The following information was received via fax:
This is a reportable 10CFR21 notification because some 1E motors in frame sizes 360, 400, and 440 may have been shipped by Baldor Electric, which contain an entry point for blast media to enter the motor during post shipment paint treatment preparations. During a recent inspection of a returned motor, some foreign materials were discovered inside the motor which appeared to consist of two types of blast media. One type of blast media found is used during the manufacturing process to clean the rotor end ring area before applying an end ring coating. This media is non-conductive and is typically cleaned away as part of the treatment process. The presence of blast media is a key inspection point at rotor final inspection. In mid 2008 this type of blast media was eliminated from Baldor processes and substituted with C02 blast media.
The other blast media found inside the motor is not used during the motor manufacturing process at Baldor. It was a metallic bead media and used during a paint preparation process after leaving Baldor. The entry point of this material was found to be through a small window in the frame casting that normally is closed with weld after the stator is assembled into the frame. In this instance, one of the stator weld notches was aligned with one (of the two) small windows in the frame casting. This allowed the blast media to enter and travel along the OD [outside diameter] of the stator core weld notch and into the motor.
Engineering and Quality reviewed all nuclear orders to verify the frame sizes that may have used the weld slot construction. The frames were determined to be 360, 400, and 440 during the time frame when the welds may not have been verified. The date range was established as 2002 thru 2013.
The motors identified as possibly having this non-conformance should be inspected for the following:
a. The frame weld windows on identified 360,400 or 440 frame motors show no weld.
and
b. The stator core weld notch is visible in at least one (of the two) frame weld windows.
If both issues exist, then remediation is recommended.
Customers who have received these motors:
Areva, Inc.
David Brown Union Pumps Co.
Duke Energy Corp.
Enertech
First Energy
First Energy Service Co.
Flowserve Pump Division - Spain
Georgia Power
Howden North America Inc.
Limitorque
Spencer Turbine Co.
Taiwan Power Company
Westinghouse Electric Company
Point of Contact: James Thigpen, 678-947-7272