Split roller bearings (SRB) from Revolo have saved millions of rand in downtime for South African company Xstrata Alloys, a producer of ferrochrome and primary vanadium.

Using SRB, Revolvo's South African agent OE Bearings was able to temporarily fix a shaft, enabling Xstrata Alloys to avoid millions in lost revenue by remaining operational for a whole month while a new shaft was manufactured.

Xstrata approached OE Bearings after discovering that one of its shafts, which fed raw materials into a kiln, was damaged.

The company was facing downtime costs of approximately ZAR1m per day.

Warwick Steinhobel, director at OE Bearings, said: 'When we investigated the shaft, we realised that we would have to engineer a temporary solution so that downtime could be averted while a new shaft could be built.

'The shaft was badly worn, and on a detailed investigation, it was discovered that the shafting was undersized by 20mm.

'This was a major problem; in this type of business 50-microns is the maximum that should be encountered.'
Steinhobel added: 'The challenge we were facing was that replacement of the shaft would have taken at least four days.

'We decided we would build a platform for the bearing next to the existing shaft, moving the existing bearing off the damaged shaft.

'We then placed shims between the bearing inner race and the shaft - and installed the bearing on the modified shaft.'
To do this, the OE Bearings team had to work an entire day, right through the night - and into the next day.

The temporary solution involved the use of specialised SRBs.

These offered a host of advantages from the technical, economic and pure design points of view.

The bearings were simple to fit - a major factor in their longevity; they provide a longer life span because they could not be cross-located; and they also provide superior sealing arrangements, delivering longer bearing life with reduced levels of maintenance.

Steinhobel said: 'The fact that the SRB only take about one hour to fit, as opposed to solid bearings, which can take eight hours, is a major factor when you are dealing with downtime costs that can reach ZAR500,000.

'Fast change-out is essential and the SRB are much more efficient in this area in ensuring maximised plant up-time.'.

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