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A
major contributor to premature spindle failure, which
is often ignored or not fully understood, is caused
directly by the spindle repair process
itself. It is important that the spindle repair
facility you choose to repair your Spindle,
understands and recognizes the need for maintaining
exacting tolerances, attention to detail and the necessity
for controlling the proper cleanliness levels for all
facets of the spindle repair process.
Especially critical is the prepping and Ultrasonic Cleaning
of all components utilizing 3 micron “Absolute” filtration
for all of the Cleaning Solvents, blowing off of parts
with Compressed Air that is dried to a minimum dew point
of -40 degree F and filtered with .08 Micron “Absolute
Filtration” just prior to assembly. The assembly must
be done in a Certified “Class 10,000 Clean Room” and
when practical, in a “Certified Class 1,000 Laminar
Flow Bench”.
This is particularly important for “Open” bearings where
they have been Grease Packed for life. If the precision
“ABEC 7 or 9” bearings are exposed to dust and dirt
particles that are 3 – 5 microns in size and considering
the human eye with 20/20 vision can only see 40 micron
size particles, you can not see the dirt that will damage
your bearings. This invisible dirt is always present
and can dramatically reduce the overall Service Life
of a bearing and may cause premature failure of your
Spindle.
Even when dealing with bearings that are “Air-Oil” or
"Air Oil Mist" lubricated, it is still important
to keep the whole process “Clean”, as the bearings can
ingest dirt and dust during handling and assembly and
ultimately sustain undetected damage during the initial
startup of the Spindle. The bearings won’t necessarily
fail immediately, but can and will gradually deteriorate
over a period of time. This is known as “McPherson’s
Curve”, the chain reaction of wear. If bearings start
out clean and are kept clean, providing the lubricants
and the compressed air delivering the lubrication, where
applicable, is
“Clean and Dry”,
the bearings theoretically, can
last forever, unless “Crashed” or mistreated.
If your spindle repair source does
not have the type of facility that incorporates and
“maintains”
the Cleanliness levels that are absolutely imperative
to the long term health of your Spindle, you should
look elsewhere. You are paying for that level of service
and should demand that anyone repairing your production
machine Spindles comply with the cleanliness levels
needed. If this process control is not embraced and
adhered to, ultimately, you could receive a Spindle
back from repair that will fail prematurely. How important
is it to your manufacturing facility and your production
schedule that your Spindles run and produce quality
parts for an extended period of time? What is the cost
of a “Premature”
Spindle failure or “Downtime”
to your business?
You need
to ask questions about the spindle repair
process and the level of expertise for the
personnel repairing your precision Spindle. The Spindle
is the “Heart” of your
production machinery.
"Remember,
Beware of bargains when it comes to repairing your Spindles,
having heart or brain surgery."
Make sure that the spindle repair facility
that you entrust your Spindle to, is worthy of that
trust.
Atlanta Precision
Spindle’s key people have spent years doing
the right things. We have set many of the industry standards
for “Clean Dry Oil and Clean Dry Compressed Air” as
it relates to Spindles. We filter our cleaning solvents
that process all of the various components with 3 micron
absolute filtration prior to the final assembly. All
of the assembly is done in a
“Certified
Class 10,000 Clean Room”,
and whenever practical, in a “Certified Class 100 Laminar Flow Bench”.
If Spindles require Air Oil or Air Oil Mist Lubrication,
we use only “Purified Lube Oil” that meet or exceed
an ISO Cleanliness level of 14/13/10. You can be assured
that when your Spindle leaves our facility, you have not
purchased a dirty uncontrolled Repair process or dirty
wet lube oil or compressed air. We do it right!
Our Written Repair Certification
includes running your Spindle at its maximum rated speed
and also at the speed where you historically run the
Spindle. Our detailed Spectrum Analysis is performed
utilizing the latest equipment and technology from Schenck-Trebel,
the world leader in balancing and diagnostic testing
equipment for rotating assemblies. We are continually
looking for changes and advancements in Spindle testing
technology, so those advancements can be passed along
to you. “We want to be Partners in your success”.
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