Success Story
Industry: Food & Beverage
Application: Milk Processing Plant
Cost Savings: $14,195
Introduction
The customer was experiencing regular bearing failure on their conveyor at a Milk Processing Plant. Due to the applicaiton and area in which the bearings were, they were difficult to lubricate. The customer had to change the bearings every 10 weeks, resulting in down-time of 3 hours each time. NSK reviewed the bearing application and suggested that stainless steel bearing inserts fitted with Molded-Oil would offer better service life. In addition it was suggested that they combine these with the additional benefits of Silver-Lube® polymer housings to provide the Life-Lube® combination. Tested bearings showed that bearing life was extended from 10 weeks to over 1 year.
- Milk processing
- Life-Lube® housing with Molded-Oil bearing insert
Key Facts
- Milk processing plant
- Bearing replacement every 10 weeks
- NSK solution: Life-Lube® Housings with Molded-Oil Bearing insert
- Reduced downtime
- Productivity improvement
- Replacement and maintenance cost savings
Value Proposals
- NSK application review highlighted poor bearing life and maintenance difficulty
- NSK recommended Molded-Oil inserts and Silver-Lube® plastic housings
- Increased corrosion resistance and Molded-Oil Lubrication resulted in over 12 months lifetime
- Additional benefit gained due to not having to replace shaft after bearing failure
- Technical support provided for fitting new Life-Lube® units
Product Features
- PBT thermoplastic resin housing
- Molded-Oil inserts (with solid lubricant)
- Martensitic stainless steel
- Nitrile rubber seals
- Available in Pillow Block, 2 and 4 bolt flanges and take-up unit housings
- Bore size 20mm – 40mm
- Corrosion resistance
- Paint free housings, preventing chipping & flaking
- Resistant to contamination increasing operating life
- Ideal for operations where process fluid is unavoidable
- No need for re-lubrication
Cost Saving Breakdown
| Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearing Costs: Old bearing design: | $149 | Bearing Costs: New bearing design: | $145 | |
| Engineering Costs: Maintenance: 2 fitters × 3 hours @ $27/h, 5 × year |
$810 | Engineering Costs: Maintenance: none | $0 | |
| Costs of lost production: Downtime: 3 hours @ $2,191 x 2/year | $13,146 | Costs of lost production: Downtime: none | $0 | |
| Engineering Costs: Additional replacement parts: 2 shafts replaced @ $117.50 each | €220 | Engineering Costs: No replacement shafts | €0 | |
| Total Costs | $14,340 | $145 | ||
Reference:SS-E-2006
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