Explaining how split roller bearings cut MRO costs

Companies in heavy industries such as metals production, paper and pulp manufacturing, mining, quarrying and cement production stand to benefit significantly from split spherical roller bearings - such as the FAG range from Schaeffler UK. Not only do split bearings help companies reduce production downtime, but they also simplify mounting and help to reduce assembly and maintenance costs.

Replacing or removing damaged or worn parts on heavy machinery and equipment that requires regular servicing or maintenance can be a real headache for manufacturing companies, particularly those in heavy industries where the value of capital equipment and production machinery is normally high.

Repair and overhaul of components soaks up valuable time and resources, often resulting in costly production downtime, while the equipment or machinery is offline being repaired. The harsh operating environment may also result in more regular maintenance and overhaul being required on machinery.

Dismantling and assembly procedures can be complicated and often involve drives being disconnected, belts, pulleys, gears, bearings, couplings and shafts being disassembled or removed. Equipment such as bucket wheel excavators, winch drums, screw conveyors, mixers and stirrers, mills, crushers, rotary kilns, fans and blowers, drive and line shafts – all require regular maintenance, repair and overhaul.

Benefits for new designs

Where solid rather than split spherical roller bearings are currently being used, companies should choose to upgrade to the split type instead. Mounting of split bearings normally leads to a reduction of machinery downtime and maintenance costs. In many cases, split bearings can also reduce the cost of new designs, because the bearings simplify the assembly process and mounting procedure.

Split spherical roller bearings are particularly useful when several solid spherical roller bearings are being used to support a complex drive shaft, or where the bearing needs replacing but is located in a tight space on a machine, so access is restricted.

With split spherical roller bearings, the inner ring, outer ring and cage assembly are split. A cylindrical bore provides direct mounting onto the shaft. These bearings typically offer high thrust load capability and dynamically compensate for any misalignment.

With the FAG range of split spherical roller bearings, the outside diameter, outer ring width and shaft seat diameter are identical to the dimensions of the standard spherical roller bearings range. This means customers can easily replace solid bearings with split versions by utilising an adapter sleeve.

The FAG range includes both glass fibre-reinforced polyamide or brass cages and, for special applications, split bearings with separate clamping rings can be supplied.