Inside Advanced Energy's Motor Test Lab
A quarterly publication for companies applying electric motors.

Contact
David Berkowitz

919 857-9047
dberkowitz@advancedenergy.org

Motor Efficiency Regulations and
Motor Efficiency Standards

Regulations and standards are changing, which will impact motor manufacturers and OEMs that integrate the covered motors into their products and systems. With more than 20 years of motors and drives testing expertise, Advanced Energy has provided information to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to help determine how motors should be tested for compliance.

Recently Advanced Energy representatives Kitt Butler and Dr. Emmanuel Agamloh attended a public meeting hosted by the DOE to discuss various aspects of implementation and testing requirements associated with the Energy Independency and Security Act. The act increased the minimum efficiency standards for all motors covered by the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 and included many new previously un-regulated motors.

During the early 1990s Advanced Energy worked with the DOE and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to help determine how motors should be tested for compliance with EPAct. By the end of the second year of the EPAct certification program in 2001, approximately 70 percent of all Certificates of Compliance Numbers issued to motor manufactures by the DOE were provided with Advanced Energy testing and consulting.  

While Butler and Agamloh attended the meeting in January 2009, Advanced Energy continues to contribute information to the DOE to help establish compliance guidelines. Both the IEEE112B Standard for three phase motors and the IEEE114 Standard for single phase motors are proposed as test methods for the regulation and were part of the discussions during the public meeting. Advanced Energy has performed tests to both of these standards for many years.

In addition to the above contributions to efficiency regulations and standards, Advanced Energy also participates in other high profile industry activities. David Berkowitz, Advanced Energy’s director of OEM test services is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Hybrid E-Motor Task Force. This Task Force is part of the SAE Hybrid Group. For more information about the Hybrid Group and the Task Force you may contact Pat Ebejer, SAE international standards specialist at 248-273-4084.

2009 Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference
Advanced Energy’s Senior Motor and Drives Consultant Dr. Emmanuel Agamloh will give a presentation March 3 at 10 a.m. relating to reliability testing of small motors under controlled conditions. The 2009 conference will be held in Orlando, Fla., March 3-4 at the Walt Disney World Hilton Hotel Resort. For more details about the conference or the presentation, visit the e-drive online conference program link. Advanced Energy will also have a booth, so please stop by to say hello and learn more about working together.

Design World Magazine Article
The December issue of Design World Magazine featured an article entitled ‘Meeting the New Standards in Motor Efficiency’ written by Kitt Butler, director of motor and drives. Read the article on pages 51-66 of the publication or online for your convenience.

Inside Advanced Energy’s Motor Test Lab brings you information about our testing capabilities and consulting services. Advanced Energy is equipped to evaluate and test motors and drives to solve specific performance and application issues. Our goal is to help manufacturers produce more products at a lower cost. For more information about our motor test and consulting capabilities, visit the Advanced Energy website or contact David Berkowitz at 919 857-9047.