This page is split into the following sections, click the section name to jump directly to that section or simply scroll down:
The types of medium voltage electric motors that M&C repair and manufacture are listed.
Repair of medium voltage electric motor and alternators.
Specialized manufacture of electric motor components, replacement parts and special machines.
Electric motor design changes and improvements, efficiency upgrades, power upgrades, speed changes, and other specialized electrical and mechanical design projects.
250 kW to 36 000 kW
AC motors and alternators
> 1000 V to 13800 V
Induction cage
Slip ring induction
Synchronous
Safe zone, Zone 1 and Zone 2.
Certification & Re-Certification to local and international standards.
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Marthinusen and Coutts holds repairs medium and high voltage motors according to SANS 60034 (and SABS IEC) as well as other customer specific repair specifications (for instance Anglo American’s (AngloGold Ashanti, Anglo Coal, Anglo Platinum, Anglo Base Metals and De Beers) AAC 538/03 and 538/11, Sasol’s SP46, Eskom’s GSS 0389, Arcelor Mittal’s 40-ES-SPEC-01, PPC’s electric motor specification and many other specifications.)
Marthinusen and Coutts holds permits to manufacture and repair electric motors and electric enclosures according to SANS 60079-0, SANS 60079-1 (and SABS IEC) (Flame proof, EX d, Zone 1) as well as SANS 60079-0 and SANS 60079-15 (and SABS IEC) (Spark proof, EX n, Zone 2). |
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We also conduct type testing and specification certifications for major local and international manufacturers of electric motors, for instance Alstom, Zest Electric (WEG Electric motors), WEM, and others.
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Marthinusen and Coutts has the ISO 9001-2000 listing, which includes design and development for standard (safe), flame proof and spark proof motor and enclosures.
This quality system is fully implemented throughout our medium voltage department’s processes to ensure customer requirements and local and international standards are complied with.
Marthinusen and Coutts uses a custom designed and computerized MRP system (called MotoMan™) in order to control and measure the production process throughout the manufacture and repair process. This includes logistics, procurement, failure reports, stores, root cause analysis, estimating, costing, customer feedback reports, etc.
Marthinusen and Coutts strives to maintain World Class Manufacturing principles.
As part of our ongoing improvement processes we have dedicated customer technical committees which continuously evaluate electric motor operation and failures in order to improve products and reduce total cost of ownership.
All document systems and procedures are controlled through a business systems database.
One of our strategic advantages is our ability to monitor on-site conditions in safe as well flame proof areas. We can continuously monitor the following: Voltage, current, power, power factor, speed, vibration, humidity, temperature, etc. Thus improving our understanding of the customer’s plant and the running conditions of the equipment. This information can then be utilized to improve existing repairs as well as future upgrades to new motors. |


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Marthinusen and Coutts works closely with both local and international insulation and resin manufacturers to ensure that the best insulation systems are implemented to ensure the highest repair standards are maintained. It is crucial to understand that the insulation system is only as good as the “weakest link” in this chain. The insulation system is an area that can significantly improve the motor’s reliability and dependability and ultimately reduce the customer’s Total Cost of Ownership.
Our insulation systems have been thoroughly researched and have proven themselves over many years. We full utilize the supply and technical expertise of our group companies (Wilec and Transwire is also part of the Savcio group of companies.) This ensures that we have complete control over the complete manufacturing process, namely: quality, consistency, delivery, logistics and pricing, starting from the round solid copper conductor, right throughout the process to the finished coil.
Furthermore our manufacturing process is customized and stream lined to provide the fastest possible turn-around while still maintaining the highest level of quality and consistency.
The bare copper conductor is extruded or drawn to the required size, as specified by our custom written coil design software. The quality of the product is checked throughout this process. The bare copper is then annealed in an inert case oven to ensure the correct “softness” as well as to eliminate oxidation and contamination of the copper conductor.
The conductor is then covered as per our proven insulation standard, being either Pure Nomex™, Kapton™, Apical™, Mica, Polyester and other materials. The details of our insulation system remain a closely guarded secret. Other repair companies have unsuccessfully tried to copy our system over the years, but consistently failed.
The main wall insulation utilized has been carefully researched in order to provide the optimal balance between insulation properties, heat transfer and economical value. The application of the main wall insulation is done by means of specialized high speed precision automatic taping machines and highly trained and skilled specialist insulation artisans.
The partial discharge (also referred to as Corona discharge) prevention has been carefully developed to ensure the long term reliability of our windings. It is not uncommon for a new stator winding to outlast the generation that installed it.
The system is however not complete without the correct application of the impregnating varnish. Here also, Marthinusen and Coutts is leading the electric motor repair and manufacturing industry with it’s cutting edge plant, equipment, systems and materials.
