Jaws!
Bearings found in quarries and mines need to be tough, pretty much by definition. They need to be able to stand up to powerful shocks and vibrations, deal with contaminants and generally handle whatever gets thrown at them. This is even more true for bearings deployed in jaw crushers, after all, if you’re an integral part of a machine designed to crush rocks, you can’t be buckling under the strain…
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Unfortunately for one quarry in the United Arab Emirates, this was exactly what was happening. The main bearings in its Jaw Crusher were failing every year like clockwork. Lasting 12 whole months in harsh conditions might not sound too bad, but these failures (and the need to replace the bearings) were directly leading to massive production loss due to downtime.
The company running the quarry called NSK in to investigate and our experts soon determined that the bearings, which were being supplied by one of our competitors, were failing due to incorrect installation, a lack of proper lubrication and an inability to withstand high temperatures.
"NSK’s bearings and linear guides have the benefit of decades of R&D behind them, as well as near limitless engineering experience"
Colin Cook, NSK’s European AIP & Reliability Manager
Our team of experts proceeded to collaborate with a local distributor in the UAE, performing a comprehensive lubrication study, the results of which were used to optimise the lubrication situation, as well as modifying both the shaft and the housings in order to ensure the best possible performance from the bearings. Our engineers also provided training on how to correctly install NSK bearings, which have been heat stabilised to cope with temperatures up to 200 degrees Centigrade. They also remained for a time to supervise proceedings and make certain that the staff at the quarry had properly understood everything they needed to due to ensure peak performance.
‘Machine tools are essential equipment across countless manufacturing sectors,’ says Colin Cook, NSK’s European AIP & Reliability Manager. ‘They must operate precisely and consistently in order to produce high quality finished parts. Similarly, the components which make up machine tools must be reliable and a perfect fit for the task at hand. NSK’s bearings and linear guides have the benefit of decades of R&D behind them, as well as near limitless engineering experience, and that’s why we’re confident we can provide a solution for any problem.’
The results were clear and emphatic, the bearing we supplied to the quarry has now been running for more than five years without showing any signs of degradation or giving any other cause for concern. That five year (and counting) lifespan has seen the quarry saving very nearly €2,000,000 per year for over the last four years, demonstrating pretty emphatically how important it is not just to choose a top quality product, but to make sure it is professionally installed and lubricated as well. The results are more than worth the extra effort.
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