Before

After

Measuring, identifying, and manufacturing small intricate gears from sample can be quite difficult especially when the samples provided are damaged, with hardly any teeth left. Arrow Engineering have a wealth of knowledge and experience of identifying gears and working these things out.

A vinyl floor manufacturer was experiencing downtime due to a gearbox failure and needed a replacement gearbox or a repair to get them back up and running.  

The Tension Drive Gearbox that maintained the tension in sheet of the Vinyl Flooring whilst being produced had stopped driving. Upon inspection it was found that the mating gears had failed which meant that 2 Helical Gears needed to be made in a hurry.

The gearbox was collected Friday night, stripped down, the gears were manufactured on Saturday Hardened on Sunday and re-assembled. The Tension Station flooring conveyor was back up and running by Monday lunchtime.

Machining New Gears

A bakery experienced a conveyor breakdown where the belt had tracked to one side causing it to snag and jam, breaking the Mesh belt support rods. Arrow Engineering were called in on Friday at 5pm with the need to get the drive back up and running. As a quick fix a 295mm Acetal disc was  turned and bolted to the existing hub, which stopped the belt riding up and over the conveyor wheel, 40 rods were turned and supplied over the weekend and the belt was back up and running for Monday.

We regularly make special sprockets for modular belts because they are on a long lead time from Germany or Italy. These sprockets were made to sample for a local Bakery.

https://08l.cee.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/modular-belt-sprocket-video.mp4

A leading biscuit manufacturing company held their annual
maintenance shutdown over the Christmas holiday period and whilst their
production staff were off decided to strip and replace a large shaft mount
gearbox.

Unfortunately, the new replacement gearbox did not have the
same diameter shaft as the new gearbox, which meant that the existing shaft
needed to be built up or new sleeves making. Upon inspection it was revealed
that the shaft and keyway was badly worn. It was decided that new sleeves would
be made and the worn shaft turned down to suit, re-keyed and new sleeves
manufactured to suit.

Arrow’s Engineers needed to work through the Christmas
period, including Bank Holidays, the job was eventually finished on Sunday 1^st
of January 2023, 10pm and delivered back at 7am on Monday 2^nd
January.

On top of this a large Rubber Coated Drive roller was also
repaired same day and delivered (50 miles) and delivered back at 7pm.

Shaft mount gearbox shaft

Large shaft mount gearbox

Making sleeves for shaft mount gearbox

Manufacture of sleeves for shaft mount gearbox video

Keyway gearbox shaft part 01 video

Keyway gearbox shaft part 02 video

Manufacture large key for gear box shaft

Job Done Shaft mount Geabox repair and new sleeves

Large Rubber Coated Roller Repair
Part 01

Large Rubber Coated Roller Repair
Part 02

Worn 2” pitch Duplex Sprockets replaced within 2 days, bored to suit 75mm and 110mm Expanding Locking bushes and a cut length of 2” Duplex (32B2 Chain) and supplied: 

1 off each:
2″ Pitch Duplex Sprocket 19 tooth Bored to suit 75mm bore Expanding Locking Bush
2″ Pitch Duplex Sprocket 25 tooth
Bored to suit 110mm bore Expanding Locking Bush
Type 19 Exp Locking Bush 75×115
Type 19 Exp Locking Bush 110×155
32B2- Chain and Conn link x 75 pitches length

A Soup, Canning, Filling Machine had seized due to a bearing failure, which caused the Worm Wheel Gear to collapse. The machine was collected and taken back to our Workshop on Friday evening. It was stripped down; five imperial angular contact bearings were changed and a new Worm Wheel manufactured and fitted.

The Canning, Filling Machine was delivered back on Monday afternoon and by the evening was producing canned foods again.

