The Situation
The customer, an established Europewide supplier of bakery products, was experiencing frequent production stoppages at their facility in the South East of England. These stoppages were caused by the premature failure of pillow block ball bearing mounted units, fitted to an oven fan unit. The failing bearings were causing disruption to production and contributing to spiralling maintenance costs.
The Solution
HAYLEY DEXIS worked closely with their strategic supply partner, NSK, who had already been on-site to conduct analysis of the application. The analysis concluded that the cause of the failing bearings was excessive pre-loading and incorrect lubrication. NSK Spherical Roller Bearings with Labyrinth seals and SNN Plummer Blocks were suggested as a suitable solution. A consultation was also conducted to help the customer identify complementary lubricant products, and select the optimal bearing placements.
"IN TOTAL THE ANNUAL ESTIMATED COST-SAVING IS £30,000."
The Result
Previously, bearings were failing within the oven re-circulation fan unit once every six weeks. Now, the service life of the bearings has been extended to around 27 weeks. The extension to the lifespan of the bearings has resulted in the customer’s operation suffering less unplanned downtime. They are now also able to benefit from lower maintenance and component replacement costs, as well as a significant reduction in spoilt produce. In total, the estimated annual cost-saving is £30,000.