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Tsubaki Europe se développe avec une base de fabrication en Allemagne - Nouvelles

2025-02-25T08:17:06Z

Tsubakimoto Europe B.V. renforce sa présence sur le marché européen avec l'acquisition de Karl Jungbluth Kettenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, un fabricant renommé de chaînes de convoyeur basé en Allemagne.

]]> Depuis des décennies, Tsubaki fournit des chaînes industrielles à l'Europe par le biais d'exportations depuis le Japon. Pour répondre à la demande croissante de délais de livraison plus courts, de plus grande personnalisation et de service localisé, l'entreprise établit une base de fabrication dédiée en Allemagne, un centre industriel clé. Cette expansion complète les installations existantes de Tsubaki au Japon, aux États-Unis et en Chine, renforçant ses capacités de production mondiales.

L'installation de Bad Hersfeld jouera un rôle vital dans cette stratégie, en fournissant des solutions de chaînes de convoyeur sur mesure et de haute qualité avec une meilleure réactivité aux besoins des clients. L'intégration de Karl Jungbluth renforce l'empreinte de fabrication de Tsubaki en Europe, soutenant ses objectifs de croissance et d'innovation à long terme.

"Cette acquisition marque une étape importante dans notre stratégie d'expansion de la production localisée en Europe", a déclaré le président Frank Rosmolen. "En améliorant nos capacités de fabrication, nous pouvons servir nos clients plus efficacement et continuer à offrir des solutions de classe mondiale."

Tsubaki reste engagé à promouvoir l'innovation industrielle et à répondre aux demandes évolutives du marché mondial.

Sweet success for Tsubaki Neptune™ chain installed on ice cream plant palletisers - Nouvelles

2020-06-29T12:29:17Z

Ice cream is a food that inspires universal joy like no other. People worldwide will always need ice cream to complete the perfect day out or take the edge off a hard week. However, one factor that does affect ice cream demand is the season. Obviously, more ice cream is sold during summer than winter, which means ice cream producers have to increase production to capitalise. These duty demands can cause the premature failure of power transmission components such as chains, especially when production is taking place in sub-zero temperatures.

An ice cream plant in Germany realised that an increase in production was causing chains on its pallet lifters to fail prematurely, resulting in operational delays. To maximise chain service life, engineers at the plant contacted Tsubaki to supply a more reliable option.

]]> From luxury to indulgence

Historically, frozen desserts such as ice cream have been a luxury item. In ancient China, Greece and Rome, records attest to high profile members of society consuming them. In Italy during the 17th century, ice cream became popular, radiating out to courts across Europe. Modern ice cream production didn't take off until the advent of industrial refrigerators in the 19th century¹. Since then, a rise in average incomes and our penchant for sweet foods has grown the market². From being the preserve of the privileged throughout history, the global ice cream market had expanded to $57 billion U.S. by 2017³.

The challenges of modern ice cream production

Propping up the majority of this large sector of the food and beverage industry are ice cream plants. Designed to operate with high efficiency to maximise profits per unit, these facilities rely on equipment that can operate in an application environment that, in many places, is well below freezing and laden with moisture. For example, ice cream is cooled to a holding temperature of around -25°C for storage⁴. This presents increased corrosion and fatigue risks to engineered equipment.

These conditions can be exacerbated by the seasonal demand for ice cream. During the winter months, with December a notable exception, demand for ice cream falls. To reduce surplus, some facilities will scale back operations during this period. However, in summer, demand rises, which will cause facility operators to maximise available production capacity to capitalise. The inherent challenges of the application environment and the yoyoing of production intensity can cause equipment to fail prematurely. This risks facility uptime and profitability. Standard chains installed at ice cream plants are especially susceptible, so a specialised solution is needed.

Capitalising with specialised chains

As a German ice cream plant increased its production schedule from five to seven days a week to meet summer demand, engineers on-site noticed the service life of the chains installed on the pallet lifters was adversely affected. The pallet lifters were operating in a sub-zero ice cream storage area, moving heavy loads across the facility.

The nickel-plated, 16B-1 roller chains were designed to lift loads of up to 800kg. The lifter itself was driven by a 1.5 KW motor at 32 rpm. Over a five-day production schedule, the lifetime of each chain averaged to around 2 years before replacement was required. However, as production was moved to a seven-day schedule, the average service life of the installed chains fell to only six months. The inner links of the chains were breaking due to increased fatigue, a result of the combination of intense duty requirements and the cold application environment. This resulted in palletisers requiring increased maintenance work, which was reducing efficiency and increasing repair costs.

To solve the issue, engineers contacted Tsubaki, a global designer and leading manufacturer of premium quality drive & conveyor chain for most industries ranging from food & beverage to the steel industry.

After an initial inspection, Tsubaki engineers worked closely with the engineers at the plant to specify a new roller chain that would maximise reliability and reduce maintenance. The RS16B-1 Neptune chain was selected, which offered a 20% maximum allowable load (MAL) compared to the original chain. Another key aspect was the Neptune's inherent resistance to corrosion. A specialised coating provides exceptional protection against the debilitating effects of condensation in the low temperature storage area.

