Product category:
Bearings
News Release from: Eriks UK | Subject: SRB bearings
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 11 April 2003
Split roller bearings cut paper plant
downtime
SRB split roller bearings are providing both design and plant engineers within the paper industry with a solution which both simplifies and expedites bearing replacement.
The benefits of Wyko's SRB range of split roller bearings are providing both design and plant engineers within the paper industry with a solution which both simplifies and expedites bearing replacement/installation, and can cut costly downtime to approximately 25% of that required to replace solid bearings of the same size Crucially, Wyko's SRB range also addresses the problems of poor product availability and lack of product development, issues which have previously affected the levels of usage for this bearing type in papermaking machines
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 9 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Split cylindrical roller bearings, generally, are not new, but in today's highly pressurised global manufacturing environment, with the accent firmly on minimising costly downtime, they can claim to be a product that has come of age.
Wyko's SRB range, in particular, is bristling with new design initiatives that give users and designers greater strength, durability and life, in addition to the more established benefits of ease installation and product replacement.
Features such as a unique cage clip design, bored pocket machined brass cage, high-load capacity and strong resilient cast iron supports, make the SRB product ideal for the harsh environments (ie wet and hot) frequently encountered in paper processing.
In addition, the fact that the SRB bearing cages are manufactured from brass, as opposed to aluminium, eliminates the need for costly nonstandard products with their inherent extended manufacturing lead times.
Traditionally, the largest usage of split roller bearings in the paper industry has centred on line shafts, fans, pumps, lay shafts, and on drying cylinders of gear driven machines where the SRBs can be used as the main support bearings.
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In drying cylinder applications bearings with large bore diameters and large internal clearance are required.
These must be able to withstand elevated operating temperatures and be able to cope with large reductions in their internal clearances.
The advanced design, innovative method of manufacture and policy of stocking semi -finished components by SRB means that there is now a suitable product to meet this requirement.
The SRB product, moreover, is available on short lead times; where in the past typical lead times from competitors could extend beyond 20 weeks.
The net benefit of this development is that stock levels are being reduced at user sites, resulting in significant cost savings.
A recent example, which highlights the potential value of SRB's innovative modular stocking policy to the paper industry, is Inveresk Paper Mill at Inverkeithing.
The mill required eight SRB Light Series bearings, of 5.75in bore, and with C5 clearance, for a bearing change during a shutdown.
SRB won the order partly due to the 4-week lead time quoted.
While these bearings were being manufactured by SRB, Inveresk identified a problem.
The existing bearings inner rings had turned on the journal, resulting in Inveresk engineers proposing that these journals be remachined during the shutdown to 144mm.
SRB was immediately called and asked to produce two 144mm bore bearings quickly.
SRB achieved this, delivering six 5.75in and two 144mm bearings with C5 clearance within 4 weeks.
The improvements realised by SRB in its overall design of bearing have been optimised further following ongoing research into the use of split roller bearings in the papermaking process.
This revealed that greater market potential existed if bearing units could be produced that could operate at higher speeds and temperatures.
Traditionally with this type of bearing, die cast aluminium cages have been used as standard manufacture.
However, SRB opted for a bored pocket machined brass cage as their standard.
This allows standard bearing operating temperatures up to 140C without problems, and operating speeds up to 25% higher, as long as thrust loads are within design limits.
The combination of the SRB bearing's bored pocket brass cage and its special cage clip also gives the bearing improved frictional and running characteristics, resulting in the potential for increased speed operation.
The cage clip itself, offers accurate cage alignment and ensures that when the two cage halves are separated the clips are always retained on one cage half.
This leaves the maintenance engineer with a free hand during assembly.
SRB is not "resting on its laurels" with its present design of bearing.
The company is currently developing third generation products, with particular focus on sealing, cage jointing clip and cast iron design.
This development will bring immediate benefits to users, as the investment in new production machinery and new manufacturing techniques is resulting in lead times falling further still. Request a free brochure from Eriks UK ...
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