Maintenance costs are becoming an increasingly greater concern, and as a result, the ability to repair equipment rather than replace is becoming the preferred option for many engineering and maintenance professionals.
Rubber components such as seals, gaskets and drive couplings are susceptible to damage through abrasive wear and can be very difficult to repair. In addition, wear and erosion of bespoke rubber components often suffer from similar problems. Due to costly spare parts and limited availability, replacement of the entire equipment is often the only option, resulting in high costs. Even if parts are available, delivery times can be a problem.
Belzona manufacture a range of fluid grade Elastomeric solutions that can be used to cast and repair components without involving hot work. Fluid Elastomers can be easily applied reducing the need for specialist tools and will adhere to almost any surface, and are cold applied and cold curing. Utilising a pourable durable Elastomer will allow complex shapes to be simply replicated providing future protection against abrasion, erosion and wear.
Belzona Elastomeric products have been used in numerours repair situations including: the creation of flexible moulds and rubber components, rebuild of gaskets and seals and horizontal expansion joints. Adhesion can be created by using surface conditioners, alternatively components can be ‘cast and released’ by use of a Releasing Agent.
By way of example, these rubber lobe pumps are used in harsh environments such as for processing sewage effluent within the water industry. Wear on the rubber rotor leads to less efficiency necessitating replacement. Belzona 2100 Series Elastomers can be effectively used to re-cast and remold these worn rotors.
Cutlass bearings are another typical application for Belzona Elastomers; these bearings can deteriorate and become worn. In this example a Belzona Fluid Elastomer was used to recast water lubricated cutlass bearings from sea water lift pumps. High sand content in the water had resulted in the bearings wearing out rapidly. A suitable mould and former was manufactured and released using Belzona 9411 (Release Agent).
Belzona 2131 (D&A Fluid Elastomer) was then poured in until the material filled the mould. Once cured, the former was removed.
To date, the success of the Belzona solution has resulted in over 300 bearings being cast for the client. Reclaiming the original sleeve allows new bearings to be produced at a fraction the cost of new ones.
Other applications of Belzona liquid applied Elastomers include the creation of custom seals and repair of both horizontal and vertical expansion joints.
Belzona’s cold curing; liquid applied Elastomers can offer huge cost savings in challenging industrial situations and demonstrate long term, excellent resistance to abrasion, wear and erosion. For further information on how Belzona can help reduce your maintenance costs, please visit http://www.belzona.es/prod2k.aspx
