SKF Coopers new range of split spherical roller bearings will help customers,especially those in the mining sector, reduce maintenance and boost safety.

SKF Cooper has introduced a range of split spherical roller bearings that offers multiple customer benefits, while being more robust and reliable than competitor products.

The 231 series of split spherical roller bearings, available in shaft diameters of 240-450mm, is typically used in mining conveyor and stacker/reclaimer applications.

“Split bearings are ideal for use in the ‘trapped’ bearing position of machines,” says Richard Law, Product line and Sales manager for SKF Cooper Split SRBs at SKF. “Using split bearings means that the drive coupling and gearbox do not need to be dismounted during bearing replacement limiting unwanted costs and downtime.”

The new bearings, which are available in open (unsealed) and sealed versions, offer many advantages, including much shorter mean time to repair (MTTR), as they can be replaced in-situ. They also offer reduced maintenance burden reduction in production losses and consequently a lower hazard risk to workers.  The sealed version increases reliability due to improved exclusion of dirt and allows for lower grease consumption, reducing the environmental impact.  These new bearings also offer a superior shaft fit and run at lower noise and vibration levels compared with competitor products.

In mining, the key advantage is that MTTR is typically reduced from 24 hours to 8 hours in conveyor systems. Also, reducing the number of maintenance steps, such as overhead lifting of heavy equipment to replace conveyor pulley bearings, improves worker safety. The bearings are also appropriate for other industries, including mineral processing and cement. As the size range increases, applications will expand into other process industries and industrial fans.

The superior performance of the SKF Cooper bearings is due to several innovative design features including: ductile steel clamped and wire-cut inner and outer rings for more secure positioning and superior raceway geometry respectively. A precision-manufactured ‘saw tooth’ joint on the outer race of the bearing, boosts axial alignment and makes the race itself thinner.?