The Neptune chain was able to greatly improve chain service life during the high intensity production period, eliminating premature link breakages. Maintenance requirements for the palletisers were consequently reduced, minimising repair costs and maximising uptime. Specifically honed for hard operation in a low temperature environment, the Neptune chain allowed the German ice cream plant to effectively capitalise on summer demand.

References

Tsubaki BR-HT series of high-speed backstop Cam Clutches - Nouvelles

2020-06-02T10:29:45Z

Tsubaki BR-HT (Backstop Reducer High Torque) series of backstops prevent back running in industrial machine applications. The Cam Clutch design means that the inner and outer races are locked together with zero back running in the event of equipment failure. Because the BR-HT series backstop can be directly mounted into machinery, it is ideally suited to applications where a small installation footprint may be required, such as industrial gearboxes that are typically used on inclined conveyors or bucket elevators, pumps and winches.

]]> The BR-HT series is the high torque version of its predecessor the BR series, which is designed to be fitted directly onto the high-speed shaft of a gear reducer via a standard keywayed shaft. A thicker inner race and robust outer race design ensures the BR-HT series is suitable for heavy duty applications, like those typically found in the mining and quarrying industries. For improved safety, the backstops feature a unique anti-rollover cam design which enhances reliability in critical situations.

Sizes range from 20 mm to 320 mm, with stated torque capacity figures of up to 366,000 Nm. A wide range of standard bore sizes are available across the range to maximise availability and shorten lead times for most orders. For specialist application demands, Tsubaki's engineers are able to fit the BR-HT series to non-standard shaft sizes by manufacturing special inner races to suit any bore size within the range of the clutch design or change the design of the inner and outer races to the customer requirements.

The backstops offer easy fitting and are essentially maintenance free as lubricants already present in the gear reducer can also be used for the lubrication of the BR-HT Cam Clutch backstop. Other applications may only require periodic maintenance and lubrication. Each backstop is supplied with a recommended lubrication regime and can be used in temperatures ranging from -5°C to +40°C. Higher or lower temperatures outside this range can also be accommodated. The BR-HT series "Lift-Off" design is non-frictional when running at operational speeds, so when the clutch is disengaged it is totally free running with no mechanical contact. As such the BR-HT can run indefinitely in "Lift-off" mode with any frictional wear only occurring on start-up or stopping unlike other backstop types that are running in constant friction all the time.

For the MRO market, the BR-HT series offers 100% interchangeability with most OE components and reduced Total Cost of Ownership thanks to its long service life.

You do get what you pay for... - Nouvelles

2020-05-12T07:41:42Z

When it comes to power transmission chain, Tsubaki proves that buying a quality product results in significant life-time cost savings
The climate in most industries at the moment is focussed towards cost reduction to protect margins. While this is a noble pursuit, and one that can offer real benefits to a business and its customers, it is important that when it comes to procurement the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is considered over initial cost savings. While some components may seem like the cheapest solution in the short term, they can quickly prove expensive if regular maintenance, repair and replacement work becomes necessary.

]]> Tsubakimoto, the world's leading manufacturer of power transmission chain, believes that the key to real world cost savings lies in an extended, low maintenance, operating cycle.

All too often when we hear about a business cutting its costs, we hear in the same sentence that the cuts have been achieved by sourcing cheaper components during procurement. However, while these savings may look appealing in the short term, the only real way to gauge success is to look at the total cost of the product throughout its life. Cost of installation, maintenance requirements, downtime caused by early failure and replacement are all hidden costs which can add up when a budget component is specified.

Power transmission chain in particular is an area where many procurement managers may feel they can reduce costs by specifying budget chains. Because the technology is apparently so simple, and there are few outward differences in appearance between brands, it would be easy to assume that this is an area where budget components may be justified. However, the truth is very different; a chain which has been properly specified and well produced, using high quality materials, can often earn its initial procurement cost back many times over when compared with cheap chain.

Jake Yamamoto, Sales & Marketing Director for Tsubakimoto Europe, comments: "Initial procurement is just one cost that needs to be considered when determining the TCO of power transmission chain. After procurement there is installation time, which can vary greatly between products, as well as the necessary maintenance requirements - such as lubrication or removing links due to elongation. Then of course there is the cost of replacement. A chain with a shorter life will need replacing which not only causes down time but also introduces a further round of procurement into the equation. When all of these hidden costs are taken into consideration it is easy to see how budget chain can quickly become a false economy."

The ability for a premium chain to offer significant TCO savings has been experienced first-hand by a food producer who was looking for an alternative roller chain solution for it cake production line. The basic 12B chain that it specified as standard had an average life span of 9 months despite regular maintenance. The plant's management was concerned about the regular replacement costs and approached Tsubaki to see if an alternative solution could be provided.

