Reconstruction of the I. foundation of the rotary kiln including the drive

complete reconstruction of key parts of the drive and the first foundation of the rotary kiln during a single shutdown. PME took on the role of the project's technical partner – from solution design through the production of key components to supervision of assembly and measurements. The result is a reliable kiln drive, meeting strict quality criteria and handling extreme time pressure.

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‍Customer: Buzzi Unicem Cement Hranice and s.
Scope of PME´s delivery: Complete engineering, production and repair of key components, technical support during assembly, supervision, and complete documentation.

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Project Assignment and Objective

The customer requested PME´s technical cooperation in the design and implementation of the reconstruction of the first base of the rotary kiln ø4.328x64m, including a new geared drive for the rotary kiln. The objective was to restore the critical parts of the kiln drive, ensure long-term operational reliability, and complete the entire project within an extremely short shutdown period.

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Key Deliverables and Technical Solution

As part of the PME project, the design, production, and coordination of the following main components were ensured:

• a new cast gear ring;  z = 144; m = 42 mm (divided into two halves, connected by a system of Superbolts),
• new pinion; z= 25; m = 42 mm
• new Pinion Shaft
• new SKF Bearings,
• new gear ring keys including pins,
• a new support part of the first rotary kiln base, 60 mm thick, 2.2 m long, including the adjoining lining 2.1 m,
• a new lining under the gear ring, 36 mm thick, 5.1 m long,
• new bearing of the supporting ring on the first base,
• a new axial pulley, including the axial pulley shaft,
• new axial pulley bearings,
• refurbishment of the original forging of the supporting ring.

The delivery also included complete engineering, design proposal of the solution, and production documentation.

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‍Main challenges of the project

The project was extremely demanding, especially in terms of time and coordination:

• the critical delivery deadline for the gear ring casting,
• manufacturing a new pinion shaft based on the actually measured dimensions of the original part,
• the need for professional disassembly of the supporting ring of the rotary kiln, its immediate transport to PME, shot blasting, re-measurement, final design of the correctly chosen material removal during machining on the carousel,
• parallel refurbishment of the pinion unit, including part of the main drive shaft coupling of the rotary kiln,
• complete production, machining, pressing of new parts, and final assembly during a single 7-day shutdown.
• Positioning new parts into their original positions using 3D scanning and precise measurement

Everything was carried out under maximum time pressure while maintaining strict quality requirements.

Technical support and coordination PME provided:

• technical support for positioning components accurately
• coordination between the assembly and measurement company
• supervision of assembly and verification of the correctness of the installed products
• consulting for setting up the pinion unit – including the need for a 3D scan of the entire drive for precise geometric adjustment
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Quality Control and Documentation

The final handover included complete documentation according to the PME Inspection and Test Plan, containing:

• Material Certificates – evidence of origin and quality
• Manufacturing and Measurement Protocols – records of the production process, checks of dimensions, tolerances, and functional parameters of individual parts and assemblies
• NDT Inspections – (VT, PT, MT, UT) including evaluation and documentation of results
• Acceptance of Individual Parts – ongoing and final acceptance of key assemblies
• Compliance with Standards and Customer Requirements – confirmation that the execution conforms to
• applicable technical standards, PME internal standards, and the customer's strict criteria.

Result

The order was successfully completed in full and within the required shutdown period. PME took on the role of technical partner, coordinator, and supplier of key components. The project was successfully completed to the customer's satisfaction.

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Collaboration:
The project was carried out in cooperation with the companies MONTÁŽE TRENČÍN a.s. and IKN CZECH s.r.o.

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