A manufacturer of commercial food preparation equipment looked to Bimba to replace an existing commercially available dampening mechanism in their fast food closure. The clamshell top construction, which allows food to be simultaneously processed on both sides, is designed to open automatically when the process is complete. This is achieved by combining heavy-duty die springs with dampening cylinders to retard the motion and provide a smooth, safe opening.
The OEM''s original dampening solution consisted of a high-pressure, gas-filled cylinder that was prone to leakage and failure. Upon failure, service personnel would have to disassemble a significant portion of the grill to replace the defective cylinder. In addition, the end-user would incur the cost associated with downtime.
Finding the Real Problem
On the surface, the solution seemed simple -- replace the defective cylinders with longer lasting ones. Luckily, Bimba decided to dig deeper to uncover the real problem and therefore a better solution. By speaking with the repair and maintenance crew, Bimba discovered that premature spring fatigue was the real culprit.
The compression springs selected were found to experience fatigue. This meant that over time, the springs became weaker and weaker, affecting the amount of rate control required by the dampener. And while the springs continued to lose force, the maintenance technicians had no way to adjust the damper to compensate.
A Better Solution
Armed with these insights, Bimba engineers worked with the OEM to find a solution that would not only retard the action of the spring, but also provide for adjustment over time. The solution was a food-grade, oil-filled, rate control cylinder with a needle flash valve arrangement inside a closed loop circuit. This allowed the ultimate orifice size to be easily adjusted with the turn of a screwdriver, thus controlling fluid flow and ultimately the amount of dampening.
Bimba''s ability to work as an extension of the OEM''s machine design team helped them deliver a superior solution with a positive ROI. And while the Bimba custom solution cost more per part than the existing component, significant cost savings were achieved in reduced maintenance expenses and less downtime. The customer was so satisfied with the solution, they now look to Bimba to source their springs and integrate them into the rate control assembly for a more compact design.
Bimba has proven experience in an ever-expanding variety of industries with a growing breadth of application know-how. Custom solutions are what Bimba is known for; in fact, over half of their business comes from custom and semi-custom applications. Visit bimba.com/solutionsshop to view more unique solutions to real customer challenges.