Brunvoll has carried out repair of a 55-year-old reduction gearbox, plant number 16, delivered in 1968, which the company says is a testament to its sustainability ethos.
The gearbox, from the ferry Levanger (ex Florøy) owned by Torghatten Midt has been tested and approved for further operation.
The reduction gear from Volda was delivered in 1968. The ferry company considered whether to repair the old unit, and when the unt was dismantled it turned out that refurbishment would be feasible. General wear was as might be expected after 55 years, and the gear oil cooler had at one-point leaked salt water into the gearbox, which had caused damage to the white metal bearings. As Brunvoll owns all necessary drawings as well as the expertise, machines and tools to produce most of the larger parts directly from the factory in Volda, new parts could be made as necessary. A gearwheel which should be firmly shrunk onto the shaft was loose, so a new shaft was made. All white metal bearings in the gearbox were replaced due to wear and saltwater intrusion. Brunvoll has its own white metal production so updated versions of the bearings were made with new lubrication grooves and bearing clearances. The original pump from 1968 was checked and found in good condition, while original clutch hub was cleaned and restored for further operation.
The installation on the Levanger is believed to be the oldest still in service. The original Normo Semidiesel engine had been replaced by a MAN engine in 1995, but both gearboxes are still running 55 years after delivery. The propulsion system on the ferry includes two reduction gears, plant nos 16 and 17, delivered from Volda Mekanisk Verksted in 1968. Plant 17 was repaired after a break down in 2014. Now it was plant 16 that showed signs of wear and tear. The owner had to think twice whether it would be worthwhile to repair the gear, but in the end they chose to carry out the overhaul and necessary repairs. The work on plant 16 was extensive, with both the machining of new parts but also a lot of reuse of original parts from 1968.
The Normo engine was a collaborative project between Bergen, Brunvoll, Hjelset and Volda, where BMV (Bergen Mekaniske Verksteder) was responsible for the engine delivery itself, while the others supplied parts for the engine. Both Bergen, Brunvoll, Hjelset and Volda had their respective diesel engines until approx. 1965, and after that time they agreed to deliver a common engine in the Normo Semidiesel. The Normo Group was established in 1958 to promote Norwegian engine production, and the production of the common Normo Diesel ended in 1980.