Having conducted a site inspection, the Tsubaki engineer specified Lambda lube-free chain. The innovative Lambda chain does not require any external lubrication, which gives an instant maintenance cost saving. As the chain surface is dry, any contamination risk is avoided. The chain bearing surfaces remain lubricated, which minimises wear and offers a much longer operating life.

The procurement cost for a single length of Lambda chain was almost 150% more than the cost for the basic 12B chain - which may have put a lot of operators off. However, once installed, the chain lasted for 40 months without the need for any maintenance. Over 40 months the basic chain would have been replaced four times and accrued regular maintenance costs. As such the Lambda chain was almost 45% cheaper to run which represented a saving as shown in the table below.

If you take into account lubrication and replacement maintenance time, then the TCO figure starts to look more realistic, and closer to 100% more expensive. This is also without adding any potential downtime costs. The chain is replaced during a routine maintenance window, then there is no figure there, but, if the plant could be up and running instead of being stopped while the roller chain is replaced then the cost per hour of lost production can easily run into thousands.

Jake Yamamoto continues: "Tsubaki invests heavily in R&D and offers a wide range of products which have been designed for all types of industries and environments. This means that for most applications, even traditional hard wearing ones, we are able to specify a solution which will last many times longer than a basic chain. We will conduct a site visit prior to specification to make sure that we understand the unique requirements of every job so that we can provide an accurate estimate for our chain's TCO."

Tsubaki takes an eco-friendly approach to product design - Nouvelles

2020-04-29T08:45:14Z

With a new approach to product design and development, Tsubaki is helping customers address the key challenges of the 21^st Century; reducing the environmental burden of their operations and improving economic efficiency.

]]> Products developed as part of Tsubaki's Eco & Eco philosophy (Ecology and Economy) promise to reduce environmental burden for customers by promoting increased efficiency, improved resource recycling and increased reuse potential. They also help to reduce running costs through long wear life and maintenance-free operation; and by being inherently simpler products, they can also help to reduce procurement costs.

Tsubaki has a long-standing reputation for developing high quality, high performance lubricant-free chain products, which offer extended operational life and reduced maintenance costs. Over the years, Tsubaki instituted a policy that all products it develops must be environmentally friendly. This meant products that would save energy, reduce CO₂ emissions, eliminate lubrication for a cleaner workplace, reduce waste, ensure long life, reduce noise, enable reuse, and eliminate the use of harmful materials and substances. Now the company has formalised these joint development goals into the Eco & Eco range.

Sales & Marketing Director for Tsubakimoto Europe B.V., Jake Yamamoto comments: "The entire Tsubaki Group has been working together for some time to ensure that all new product developments are environmentally-friendly. We have looked at the ecological factors that we can directly control, and classified them into seven categories: resource conservation, with a reduction in waste; energy saving, with reduced CO₂emissions; clean workplace and usage environments; consideration for the surrounding environment; ease of disposal; reuse; and consideration for harmful substances.

"By using these categories as a framework for all new product design and development, and combining these environmentally-friendly benefits with the proven economic advantages of Tsubaki products, we are delivering on our commitment to help customers reduce the economic burden of their operations and improve economic efficiency."

The small size, low weight, lube-free design and long wear life of the Tsubaki chain products, combined with reduced weight, elimination of residue and ability to recycle aids in the conservation of resources. In addition, the low friction and high efficiency help to reduce energy consumption, thus lowering energy costs and reducing CO₂ emissions. By running lube-free, and with minimal dust, the chains help to ensure a cleaner working environment.

Consideration for the surrounding environment comes by minimising all forms of pollution, including lubricant, noise, vibration and odour. Use of a rationalised, simpler range of materials in the manufacture of the products promotes ease of disassembly and disposal, and many of the materials can be reused. Tsubaki has also worked to eliminate harmful substances, many in line with customer requests, and instead has promoted the use of safe materials such as edible grease.

Eco & Eco products are already available in the full range of Tsubaki chains, including GT4 Winner, Lambda lube free chain, Neptune™ corrosion resistant chain and G8 Heavy Duty chain. New additions to the Tsubaki range will also be Eco & Eco products. Users can expect to achieve double the wear life of traditional products, with up to 49% reduction in CO₂ emissions.

In addition to the ecological benefits for users, the economic benefits are also clear: the increased wear life means a reduction in maintenance time and effort, and the elimination of regular chain switching costs. In addition, the chain products deliver significantly increased performance, which means users can reduce chain size for a given application, lowering product costs and reducing overall equipment size.

Demonstrating the potential of its Eco & Eco range, Tsubaki presented a brewery project where 18 conveyors were being used to transport pallets of barrels. Each conveyor ran for 9.75m, with a 7.5kW electric motor driving a 3-strand chain at 15m/min. But chain lubricant splashing onto the pallets and barrels was resulting in defects, contamination problems and rejects. The customer tried to solve the problem by stopping lubricating the chain, but after a few months running, the chain became stiff and the rollers showed a flat surface. Vibration increased significantly, and the motor started getting very hot, resulting in constant thermal tripping.

