SOURCE: Quarry Magazine | November 18, 2024
As global demands on the cement and aggregates sectors continue to grow, SKF is responding with a comprehensive suite of products and services designed to fortify machinery longevity and minimise plant interruptions.
Safety hazards and unplanned downtime are continual risks in heavy industries, impacting both worker wellbeing and business profitability. SKF addresses these challenges with its robust bearing offerings, including the Cooper split spherical roller bearings. Designed for easy in-situ replacement, these bearings are available in both open and sealed variants and do not require changes to shaft alignment or driveline. This design significantly reduces the mean time to repair for conveyor pulley bearings by an impressive 70 per cent.
SKF’s Explorer spherical roller bearings bring an additional layer of innovation and efficiency to the table. Specifically engineered for the most demanding conditions in cement and aggregate plants, the SKF Explorer spherical roller bearings have proven to double bearing life while significantly reducing lubrication consumption and maintenance needs. This enhanced performance means machinery operates more reliably, securing continuous production.
A cornerstone of SKF’s protective solutions is the Three-Barrier Solution. Meticulously crafted to shield conveyor bearings from the harshness of their operating environments, this comprehensive approach combines a sealed SKF Explorer spherical roller bearing, a sturdy sealed housing, and an intermediary grease barrier. This system not only extends conveyor uptime by up to 300 per cent but also slashes grease consumption by 90% and triples the duration between pulley bearing failures. These improvements not only boost efficiency but also enhance safety and reduce environmental impact—a triple win for any operation.
The SKF System 24 portfolio, featuring the innovative TLDD series, is particularly beneficial for the cement and aggregates industries, where reliable lubrication is crucial for maintaining continuous operation. These wireless-monitored automatic single-point lubricators utilise a sophisticated web dashboard and interface that allows seamless monitoring and management of each lubricator’s status and settings.
By reducing the need for manual inspections and enabling centralised control over all lubricators, this system significantly increases workplace safety and simplifies maintenance processes. The addition of automatic warning and alarm messages optimises logistics, minimises maintenance-related downtime, and enhances productivity, making it an invaluable tool in various harsh environments.
SKF’s integration of the SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 and Axios Sensors marks a significant advancement in machine health monitoring. These devices allow for meticulous planning of maintenance schedules and improve the reliability and performance of rotating equipment. By monitoring essential parameters and predicting potential issues before they arise, SKF helps ensure that machinery runs more efficiently for longer, significantly reducing both maintenance and repair costs.
For operations where the cost or lead time for new bearings is prohibitive, SKF’s Remanufacturing Services provide an economically and environmentally sustainable alternative. These services not only reduce the lead times and costs associated with procuring new bearings but also significantly lower CO2 emissions.
With its focused approach on delivering solutions tailored to the harsh realities of the cement and aggregates industries, SKF not only meets the operational demands of these sectors but sets new benchmarks in reliability and efficiency. Through innovative product solutions, advanced monitoring technologies, and sustainable practices, SKF is reshaping the landscape of industrial operations, ensuring that plants are not just operational but optimally functional and safe.
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