Cost reduction to protect margins is a global power transmission trend; however, engineering components provider Bearing Man Group (BMG) says investing in a high-quality branded power transmission chain can achieve significant cost savings for industry.

BMG believes that the key to real cost savings in power transmission lies in an extended, low-maintenance operating cycle.

“Power transmission chain, in particular, is an area where procurement managers feel they can reduce costs by specifying budget chains, as this technology is appar- ently simple and there appears to be few outward differences among brands. Therefore, it would be easy to assume that this is an area where budget components may be justified; however, the truth is quite different from this,” states BMG chain GM Scott Larson.

The company points out that it is important to consider the total cost of owner- ship (TCO) above initial cost savings when implementing technology. Initial procurement is just one cost that needs to be considered when determining the TCO of power transmission chain.

Larson adds that, after procurement, installation time – which can vary greatly between products – and the necessary maintenance, including lubrication or the removal of links, owing to elongation, must be taken into account.

The cost of replacing the technology is also an important consideration. A chain with a reduced service life will need replacing more frequently – this not only causes increased downtime but also introduces a further round of procurement into the cost equation.

“A chain which has been properly speci- fied and manufactured to stringent quality standards using high-quality materials earns its initial procurement cost back many times over when compared with a cheap inferior-quality chain,” he explains.

BMG highlights that its Tsubaki Lambda chain series is a product that provides features that ensure extended life and guarantees low maintenance for its customers.

The lube-free chain, which does not require external lubrication, ensures cost savings in maintenance, as the chain-bearing sur- faces remain lubricated, decreasing wear and extending the chain’s operating life. The dry surface of the chain ensures contamination risks are avoided.

The lubrication-free Tsubaki Lambda chain series, with enhanced wear-resistant performance, is suitable for use in environments such as food processing, pharmaceuticals and electronics manufacture, where product contamination cannot be tolerated.

BMG notes that it recently supplied its Tsubaki Lambda chain to food manufacturer Nestlé South Africa (SA) for its faci- lity in Harrismith, Free State, which was looking for an alternative chain to use in its production line. After a site inspection, the Tsubaki Lambda lube-free chain was specified as the replacement chain.

“The procurement cost for a single length of Tsubaki Lambda chain is almost 150% more than that of the basic 12B chain, which was previously used by the food manufacturer. However, once installed, the chain lasted for 40 months without the need for maintenance. Over this period, the previous chain would have been replaced four times, with significant maintenance costs,” emphasises Larson.

The design of the Tsubaki Lambda series makes for easy disassembly and the series, which retains full chain strength in the connecting link, also has new benefits that include wear life that is twice as long as that of the previous series. This extended life service is achieved through the superior sintering bushing and an improved bushing- lubricant combination – the microscopic pores in the seamless sintered bush are vacuum- filled with high-performance lubricant.

Being a low-maintenance series, it operates efficiently in an ambient temperature of between –10 ºC and 150 ºC and has shot-peened parts for higher fatigue strength. The surfaces of the outer- and inner-link plates are Fe403-blackened for improved corrosion resistance and, owing to the durable roller, there is smooth engagement with the sprocket and less wear on the sprocket teeth.

For conveyor applications, a 25% reduction in initial elongation is now standard. This reduces the need for post- installation maintenance and increases the service life of the chain. Elongation stability also reduces the need for inter- mediate chain and sprocket adjustment.

Further, there is a significant reduction in the risk of chain breakage owing to the specially selected steel alloy used to manufacture the chain having undergone effec- tive heat treatment. A specially developed ring-coining process, employed on the connecting link, further increases the strength of the chain by reinforcing the link plate around the pin holes, providing protection against breakthrough and wear. The design of the rivet pin makes for easy disassembly and ensures that fitting and removing the chain do not compromise the chain’s performance or service life.

The standard Tsubaki Lambda series includes British Standards-, German Institute for Standardisation- and American National Standards Institute-approved drive and conveyor chains, with attachments; a double- and hollow-pitch conveyor chain; as well as a double-plus chain and accumulator chain, with centre rollers.

“As a result of the constant improve- ments to this series, we have been consistent in our supply to Nestlé SA. Since we replaced the company’s drive chains in 2006 with the Tsubaki Lambda series, it has had no failures to date. The chains now last, on average, between four to five years, compared with the six to nine months of a normal low-cost chain,” concludes Larson.