Back
In the steel industry, where every minute counts, equipment reliability is essential. An unexpected failure of a critical component can completely halt a production line and generate millions of euros in economic losses. In this article, we share a real case in which the intervention of OHP Service in the repair of a critical cardan drive shaft proved decisive for a steel mill to resume its activity in record time.
The Context: Production Could Not Stop
The steel mill in question operates in continuous shifts, with rolling lines running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The reliability of auxiliary equipment is as important as that of furnaces or casting systems, since any interruption can disrupt the entire production chain.
During a day of full operation, a cardan drive shaft transmitting power to a critical rolling mill suffered a sudden failure. The shaft had shown signs of internal wear that had not been detected in time, eventually leading to its breakage. As a result, the rolling line came to a complete standstill.
The estimated cost of this stoppage was thousands of euros per hour. The customer needed an immediate solution.
The Technical Challenge
The breakdown was far from minor: the affected cardan had a special design, tailored to the specific dimensions and load of the rolling mill. Replacing it with a standard spare was impossible, and manufacturing a new shaft would have required several weeks.
Under these circumstances, the only viable solution was an urgent reconditioning, capable of restoring the cardan’s full performance in the shortest possible time.
The challenge for OHP Service was twofold:
- Accurately diagnose the extent of the damage within hours.
- Repair and recondition the cardan ensuring maximum reliability, under the highest quality standards and the most demanding certifications.
The Intervention of OHP Service
The damaged shaft was immediately transported to the facilities of OHP Service, where our multidisciplinary team — engineering, workshop, and quality control — worked together to deliver a fast response.
The main steps of the intervention were:
- Detailed inspection using non-destructive testing techniques to detect hidden cracks.
- Replacement of affected components, including bearings and joints.
- Precision machining to restore original tolerances.
- Dynamic balancing of the cardan, essential to avoid vibrations at high speeds.
- Performance testing on a test bench, ensuring the reconditioned shaft reached the same reliability level as a new one.
The entire process was carried out under the certified quality protocols of OHP Service, guaranteeing full traceability and compliance with the industry’s most demanding standards.
The Result: Production Resumed in Record Time
Thanks to the technical capability and flexibility of OHP Service, the critical cardan was ready in less than 48 hours. Once reinstalled in the steel mill, the rolling line was able to resume production without incident.
The customer not only avoided significant losses but also confirmed that the reconditioned cardan offered performance even superior to the original, thanks to improvements introduced in balancing and component selection.
Lessons Learned
This case highlights several key points for the steel industry:
- Response time is critical: having a partner capable of repairing within hours can make the difference.
- Quality is non-negotiable: a rushed repair without rigorous controls could cause an even more serious failure later.
- Predictive maintenance is the future: although the repair was a success, implementing monitoring systems will prevent similar unexpected failures in the future.
Conclusion
In steelmaking, robustness and reliability are not just technical terms: they are the foundation of competitiveness. The experience of OHP Service in repairing cardan drive shafts shows that it is possible to return a critical component to production in record time, without compromising safety or quality.
At OHP Service, we work with a clear goal: minimize our clients’ downtime, guarantee maximum reliability of cardan shafts, and support the continuity of the most demanding processes in the steel industry.
When every minute counts, having a partner with the experience, quality, and certifications of OHP Service is not just an advantage: it is a necessity.