Nothing works without our electric motors. To ensure that the motors of our electric locomotives can still be used for a long time to come, the Dessau maintenance depot has introduced a technical process to extend their service life for the long term. The principle is simple: when the insulation system of an electric motor has suffered substantial damage, the coils of the motor, which are firmly encapsulated in impregnating resins, must be replaced.
Overhauled old engines
At temperatures above 400°C, the resin compounds on the coils are thermally dissolved in a special hot-air oven. New coils are then inserted into the electric motor and impregnated. The motor is now ready for operation in the train again.
Using less raw materials cuts CO2
Thanks to this thermal process, the motors do not have to be replaced. This is good for the environment, as it means we are saving raw materials.
In the Dessau maintenance depot around 250 electric motors are successfully reconditioned each year, saving around 570 metric tons of steel and recycling over 40 metric tons of copper. Since there is no need to acquire new raw materials for the motors, the reconditioning saves much CO2.
