Quick Action Saves A Shaft

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is among a growing number of users that have documented cost savings and a reduction in downtime with a simple condition monitoring device.

The device — the StatusCheck from Timken — is a wireless system designed to monitor bearing operating conditions and issue alerts when it detects excessive levels of temperature and vibration. It’s a cost-effective method that reports potential faults immediately, providing users with an opportunity to identify potential problems and act quickly to avert costly repairs.

Maintenance personnel in the Toyota plastics shop in Georgetown, KY, use StatusCheck equipment to complement an existing predictive vibration analysis program. In one incident, “project team members conducted our standard checks and identified a defect in the outer race of a fan bearing,” says Rick Heifner, oil and vibration analyst in the plant’s plastics department.

“We placed a StatusCheck unit on the equipment. Due to the critical nature of the particular machine, we decided to continuously monitor the bearing with the StatusCheck transmitter. The system then alerted us that a significant change had occurred in the condition of the bearing.

“We replaced the bearing and averted a serious problem that could have caused 16 hours of downtime. Because we acted quickly, the bearing did not damage the shaft and we saved the expense of replacing it.”

Timken developed StatusCheck as part of its complete predictive maintenance program, which focuses on increasing efficiency in plant operations. Users in the mining, power generation, metal rolling and general manufacturing industries have reported cost savings ranging from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, along with increased efficiency in their operations.

“The StatusCheck system’s advanced technology offers plant and maintenance personnel another tool to help prevent costly, unplanned downtime,” says Daniel Szoch, Timken manager, sales and marketing, Reliability Solutions.

“Many customers have realized a rapid return on their initial investment and have expanded their systems to include numerous StatusCheck units. The cost savings for one major manufacturer exceeded $2 million,” Szoch says.

StatusCheck can be mounted via an internal magnet or by a threaded adaptor. Its construction makes it suitable for use in harsh environments. Integrated software allows for notification of alarms via computer or cell phone text messages.

For more information about Timken Canada LP, visit www.timken.com.