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Posted: 2/20/2021 12:43:44 PM EDT
Motor bearings, over time, wear out shaft fits due to micro motion corrosion which is called fretting.  For the most part, there is enough good material left for locating and a bit of LocTite solves the light interference fit issues.

In the cases where the fretting is severe, or the bearing locked up and spun on the shaft, other repairs are needed.  When the bearing fit is more than 0.180" larger diameter than the output shaft, I am comfortable with turning the bearing fit down and installing a shrink fit sleeve with LocTite Retaining Compound.  Then turning such sleeve to size.  (Note: 0.080" wall is my normal lower limit.)  When there is not enough material for a sleeve, then our shop has sent the rotor out to other shops to be spray welded/metalized.

However, locally here in Idaho and in nearby Utah, the local Departments of Environmental Quality have imposed new restrictions which forced those shops to no longer do this repair.  That kind of leaves with the option of welding the bearing fit which typically requires heat straightening before the finish cuts, and is problematic with ensuring size and roundness due to hardness variation with the welded material.  Bearing fit tolerances are usually within a 0.0005" total, less for small bearings, and a little bit more for 100mm and larger.  Yes that is like +/- two and a half ten-thousanths tolerance.  

The other options, which are normally not economical for the cost of the repair exceeds the customer's percentage value of a new replacement are:  press out the old shaft from the rotor iron, make a new one and press it in; or weld a stub shaft and machine it.  I have done both, but the motors were real odd-ball, and not obtainable without long delays, and very expensive to boot.  

I have used metal filled epoxies (LocTite Superior Metal for example) to repair the shaft fits.  But, those were only marginally adequate, and were a one-time use.

What other products or methods, do you know about to make these repairs?
Link Posted: 2/20/2021 2:26:13 PM EDT
[#1]
Is Clad-welding the same as Spray Welding?  You're still going to have distortion issues, but you may be able to machine your way back to tolerance.
Link Posted: 2/20/2021 5:14:37 PM EDT
[#2]
A quick search shows that clad welding is a more broad term for the process, and specifically is for coating with a dissimilar metal. It does appear that for many materials and processes that somewhat specialized equipment may be needed.

In fact, if mig welding with stainless wire were used over 1045 (the usual shaft material) , it would be considered clad welding.  As would building up with brazing rod.

The explosive processes look intriguing, but I fear that the hoops would be too exhausting to jump through.
Link Posted: 3/2/2021 12:10:18 AM EDT
[#3]
If you have a process that you like and can’t get someone locally to do it, then send it out.
Link Posted: 3/2/2021 12:43:00 AM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
If you have a process that you like and can’t get someone locally to do it, then send it out.
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This

A previous job I worked routinely sent parts out for HVOF. But those were $10,000 generators that spun several thousand rpms so it made good sense to rebuild.
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