Industrial motors are used in various applications, such as manufacturing, mining, forest products, materials handling, and oil and gas. Often paired with brakes to improve performance, they work together to accomplish the intended purpose. They act as a safety measure against uncontrolled machinery operations or enable accurate positioning.
With a vast selection of industrial brake systems, choosing the right one for your specific application can be challenging. For instance, OEM manufacturers who use brakes to produce their equipment prioritize initial costs over operating costs. This may include maintenance, repairs, and adjustment to keep the brakes running within desired parameters. However, replacing the brake with the same model is not necessarily the best option.
This article will discuss the factors to consider when selecting optimal industrial motor brakes.
Key Considerations When Selecting the Best Industrial Brake System
Whether you are constructing a new braking system for your equipment or reconfiguring an existing one, it is essential to consider the following factors:
Brake System Application
Determine the intended use of your industrial brake. Numerous options exist, but all brake types share the same fundamental purpose and employ comparable methods. Specifically, they involve activated friction discs to impede the motor’s motion, thus halting the associated mechanical equipment (e.g., crane, hoist, lift, conveyor).
The load applied to the brake and how often it is engaged are important considerations. These factors directly affect the lifespan of the friction discs and the necessary maintenance and adjustment to ensure their optimal performance. Additionally, you must consider the available utilities — such as air, electricity, or hydraulics — and the plant’s general layout.
With this information, you can determine if a wet or dry brake is better suited for your application.
Dry Brake
Dry braking systems are a straightforward and cost-effective solution. They employ a steel drive plate that compresses against a sacrificial friction disc to stop the motor shaft rotation. However, each engagement generates heat. Without a way to dissipate it, the heat can cause the surface of the friction plate to glaze over.
The maintenance and adjustment can be significant, depending on the number of cycles that the brake system undergoes. Moreover, the cycles affect the brake’s service life, as there are only a limited number of engagements a mechanical item can endure. Higher cycle counts accelerate the failure date, regardless of maintenance and adjustment.
Wet Brake
Wet brakes utilize the same basic principles of sacrificial surfaces and steel drive plates as dry brakes. However, they introduce transmission fluid into the process to achieve deceleration. When the liquid is compressed, its molecules shear, causing torque transmission to the other side and decelerating the rotating discs against the stationary plates. The design results in virtually no wear on the friction disc, eliminating the need for adjustment.
In addition, a patented fluid recirculation system dissipates the heat generated by brake engagement, a major issue in dry braking systems. The transmission fluid also lubricates all components of the oil shear brake, extending their service life.
Initial Cost vs. Operating Cost
While dry brake systems have a relatively low initial cost, they require regular adjustment and maintenance. This requires labor and involves stocking materials like friction plates. Also, since dry brakes generate a lot of heat and cannot dissipate it, working on them can be dangerous. Therefore, cool-down periods are necessary before adjustments, repairs, or replacements can be made safely.
Wet, oil-shear brakes are maintenance-free and do not require any adjustment except for an annual transmission fluid change. Therefore, there are no parts to stock and no installation labor required. Whether wet or dry brakes are employed, each has a finite number of engagements before they must be replaced.
Estimating the brake’s service life is the first step in comparing total costs over a specified period (the estimated life of the longer-lasting brake system). This will provide a more realistic full-cost comparison and help determine the best option when selecting the most economical braking option.
Overall Plant Layout
If multiple production lines can be used while brakes are being serviced, the cost of downtime will be lower than if the brake is critical to operating a single production or process line. In a critical path environment — where stopping at any point halts the entire facility — shutting down the whole plant can increase the system’s overall cost. This should also be factored into the economic considerations.
Choose Force Control Industries for Your Industrial Brake System Needs
Force Control Industries has provided high-quality brakes to various industries for over 50 years! These include manufacturing, mining, food and beverage processing, marine, materials handling, and many others. Our goal is to provide our customers with the most effective product available for their application. Today, thousands of our products are in service worldwide with virtually no maintenance or downtime.
See how our broad product line of clutches, brakes, clutch/brake combinations, dynamometer systems, and custom drives and controls can benefit your process! Contact us today for inquiries.