Cheap imports put strain on industry

19th July 2013

By: Zandile Mavuso

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

  

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Importing cheaper mechanical power transmission products is not only becoming popular with the South African market but is also contributing to the current flatline state of the mechanical transmission industry, states transmission company Bibby Turboflex.

The company has encountered several ser- vices operated by its clients that were inade-quate, owing to clients opting for cheaper products.

“This costs clients large sums of money, as products either fail or there are little to no technical backup services available from the companies that supply the cheaper products,” states Bibby Turboflex sales and marketing manager Kevin Gill.

Bibby Turboflex highlights that having an adequate backstop fitted is important for the operation of elevators and conveyors, as it is required to prevent the reversal of incline conveyors and vertical bucket elevators.

“During freewheeling, the cam belt and roller assembly rotate with the head shaft. The outer race is secured to stationary cover-plates and an I-beam torque arm, while an oil-film wedge separates the rollers from the outer race. This moves the rollers a few thousandths of a millimetre, imparting relative angular motion between the roller cage and cam. This slight movement of the rollers into the deeper cam zones, with a clean lubricant-film wedge between the rollers and outer race, permits freewheeling without metal-to-metal contact,” explains Gill.

He further points out that when the conveyor decelerates and the cam, subsequently, stops rotating, the spring-actuated cage has already positioned the rollers in the contact zone. All rollers have been positively guided to engage uniformly and maintain their relative positions accurately to assure uniform load distribution.

The rollers then engage in compression between a precision-ground, hardened cam-plane surface and an inner diameter of the outer race. Relative motion between the cam and the outer race is not required to engage the rollers. When the backstop is in the backstopping condition, the cam, rollers and outer race are relatively stationary and are, therefore, not subject to wear if used within specification.

“Bibby Turboflex’s Marland backstops, clutches and clutch couplings are still well recognised brands in industry, as a result of the company’s holding group, Altra Industrial Motion, which ensures that Bibby Turboflex supplies superior products and technical backup and design solutions to its clients,” he points out.

Gill says the current economic situation has put strain on equipment suppliers to industry owing to the decline in demand. However, he believes that there is great potential for growth in green energy products and in upcoming developments in other African countries.

“The company will continue to market its products across all industries, where there is a need for efficient mechanical power transmission products. We are also constantly upgrading our products to ensure that we meet market demand,’’ he concludes.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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