Industrial Projects and Engineering Experience

Below is a selection of engineering projects CAEMAG has executed across industrial sectors in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Each project reflects a real operational problem, an engineering-based solution, and a measurable outcome.

Client names are not disclosed by agreement. Industry, equipment type and project results are described as accurately as possible.

Project 1:

Ball Mill Drive System Modernization

Application:

Grinding mill (ball mill) — ore processing facility, Uzbekistan

Equipment:

Planetary gearbox + electric motor (imported unit, manufacturer [to be confirmed])

Problem

Gearbox overheating under full production load
High vibration levels causing unplanned stops
Frequent emergency shutdowns — 3–4 times per month
Bearing wear accelerated by misalignment not corrected during original installation

Engineering Diagnosis

Load analysis revealed the original gear ratio was selected incorrectly for the actual torque profile of the mill. Additionally, shaft alignment deviated by 0.4 mm — above acceptable tolerance for this class of equipment.

Solution

Full gearbox disassembly and defect inspection
Replacement of main bearings and gear set
Shaft realignment and coupling replacement
Load recalculation and gear ratio correction
Installation of temperature monitoring point

Result

Stable operation under full production load achieved
Unplanned stops eliminated for 8+ months after repair
Vibration levels reduced to within OEM specification
Client avoided full gearbox replacement — repair cost approximately 30% of new unit price

Project 2:

Conveyor Drive System Upgrade

Application:

Ore transport conveyor — mining operation, Navoi region area

Equipment:

Helical-bevel gearbox + motor-reducer

Problem

Progressive gear wear causing conveyor speed instability
Incorrect gear ratio selection at original commissioning
Electric motor running in overload condition — thermal protection tripping regularly

Engineering Diagnosis

System audit confirmed motor was operating at 118% of rated current during normal loading. Gear ratio was 12:1 where application required 16:1. This caused both motor overload and accelerated gear wear.

Solution

System audit and gear ratio recalculation
Replacement with correctly sized NORD motor-reducer unit
Installation of upgraded flexible coupling system
Motor protection relay recalibration

Result

Motor operating at 87% rated current — within normal range
Gear service interval extended from 6 weeks to 6+ months
Energy consumption reduced by approximately 11%

Project 3:

Crusher Drive Refurbishment

Application:

Primary jaw crusher — quarry operation

Equipment:

Heavy-duty gearbox (Soviet-era unit, no spare parts available from original supplier)

Problem

Significant gear tooth damage on primary stage
Shaft misalignment causing progressive housing damage
Risk of catastrophic failure and extended production stop

Engineering Diagnosis

Visual inspection and measurement revealed 2.1 mm shaft runout and 3 gear teeth with damage beyond self-healing tolerance. Continued operation would have resulted in full gear set destruction within estimated 2–4 weeks.

Solution

Full gearbox disassembly
Gear tooth restoration using welding and precision grinding
Shaft straightening and alignment correction
Housing crack repair and reinforcement
Full reassembly with new bearings and seals

Result

Equipment restored to service — estimated remaining service life 3–5 years
Avoided full unit replacement — estimated saving: significant, as equivalent unit not available domestically
12 days for full repair vs. estimated 60–90 days for imported replacement procurement

Project 4:

Kiln Drive Gearbox Overhaul

Application:

Rotary kiln drive — cement plant, Central Uzbekistan

Equipment:

Heavy-duty open gear reducer (Flender-type unit)

Problem

Increasing gear backlash and elevated noise level over 3-month period
Oil contamination — metallic particles detected in routine oil sample
Production management concerned about kiln stop risk

Engineering Diagnosis

Oil particle analysis indicated secondary gear stage wear. Backlash measurement: 1.8mm — above the 0.8mm limit for this application. Main pinion showed pitting on 40% of tooth contact surface.

Solution

Gear inspection and refurbishment of contact surfaces
Full bearing replacement — both main stages
Lubrication system clean-out and reconfiguration
Pinion replacement from stock
Reassembly and load testing

Result

Backlash corrected to 0.6mm — within specification
Kiln operating without interruption for 14+ months post-repair
Oil sample metallic particle count reduced to baseline level
Scheduled overhaul interval established — annual inspection program agreed with client

Project 5:

Raw Mill Drive Power Optimization

Application:

Raw material grinding mill — cement production

Equipment:

Gearbox + electric motor (SEW-Eurodrive motor-reducer unit)

Problem

Excessive energy consumption — 18% above design specification
Load imbalance between mill compartments
Motor operating at elevated temperature

Engineering Diagnosis

Motor current logging over 72 hours confirmed consistent overload pattern correlated with material feed rate. Gearbox internal efficiency loss estimated at 4–6% due to worn bearing preload. Drive configuration suboptimal for actual material density profile.

