Intelligence Hub | Category Market Intelligence

Decision at a glance

Top move

Variable-speed drives (VSDs) create common-mode voltages that accelerate motor bearing failure; specify shaft‑grounding or insulated bearing options in procurements for affected motors

Key takeaways

Variable-speed drives (VSDs) create common-mode voltages that accelerate motor bearing failure; specify shaft‑grounding or insulated bearing options in procurements for affected motors.[1]
Major control-system vendors are rolling software-defined DCS and cloud SCADA offers — expect new integration and qualification work that changes acceptance tests and service footprints.[2]
Factory automation updates (robots, sensors, servo drives) widen sourcing choices but increase FAT/SAT and local‑service requirements for long‑term service agreements.[3]

Why this matters for the category manager

Variable-speed drives (VSDs) create common-mode voltages that accelerate motor bearing failure; specify shaft‑grounding or insulated bearing options in procurements for affected motors. Major control-system vendors are rolling software-defined DCS and cloud SCADA offers — expect new integration and qualification work that changes acceptance tests and service footprints. Factory automation updates (robots, sensors, servo drives) widen sourcing choices but increase FAT/SAT and local‑service requirements for long‑term service agreements. Process Online’s technical coverage and how‑to articles are a practical source for vendor test checklists and prequalification questions relevant to LTSA scopes

What changed

Added a concrete mechanical‑reliability signal (motor bearing wear from VSDs) that requires immediate procurement spec checks (Article 2).
Added control‑system and factory automation product updates that shift attention from pure OT cyber specs to integration and FAT/SAT evidence (Articles 3 and 4).
No new, specific OT cyber‑certification requirements were introduced beyond prior brief; continue to require IEC 62443 and FAT/SAT evidence as before.

Category impact

Cost / money

Requiring shaft grounding devices or insulated bearings raises unit procurement cost and spare‑parts spend, but reduces reactive maintenance and unplanned downtime exposure.[1]
Adopting software‑defined DCS or cloud SCADA can shift costs from one‑time hardware to recurring software and managed‑service budgets—contract terms must separate CapEx and Opex exposures.[2]

Supplier / commercial

Vendors supplying motors and VSDs can push short‑lead, conditional quotes for preinstalled grounding options; contracting should preserve buyer choice on spare sourcing and pass‑through pricing.[1]
Control and automation vendors with new product releases may ask for extended qualification or conditional awards tied to local service commitments; use supplier footprint checks to retain leverage.[2]

Safety / operations

Unaddressed shaft currents and bearing wear increase failure and fire risk in rotating equipment; include safety acceptance steps and installed grounding checks in handover procedures.[1]
New robotic cells and high‑speed servo drives require updated safety validation and operator training during FAT/SAT to preserve depot and plant uptime.[3]

What to watch

Some Process Online pieces are high‑level guidance rather than APAC service proofs; treat vendor claims found there as starting points for local verification, not acceptance evidence.[2]
Product announcements may not reflect local spare parts or on‑site engineer availability — verify documented FAT/SAT history and local support before awarding LTSAs or single‑source contracts.[3]

Category manager actions

Action detail for this brief

Today's priorities

Issue an immediate spec addendum to Contracts requiring motor bids to declare shaft‑grounding devices or insulated bearing options and supply FAT templates as part of prequalifi...

Act because the article shows VSDs cause common‑mode shaft currents that materially increase bearing failure risk and because leaving grounding undefined transfers uptime risk t...

Due 3d

high

Direct Ops to inventory critical rotating‑equipment spares and note gaps for VSD‑affected motors (bearing types, grounding accessories) to inform LTSA spare schedules.

Prepare because motor bearing wear is a near‑term uptime dependency and because having spares locally shortens repair windows and preserves SLAs.

Due 3d

high

Run a supplier capability and service‑footprint check for shortlisted DCS, SCADA and automation vendors focused on local engineers, FAT/SAT records, and spare‑parts lead times.

Act because control‑system product releases change integration and service demands and because service footprint will determine SLA enforceability and award conditions.

Due 21d

high

Supplier radar

Processonline

high

Observed supplier signal

Vendors supplying motors and VSDs can push short‑lead, conditional quotes for preinstalled grounding options; contracting should preserve buyer choice on spare sourcing and pass‑through pricing.

Commercial implication

Vendors supplying motors and VSDs can push short‑lead, conditional quotes for preinstalled grounding options; contracting should preserve buyer choice on spare sourcing and pass‑through pricing.

Next step: Validate the source-backed signal with incumbents and alternates before the next award or pricing decision.

Processonline

high

Observed supplier signal

Control and automation vendors with new product releases may ask for extended qualification or conditional awards tied to local service commitments; use supplier footprint checks to retain leverage.

Commercial implication

Control and automation vendors with new product releases may ask for extended qualification or conditional awards tied to local service commitments; use supplier footprint checks to retain leverage.

Next step: Validate the source-backed signal with incumbents and alternates before the next award or pricing decision.

Negotiation levers

Lever

Issue an immediate spec addendum to Contracts requiring motor bids to declare shaft‑grounding devices or insulated bearing options and supply FAT templates as part of prequalifi...

