The Company
The client is a manufacturer specializing in producing custom, heavy-duty equipment, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Their facility supports over 40 metal-cutting machines, 14 overhead cranes, each with up to 50-ton capacity, 20 tons of workpiece processing capability, and over 16,000 m² of under-crane production space.
The Challenge
The company experienced significant losses due to a failure of one critical machine: a 10-ton carousel turning table designed to produce large rotary calciner furnaces made from a special alloy. The machine’s main drive motor failed due to bearing damage and overheating; the machine’s cutting tool and workpiece were also damaged, requiring special recovery procedures and the replacement of the machine’s motor. The disruption caused delays in customer deliveries and £75,000 in losses.
Major requirements included:
- Predictive maintenance for electrical motors essential to large-scale manufacturing
- Introduction of the equipment monitoring system to prevent motor faults and breakdowns
- Replacement of aging equipment, including key assets with growing fault tendencies
- Support for critical path operations to maintain the company’s manufacturing schedule
The Solution
Aspects of the new implementation included:
- Monitoring and detection of upcoming faults and abnormal operating modes in critical assets
- Reduced demand for routine maintenance and operational downtime
- Optimized maintenance planning in line with production schedules and portfolios
The Result
The PowerLink condition-based monitoring and preventative maintenance system ensure flexible maintenance planning, optimizing production, and fewer unplanned stops:
- Minimized the risk of unplanned shutdowns and disruptions to essential processes
- Reduced unnecessary maintenance tasks and workloads for maintenance staf
- Prevented damage to expensive and often unique products
- Replaced equipment saves 150,000 kWh and eliminates 34 tons of CO2 emissions annually