Tsubaki recommended a lubrication-free alternative, using a 2-strand bearing roller chain. The rollers are completely maintenance-free and, because of the lower friction, the customer was also able to use a smaller power motor - just 1.5kW. The end result was that energy consumption was reduced from 27,000kWh to just 5,400kWh. This both lowered the energy costs and meant a CO₂ reduction from 15,255kg to 3,056kg.

There was a significant equipment cost saving as well, both from the 2-strand chain meaning fewer chain meters and from the significantly smaller electric motor. With no need for lubrication, there were additional maintenance savings, while the long-life design of the chain meant an operating life increase from just 4 years promised by the existing product to approximately 15 years for the Tsubaki chain.

"At Tsubaki we are mindful of the environment in all of our operations and recognise that we have a responsibility to develop products which are more environmentally friendly," Yamamoto concludes. "This is a key driver for new product development. But at the same time, we see that our customers are also facing environmental pressures, and therefore our own ecological design principles can offer direct customer benefits too. By combining this with the longstanding, proven economic advantages of Tsubaki chains, these Eco & Eco products really can help our customers to reduce the environmental burdens of their operations and at the same time improve their economic efficiency."

Tsubaki is a GT4 Winner at Austrian pulp and paper plant - Nouvelles

2020-04-08T13:13:30Z

From the chipper to the roll, producing paper is a continuous process. For plant managers tasked with managing capital expenditure, sometimes budget components can find their way onto the production line. Drive chain is a classic example of a product that is sometimes treated as a commodity rather than an engineered component. One global manufacturer of pulp and paper products discovered that low cost chains on the line don't necessarily lead to cost savings once installed. Consequently, it turned to Tsubaki to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) via a premium chain solution.

]]> A paper mill is a demanding environment for power transmission components such as drive chain. The manufacturing process inevitably involves large amounts of abrasive dust particles in the air. This dust will contaminate chain lubricant and work its way into the chain's internals, leading to corrosion and increased wear. Ultimately this will cause the chain to elongate and eventually fail completely. The continuous nature of paper production compounds these issues, as the high duty requirements causes improperly specified chains to fail faster. It also raises the stakes of chain failure. A single unexpected chain failure can bring the entire production line to a standstill.

For a major European paper manufacturer, a paper mill in Austria was suffering from regular delays caused by chain failure - specifically the drive chain installed in the paper coil elevator. The heavy coils of paper at the site are moved by 10 elevators to different floors of the facility, ready to be cut and processed. Chains from three different brands were being utilised across the elevators, none of which were robust enough to offer long service life. The use of three different chain types resulted in inconsistent wear, resulting in the chains becoming uneven, In addition to the general atmospheric challenges of the application area, the chains installed on the elevators were regularly subjected to very high shock loads - which was causing the plates of the chain to crack.

While offering a reduced cost at initial purchase, budget chain struggles to meet application requirements long term. Premature failure leads to plant downtime, which risks order schedules. Maintenance intervals are also shortened, increasing the frequency of repairs. As a result, despite offering an initially cheap solution, the TCO of an inferior chain during its lifetime is greatly increased compared to a premium chain.

Realising this, the manufacturer approached Tsubaki to provide an improved chain solution. Offering over a century of experience in designing and manufacturing high performance chain, Tsubaki is a key supplier of power transmission components to the paper industry, as well as the agriculture, automotive, metals, mining, food and beverage sectors. A century of success is underpinned by a responsive service and a global engineering capability, which ensured that Tsubaki engineers were quickly on-site at the Austrian plant to carry out a thorough inspection.

After assessing the 10 elevators, Tsubaki identified its GT4 Winner chain as a suitable solution. Designed to provide strength in high wear environments, the chain boasts four key features which are designed to reduce wear and minimise chain elongation:

Lube-grooved (LG) bushes hold oil at the point of contact which provides an internal reservoir for lubricant where the chain needs it most (sizes RS16B - RS24B).
Seamless and perfectly cylindrical bushes result in both better contact between the pin and bush and improved lubricant retention.
Centre sink rivets - for easy disassembly - which are designed with markings to identify pin rotations caused by chain overloading (sizes RS08B - RS16B).
Ring Coined connection links allow the chain to be specified up to its full kW rating; unlike the typical standard slip-fit connecting links used by competitors which are usually much weaker than the base chain.

The GT4 Winner was trialled on a single elevator at the Austrian facility to gauge performance and potential benefits. Increased strength ensured that the premium Tsubaki chain could withstand the shock loads inherent to the application comfortably, eliminating the issue of cracked plates. This also minimised elongation and minimised likelihood of premature failure, which consequently reduced maintenance requirements. Longer service life, a decreased risk to uptime and reduced maintenance translated to a greatly improved TCO compared to the previous chains. The successful test period led to the GT4 Winner being installed on all 10 of the paper coil elevators.

COVID-19 Statement - Nouvelles

2020-04-02T10:13:42Z

The COVID-19 crisis poses big challenges in both our personal and professional lives.

