Journal Machining

Shaft and Journal repair forms a large part of In-Situ Machining Solutions (UK) Ltd’s on site machining portfolio and has has gained us the reputation as Shaft and Journal Specialists . Rotating equipment often wears due to oil starvation and major seizure. Our special purpose orbital equipment and machining techniques provide a quality and professional service, worldwide, within this field. Our on-site machining engineers are highly trained, skilled and experienced in journal turning, grinding, superfinishing and polishing on-site. In addition to the renowned diesel engine Crankshaft repair service that In-Situ Machining Solutions (UK) Ltd offer, the company also provides customers with the facility to refurbish large damaged rotating components to OEM standards, on-site, Globally. The advantage of utilising specialist teams of Engineers deployed by In-Situ along with our orbital turning, grinding, superfinishing and polishing system designed and developed in-house, alleviates the necessity to remove the rotating component from it’s housing, casing or stator to repair damage to the journal or bearing surfaces.… Any amount of material can be removed from damaged or worn diameters, pending customer and/or OEM approval, to make good bearing running surfaces, therefore bringing them back to serviceable condition.
Our highly trained machining teams work on a vast range of rotating elements such as turbine and alternator journals, hydrogen seal areas, slip rings, coupling diameters, fan shafts, mixer shafts, trunnions and similar items of plant which can be found in most heavy industries. A close working relationship with our customers and OEM’s ensure a successful conclusion to all journal machining repair work that In-situ machining Solutions (UK) Ltd undertakes. We are a universally highly regarded company in this field and offer competitive commercial rates for this specialist on-site, on-board Machining service.

Journal Machining Process

Failure Assessment & Inspection

The process includes multiple services in which the severity of a failure or condition of the Crankpin Journal is assessed. This allows a plan to be put in place for machining operations to take place. The process may include all or some of the following services: Crack Detection, Hardness Testing, Geometric Tolerance Checks, Run Out Checks and Exploratory Grinding.

Machining

A specially manufactured machine is utilised to machine the Journal to remove any damage or wear and restore OEM specified tolerances to the diameter, radii and any seal/wiper areas

Superfinishing

A process in which a specialist piece of equipment holding a carborundum stone oscillates from side to side around 30 times a second to flatten off the surface of the Journal after the machining process

Polishing

Machine polishing process is the final process to ensure flatness and other geometric tolerances are maintained whilst producing the OEM specified surface finish.

Additional Services If required

Journal Turning

Where as most shafts and Journals cannot be rotated for the machining process, on occasion this is not the case. If space allows, In-Situ offer a Journal turning service in which the Shaft is rotated by a bearing gear (or a vary speed bearing gear can be designed and supplied by In-Situ) and turned in a conventional manner. In-Situ can design and manufacture specialist fixtures to mount a tooling slide alongside the Journal and machine the Journal as it rotates as the desired speed.

Heat treatment

Annealing of the Journals can be undertaken to reduce heat induced hardness within the journal that is above OEM specification. This service is undertaken via a resistance heat treatment method in which a process of controlled heating, soaking and cooling of the effected Journal with ceramic blankets is undertaken.