Australian distributor Statewide Bearings collaborated closely with WPT Power and a large sawmilling company to develop a solution to enhance the plant’s uptime.
The end-user has in operation a 66″ chipper as part of their automated production process, and in the course of normal performance, it requires the knife heads to be changed daily. During the knife change process, they have a 15-minute window to conduct this service. The chipper drum has a run down time of approximately 8 minutes, leaving only a few minutes to exchange the set of knives. Site Engineers worked closely with WPT Power to develop a suitable solution that minimized run time while minimizing high temperatures, given the flammable nature of the wood chip and dust. The WPT Power Low Inertia Spring Set brake enabled short deceleration times and improved heat dissipation, helping the mill meet its goals. With some fine-tuning, the sawmill can have the chipper drum stop safely in 15 seconds, enabling the fitters to conduct the knife change with time to spare. The plant’s chipper operation was quickly back up and running on schedule, increasing its uptime.
The Low Inertia Spring Set Brake also provides some safety benefits, as it functions as a fail-safe brake that stops the drum from turning while routine drum maintenance is carried out.
If you have a similar circumstance or applications in your business, please don’t hesitate to contact your local WPT Power distributor or factory representative.