In modern industrial facilities, safety is not merely a box to check—it is a baseline constraint. Explosion-proof (Ex Proof) electric motors play a crucial role in safeguarding heavy manufacturing environments. From offshore oil rigs to coal processing plants and pharmaceutical formulation facilities, volatile gases, combustible dusts, and vapors present persistent explosion hazards. In these highly volatile environments, a standard electric motor can act as an ignition source due to internal electrical arcing, static buildup, or high surface temperatures.
An authentic explosion-proof motor is engineered to contain any internal explosion or flame, preventing it from escaping into the surrounding hazardous atmosphere. Concurrently, it maintains a surface temperature below the auto-ignition threshold of the ambient gases or dust. Today, the global demand for Ex-proof motors is expanding rapidly, driven by stringent workplace safety mandates, upgrading chemical infrastructures, and the massive push towards high-efficiency systems (such as IE4 and IE5 categories) to comply with international decarbonization regulations.
The convergence of industrial automation (Industry 4.0) and severe energy limitations has transformed what purchasing managers look for in safety-certified motors. Modern explosion-proof motors are no longer just heavy iron blocks. They are integrated drive solutions featuring variable frequency speed regulation, permanent magnet synchronous designs (PMSM), and integrated smart diagnostic sensors (vibration, thermal, and insulation sensors). This configuration allows critical industrial facilities to predict motor failure hours or days before a safety breach occurs, optimizing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and mitigating catastrophic operational downtime.
Shaanxi Nanfang Motor Technology Co., Ltd. is the authorized global distributor of Wolong, delivering world-class electrical drive solutions and premium industrial machinery. Wolong Electric Drive Group Co., Ltd., founded in 1984 and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2002 (code SH600580), has established itself as a global titan in electrical motor engineering. With over 30 years of technological evolution, Wolong operates 3 primary manufacturing bases, 39 state-of-the-art factories, and 3 global R&D centers.
Wolong’s global brand strategy has secured leadership in R&D, structural design, testing processes, and sales distribution. By acquiring century-old brands and combining their expertise, Shaanxi Nanfang Motor provides a diverse line of robust, dependable, and highly certified Ex proof motors to international engineering procurement houses and factories.
In 2011, WOLONG successfully acquired a 97.94% stake in the Austrian ATB Group, one of the three major European motor manufacturers. This acquisition integrated ATB's century-old electrical engineering heritage directly into WOLONG’s global framework. The ATB Group portfolio brought two highly respected heavy-industrial brands under one umbrella: Morley and Laurence Scott.
Morley Motors: Boasting nearly 130 years of specialized history, Morley has been linked with underground coal mining systems. Renowned in the global underground coal mining market, Morley is synonymous with heavy mechanical reliability, thermal endurance, and high-performance in deep hazardous pits.
Laurence Scott: Famous for supplying advanced motor drives to British nuclear installations, Laurence Scott specializes in equipment engineered with low starting currents. Their engineered generators and motors support heavy vessels, including British naval craft. Following its integration into WOLONG, Laurence Scott was honored with the Queen's Award for three consecutive years.
Brook Crompton Motors, a pioneer in high-efficiency electric motors, joined the WOLONG family, bringing over a century of electrical and thermodynamic design expertise. Brook Crompton is recognized for developing energy-efficient motors that lower industrial operating costs.
Under WOLONG, Brook Crompton has designed a comprehensive range of low, medium, and high-voltage AC motors. This includes the premium Brook Crompton "W" and "10" series, engineered for harsh and hazardous environments. Their customized drive packages offer adjustable-speed options that optimize energy consumption in varied pump and fan projects.
Schorch: Established in 1882 in Germany, Schorch set the standard for heavy-duty electric motors and custom drive systems. Joining WOLONG in 2011, Schorch's heavy-engineering expertise continues to benefit massive global municipal and petrochemical infrastructure projects, including wastewater management systems, shipbuilding, steel mills, wind tunnels, and gas compression stations.
OLI: Dating back to 1899, OLI represents a global leader in high-performance electric vibration motors and Ex vibration sensors. Collaborating with WOLONG in China since 1999, OLI industrial vibrators have become standard components for industrial sorting, pipeline flow management, and concrete processing plants globally.
