From the planning abilities to the mentalities of the men on the OASIS crew, we were impressed. From the initial planning stages of the job to the execution, OASIS and American Eagle were able to work together extremely well. We were able to create a task list and follow it throughout the job, keeping everybody in the know about current status. The men were professional and methodical during each piece removal, replacement and alignment. It was a good feeling to see the machining outfit on the truck along with the level of tool and equipment organization. After all of the preparation work and planning, the job was completed nearly 24 hours early. This was well complemented by communication between OASIS and the Mill and allowed the Mill to take full advantage of the early completion.
— Andrew Symons, Production Engineer, American Eagle Paper Mill
The Challenge: Damaged Dryer Can
OASIS technicians remove framework in dryer can section
American Eagle Paper Mills in Tyrone, PA knew they had a serious issue when they lost a drive bearing on a dryer can in their No. 3 Paper Machine. The failure caused severe journal damage and though the mill was able to complete an emergency field repair that allowed them to run for several more weeks, they knew they had to explore options that would provide a permanent fix. After looking into in-place machining, dryer head replacement and other alternatives, they came to the conclusion that their best choice was to replace the dryer can.
Dyer Can Removal & Installation Services Needed – OASIS Called In
Andrew Symons, Production Engineer from American Eagle, reached out to OASIS for assistance with the project. Bruce Littlefield, OASIS Business Development Manager, and Kevin Donahue, OASIS Senior Field Service Technician, immediately responded meeting with the team from American Eagle to review the project and develop a plan to replace the dryer can.
With the team members from American Eagle and OASIS in place, the project was meticulously mapped out with the tasks and responsibilities refined and a project timeline developed.
Project scope included:
♦ Removal of damaged dryer can
♦ Installation of new dryer can
♦ Optical alignment of all rolls within section
OASIS Troubleshoots Unique Removal and Installation Process
Within just a matter of weeks from the original damage to the dryer can, the OASIS team was on site with one of their large mobile machine shops. The team consisted of thirteen field service and alignment technicians scheduled to work around the clock for four twelve-hour shifts.
OASIS team installs new dryer can at American Eagle Paper Mills
The first step involved removing the damaged dryer can. This was not an easy task. Over the years the tending side framework had been structurally modified with additional beams welded directly into the sole plates and header. In order to remove the damaged dryer can, OASIS had to cut out the modified beams of the framework in such a way that they could be replaced and welded back in their original positions without any negative effects to the machine or the framework structure.
After removing the damaged dryer can, OASIS installed the new dryer can and optically aligned all rolls impacted by the damage or by the installation of the new roll. OASIS then replaced and welded the framework beams.
The Results – Reduced Timeline & Repaired Machine
Due to the extensive planning prior to the start of the project and the team working together perfectly throughout, OASIS completed the entire project in two and a half shifts instead of the estimated four. Additionally, because OASIS communicated regularly with the American Eagle crew, the mill was able to change employee schedules quickly, allowing them to get up and running a day earlier than planned. This reduction in downtime saved a great deal of the cost associated with the machine being out of production.
Learn more about how you can see impressive results from teaming with OASIS – contact us for more information and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates!
