Efficient maintenance counts
BMG’s total plant management solutions encompass a technical advisory service for maintenance programmes, that includes correct chain and sprocket selection, which is a critical factor in any power transmission system.
“We at BMG believe that by investing in quality branded power transmission drive chain, significant cost savings are achieved. Although the global trend is focussed on cost reduction to protect a customer’s plant availability and improve margins, it is important when it comes to procurement for maintenance, that the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is considered above initial cost savings,” says Carlo Beukes, Business Unit Manager, Power Transmission division, BMG. “While some components appear to be the cheaper solution in the short term, they can easily prove expensive if regular maintenance, repair and replacement work is necessary. The key to real world costs savings in power transmission, lies in extended, low maintenance operating cycles.
“We hear too often that when a business cuts costs, that this has been achieved by sourcing cheaper components during procurement. However, while these savings may appear advantageous in the short term, the only real way to gauge success, is to look at the total cost of the product throughout its service life. Cost of installation, maintenance requirements, downtime caused by early failure and replacement, are all hidden costs that accumulate when a budget component is specified.
“Our concern is when an engineer’s recommendation for a particular quality component, that is suitable for specific performance requirements, is disregarded in favour of an inferior product, because of its lower cost.
“Power transmission chain in particular, is an area where procurement managers feel they can reduce costs by specifying budget chains. Because chain technology is perceived to be simple, with few outward differences between brands, it would be easy to assume that this is where budget components may be justified.
“However, the truth is very different. A chain, which has been correctly specified and manufactured to stringent quality standards, using quality materials, earns its initial procurement cost back many times over, when compared to a cheap, inferior quality chain.
“Initial procurement is just one cost that needs to be considered when determining the TCO of power transmission chain. After procurement, there is installation time, which can vary greatly between products, as well as necessary maintenance requirements, including lubrication or the removal of links, due to elongation.
“The cost of replacement and plant-downtime are also important considerations. A chain with a reduced service life will need more frequent replacing. This not only causes down time, but also introduces a further round of procurement into the cost equation.”
“BMG offers a site visit service prior to component specification to ensure an accurate TCO estimate. BMG’s technical team advises on the selection of the correct component for each application and the appropriate installation and usage for optimum performance and improved safety standards. For extended service life and minimal maintenance requirements, correct lubrication methods and dust prevention care are also critical.”
As an advancement to BMG’s power transmission range, the company has recently improved the quality of the complete range of Fenner sprockets. The teeth of every Fenner sprocket are induction hardened during manufacture, which leads to far longer chain life. (Dark discoloration of the teeth that indicates the induction hardening.) This procedure makes the Fenner sprocket superior to any other standard range of sprockets on the local market. The teeth profile remains intact for longer, which reduces strain on the chain and therefore less elongation.
Tsubaki roller, engineering and speciality chains – available exclusively from BMG – are designed for maximum performance in heavy duty drive and conveying applications, particularly those operations that are subject to both heavy and shock loads.
Tsubaki chains have a special pin surface treatment to prevent pitting corrosion and offer extended service life, even in environments where there is dirt, moisture and acidity. Hardened pins permit substantial increases in acceptable load over standard chain.
These chains, which have increased shock resistance and higher tensile strength, meet the demands of tough operating conditions and reduce the costs of chain replacement and work stoppage time.
Tsubaki chain has been developed for efficient use, improved productivity, low maintenance requirements and extended service life in many industries, including mining.
BMG’s Tsubaki G7 ANSI RS roller chain offers double-the-wear life of the previous 6th generation chain and can withstand an increase of 33% in kW ratings, improved productivity and reduced downtime.
The G7 series has solid lube groove bushings, designed to retain lubrication and increase the wear life of the chain. The patented ring coin connecting link ensures that the chain can be specified to its full chain capacity. This process increases the strength of the link plate around the pin holes to make sure the link retains the same high strength and wear resistance as the rest of the chain.
Other features of this pre-loaded lubricated chain include wide waist link plates, shot peened rollers, higher grade pins and oriented link plates.
There is a significant reduction in the risk of chain breakage, because the specially selected steel alloy has undergone effective heat treatment. Since there is no need for external lubrication, the chain is kept cleaner, making it easier to specify and install.
Tsubaki chains
Fenner sprockets
