Equipment Type
Fan
Equipment Name
Main Draft Fan
Faults
Abnormal impact
Early Detection of Abnormal Impact Fault in Tension Roll Gearbox
How Wisper Ensured Continuous Operation at a Steel Factory
Metallurgical
Introduction
This case study demonstrates how an AI-powered condition monitoring solution detected abnormal periodic impact in a critical tension roll system at a non-ferrous metal factory, allowing maintenance teams to take timely action and secure continuous production.
Equipment Overview
The tension roll is a critical device used to control and maintain the tension of metal material (steel) during the rolling mill process. Typically installed at the feeding and discharging ends of the rolling mill, its proper tension control ensures stable transmission, balances the mechanical characteristics of the rolling mill, maintains the straightness of the steel, and ensures compliance with specified geometric requirements. This function is essential for achieving high-quality and high-efficiency metal rolling.
The Challenge
Preventing unplanned downtime for critical equipment in a metal production environment is difficult due to:
High-Consequence Failure: Unexpected failure of the tension roll can interrupt the rolling process, potentially leading to immediate product defects or complete production shutdown.
Complex Failure Characteristics: Gearbox faults, especially those involving loose fit or poor meshing, often present complex and fluctuating vibration patterns, making accurate root cause identification challenging without advanced monitoring.
Precision and Quality Necessity: The equipment must maintain continuous, stable operation with high precision to ensure the quality and geometric integrity of the rolled metal.
Wisper Solution
Wisper CMS has been deployed and continuously monitors the health status of the tension roll gearbox.
On December 2, 2023, the system detected a sudden drop in multiple vibration indicators in the gearbox. The anomaly was identified as a fault state with significant fluctuations in indicators related to component rubbing, loose fit, and poor gear meshing. A diagnostic report was immediately triggered, alerting the site to monitor the equipment status and schedule a potential inspection.
On-site personnel reported hearing intermittent, periodic impact noises.
The outcome
In this case, the dynamic balancing effectively resolved the issue and restored proper operating condition.
Minimized Downtime:
Maintenance was planned and executed before a catastrophic failure could occur, enabling data-driven decisions that significantly reduced risk and improved operational efficiency.
Accurate Fault Diagnosis:
The diagnosis of a rotor issue was fully consistent with on-site inspection results, which found an unbalanced problem, confirming the system's high level of accuracy and dependability.
understanding the root cause
The abnormal impact and gearbox faults were ultimately traced to the following issue:
Displacement of the high-speed shaft bearing outer ring.
This displacement led to increased bearing clearance and subsequent increased gear meshing clearance.
