Metalock Blog – News onsite engineering services and all things metalock

PRESS RELEASE

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July 8th, 2010

The backbone of the baked bean production process is sterilization of the finished product in sealed tins and anybreakdown in the plant used could have very serious consequences. As a result processors pay a great deal ofattention to regular maintenance checks of all their critical equipment. Recently, a leading processor found asuspect bearing on one of its sterilizer units and if previous experience was anything to go by there was a highchance that a new drive shaft would need to be fitted fairly early to return the machine to production. This hadbeen undertaken on other units previously and proved to be a rather expensive option, both with regard to downtimeand replacement shaft costs.

The sterilizer plant suppliers in Belgium, FMC, have been using Metalock Engineering UK in Coventry to repairworn shafts for a considerable time. When FMC heard that their customer might have a problem they recommendedcontact with Metalock. They visited the processing plant and after assessing the situation proposed a costeffective solution – a combination of orbital machining and thermal spraying. This was accepted.

Over a long weekend, the sterilizer was partly stripped to clear space on the drive shaft and allow Metalockengineers to set up their orbital turning equipment. The journal area of the shaft was then machined down to115mm diameter by 90mm long and the thermal spraying system installed.

Sufficient metal was then deposited on the machined area to permit a final orbital turning operation and restore theshaft’s original 125mm diameter to accept a new tight fit SKF bearing sleeve. Within 4 days of being shut down,the sterilizer was back in operation.

Had the shaft replacement option, which normally takes up to 10 days to complete, been chosen, the cost wouldhave been in the region of £25,000. Doing it the Metalock way, the repair cost was halved and was completed inhalf the time.

Metalock Engineering is one of the leading specialists in thermal spraying which can be used to effectively repairand recondition, provide an anti-corrosion or heat shield surface, prevent erosion or provide insulation. Metalock’steam of highly trained specialists operate in the company’s workshops in Coventry or on site, as the taskdemands and have the skills to achieve high specification results on all types of components. Typical depositedmaterials include steel, tungsten carbide, chrome carbide, ceramics and plastics and these are deposited usinghigh velocity oxygen fuel(HVOF), flame spraying, arc spraying or plasma spraying techniques

METALOCK’S THERMAL SPRAYING
EXPERTISE KEEPS THE BEANS MOVING
The worn journal, before being orbitallymachined, thermally sprayed and then finishturned to accept a new bearing sleeve.

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Contact:
Metalock Engineering UK Ltd.
Unit H5 Pilgrims Walk, Prologis Park, Coventry CV6 4QG ENGLAND
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 338205
Fax: +44 (0) 2476 360190