Use fleet trends to your advantage

Optimizing assets in bulk handling

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In this dynamic environment, the work almost never stops. This poses challenges, especially on ‘housekeeping’ and routine maintenance. It is difficult to plan that accurately in a continuous process.

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Fortunately, loads and duty cycles usually are constant and so the risk of an unexpected rapid condition change is lower. In addition, it is likely that many similar drive trains can be found at the same site, so there is the added advantage of ‘fleet trends’ – where a  condition change on the one may indicate an upcoming change on the next - and if properly acted upon, this presents an opportunity for uptime. Herein however also lies the risky downside of these advantages; underestimation and negligence.

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For the bulk handling industry we recommend regimented on-site housekeeping (frequent checks for leakage, dirt build up, etcetera) and a combination of an idle and in-operation optimization routine to be executed by both in-house staff and an independent expert like GBS. Finally, and if budget allows, an early detection sensor for fault detection in-between intervals gives extra reassurance. The GBS calculation tool can help in determining the intervals, as well as in how to divide these between in-house staff and independent experts, based on asset value amongst other things.

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In order to get the most out of the benefit of ‘fleet trends’, it is important to have consistency in service provider, and to have standardized reporting for comparison purposes – so to recognize trending on one individual drive, as well as between two on opposite sides of the plant. Committing to GBS Asset Optimization means you have a saying in how the reports are set up, what it is that you want extra attention paid to, and so forth. After establishing this custom standard, the visits can be bought ahead of time and in bulk at a discounted rate!

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Changes in a bulk material handling process, where for instance it is adjusted to convey a different material with its own characteristic (density, temperature, etcetera), may affect the drive train significantly. GBS offers the service to study the changed parameters ahead of time, with a report that outlines the consequences in load, service factor, thermal capacity and such to your existing drive as a deliverable. This report will give you a better understanding of the risk involved in the change, and will recommend actions to be taken to mitigate that risk – for example a reinforced gear stage or special bearing to take on the extra load, a heat exchanger to dissipate additional heat loss, or no action at all.

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Being independent and therefore knowledgeable on all brands and types, only one number needs to be on speed dial. Due to our uniformity in reporting technique and familiarity with your industry, with GBS you can expect the same – quality  - result every time.

Stay tuned for best practices for bulk handling customers.