We have been successfully implemented the EpoVolt HV™ Epoxy based VPI system. This system is effectively implemented in our custom designed SCADA controlled VPI (Vacuum Pressure Impregnation) system. Our capacitance measurement system keeps a watchful eye over the process to ensure that the impregnation cycle is complete. Our system is not partially implemented as the industry standard, but fully implemented and includes all of the impregnation system stages: Starting with the pre-heating, Vacuum cycle, pressure cycle, transfer to oven and curing cycle. Our temperature controlled curing ovens ensure that the insulation system is fully cured.
As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating: We are extremely proud that our insulation and VPI system fully complies with the most stringent Tan Delta specification in the whole industry, not only for repaired motors, but also for new OEM motors.
These consistent phenomenal results is proof of the quality of our complete insulation system. |


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Over the years, M&C has repaired thousands of motors and transformers for various South African, African as well as International mines, power stations, steel mills, sugar mills, paper and pulp factories, smelters and other industrial users.
Hereunder are but a few examples of the AC, DC, Traction and transformer work we've done. The pictures are not only of completed units, but also show some of the processes involved, to give the reader a glimpse into our proud workmanship.
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1375 kW, 6600V, 8 pole, Hawker Siddeley, AC induction motor |
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There are literally thousands of Hawker Siddeley motors installed throughout South Africa. When repairing these motors, particular attention have to be paid to two specific areas:
- The stator winding, since there are several different variations of almost every stator design. Doing a "copy wind" is extremely dangerous. The stator winding design is carefully verified by our electrical design department.
- The mechanical repairs. This is because many of these motors suffer from very poor frame designs and can have significant high vibration levels. Through more than 50 years of experience, M&C have however mastered the art of repairing these motor in order to achieve even the most stringent vibration specifications. Typical values achieved is less than 1 mm/s RMS overall level.
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The connection end of the full class H VPI insulation system is shown. The stator winding is ready to be processed with our industry leading, custom designed EpoVolt HV, full class H, Epoxy based VPI resin in our fully SCADA controlled VPI plant. |
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3000 kW, 6600V, 12 pole, Synchronous motor for Gold Mine in Ghana |
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The starting cage of this Synchronous motor failed. Although many armature winding companies would merely replace the starting cage bars with copper bars, M&C has years of experience in these types repairs. We knew that we had to analyze the bars and not assume their composition. Chemical analysis showed that the bars were in fact not copper, but a special low conductivity allow. We had these special alloys bars (with an electrical conductivity of only 9%) specially manufactured and imported from Europe. These special allow bars is critical in order to achieve the required starting torque. With the failure of the starting cage, the synchronization circuit also failed and had to be replaced.
This motor is a mill motor for a leading Gold Mine in Ghana and critical to the production process. M&C knew that production could not be compromised due to a cheap "guess" repair. We thus took every precaution to ensure that the motor relinquishment was of the highest possible standard and quality. |
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The starting cage had failed. M&C removed some of the old rotor bars as well as a section from the short circuit cage at conducted chemical analysis on them in order to identify the exact material used since we know that matching these parameters will be critical for the correct starting of the motor, i.e. in order to achieve enough starting torque and a reduced starting current.
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We correctly specified these special allow starting cage bars and had them manufactured and imported from Europe. |
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The completed rotor is shown here inside the stator winding. |

The synchronization circuit was also replaced. |
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The completed 3000 kW, 12 pole, 6.6kV, Synchronous motor. |
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13700 kW, 11000V, 4 pole, AC induction motor for PetroChemical Plant |
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The refurbishment of this motor was critical to this large petro-chemical plant. Marthinusen and Coutts is fully abreast with the stringent vibration and other requirements of the petro-chemical industry. The motor was refurbished to the highest quality standards. |

The completed 13.7 MW motor. The vibration levels achieved was phenomenal for such a large motor. The highest overall vibration reading was less than 1 mm/s RMS.
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3730 kW (5000 hp), 2000V, 16 pole, slip ring induction motor for Placerdome, South Deep Shaft |
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This motor is critical for the operation of this mine. When the motor failed, the mine knew that they had to contact the repairer with the reputation of being the fastest in the industry: Marthinusen and Coutts.
The M&C engineering services division with our skilled site technicians assisted with the fault finding on site as well as with the disconnecting and removal of this ac electric motor.
This electric motor was transported to M&C to do a breakdown rewind, using M&C's proven full class F insulation system, based on the resin rich system. |
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Because of the motor, it cannot be transported to the installation location in one piece. This General Electric motor is huge and the stator frame is split into two halves. This is another reason why a global VPI insulation system would not be practical. With the M&C coil manufacturing team's experience and the skills of our armature winders this requirement for a Resin Rich MV insulation system did not pose any difficulty.
