Success Story
Industry: Automotive Production
Application: Tyre Manufacturing
Cost Savings: $138,779
Introduction
A tire manufacturer was experiening high replacement costs due to frequent ball screw failure in the air drum of a tire building machine. This was becoming a costly problem with increased maintenance and downtime affecting overall productivity. NSK analyzed the environment and application and found that the quality and specification of the existing ball screw was not sufficient for the loads within the machine. By introducing a higher specification NSK Ball Screw life time was extended, increasing uptime and efficiency while reducing unplanned failures.
Key Facts
- Automotive Tire Manufacture
- Maintenance problems with existing ball screw design
- NSK conducted failure analysis and a machine design review
- Trial of NSK ball screw proved very successful and technical approval was granted
- Service life increased by 50%
- Increased efficiency and reduced maintenance costs were realized
- Tyre manufacturing
- HTF Ball Screw
Value Proposals
- Machine application review
- Failed Ball Screw analysis showed poor quality and reduced load capacity
- NSK HTF Ball Screw trial proposed
- Application trial approval by customer resulting in increased Ball Screw performance
Product Features
- A special ball screw groove profile together with grease retaining A1 seal
- Contact seals prevent grease contamination and help achieve a clean environment
- Equipped with SRC (Smooth Return Coupling), or end deflector recirculation system, which picks up balls smoothly in the direction they are moving
- A1 seal greatly improved grease retention
- A1 seal suppresses grease scattering
- A1 seal simplifies the cover design, helping to preserve a clean and healthy environment.
- Longer maintenance intervals
Cost Saving Breakdown
| Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball Screw replacement cost | $211,697 | NSK Ball Screw replacement cost - New design reduces purchase by nearly 2/3 per year | $72,918 | |
| Total Costs | $211,697 | $72,918 | ||
Reference:SS-E-0014
