Here’s how the article begins in the renowned magazine Europoortkringen and on their highly visited website: europoortkringen.nl.
Many trade journals have already written about our Kolmer Top Coating. Yet, time and again, we are filled with pride when...
We are always filled with pride when we are approached for an interview to talk more about our incredibly strong, wear-resistant coating that extends the lifespan of an electric motor exposed to external conditions by at least four times.
Read the article from the trade magazine Europoortkringen here 👇
The combination of an excellent motor and a special top coating ensures a long lifespan for electric motors. At Kolmer Electric Motors, they know all about it. “We have a supplier of electric motors that we've actually had in our product portfolio for years,” begins Jan Bakker, sales manager at Kolmer Electric Motors.
“That brand is Cantoni.” According to Bakker, it’s a robust and durable electric motor. “We have now developed a solution specifically for that motor that significantly extends its lifespan.” The motors are already perfectly built internally. “They are incredibly sturdy, and for example, there’s definitely no skimping on the quality of the bearings. The windings of the coil are also just a bit stronger than those of other motors.” However, to extend the lifespan even further, Kolmer developed a special varnish layer, a top coating, which gives the motor an even longer life.
We asked Bakker if he could specify that longer lifespan, for instance in years. “The success of the coating is evident from tests we’ve conducted with the coating on motors operating in extremely harsh conditions. In one example, the motor lasted ten times longer. And this applies to all the devices we’ve deployed—we haven’t seen a single one that didn’t meet expectations.” The sales manager explains that Kolmer guarantees a lifespan that’s at least four times longer than average for the exterior of the motor.
Such a coating is particularly important for motors located in harsh environments. Bakker: “In Europoort, for example, we’re often dealing with salty and briny environments.” The salt always corrodes the motors. “That’s why companies typically opt for cast iron, as aluminum motors corrode much too quickly.” However, cast iron motors have the disadvantage of being heavy, making them difficult to install at height when needed. “We can guarantee that when a customer purchases an aluminum motor from Cantoni with our top coating, using cast iron is no longer necessary. The motor will hold up.”
Bakker talks about a proprietary coating but adds a small nuance. “We specified the requirements for the coating based on customer needs.” Bakker recalls that his company came into contact with a paint manufacturer. “They mentioned having a unique coating, so we were eager to test it.” But it didn’t work as expected. “The manufacturer’s response was that we needed to tell them what we required. ‘You specify the requirements for the coating,’ was their message.” Bakker and his team then approached customers to ask how and where certain motors were used and what issues they encountered. It turned out to be factors like chemicals or indeed a briny environment. The coating had to adhere to both aluminum and cast iron. “The coating essentially penetrates the original varnish layer,” explains the sales manager. “Then the coating bonds to the aluminum or cast iron. A kind of glass layer forms over it, which is almost impossible to break through.”
In this way, the top coating provides optimal protection for both aluminum and cast iron electric motors. “If damage does occur, it remains localized,” explains Bakker. “With other paints, moisture would get under the varnish, causing it to peel and the damage to spread. With this coating, that doesn’t happen.” During a turnaround, for example, in-house staff can easily touch up the area. “It’s simply a matter of matching the color, applying the coating, and letting it dry. The varnish layer is then protected again.” Kolmer supplies a special repair kit for this purpose to its customers.
The quality of the motor and the top coating does bring higher purchase costs than other electric motors, Bakker admits. “But don’t overestimate the motor’s purchase cost in the context of overall operational costs. It usually amounts to less than 3% over the total lifespan of the machine. You recoup the higher cost through the much longer lifespan. And also because this motor is more energy-efficient, and therefore more sustainable than comparable models from competitors. In this way, the motor can also be a key element in a customer’s sustainability strategy, helping to achieve the necessary decarbonization.” “And let’s not forget grid congestion,” Bakker adds. “Anyone running several electric motors will appreciate the lower energy demand.”
At the moment, tests are ongoing that should result, by the end of summer, in certification for the C5M or even the C5X standard. “We will also be authorized to apply this coating in Zone 1 IIB and IIC environments,” Bakker proudly reports.
Anyone who wants to see the electric motors with and without the top coating up close is warmly invited by Bakker to visit Kolmer’s stand featuring Cantoni electric motors at the World of Industry, Technology & Science (WoTS) trade fair from September 24 to 27 at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, stand 11A029.
Here you can find the article on the Europoortkringen website.