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Boosting Performance, Extending Lifespan

In industries like construction, forestry, mining, oil and gas, and others that use cranes, bulldozers, excavators, lifts, dump trucks, and other heavy equipment, wear and tear on components is inevitable. Depending on operating conditions and the work being performed, maintenance, repair, and replacement of worn components can cause excessive downtime, labor, and expense.

WS Hampshire specializes in fabricating custom, thermoplastic and composite parts and components that are durable and tailored to the needs of each application. We work with a range of high-performance materials that outperform traditional materials in heavy equipment, even in harsh conditions.

Learn more about the benefits of developing custom components for heavy equipment and read how our team engineered a solution for a customer that dramatically reduced maintenance work and expenses.

The Power of Customization

Heavy equipment is complex and must withstand hundreds or thousands of hours of repetitive motion at a job site or facility. Moving heavy loads, hoisting equipment or material, operating in excessive hot, cold, or wet conditions, with little down time take a toll on external and internal components.

Time and money spent replacing components means downtime that impacts other departments or customers and eats into profitability. Fortunately it is often possible to engineer replacement components from composite materials that are more durable, easier to maintain, and more convenient to use such as:

• Nose Cone Bearing
• Body Pivot Bushings
• Wire rope Sheaves and Pulleys
• Wear Plates and Slide Pads
• Guide Pads for Extension Cylinders
• Rollers and Wheels
• Hose Clamps and Guides
• Dust Seals
• Scraper Blades
• Outrigger Float Pads

Key Benefits of Custom Components

Custom components are designed specifically for the machine and application in question. Material properties, dimensions, and any special features like colors or finishes, can be included to optimize performance and wear over time. There are several benefits to this custom approach:

1. A Solution Tailored to the Application

Custom parts and equipment are developed to be fully functional for a specific application, so there is no trade off between performance and one-size-fits-all design. Parameters that can be customized include:

• Material composition
• Performance and durability
• Shape
• Dimensions
• Tolerances

2. Competitive Advantage

By upgrading heavy equipment with custom components that enhance efficiency and performance, less production time is lost to maintenance, repair, or developing workarounds for an application. More time on-task is a competitive advantage and boosts profitability.

3. Enhanced Performance

Custom components can be designed to achieve specific goals such as:

• Enhanced performance
• More time between repairs
• Longer useful life
• Process efficiency
• Improved finished product quality or higher yields

4. Cost Efficiency

While custom engineering and manufacturing may be more costly than standardized, ‘off the shelf’ parts, there are often long-term savings to be gained. These include:

5. Integration and Compatibility

Custom-engineered components are made to fit equipment precisely and seamlessly integrate with other parts of a system. This reduces the risk of damage or downtime from ill-fitting or incompatible standard parts.

6. Flexibility and Innovation

Custom engineering fosters innovative state-of-the-art components that set new standards for the equipment, application, and industry. Each component is an opportunity to refine operations and benefit from new ideas.

Real-World Success

This real-world example highlights how changing material used for a critical component in a steel mill saved both time and money.

Replacing Metal with Nylon Makes Major Impact

A specialty steel mill sought ways to reduce downtime and expenses due to a slipper pad on their rolling mill. The aluminum bronze pad was heavy and cumbersome, and required the use of a crane each time it was replaced. With pads wearing out frequently, the mill determined a new solution was needed.

Our team evaluated the requirements for cost and performance as well as factors like weight, operating conditions, and expected lifespan of the pad. A self-lubricating, impact-modified cast nylon material that matched the property profile for the pad was selected. Once fabricated, the new pad was 80% lighter than the original and could be replaced safely without the need for a crane.

We monitored the new pad for signs of wear for over a year to validate the solution. Not only did this nylon component meet the basic performance goals for the project, the new pad lasted longer and even eliminated wear on the mating spindle – an unexpected additional benefit. Pleased with the outcome, the mill chose to standardize all of their parts with WS Hampshire.

Invest in Your Equipment with WS Hampshire

WS Hampshire brings decades of experience with non-metallic and composite materials to custom manufacturing. Our capabilities include CNC machining, punching, stamping, rotary die, vacuum forming, and assembly. We are dedicated to meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations and requirements for each project.

Contact us to learn more about getting the most from your heavy equipment with custom components from WS Hampshire.