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COVER PAGE |
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IBT |
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ISG |
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ETHANOL |
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IMT |
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RECRUITING |
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PT |
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FLUID POWER |
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GENERAL INDUSTRIAL |
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IBT MEDIA |
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LEAN SIX SIGMA |
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ELECTRICAL |
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RUBBER |
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MATERIAL HANDLING |
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TRAINING |
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SAFETY |
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Root Cause Failure Analysis
How could this happen to my favorite machine?
Finding machine problems is all in a normal day's work for IBT's technical services branch, IMT.
While taking vibration data at East Kansas Agri-Energy, a new ethanol plant in Kansas, IBT technicians found a hammer mill that wasn’t as healthy as it was supposed to be.
The enveloping spectrum showed the outboard bearing was exceeding safe limits in vibration and throwing up red flags pointing towards a damaged outboard bearing. This machine in particular would require some attention before it had a chance to wreak havoc with costly downtime.
Finding the defect before the bearings self-destructed allowed the new ethanol plant to plan for replacement during scheduled downtime.
When it came time to replace the bearing IBT got the nod to install it and be sure it was installed correctly. Sliding off the outboard bearing and replacing it with shiny new parts would have been fine to get the machine back in service.
IBT techs, however, also took the time to find the root cause of the failure.
Examining both of the bearings and shaft, they discovered that the outboard bearing was just a victim, and the inboard bearing was the actual culprit.
The inboard bearing taper sleeve was not holding the shaft. The movement in the shaft was throwing off the axial clearance on the outboard bearing, causing the damage. Had they simply replaced the outboard bearing, the machine would have been in the same shape in just a few months' time.
A free floating shaft could also lead to devastation. If the shaft moved far enough for the rotor to make contact with the housing, it would have become extremely dangerous for the machine and the workers.
With the mystery solved, IBT set the clearances on the inboard bearing and locked it into place. They then replaced the bad bearing and set it to recommended specifications. To keep the machine running at its best, IBT finished out the job with a precision laser alignment.
Whether it’s your most reliable machine, or the one with constant problems, IBT can help with monitoring your equipment's health or finding the root cause of its failure.
Machinery works hard for a living. Sometimes, it is possible to take its strength and stamina for granted. This is usually a good way to get an unpleasant surprise in the form of unplanned downtime or catastrophic failure. IMT can prevent that for you. Find out more from Chris Treat.
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To learn more about services available from IMT, contact us today!
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