Etheredge Industrial Services: A Rotating Equipment Specialist that Personifies Precision

It adds a sense of transparency to the servicing workflow that otherwise remains absent among most engagements. Etheredge Industrial Services upholds the highest standards of precision throughout the job shop floor by adding quality checkpoints on multiple nodes within a repair workflow. Every piece of equipment that comes in or goes out of the shop is rigorously tested against the relevant quality assurance standards and benchmarks. “From the time a mill representative contacts us for a service, we dispatch the appropriate size truck through our fleet, which is followed by the quality assurance checks to capture all the necessary information on the machinery. Upon completion of the service based on the customer’s specifications, we ensure that the equipment is returned to the customer at the highest standard,” explains Ben Scheen, Operations Manager at Etheredge Industrial Services.

Our services range from repairs, restore, and rewinding to the upgrading of AC and DC electric motors of all makes and sizes

The company also prides itself on a unique piece of equipment—an ultrasonic cleaner—that continues to be scarce among most job shops in the country; the merit of this equipment is often understated. To put things in perspective, consider the traditional motors with carbon brushes that are steam cleaned. Despite its benefits, this cleaning process may not entirely remove carbon dust, often accumulated deep inside the armature or the frame. Conventionally, service providers who fail to clean a motor in such a condition often suggest the rewinding of the armature, which is invariably a cost-intensive process. On the other hand, with ultrasonic cleaning, ultrasonic waves pass through the apparatus in water at high temperatures. “Such a reconditioning process helps the customer substantially, especially when they are faced with having to rewind a motor that has an armature worth several thousands of dollars,” adds Dennis Etheredge. Designed to physically clean DC armatures operating at 2000 horsepower, the 10 ½ long, 4½ wide, and 4½ deep ultrasonic cleaning unit removes contaminants that are difficult and expensive to clean using traditional methods.

Such use cases are a few among the extensive specializations offered by the company. A paper mill running a 1500 horsepower synchronous motor approached Etheredge Industrial Services for assistance in a particular instance. As the mill was built around the motor, moving the machine for service was out of the question, requiring in-house professionals to address the breakdown. Etheredge Industrial Services took a team to the location and completely rewound the motor in less than two weeks – a task which would otherwise require several weeks or months to complete.