Training and professional tools extend bearing service life19 May 2021

A manufacturer of polystyrene-based insulating products was experiencing frequent failures in the bearings of conveyors which link its machines. However, the situation was soon under control following an NSK training course for maintenance personnel and the adoption of the correct bearing mounting tools, the bearing supplier reports.

Alongside other materials, the company processes large quantities of expanded polystyrene, with 3D parts milled from sheet material. The manufacturer transports the material by conveyor systems, with heavy exposure to abrasion and fine dust from the polystyrene. As a result, repeated failures were occurring in the rolling bearings of the conveyors.

Although the primary reason for the failures was the dusty and dirty operating environment, another cause was that maintenance personnel did not have proper training on how to handle the bearings and were using conventional, non-dedicated tools to perform the work.

The company asked NSK to deliver a practical course for its maintenance team, which included instruction on how to mount and dismount bearings correctly and use professional mounting and dismounting tools. Maintenance personnel are now aware, for example, that extreme cleanliness is essential in order to prevent contamination when mounting the bearings. Also, whenever bearing replacement takes place, there is a clear need to use dedicated NSK tools. The tools carefully apply the necessary forces so as to avoid any damage, never transmitting them across the rolling elements.

NSK’s tool set includes bearing extractors that are able to exert a strong pulling force without damaging adjacent components. To install the replacement bearing, tools are also available to provide efficient and damage-free cold mounting.

Thanks to these measures, the company is enjoying lower labour costs as the time required for dismounting and mounting failed bearings has reduced by a factor of 5.5. Furthermore, the service life of the newly installed bearings is significantly longer as there is no mechanical damage during cold mounting.

Only a small investment was necessary for the training, while the NSK mounting tool paid for itself within a few weeks.

Operations Engineer

Related Companies
NSK Bearings Europe Ltd

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