Case Study

Customer: Major Defense Contractor

Challenge: Powder loss between feed shoe and wear plate

Explanation:

Customer was experiencing a great deal of powder loss between the wear plate that the feed shoe rides back and forth across and the seal plate on the feed shoe. Over time, the wear caused by the powder's abrasiveness began to cause grooves between the wear plate and the seal plate giving the powder a means of egress from the system. The powder then began to build up outside the system causing other issues as well. This powder loss is very costly.

Solution:

Overton suggested the use of a carbide insert built into the wear plate that the feed shoe could ride across that would help prevent wear of the feed shoe surface. This resulted in a tremendous improvement in the amount of time (months versus weeks) that a feed shoe could be used without rework as well as an increase in the life of the seal plates along with a great deal of cost savings achieved by the reduction in powder loss.