GEARS

Geographe has a dedicated team of gear specialists experienced in all aspects of refurbishment and maintenance of industrial gearboxes such as: David Brown, Flender, Hansen, Lightnin and Valmet.

Full services for the overhaul of gearboxes

• Strip assessment, reporting and quoting
• Failure analysis
• Supply of enhanced performance parts where applicable for superior performance and lengthened life cycle
• Re-assembly and painting
• Testing
• Supply with final inspection report

For more information please call Sean Martin on (08) 9449 1111 or email sean.martin@geographe.com.au

Case Study 1

FIXED PLANT GEARBOX OVERHAULS

Geographe were approached by a client to overhaul a gearbox that had been in service for 25 years. After a strip and assessment, the broken parts were re-manufactured and replaced and the remaining parts gear-ground, achieving a DIN 3 accuracy (from their original DIN 7) using the latest gear grinding technology. The end result was a quieter running gearbox with a substantial reduction in vibration.

Before		After

Case Study 2

HIGH SPEED BOILER FEEDPUMP GEARBOX

A customer approached Geographe about noise and vibration problems they were experiencing with their high speed Boiler Feedpump Gear Box (output speed 4100 RPM). Even though the Boiler Feedpump and gearbox were enclosed in a sound proof booth, employees carrying out maintenance in this area were required to wear both earplugs and earmuffs. The need for a booth presented another problem in restricting maintenance accessibility. The customer’s request was to reduce the noise level and vibrations. Geographe’s team of experience mechanical fitters set about finding a cause for the noise and vibration.

The assessment identified a few causes to the noise and vibration problems, the main one being gear accuracy. Geographe re-ground the original gears using their new Höfler CNC Gear Grinder. Re-grinding the gear profile using this latest technology enabled the Double Helical Pinion and Gear to be re-ground from an accuracy of DIN 6 to the highest gear accuracy of DIN 1.

After grinding, the gear and some minor repairs the test run was commissioned on site. During commissioning, the vibration analysis indicated an almost flat reading, with no spikes – indicating that the noise was reduced to a level where the sound proof booth could be removed and hearing protection was made optional in the area.

Customer feedback indicates the unit has been running well since time of commissioning with no change to conditioning monitoring results. All in all, a very pleasing end result for the customer.