Drive Shaft Upgrade for a 1780mm Hot Strip Mill
Replacement of aged universal drive shafts on the finishing stands of a 1780mm hot strip line — manufactured, dynamically balanced and installed inside a 72-hour overhaul window.
Customer Background
The mill, commissioned in 2008, suffered growing vibration and backlash on its finishing-stand drive shafts. Worn splines caused unplanned stops roughly twice a month, and each stop of the line meant significant losses. The plant decided to renew all twelve drive shafts on the finishing stands during its annual overhaul.
The Challenge
- The line could only be stopped for a fixed 72-hour overhaul window — no trial fitting afterwards
- New shafts had to be fully interchangeable with worn foundations and couplings
- High-speed duty required dynamic balancing to ISO 1940 G6.3 with G2.5 on request
Our Solution
- 3D-scanned the removed shafts to capture actual worn geometry and mounting dimensions
- Forged new shafts in alloy steel with integral-fork (SWC 580) and roll-type (VF800) ends machined to the scanned data
- Each shaft dynamically balanced to G6.3; balance reports delivered with the goods
- Our engineer stayed on site during the window to guide alignment and torquing
The Results
All twelve shafts were installed and aligned within the 72-hour window, five days of manufacturing margin included. Vibration at the finishing stands dropped by roughly 40%, and the line has run for six months since without a single drive-shaft related stop.
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