By Lily Bearings
©2004-2008
NSK's programme to help extraction industries to improve reliability, increase productivity and reduce costs has produced savings of GBP4,580 annually.
This is a result of providing a bearing solution for a quarrying customer who was experiencing short bearing service life - averaging four months - on a conveyor drum take-up unit.
Located in a relatively inaccessible area beneath a shaker screen, the drum take-up bearing was subjected to arduous conditions as a result of the open environment.
In addition, the remote location of the bearing meant that regreasing was difficult and inconsistent.
The combination of these adverse factors meant that bearings were failing regularly - three times a year on average - from seizure, resulting in conveyor downtime with consequential loss of production.
In an effort to reduce or eliminate these costs altogether, the quarry operator turned to NSK's cost-saving programme for extraction industries.
The programme is designed for end-user bearing customers in quarrying and mining industries that are looking for more than just product supply; rather, they are looking for a value-added service.
After surveying the application, NSK engineers recommended a switch to RHP Self-Lube bearings equipped with triple-lip seals, together with a best-practice lubrication regime.
The Self-Lube range of mounted bearing units is said to be proven in quarrying and mineral extraction on conveyors, feeders and general handling equipment.
The range offers a 'bolt-on' facility that means it is easy to fit, replace and relubricate.
In addition, Self-Lube bearings are said to provide users with a choice of sealing systems to give optimum protection under different operating conditions.
With three nitrile sealing lips, the triple-lip seal is recommended where a high degree of contamination is present.
The installation of Self-Lube bearings with triple-lip seals has brought about improvements in performance at the quarry, with bearing lifetime increased from an average of four months to more than two years of continuous operation.