At Tsubaki our priority is safeguarding the health of our staff, preventing the spread of the virus whilst continuing to help our customers.

Therefore, we have put several actions in place such as reducing the movement of people by working from home, social distancing and several preventative health measures, where we closely follow the health authorities' directions.

]]> Nevertheless, at Tsubaki we stay fully connected and at your service as our offices in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and in the United Kingdom remain open during the regular business hours.

From our (home) offices, workshops and distribution centers in Europe and our fully operational manufacturing facilities in Japan we continue to do our utmost to keep your processes up and running. Our manufacturing plants in Japan are fully operational and replenishing our stocks.

We are confident to overcome this difficult period in time together.

For any queries on the above please contact:
info@tsubaki.eu
+31 (0)78 6204000

Tsubaki offers a full range of sprockets - Nouvelles

2020-03-27T15:11:01Z

Tsubaki, the world's premier manufacturer of power transmission products, offers a full range of sprockets, all available from stock, for the European market. The impressive line-up includes products manufactured from carbon steel (with induction hardened teeth) and stainless steel and features a huge range of standard products. Customers with specific requirements for their applications are catered for thanks to a customisation service.

]]> As a leading manufacturer of power transmission components, with a reputation for delivering reliable and cost effective solutions, Tsubaki well understands that the physical interaction between chain and sprocket can have a profound effect on the performance of the drive system. This is why the company offers a complete range of sprockets which offer a variety of sizes and materials to suit almost any application and reduce maintenance and repair costs on-site.

Peter de Blok, Sales Director for Tsubakimoto Europe, comments: "Tsubaki is dedicated to manufacturing power transmission solutions for its customers that will reduce running costs and offer industry leading reliability. The sprocket range has been designed to meet as broad a spectrum of industries and applications as possible which is why there are nearly 650 standard parts held in stock to choose from. Of course, if our standard parts aren't quite what you're after we offer reworking and 'Made-To-Order' services."

The sprockets are available in a variety of materials. Carbon steel sprockets are available in DIN 8187 standard, in both simplex and duplex formats, as well as in ANSI standard for simplex configuration, all of which have a standard parallel bore. There is also a range of carbon steel taper bore sprockets available in DIN 8187, simplex format. Alternatively, for extra corrosion resistance and food-grade applications, alloy and stainless steel sprockets are available.

In addition to the huge range of standard products, Tsubaki is able to rework the entire range to individual requirements. For example, adding a keyway or a finished bore dimension within 8-10 working days of the order. Customers may also provide Tsubaki with engineering drawings for a truly customised sprocket, which can then be manufactured and held in stock ready for delivery as required.

Tsubaki conveyor chain leads to long term cost savings and efficiency for commercial bakery - Nouvelles

2020-03-04T09:42:02Z

Producing high quality, consistent baked goods in a batch production requires precise and reliable processes and equipment. For one bakery, the industrial oven it used for producing pre-baked bread rolls required new conveyor chain every two years due to excessive wear. This was an expensive and time-consuming operation that affected the bakery's production targets. Fortunately, Tsubaki's expert engineers were able to recommend a specialised chain product that more than doubled service life.

]]> Almost every village in France still has its own boulangerie, a bakery handed down through the generations of a family of master craftsmen. Today, their bakers combine tradition with technology to ensure the very best end products.

In bigger towns, larger scale bakeries also apply high standards as they work to supply supermarkets across their region. They won't sacrifice quality, so rely on technical solutions with their plant, equipment and processes to achieve the efficiency and cost management they require.

One bakery decided to review its costs and procedures to ensure that its production line was performing to the highest standards. It quickly identified that the tunnel oven used to produce pre-baked bread rolls was requiring a shut-down period for replacement conveyor chain every 1.5 to 2 years. The replacement process required a complete de-mount of the machine, which resulted in expensive maintenance bills. The question that inevitably arose was: "Can we improve the service life of the chain?"

Tsubaki was contacted and its engineers were soon on site to assess the application. The average temperatures experienced by the chain throughout the oven cycle was 240°C (peaking at 300°C), which was causing the inside of the rollers to wear and the chain to fail earlier than expected. Tsubaki identified that chain designed for operation in hard wearing environments, combined with a specialised lubrication system, could significantly extend the gap between replacement and reduce the Total Cost of Ownership of the oven at the same time.

The engineers recommended an engineered solution from its large size conveyor chain catalogue that featured heat treated rollers and bushes to ensure smooth interaction, even at high temperatures. The chain has been built for strength and performance to cope with regular loading and delivers stable performance. In this case it was suggested that the bakery lubricate the chain with a specialty food-grade lubrication formulated to be stable in very high temperatures. This is dispensed through an electrically operated gear pump, that is synchronised with the speed of the chain to ensure that an optimised coating is always maintained.

