CASE STUDY
When a customer was experiencing premature roller chain wear, IBT and Diamond Chain recommended a solution that led to over $18,084 in savings after ONE year.
Every day, IBT service experts answer phone calls from distressed customers who are facing unexpected challenges and feeling the pressure to solve them—quickly.
So, when a leading frozen dessert supplier was experiencing premature roller chain wear on one of its frozen dessert conveyor lines, our team was prepared to begin effectively troubleshooting the problem.
THE CHALLENGE
The strategic troubleshooting process begins by listening and learning as much information as possible, in order to better understand the problem and make an informed decision on how to solve it. The pertinent facts of the matter were as follows:
- The supplier’s conveyor line relies on two chains, running in parallel, to support specialized attachments that carry the desserts.
- The chains were wearing at an accelerated rate, making the chains “stretch” or elongate unevenly, which would then cause the dessert-dispensing mechanism to miss its target.
- Lastly, the line is subject to chemical wash downs.
THE SOLUTION
With this information, the IBT service expert concluded that a standard chain operating in these conditions would not do the trick. This particular conveyor line required a chain that could combat the accelerated wear and guarantee protection during wash downs. The preferences of the customer must also be prioritized and considered.
IBT consulted Diamond Chain, leading high-performance roller chain manufacturer. and together they determined that Diamond Standard Series ACE-plated chain would be the best choice to combat the accelerated wear and washdown. This particular chain incorporates an electrically-bonded, protective exterior plating that forms a corrosion-resistant barrier, making it an ideal solution for a frozen dessert environment.
Additionally, with the strict standards of the Diamond Difference, from materials to post-assembly, Diamond’s Standard Series chains offer the highest tensile strength and fatigue strength, along with roller chain wear performance. The product features speak for themselves:
- Materials: high-quality steel with minimal impurities offers increased tensile and fatigue strength
- Fabrication: exacting dimensional standards offer optimal performance by ensuring components fit together as precisely as possible
- Heat Treatment: strict atmosphere and quench control optimizes material properties to increase strength, durability, and chain wear resistance
- Shot Peening: consistent shot peen intensity and coverage adds a layer of compressive stress that helps components resist fatigue failure when exposed to repeated high loads
- Lubrication: proprietary lubrication enhances corrosion protection and lessens the effects of friction to increase chain life
- Pre-loading: pre-stressing the finished product reduces initial “stretching” to extend wear life
THE RESULTS
Factoring in both downtime and replacement costs, the switch to Diamond Standard Series ACE chains increased wear life from 52 weeks to 82 weeks. That improvement alone saved the company $18,084 after one year and $90,420 after five years. What component in your operations is costing you by the minute and holding your system back from achieving maximum efficiency?
Request a Free Evaluation or Learn More
Your one-stop industrial shop is also your conveyor expert. Schedule a free consultation today or contact IBT’s Director of Conveying Systems Jim Boatright at (913) 261-2116 to learn more.