Nanyang Explosion-Proof Group (CNE): In 2015, China’s largest research and production base for explosion-proof motors joined the WOLONG Group. This integration expanded the Group's domestic and international supply capabilities. CNE specializes in low-voltage flameproof asynchronous motors, high-voltage explosion-proof motors, and safety-critical drives for oil, coal, chemical, metallurgical, military, and nuclear installations.
General Electric (GE) Industrial Motors: In 2018, GE's commercial and industrial motor division joined forces with WOLONG. As an early pioneer in industrial automation, GE’s motor division provides engineering support to heavy industries worldwide, including materials processing, paper mills, marine transportation, and water treatment utilities.
Compliant with safety frameworks across the EU, North America, and global territories. Suitable for Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21, and Zone 22 hazardous areas.
Energy-saving structures including permanent magnet synchronous (PMSM) variations, helping operators achieve carbon reduction goals and reduce utility costs.
Combines ATB, Brook Crompton, Schorch, Morley, Laurence Scott, and GE technologies to meet varied regional requirements and engineering specs.
WOLONG’s integration of domestic manufacturing facilities with international technology centers enables Shaanxi Nanfang Motor to offer competitive pricing without sacrificing engineering quality. By utilizing high-volume Chinese manufacturing alongside strict European quality control standards, our factories maintain efficient cycle times, rigorous QA testing, and consistent performance across production runs.
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WOLONG has secured major global product certifications, supporting smooth integration into international markets:
Our motor rotors utilize a robust squirrel cage design, featuring cast aluminum or copper bar structures. Centrifugal aluminum casting or advanced die-casting techniques pour molten pure aluminum into the rotor core slots, creating a single-piece construction that integrates the rotor bars and end rings. This design delivers reliable starting torque and high mechanical endurance. For larger motors, copper bar rotors with specialized welding procedures are utilized to withstand high centrifugal forces, while high-speed motors include carbon-fiber or steel retaining rings to ensure stability during high-speed rotation.
Our stator windings are insulated using high-content mica tapes, reinforced with polyester films and robust glass cloths. We utilize the VPI (Vacuum Pressure Impregnation) process, subjecting the wound stator core to deep vacuum and high-pressure resin cycles. This eliminates air voids within the slots, resulting in a solid insulation structure. The winding design provides excellent dielectric strength, high thermal dissipation, resistance to moisture, and resistance to chemical vapors, ensuring long service lives in harsh Zone 1 chemical plants.
Utilizing multi-physics digital simulations, our motor frames are optimized for mechanical stiffness and thermal dissipation. Cast from high-strength gray iron or structural steel, they are designed with deep cooling fins that increase surface area. This ensures mechanical robustness against external impact, low vibration levels, and structural isolation margins that prevent resonance during variable frequency operation.
Comprising an aerodynamic fan cover, air guide cylinder, protection grille, and integrated silencer plate, this system optimizes airflow while minimizing noise. The side-entry air inlet helps bypass obstacles, reducing aerodynamic resistance. Rated up to IP22, the fan hood prevents debris entry while protecting maintenance personnel from contact with the rotating fan.
WOLONG’s 39 manufacturing facilities and 4 global R&D centers design solutions tailored for specific hazardous areas. Our explosion-proof motors are deployed worldwide, powering critical equipment in the following sectors:
Deployed in offshore platforms, crude oil refineries, pipelines, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals. These motors drive high-pressure compressors, transfer pumps, and air coolers, operating reliably in environments with constant exposure to hydrocarbons, salt spray, and extreme temperatures.
Through our Morley and Nanyang (CNE) lines, we supply heavy flameproof motors for underground continuous miners, conveyor belts, coal pulverizers, and ventilation shafts. Engineered to contain methane and coal-dust ignition risks, these motors operate reliably in challenging underground conditions.
Suitable for reactor agitation, centrifuges, industrial dust collectors, and fluid metering pumps. These motors resist chemical corrosion and dust ignition, satisfying requirements for fine chemical processing and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) synthesis.
Additionally, our marine-rated explosion-proof motors (such as the YQ Series) feature DNV Type Approval, making them suitable for shipboard thrusters, ballast pumps, winches, and LNG tanker cargo handling, where dual safety and marine classification approvals are required.
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