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Split bearing saves on maintenance

19th June 2015

By: Dylan Stewart

Creamer Media Reporter

  

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Owing to its unique design features, the Cooper split bearing, distributed by bearings manufacturer Bearings International, lasts longer and saves on maintenance time, says Cooper split bearing product manager Matthew Tyler.

Every component of the bearing is divided into two symmetrical components, which encase the shaft, he explains, noting that the Cooper split bearing is highly efficient for maintenance purposes.

While conventional solid bearings must be slid down the shaft for removal, the split bearing can be taken apart. In addition, replacing a conventional bearing often entails removing the gear while replacing a split bearing does not.

Tyler highlights that this reduces the downtime when conducting bearing maintenance: “The split bearing takes four hours to replace as opposed to the 20 hours that it takes to replace a conventional bearing.”

He cites the R1-million-an-hour downtime cost incurred by a certain iron-ore mine in South Africa that, owing to the use of Cooper split bearings, saved more than 16 extra hours of production, or about R16-million.

Moreover, Tyler says the Cooper split bearing is less likely to get damaged, explaining that the most common causes of damage to a bearing are poor installation and dirt ingression.

Used in mining, cement, power generation and materials handling, the bearing is a lot less prone to dirt ingression, he adds. The bearing’s swivel cartridge moves with the shaft, enabling the seal to remain concentric with the shaft at all times, even when the shaft misaligns. This makes the Cooper split bearing superior to a conventional bearing because shaft misalignment opens up or crushes the seal, states Taylor.

He adds that clients might also opt for more elaborate sealing options. While the standard seal is made of felt, value can be added to the bearing by installing other sealing options suited for wet, submerged and high-temperature applications.

In light of this, Tyler claims that the Cooper split bearing has the best sealing arrangement on the market, as each bearing is designed to last for 100 000 hours, or 13 years.

He explains that both halves of the bearing’s inner race are fitted onto the shaft using clamping rings, which are encased by the cage, and rollers that, in turn, clip together.

The Cooper split bearing series is available in medium, heavy and extra-heavy duty. Each series is designed identically, but the heavier-duty bearings use bigger components to accommodate a greater load, says Tyler.

While the initial cost of a Cooper split bearing is more than twice as much as that of a conventional bearing, Tyler affirms that demonstrable cost savings can be achieved if one takes into account costs associated with maintenance and installations.

The bearings are available off the shelf and can accommodate shaft sizes of between 40 mm to 320 mm in diameter. Tyler recounts that the biggest bearing manufactured to date was 1.3 m in diameter, when Bearings International specifically manufactured the product for steel rope producer Haggie Steel Wire Ropes’ Johannesburg plant.

Other prominent users of the Cooper split bearing include mining major Anglo American, steel producer ArcelorMittal, independent coal electricity producer Kelvin power station and State-owned power utility Eskom.

Edited by Leandi Kolver
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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