Success Story
Industry: Quarrying, Mining and Construction
Application: Concrete Floor Manufacturing Unit
Cost Savings: $73,496
Introduction
The customer was experiencing regular bearing failure on a concrete floor manufacturing machine. This caused extensive downtime with associated lost production with high maintenance costs. This was of serious concern for management and an urgent solution was needed. NSK investigated the machine and found that the main problem was due to the cassettes poor wheel design, incorrect bearing selection and ingress of contamination. NSK produced a complete redesigned wheel hub and stub axle assembly including a sealed roller bearing assembly which was specifically selected for the loads in the machine. With this solution, failure rates reduced from 20 a year to zero.
Key Facts
- High value manufacturing process with arduous conditions
- Regular failure of the machine causing high maintenance and lost production costs
- Current bearing incorrectly selected allowing ingress of contaminates
- NSK designed a completely new hub assembly including a sealed roller bearing unit
- The customer re-designed the machine to accept the new assembly
- Failures reduced from 20 a year to zero
- Concrete Floor Manufacturing Unit
- Full complement Cylindrical Roller Bearing Unit with seals
Value Proposals
- Investigation of failed bearings showed that the cause of failure was incorrect bearing selection and ingress of contamination
- NSK conducted a machine design review and produced a new hub assembly proposal
- By incorporating NSK Full Compliment sealed bearing units, secured by circlips in the outer ring, the load rating was increased and the integral seals provided increased contamination protection for the bearings
- The customer followed NSK design proposals and produced a new shaft and housing
- NSK also provided on site consultation detailing lubrication and assembly best practice
- Machine failures were reduced from 20 per year to zero.
Product Features
- Improved contact seals
- High load rating
- Highly corrosion resistant phosphate coating
- Easier grease re-lubrication due to inner and outer ring re-lubrication holes
- Bearings pre-greased with Lithium grease
- Contact seals prevent ingress of foreign particles or water
- Increased radial and axial capability
- Re-lubrication holes for easy maintenance and grease replenishment
- Can be used in external environments due to phosphate coating
- Snap ring can be applied to the outer ring
Cost Saving Breakdown
| Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost production: 20 hrs / year @ $3,303 | $66,043 | No lost production costs | $0 | |
| Parts cost, old bearings + 16 hub & stub axle units | $6,140 | Parts cost, new bearings | $317 | |
| Maintenance costs: ($44/h @ 20 hrs) + technical support & engineering time |
$1,982 | Maintenance costs: ($44/hr @ 8 man hrs) Technical support & engineering time no longer required |
$352 | |
| Total Costs | $74,165 | $669 | ||
Reference:SS-E-2019
