WHERE THE SUN NEVER GOES DOWN

The Westin Hotel in Philadelphia was the site of the seventh annual SKF Technical Press Day recently hosted by SKF USA Inc. (Kulpsville, PA). Jon Stevens, a vice president for the company, facilitated the event and welcomed a large audience of magazine editors and publishers that attended from different industries.

Reflecting the trends of improvement in the economic environment over the past few months, Stevens opened by announcing that ?Our customers ? your readers ? have moved from survival to productivity.? He established this as the theme for the presentations that followed, explaining how SKF is helping users across various industries improve their productivity through:
(1) Upgrading equipment and applications;

(2) Improving skills and maintenance practices;
(3) Optimizing strategies; and
(4) Using sustainability to gain a competitive advantage through proper stewardship of resources and doing the things that ?make sense.? Stevens noted how more industries are ?getting involved in the community.?

This theme of economic optimism resonated throughout the presentation that followed by CEO Paul Jeppesen, who gave an overview of SKF and its operations as ?a company where the sun never goes down.? He walked through a strategy for growth that explores market opportunities by matching a geographical/cultural perspective with technical platforms and application platforms. Jeppesen noted that first quarter sales for SKF this year had reached $225 million, much higher than the $100 million in first quarter 2009. He also added that growth in the manufacturing markets in North America will be delayed ? but get ready, because it will come.

Bill McGlocklin reported on the ?greening? of SKF as a sustainable global enterprise by taking the audience through the history of the company?s sustainability journey, starting back in 1989 with the original environmental policy. He explained how the new environmentally-friendly SKF USA corporate headquarters in Kulpsville is a standing example of sustainability in action (see Figure 1).

McGlocklin opened a window into the building?s ?green? design and operation (as well as other initiatives worldwide) that serve as a case study offering insights
that can advance any facility?s goals to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint. (Be sure to reference ?Strategies For Sustainability? in the May 2010 issue of Fabricating & Metalworking).

Mark Hinckley discussed the unique attraction of magnetic bearing system technology by explaining how magnetic bearing systems represent a completely different approach from rolling bearings to support rotating machinery (see Figure 2). He elaborated on this non-contacting technology that exhibits negligible friction loss, zero wear, and promote energy-efficient performance. He also provided an overview of system components and explained how and why particular applications can benefit. Hinckley explained the use of magnetic bearings in machine tool spindles enable 30,000 rpm to 40,000+ rpm for grooving, grinding, and milling applications.

Wayne Greer continued the discussion on spindles by presenting repair and reconditioning remedies for ball screw assemblies from the perspective of ?when good equipment goes bad? (see Figure 3). He examined the symptoms that may suggest trouble and recalled how, once upon a time in a thriving global economy, failed machinery would simply be replaced outright, usually at considerable expense and certain downtime. But in today?s economic climate, considering that performance is equal and a remanufactured ball screw costs only two-thirds the amount of a new one, the bottom line is that every day and dollar counts. Greer explained how poor lubrication can reduce ball screw life up to 70 percent and went through example ball screw applications of a heavy-duty stamping press; machine tool grinding systems; oxyfuel, laser, plasma, and waterjet cutting systems

Ed Zitney continued exploring the perspective of ?when good equipment goes bad? as it applies to remanufacturing spindle assemblies (see Figure 4). He listed the ?Keys to Extending Spindle Life? and grouped failure modes into (1) contamination, (2) crashes and abuse, and (3) lubrication failure and overloads. Zitney explained how a spindle running 70,000 rpm on a 24/7/365 schedule will last only a year at best before failure. He showed how, performance being equal, a remanufactured spindle costs on 40 percent of a new one, with a three-week turnaround on delivery.

Dave Staples rounded out the day by exploring how condition monitoring tools advance machine reliability goals (see Figure 5). He showed how proactive maintenance programs can significantly benefit from machine condition monitoring that aims to detect problems before they can escalate and help keep equipment up and running. He also highlighted newly introduced enabling tools (from portable data collectors to inspection systems) that can make the difference between uptime and downtime.

Stevens concluded the program by highlighting how new technologies offer newly-found solutions for industrial applications, such as drop-in actuators delivering increased precision in off-highway equipment, dry lubrication systems promoting safety and quality along conveyor lines, and seals developed to withstand especially abrasive conditions.

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Mike Riley is the editor of Fabricating & Metalworking magazine and the author of Backfield In Motion (Derek Press, 2007). Share your views with him on how you are preparing for the recovery at 205-681-3393 or [email protected] .