The maintenance of machines and systems consumes a lot of money. If things go badly, the expenses for maintenance over the course of a machine's service life are even higher than the purchase price itself. The high costs are also underpinned by a recent study by Plant Engineering: 35 percent of those surveyed stated that they spend more than 10 percent of their operating budget on maintenance. On the other hand, companies cannot simply leave their machines running until they break down - after all, downtime has an impact on productivity, turnover and profits. According to IndustryWeek, unplanned downtime costs the industry an estimated $50 billion annually, with 42 percent of these costs attributable to machine failure. There are also additional costs associated with repairing and replacing components.

The "run to failure" maintenance strategy is therefore clearly risky. This is why companies usually rely on two other typical strategies - preventive and predictive maintenance. Preventive maintenance has been practiced for a long time: This involves servicing machines and their components at regular intervals to prevent them from unforeseen breakdowns. Although this significantly reduces the risk of breakdowns, this strategy means that machines are serviced more frequently than is actually necessary. Because regular checks are a must, this method also ties up valuable labor time.

Predictive maintenance, on the other hand, has recently become more important thanks to rapid advances in Industry 4.0, connected technologies and IIoT. By using sensors and smart solutions, engineers can now collect data on the condition of machines - from operating temperatures to vibrations and noise. With this approach, users can predict with pinpoint accuracy whether components in a machine need to be replaced or whether the machine needs to be taken out of service completely due to anomalies in the data. The downside, however, is that setting up a predictive maintenance system can be costly at first. After all, companies need to invest in a complete IoT system, sensors and monitoring software and organize training for employees.

Easy maintenance thanks to standard components

Regardless of the maintenance strategy, the use of standard components can reduce costs and make maintenance more efficient. The background: Because machines and systems are becoming increasingly complex, it is also becoming more and more difficult to carry out the necessary maintenance tasks. However, if standard components are installed, the requirements change: Due to the standardized sizes and designs of standard parts, technicians do not require any special prior knowledge and can simply replace components if necessary.

Ideally, machines are maintenance-free, i.e. they require no maintenance at all. In practice, however, this is hardly possible - because wear and tear can hardly be avoided in harsh industrial environments. However, certain machine elements can be made from maintenance-free components, which can reduce the need for repairs overall. One example is spur and bevel gears: traditionally, these gears are made of steel, but they can corrode easily and are expensive to replace. However, plastic versions of these gears are now also available. Norelem offers a range of these lightweight, stainless steel parts that require little to no maintenance. They are self-lubricating, very quiet in operation and can be used in a wide range of applications. Last but not least, they offer good value for money.

However, there is a whole range of other maintenance-free components in the Norelem range - including bronze guide bushes with graphite inserts. The bearing elements are maintenance-free and wear-resistant, while the graphite inserts ensure lifelong lubrication. Additional lubrication is only recommended for extreme loads and higher travel speeds.

Linear units for high loads

In general, however, maintenance costs can also be reduced by choosing components with high performance and quality. This is particularly important for parts that have to cope with high loads, tensions and forces. One example of this is automated linear movements and heavy workpieces. In these movements, the components are generally exposed to high loads and forces. It is advisable to use linear units here. With the right design and specification, they can absorb the highest forces in all directions. The Norelem full range includes linear units in standard lengths with strokes from 200 to 1,500 mm. Special lengths for customer-specific projects are available on request.

In the material handling, packaging and agricultural sectors, maintenance costs for operators can skyrocket due to the high requirements. Single roller chains and sprockets are typically used in these industries. However, replacing these with duplex or triplex roller chains or sprockets can significantly reduce maintenance times and costs. The performance of duplex roller chains is 1.75 times that of a single chain or 2.5 times that of triplex roller chains. A complete range of these components, together with matching sprockets and tensioners, can be found in the Norelem catalog with over 60,000 components, technical information and drawings.

In summary, by equipping machines with standard components wherever possible, companies can simplify maintenance. As the components are maintenance-free and of high quality, the budget for system maintenance can be gradually reduced. In addition, standard components help to reduce unplanned downtime. Data sheets and CAD data can be downloaded quickly and easily. In the event of an unexpected failure, components can be replaced quickly.

David Messant, Production Manager at Norelem in France