Root Cause Analysis (RCA): 8000 RPM Process Air Compressor (K-602) cracked shaft spacers; the plant Root Cause Analyzed, made the spacers and heat treated to lesser hardness and fitted on the spare and running rotor.
Article Type: | Root Cause Analysis (RCA) |
Category: | Mechanical |
Equipment Type: | High Speed, Hi KW Major Rotating Machines |
Author: | S. Raghava Chari |
Note: This root cause analysis (RCA) is from real-time scenarios that happened in industries during the tenure of one or two decades ago. These articles will help you to improve your troubleshooting skills and knowledge.
Crew dissembling K-602 during the first TA found rotor shaft all spacers cracked up to the ID for 50 to 75 mm long axially. The plant installed the spare rotor B.
Accepting the Italian manufacturer advise, the plant sent the defective rotor A to the Indian collaborator for repairs.
The plant root cause analyzed and felt the too hard 450 BHN hardness was the reason for the cracks and suggested reducing the hardness to 250 BHN.
The manufacturer accepted the recommendation and suggested getting the job done by their Indian licensee (IL).
The Indian licensee suggested the plant supplying the 250-BHN spacers as their shops are too much loaded and they cannot do the job within the plant given schedule.
The plant workshop made the sleeves to the drawings specified tolerances and supplied them to the IL. Finding the IL not taking up the task, they deputed an engineer to expedite and return with the repaired rotor A.
The expediting engineer reported a week later no matter how hard chased, the IL will not take up the job soon; rather he can do it in the plant workshop itself, being confident after witnessing several factory spacer fit ups and the IL supervisors letting him do it few times.
As the 2‑yearly TA was nearing, the plant cancelled the IL and assigned the engineer the task.
Plant’s engineer repaired Rotor A in the plant shop thus:
Another engineer who worked with the first changed the removed from the compressor Rotor B sleeves and returned it to the warehouse.
In-house repair benefits are:
Author: S. Raghava Chari
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