Reliable Solutions Today! ection Shaft Failures Root Cause Failure Analysis Copyright © 2002, Eleatrcal Apparatus Service Associaton, IncRoot Cause Failure Analysi Failures — Section 4 Shaft Failures Section Outline Page Introduction to shaft failure: Motor shaft materials. Stress systems acting on shatts.. Stressistrain curves.. The tools of shaft failure analysis Failure analysis sequence Methodology for analysis .. Failure mode... Failure pattern . ‘Appearance considerations Application considerations . Maintenance history Causes of failure... Defining the fatigue process.. Stress cycle (S-N) diagrams wn... ‘Appearance of fatigue fractures ... The impact of siress concentrations on fatigue strength ‘Areas of highest concentration Shaft keyways ... Dynamic and mechanical stress Environmental stress.. Thermal stress Residual stress. Electromagnetic stress Other shaft problems.. (Copyright® 2002, Electrical Apparatus Service Associaton, Ine. (Version SO2CL-502) 4-4Section 4 — Shaft Failures Root Cause Failure Analysis tt nnnnnenenennen OL Cause Failure Analysis: INTRODUCTION TO SHAFT FAILURES: ‘The majority of shat fallures ara causedby a combination of various stresses that act upon the rotor assemaly, As long a the stresses are kept within the intended design and application limits, shaft failures should not occur during the ‘expected feof the motor. These stresses can be broken Bxcoave adel ad ~ Faled bearing wih area nine shah coupled eed > ald bearing plus atone srt | ‘ada ood + Bovoayr ian boating ft Eberle ok ap isha or hous) taotoue | | Sores at are § [Rance [2 ‘iialy ror palover arog \2 staring, The shat sirase Dia cist be Tee eee: nana ise ‘ne point | Eocontio or andine —|2 ae or sa lala ade 6 1 Bort ahat reteoreentio toe + Bearing [oral ort tat bee bres te wee 2 1. Although not common, inspect for a loose stator core. 2 1! anything in the motor history indicates that the problem started suddenly, look for elther high line voltage or a cracked shaft within the rotor core, 3 lithe motor is a2 pol, it could be operating at excessive voltage. Check for recent transformer tap changes, et. 4 Prolonged operation of amotor with random stator to-rotor contact could eventuallyresultin anappearance of 360" contact on both parts. Note: Severe bearing failure could result in any of the above combinations, Vertical machines witn thrust bearings: Momentary upthrust can result in random 380° contact ofthe rotor and stator on the thrust bearing end only. Detection methods + Noise at starting (rotor slap). + Vibration during starting, at multiple random frequencies. + Check for flexing shatt using a vibration analyzer wit a strobe light. Copyright© 2002, Electical Apparatus Service Asseciaton nc, (Version S02CI-502)Section 4 — Shaft Failures Root Cause Failure Analysis cessive radial loading and out-of-phase reclosing. Another situation thatcan cause a shaftto fail, although uncommon, ‘would be overcarrection of power factor. Overcorrection ‘can cause transient torques that can break shafts. EXCESSIVE RADIAL LOAD lfthere isa very heavy racial/oad on a shat, itean cause aa change inthe air gap geometry that can lead toa rotorrub landior a bent shaft. This is especially true if the radial load is heavy and the shait extension is very long. This is illustrated in Figure 15. ifthe length of the shaft extension is x, and the dstance between bearings is 4x, then if we apply a force atthe end ofthe shatt, A, the drive end bearing at B is the fulcrum, causing maximum deflection ofthe shaft at, the center point between the bearings, ‘OUT-OF-PHASE RECLOSING AA reclosure is most simply stated as a high voltage transient, Although the stator winding is most likely to fail, the voltage transient can create a tremendous amount of torque on the shatt. tis important to aalize that the current Is related tothe square ofthe voltage. Therefore, the higher the voltage associated with the reciosure, the higher the current, and the higher the toraue that is generated. If the forces great enough, the shattcan snap due to the torsional stress, ELECTROMAGNETIC STRESS the radial load on the shaft at Point A causes the shaft tobend by 0.010", then Point B acts asthe fulerum, and the defelction at Point Cis 0,020" ‘When a motor is subjected to a transient voltage, a very highamount of orquais generated. Shattfailures such as these shown can occur in cases such as a rapid bus transfers, lightning strikes, or out-of-phase reciosures. The torsional stress on the shat can cause itto snap. The failure will be almost immediate, and the fracture will ‘appear very brite Copyright © 2002, Electical Apparatus Service Association, Inc. (Version 5021-502)Root Cause Failure Analysis OTHER SHAFT PROBLEMS ‘There Is a broad category of shatt failures or motor failures thatdonotresuitin tha shatt breaking, The following is alls of the more common causes. Stress fallures caught in the early stages would also ft into this category. Most of these anomalias are tha result of incorrect manu: facturing or poor workmanship, These include: + Bendingordeflection causinginterference with station- ary paris. + Improper machining causing interference, runout or incorrect fits. This would also include a shatt that has too long a bearing shoulder-to-bearing shoulder dis- tance, not allowing room for thermal growth and Cea 1e Shafi Failures — Section 4 preloading the bearings. + Material problems which would include inclusions or the wrong strength of material for the applicaiton, + Excessive vibration caused by electrical or mechanical imbalance. + Bent shat + Magneticys. non-magnetieshattmaterials. Amagnetic shaft will contribute tothe flux. Ifthe shattis improperly replaced with non-magnetic steel, the magnetizing currant will increase, Catastrophic bearing failures may cause serious shaft damage, even ifthe result is not fracture, This was a desperate attempt to temporarily restore a bearing ft on a verical hollow shaft pump motor by prick ‘punching. Each point representsastress riser; however, the real danger isthat the bearing willnot have full contact, with the shaft journal. When it was put back into servica, the bearing ost its fit resulting in high vibration and temperature. This shaft was peened in an attempt to correct a bend. However, during operation itreturnedtolts original shape. The snapring groove was cut too deep and developed an Unacceptable stress riser. Copyright © 2002, Elsctical Apparatus Service Association, Inc. (Version 502C1-502)Section 4 — Shaft Failures Root Cause Failure Analysis ———S ee ______Hont Catiszee Failure Analysis NOTES 4-24 Copyright © 2002, Eectial Apparatus Service Association, Ino. (Version S02C'-502)