Waupaca铸造 engineering and maintenance teams complete capital project in under two weeks over holiday shutdown

的 task was clear: the Plant 4 engineering and maintenance teams were to upgrade the shaker system that transports ductile iron casting gates and sprues in two weeks over the 2023 holiday shutdown.

In-house engineering and maintenance teams began planning for the capital project in 2022 with the objective of tackling all the identified challenges associated with equipment, 包括物料堵塞, 噪音, 尘一代, 停机时间, 成本上升.

规划始于2022年. 的 capital project required months of meticulous planning from internal engineering teams to reduce 停机时间, 提高生产效率, 改善工人的安全和健康. 杰罗德·奥斯本, 威尼斯注册送38元制造工程副总裁, emphasized the importance of preparation and planning in anticipation of the project. This was particularly crucial due to the extensive scope of work involved, 特别是在定义的关闭和安装窗口内.

的 original vibratory shaker system at Waupaca铸造 was installed in 1992, 30多年前. 的 system is downstream from six ductile iron casting molding lines and is responsible for separating and transporting gate and sprue material to the charge yard for reuse. 然而, the equipment had reached the end of its life and could no longer keep up with demand.

该系统经常面临闸门和浇口造成的堵塞. 的se jams were particularly problematic because when congestion occurred near a line, 这将导致生产停顿, 哪一个是持续的正常运行时间和交付. 传统的振动筛系统声音很大, and the vibration to transport the gate and sprue material kicked up dust from the greensand mold in the ductile iron shakeout area. 此外, the shaker's placement in a pit beneath all six production lines presented challenges for maintenance teams due to barriers to accessibility and confined spaces.

Relocating two DIDION Rotary Media Drums® was just one of nearly 300 action item identified to complete the capital project.

经过广泛的调查, 多次实地考察, 以及周密的计划, the solution was to replace the existing vibratory system with two parallel Superbelt conveyor systems from Magaldi. 不像振动系统, the new conveyor system is designed to move materials gently at varying speeds.

But the transition wasn't as straightforward as simply removing one piece of equipment and installing a new one in the same space. 根据Rob Jezwinski的说法, “我们可以选择将新系统塞进现有空间, 但这将是一场噩梦.”

随着新型输送系统的实施, Waupaca铸造 seized the opportunity to provide its maintenance team with space to efficiently and comfortably carry out equipment-related tasks as required.

工程团队, 由工程经理克里斯·奥利尼克和罗布·杰斯温斯基领导, meticulously identified nearly 300 action items in its installation plan and initiated the capital project by generating 3-D scans of the existing area. 的se scans proved the most critical advantage in seamlessly fitting the new conveyor system into the existing plant footprint.

“当我们开始这个项目的时候, 没有模型, and very little documentation at all on the equipment and building layout,克里斯·奥利尼克, 项目工程师. “We spent a lot of time in the plant modeling and building a 3-D model of the area from nothing.扫描结果用于规划新设备的布局, 现有设备改造, 建筑的修改, 安装接入点, 确定设备之间的配合.

“Scott Fielding and I spent countless hours pouring over the details of this project,” Olynick said. “我们仔细地确定了步骤, 确定每个步骤的陷阱, 测量和再测量, 计划好一切准备工作，尽可能减少安装过程中的劳动力, 并且把整个过程的每一步都重复了好几遍.”

为了实现安装目标， Olynick Jezwinski, 团队对工厂内部空间进行了重大改造:

• 的 removal of the legacy equipment involved cutting access points into the pit to demolish existing concrete.

• 两个DIDION旋转介质鼓®被重新安置.

• Conduit locations and 管道系统 were repositioned to accommodate the new system.

• 从意大利出发, the conveyor system was transported in 15 40-foot shipping containers in late November of 2023.

• 的 new system was staged outside in order to be installed despite the challenging weather conditions.

布兰登·克鲁斯, general manager of Magaldi Technologies, was on site for most of the installation. He said that having in-house engineers made a big difference in planning and installing the new system in this short timeframe.

“Kris spent every other weekend at the plant for a good part of the year 规划列的迁移, 水管搬迁, 管道工程, 管道系统, 砂输送机, 以及你能想到的一切,克鲁斯说.

的 Magaldi Superbelt conveyor system was identified as the best solution because the conveyor belt used to move the gate and sprue material has a sensor that tracks scrap height to control the speed of the belt. 和, 因为系统没有振动, 它减少了工作区域的噪音和灰尘, 为团队成员创造更安全的工作环境.

“所有 that goes away because you’re not banging castings against a vibrating conveyor deck,克鲁斯说.

的 new system is anticipated to reduce maintenance 停机时间 in the shakeout area by as much as 50% and is estimated to offset rising maintenance and energy costs. But more important than the bottom line is the system will improve the work environment by decreasing 噪音 and dust and allowing maintenance teams safer, 更容易接近输送机.

的 new system is expected to significantly reduce conveyor maintenance 停机时间 by up to 50%, 抵消不断上涨的维护和能源成本. 经济利益之外, the system will profoundly impact environmental health and safety (EHS) with decreased 噪音 and dust levels. 另外, 它将提供更安全，更容易进入传送带, further contributing to improved working conditions and operational efficiency for maintenance.