With the new chain installed and the updated lubrication system in operation it wasn't long until the bakery's maintenance staff started to notice the difference in performance. Where the chain would usually start to show signs of wear in a few months, the new chain was visibly harder wearing than the incumbent. In fact, the chain proved to offer more than twice the reliability - eventually reaching a service life of over five years. The resulting reduction in periods of non-production has been a significant benefit to the Total Cost of Ownership of the chain, which reflects directly onto the bakery's bottom line.

Automotive manufacturers double conveyor chain service life with Tsubaki - Nouvelles

2019-12-23T11:29:33Z

The automotive production line is a high-pressure environment, where downtime costs thousands of euros a minute. Despite the sky-high costs of poor reliability, many manufacturers are still specifying the chain that drives their conveyors as a commodity product - basing buying decisions on price rather than performance. In many cases such a strategy is a false economy as the correctly specified chain may last many times longer than the budget option and also improve the efficiency of the production line.

]]> Most automotive production plants are expected to operate continuously with only occasional opportunities for planned maintenance throughout the year. In most cases, the car parts are moving constantly through the assembly process on overhead conveyors, taking them from one workstation to the next.

As such, it is easy to see how the conveyor systems that transport the vehicle body parts through the factory represent a vital part of the production flow. Should the conveyor chain break, or malfunction in any way, then a large proportion of the production line will come to a literal standstill. Without ample redundancy or backup, this could quickly spread through to the other production processes from sub-assembly to cabin fit-out, paint spraying and function testing. It can also disrupt goods inwards, dispatch and just about every other activity on site.

It is perhaps surprising then, that conveyor chain is often viewed as a commodity product, rather than an engineered component. This is a common approach that is based on a false premise that all chain offers similar service life, so value can only be found at the point of purchase. It's understandable why production engineers and facilities managers who have only ever experienced poor performance would think this. The reality is that specialist chains can often survive several times longer than conventional chain, particularly in heavy duty applications.

For example, one of the UK's largest automotive assembly plants found that it was having to replace its conveyor chain at least once every 12 months. The problem was made worse by the fact that maintenance was scheduled quarterly, so the chain could only be lubricated every 3 months. The chain became stiff and difficult to articulate and airborne particles were causing contamination to build up in the chain and cause wear. The chain would typically break inside of 12 months, so, to prevent unscheduled downtime the chain had to be replaced every third quarter.

The plant's managers were keen to look for ways to improve chain management and thereby increase productivity, so they invited chain experts from Tsubaki to suggest an alternative solution.

It was soon established that the OE chain in use was not suited to the heavy-duty operation and Tsubaki suggested that a better quality chain would offer a longer working life. However, to add value to the production line, the new chain would need to offer a demonstrably lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Tsubaki recommended its maintenance-free, Lambda series of self-lubricated chain. This would eliminate the need for manual lubrication while extending the overall operation life of the chain: cutting maintenance costs, reducing downtime and minimising the cost of replacement chain.

To further enhance the service life, Tsubaki's engineers developed a special top plate, which was fitted to every second link. This works to reduce chain contamination and protect the chain from wear. Also, on Tsubaki's recommendation, the rivets used to secure the top plates were replaced with special, high tensile screws that are secured into position with thread locking adhesive.

The net result of the switch to Tsubaki's Lambda chain is a conveyor system that typically operates reliably for in excess of 2 years - more than doubling the service life of the OE chain. This means that the plant is spending less on chain each year, while also saving on maintenance costs and lost production.

Tsubaki introduces One-Touch Inspection Doors for use with bulk material conveyors - Nouvelles

2019-08-13T11:38:32Z

Tsubaki has launched a range of One-Touch Inspection Doors or hatch covers for use with conveyor systems, particularly those transporting bulk materials such as flour, grain or aggregates.

The door is intended for installation on chutes, hoppers, covered conveyors and other material handling plant and equipment. It has a simple lever lock mechanism that can be opened one-handed to allow inspection or to give access for cleaning.

]]> Each door unit is fitted with high performance gaskets that provide a dust tight seal and also serve to keep rain at bay in outdoor installations. In fact, there is a choice of gasket materials to suit different application needs, polyethylene foam (white), neoprene rubber (grey), and heat resistant (200°/400°). Their performance is guaranteed over time by the rigidity of the frame, which is designed to maintain its shape throughout its working life.

Two styles are offered, regular and high-neck. The former is designed to be compact; the latter is taller and raises the door up so is suitable for installation on curved surfaces, when extra space is required to accommodate insulating material and other special cases.

Both styles are available with a variety of door options, including solid, windowed, pressure resistant, flanged and with a screen. They are also available in three corrosion resistant series, P series (standard), Q series (corrosion resistant), and R series (all stainless steel).

Finally, there is a special version with a key lock option, which is expected to be used mainly in applications such as the conveying of foodstuffs where security is an issue. Naturally it could also be used as a safety feature, restricting access to potentially dangerous machinery to authorised personnel only.

The doors are available in a range of sizes from 50mm by 80mm to 100mm to 170mm. Full details of Tsubaki One Touch Doors are available on the main Tsubaki website.

