Success Story
Industry: Quarrying, Mining & Construction
Application: Band Saw
Cost Savings: $694,998
Introduction
A market leading manufacturer of insulation products for the construction industry had recently completed commissioning of a new automated production line. However, production was reported as being erratic due to repeated failures of bearings used on the blade guide rollers of the band saws. The situation became critical with daily bearing changes becoming necessary; in some cases bearings were only lasting 3 hours. Costly downtime and increased maintenance became an issue. NSK was contacted on behalf of the band saw manufacturer to help identify route cause for bearing failures and determine a solution.
- Saw blade guide rollers - Band Saw Application
- NSK DDU Seal - Deep Groove Ball Bearing
Key Facts
- Premature failure of bearings was causing daily machine downtime
- Root cause of failure was due to ingress of contaminant
- Unplanned machine downtime resulted in loss of production
- NSK solution -DDU type seals
- Resultant performance reduced bearings changes from daily to 3- 4 months (during planned maintenance schedules)
- Significant improvement on machine efficiency
Value Proposals
- NSK engineers inspected the application at the customers site and performed a Failed Bearing Analysis revealing that the bearing failures were due to ingress of contaminant
- NSK engineering team recommended Deep Groove Ball bearings with high performance DDU sealing with a patented triple lip mechanism
- A trial showed a significant improvement in bearing life and by this a very high cost saving for the customer
Product Features
- Deep Groove Ball Bearing with double seal DDU
- Contact seal designed for maximum protection against all contaminants
- Patented triple lip mechanism for excellent dust and water protection
- For lower speed and temperature limits where maximum sealing is usually critical
- Constant friction torque
- Excellent grease retention
Cost Saving Breakdown
| Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearing Costs: 1/3 of bearings changed daily | $18,134 | Bearing Costs: Complete bearing sets Changed 4 times per year During planned maintenance |
$1,135 | |
| Engineering Costs: Replace bearings at band saws Part bearing sets only 3 band saws 4 times per week |
$26,048 | Engineering Costs: Installation of bearings on 3 band saws | $407 | |
| Costs of lost production: 15 minutes per bearing 3 band saws (part bearing sets) 4 times per week |
$650,998 | Costs of lost production: Downtime eliminated | $0 | |
| Engineering Costs: Damaged saw blades | $1,360 | Engineering Costs: No bearing failure causing saw blade damage | $0 | |
| Total Costs | $696,540 | $1,542 | ||
Reference:SS-E-2059
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