The Challenge:
A major oil and gas exploration equipment company sought to gain market share in their very competitive business segment by offering a lower cost centrifugal pump, but still maintaining the highest quality product that they are known for. The company set very aggressive cost goals for this project and began the search for suppliers who could provide a high quality bearings, on time, and yet still meet their required price points. In addition, the bearings are also required to undergo rigorous in-house testing.
The Solution:
XMEK was given the specifications for the bearings the customer was looking for and proposed alternatively-sourced bearings that met the stringent requirements set forth by the customer. The customer was very pleased with the favorable pricing, but had concerns regarding the durability of alternatively-sourced components. XMEK, confident that the bearings they recommended would exceed the customer’s expectations, submitted samples of both angular contact and cylindrical roller style bearings for the 400-hr in-house endurance testing.
In order to be tested in a timely manner and not delay the customer’s project, the XMEK bearings were tested right away, in the height of the southern summer heat. The XMEK bearings were subjected to temperatures 20 degrees and higher than the normal test conditions (which are normally performed in either the spring or fall).
The Results:
To the customers amazement, the XMEK alternatively-sourced bearings not only passed the endurance testing in more difficult conditions, the test bearings actually exhibited lower running temperatures than those previously recorded by the customer during less extreme conditions. The final test results also showed a noticeable decrease in pump vibration.
Thoroughly pleased with the in-house testing results, the customer immediately placed the XMEK bearings into the field for testing. Tracking of these pumps in the field revealed positive results as all worked extremely well with zero customer complaints.
As a result of the 5 months of successful testing, both in-house and in the field, XMEK is now the approved supplier for all styles of rotational pump bearings for both OEM and aftermarket use allowing this customer to quickly get their product to market and start to gain market share.
Application / Products:
- Bearings (angular contact and cylindrical roller styles)