installation, warranty, etc.) Capturing this data Signs of belt wear
will provide a visible tool that tells a story about common, Signs of coupling wear
reoccurring failure events. With this knowledge, you are Fan turns freely
then better equipped to develop solutions to address the Appearance of coupling
consistent failure issues that continue to reappear. These
Condition of leads
items may point to:
Presence & connection of RTDs
• Training needs
Photographs taken
• SOP requirements
Mounting configuration
• Repair specifications
• Misapplication issues
Testing Data Results:
• Re-engineering opportunities
Megger test results
• Etc.
Polarization test results
• The following list is a sample troubleshooting checklist to Winding continuity
use when documenting a motor failure. This is a more Hi-pot or surge test data
manual method that points out many of the key elements
Last known vibration data
that should be captured. Using a simplified spreadsheet is
fine; however the use of your CMMS or a 3rd party Last known MCA data
interface tool is preferred. Last known temperature data
General Information: Last known amp readings
Name Last known alignment data

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Shaft run-out checks • Percentage of critical electric motors that have been
Shaft currents test data PM’d on time
Air gap eccentricity checks • Percentage of critical spare electric motors that have
Annonometer check been tested on time

Rotor bar/growler check
Miscellaneous Data:
Duty Cycle
Typical # of start/stops per hr.
Starter
Any incoming power surges
What was rotation direction
When did the failure occur
Any recent welding done
Last lubrication date
Last lube type & amount
Motor storage history
• Establishing MMP metrics:
• One of the most insightful means to determine how well
you are managing your electric motors is by establishing
metrics to measure various areas of motor reliability. The
keys in developing a useful motor management scorecard
are as follows:
• Select 3-4 KPIs that are most meaningful to your
specific operation
• Agree on how to measure these attributes
• Identify the person(s) that will be responsible for
measuring these KPIs
• Determine the frequency that they will be monitored
and reported
• Agree on current status
• Agree on targeted goals for each item
• Follow through to ensure it is happening
• As stated above, it is important to select 3-4 critical success
factors that will be measured. We often see companies that
either attempt to track a dozen or more metrics and they end
up very frustrated due to the time and difficulty in
accomplishing this or they give up and really don’t implement
any metrics and judge the effectiveness of their motor
reliability program by sheer “gut feelings.” We have provided
the following list as a sample of some common metrics that
you may want to choose from:
• Number of critical electric motors that fail (monthly /
annually)
• Dollars spent on electric motor repairs (monthly /
annually)
• Dollars spent on purchasing new motor
replacements (monthly / annually)
• Percentage of electric motors that have any safety-
related issues (missing guards, damaged j-boxes,
grease/oil leaks, etc.)
• The number of critical electric motors which are
being tested by PdM technologies that exceed a
certain severity or alarm code at any one time
• The number of critical electric motor “stock-outs”
from the Storeroom
• The average MTBF for critical plant motors
• The average MTTR for critical plant motors
• The percentage of critical plant motors that receive
AVC (alignment verification check) during the first
two days of a scheduled plant shutdown
• The percentage of maintenance crafts that have
been trained on performing precision alignment
• Percentage of overall unscheduled plant downtime
attributed to motor failure
• Percentage of maintenance crafts that have received
basic electric motor training at the plant
• Provide a fundamental 1/2 day electric motor basics training
course to aid in developing motor troubleshooting skills within
the plant:
• One of the reasons that some plant personnel do not seem
to “get on board” with motor reliability improvements is
due to simply a lack of education. They have not been
informed of some better ways of caring for critical plant
motors and are stuck in some pretty old (and deep) ruts.
We can chant the mantra of “raising the bar” all we want,
but at some point, a transfer of knowledge needs to occur
regarding newer and better technology as well as more
thorough ways to manage critical electric motors.
• The following list represents the topics typically covered in
an electric motor basics training course. These
fundamental electric motor concepts are covered at a high
level to provide a basis of understanding. By introducing
these key principles, attendees will have a greater
knowledge of motor design, application and failure events
that they will encounter in the plant. Each workshop
attendee should receive a course binder which serves as
an informative manual for future reference. Typical course
topics are as follows:
• AC Motor Basics:
• Force
• Torque
• Speed
• Inertia
• Horsepower

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/ Reliability Engineering

• AC Motor Construction:
• Stator
• Windings
• Rotor
• Enclosures
• Magnetism:
• Lines of flux
• Poles
• Number of turns
• Motor Specifications:
• Nameplate data
• Mounting configurations
• Typical NEMA motor failures
• Utilizing a Streamlined Root Cause Analysis Checklist
• Establishing and Effectively Implementing a
Comprehensive Motor Management Program

• Auditing the Improvement Process:

• As in any successful program, there needs to be a
provision for evaluating the accomplishments obtained as a
result of the time, effort and money invested in the project
as well as to determine areas that improvements are yet to
be realized. A reassessment of the motor management
program is recommended using the same tool
(survey/questionnaire) that was originally used at the
outset of the program. This will quickly and easily highlight
the progress made as well as point out initiatives that need
to be improved upon.

Summary
There is a systematic approach required to successfully implement
Motor Management improvements. Remaining faithful to your
commitment to this initiative will yield increased production through
greater motor reliability. To ensure that the implemented MMP
improvements sustain an increased performance level, Motor
Management Metrics must be developed, measured and reported.
Remember that it is critical to establish a good working relationship with
a proactive motor repair vendor to ensure that motor reliability is
achieved. One of the critical success factors is to continually educate,
motivate and share the vision with your internal plant personnel as well
as motor repair and motor sales vendors. Be sure to re-conduct the
MMP Assessment to measure growth and document your successes.
Best wishes in your motor reliability pursuits!

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