THE CHALLENGE

When a global leader in the development, manufacturing, and recycling of aluminum products experienced a shaft failure on one of their rolling mills, they turned to Regal Rexnord for help. As an operator of one of the world’s largest aluminum rolling mill facilities, they could not afford another 14-hour downtime incident that would cause significant financial loss, negatively impact customer trust, and harm operational reliability. Customers depend on the mill’s production of plate, sheet, and coil products for aerospace, defense, transportation, marine and industrial uses.

THE SOLUTION

Regal Rexnord proposed a comprehensive solution, taking a collaborative approach and working closely with the aluminum mill to understand their unique needs and challenges. Existing motor current monitoring technology was not sufficient to see what was happening to the rolling mill spindles in microseconds, leaving maintenance staff at a loss for root cause determination. After an in-depth analysis and detailed discussions with the plant, engineers from Regal Rexnord determined that weld cracks on the spindles led to shaft failure, likely due to load issues. They installed the Perceptiv™ Torque Monitoring Sensors on both the top and bottom spindles of the aluminum rolling mill. The mill also enrolled in Perceptiv Torque Monitoring Platinum services, allowing for greater prescriptive analytics and diagnostic support. The benefits of this solution included:

• Continuous Torque Monitoring: Sensors effectively monitored torque levels and the torsional natural frequency, providing real-time data to maintain optimal performance.
• Early Fault Detection: Identified issues before they escalated, preventing major failures and allowing for prescriptive downtime maintenance planning.
• Spindle Life Extension: Reliability insights and recommendations helped the maintenance team adjust processes to extend spindle life, reducing the need for frequent replacements.
• Prevention of Downtime: Helped avoid unplanned downtime, ensuring that the facility operates smoothly and efficiently, avoiding an estimated $150,000 in annual associated costs.

The consultive approach and on-site walk through from Regal Rexnord led to a personalized solution tailored to the specific monitoring needs of the mill, leading to a more robust and reliable operation. The in-depth knowledge of the equipment and applications give Regal Rexnord an unparalleled understanding of how equipment operates and an eye for potential failures.

THE CONTINUOUS BENEFITS OF ONGOING PARTNERSHIP

From the moment the Perceptiv™ Intelligent Reliability Solution was installed, the aluminum mill saw immediate benefits. The threat of unplanned downtime was significantly reduced, and operational efficiency improved. Real-time monitoring provided early warnings, allowing the team to address issues before they escalate into major failures. In the long term, the extended spindle life will lead
to fewer replacements and lower maintenance costs. This not only saves money but also enhances the reliability of the production process, ensuring consistent quality and output.

Perceptiv Customer Success Management and Reliability Engineering teams meet with the mill’s maintenance team on a scheduled basis, spending time reviewing data together and recommending actionable steps forequipment maintenance. This collaboration is key to realizing ongoing ROI and has led to expansion within the mill and across additional plants.