Summary:

Our client in the metal working industry approached NEMX about some vibration in one of their machines at the drive end. After some digging and visual evaluations the assumption was that the fly wheel bearings were worn and required replacement. NEMX was asked to perform this work.

The Challenge:

As is in most steel manufacturers, this machine was an older unit. Removing the bolted-on items was not so bad but when it came to the hub for the flywheel, this was the hardest part of the job. That fella was stuck on.

Why this metal working client chose NEMX:

NEMX was chosen due to price, ability, reputation within the industry and timeline plan.

How NEMX Responded:

After utilizing mechanical means to remove the hub to no avail, it was decided to put to use thermal dynamics in addition to mechanical operations. Utilizing our experience, we safely mobilized liquid nitrogen to freeze the hub/shaft combination and then heat it quickly under 50 tons of hydraulic pressure. We were successful on our first attempt at removing the hub with this method and found that there were cracks within the hub that could have caused the bearings to become worn. Replacing the hub and the bearings was our solution and the machine ran with no vibrations afterwords.

The Results:

The client was extremely satisfied with our diagnosis and mobilization. Utilizing liquid nitrogen is always an impressive thing to see, though there are concerns of safety with every step. Utilizing our experience and ability to engineer controls into the system the client was extremely happy with our commitment to safety and quality.

Setup

Begins

Freezing

Summary:

Our millwrights were performing some basic preventative maintenance procedures on a hydraulic press when they noticed a flow on a cylinder blind side when there should not be any flow. After some checking and customer involvement, NEMX millwrights found that the cylinder was bleeding under pressure. The operators confirmed this when they were approached stating that they have had some quality issues with the pressing parts.

The Challenge:

Once the symptom of the system was found, the real digging needed to happen to find out where the root cause was. After some machine cycling and troubleshooting, it was found that there was considerable blow by on the cylinders. They also witnessed the cylinders over travel and bottom out on occasion.

Why this forging client chose NEMX:

NEMX was chosen due to price, ability, reputation within the industry and timeline plan.

How NEMX Responded:

NEMX ended up removing and completely rebuilding the two main cylinders, finding further damage to the cylinder housings. They added softeners to the cylinders to stop damage from bottoming out in the future and fully rebuilt the valve bank and reset the machine, all due to some sharp Millwright eyes that caught the flow that was not supposed to be there.

The Results:

The client was extremely satisfied with our diagnosis and mobilization to find and fix the root cause. We have since enjoyed a trusting and fruitful relation minimizing downtime and identifying investment points that the client is able to budget for utilizing good preventive and predictive maintenance practices.


Before


After