When it comes to bearings, NSK has a proven and practical way to enhance the reliability of machines, the productivity of people and the overall profitability of the business.
The company’s Added Value Programme AIP offers a combination of engineering and commercial services that allows bearing users to improve the performance of their production machinery, people and processes, making their maintenance function more efficient and effective. Money can therefore be saved at every step of the process to help maximise market competitiveness.
Bearings are used to drive machinery and keep production lines running the world over. Despite their importance, purchasing decisions for bearings are often based on price alone. This strategy overlooks the fact that the unit cost of a bearing typically represents just 15% of its lifetime cost, with the remaining 85% accruing due to factors such as frequent replacements, breakdowns, high energy costs and downtime. Adopting the AIP approach helps customers to specify the optimum replacement bearings, while at the same time reducing or eliminating any troublesome issues.
AIP has recently been re-launched with the strapline ‘improvement pays’. For bearing users, this ‘payment’ arrives in the form of enhanced machine reliability, productivity and cost savings. So how does it work? Well, AIP is set out in five distinct steps known as the value cycle.
Staying one step ahead
The first step is ‘evaluation’, where NSK experts visit the bearing user’s site to collect relevant data and understand the challenges. Once complete, the second step – ‘recommendation’ – sees the specialists propose a solution based on what has been learnt, as well as their knowledge and experience. Importantly, this step includes a full breakdown of the anticipated savings.
Step three is ‘implementation’. Here, assistance is provided with the installation and testing of the recommended solution, refining it further for even greater optimisation where appropriate.
In the fourth step, which is known as ‘validation’, machine performance is monitored to ensure that the predicted results are being achieved. There are no vague promises with AIP, which is purpose-designed to define NSK’s all-inclusive approach to improvement. Finally, step five is ‘extension’, where the potential for expanding the service to further applications is assessed. An overview of the five steps can be viewed below:
Proven NSK services
By applying AIP’s five-step value cycle it is possible to increased machine efficiency, effectiveness and reliability, while simultaneously boosting safety and productivity. Within all five steps there are a number of proven NSK services based on best practice methodology. These services include surveys, process maps, application reviews, machine design support, diagnostics, training, condition monitoring and failed bearing analysis. Armed with these services, AIP provides incremental and sustainable improvements over the long term, significantly reducing TCO (total cost of ownership). But the benefits do not stop there, particularly for the wider business. For instance, personnel can expect to gain more skills, while inventory becomes optimised, releasing working capital.
Delivered through a global network of highly skilled and fully authorised distributors, this customised value creation programme facilitates the identification and quantification of process improvements and tangible cost savings.
50% cost reductions
Many companies have already benefited from AIP as it can be applied to any type of machine, system or equipment that uses bearings, including: machine tools; industrial gearboxes; pumps; fans; electric motors; paper mill machinery; trains; cement, mining and aggregates machinery; steel mills; and machinery for the food industry, to list but a few. Bearing users participating in AIP regularly see costs reduced by 50% or more.
NSK has invested significant resources in taking AIP to the next level, and is confident it can help bearing users take their business to the next level too. After all, improvement is a journey without a final destination – it never stops. NSK, via AIP, will never stop looking for better ways to support its customers.
For more information visit:
www.nskeurope.com
