Reclaim screws are integral parts of the process for many plants. They need to be kept operating at maximum efficiency, otherwise inefficiency can drag down rates and increase costs through inefficiencies in the process.
Here’s how you can ensure that you are getting maximum efficiency from your reclaim screws.
Inspect Often for Wear and Tear
Reclaim screws are designed to be durable and resilient, and handle a wide envelope of wear, tear, and abrasion during the expected lifespan of the implement.
Even so, it’s important to inspect this machinery often throughout the year – and especially as the equipment ages – to ensure that screw flights, teeth, and other components are in acceptable shape and condition.
Pay close attention to the digger teeth. These are often the first components to show signs of wear. Most plants need to replace digger teeth once per year. Also, re-hard face your screw flights to extend the acceptable service life of your screws.
Stay Within the Design Parameters
Reclaim screws are specifically designed to operate within a certain set of parameters.
Going outside of those parameters can cause damage, wear and tear, and eventual equipment failure. You can also encounter reduced performance, more power consumption, and uneven silo draw down – all things you want to avoid.
Consult with the OEM to learn more about how to manage your reclaim screws within the safe confines of their design parameters.
Considerations for Upgrading Your Reclaim Screws
You can also take steps to extend the life of your reclaim screws and increase their life expectancy, thus generating maximum efficiency.
If you frequently deal with abrasive materials, such as bark, you can cover the screw flights and screw pipe with a protective ceramic/epoxy compound. You can also have the systems rebuilt on a periodic basis to ensure you have a fresh component in place to carry out the job.
Upgrading and rebuilding your reclaim screws can prevent costly downtime and keep your processes running smoothly and efficiency. Contact ProcessBarron for more information on designing, building, maintaining, and upgrading reclaim screws and other important parts of your facility.