If your company uses power transmission equipment, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of replacing or repairing failed machinery. 
Replacing failed power transmission products can be costly, as can performing incorrect or inadequate repairs.
The best way to save money on industrial equipment repairs is implement sound maintenance practices in order to prolong the life of essential components. Following are a few maintenance mistakes most commonly made by companies that use power transmission equipment.
Problem: Cracked belts
Often, a V-belt will not be tensioned correctly. Most of the time the belt is under-tensioned, causing it to move independently of the sheave and creating quite a bit of friction. The friction generates heat, which hardens and cracks the belt, causing it to break.
Solution: Correct installation/adjustment
While it’s important to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing a V-belt, it is also important to check the belt after one or two hours of operation. Any adjustment that needs to be made will be apparent, and you’ll have caught it in time to avoid a costly replacement later on.
Problem: Misaligned shafts
Bad things can happen when a shaft is not aligned properly to the equipment specifications. This misalignment can result in the bending of the shaft.
Solution: Align to specs, not coupling capacities
Make sure your shafts are aligned to the equipment specifications, not the coupling capabilities. Aim for as near-perfect parallel and angular alignment as possible, even if this means using such precision tools as laser alignment equipment.
Problem: Gearbox failure
There are many reasons a gearbox may fail: overloading, worn components, changes in application, etc. Not performing regular gearbox repair can lead to premature failure.
Solution: Regular maintenance
Make sure to regularly check the shafting, gearings and bearings. If your gearbox does break, it’s important to know exactly what happened so you can avoid the same problem with the replacement gearbox.
Posted under Machinery Maintenance on Thursday, January 27th, 2011