Industrial

In the sheet metal industry chatter marks on the finished metal product can cause significant issues for customers. Marks on metal strip affect the quality of the product in industries such as automotive and can-making and can often lead to finished coils being rejected by the customer. These marks are often invisible to the naked eye but can show up further down the line, for example when a car door is being painted.

One of the main causes of chatter marks on finished metal is marked rolls being used in the mill. This is where the rolls used in the rolling mills arrive with chatter marks caused by the roll grinding process. As with the finished product, the chatter marks on the roll can often be invisible to the naked eye, meaning that the grinder operator has no way to tell whether the rolls have chatter marks or not before they are sent to the mill.

An ideal solution to this problem is this innovative Chatter_Detect system. Since Farrat’s acquisition of UniVib – a specialist industrial vibration consultancy – in 2020, Farrat has made use of Chatter_Detect technology in a wide range of businesses around the world.

Chatter_Detect is a post-process roll inspection system that detects chatter marks that may have been ground onto the surface of finish-ground rolls by vibrations generated during the grinding process.

It uses a high-resolution, non-contact capacitive sensor that can detect invisible chatter marks which can be small but still significant enough to affect the rolling process and cause chatter on the strip.

The Chatter_Detect system can identify the pitch and depth of the chatter marks and also enables the operator to set a depth threshold level, so that marks that are not significant enough to affect the rolling process, don’t trigger the Chatter_Detect alarm.

The Chatter_Detect system has helped some of the biggest names in the sheet metal industry ensure that only chatter free rolls are sent to the mill and quality is maintained throughout the roll grinding process.

Chatter_Detect with Farrat

If you’re looking to monitor floor vibration levels or for a bespoke, tailored vibration isolation solution that optimises performance, efficiency and accuracy of industrial machinery within an industrial or production setting, get in touch with the team at Farrat for more information.

Manufacturing businesses are often looking for ways to minimise their waste in terms of spoilage or rejection by upgrading to newest state of the art machinery. However, manufacturers could be thinking beyond their actual products and the items used on-site, to re-evaluate if they could be reusing manufacturing equipment and infrastructure. In doing so they could not only reduce the need for new installations but also make significant financial savings.

Reusing existing isolated foundations for new machinery in a beverage can plant

Isolated foundations and other vibration control solutions are frequently used in factories and manufacturing plants to reduce levels of transmitted vibrations that affect the health and safety of workers as well as the accuracy and productivity of surrounding machinery and activity. This is especially true in beverage can manufacturing plants where heavy impact machinery such as cupper presses and bodymakers can generate excessive dynamic loads.

A recent project for Farrat in Cairo, Egypt, was to establish whether a pre-existing isolated foundation could be used for new manufacturing equipment. A member of our Industrial Vibration Isolation team made a visit to the factory to assess the level of performance of some existing isolated foundations that are currently supporting bodymakers.

These results have been used to determine if a spare isolated foundation installed 10 years ago and presenting the same design could be used to support new machine in the near future.

Not only would this enable a significant financial saving but would also negate the need for digging out new isolated foundations and the associated materials and disruption. In addition, repurposing something already in place is a more environmentally friendly option for a business that creates a product that can be recycled an infinite number of times.

Engineering led vibration and noise measuring and analysis

To determine whether existing infrastructure could be used for effective vibration control, contact the Farrat vibration and noise consultancy team, who work with a wide range of clients across the manufacturing sector, using on-site portable instrumentation for vibration measurement and vibration analysis around the world.

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Aluminium cans are one of the best forms of packaging when it comes to sustainability. The key reason for this is that aluminum as a material retains its quality each time it is reprocessed which means it can be transformed back into itself an infinite number of times, unlike plastic.

As both companies and individuals work to reduce their impact on the environment, can making factories are looking to maximise efficiency to meet demand, and the Farrat team has been at a beverage can production factory in Turkey to investigate excessive machine vibrations that are creating production challenges.

In this instance, the bodymakers were transmitting excessive vibrations to the surrounding factory floor, and this in turn was causing quality issues in nearby machines. Whilst the quality of manufacturing was the key issue to address, the vibrations were also affecting the work environment for those working on-site, with excessive noise in the office area.

A member of our Industrial Vibration Control team went across to the factory to investigate behaviour of machines under vibrations and the wider applications engineering team is now analysing the results to propose corrective action.

Corrective action that resolves issues long term is vital not just for the immediate problem, but also to prevent premature wear of tooling and significantly improve life span of the machinery.

