T-Trac
®
An Essential Tool for Trunnion Drive Dryers and Drums
The T-Trac® alignment system can save your operations tens of thousands of dollars in premature trunnion and tire wear, and prevent emergency shutdowns due to trunnion and thrust roller interference.
Equipment rotating on an inclined support develops a downhill axial thrust from the weight of the unit and product. Most rotating equipment is designed such that this axial thrust needs to be offset by force developed from skewing the trunnion rollers in a precise manner.
The T-Trac establishes a properly skewed trunnion roller setting to thrust the equipment in the uphill direction.
T-Trac System Benefits
- Aligns Very Fast: Properly adjust and skew trunnions in minutes vs. hours.
- Saves Money: Significantly reduce operating costs due to premature trunnion and tire wear.
- Reduces Shutdowns: Avoid emergency shutdowns for trunnion and thrust roller interference.
- Maximizes Dryer Longevity: Dramatically extend the life of your drying system components by establishing properly skewed trunnion roller position (true neutral).
- Reduces Downtime: Reduce catastrophic downtime or tire breakage due to trunnion/bearing failures.
The T-Trac Kit
Establish true neutral trunnion roller positioning and set trunnion thrust with confidence
Establishing a correct initial alignment, or maintaining a parallel position, is perhaps the most critical preventative maintenance procedure for all types of rotary equipment. The T-Trac® Precision Beam Alignment System is a highly accurate, OEM certified, measurement tool that mechanically measures the distance between two surfaces; like the distance between trunnion/support roller faces and tire faces on rotary kilns or dryers. Interpretation of these measurements allows for precise adjustments which increase the lifespan of the rotary unit’s components.
Measuring Principle
Square the trunnions and tires within 100/1000th of an inch in precision
The T-Trac Precision Beam and its components are composed of precision ground 6061 aluminum. Calibrated, tested and certified to the tolerance of +/-0.002” ensures precise readings in order to successfully make adjustments and/or installs. A strong magnetic connection provides a stable and secure beam mount preventing movement from the T-Trac® Precision Beam during adjustments. Digital indicators measure the fluctuation in distance between the support roller and tire. By utilizing a highly machined beam, a strong magnetic connection and easy to read digital indicators, adjustment guesswork is eliminated.
Digital indicators are standard, but analog dial indicators are optional.
How the T-Trac Works
Precision Adjustments Made Easy
The T-Trac consists of a magnetic base with dial indicators attached on each end facing the tire. Calibrate the dial indicators to the base with the included calibration blocks and the T-Trac is ready for use.
In order to use the T-Trac correctly, lockout procedures need to be observed while working in contact with the equipment.
Place the T-Trac on the side of the trunnion with both dial indicators on the side of the tire. Each of the four trunnions must be adjusted to the neutral position, meaning there is no longer uphill- or downhill-thrust.
Adjust the trunnions to achieve a neutral (zero) delta between the two indicators, meaning that the trunnion is perfectly parallel with the tire. The same method is performed for all four trunnions.
Once all four trunnions are in a neutral thrust, the T-Trac can be used to skew each trunnion for the correct skew and thrust.
Higher Accuracy in Half the Time
Great for emergency trunnion roller outages and quick alignments!
The trunnion adjustment methods of using a laser can take up to four to five hours to properly adjust your system.
When using the T-Trac, precisely adjusting trunnions and tires can take as little as 90 minutes to complete the process for all four trunnions.
The Stansteel & Hotmix Parts service technicians can even visit your plant and demonstrate the T-Trac and adjust and skew your trunnions for you, ensuring precision accuracy of the adjustments. Contact us to learn more or schedule a visit.
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