IPM Provides Creative Solution for Ball Mill Journal Repair
Badly Scored Ball Mill Journal Required Quick Turn-Around Repair
Category: Cement & Mining
Method(s) Used: On-Site Machining
Location: Alabama
IPM was contacted by a cement producer regarding significant scoring on their 205.70″ dia. x 45.35″ wide finish mill bearing journal. In-Place Machining Company provided a unique, high-precision custom machine tool solution that both met customer space requirements as well as provided quick turn-around to complete the repair within the time frame of their holiday outage.
IPM Provides Creative Solution for Ball Mill Journal Repair
Project Documentation
IPM Completes Ball Mill Bearing Journal Repair
Before – Badly Scored Ball Mill Journal Surface
Ball Mill Journal Surface Grinding
Measuring the Final Journal Surface to Verify Straightness Within 0.005″
Completed Surface Finish of 32 Ra
Quick Turn-Around Needed for Badly Scored Ball Mill Journal
IPM was contacted by a cement producer regarding significant scoring on their 205.70″ dia. x 45.35″ wide finish mill bearing journal. The scoring had reduced the ability maintain proper lubrication, causing premature wear of the babbitt bearing shoes increasing maintenance and downtime costs. Previous attempts by the customer to hand work the surface condition had not been successful in correcting the condition. The customer was looking for a long-term repair to be performed during their 14-day holiday outage.
Unique Solution to a Demanding Job
IPM proposed two options for this repair: (1) Machine and grind the bearing journal without unit rotation using an IPM proprietary machine tool engineered and built for this style of ball mill. (2) Precision on-site grinding of the bearing journal during unit rotation on the inching drive. The customer elected option 2 which required IPM to engineer, mobilize, and assemble a Custom Machine Tool configuration to meet the space requirements.
Additionally, this option was unique in the approach of machining the same surface on which the mill was being supported and rotated. This required IPM to develop a method to remove lubricant prior to the grinding, as well as a means to clean any remaining grinding grit from the journal surface prior to entering the bearing. This minimized contamination of the mill’s lubrication system.
32 Ra Finished Surface
Within the allotted time, a total of 1/8″ material was removed from the diameter to restore a surface that was straight with 0.005″ and a surface finish of 32 Ra. The mill was able to perform this in 1 week over their holiday outage. The mill was rolled in the existing bearing using its own lubrication system. The surface finish was restored to the ORIGINAL design specification, greatly reducing bearing wear.
Contact IPM today at 414.667.6259 or visit our Cement & Mining Page to see how Cement Manufacturing Facilities worldwide depend on In-Place Machining Company to perform the most demanding, high tolerance, precision field machining projects.
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