OT: Philly Mixer

I'm hoping that someone here know a way around this problem. I have a large Phily mixer that broke a gear on its high speed section. We tried to order the parts from Philly but were told that since it was part of a larger system, I had to purchase parts from the system manufacturer. They "system" is concrete tanks built on site and mixers bought from others so this manufacturer really has no business getting in the middle of this. Especially saying THEY have to assemble these precision parts.
Thats annoying enough and merely a way for this vendor to create more profit, but if they were competent and responsive all I could do is bend over and deal with it. It is what it is.
The part of this that is untenable is that the vendor is REALLY in the way. Excuse after excuse, its been 6 months since we needed these parts and all we get is excuses. I wish I could reach through the phone . . . Now another one is failing.

Anyone found a way to get around this kind of interference ? Its at the point now where we are looking into replacing the $80k philly mixers with a different brand just so we don't have this kind of problem any longer.

I would flat out tell them that you have bids in progress to replace their systems. Your company is willing to shell out $$$$ to dump them because of poor support. Usually gets their attention.

Could you "Reverse Engineer" and have a gear custom cut? there are plenty of shops out there that can do this. I have done the same for some obsolete equipment on our extruders.

Its been done but before that is undertaken, I would be more interested in getting directly to Philly Mixers. These intermediate folks will only be in the way. They have no real vested interest in supporting parts after the sale, at least thats how it appears.

rkukl said:

Could you "Reverse Engineer" and have a gear custom cut? there are plenty of shops out there that can do this. I have done the same for some obsolete equipment on our extruders.

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Years ago I weakly tried that for a cheap device I eventually dumped anyway, but I was told (by the only vendor I contacted) that I needed drawings of the gears,not just a sample.
Were you able to get drawings or did they measure and remanufacture from that?
These are just spur gears, nothing complicated.

I have done two ways.
1) removed and sent to vendor and paid them to have drawn. Worked well but kind of pricey
2) removed and we drew in house.

These were for Gearboxes in 250-300 hp range.
Its been a while but will see if i can find vendor info. was at my former job so not sure.....

I can't remember the company name (maybe David Brown?) but I recall seeing advertisements for a company supplying replacement gears and reducers for clarifiers and mixers. Try researching the buyer's guide at www.wef.org

Don't blame Philadelphia Gear. They are probably contractually obligated to take that stance.

I suggest finding out who the local sales representative for the middleman supplier is and contact him. Let him know that you are planning to replace them with new mixers (or diffused aeration if this is an aeration system) and that you will tell every operator and engineer you meet what a lousy organization they are. It may not help, but it can't hurt.

I've had good luck with Chickasaw Gear in Ohio making replacement gears:

http://www.fortwayneodgrinding.com/

Most gears do tend to be standard tooth patterns & can be copied - but there are those homemade ones in a few machines.

Just don't tell them the gear came out of a Minster press or feedline - they'll say the same "proprietary part" line & send you to Minster.

TheWaterboy said:

Years ago I weakly tried that for a cheap device I eventually dumped anyway...

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Don't know nuthin' from gears but, a quick search shows this is not an uncommon problem.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=reverse+engineer+a+gear&t=ffsb

Good luck!