Consistent Predictive Maintenance Drives Reliability at Ash Grove Cement

Equipment failures are the biggest threat to cement producers, eroding uptime, productivity and profits. While many of these incidents can be avoided through a robust predictive maintenance (PdM) program, operators often hesitate to invest because of upfront and ongoing costs.

Ken Rone, Vice President of Manufacturing Services at Ash Grove Cement, argues that the investment pays for itself each time equipment failure and downtime are averted.

Building the Foundation

Ash Grove Cement, headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, boasts nearly 9 million tons of cement capacity and is a long‑standing leader in the U.S. industry. The company has been in business for more than 125 years and began its Corporate Maintenance Excellence Process (MEP) in 2000, establishing standardized PdM equipment and procedures across its 10 U.S. plants.

While the program was sophisticated, data consistency varied. Some sites relied on on‑site technicians, others on third‑party consultants for vibration analysis, infrared thermography, and oil analysis. “We had a high‑level, sophisticated program, but we identified vibration analysis as a weak link where we lacked consistency,” Rone explains. “We brought in an independent partner and began evaluating potential vendors in August 2008, finally selecting Timken in early 2009.”

Timken, a leading technical solutions provider, specializes in improving uptime for industrial equipment through its deep expertise in metallurgy, tribology, engineering, and data analysis. “When we combine optimal bearing, sealing and lubrication technology with proper maintenance, condition monitoring and diagnostic analysis, we see clear performance gains,” says Rick Brooks, project manager for Timken’s services group.

Timken also offers extensive training and consulting services, helping clients develop customized programs that fit their specific needs. “Timken was the right choice because of their consulting experience and because their evaluation devices share the same technology platform as our existing PdM equipment,” Rone adds.

Establishing a New Baseline

One of Ash Grove’s challenges was consistently collecting baseline vibration readings. “Establishing baselines is critical for trending,” says Tod Cotter, project manager for Timken’s services group. “Once you have a baseline, you can compare future readings; an upward trend in amplitude may indicate an emerging problem.”

Timken’s reliability experts therefore set baseline vibration analysis readings and provided verifiable data for Criticality 1 and Criticality 2 equipment at each plant. Cotter collected data from all machines of 1,000 hp or more, performed analyses, and recommended maintenance schedule adjustments.

“We conducted an audit of what was working well and what needed improvement at each location,” Cotter notes. “Each plant had different equipment and operating parameters, but the process highlighted best practices that could be shared across the network.” For instance, the Leamington, Utah, and Seattle plants already had solid vibration programs managed by a mix of in‑house technicians and outside contractors; their practices were incorporated into other sites following Timken’s recommendations.

Expanding the Collaboration

Impressed by Timken’s expertise, Rone asked the company to help manage PdM activities at four plants that were struggling with their existing programs. “Our approach is collaborative, not prescriptive,” Brooks says. “We work with Ash Grove’s internal and external teams to develop a custom plan that keeps critical assets running.”

The collaboration has already yielded tangible results. In the first ten months, Timken and Ash Grove identified ten instances where critical equipment was on the verge of failure, enabling preventive repairs that prevented unscheduled downtime. A single “save” on a raw mill motor at Leamington avoided roughly $350,000 in downtime costs. In another case, Timken’s data analysis helped the Foreman, Ark., plant avoid 12 hours of downtime by detecting a fault in a ball mill’s fan gearbox before a catastrophic failure could occur.

Ash Grove has also adopted Timken’s Machine Evaluator for data collection. This handheld instrument merges advanced vibration analysis with shock‑pulse monitoring, detecting bearing damage, inadequate lubrication, imbalance, misalignment and structural weaknesses—especially useful for slow‑speed cement equipment.

“Shock‑pulse works particularly well for monitoring conditions in slow‑speed cement equipment,” Cotter says. “The Machine Evaluator’s advanced diagnostic capabilities help us spot faults early.” Ash Grove’s maintenance personnel are receiving training on the device and how to integrate it into a comprehensive PdM program, with additional training on maintenance and reliability scheduled for the near future.

Rone cites training as a differentiating factor that helped Ash Grove choose Timken. “Timken’s willingness to share its technical knowledge has translated into real business value,” he says. “The most successful PdM programs are consistent and ongoing—part of our MEP strategy is to reconfirm vibration baselines annually with Timken’s help.”

“Timken has definitely helped us strengthen our PdM practices,” Rone concludes. “With their on‑site support and accurate data reporting, our team has more confidence in decision‑making, and we’re achieving best‑in‑class results.”

For more information on this and other topics, visit the Timken website at www.timken.com.