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The new Resin Rich coils are inserted into the stator core. |
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Our skilled armature winders insert the coils. This pictures gives perspective on the shear size of this motor. |

After the winding of the stator frame has been completed, the connections are braized and taped to complete the class F insulation system. (Remembering that this is one of the four specialised insulation systems M&C use, being a Resin Rich insulation system. |
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Because of the size of the ac motor, it has to be turned on it's side in order to join the connections. |

Here we can clearly see teh section of the core where the stator coils are inserted, but now wedged. The reason for this is: This winder motor is so large that it cannot be transported down into the gold mine in one piece. The stator frame is thus split into to halves. The fully wound stator will be tested in out high voltage test bay. The coils over the halving joints of the stator frame will then be remvoed. M&C's field service technicians will then wind these stator coils on site and conduct all the necessary testing to ensure the integraty of insulation system. |
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AEG
ACEC
ABB
Alstom
ASEA
AEI
AEC
Asea Brown Boveri
Ansaldo
Allis Chalmers
Alconzi
Associated Electrical Industries South Africa
ASG
AVK
Anderson Mavor
Auger
BBT
BBC
Brush
Brook Crompton
Bruce Peebles
Brook Hansen
Brown Boveri
Benco Machines
Boyd Brown
BTM
Crompton Parkinson
Crompton Greaves
Caterpillar
Custom Electric
CEM
Custom Electric Motors
Damel
Dalmel |
EE
ELMAC
English Electric
Emit
Elin
Eickhoff
Femco
Fuji
First Electric
FEC
First Electric Corporation
GEC
GEC Alsthom
GE
General Electric
GEC English Electric
GEM
Hitachi
Hertz Technologies
Hyundai
Hawker Siddeley
Heemaf
Ingersoll Rand
Joy
Kirloskar
Kolher
Leroy Somer
Laurence Scott
Lancashire
Laurence, Scott & Electromotors |
Mitsubishi
Mather & Platt
Met Vic
Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co.
Oerlikon + Escher Wyss Zurich
Oerlikon
Parsons Peebles
Reliance
Reid & Mitchell
Siemens
Teco Westinghouse
Toshiba
Teco
Transvaal Electric
Toshiba Electric
Teco Elec. & Mech. Co.
Taiyo
VEM
WEG
WEM
Westinghouse
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Our distributed reporting structure ensures that the testing department reports to the Engineering section and not to production. This is vital in ensuring that the highest possible engineering and testing standards are maintained throughout the repair and manufacturing process.
Our test capabilities are structured around sound engineering principles. This culminates in many non-standard advanced tests being performed on a regular basis in order to ensure full compliance with local and international as well as customer specific standards.
Our high voltage test bay utilizes a customer designed state of the art SCADA controlled test system.
Standard tests includes:
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- Tests measurement are taken using high accuracy four wire, high capacity resistance bridges.
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- Measured on high accuracy, high capacity test equipment.
- This equipment not only measures the insulation resistance value, but also displays the actual test voltage.
- This is critical since low capacity measurement equipment will give incorrect reasons on larger windings.
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- This ensures that any possible inter-turn or inter-phase shorts are detected prior to VPI or on final test.
- Insulation Resistance in ineffective to detect impending inter-turn and inter-phase shorts.
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- Values that can be recorded and trended are:
- Electrical input power (all three phases individually).
- Power factor (all three phases individually).
- Voltage (all three phases individually).
- Current (all three phases individually).
- Rotational speed.
- Temperature of windings.
- Temperature of bearings.
- Temperature of casing or frame.
- Temperature of air in and out.
- Active power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
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- Values that can be recorded and trended are:
- Electrical input power (all three phases individually).
- Power factor (all three phases individually).
- Voltage (all three phases individually).
- Current (all three phases individually).
- Rotational speed.
- Temperature of windings.
- Temperature of bearings.
- Temperature of casing or frame.
- Temperature of air in and out.
- Active power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Locked rotor torque and current at various supply values.
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- Also known as the High Voltage Test
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- This special test ensure the highest level of safety standards on flame proof motors.
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- This allows for specialized test such as over speed testing, critical speed determination, electrical and mechanical noise and vibration separation, etc.
- Values that can be recorded and trended are:
- Electrical input power (all three phases individually).
- Power factor (all three phases individually).
- Voltage (all three phases individually).
- Current (all three phases individually).
- Supply frequency.
- Rotational speed.
- Temperature of windings.
- Temperature of bearings.
- Temperature of casing or frame.
- Temperature of air in and out.
- Active power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
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- Marthinusen and Coutts has the highest full mechanical load testing capability in the armature winding industry.
- We can full load test up to 2000 kW.
- These full load tests are not merely "quick" test, but full temperature stabilization can be achieved. Thus will type testing can be performed.
