Another Benefit of a Retrofit

New Shaft Seal System Will Provide Significant Cost Savings

Concrete producers have long known a retrofit results in a plant with modern capabilities at a fraction of the cost of a new purchase. But a German company has seen significant benefits from a secondary retrofit undertaking: the revamp of the shaft seal system so that it’s compatible with the Ammann Elba mixer.

Essen, Germany-based Heidelberger Beton Rhein-Ruhr found itself in need of a new mixer when the existing component wore out. Heidelberger Beton had purchased its Elba plant in Dortmund in the late 1990s. The plant had proven extremely reliable and productive, but it was time to take action to keep the mixer in good condition and productive.

Service experts from Ammann Elba visited the Heidelberger plant, and a retrofit program was introduced that included implementation of a new mixer axis with Elba Wear Protection (EWP). Many components, such as the feeder system or the plant control system, did not change as they were still in good shape.

The project also included installation of the bearing and shaft sealing system that included the patented Elba holeless tiling, which makes for extremely quick replacement.

Advantageous Reconfiguration

Key to the success of the project was the shaft-seal system. The retrofit separated the shaft bearing and shaft seal to create a new configuration that brings substantial benefits.

• Concrete fluid that can leak through a worn sealing cannot damage the bearings anymore.
• The shaft seal now can be repaired from inside the mixer, requiring much less time than before.
• The life of the new shaft seal is much longer than before.

The reconstruction project took only a week to complete, and was undertaken during the winter break in  January when the plant wasn’t operating.

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Elba Wear Protection

Elba Wear Protection (EWP) is a complete wearing package with an excellent price/performance ratio. EWP protects parts and components and ultimately extends the life of your plant.

Benefits include:

• Reduced component costs because of extended life
• Reduced labor costs because of fewer replacements and repairs
• Quick and simple installation
• Less caking with mixer, discharge hopper and skip
• Easy cleaning