Plant life matters
Although the cost of components - such as rolling element bearings, rotors and fasteners - in hydraulic pumps is usually very small, compared to the list price of the pumps themselves, the cost of stopped production and any consequential losses resulting from component failure is almost invariably significant.
Reaching the parts
Environmentally friendly and synthetic lubricants are creeping into mainstream plant applications as alternatives to conventional mineral oils – and for good, solid economic reasons, as Brian Wall reports
NSK’s L-PPS bearings solve heat-induced failures problems
NSK's L-PPS bearing cage technology has improved long-term performance and cost for an unnamed manufacturer of screw compressors in the refrigerant sector, according to the company.
Operator-driven reliability programme does it for Stora Enso
Global paper, packaging and wood products firm Stora Enso is reporting significant benefits since introducing SKF's operator-driven reliability (ODR) programme.
Sound of silence
Ultrasonic tools are invaluable in detecting bearing failure, mostly because warnings appear well before any temperature rise or low frequency vibration can be seen. In fact, the technology recognises everything from early fatigue failure, through brinelling to lubricant problems.
Spherical plain bearings smooth Spanish solar generation plant
More than 1,000 high precision plain bearing rod ends are enabling the efficient operation of the Andasol solar power plants in southern Spain, currently the largest parabolic trough solar power station in the world.
Split bearing radically reduce maintenance for Wessex Water
Split-to-the-shaft design and improved sealing of Revolvo's SRB bearings has resulted in massively reduced maintenance on orbital aeration tanks at a Wessex Water treatment plant.
Steelworks saves thousands on bearings
Savings of a staggering _372,558 per annum are being reported on an annealing process line accumulator sheave at a major UK steelworks, following bespoke redesign of the bearing assembly.
Stem the flow
These days, industrial lubrication has two main purposes: first, to ensure by some mechanical, electronic or outsourced human means that machine mechanisms receive timely lubrication; and, secondly, that this lubrication should be as environmentally friendly as possible. This can mean reducing toxicity, locking up lubricants in the bearing material, choosing bearing materials that are lifetime lubricated or doing away with the need for lubrication altogether. Centralised lubrication systems that pump grease into bearings without human intervention are attached to the main axle bearings on many UK passenger trains. And while this may add cost in capital terms, the savings achieved in terms of reduced maintenance costs and enhanced reliability are enormous.
Condition Monitoring - Bearing down on stoppages
A machine tool spindle condition monitoring unit (CMU) at car manufacturer BMW's plant at Steyr, Austria, has reduced the number of bearing failures from 21 per year to zero. The Multilog CMU, supplied by bearings manufacturer SKF, is an on-line surveillance system that collects and evaluates vibration and process machinery data round the clock from permanently installed sensors, then automatically captures alarms as they occur. The CMU records data on a scheduled basis, which allows immediate notification of any impending problems. It can be used in harsh, remote, unsafe or difficult-to-reach locations.