Brake motor solves power failure duty ‘freeze’ problems

06 June 2012

Motor driven applications frequently require reciprocal actions; that is to say, such items as winched loads moving vertically or doors laterally would typically have to travel in opposite directions to fulfil their duties. But what happens if there is a power failure resulting in them being stuck either part way through a duty or unable to complete an operational cycle?

In such situations where a brake motor is employed the brake would be activated automatically locking the drive shaft for safety reasons or to prevent equipment damage. If there is no backup power system available to re-start the motor and deactivate the brake all systems are ‘stop’.

This situation means everything is frozen. Doors cannot be shut/opened, loads are stuck in potentially precarious situations, machines are stopped with work pieces locked part way through operations, and so on. However, a motor option offered by Lafert can help prevent these predicaments – a brake motor with a double ended shaft and a brake release lever.

Like any brake motor, these Lafert machines ensure safe, secure braking but they also offer the additional facility to both release the brake and then manually turn the shaft using an appropriate device attached to the non-drive end of the shaft. These functions permit equipment to be returned to a safe status or fulfil essential duties, protecting machinery and helping to ensure personnel safety.

These features are available as options across the entire Lafert IE2 brake motor range, which are available as high torque ac or dc units, and low torque dc machines. Frame sizes range from 63 to 160.