Automotive

Case Studies

Roller Chains: Flexible Options for Reducing Downtime

Roller chains are used in all stages of the automotive industry, from the production of components to conveyors at the assembly lines. Roller chains are applied in steel production and timing chains, which are an integral part of vehicles. Tsubaki roller chains consistently offer the highest quality to help reduce downtime from premature or unpredictable replacements in applications, including tire conveyor applications, tire soaking drive applications, and automotive component manufacturing and conveying applications.

• Standard Roller Chain With Attachments: Tsubaki standard roller chains provide the highest capacity and maximum chain life for smaller-sized drive systems. They come with a variety of attachments, including ANSI Standard single pitch, double pitch, hollow pin, curved, plastic sleeve, and British Standard roller chains.
• Double Plus Chain: This Free Flow Chain uses a unique combination of small and large diameter rollers to allow conveyance at 2.5-times the speed of the chain. The Tsubaki Double Plus chain maximizes efficiency, reduces noise and increases the speed of operation for automotive assembly lines.
• Neptune® Chain: The exclusive Neptune® coating on roller chain prevents corrosion when exposed to harsh outdoor environments. This coating can be applied to any unique roller chain to expand its application to wet environments, such as industrial washers.
• Lambda® Self-Lube Chain: This chain is offered as an option for the equipment-specific standard and Made-to-Order chain to maintain effective operation where lubrication is not available or feasible. The Lambda® lube-free chain is ideal for use in any application where reducing contamination of the product or manufacturing equipment is critical.

Tsubaki roller chains deliver the highest quality and the most consistent fit in the industry. They can provide improved wear characteristics, resulting in less frequent replacement due to excessive wear elongation. Tsubaki roller chains can also reduce costly downtime caused by premature and unpredictable replacement, minimize maintenance costs and downtime, improve operational efficiency and ensure a predictable replacement schedule for improved planning.

Engineering Class Chains: Enhancing Equipment Reliability

Engineering class chains are used to transport vehicles and parts throughout the assembly and production processes, particularly within body shops, general assemblies and plants. Tsubaki’s engineering class chains can offer extended life and reduced downtime for applications with drop forged rivetless overhead conveyors, flat top conveyors, CC5 derivatives and roller conveyor chains with inboard or outboard rollers.

• Roller Conveyor Chain With Inboard or Outboard Rollers: Backed by innovative engineering, Tsubaki roller conveyor chains are made with steel that is hand-selected for optimum wear and performance. These products deliver high strength for long-term reliability at your operation. In addition, proprietary bearing rollers minimize friction, allowing for smooth operation over long distances and far less lubrication consumption. In many cases, chains utilizing the Tsubaki bearing roller can be significantly downsized without sacrificing performance or longevity.
• Drop Forged Rivetless Chain: Utilized extensively in overhead power and free conveyors throughout the automotive assembly process, the drop forged rivetless design permits both horizontal and vertical operation over irregular routes.
• Flat Top Chain: Tsubaki standard roller chains provide the highest capacity and maximum chain life for smaller-sized drive systems. They come with a variety of attachments, including ANSI Standard single pitch, double pitch, hollow pin, curved, plastic sleeve, and British Standard roller chains.

Tsubaki engineering class chains stand up to the toughest environments to ensure uninterrupted service. They are designed to deliver enhanced reliability and predictable performance, thus allowing for proactive planning and effective mitigation of unplanned downtime. Look to Tsubaki engineering chain for the most reliable and predictable lifecycles in the industry.

Sprockets: Powering Productivity

Tsubaki’s sprockets help extend chain life through more predictable maintenance. All Tsubaki stock sprockets come with hardened teeth as a standard and are manufactured using steel, giving you the strength and workability that powdered metal cannot. To address the needs of the automotive industry, these sprocket solutions are ideal for applications in a variety of conveyors within automotive manufacturing plants including smaller part conveyors, larger overhead and in-floor conveyors.

• L&D Sprockets: BIdeal for smaller part conveyors because they use Tsubaki’s standard offering, all Tsubaki L&D sprockets are supplied with hardened teeth as the standard, allowing for longer wear life and less replacement downtime.
• Smart Tooth® Sprockets: Tsubaki Smart Tooth® sprockets remove the guesswork from visually inspecting sprocket teeth. They feature patented Wear Indicator Technology to ensure maximum uptime and drive system efficiency by providing visual confirmation of excessive sprocket wear. With Smart Tooth® sprockets, you can physically see when a sprocket is past its life and needs replacing.

Tsubaki L&D and Smart Tooth® sprockets provide the opportunity to schedule maintenance based on sprocket wear rate. They extend chain life through predictable maintenance and deliver warning of catastrophic drive failure before it’s too late. All of this helps reduce the overall cost of equipment ownership.

Backstops & Clutches: Taking Maintenance Cycles to the Limit

Backstops & clutches are typically used on overhead conveyors within automotive plants, especially those with an altitude change in its route. Tsubaki backstops & clutches allow for longer maintenance cycles without the risk of lubricant leaking and are ideal for use in smaller overhead conveyors that require more compact backstops.

• BSEU Series Clutch: Developed as a user-friendly backstopping clutch, the BSEU Series offers cam and roller construction. Its outer race has a special shape that combines the torque arm, allowing for easy installation. BSEU Series clutches are most often used as a backstop in applications where limited space is available.
• BS Series Clutch: This series is designed to provide inner race overrunning capability in one direction of operation while engaging the outer race when reverse rotation is experienced. BS Series units are a cam-and-roller design incorporating the low friction bearing into the cam cage.

Tsubaki BSEU and BS Series clutches protect equipment and machinery from significant damage by preventing a conveyor from traveling backwards when the drive system unexpectedly loses power or stops. These products are also both grease lubricated, which allows for longer maintenance cycles and limits the risk of contamination and premature failure associated with lubricant leaking.

Tsubaki-KabelSchlepp® Cable Carriers: Keeping Automotive Operations on Track

Tsubaki-KabelSchlepp® Vario-Line series of cable tracks products protects cables and hoses operating in harsh environments to maximize their lifespan wherever there is equipment movement. Available in nylon, steel, and hybrid designs, l, these products are ideal for use in areas such as long travel gantry systems or on pick-n-place equipment.

• Vario-Line Cable Carrier: Offered in nylon, steel or hybrid versions, Vario-Line cable carriers deliver the durability to withstand rugged and harsh environments. They also offer flexibility in crossbar design to ensure maximum life of the cable and hoses within the cable track.

Tsubaki-KabelSchlepp® Vario-Line series offers the widest variety and most durable line of cable carriers in the industry. This product is built to withstand abuse, so your equipment can carry on smoothly.

Do you want to learn more about how Tsubaki’s wide variety of solutions can help optimize your operation’s productivity and profitability? Fill out the form below, and a Tsubaki representative will contact you with more information.