Figure 3. The crack in the outer race was catastrophic in nature and the analysis determined severity and location.
If not for the excellent teamwork by all involved, this could have resulted in an extreme repair cost and not a cost-avoidance savings. Todd Fuller, facilities manager, chilled water plants, itemized the potential cost of motor failure from a lack of identification, analysis, and repair.
The actual cost of the bearing replacement was $9,500, including contractor, crane rental and in-house labor on holiday pay. The estimated cost of a rebuilt motor, assuming the continued operation resulted in damage, is between $35,000 and $40,000, with an estimated two weeks to rebuild the motor.
The cost of rental equipment to replace the 5,000 tons of production equipment would be $160,000 over two weeks, as well as a $20,000 rental equipment cost of installation and removal. The estimated amount of revenue lost waiting for rental equipment to be installed, assuming three days, is approximately $300,000. Costs can quickly escalate, should such a vital piece of equipment be lost during the peak season.
To learn more about ultrasound and vibration analysis, read Combine vibration monitoring and ultrasound for more cost-effective predictive maintenance