Tsubaki exhibiting at LIGNA woodworking and forestry trade fair - Nouvelles

2019-05-22T08:35:47Z

Tsubaki will be showing its range of drive and conveyor chain solutions at LIGNA, the globally renowned trade exhibition for machinery, plant and tools for the woodworking and timber processing industry.

Visit Tsubaki in Hall 25, Stand A34 at the Hannover fairground: 27th to 31st May.

]]> Visitors to the Tsubaki stand will be able to see GT4 Winner, Lambda, Heavy Duty drive chains, Sharp Top chain and drop forged conveyor chain, sprockets, Pin Gear Drive Units, Cam Clutch / freewheels. All of which are tried and tested in modern sawmills, so have a record of providing reliable performance in dust-laden environments and have been proven to cope with other difficult working conditions such as shock loads and outdoor usage.

GT4 Winner is a fourth generation, enhanced BS/DIN European premium chain. Available in chain sizes from RF06B to RS48B, it can be supplied in simplex, duplex and triplex formats and is designed to operate in harsh conditions.

Lambda is Tsubaki's lube-free chain, now in its sixth generation of design. The use of sintered bushes means it is self-lubricating providing a long and maintenance-free operating life. No additional lubrication is needed, which in turn contributes to a clean work environment.

The superior performance of Tsubaki Heavy Duty chains is guaranteed by the care taken during manufacture. This begins with selection of the world's finest steel materials and continues with inspection and analysis of quality and performance in 20 different stages.

The duties expected of conveyor chains vary widely but can include demanding application environments and unusual media to be transported. Tsubaki's unparalleled experience in the field means it can guarantee the performance, durability, safety and reliability of its conveyor chain solutions. Its chains are resistant to elongation and well able to cope with shock loads, while various attachments and ancillary equipment mean virtually any requirement can be met.

Tsubaki also offers an extensive range of Cam Clutch / freewheels. From high and low speed overrunning applications to backstopping or high-precision indexing, Tsubaki has a product to match every application, even in the toughest operating conditions. For the most unusual or demanding applications, bespoke solutions can be developed by Tsubaki's in-house specialists.

LIGNA is a Biannual event, the last edition in 2017 had more than 1,500 exhibiting companies and nearly 93,000 visitors from all over the world. This year, the exhibition will include live demonstrations and will feature themed avenues covering key topics, such as mobile sawmills, logistics and transport, firewood production lines and tools.

Tsubaki team at the Marathon Rotterdam 2019 - Nouvelles

2019-04-19T07:55:14Z

It was the 39th edition of the NN Marathon Rotterdam. The edition was sold out, 17.000 runners took part and that was the maximum number allowed. There was a cheerful atmosphere along the course with an estimated 950,000 spectators, who shouted the participants (from no less than 93 countries) to the finish.

]]> Tsubaki was represented by 15 runners consisting of employees and distributors running the full, half, ¼ or business relay marathon. Tsubaki employees took care of the organization and support on this sunny sunday.

Many great time scores were made but there were also a few runners struggling with the temperature. The fastest run was by Olivier Desmet who run the full marathon in 2:56:52!

All runners were sponsored by Tsubaki and made Tsubaki proud by raising a donation amount of: €3.100. The cheque was presented to the Daniel den Hoed Foundation (part of Erasmus MC Foundation), for cancer research.

Dimitar Stojkovski, Managing Director of Tehnoinvest, Macedonia ran the full marathon in an excellent time of 04:14:21 and commented afterwards:

"Great event! Perfect organization, excellent course, magnificent atmosphere! Simply the best running conditions.

What amazes me the most is the fact that whole Rotterdam was cheering us: 42km of supporters, music and party on both sides of the course kept the runners motivated from the beginning to the very end.

Looking forward to join Tsubaki team again on Rotterdam's marathon 40th anniversary!"

Lube-free chain offers alternative to special food grade lubricants - Nouvelles

2019-04-17T07:57:01Z

The use of specialist Food grade lubricants within food manufacturing is vital to ensure food products are fit for human consumption. However; they are highly expensive and often wasteful, so here Peter de Blok, Sales Director EMEA for Tsubakimoto Europe B.V. discusses a possible alternative.

]]> Legislation surrounding the manufacture or processing of foodstuffs is rightfully strict.

One of the main principles of product safety in food manufacturing is to ensure the use of wholesome ingredients. Naturally, this means that there has to be a follow-on principle, to the effect that any other material that could get into the finished product by accident should not be dangerous to health. Therefore, manufacturers should have processes in place to prevent the incorporation of visible foreign bodies, and there is also the issue of trace materials that are harder to detect and address.

One such potential trace material is the oil or grease used to lubricate the production machinery. In fact, it is sometimes inevitable that some lubricant will find its way into the finished food products. Therefore, it is necessary that food processing machinery uses lubricants that are not harmful when consumed by humans.

