Body parts
For a German machine builder for automotive assembly line , one of its most popular products was a conveyor system for vehicle body panels and other parts .
Originally the manufacturer developed its conveyor design using a standard conveyor chain . However , it became apparent that due to the heavy loads and long duty hours the lifetime of the original chain was short .
Once installed there was a need to regularly re-lubricate the chain , a process that represented a ‘ hidden but real ’ cost . In use the chains soon became stiff and difficult to articulate as contamination built up on the links , leading to a maximum working life of 12 months . Also , many of the top plates were coming loose due the poor riveting , which often led to unexpected chain breakages and production stoppages .
The machine builder wanted to improve on its machine design and so invited experts from Tsubaki to conduct a review and suggest possible solutions .
Several ideas were discussed ; the one chosen was to switch from the original commodity chain to Tsubaki ’ s maintenance free Lambda chain , with every second link replaced by a special top plate which eliminates the need for lubrication . The result of this was that contamination of the new chain was minimised preventing the previous stiffening so that free articulation was maintained in the long term .
Tsubaki engineers also offered special high tensile screws and high strength adhesive to prevent the screws from coming loose . These changes were implemented , producing advantages of no breakages , longer life and reduced maintenance cost .
Paper mill
A similar problem was evident at a paper mill where , although the loads were far lighter , tiny pieces of tissue paper were quickly compromising the chain lubricant in a tissue log saw accumulator . Tissue paper is made in a large continuous web that is rolled up into logs as it is produced . These logs are then cut to length to produce rolls of kitchen and toilet paper . The cutting process creates what is effectively sawdust , which flies around and can settle on chain to create a sticky mess by soaking up oil . This sawdust debris caused the chain to become stiff , which led to the logs being tipped out of alignment and the accumulator blocking up .
The accumulator ’ s maker switched to Tsubaki Lambda chain and saw an immediate improvement . The manufacturer also adopted Tsubaki ’ s match-and-tag service in which chains are precision measured and paired up so that when they are installed in parallel on a machine they operate in perfect synchronicity . For this application the resultant improvements meant that there is no longer any sideways drag on the tissue logs to pull them out of alignment .
The benefits for the paper mill included longer chain life , lower maintenance , less product contamination , fewer mis-cuts and higher overall productivity .
Best thing since sliced bread
Bakeries need their bread lines to run like clockwork so that they can reliably deliver fresh loaves every day . One bakery had built a transfer conveyor to take loaves from the continuous ovens to the packaging and dispatch area as efficiently as possible . This was based on a design using five parallel strands of 0.5in pitch roller chain . To maintain hygiene standard all plastic chain was specified .
Unfortunately , the OE chain proved unsuitable in that it became brittle due to the hot environment and regular scrubbing of the dry cleaning process ; this lead to regular breakages . Further exacerbating the issues , each strand of chain stretched at different rates , which caused the loaves to move erratically towards the sides of the conveyor , from where they could fall onto the floor .
Having identified the problem , the bakeries maintenance engineers approached Tsubaki to see if it could suggest a replacement solution . Tsubaki offered a solution by replacing the original chain with one based on solid extruded plastic inner links coupled with stainless steel bearing pins and outer plates . This is stronger than an all-plastic chain , lube-free and very hygienic so suitable for food industry applications . Since the swap the bakery has reported no faults and no unscheduled stoppages .
About Tsubaki
MRO Expertise Increases Productivity
Each of the cases above demonstrate the important role that MRO professionals can play in the profitability and success of manufacturing operations .
Beyond keeping a plant operational , it ’ s possible to engage with engineering expertise to identify areas for improvement and make a tangible improvement to the bottom line .
Transmission chain will always eventually wear and need replacing . This presents maintenance engineers with the opportunity to investigate alternative solutions to the original equipment . Working with a specialist manufacturer such as Tsubaki makes it possible to tap in to over 100 years of expertise .
For almost every industrial application it is possible to increase chain life , reduce maintenance costs or improve efficiency in operation .
Established in 1917 , Tsubakimoto Chain Company is the world ’ s premier manufacturer of power transmission products with strong market positions in premium quality industrial drive & conveyor chains and associated power transmission components such as cam clutches , reducers & linear actuators .
With a turnover exceeding $ 1,5 Billion US Dollars & 6,500 employees , the Tsubaki group includes 33 manufacturing locations and 77 group companies worldwide . Our production and sales networks are now more developed than ever .
www . tsubaki . eu