A leading UK Bakery was experiencing regular, unexpected production stoppages, due to premature failure of pillow block ball bearing mounted units, fitted to a high tempertaure oven re-circulation fan unit. This resulted in significant disruption to production, high downtime costs and spoilt product. NSK conducted a full evaluation of the application incl. failed bearing analysis and concluded that the bearings were seizing from excessive pre-loading and incorrect lubrication selection on installation. NSK proposed Plummer Blocks with high capacity Spherical Roller Bearings and Labyrinth seals, and recommended the correct bearing location and lubrication. This solution resulted in an immediate improvement and significant service life extension by a factor of 4.5 times.
Before | Cost p.a. | NSK Solution | Cost p.a. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 bearing units replaced 9 times per year | € 14 171 | Initial installation plus 2 bearing units replaced twice per year | € 2 873 | |
€ 550/hr x 5 hr replacement time x 9 breakdowns per year | € 24 750 | € 550/hr x 5 hr replacement time x 2 breakdowns per year | € 5 500 | |
2 Maintenance Technicians x 5 hrs/breakdown x 9 breakdowns/yr | € 2 565 | 2 Maintenance Technicians x 5 hrs/breakdown x 2 breakdowns/yr | € 855 | |
Spoiled product | € 3 406 | Spoiled product | € 757 | |
Total Costs | € 44 892 | € 9 985 |
Reference:SS-E-2063