Industrial dust is a silent enemy in cement plants. In this case, a critical linear actuator in the clinker line presented premature failure due to severe abrasion on the secondary seal. The entry of fine particles degraded the system until production stopped. MCOSMOS Metrology was used to inspect damage and Ansys to simulate dust dynamics in the seal.
Analysis with MCOSMOS and simulation in Ansys 🛠️
With Mitutoyo's MCOSMOS, the actuator geometry was scanned, quantifying wear on the seal and slide. Deviations exceeded 0.5 mm in critical areas. Then, in Ansys, the particle flow at the secondary seal interface was modeled. The results showed that the differential pressure and the lack of an efficient labyrinth allowed dust entry, accelerating abrasion. It is recommended to redesign the labyrinth and use high-density polyurethane seals.
The dust that killed the actuator 💨
The secondary seal promised to be the actuator's guardian, but it turned out to be more like a nightclub bouncer letting all the dust in. In the simulation, particles entered as if they had a VIP pass. Now it's time to redesign the labyrinth or put an FFP3 mask on the actuator. Good thing MCOSMOS caught it before the dust took over the plant.