Case Studies

Customer:

A major manufacturer of rock crushing equipment.

Challenge:

The company was tasked with introducing three new models of rock crushing equipment over the past several years. They needed assistance with fabricating the rotator gears and companion drive pinions for these new models.

Cogmatic Solution:

Since Cogmatic had a solid relationship with the customer, the customer came to Cogmatic for assistance each time a new model was being developed.

In fact, at one point the customer’s engineering contact confided, “We wouldn’t think of asking anyone else to build these gears for us. Cogmatic’s combination of quality, on-time delivery and overall value is just outstanding. We never have problems with the products you make for us.”

By building strong relationships with each customer and making sure any issues are addressed to their satisfaction, we can provide value for our customers time and time again.

Customer:
A South Dakota manufacturer of trommel screens.

Challenge:

The customer was having a number of quality issues that were leading to complaints by their end users.

The customer had been welding five or six flame cut individual segments together to form one ring sprocket. Unfortunately, welding that many segments together to form a concentric ring was extremely difficult ­– and the results were disappointing. The customer was troubled with rapid chain wear; noisy operation; misalignment between the chain and the sprocket; and uneven chain loading. Many extra hours of labor were needed to assemble each ring sprocket.

They also were running into issues with their supplier holding tolerances on drum concentricity. The customer often had to send segments back for re-rolling or had to re-adjust them in their plant for varying tolerances. They were wasting a lot of time correcting supplier problems.

Cogmatic Solution:

Cogmatic offered this customer a sprocket made as a solid ring. Their installers could simply slide it over the drum section and weld it into place. The solid sprocket formed a uniform concentric circle, resulting in longer chain life; quieter operation; proper alignment between the chain and the sprocket; and even chain loading patterns. It also reduced installation labor by six hours. Best of all, the price was similar to what they had previously been paying for inferior parts.

The customer was so impressed with Cogmatic’s quality, delivery and value that they started using Cogmatic to make all of their drum segments needed to fabricate four models of trommel screens.

Cogmatic’s ability to provide concentric, uniform drum segments and deliver those quality parts JIT has helped their customer reduce installation time; provide a quieter operating machine; and increase the number of turns on their inventory. Cogmatic now supplies four (4) kits – with all the needed parts arranged in assembly order on two (2) skids. The skids are placed on the customer’s assembly line so workers can pull the parts off the skids in the order needed to complete each trommel screen.

Customer:

A major manufacturer of trenching equipment.

Challenge:

The customer had field problems that involved teeth breaking off of the crawler sprockets they were fabricating in their own facilities. These sprockets propel the undercarriage assemblies used to drive a variety of large commercial trenching machines. After a number of attempts to correct the manufacturing difficulties, they were looking for a company with expertise in sprockets.

In fact, a company executive said, “Why don’t we stick to what we do best and find a company whose business it is to know how to fabricate quality crawler sprockets?”

Cogmatic Solution:

The customer was familiar with Cogmatic since they already fabricated sprockets used elsewhere in their machines. They came to Cogmatic for advice and eventually contracted with Cogmatic to fabricate their crawler sprockets instead of doing them in-house. Cogmatic now produces crawler sprockets for four different undercarriage assemblies and will soon add several more new products.

Field product failures have ceased, warranty issues for this problem have been dramatically reduced; and Cogmatic further strengthened a relationship with a valued customer.

Customer:
An agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Challenge:
The customer was looking to reduce their need for equipment maintenance, which lead to farmers being out of the field. They were looking for a solution that would increase sprocket chain wear and overall lifetime.

Cogmatic Solution:
For several years, Cogmatic would flame machine the teeth on two large gears used.in the customer’s Vertical Feed Mixer. When they needed similar machining for their large capacity Side Discharge Manure Spreaders, they came to Cogmatic asking for quotes on a range of large sprockets and hub assemblies.

Cogmatic Flame Machined parts for the customer, providing improved axial and radial runout that reduced chain wear and extended life.

The customer was so pleased with the results that Cogmatic has been contracted to made additional large sprockets for other equipment in their product line. When they need to get down on the farm, Cogmatic is there for them.

Customer:

A U.S. manufacturer of undercarriage assemblies.

Challenge:

Cogmatic supplies this customer with various fabricated crawler sprockets for undercarriage assemblies. Many of these sprockets required specialized customer specs, including unique designs, unusual tooth forms or were low volume specials. For most of their higher volume undercarriage assemblies, the customer had been using machined cast sprockets. When transportation costs and o[verseas lead times escalated, they found they were no longer able to meet all of their customers' demands.

Cogmatic Solution:

They approached Cogmatic for quotes on a number of parts that were castings. Cogmatic has been fabricating the needed parts and enabling them to meet and satisfy their customers' demands.

When the company's sales team learned more about Cogmatic's involvement, they asked their Purchasing department to inquire if Cogmatic could make parts for "old" undercarriage assemblies that were no longer in production. Now, Cogmatic is fabricating small production orders to continue keeping their customers' equipment in the field.

Customer:

A U.S. manufacturer that specializes in rebuilding older drum systems.

Challenge:

Their customer had a very large drum with a ring gear that needed to be replaced. The problem was that the gear part was very old and no longer being manufactured. They had no drawings, specs or catalogue information about the gear – except the name of the original manufacturer of the equipment.

Although the rest of the system was functional, if they couldn’t replace the worn-out part, their customer was faced with purchasing a brand new assembly. At the time, the end-user felt they could not make the economic justification for purchasing new equipment.

Cogmatic Solution:

When our customer approached us for assistance, they provided our team with the Outside Diameter of the drum and a count of the remnants of the worn-out teeth. Along with some field measurements taken by their customer, Cogmatic was able to determine what the Ring Gear specification would have to be. Cogmatic’s engineers still required an unknown factor: What was the pressure angle for the gear?

To solve this part of the puzzle, the customer purchased a replacement pinion from a company that specializes in maintaining stocks of old obsolete parts. Working with one of our vendors, Cogmatic was able to take appropriate measurements of the tooth form and verify the pressure angle. With that specification confirmed, we were able to make the ring gear. Our customer replaced the gear and pinion and their customer enjoyed the renewed functionality of their equipment without investing in a new system.