The use of glass dates back to stone age societies that used fragments to create cutting tools and weapons. Glass making itself dates back over 6000 years long before humans had discovered how to smelt iron.
Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled time and time again without loss of quality or purity. When new glass is produced with the use of recycled glass, it provides the manufacturers a cost saving as less energy is needed to melt the glass, this is because recycled glass (cullet) melts at a lower temperature.
The process of recycling the glass takes place by crushing the glass into cullets using crusher rolls. Given the environment in which they operate, the rolls are subject to wear on the teeth caused by impact during the crushing process. Wearing of the crusher teeth reduces overall crushing efficiency of the glass, as the equipment is no longer capable of crushing to the desired size needed during processing. Therefore, regular maintenance of these components is paramount to keep operations running at optimum effectiveness and efficiency. Without consistent upkeep, it can result in unplanned downtime, which can significantly increase costs.
Recently, the team from Welding Alloys UK were approached by a customer in the glass recycling industry who was facing a wear issue on the teeth of their crushing rolls. The customer had been replacing the rolls to prevent issues caused by wear. However, this was no longer a cost effective option for them and they were looking for an alternative solution to improve the service life and efficiency of the part. Welding Alloys has extensive knowledge of repair and maintenance applications in a range of industries, so the Integra™ services team from Welding Alloys UK was in a strong position to provide the required solution to the customer.
Welding Alloys used our advanced hardfacing consumables to repair the teeth. Our team conducted a wear analysis and carefully selected the most suitable consumable, ensuring it delivered the required hardness to effectively counter the specific wear issue.
The Integra™ services team repaired the set of rolls, building the teeth back to the original profile; once completed, the rolls were put back into production. The customer has benefited from a reduction in their overall maintenance cost for the rollers by up to four times than that of the original cost. The proposed solution provided superior wear protection and also improved the lifespan of the part. In addition, opting to repair the part presented a more environmentally friendly alternative to frequent replacements, effectively minimising waste in the process.
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