COMPONENT DAMAGE – SELECTION OF REPLACEMENT PART

SUBMITTED QUESTION

A company reported a problem with damaged component in an old structure of a machine. Unavailable machine specification and maintenance procedure made it impossible to identify the material the element was made of.

ACTIONS

The material the element was made of was examined. Potential advantages from recreation of required element were evaluated. We compared the material to other materials, commercially available. We suggested a solution that is easier in processing and less expensive. We considered the operation method of the damaged part as employed by the contracting party and selected a material that is more durable and resistant to potential damage that might occur during operation.

EFFECT

  • The material the element was made of was identified
  • We selected an alternative, less expensive, and better, in terms of operational wear, material than the one the element was made of.
  • A replacement of the damaged part with a new one, made of proposed material, prevented additional costs which would be incurred due to purchase of a new machine