SKF’s new generation 4 SG spindle offers an exponential increase in service life, with numerous associated cost and time saving benefits. This arose out of the redesign of a slab grinding (SG) spindle for a key customer in the steel manufacturing industry.
“Spindles are used to grind slabs in the manufacturing of stainless steel slabs,” says junior project engineer, Andre van Loggerenberg. “Our customer had problems on all 13 SG spindles. These related to reliability, running accuracy, oil leakage, operating temperatures and service life, and they were causing costly downtime.
“Our solution consisted of a redesign of one of the SG spindles, which included the fitment of ultra-high precision bearings to improve accuracy during operation, the improvement of the sealing arrangements to reduce oil leakage and the balancing of rotating components to reduce vibration and improve bearing life,” explains Van Loggerenberg. The redesigned spindle, which weighs approximately 400 kg and runs at an operating speed of 3000 rpm, was subjected to thorough trial tests at SKF’s state-of-the-art facility in Boksburg to ensure that the required operating temperatures and vibration levels were not exceeded.
Following very successful test results, SKF replaced all the customer’s older spindles with the redesigned generation 4 spindles, which deliver a host of cost saving benefits to the steel manufacturer. Substantial improvements in product performance and reliability, as well as running accuracy, increased the customer’s uptime and production, while reduced oil leakage prevented damage to the end product. Operating temperatures were also reduced to accommodate the high ambient running temperatures.
NSK bearings help pet food plant raise OEE
Shaft power components
When a major UK pet food producer wanted better machine utilisation with the aim of raising its overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by three points, it decided to ask experts at bearing specialist NSK if they could evaluate processes and systems to help with this improvement goal.
Read more...Anti-surge valves Valve & Automation
Shaft power components
Anti-surge valves meet the most stringent requirements, and in the event of a disturbance must open lightning fast, with precise positioning and absolute reliability. One of the world’s leading compressor manufacturers selected Arca anti-surge valves for its compressor stations at a steel mill in Taiwan.
Read more...SKF’s successful raid action in Cape Town SKF South Africa
Editor's Choice Shaft power components
Authorities, with collaborative support from SKF, recently conducted a large and highly effective raid on a very well-known bearing seller of SKF bearings in Cape Town.
Read more...SKF and Bearings 2000 contribute to the circular economy SKF South Africa
Shaft power components
Throughout 2023, SKF Authorised Distributor, Bearings 2000 has supported SKF’s Remanufacturing Services with a strong focus on remanufacturing spherical roller bearings used in food and beverage applications, and also larger sized spherical roller bearings and deep groove ball bearings for the pulp and paper industry.
Read more...Tsubaki sealed chains for harsh environments
Shaft power components
BMG’s extensive range of Tsubaki high-performance chains comprises engineering-class SJ3 sealed joint chains with improved sealing technology, designed to improve the reliability of many mechanical components exposed to harsh environments.
Read more...Bearing technologies for agriculture
Shaft power components
With its innovative bearing solutions. NSK is addressing a trio of hot topics impacting the agriculture sector: sustainable tillage, chemical-free weed control, and the use of robotics.
Read more...User friendly alignment tool for belt and chain drives
Shaft power components
The accurate alignment of belt and chain drives can make a considerable contribution to a plant’s overall production levels, and subsequent profitability. SKF’s TKBA series of belt alignment tools can align pulleys and sprockets accurately, and allow for corrections for various types of misalignment.
Read more...Rocket science by ARCA
Shaft power components
Control valves from ARCA, a specialist in industrial process control, are playing a key role in the European Space Agency’s generation 6 ARIANE rocket launchers at its launch pad located near Kourou in French Guiana. They also feature in the SpaceX launch site, Starbase in South Texas.
Read more...Magnetic bearings SKF South Africa
Pneumatic systems & components
SKF’s magnetic bearings, which can rotate at up to 50 000 rpm, are now playing a key role in reducing CO2 emissions across a range of industrial applications, including compressors. The company’s magnetic ...
Read more...Lubricators sustain five years without breakdown
Shaft power components
After a food manufacturing plant suffered frequent breakdowns of its electrical motors, Lubrication Engineers (LE) recommended the use of automated single-point lubricators. Five years later the client ...
printer friendly version