Solution

Gearbox bearing replacement and preload adjustment
Motor and gearbox operational matching — control parameters revised
Feed rate optimization recommendations provided to process team

Result

Energy consumption reduced by approximately 14% within 30 days
Motor temperature reduced by 12°C under standard load
Drive efficiency confirmed by power factor measurement before/after

Project 6:

Reactor Agitator Drive Integration

Application:

Chemical mixing reactor — process plant

Equipment:

Motor-reducer + flexible coupling

Problem

Unstable agitator rotation speed — product quality affected
Coupling failure every 6–8 weeks due to shaft misalignment
Vibration transmitted to reactor structure

Engineering Diagnosis

Shaft alignment measurement: 0.7mm parallel offset — significantly exceeding the 0.1mm tolerance required for this coupling type at operating speed. Original coupling selection was rigid type — inappropriate for this drive configuration.

Solution

Replacement of rigid coupling with flexible jaw-type coupling
Precision shaft alignment using dial gauge method
Motor-reducer selection review — confirmed unit was correctly sized
Vibration isolation pad installation at motor mount

Result

Coupling service life increased from 6–8 weeks to 18+ months (last recorded before end of contract period)
Agitator speed stability improved — product quality issue resolved
Vibration at reactor structure reduced by measured 60%

Project 7:

Pump Station Drive Modernizatio

Application:

Industrial fluid transfer pump station

Equipment:

Electric motor + gearbox + coupling

Problem

High vibration — vibration levels at 3× OEM alarm threshold
Coupling failure every 4–6 weeks
Motor overheating under peak flow conditions

Engineering Diagnosis

Vibration spectrum analysis identified dominant frequency corresponding to 1× shaft speed — classic unbalance signature. Secondary peak at bearing pass frequency indicated bearing damage. Motor current analysis showed intermittent overload during pump cavitation events.

Solution

Dynamic balancing of pump impeller
Bearing replacement and shaft realignment
Coupling upgrade to accommodate angular and parallel misalignment
Motor protection threshold recalibration

Result

Vibration reduced from 3× to within OEM specification
Coupling replacement interval extended to 12+ months
No motor trips recorded in 6 months following repair

Project 8:

Pump Drive System Repair — Water Infrastructure

Application:

Municipal water supply pump station — Central Asia region

Equipment:

Large-frame electric motor (Siemens SIMOTICS-type unit) + gearbox

Problem

Motor insulation degradation — insulation resistance below acceptable level
Gearbox oil leakage — seal failure across multiple positions
Vibration increase over 8-month period

Engineering Diagnosis

Motor insulation testing: 2.4 MΩ at 500V — below the 10 MΩ minimum for this motor class. Gearbox seal failure traced to incorrect seal material for operating temperature range. Vibration source: bearing inner race fretting on output shaft.

Solution

Motor winding insulation restoration — vacuum impregnation process
All gearbox seals replaced — correct material grade specified
Output shaft bearing replacement and housing bore correction
System alignment verification

Result

Motor insulation resistance restored to 480 MΩ — fully operational
Gearbox oil leakage eliminated — zero leakage at 6-month inspection
Vibration at OEM baseline level
Pump station restored to full operational capacity

Project 9:

Conveyor Drive Upgrade — Food Processing

Application:

Product transport conveyor — food processing facility

Equipment:

Motor-reducers (3 units on single line)

Problem

Inconsistent conveyor speed across line — synchronization issue
High wear rate on drive components — replacement every 3 months
Noise level above acceptable for food environment

Engineering Diagnosis

Speed variation traced to inconsistent gear ratios across three motor-reducer units — units were from different production batches with 3.2% speed tolerance mismatch. Wear rate caused by repeated micro-shock loading from speed differential.

Solution

Replacement with matched set of NORD motor-reducers — verified same gear ratio across all three units
Hygienic design units selected — appropriate for food environment
Drive integration into existing conveyor frame without structural modification

Result

Conveyor speed synchronization achieved — product positioning accuracy restored
Drive component replacement interval extended from 3 months to 18+ months (manufacturer specification: 24 months)
Noise level reduced by 8 dB

What These Projects Demonstrate

Engineering Diagnosis First

Each project begins with actual measurement and analysis — not assumption. Root cause is identified before solution is proposed. This prevents repeat failures.
Repair as a Strategic Option

In 6 of 9 projects above, repair or refurbishment was the optimal solution — faster, significantly cheaper, and equally or more reliable than replacement. We quantify this for clients before work begins.
Multi-Brand Repair Capability

Projects above involved equipment originally produced by Flender, SEW-Eurodrive, Siemens, Wikov, David Brown Santasalo and Soviet-era manufacturers. We work with all of these — as an independent service company.
Local Execution Advantage

Average repair turnaround in these projects: 7–14 days on-site + workshop time. Equivalent foreign service center turnaround for the same equipment: 6–14 weeks, plus logistics.