Motor and VFD · Wisconsin
Motor and VFD repair in Wisconsin
Motors and variable frequency drives that trip, overheat, growl or won’t start, diagnosed on site. Drive replacement and setup, motor testing, and the power quality problems behind repeat failures.
What we fix
- Drive trips and faults
- Motors overheating
- Bearing noise
- Drive replacement and setup
- Power quality problems
Techs from the Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay regions.
Quick answerLocalSpindle of Wisconsin troubleshoots and repairs industrial motors and VFDs across the state, including ABB, Allen-Bradley PowerFlex, Yaskawa, Siemens, Danfoss, Schneider Altivar, WEG, Baldor and Marathon. We find why drives trip and motors fail, replace and set up drives, test motors, and look at power quality and cooling so the fix lasts.
From our techs
Why drives trip
A drive that trips on overcurrent, overvoltage or overheating is usually reacting to something real: a motor with failing insulation, a load that binds, a decel time too short for the load, incoming power that sags or spikes, or a dirty heatsink. We read the fault history, measure the motor and power, and look at the load before we condemn the drive.
When a drive does need replacing, we install and set it up for the motor and the application, and save the parameters so the next replacement is quick.
Motors
Motors fail from bearings, heat and insulation breakdown. We test insulation and windings, check bearings by sound and vibration, and check alignment and belt tension. When a motor needs a rewind or replacement, we tell you which makes more sense.
Symptoms
What you're seeing, and what it usually means
The alarm names the axis or the unit. These are the causes we find behind it most often.
| What you’re seeing | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Drive trips on overcurrent | Motor or cable insulation, a binding load or acceleration set too fast. |
| Drive trips on overvoltage during stop | Decel too fast or a missing braking resistor. |
| Drive overheats | Dirty heatsink, failed fan or a hot panel. |
| Motor runs hot | Overload, poor cooling, voltage imbalance or a failing winding. |
| Motor bearing noise | Worn bearings, misalignment or belt tension. |
| Repeated failures after storms | Power quality and surge protection. |
How we work it
Motor and VFD: our approach
Read the history
What the drive saw before it tripped.
Measure
Motor, cable and power.
Fix or replace
With proper setup.
Save settings
So the next swap is fast.
A full visit
What a visit can cover
- Drive fault history and parameters
- Motor insulation and winding tests
- Bearings, alignment and belts
- Incoming power, voltage balance and grounding
- Heatsinks, fans and panel cooling
- Braking resistors and decel settings
- Cables and connections
- Parameter backups
On the van
- Megohmmeter and meters
- Power quality checks
- Laptop and keypads for drive setup
- Common fans and fuses
- Vibration and temperature tools
Example service call
Conveyor drive tripping on overvoltage every stop
The call
A distribution center in Kenosha County had a conveyor drive that tripped on overvoltage when the line stopped.
What we did
- Phone. We asked if the load had changed. It had: longer conveyor, heavier cartons.
- On site. The decel time was set for the old load and there was no braking resistor.
- Fix. Lengthened decel and added a braking resistor sized for the load.
- Check. Stopped the loaded line repeatedly without a trip.
The result. No more trips.
A typical call, written to show how we work. It isn’t a specific customer.
Talk to a Wisconsin tech
Same problem on your floor?
Call and a tech will tell you what we’d check first, then the closest team heads your way.
- You talk to a tech, not a call center
- The closest Wisconsin team takes the job
- Straight answer on repair, rebuild or replace
Brands
Motors, VFDs and power components we work on
Linked brands have their own page. See every brand we service.
- Siemens
- Allen-Bradley PowerFlex
- Baldor
- Marathon
- WEG
- Leeson
- ABB
- Toshiba
- Yaskawa
- Danfoss
- Schneider Altivar
- Mitsubishi
- Lenze
- Nord
- SEW-Eurodrive
From the field
Motor and VFD: tips from our techs
Save drive parameters
Keep a copy of settings for every drive.
Keep panels cool and clean
Heat is the top cause of drive failure.
Add surge protection
Rural and storm-prone areas see more power-related failures.
ABB, Allen-Bradley PowerFlex, Yaskawa, Siemens, Danfoss, Schneider Altivar, Mitsubishi, Fuji, Hitachi, Lenze and others.
Yes, and set it up for your motor and application.
Yes, insulation, windings and bearings.
We arrange rewinds or replacement and tell you which makes sense.
We check voltage, balance and grounding and recommend fixes.
Who comes out
Wisconsin teams for motor and vfd
The founding team closest to your shop takes the call. Central and western Wisconsin calls go to whichever team is nearest.
Milwaukee
Southeast Wisconsin. Motor and vfd calls in Milwaukee, Waukesha, New Berlin, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, West Allis and nearby towns.
Madison
South central Wisconsin. Motor and vfd calls in Madison, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Janesville, Beloit, Watertown and nearby towns.
Green Bay
Northeast Wisconsin and the Fox Valley. Motor and vfd calls in Green Bay, De Pere, Appleton, Neenah and Menasha, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and nearby towns.
Keep reading
Related repair
Machine down?
Get your motor and vfd sorted
Call and talk to a tech about the machine, the control and the symptom. The Wisconsin team closest to you takes it from there.