Use when

Act because the article shows VSDs cause common‑mode shaft currents that materially increase bearing failure risk and because leaving grounding undefined transfers uptime risk t...

Expected outcome

RFPs and prequalification questionnaires require vendor declarations of grounding/insulation and FAT templates before award.

high confidence

Lever

Direct Ops to inventory critical rotating‑equipment spares and note gaps for VSD‑affected motors (bearing types, grounding accessories) to inform LTSA spare schedules.

Use when

Prepare because motor bearing wear is a near‑term uptime dependency and because having spares locally shortens repair windows and preserves SLAs.

Expected outcome

Spare‑parts list updated to reflect VSD impact and flagged items for conditional procurement or local stocking.

high confidence

Lever

Run a supplier capability and service‑footprint check for shortlisted DCS, SCADA and automation vendors focused on local engineers, FAT/SAT records, and spare‑parts lead times.

Use when

Act because control‑system product releases change integration and service demands and because service footprint will determine SLA enforceability and award conditions.

Expected outcome

Capability matrix that flags vendors needing conditional awards, local spares MOUs, or stricter SLA and penalty terms during negotiation.

high confidence

Talking points

Variable-speed drives (VSDs) create common-mode voltages that accelerate motor bearing failure; specify shaft‑grounding or insulated bearing options in procurements for affected motors.

Major control-system vendors are rolling software-defined DCS and cloud SCADA offers — expect new integration and qualification work that changes acceptance tests and service footprints.

Factory automation updates (robots, sensors, servo drives) widen sourcing choices but increase FAT/SAT and local‑service requirements for long‑term service agreements.

Recommended actions

Do now

Issue an immediate spec addendum to Contracts requiring motor bids to declare shaft‑grounding devices or insulated bearing options and supply FAT templates as part of prequalifi...
Why: Act because the article shows VSDs cause common‑mode shaft currents that materially increase bearing failure risk and because leaving grounding undefined transfers uptime risk t...
Owner: Contracts
Expected outcome: RFPs and prequalification questionnaires require vendor declarations of grounding/insulation and FAT templates before award.
[1]
Direct Ops to inventory critical rotating‑equipment spares and note gaps for VSD‑affected motors (bearing types, grounding accessories) to inform LTSA spare schedules.
Why: Prepare because motor bearing wear is a near‑term uptime dependency and because having spares locally shortens repair windows and preserves SLAs.
Owner: Ops
Expected outcome: Spare‑parts list updated to reflect VSD impact and flagged items for conditional procurement or local stocking.
[1]

Next few weeks

Run a supplier capability and service‑footprint check for shortlisted DCS, SCADA and automation vendors focused on local engineers, FAT/SAT records, and spare‑parts lead times.
Why: Act because control‑system product releases change integration and service demands and because service footprint will determine SLA enforceability and award conditions.
Owner: Category
Expected outcome: Capability matrix that flags vendors needing conditional awards, local spares MOUs, or stricter SLA and penalty terms during negotiation.
[2]
Ask Contracts to add FAT/SAT acceptance criteria and mandatory on‑site commissioning evidence into LTSA templates for motors, drives and new automation cells.
Why: Act because new automation and control offerings increase integration risk and because predefining acceptance tests preserves buyer leverage and reduces rework.
Owner: Contracts
Expected outcome: LTSA drafts include explicit FAT/SAT checklists and commissioning evidence requirements so bids are comparable on service and acceptance.
[2][3]

Watch

Pilot an installation with a preinstalled shaft‑grounding solution and documented FAT to validate maintenance procedures, spare usage, and acceptance timelines before rolling in...
Why: Prepare because real‑world verification is needed to confirm the claimed durability and because pilots reduce rollout risk for larger LTSA commitments.
Owner: Ops
Expected outcome: Pilot report documenting installation checks, maintenance intervals, and spare usage that informs LTSA SOWs and spare stocking policies.
[1]
Update Category evaluation templates to separate hardware, managed service and remote‑access line items for DCS and automation procurements so cost and liability are not obscured.
Why: Act because software‑defined control and cloud SCADA offers change commercial exposure and because separating scopes preserves negotiating leverage over pass‑through and Opex.
Owner: Category
Expected outcome: Evaluation templates isolate hardware and managed‑service pricing so awards reflect operational cost and service availability, not bundled opaque fees.
[2]