Manufacturers of lubrication make special food grade products and there are laws and industry standards that manage their use. Regulations vary from country to country, but essentially there are three main categories of lubricants used in the food industry.

H1 lubricants - Lubricants that may have incidental contact with the food being produced, so must not be harmful.
H2 lubricants - Lubricants which must not contact the food, so can only be used in closed systems
H3 soluble oils - Oils which can be used to clean or protect equipment that contacts food, but which must be washed off before the equipment is used.

Buying-in and managing the use of food grade lubricants is an expense and requires responsible oversight. Thus, managers in the food processing industry may be able to gain a competitive edge if they can drive efficiencies into these tasks, whilst maintaining suitable high standards.

One proven way to do this is with the use of drive or conveyor chain that is supplied with a food grade self-lubrication feature. Such a chain is designed to be permanently lubricated so that it does not need to be re-lubricated during its working life.

While this may seem intuitively to be a very minor gain, calculations about the time and manpower required to carry out such relubrication to a regular schedule, plus the cost of the special lubricant, show that in fact there is a notable saving to be made. Furthermore, this saving can often be multiplied many-fold when you add in the cost of lost production time, and potential to the life of chain product by having continuous lubrication applied from within. However, even this figure could pale into insignificance if you consider the cost and reputational damage that could be caused by a major product recall.

Tsubaki first introduced lubricated-for-life chain (often referred to as lube-free chain) thirty years ago. It quickly proved very popular and has gone on to become almost a de facto industry standard for many applications. Never one to rest on its laurels, Tsubaki has a policy of constantly refining and developing all of its products, including the Lambda range of lube-free chains.

The core concept of the Lambda design is the use of an oil impregnated sintered bush. This is self-lubricating for the life of the chain and, importantly, retains the vast majority of the lubricant within the chain rather than it leaking out to potentially contaminate products, packaging and other items.

Now in its sixth generation of design, all Lambda chain is lubricated with NSF-H1 food grade lubricant impregnated into the bushes as standard, with H3 oil impregnation being available on request. This makes the Tsubaki Lambda Chain series perfectly suitable for applications in the food industry.

Significantly, Lambda is designed to be able to withstand moderate washdown routines used in the food industry. It can also operate perfectly in temperatures up to 150°C as standard, with higher temperature versions available should they be required for extreme environments.

Other advantages of Lambda include a patented ring coining production process applied to the connecting links, which significantly increases the chain's strength, reducing the likelihood of breakage and consequent lost production; easy assembly and rapid fitting; long life, leading to reduced replacement cost over time; no maintenance requirements and clean running for reduced risk of product or environmental contamination.

Lambda is completely interchangeable with standard BS roller chains, so can be adopted onto existing machinery without any re-engineering. Similarly, Lambda can be used with standard BS roller chain sprockets, although due to the extended lifetime of BS Lambda chain, Tsubaki recommends the installation of sprockets with hardened teeth that will match the chain for longevity.

Lambda chains impregnated with food grade lubricant have been used in many food manufacturing installations and have produced advantages in terms of reduced maintenance, security against product contamination and significant cost savings. Like earlier versions of Lambda, Tsubaki is expecting this food safe, high-performance chain to increasingly become the only product of choice for many users.

Tsubaki expecting chain reaction at Hannover Messe - Nouvelles

2019-03-25T09:43:06Z

Visitors to the 2019 Hannover Messe will be able to see innovations and the latest developments from worldwide chain maker Tsubaki. Tsubaki is part of the European Power Transmission Distributors Association (EPTDA) Pavilion on Stand B35 (16), Hall 24.

]]> As well as products from its standard chain ranges, Tsubaki will be displaying large size roller and conveyor chain alongside several innovative products. The latter includes Tsubaki's Zip Chain Actuators, in which two chains are locked together like a zipper to form a single, strong column for pushing and pulling applications.

Also on prominent show will be a drive system that replaces gears and racks. Consisting of a pin wheel and rack, plus a gear with a unique tooth profile, Pin Gear Drive Units offer limitless design possibilities for rotating and linear drives.

Stand visitors may like the one-touch operation of Tsubaki's new range of inspection doors or hatch covers for use with process plant and covered conveyors such as those used for transporting bulk materials. These easy mounting solutions offer protection from dust and moisture ingress, yet can be easily opened for visual checking of operations.

The newly enlarged range of Tsubaki's ever-popular chain wear indicators is expected to be a talking point amongst visitors. Robust and simple to use, one end of the indicator is shaped to fit snugly over a roller and the tip of the other end indicates the degree of wear by highlighting the total elongation over a number of links. The new indicators cover large size chain from BS RS20B to RS48B and ANSI from RS100 to RS240. These complement the existing sizes from BS RF06B to RS16B and ANSI RS35 to RS80.

Tsubakimoto Europe B.V. is the European headquarters of Tsubakimoto Chain Co, which is a world leader in premium quality drive and conveyor chain and associated power transmission products for the industrial sectors. It has sales offices in the Netherlands, UK, Germany and Spain, from which it serves customers in Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.