Find out more about industrial vibration control

To find out more about the types of industrial vibrations found in factories and manufacturing plants, and some of the ways in which you can control vibrations to maximise efficiency and minimise disruption, watch our 10-minute digital CPD module on Vibration Control of Machinery.

For more information on how we add value in beverage can production, visit Farrat’s can making hub, dedicated to the can making industry, vibration control solutions that help achieve operational excellence in beverage can manufacturing, and recent case studies within the industry.

Farrat works with Production Engineers and OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturers) within high-capacity rolling mills around the world, to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of a wide range of machinery through vibration control.

A key role we play within the rolled metal and aluminum industry is preventing ‘chatter’.

Chatter refers to the inaccuracies and/or faults in the finish of a manufactured product as a result of vibration sources impacting machine accuracy.

In the recent case study below, we demonstrate how Tuned Mass Dampers can be used as an effective industrial vibrational solution for large milling machines.

The Scenario

Farrat was contacted by the Production Manager at a global aeronautics company, who had identified reporting issues with the performance of a large milling machine within a busy manufacturing plant.

The milling machine was used to machine titanium aero-engine components; therefore, accuracy was essential for the precision part.

On further inspection by Farrat Applications Engineers, the machine was noticeably severely hampered by chatter instability, occurring at the 64 Hz frequency.

The Investigation

Farrat Applications Engineers conducted modal analysis to measure the effects of vibrations on surrounding machinery, as well as activity on the milling machine. The data showed that torsional resonance of the spindle and drivetrain was causing the issue.

If left unresolved, the chatter disturbance would continue and potentially worsen as the effects of the vibration increasingly affected the milling accuracy.

The Conclusion

In order to reduce the effects of the surrounding vibration, a vibration Tuned Mass Damper was fitted to the rear face of the milling cutter. The damper was then carefully tuned to the specific frequency of the torsional resonance that was disrupting the performance of the milling machine, resolving the torsional vibration problems.

As a result of this damper being installed, the chatter was completely eliminated, and the milling machine has performed at the required level of accuracy ever since.

 

For more information on how we’re supporting manufacturers and machine refurbishers with our vibration consultancy, analysis, and troubleshooting services, take a look at our Industrial Vibration Isolation hub or contact our Industrial Applications team.

 

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Farrat work with OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and Production Engineers within manufacturing plants and factories across the world, to reduce spoilage and optimise OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) through vibration control.

Our goal is to prevent the need for unexpected machine maintenance or downtime affecting plant productivity and profitability for our clients, by identifying vibration-induced issues before overt symptoms arise.

The Scenario

During a recent routine maintenance service visit to a manufacturing plant in the UK, Farrat Application Engineers noticed a vibration issue on a large vertical boring machine, which could have potentially led to serious impact on the machinery and the wider plant, both in the short and long term.

The Conclusion

Regular monitoring of the workings of a factory or manufacturing plant needs to go beyond visually assessing machinery and products. It is often only with specialist monitoring and experience that you can ensure productivity, efficiency, and the safety of machinery.

Farrat support industrial clients with regular and planned maintenance to avoid the risk of machine failure, optimise machine performance and reduce spoilage.

To learn more about our range Industrial services, visit our Industrial Vibration Control Hub here.

Farrat was recently instructed to conduct a vibration survey on two different Isolated Foundation systems supporting Cupper Presses in a canning factory in Europe. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate and compare levels of system performance and to identify any opportunities for improvement.

The Investigation

Cupper Presses are typically connected to their foundation by resilient mounts, offering a soft connection. The inertia block placed below is supported by anti-vibration material and is therefore isolated from the rest of the factory.

Two vibration isolation systems were measured during the investigation.

The first vibration isolation system comprised of a cupper press running at 156 RPM, installed on a 3.9 m x 3.9 m inertia block. The cupper press foundation was isolated by a competitor vibration isolation material. The second vibration isolation system comprised of the same type of press running at 158 RPM, installed on a Farrat Isolated Foundation.

The latter system was configured using a 6.1 m x 4.8 m x 1.5 m inertia block supported by Farrat Isomat pads.

Impact on nearby machinery

Located close to the cupper press production line in a nearby office was a direct laser exposure system using a laser engraving method. This machine is used to produce masks that decorate the variety of cans produced within the factory. This process requires machine precision and stability.

It was reported by the Line Manager that this sensitive machine was subjected to excessive vibrations, altering its process quality and interrupting business functionality. To determine the influence of the press, vibrations were measured on the printer in three directions while the press was on and off.

The first few peaks – all located below 20 Hz – were generated by other machines, positioned only 7 meters from the printer. However, clear differences are noticed in all directions between 20 and 50 Hz, presenting the influence of the Cupper Press, even though it was located 30 meters away from the printer.