What to watch

Some Process Online pieces are high‑level guidance rather than APAC service proofs; treat vendor claims found there as starting points for local verification, not acceptance evidence
Product announcements may not reflect local spare parts or on‑site engineer availability — verify documented FAT/SAT history and local support before awarding LTSAs or single‑source contracts
Some Process Online pieces are high‑level guidance rather than APAC service proofs; treat vendor claims found there as starting points for local verification, not acceptance evidence.: Some Process Online pieces are high‑level guidance rather than APAC service proofs; treat vendor claims found there as starting points for local verification, not acceptance evidence
Product announcements may not reflect local spare parts or on‑site engineer availability — verify documented FAT/SAT history and local support before awarding LTSAs or single‑source contracts.: Product announcements may not reflect local spare parts or on‑site engineer availability — verify documented FAT/SAT history and local support before awarding LTSAs or single‑source contracts
Variable-speed drives (VSDs) create common-mode voltages that accelerate motor bearing failure; specify shaft‑grounding or insulated bearing options in procurements for affected motors
Major control-system vendors are rolling software-defined DCS and cloud SCADA offers — expect new integration and qualification work that changes acceptance tests and service footprints
Factory automation updates (robots, sensors, servo drives) widen sourcing choices but increase FAT/SAT and local‑service requirements for long‑term service agreements
Process Online’s technical coverage and how‑to articles are a practical source for vendor test checklists and prequalification questions relevant to LTSA scopes

Market pulse

Index	Latest	Change	As of
WTI Crude (WTI)	71.23 /bbl	+0.00 (+0.00%)	Jun 20, 2026, 10:10 PM
Brent Crude (BRENT)	74.89 /bbl	+0.00 (+0.00%)	Jun 20, 2026, 10:10 PM
Natural Gas (NG)	3.12 /MMBtu	+0.00 (+0.00%)	Jun 20, 2026, 10:10 PM
Baker Hughes (BKR)	32	+0.00 (+0.00%)	Jun 20, 2026, 10:10 PM
GE Vernova (GEV)	175	+0.00 (+0.00%)	Jun 20, 2026, 10:10 PM

Baker Hughes: Service‑market activity and rig counts influence aftermarket demand and LTSA pricing posture; monitor supplier service capacity
GE Vernova: Power and electrification vendor moves affect control and motor procurement choices and integration risk for depot electrification

Evidence and sources

Inline citations jump here. Expand a source to read stored evidence excerpts.

[1] How to extend the life of your motor bearings

processonline.com.au · n.d.

Original linkExpand

Source excerpts

Other drawbacks are the cost for this style of motor bearing and the fact that the bearings are usually available only up to size 6311. On motors larger than 75 kW, it is generally recommended that an insulated bearing be installed on the opposite end of the motor on which the shaft grounding device is installed, regardless of which style of shaft grounding is used

On motors larger than 75 kW, it is generally recommended that an insulated bearing be installed on the opposite end of the motor on which the shaft grounding device is installed, regardless of which style of shaft grounding is used. Table 1: Pros and cons of shaft grounding methods

Adding a shaft grounding device to the motor prior to installation (or buying a motor with one preinstalled) can be a small price to pay when compared to the price tag of maintenance costs associated with bearing replacement, not to mention the high costs of downtime in a facility

Open original source

[2] Process control systems :: Process Online

processonline.com.au · n.d.

Original linkExpand

Source excerpts

LTS distributed control system 21 January, 2026 | Supplied by: Emerson Emerson has included software-defined automation in its latest distributed control system release

Process control systems Valves, data centres and the invisible infrastructure of Australian industry 19 June, 2026 by Cuong Vo* | Supplied by: Burkert Fluid Control Systems If we are serious about making Australian industry both competitive and sustainable, we have to respect the 'boring' parts of the system

Schneider Electric moves towards SDA with new DCS 10 February, 2026 | Supplied by: Schneider Electric Schneider Electric has released an open, software‍‑‍defined distributed control system

Open original source

[3] Factory automation :: Process Online

processonline.com.au · n.d.

Original linkExpand

Source excerpts

ARM Hub announces Propel-AIR tour 19 May, 2026 The Propel-AIR roadshow has been extended through May and June

Kollmorgen Essentials hygienic servo drive 24 April, 2026 | Supplied by: Motion Technologies Pty Ltd Kollmorgen Corporation has expanded the application range of its Kollmorgen Essentials Servo Drive to include hygienic and washdown environments. Foodmach invests in A&RT 15 April, 2026 | Supplied by: Foodmach Pty Ltd Automation & Robotics Technology (A&RT) has been acquired by a group of investors that includes Foodmach, Packaging Partners and others

Chinese humanoid robot manufacturer opens mass production plant 03 June, 2026 EngineAI’s T800 humanoid robots are beginning to roll off the production line for mass delivery. Industrial Devices electric linear actuators 01 June, 2026 | Supplied by: Treotham Automation Pty Ltd In heavy industrial environments, electric linear actuators from Industrial Devices can play a pivotal role in applications requiring robust performance and precision

Open original source

[4] Baker Hughes

finance.yahoo.com · n.d.

Original linkExpand

No stored excerpt is attached to this source.

Open original source

[5] GE Vernova

finance.yahoo.com · n.d.

Original linkExpand

No stored excerpt is attached to this source.

Open original source

Tighten motor and control specs to protect uptime and contracts

Decision at a glance

What changed

Category impact

Cost / money

Supplier / commercial

Safety / operations

What to watch

Action detail for this brief

Today's priorities

Supplier radar

Negotiation levers

Talking points

Recommended actions

Do now

Next few weeks

Watch

Top stories

How to extend the life of your motor bearings

Process control systems :: Process Online

Factory automation :: Process Online

Market pulse

Evidence and sources