Root Cause of Failure Analysis is critical! It sounds basic right, but you would be surprised at how often it is overlooked.
From day one of operations here at GTI in 1997 we knew we could successfully service our clients and provide them with cost savings by focusing on every repair to determine why a spindle has failed.
All too often we hear stories of end users spending far too much money on repeat failures and repeat repairs that could have been avoided had root cause of failure been identified and corrected.
Here’s just one example of how it works and why:
HOW: Incoming vibration analysis is performed in order to determine: bearing condition, level of unbalance, non-repetitive run out.
WHY: We receive at least 1 spindle per month at our facilities that there is absolutely nothing wrong with. We immediately contact the end user and advise that the spindle passes all QC requirements and we then work as a team to determine what prompted the repair to be sent in. All too often scenarios such as an unbalanced tool holder being installed drive motor being out of specification, damaged pulleys and/or quills will create part quality problems or issues that are completely unrelated to the actual spindle itself.
Had we not performed this incoming assembled inspection and vibration analysis, the end user would then unnecessarily incur the cost of disassembly, clean, inspection, repair and testing of a spindle which was not needed in the first place. This has proven to show our clients significant cost savings. Whether it’s a basic ID grinding repair cost of $2,500.00 or a high end machining center repair cost of $15,000.00, unnecessary repair and unnecessary downtime is avoided and the end user saves money.