The prompt to engage NSK arrived after hearing about the company’s AIP (Added Value Programme), in particular, its focus on improving bearing life through a mixture of training and application engineering services.
The AIP includes a process map that focuses on generating a documented review of the production process, placing particular emphasis on critical bearing applications. In this case, the process map identified five areas for potential OEE improvement.
Trials subsequently began, initially focusing on the more costly application: the plant’s pellet extruder. Here, the customer was experiencing bearing failures and loss of production every 10-12 weeks on average.
Using analytical data from the trials, NSK determined that the existing grease lubrication was not fulfilling the life expectancy of the bearings. The expert engineers, therefore, recommended a high-viscosity oil for longer life alongside a suitably durable bearing solution.
The customer duly replaced its existing bearings with high-quality NSK spherical roller bearings from the company’s EA series, as well as NSK spherical thrust roller bearings. EA series bearings, which feature pressed steel cages, offer high load-carrying capacity, high limiting speeds and high functionality under operating conditions involving elevated temperatures, making them ideal for the pellet extruder and other applications at the pet food plant.
After reassembly, the extruder ran for seven months without any bearing failures, resulting in cost savings of £70,000 thanks to reductions in production downtime and maintenance. In addition, the pet food plant achieved its goal of raising OEE by three points. At the request of the customer, NSK also conducted on-site bearing training for the plant’s maintenance staff, providing even more added value as part of the overall solution.