A Gin manufacturer in Lancashire experienced a production shutdown because two spring loaded Platform assemblies had seized and jammed the filling machine. The internal shafts of the machine had also bent. The breakdown occurred at 8pm on Monday and was taken back to Arrow’s workshop. Luckily, Arrow had spares in stock from a previous repair. The assemblies consisted of a 3 ft compressed spring, locked in with an end plate. Great care needed to be taken because when these are taken apart the spring fly’s out with great force. New end plates were manufactured and assembled with shafts, bearings and seals from stock to make the broken platforms like new. The Filling machine was back up and running by 8pm on Tuesday, producing one of the company’s’ new Alcohol-Free Gin’s.

https://08l.cee.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/filling-machine-in-action.mp4

A fairground ride near Manchester airport was out of commission due to a broken gearbox. The gearbox had failed because it’s housing was cracked and the oil had leaked out and the Worm wheel had worn. This meant that there was no drive and the ride was out of action.

The gearbox was practically un-repairable, the housing was cracked and there was next to nothing left of the Worm wheel and all the bearings were in bits.

The delivery for a replacement gearbox was 3 months from Italy which meant that unless this gearbox was repaired there would be no rides and Paul the owner of the ride, would be losing money.

Arrow Engineering were able to sleeve the bore of the housing, gear cut a new Worm wheel, replace all the bearings and seals, which enabled the drive to be back up and running.

The repaired gear box kept them going for 3 months whilst a new gear box was on back order with Italy.

We were called out at 10pm on Saturday by a local Bakery where they were losing production because the Timing Pulley on their Check Weigher had failed. The pulley was Aluminium and driving a 32mm wide timing belt, the aluminium teeth had worn due to the torque and continuous use, causing the belt to slip and then not driving the Check weigher. After identifying the pulley, Arrow manufactured 2 new pulleys out of Stainless Steel and the Check Weigher was back up and running for 2pm on Sunday. 

With an ageing workforce, and an eye to the future, Arrow Engineering was on the look-out for fresh talent and the next generation of leaders, when the Kickstart scheme was announced in autumn 2020.

‘We wanted to build a solid team and secure the future for the business’, said Russ Arrowsmith, CEO of the engineering supply company serving the food and drink process industry, based in Salford, Greater Manchester. ‘Many of our senior leaders, myself included, are in our 60s. We recognised we needed new talent and the Kickstart scheme was perfectly timed for this.’

Kickstarters Michael and Blake joined the organisation in July and September 2021, quickly proving their dedication, adaptability and eagerness to learn.

Arrow Engineering worked with The Growth Company as their Kickstart Gateway, with online In Work Support and Employability training sessions provided for their Kickstart participants, along with over 650 other young people in Kickstart placements across the country.

At the end of their Kickstart placements, both Michael and Blake were offered permanent contracts and promotions.

Michael, 22, from Salford, Trainee Design Engineer, said:

‘Working with the experienced engineers has been the best part of my placement and being part of the team at Arrow has given me the social skills to be collaborative between customers and suppliers. When I was offered the permanent position it olidified my belief that I belong in Engineering.’

Blake, 23, from Salford, Trainee Engineering Planner and Website Content Manager said:

‘What I love about working for Arrow engineering is the opportunity to do meaningful work that I am proud of, in a happy work environment that recognises my current skills and helps me to develop them further.’

And keen boxer Russ also introduced trainee Blake to the sport, coaching him through a local match attended by staff and customers alike, and encouraging a passion Blake is continuing with; ‘Russ recognised my interest in fitness and encouraged me to go the extra mile in the boxing ring as well as at work’, he said.

CEO Russ describes his two newest recruits as ‘exceptional’, bringing ‘youth and sparkle’ to his workforce. ‘They are now dealing with customers and suppliers on a daily basis, like it’s second nature’. Their next step will be to begin progressing through the business, something Russ has already started laying the foundations for. ‘I see them as a crucial part of our company’s future’, he added.

The Growth Company has also supported Arrow Engineering with access to finance, IT and e-commerce expertise and upskilling the workforce. For more information about The Growth Company’s services to businesses see www.growthco.uk