FEATURE MACHINE BUILDING, FRAMEWORKS & SAFETY


Building machinery with reduced maintenance requirements


David Messant, production manager at norelem, looks at how using standard components when building machines can help to reduce the need for maintenance during use


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f not properly managed, the cost of maintenance over a machine’s usable life can


be more than the initial outlay of the machine itself. However, companies can ill afford to let their machines run to failure. The resulting unplanned downtime can cause a major dent in productivity, revenue and profits. According to IndustryWeek, unplanned


downtime costs industrial manufacturers an estimated $50 billion (USD) annually, and 42% of this is caused by equipment failure. Furthermore, unplanned outages result in even greater costs through excessive maintenance, repair and equipment replacement. The ‘run to failure’ maintenance strategy is


clearly fraught with risk. Hence, there are two typical strategies to go down. Preventative maintenance revolves around servicing machines and their components at regular intervals to prevent them from any unforeseen failures. While risk of breakdowns is dramatically reduced, going down this route does mean that you could be over-maintaining machinery. On the other hand, predictive maintenance has


taken off recently thanks to rapid advances in Industry 4.0, connected technologies and IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things). By using sensors and systems, engineers can now collect huge amounts of data on everything from cycles and operating temperatures to vibration and noise. Using this approach means it is now possible to predict if components need to be replaced in a machine, or if the machine needs to be taken out of service entirely. However, setting up a predictive maintenance system can be initially costly, due to needing a complete IOT system, sensors and monitoring software, along with training for staff to analyse the data. No matter which route is taken, all


machines can benefit from the use of standard components to lower costs and make maintenance more efficient. After all, it is widely known that there is a skills gap in engineering, and fewer and fewer businesses have dedicated maintenance staff on site – simply because finding the talent and retaining them is much more difficult. Instead, maintenance contracts are having to be outsourced to third party companies. Machinery is becoming more sophisticated,


but by using standard components in the build of machines, the lack of skilled maintenance staff issue can be minimised. Due to standardised sizes and versions, engineers do not require specific prior knowledge of


8 OCTOBER 2020 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS


Guide bushes are maintenance-free components


bespoke components and can simply replace these components when required.


MAINTENANCE-FREE COMPONENTS The ideal for any machine is for it to be ‘maintenance free’. This may seem farfetched to some, as engineers know wear and tear is perfectly normal, with the harsh nature of industrial environments often causing a build- up of dust, debris and dirt. However, certain elements of machinery can be made from maintenance-free components to help lower the overall repairs needed. An example of this is the use of spur gears


and bevel gears. Traditionally, these gears are made from steel, but can corrode easily and are costly to replace. Now, however, plastic versions which are low in weight, rust-proof, and require little to no maintenance are available. Self-lubricating, these gears are very quiet in operation and can be deployed in a diverse range of applications. They also provide a good price to performance ratio, making them highly cost effective. Other maintenance-free components include


guide bushes, with norelem offering a version that is made from bronze with graphite inserts. The bearing elements are maintenance-free and wear-resistant, while the graphite inserts provide life-long lubrication. Only with extreme loading and higher travel speeds is additional lubrication recommended.


CHOOSING QUALITY COMPONENTS A further way to reduce maintenance requirements is to choose components that can offer high performance and quality. This is especially critical for parts that are handling high loads, stresses and forces. One example is automated linear movements


and heavy workpieces. Usually, these movements put components under a lot of stress and force.


/ DESIGNSOLUTIONS


For this type of application, it is recommended that linear actuators are used to set large bodies in motion as, when designed and specified correctly, they can absorb the highest forces in all directions. The norelem product range includes linear actuators in standard lengths with strokes from 200 to 1500mm, while special lengths are available on request for bespoke projects. In the material handling, packaging and


agricultural sectors, operators may also find their maintenance costs spiralling, due to the demanding functions they undertake. Typically, single roller chains and sprockets are used in these machines but, by substituting them for duplex or triplex roller chains and sprockets, maintenance time and costs can be vastly reduced. The performance of duplex roller chains is 1.75 times that of a single chain, while it is 2.5 times when triplex roller chains are used. A complete range of these components, along with suitable sprockets and tensioners, can be found in THE BIG GREEN BOOK, norelem’s catalogue which contains over 60,000 components, technical information and drawings.


OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Anticipating areas of machinery and components where regular servicing will be required can help to bring maintenance costs down. By doing this – and building machines with standard components where possible – companies can start to overcome the typical challenges associated with this discipline of engineering. From not needing skilled technicians to


perform the maintenance and having maintenance-free, quality components, businesses should gradually see less budget required to maintain their equipment. Along with this, standard components should help to reduce unplanned downtime.


norelem www.norelem.co.uk


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