Note: Z axis means vertical direction, X axis is defined as parallel to the length of the machine and Y axis refers to the width of the machine.

Conclusion

Farrat was asked to find a vibration isolation solution to mitigate this problem and a bespoke solution was designed. Farrat vibration isolation pads made of polyurethane foam were installed below the printer to soften the connection from the machine to the floor and tackle the disturbing frequencies. As a result, there have been no further complaints regarding the process quality, and the issue is considered resolved.

One of the key objectives when designing a vibration isolation system is to maintain a low level of vibration within the machine to help plants reduce spoilage and increase productivity. Another key aspect is to limit vibration transmission to the surroundings. This investigation highlighted the impact that an ineffective isolation system can have on sensitive machinery positioned nearby – decreasing productivity and resulting in complex and costly engineering solutions.

The client’s requirements have been met by the Farrat Isolated Foundation solution, which has significantly lowered the movements of the machine while maintaining a quiet environment for nearby buildings. This demonstrates the efficiency of Farrat Isomat systems for Cupper Press machine applications, where bespoke design solutions are needed to solve complex engineering challenges.

Vibration Isolation Systems from Farrat

For more information on how our application engineers can work with your design teams, production managers and OEM partners to integrate industrial vibration control and Isomat System, contact our team here.

 

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A Cupper Press was recently installed in a new can making factory in Europe, which was built near to commercial and office buildings in the surrounding area. Following recommendations from a consultancy specialising in vibration and structural dynamics, the Cupper Press was installed on top of an inertia block supported by spring elements and visco-dampers, offering a system natural frequency of 1.25 Hz. However, high movements were reported on the machines Spring Foundation during production and as a result the vibrations were emitting outwards to the neighboring buildings.

The impact of this movement was premature wear on the machine and increased spoilage, reducing the overall productivity of the plant. 

The Challenge

Farrat were contacted to provide a replacement solution that would reduce the excessive movement of the Cupper Press and create a quieter environment for the neighbouring buildings. 

Cupper Presses are commonly used in can manufacturing to produce cylindrical cups from rolls of aluminium or metal. The primary action of this type of machine is to punch discs from sheets at high speeds. This action generates vertical excitations at frequencies determined by the speed of the machine, also known as ‘shocks’.  

These heavy vibrations have damaging effects on the functionality of the machine installation, its systems and components, and the machines overall productivity. Shock induced vibrations can also damage the building by generating waves and noises that propagate out into the environment. It is therefore crucial to ensure that Cupper Presses are installed on suitable vibration control systems to mitigate against these effects. 

The primary element of this challenge was to stiffen the overall system, while preventing excessive vibrations being transmitted around. 

The Solution

Farrat’s application engineers considered several system criteria during the design phase, such as the mass, dimensions, and operating speed of the machine, as well as system stability and the isolation performance required to meet the clients challenging requirements.

To resolve both of the clients issues, Farrat engineered a replacement vibration isolation system configured with bespoke bearings made of a steel base and 2 layers of Isomat isolators.

Learn more about the material properties of Farrat Isomat here.

Performance Results 

A vibration investigation was conducted by Farrat to measure the level of vibration emitted before and after replacement of the spring packs, to assess the efficiency of the Farrat Isomat System.  The results of the survey are presented in the adjacent plot, showing the vertical accelerations measured before replacement with the blue curves, and after installation of the Farrat Isomat Bearing with the orange curves.

Vibrations measured at the feet of the machine are shown on top, on the inertia block in the middle, and on the surrounding factory floor at the bottom. The results were observed at all measured operational machine speeds, between 110 and 170 RPM.  

A significant vibration reduction can be seen in each part of the system, particularly at the operational speed of the Cupper Press at slightly below 2 Hz. This is the frequency where the machine is most likely to be moving & rocking, impacting the process quality. The pre-existing system of springs with visco-dampers has proven unsuitable because of its extremely low natural frequency, which is excessively close to the disturbing frequencies generated by the Cupper Press – increasing the risk of resonance issues. 

Conclusion

The client’s requirements have been met by the Farrat Isolated Foundation solution, which has significantly lowered the movements of the machine while maintaining a quiet environment for nearby buildings. This demonstrates the efficiency of Farrat Isomat systems for Cupper Press machine applications, where bespoke design solutions are needed to solve complex engineering challenges.

For more information on how our application engineers can work with your design teams, production managers and OEM partners to integrate industrial vibration control and Isomat System, contact our team here.

