Success Story
Industry: Cement
Application: Concrete (sett) thickener
Cost Savings: $34,166
Introduction
A paving producer in Poland was experiencing frequent breakdowns due to bearing failures in a vibrating thickener machine. The bearings were mounted in an electric motor which supported unbalanced weights providing the vibration. In a period of 4 months the customer experienced 10 failures and each time it took 2 hours to replace the bearings. The bearings were experiencing grease loss due to high operating temperatures in excess of 110°C 230°F. NSK engineers performed an application review and recommended that the existing shielded bearings be replaced with NSK fluoride rubber contact seals.
- Vibrating Thickener
- High Temperature Sealed Deep Groove Ball Bearings
Key Facts
- Concrete (sett) thickener
- Conditions: High temperature and vibration
- Loss of grease and high operating temperature were identified as the cause of bearing failure
- NSK solution: Deep Groove Ball Bearings with high temperature DDU seals and special material rings with increased clearance
- Extended life resulted in zero maintenance after NSK bearings were used
- Cost saving based on reduction in failures and reduced maintenance required
Value Proposals
- The customer experienced multiple failures on a vibrating motor application. NSK engineers performed analysis on a failed bearing which showed significant grease loss due to high operating temperatures.
- After reviewing the application it was determined that the existing shielded deep groove ball bearing was inadequate for this application. NSK recommended a high temperature contact seal in combination with special material rings and C3 clearance.
- A trial with the NSK DDU bearing was conducted and the results showed zero failures in a 4 month period.
- This resulted in a significant reduction in maintenance costs, improved productivity and zero lost production.
Product Features
- Steel Cage
- Heat stabilized rings
- C3 Internal bearing clearance
- High temperature grease
- High performance in contaminated environment
- Temperature stability: up to 150°C 302°F
- Longer bearing life through superior seal performance (Viton® Seals)
- Reduced noise level "E" class for electrical applications
Cost Saving Breakdown
| Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearing Costs: Bearing failure - 20 in 8 months | $213 | Bearing Costs: No bearing failures during 4 months of testing | $107 | |
| Engineering Costs: Maintenance: 20 electric motor $107 each | $2,100 | Engineering Costs: No maintenance required in 4 months | $0 | |
| Costs of lost production: Lost annual production: 40 hours at $799/hr | $31,960 | Costs of lost production: No downtim in 4 months | $0 | |
| Total Costs | $34,273 | $107 | ||
Reference:SS-E-5002
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