The drive side shaft of the friction washer equipment used in the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic was damaged beyond repair. Our team refurbished the friction washer with a manufactured journal/shaft, head, and end cover. The shaft was machined according to technical specifications and balanced to ISO G6.3 at 1700 RPM. The completed friction washer was delivered to the recycling plant within the project timeline and allowed the customer to meet their production output goals.
Project:
- Part: Friction Washer
- Details: 110″ overall length
- Customer: Plastic Recycling Plant
Challenges:
- Damaged shaft was beyond repair. Thermal spray was not a viable option.
- Critical timeline. The friction washer was vibrating heavily when in use and needed to be replaced before it could completely break down and cause operational disruptions.
Engineered Solutions:
- Dimensional checks and inspection.
- Machine OD of roll for carrier ring.
- Manufacture carrier ring and install on roll.
- Cut off drive shaft and bore out double plated head.
- Manufacture new solid head out of 316SS material and install with interference fit.
- Manufacture new journal and install new head with interference fit.
- Weld cover plate to front of roll for corrosion protection.
- Weld on new stainless steel flights.
- Balance to ISO G6.3 @ 1700 RPM.
- QA and prep for shipping.
- Transportation services to and from customer’s facility.
Results:
- Met all technical specifications. The repaired friction washer was installed without issues.
- Completed and delivered the equipment within the project timeline.
