Insulation plant saves R13 million a year with NSK bearings

Motion Control & Drives

Electric drive, inverter & motor suppliers

Motion Control & Drive suppliers

Position/motion control suppliers

printer friendly version

October 2023 Motion Control & Drives

A leading manufacturer of insulation products for the construction industry turned to NSK for help in solving repeat bearings failures on its band saws. Thanks to NSK’s intervention and subsequent proposals, the plant is witnessing impressive annual savings of R13 million.

The manufacturer of insulation solutions for the construction sector had recently completed the commissioning of a new automated production line, and was looking forward to the benefits that its investment would offer. However, production proved erratic due to repeated failures of bearings on the blade guide rollers of the production line’s three band saws. The situation escalated and soon became critical, with bearing changes taking place on a daily basis. On occasions, the blade guide bearings were lasting only three hours, leading to costly downtime and increased maintenance. Some bearing failures were even resulting in damage to the saw blades.

NSK received a request on behalf of the band saw manufacturer to help identify the root cause of the failures and offer solutions. An engineering team from NSK reviewed the application at the customer’s site, performing a comprehensive failed bearing analysis. This activity revealed that bearing failures were occurring due to the ingress of contaminants. As a result, the team recommended NSK’s deep groove ball bearings with high-performance DDU sealing, using a patented full contact sealing mechanism. The contact seal design offered maximum protection against all contaminants, including dust and water, while simultaneously ensuring good grease retention.

A trial showed a significant improvement in bearing life. Whereas before around one third of the blade guide roller bearings would fail every day, now the plant changes its NSK bearings every three to four months as part of a planned maintenance schedule. Reductions in production downtime, maintenance labour, replacement bearings and damaged saw blades is resulting in significant annual cost savings of R13 million.

Share this article:

Innomotics powers largest heat pump system in the Netherlands
Motion Control & Drives
Innomotics, a global leader in the provision of electric motors and large drive systems, has played a pivotal role in the realisation of the largest heat pump system in the Netherlands. It is located at the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Utrecht.

Read more...

Heavy-duty V-belts for aggressive conditions
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG Motion Control & Drives
BMG’s extensive range of specialised Gates belting includes heavy-duty Predator V-belts, which have been specially designed to meet the challenges of drives that need to perform optimally in harsh African conditions.

Read more...

Three decades, one Perfect Harmony GH180
Motion Control & Drives
When customers seek to install a new medium voltage variable frequency drive, their priorities are reliability, efficiency and ease of use. Innomotics excels in these areas with its robust product offerings.

Read more...

Robust industrial chain solutions
Motion Control & Drives
Bearings International recently relaunched its quality range of premium brand chain solutions, KÖBO and Zexus, alongside its renowned private label offering Roller Chain Opti.

Read more...

Unlocking the smart factory
ElectroMechanica Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
At ElectroMechanica, we recognise that transitioning to smart automation isn’t just about adopting new technology; it’s about solving real challenges. Labour shortages, rising costs and downtime due to outdated machinery make digital transformation essential for long-term competitiveness.

Read more...

Enhanced grease gun and pump range
SKF South Africa Motion Control & Drives
The addition of a new LAGC S coupler to enhance the performance, safety and ease of operation of SKF’s proven grease gun and pump ranges demonstrates the company’s commitment to channelling innovation into its products and technology solutions.

Read more...

Problem solving under pressure
Axiom Hydraulics Motion Control & Drives
The greatest strength of Axiom Hydraulics lies in the company’s ability to solve complex problems and adapt systems to meet unique challenges. This capability stems from two key factors: the diverse experience of its team members, which spans decades across multiple disciplines, and their unwavering dedication to their clients.

Read more...

New AI advisor for robot selection
igus Motion Control & Drives
igus’ new AI chatbot has been added to the online platform RBTX.com. The interactive consultant is designed to enable companies with little previous experience and technological expertise to quickly and reliably put together low-cost automation solutions to becoming more competitive.

Read more...

Motion Control & Drives

Insulation plant saves R13 million a year with NSK bearings

Further reading:

Published by Technews