Designing a device to support a 20 tonne shaft on support wheels
09 February 2023
Here at deltabarn we have recently completed the design of a device to support a 20 tonne shaft on support wheels such that it can be rotated by hand.
As you can imagine this was not simple. The main problems with a task like this are friction and inertia. As the shaft rests on the support wheels the friction at the wheel hubs is enormous and the force needed to turn the shaft is enormous. As this was a commissioning tool the amount the shaft was rotated had to be precise and the effect of inertia had to be be controlled.
The solution to the support wheel issue was to use ultra-low friction bearings in steel wheels with nylon tyres. This lowered the turning force required but it was far too high for Manual operation. The solution to this was a super low friction 150:1 gearbox with hand wheel mounted at the end of the shaft and connected to to the shaft via a friction mounted flange connection.
This whole arrangement was mounted on a machine bed with walkways at the required height to give operator access .
In this way the seemingly impossible task of turning a 20 tonne shaft by hand has been achieved. Confidentiality means we can’t reveal more, but problems of any magnitude Can be overcome with a logical, cool outlook and engineering know-how.
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