Wooden I-Joist Production Machinery
History
A crowding roller, part of the production line machinery for producing fabricated wooden i-joists, was experiencing regular failures. The operator had not been able to source replacement bearings as the taper roller bearings used in the crowding rollers were obsolete and no longer obtainable. To make matters worse, the manufacturer of these bearings was unable to offer any suitable alternative, leaving the operator with the drastic possibility of having to cease production.
Corrective Measures
Within 24 hours, one of our engineers visited the site and proposed an alternative, simplified design utilising a standard Self Lube® bearing insert. We also produced a drawing of the re-designed arrangement for the customer. He was then able to modify the crowding rollers without disrupting production. As an additional benefit, the new design enables bearings to be replaced more easily and more quickly, using inhouse labour instead of specialist contractors.