 

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Industrial machinery has the potential to generate structure-borne sound and vibration that propagates to the surrounding floor and structures affecting nearby sensitive equipment and workers, having an influence in its precision and damage to inner tooling and potentially having significant effects on its performance. It is, therefore, necessary to minimise the transmission of the disturbances.

An Isolated Foundation can be engineered to protect sensitive machinery from external vibrations (passive isolation) or reduce vibrations and prevent them from being transmitted to the surrounding environment (active isolation).

 

How do they work?

Isolated Foundations are a vibration isolation solution, frequently used across industrial, construction and power generation sectors. The system comprises of a concrete inertia block, to which equipment or machinery is rigidly or softly connected based on the application. Vibration isolation material, provided by Farrat, surrounds the foundation to prevent vibration from either entering or leaving.

The isolation efficiency – usually measured in terms of transmissibility – depends on different aspects that must be taken into consideration when designing an Isolated Foundation. The mass, dimensions, and operating speed of the machine – as well as system stability and isolation performance required – are all factors used by our R&D engineers to determine the material and overall isolation system that can meet particularly challenging clients’ requirements.

 

Typical configurations

With over 60 years of experience in providing vibration isolation solutions for machinery and equipment, Farrat provides the most cost-effective and easy-to-install Isolated Foundation solution for each enquiry. This enables machinery to maximise its productivity while maintaining a safe working environment. The main components of the isolation system are:

• Inertia block – adds mass to the system, increasing the level of compression of the anti-vibration pads to improve their isolation performance. It also provides more stability to the structure and reduces the rocking of the machine because of increased stiffness and lower centre of gravity, thus maintaining alignment during changes in static and dynamic loads. This is known as “mass damping”.
• Cork composite strips – used on top of the side walls to add lateral stiffness. They prevent rocking of the foundation and increase its stability. It also helps to reduce the lateral vibrations from being transmitted in or out of the system.
• Void Former – used to support the strips on the walls and ensure a flat surface on the base to distribute equally the loads from the inertia block and machine onto the anti-vibration pads. It supports the wet concrete until it hardens, then creeps under the loads to allow the pads to take the full load and perform.
• Anti-Vibration pads – flexible elements used between the inertia block and its supporting structure to attenuate the transmission of shock or vibration and isolate the system. They are usually made of rubber which offers ideal performances for a large number of applications but can also be polyurethane foam or helical steel springs for special types of enquiries.

Next steps

We recommend that anyone looking for a vibration control solution for machinery explore our range of services and solutions here.

Technical information regarding Isolated Foundations can be found in this brochure.

Alongside this, our CPD training resource ‘Industrial Module 02’ from our On-Demand CPD library presents real case studies on the effects and benefits of using Isolated Foundations under Impact Machinery.

 

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A simple guide to the Farrat Chatter_Detect system

 

What is Chatter_Detect?

Chatter_Detect is a stand-alone PC-based post-process roll surface inspection system, used for the detection of regular undulations that might grind into the surface of a finish-ground metal roll. These imperfections are caused by vibrations generated during the grinding process.

The hardware is contained in a Chatter_Detect enclosure which is normally mounted on the wheel head of the machine, as shown in Figure 1.

When is it used and why?

Vibration generated by the grinding process may cause undulations to grind into the surface of the metal roll. The degree of which depends on the type of vibration and its frequency relative to the speed of rotation of the roll.

The undulations can be parallel with the roll axis or can lie at an oblique angle to the roll axis.

If they are of sufficient depth, they may appear as “chatter marks”, as shown in Figure 2.

However, most often they are either difficult, or impossible to see by eye, but are significant enough to affect the rolling process. The Chatter_Detect system is designed to detect these invisible marks and to measure their pitch and depth.

How does it work?

The system uses a non-contacting displacement sensor to measure the topography of a finished roll circumference. The test results are displayed as shown in Figure 3 below.

There are two main windows:

The upper window shows a graphical plot of the roll surface to provide an exact visual representation of the topography of the roll circumference, “unpeeled” and laid out flat. The undulations in the surface are the chatter marks. This window shows whether the marks are continuous or localised – in the example above they can be seen to be continuous.

The lower window shows a histogram in which the circumference of the roll is split into equal sectors. The depth of any regular marks detected in each sector is represented by the height of the bars (coloured green or red depending on whether the detected marks exceed a user-settable threshold or not). The actual marking pitch is displayed numerically above each bar. The position of the marks around the circumference of the roll relative to the trigger point is also displayed.

What are the benefits?

The Chatter_Detect software is proving successful in helping several Aluminium producers ensure that all ground rolls sent to the mill are free from chatter marks, resulting in almost complete eradication of strip chatter and increased throughput.

