Pneumatic Electric Control Systems (PECS) - Tech Tip: Correct installation of rotating unions
First Quarter 2008
Other technologies
Rotating unions are used to convey various media into and through rotating machine parts. Media such as water, hydraulic or thermal oil, compressed air, vacuum and coolants can be conveyed.
Installation examples for horizontally and vertically-mounted rotary unions
In the case of current rotating unions, sealing between the rotating element, the rotor, and the stationary part, the stator, is almost always achieved using suitable mechanical seals.
Despite extremely precise production and the use of highly wear-resistant materials, each rotating union is inevitably subject to wear.
Over and above the technical parameters which limit the service life of a rotating union, such as speed, pressure, temperature, flow, volumes and flow velocity of the media, other factors have considerable impact on service life.
Correct mounting is also an important factor influencing the service life of a rotating union. To prevent damage to the bearing it is important that the union can be easily rotated in mounted condition without any warping. Improper hose length or threaded parts may cause warping of the bearings.
The installation of the hoses is very important. The flexible hose should be attached to the rotating union and then connected to the shaft end and tightened to the prescribed torque. When connecting the flexible hose to the solid pipe, avoid twisting of the hose. Never connect the rotating union to a solid pipe. The hoses should be installed with a bow and without torsion and should be connected to the stationary pipe in a pressure-tight manner. The rotating union should also be connected to the machine part in a pressure-tight manner and at the torque prescribed by the manufacturer. It is important that the retainer for the rotating union is free from burrs or chips.
If required, the drainage must always be laid downwards (at least 15°) and with a free cross-section which is as large as possible. In the case of a rotating union installed vertically, the drainage must be guided downwards. For rotating unions which are mounted horizontally, the vent for controlled leakage must point downwards, in 6 o’clock position.
If the drainage is located higher than the vent, the rotating union will be flooded by the occurring leakage causing improper operation.
Listening to and observing a rotating union immediately after the initial operation quickly reveals incorrect installation. If it runs untrue or tumbles, the centring is not within the tolerance. This may be the result of wear of the screw thread or of a mounting failure. If the rotating union is noisy, vibrates or is hot in the area of the bearing it indicates that there is warping caused by the installation and that the rotating union is not running freely.
If these installation errors are avoided or are eliminated immediately the user benefits from an extended service life which is not reduced as a result of poor assembly.
This precision part operates highly effectively and helps to reduce machine downtime and maintenance costs in most cases.
For more information contact Pneumatic Electric Control Systems (PECS), +27 (0)31 303 3701, [email protected], www.pecspower.co.za
Further reading:
Oil monitoring solution drives performance gains for paper mill
SKF South Africa
Other technologies
By integrating real-time monitoring with precise flow control, SKF’s Flowline oil monitor meters have significantly improved the flow rate control and performance of oil circulation lubrication systems installed on a paper mill.
Read more...
The Konecranes portal, a benchmark in data supply
Other technologies
The newly launched Konecranes Portal takes online communications to the next level through its single point of access to its digital customer platforms
Read more...
Ultra-compact industrial PCs exploit advances in CPU technology
Beckhoff Automation
Other technologies
Beckhoff’s C60xx scalable series of ultra-compact industrial PCs combines high computing power in an extremely compact format with a wide range of options for installation in the control cabinet.
Read more...
Anti-wear additives – the metal guardians in your oil
Other technologies
Anti-wear additives are used to protect against wear and the loss of metal surfaces during mixed-film and boundary-film lubrication.
Read more...
OMRON simplifies safety verification for SA manufacturers
Omron Electronics
Other technologies
OMRON’s NX Safety platform, Online Safety Functional Test Verification is a feature built into the Sysmac Studio engineering environment. This intuitive tool allows safety verification to be carried out digitally, with step-by-step guidance and full traceability, all from a single workstation.
Read more...
Condition monitoring in hazardous areas
SKF South Africa
Other technologies
SKF is further strengthening its condition monitoring offer portfolio by a newly developed hazardous area version of its Microlog Analyzer dBX portable vibration analyser.
Read more...
Why AI will never truly understand machines
Other technologies
Cutting-edge technology and solutions powered by AI are embraced by specialist condition monitoring company, WearCheck, where the extreme accuracy of data used to assess and diagnose machine health is paramount.
Read more...
Robotic filling systems for the pharmaceutical industry
Horne Technologies
Other technologies
Pharma Integration, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer, aims to replace traditional mechanical filling lines with compact, fully automated systems that are 100% robot-driven using machines known as Azzurra. Their integrated Faulhaber drives play a crucial role in the fill-finish process, ensuring the highest precision and safety across multiple production steps.
Read more...
World first simulation of error-correctable quantum computers
Other technologies
Quantum computers still face a major hurdle on their pathway to practical use cases, their limited ability to correct the arising computational errors. In a world first, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have unveiled a method for simulating specific types of error-corrected quantum computations.
Read more...
Monitoring vibration allows for equipment longevity
Iritron
Other technologies
Unscheduled downtime and maintenance on machines is often a source of frustration for many companies active in industrial manufacturing as it results in loss of process and productivity, which in turn equates to loss of revenue.
Read more...
printer friendly version