A Global Steel Company was having problems with a cold form saw used in the steel industry to cut steel tube to length. The saw is moved axially using a ball screw shaft and was being supported by a simple thrust ball bearing. This bearing was failing every 6 weeks, causing unplanned maintenance and downtime. Analysis of the saw design showed that the ball screw arrangement was subjected to high axial impact loads and that the original design was not robust enough to withstand these. An on-site bearing investigation was undertaken and key dimensions measured. This allowed NSK to propose the WBK Ball Screw support unit which has a much higher thrust load capacity.
Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 hours downtime @ €2.000/h x 9 unexpected breakdowns per year | €72.000 | No downtime over 12 months | €0 | |
Total Costs | € 72 000 | € 0 |
Reference:SS-E-2041