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Testimonials from Farrat Chatter_Detect users:

Andy Wilkes, TSM2 Mill Start Up & Roll Grinding Manager at Bridgnorth Aluminium, UK

“Since our acquisition of the Chatter_Detect system, we have not had a single issue of strip chatter, as the system ensures that all rolls sent to the mill are free from chatter. Because of the success of the system an additional system has recently been acquired by Bridgnorth Aluminium”.

 

Francis RINGLER, General Manager at Rhenaroll, France

”Chatter_Detect and AVAS Monitoring Systems are proving to be very useful on our grinding machine, helping our operators find the best grinding conditions that minimise vibrations and ensure chatter free rolls”.

 

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Further development

Recently, at the request of several customers, a vibration monitoring module has been integrated within the Chatter_Detect software (using the same enclosure as above, but with additional hardware including 2 accelerometers and signal conditioning hardware).

This monitors the vibration of the machine during grinding and warns the operator when the levels of vibration exceed a threshold level, turning the green bar graph into red, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The operator normally reacts to this by changing his grinding conditions (feeds and speeds) in a way that the alarm level reduces and turns to green colour.

Several monitoring screens are available, for example on the spectrum screen (Figure 5) it is possible to link each frequency component with a marking pitch, by simply moving the cursor along the frequency axis. This helps in identifying which frequency component is responsible for chatter on the roll, which is invaluable information for the maintenance engineer.

This monitoring option is proving to be very useful for the operators, as explained in the testimonials above.

Most of the systems sold by Farrat in the last couple of years include this option.

Did you find this Farrat 101 Article useful?

For more information on Chatter_Detect and to explore how Farrat can support manufacturers and machine refurbishers with rapid on-site services, please visit our Vibration & Chatter Control of Machinery page.

As we enter February, we are pleased that 2021 looks set to be another busy year for Farrat solving some of our industries most exciting engineering challenges. Our team are currently ‘on mission’, working hard with project teams across construction and industrial to deliver high-performing acoustic and vibration isolation, structural thermal breaks and industrial vibration control solutions into key markets. Take a look at a few of our current projects below.

Acoustic Isolation

East Square Cinema in Basildon

A new 10-screen cinema located on East Square in Basildon is currently under construction as part of the towns master regeneration project, which is due to be completed in the summer of 2021. This new multiplex is set to contain the largest cinema screen in Essex and is being delivered by McLaren Construction.

The steel frame was completed at the end of 2020 and we have already manufactured and supplied solutions from within Farrat’s Cine range, with CineSTEEL and CineWALL beginning the acoustic isolation. In 2021 we will be providing Farrat Installation Services with our CineFLOOR system to build on our work so far and ensure the project is completed on schedule.

Vibration Isolation

The Factory in Manchester

The Factory has featured heavily on our construction agenda in 2020 and is now rolling into 2021, as the development rises into the Manchester skyline. The new multi-million pound arts centre will be the permanent home of Manchester International Festival and is expected to deliver a £1.1bn boost to the city’s economy over a decade.

Farrat have supplied 1,001 individually designed, engineered and manufactured acoustic bearings to date, with another 1,000 predicted for 2021.

Industrial Vibration Control

Global supply into the Canning Industry

Farrat have supported the global canning industry consistently over the last decade, consulting, engineering and manufacturing a range of industrial vibration control solutions that enable plant operators to achieve improved OEE and reduce spoilage.

Following the success of 2020, in 2021 we are set to be working to deliver a canning factory in South America and two more in Europe.

Improving quality and production for rolling plants

In addition to the canning industry, Farrat have projects lined up in steel and aluminium rolling plants. Rolling is the metal forming process in which metal stock is passed through one or more pairs of rolls to reduce the thickness or make the thickness of the metal consistent.

In 2021, we will be supporting steel and aluminium rolling plants in Turkey and South America to achieve better quality and production rates.

Structural Thermal Breaks

Continued growth and material development

For Farrat Structural Thermal Breaks, 2021 brings the much-anticipated conclusion of Joe Pemberton’s Farrat sponsored 3-year PhD study in association with University of Salford and their construction of the world acclaimed Energy House 2 project. 2021 will also see the continuation of Projects at London’s Chelsea Barracks and Battersea, as well as the redevelopment of Birmingham’s city centre and Manchester’s residential quarters.

Growing through challenges

No doubt 2021 will bring with it a host of challenges, as we work around restrictions and attempt to get back to some assemblance of ‘normal’, but with so many exciting projects and plans for the year, we are looking forward to seeing changing skylines and construction technology developments.

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