SUCCESS STORIES

Documented engineering outcomes — real customers, real challenges, measurable results. Every story here represents a problem solved, a system built, or a reliability milestone achieved.

DOCUMENTED OUTCOMES

Steel Plant  ·  SKF RCM Programme
Bearing Life Extended from 8 Months to Over 24 Months Across 24 Critical Drives
The Challenge

Mill BOP experienced recurrent bearing failures on conveyor drives, pump drives and fan drive shafts in the raw materials area — average bearing life 6–8 months with associated production disruption and high replacement cost. Root cause was a combination of incorrect installation, wrong grease specification and misalignment.

Our Approach

We implemented an SKF Reliability-Centred Maintenance programme across 24 critical drive points: precision shaft alignment using SKF TKSA 51 laser aligner, bearing installation using SKF induction heater (zero mechanical force), standardised grease specification (SKF LGMT3 for general drives, LGWA2 for wet drives), and ongoing quarterly vibration analysis using SKF Microlog.

Measured Results
Mean bearing life increased from 8 months to 26 months (3.25× improvement)
Unplanned bearing failure incidents reduced by 84% over 18 months
Annual bearing replacement cost reduced by approximately ₹38 lakhs
SKF RCM programme now extended to 48 additional drive points
SKF RCM · Bearings · Steel
Steel CRM Mill
90 kW HPU Commissioning — ISO 17/15/12 on First Fill
The Challenge

India's cold rolling mill auxiliary services required a 132 kW, 290-bar hydraulic power unit with dual-pump standby arrangement, in-built kidney-loop filtration and full FAT documentation to Tata Steel engineering standards.

Our Solution

Engineered and manufactured in-house at our Cuttack facility. Parker PV piston pump (main and standby), Parker D*FP proportional valve manifold, Parker return-line and kidney-loop filtration, stainless reservoir internals, full instrumentation panel. FAT conducted with Clients QA present.

Results
Achieved ISO 4406 Class 17/15/12 on first fill without external flushing
FAT completed and signed off in one day — zero punch list items
System commissioned and running within 72 hours of delivery
Parker HPU · Manufacturing · Steel
Reputed Alumina Refinery
Lincoln Auto-Lube Retrofit on 36 Conveyor Drives — Zero Bearing Failures in 18 Months
The Challenge

Manual greasing of 36 conveyor belt drive and tail shaft bearings in the red-mud transport area was being missed 40% of the time during night shifts. Bearing failures were averaging one per fortnight — each requiring an 8-hour shutdown on a continuous-process belt.

Our Solution

Lincoln single-line automatic lubrication systems retrofitted to all 36 drive points. Electric pump, progressive divider blocks, Lincoln Quicklub metered injectors, stainless tubing in the caustic environment. Grease specification: SKF LGWA2 (water and heavy-load resistant).

Results
Zero unplanned conveyor bearing failures in the 18 months following installation
Manual greasing labour: 4 man-hours per day eliminated
Payback period: 6.5 months on combined labour and parts savings
Lincoln Auto-Lube · Aluminium Refinery
Paper Mills, Odisha
On-Site Repair of 4 Press-Section Cylinders — 72-Hour Turnaround
The Challenge

Four hydraulic loading cylinders on the press section of a reputed Paper's No.2 paper machine developed simultaneous seal failures during a planned shutdown. OEM lead time for replacement cylinders was 12 weeks — unacceptable. Machine restart was required within 72 hours.

Our Solution

Our field team arrived within 4 hours of call. Cylinders removed, transported to Cuttack workshop, bores honed, new SKF seals fitted (FKM for wet paper environment), rod surfaces inspected and cleared, reassembled and pressure-tested. Returned to site for installation on hour 68.

Results
Machine back on paper in 72 hours — shutdown overrun: zero
Cost vs OEM replacement: 28% of equivalent new-cylinder cost
All four cylinders still in service 24 months later
Cylinder Repair · Paper · Field Service
Refractory Manufacturer, Cuttack
Kanthal Super SiC Element Upgrade — Furnace Output +40%, Element Life 2×
The Challenge

A refractory brick manufacturer was running batch kilns with silicon carbide heating elements of generic origin — elements were failing at 8–10 months, temperature uniformity was ±40°C across the kiln, and maximum temperature was limited to 1,250°C by element performance.

Our Solution

Kanthal Super SiC elements specified and installed, replacing all 48 elements across three kilns. Kanthal element controller and transformer sizing recalculated. Element mounting arrangement revised to improve current distribution. Kiln atmosphere monitoring added.

Results
Maximum temperature increased to 1,400°C — new product grades now possible
Temperature uniformity: ±40°C improved to ±12°C
Element life: 8–10 months extended to 18–22 months
Production output increased 40% through faster heat-up and shorter cycles
Kanthal · Heating · Refractory
Coal Mining Operation, Odisha
Poclain Hydraulic Motor Retrofit on Coal Face Shearer Drive
The Challenge

A coal face shearer's original hydraulic motor was discontinued and no direct replacement was available from the OEM. The motor mounting interface was non-standard. The shearer was offline and the mine was losing production at the rate of 800 tonnes per day.

Our Solution

We engineered a Poclain Hydraulics MS series radial piston motor as a replacement — matching the displacement and pressure rating of the original. An adapter flange was designed and machined at our Cuttack facility to interface the Poclain motor to the shearer gearbox. Installation completed in 18 hours.

Results
Shearer back in production in 18 hours from motor delivery
Poclain motor performance matched original specification exactly
Two identical spare motors now stocked at the mine site
Poclain Hydraulics · Mining · Emergency
0
years of outcomes
0
field jobs per year
0
% avg failure reduction
0
branch service network

YOUR PLANT COULD BE THE NEXT STORY

Send us your engineering challenge. We will assess it, propose a solution, and document the outcome.

Send us your challenge