PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL Rotary kiln predictive maintenance to prevent downtime. Nicholas Dannias, Marketing Manager, Jammbco Industrial Solutions Ltd

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
Why standards still matter.
Standards are useful when they improve decision quality, not
when they become paperwork.
For rotary kilns, the most relevant condition monitoring
standards are the ones that help teams structure data collection
and interpretation. ISO 17359 provides a framework for setting up
a machine condition monitoring program. In plain language, it helps
de昀椀ne what should be measured, how often, and how the result
should in昀氀uence maintenance decisions. ISO 18434-1 does the
same for infrared thermography. In practice, that matters because
kiln shell temperature data is only valuable if the method, severity
criteria, and reporting are consistent enough to compare over time.
A plant does not need to build a rigid standards project to
bene昀椀t. It does need consistency. If shell scans, bearing checks,
lubrication routes, and vibration reviews are not repeatable, the
trend cannot be trusted.
How predictive maintenance changes day-to-day work for each
stakeholder.
For kiln and area superintendents:
The priority is operating stability. Predictive maintenance
helps them see whether a problem is temporary process noise or a
trend that will affect campaign life.
They should ask:
•
Is the kiln running differently or is it just running harder.
•
Are we losing thermal ef昀椀ciency before we see a
production loss?
•
Can this issue wait for the next outage, or does it need
an operating change now.
For process engineers:
The priority is heat transfer, gas 昀氀ow, and material behavior.
Predictive maintenance turns process deviations into maintenance
questions.
They should ask:
•
Is high fuel consumption caused by feed variability,
burner performance, poor heat recovery, or chain area
inef昀椀ciency.
•
Is build-up changing gas velocity, temperature pro昀椀le,
or residence behavior.
•
Are exit gas temperature and dust loading telling us that
back-end performance has drifted.
For mechanical and reliability engineers:
The priority is 昀椀t, load, wear, and lifecycle risk. Predictive
maintenance gives them earlier visibility into component distress.
They should ask:
•
Are tire and roller contact patterns still acceptable?
•
Is shell thermal behavior creating mechanical risk at
support stations.
•
Do we have enough evidence to scope the next outage
correctly?
For maintenance and mill managers:
The priority is planning, labour ef昀椀ciency, and budget
discipline. Predictive maintenance improves shutdown quality by
narrowing the uncertainty before the outage starts.
They should ask:
•
Which tasks truly need outage time.
•
Which spare parts should be committed now.
•
What can be addressed through operating practice, and
what needs engineered change.
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What to evaluate before changing hardware, materials, or
monitoring scope.
Predictive maintenance should lead to better engineering
decisions, not just more inspections. Before changing internals,
lining systems, mounting hardware, or maintenance methods, the
plant should evaluate 昀椀ve practical issues.
•
Temperature Exposure: Match metallurgy and lining
choices to the real temperature pro昀椀le, not just the
nominal design case.
•
Gas Velocity and Dust Loading: Back-end geometry
and internals should support heat transfer without
creating avoidable dust generation or plugging risk.
•
Working Internal Diameter: Any lining or chain area
change should be assessed for its impact on gas 昀氀ow,
residence behavior, and maintainability.
•
Installation Method: A good design can fail early if the
outage execution plan is rushed or mis-sequenced.
•
Inspection Access and Trendability: If a system cannot
be inspected consistently, the plant loses predictive
value after installation.
Where Jammbco 昀椀ts into a predictive maintenance strategy.
Jammbco’s role is strongest where kiln performance, internal
hardware, and 昀椀eld diagnosis intersect.
For example, if predictive maintenance identi昀椀es high exit
gas temperature, excessive dust recycle, repeated chain area buildup, or declining back-end ef昀椀ciency, the issue may not be solved
by inspection alone. The kiln may need a better-con昀椀gured internal
heat exchange system, upgraded lining approach, or more durable
support hardware.
For example, Jammbco could support with:
•
Kiln chain systems, for chain selection, chain
arrangement, and heat transfer support.
•
Econoliners, for chain area lining strategy, shell
protection, reduced gas velocity, and internal diameter
considerations.
•
Services, for 昀椀eld analysis, technical operational
support, training, and installation supervision.
•
Resources, for technical references and supporting
material.
A practical Jammbco-led approach is usually structured around
four steps:
1. Diagnose The Real Failure Mechanism: Separate
the symptoms, such as dusting, fuel rise, hot spots, or
instability, from the underlying cause.
2. Translate Findings into Hardware and Outage
Scope: De昀椀ne the chain layout, liner concept, hardware
requirement, and installation sequence required.
3. Align Operations and Maintenance: Con昀椀rm that the
solution supports throughput, reliability, and shutdown
reality at the same time.
4. Support Installation and Follow-Up: Use 昀椀eld
services and post-install review to verify that the kiln is
actually trending in the right direction.

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