BMG maintains that by investing in quality branded power transmission chain, significant cost savings are achieved. “It is important when it comes to procurement that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is considered above initial cost savings,” says Scott Larson, general manager of chain for Bearing Man’s power transmission division.
Power transmission chain in particular is an area where procurement managers feel they can reduce costs by specifying budget chains. Because this technology is apparently simple and there appear to be few outward differences between brands, it would be easy to assume this is an area where budget components may be justified. However, the truth is very different. A chain which has been properly specified and manufactured to stringent quality standards using quality materials earns its initial procurement cost back many times over when compared to a cheap, inferior quality chain.
“Procurement is just one cost that needs to be considered when determining the TCO of power transmission chain. There is also installation time as well as necessary maintenance requirements, including lubrication or the removal of links due to elongation. The cost of replacement is also an important consideration. A chain with a reduced service life will need replacing. This not only causes down time but also introduces a further round of procurement into the cost equation,” he adds.
An example of how a premium chain offers significant TCO savings has recently been experienced by a food manufacturer looking for an alternative roller chain in its production line. After a site inspection, Tsubaki Lambda lube-free chain was specified as the replacement chain. Tsubaki Lambda lube-free chain, which does not require external lubrication, ensures cost savings in maintenance. The surface of the chain is dry, which means the risk of contamination is avoided. Because the chain bearing surfaces remain lubricated, wear is minimised and operating life is extended.
The procurement cost for a single length of Lambda chain was almost 150% more than the cost for the basic 12B chain previously used by the food manufacturer. However, once installed, the chain lasted for 40 months without the need for maintenance. Over this period, the previous chain would have been replaced four times, with significant maintenance costs.
The lubrication-free Lambda chain series with enhanced wear resistant performance is suitable for environments which need to be clean, for example in food processing, pharmaceutical and electronics manufacture where product contamination cannot be tolerated. The easy to disassemble design, which retains full chain strength in the connecting link, also has new benefits that include wear life twice as long as the previous series. This is achieved through superior sintering bushing and an improved bushing-lubricant combination – the microscopic pores in the seamless sintered bush are vacuum filled with high performance lubricant.
This low maintenance series, which operates efficiently in a wide ambient temperature range between -10 and 150°C, has shot peened parts for higher fatigue strength. The surfaces of the outer and inner link plates are Fe403 blackened for improved corrosion resistance and there is smooth engagement with the sprocket and less wear on the sprocket teeth because of the durable roller.
For conveyor applications, a 25% reduction in initial elongation now comes as standard. This reduces the need for post installation maintenance and increases the service life of the chain. Elongation stability minimises the need for intermediate chain and sprocket adjustment.
There is also a significant reduction in the risk of chain breakage because the steel alloy has undergone effective heat treatment. A specially developed ring-coining process employed on the connecting link increases the strength of the link plate around the pin holes to make sure the link retains the same high strength and wear resistance as the rest of the chain. The easy to disassemble rivet pin design ensures that fitting and removal of the chain does not compromise the chain’s performance or service life.
The standard Lambda series includes BS/DIN and ANSI drive and conveyor chain with attachments, double and hollow pitch conveyor chain, as well as double plus and accumulator chain with centre rollers.
Tsubaki chain, which is available exclusively throughout southern Africa from BMG, has been designed for efficient use, low maintenance requirements and extended service life in diverse industries. BMG offers a site visit service prior to specification to ensure an accurate estimate for Tsubaki’s TCO.
For more information contact Scott Larson, BMG, +27 (0)31 576 6200, [email protected], www.bmgworld.net
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