- Out full load testing facility is frequently used by leading OEMs as well.
- This type of testing can ensure the correctness of the repair, design modifications and new designs.
- Values that can be recorded and trended are:
- Electrical input power (all three phases individually).
- Efficiency.
- The efficiency can be calculated/measured at various different load points, including full load as well as various different supply frequencies, supply voltages, etc.
- Power factor (all three phases individually).
- The power factor can be measured on all three phases individually and at various different load points, including full load as well as various different supply frequencies, supply voltages, etc.
- Voltage (all three phases individually).
- Current (all three phases individually).
- Supply frequency.
- Rotational speed (and slip).
- Temperature of windings.
- Temperature of bearings.
- Temperature of casing or frame.
- Temperature of air in and out.
- Active power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
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- This test is also referred to as maximum short circuit testing or a stall test.
- This test evaluates the compliance with various local, international and customer specific standard regarding permissible locked rotor times.
- Values that can be recorded and trended are:
- Electrical input power (all three phases individually).
- Power factor (all three phases individually).
- Voltage (all three phases individually).
- Current (all three phases individually).
- Supply frequency.
- Rotational speed (and slip).
- Temperature of windings.
- Temperature of bearings.
- Temperature of casing or frame.
- Temperature of air in and out.
- Active power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Locked rotor torque and current at various supply values.
- Time.
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- The Pull-out torque test is also referred to as maximum overload testing .
- This test evaluates the compliance with various local, international and customer specific standard regarding permissible overload or pull-out torque.
- Values that can be recorded and trended are:
- Electrical input power (all three phases individually).
- Power factor (all three phases individually).
- Voltage (all three phases individually).
- Current (all three phases individually).
- Supply frequency.
- Rotational speed (and slip).
- Temperature of windings.
- Temperature of bearings.
- Temperature of casing or frame.
- Temperature of air in and out.
- Active power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Reactive power (all three phases individually).
- Time
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- This test is used on old windings to take a snap-shot of the insulation degradation and also employed on new windings to ensure a high level of insulation system is maintained
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Marthinusen and Coutts employ some of the leading electrical and mechanical design experts in the electric motor repair and manufacture market. These people are key to the development of superior new specialized AC motors in order to improve efficiencies, power factor, quality, reliability and ultimately to reduce the customers Total Cost of Ownership.
These engineering expertise work closely with some of the best production artisans with many years experience in electric motor repair and manufacture. This ensures that every engineering design or modification will be executed to the letter. Such work ethics is critical to the correct repair and manufacture of large AC electric motors. There is no room for any compromise on quality or even the tight tolerances to which we work to. Critical in any engineering design process is the close interaction with the quality, production and testing departments. Through independent inspectors and assessors it is ensured that no compromise is made on the strict repair standard, because on the repair and manufacture of high capital value large AC motors – more so than on small motors, mistakes and compromises can results in huge production losses and injuries.
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Marthinusen and Coutts have successfully upgraded the protection of safe motors (IP55) up to non-sparing motors (Zone 2). This service we offer to our customers on a case by case basis.
Our engineering department utilizes the latest 3D CAD design software. This software enables us to soft-prototype, i.e. run mechanical fitting models without manufacturing samples. This greatly reduces research and development costs as well as time-to-market. Furthermore the overall quality of the design models if far superior to conventional 2D based CAD designs.
Electrical design are check by graduated electrical engineers on custom written design software. These design software can be used to thoroughly check each repair as well as every new motor manufactured. Amongst others, the following design parameters can be checked:
- Efficiency: Full load, other partial load points as well as no load.
- Power Factor: Full load, other partial load points as well as no load.
- Current: Full load, other partial load points as well as no load.
- Rotational Speed and slip: Full load, other partial load points as well as no load.
- Losses: Full load, other partial load points as well as no load.
- Temperature rise: Full load as well as other partial load points.
- Bearing life.
- Bearing re-greasing interval.
- Current density.
- Flux densities.
- Critical speed.
- Run-up times.
- Starting current.
- Starting torque.
- Pull-out torque.
- Pull-up torque.
- Stall time.
- Number of starts from cold and hot.
- Torque vs. Speed curve.
- Current vs. Speed curve.
- Efficiency and Power Factor vs. Load curve.
Our design capabilities include the design of new motors as well as upgrading, modifying, improving and upgrading of existing design. Improvements include:
- Increase power output ratings.
- Increased Efficiency.
- Increased Power Factor.
- Improved electrical and mechanical design.
- Bearings.
- Optimized cooling.
- Speed.
- Etc.
In addition to the standard electric motor design, we can also assist with special application designs such as:
- Slip ring induction designs (Wound rotor designs).
- Low starting current designs.
- Double cage rotor designs.
- High starting torque designs.
- Etc.
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