Remanufacturing
Remanufacturing of the gearbox for a ball mill (mining industry)
Replacing a reducer without modifying the existing installation
Our client: a global lime producer
Our client is part of a international group recognized as one of the world leaders in the production of lime, dolomite and mineral solutionsserving numerous industrial sectors. Founded at the end of the 19th centuryThe group is present in more than 25 countries and brings together more than 6 600 employees representing more 70 nationalitiesIt relies on a network of more than 135 websites and is expanding its business activities in more than 80 countries, Europe, North America, Latin America and in the region Asia Pacific.
The customer concerned by this order is one of the sites in France who produce and market the lime within the company. Between maintenance, reparation ou remanufacturingFrench websites regularly use MERGER, especially for the robustness of devices, The product durability, And the confidence born from a long-standing collaboration between the two companies.
The speed reducer of a ball mill, a crucial component for crushing
Speed reducer for ball mills: an industrial and economic challenge
This is 2020 that the client decides to use MERGER to replace the reducer of ball mill in place for more than 30 yearsThe issue at stake obviously remains of a certain order. economic.
The ball mill: a benchmark solution for the fine grinding of minerals
Le ball mill is a reference piece of equipment for the fine grinding of mineralsThrough the action of steel balls set in motion in a rotating drumit reduces the size of the particles down to the final particle size targeted, in dry route ou wet, while allowing a excellent product control.
The key role of the speed reducer in grinding performance
Le speed reducer constitutes a central organ in the functioning of a ball millIt ensures the transmission of the couple and the adaptation of the rotation speed between the motor and the drum, while absorbing high mechanical stress and continuous. Its design, robustness, and precision directly determine the installation reliability, The grinding quality and equipment availability in demanding industrial environments such as mines and quarries.
The client's constraints: a single crusher and the need to ensure continuous production.
The site only has one single crusherit is essential to guarantee its good functioningwithout interruption, in order to ensure continuity of production. Indeed, the crushing occurs immediately after themineral extraction limestone and is the step preceding firing (or calcination). A crusher shutdown leads to a disruption of deliveries within a few hours. raw material stock at the crusher outlet, which does not allow for short-term operation.
Another important constraint concerns theage of the reducerAged over forty years and often repaired, it presents cracks on the crankcase and Team very worn mobile phonesSince this is the only crusher on the site, it is not feasible for the installation to shut down mid-year. Without a production stoppage, it is therefore impossible for the customer to send the gearbox to the MERGER workshops for repair. expertise or an reparation.
On-site expertise, manufacturing of a new gearbox from a 3D plan
In order to provide an appropriate response to the situation, a on-site expertise is decided initially. Two engineers go to the site to assess the various crankcase measurements of the reducer and to record the environment byintegrationso that the proposed plan is perfectly suited.
The reducer being in operationthe measures of mobile are made from spare parts These parts, already available from the customer, are old and come from previous repairs, allowing MERGER to move forward in the design of the future reducer.
Following this intervention, the internal design office MERGER creates a plan which is then sent to the client. After validation, the order is thrown.
Remanufacturing an industrial gearbox: from taking measurements to bench testing
The steps then unfold according to a clear logic. One taking measurements is carried out on site in order to observe the reducer in its environment, to record the dimensions of the outer casing and Team mobileand document the case with photographs and a remanufacturing plan is then validated by the client, taking into account the industrial environment. The manufacturing The work on the various components and the crankcase is carried out over several weeks, before theassembly in the workshop by an assembler.
In order to ensure a optimal gear operation and avoid any broken teeth ou abnormal wearThe assembly is carried out according to a specific methodology to the manufacturer MERGERThe crankcase and shafts meet strict requirements in terms of rigidity and manufacturing precisionTo control the quality of themeshingOne method involves visualizing the contact area between the teeth using a marking colorThis operation, called blue or red marking (visual inspection of the contact between teeth), allows verification of the relative positioning of the gears. MERGER also performs other checks during assembly, including checking the interdental play
Once the device is assembled, checked, and the casing is closed, it is sent to control departmentThe reducer is fixed to the test bench MERGERHe tried without charge à 1 500 rev / min, then validated and packaged before shipment. The customer then ensures the assembly in place of the old reducer, without modification of the existing installation.
Remanufacturing a gearbox that's over 30 years old: a tailor-made solution to secure production
This remanufacturing allows the customer to secure a essential installation to its activity, in a context where a production shutdown is not an option. Thanks to a on-site expertise, upon validation of a adapted plan to the real environment, then to a rigorous manufacturing followed bytrials, MERGER provides a solution that complies with industrial constraints, while ensuring the continuity of operation of the crusher and the stability of deliveries.
