Archive: Aug 2014

Preventative Maintenance and Centrifugal Clutches: Avoiding Catastrophe

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Consider this scenario: your business is booming, demand is higher than it’s been in years, and everything is on the right track—and then an emergency happens. You’ve been working so hard to get business where it now is, that you’ve forgotten to invest in a backup. You need to get back up and running right away, but your centrifugal clutch has died. Now what?

Unfortunately, it will take time to get a replacement clutch; each one is unique, and the right one for you is not going to be available immediately. You are then sitting there stagnant, and depending on a variety of factors, your wait time could be up to eight weeks.

Why Preventative Maintenance Matters

In any environment, from pumping to water treatment and mining, this scenario can happen, and planning ahead could have prevented it. Preventative maintenance assures both immediate and long-term savings, greater efficiency, significant time savings, and overall plant safety. It makes all the difference.

Preventative Maintenance and Centrifugal Clutches

In order to prevent the aforementioned scenario, there are steps you can take. First, make an overall assessment of your business now that it’s picking up, and decide how essential that clutch is to your functioning. If it’s critical to your business, now is the time to order a backup clutch.

Also, determine if your current clutch might be on its way out. Check the number of hours it’s been in use; while there’s no set number that’s too much, and it differs by clutch and by application, you can assess the wear on the clutch and the environment in which it’s been used. For example, something that’s been on standby may last ten years, while something in use every day will have a lot more wear and could need to be replaced much sooner.

Always err on the side of caution, and when in doubt, contact us and tell us about your clutch and your needs. We can help you determine whether or not it needs to be refurbished or replaced.

Why a Backup Makes All the Difference

No matter the state of your clutch or your particular application, failure can occur. In that event, no backup means no work. It means loss of time and money. Simply having a backup clutch provides the assurance and guarantee that in the event of an emergency, you’re okay.

Need advice or assistance, or want help choosing the right centrifugal clutch for your needs? Feel free to contact us anytime.