A premier automotive paint plant needed to change pump systems on a challenging water-borne white
dispersion transfer service. The fluid contains titanium dioxide and is abrasive, especially for stainless
steel pumps. The mechanically sealed pump used in the service had high maintenance, housekeeping and
downtime costs. Frequent seal and pump failures of a mechanically sealed lobe pump caused the primary
problem. The seal failures caused disruption to the production process and environmental and safety
hazards. The mechanically sealed lobe pumps in the white dispersion service averaged four maintenance
incidents a year. Seal leaks frequently caused housekeeping problems. Also, often after only six months of
service, when the pump seal would start leaking, the pump would “seize up” and fail. Maintenance crews
did not replace the seal as the pump itself was worn out at that time. Such incidents cost $18,459 in parts
and $4,562 in labor annually. Frequent failures of the sealed lobe pump also had high downtime costs. It
caused disruptions to the production process as the pump was in a continuous service.
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