Timken Technology Helps Customer Avert Nine Unscheduled Plant
Shutdowns
The Timken Company (NYSE:TKR) announced today that use of the Timken® StatusCheck™ wireless condition monitoring system enabled ACP Manufacturing Co. LLC to realize a savings of more than $1 million by avoiding unscheduled downtime in the first 10 months of using the system.
ACP, which manufactures automotive suspension parts such as control arms and steering knuckles, used Timken’s wireless monitoring system to avert unplanned shutdowns at a 10-year-old plant in Lawrence Township, Pa. The StatusCheck system is designed to detect and monitor excessive levels of vibration and temperature in bearings, gearboxes, electric motors and other industrial machines. The system monitors equipment and transmits electronic warnings of maintenance issues that could cause machinery to malfunction.
"StatusCheck has helped us significantly improve our operating efficiency, and the impact on our profitability is clear," said Robert Harter, vice president of manufacturing for ACP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Metals America Ltd. "We are so pleased with the results of using StatusCheck that our owner, Hitachi Metals America, is considering installing it in its other plants in the United States."
ACP installed the StatusCheck system to monitor pollution control equipment in the plant's bag-house area in July 2006. The equipment is critical to maintaining compliance with environmental regulations.
"We have been able to identify nine 'saves' of a plant shutdown and two of a manufacturing line in the first 10 months of our use of StatusCheck," said Rodney Reed, the plant's maintenance manager. ACP defines "saves" as incidents when a problem was averted before it could cause unscheduled downtime. The StatusCheck alerts enabled ACP to schedule maintenance at a time when it did not disrupt the manufacturing cycle.
Additionally, ACP has been using Timken's hand-held bearing testers to verify proper installation and lubrication of bearings on individual machines. That equipment has saved ACP approximately 700 hours and counting," Reed said. "We're letting the technology guide us to what we need to do to maintain our equipment and prevent downtime."
“For several years now, ACP has been working with Kaman Industrial Technologies to help identify ways to improve production and reduce costs,” said Bob Tuton, Kaman Professional Account Manager. “When they asked for Kaman's assistance, we helped Timken introduce them to StatusCheck as a resource that could aid them in reaching their goal. Today, ACP's success is a tremendous example of two companies working together for the benefit of the customer.”
Daniel Szoch, product manager for Timken, said helping customers maximize equipment uptime drives Timken's innovation and development of new products. "Wireless monitoring is relatively new and part of our growing product offering aimed at improving customer performance. Clearly, this investment paid off for ACP, and when our customers benefit, so do we."
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