Two NSK spherical roller bearings with brass cages, one sectioned to show the roller rows, on a ledge overlooking an aggregate crushing and screening plant
NSK Applied Aggregate Solutions

Bearings Built for Aggregate Duty

NSK spherical roller bearings for vibrating screens, conveyor pulleys and crushers.

Grit, water, shock loading and marginal lubrication are the normal operating state in a pit, not the exception. NSK builds a different spherical roller bearing for each of those three duties, and Applied® stocks the line.

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Explore NSK Spherical Roller Bearings

Three bearing families, each engineered for a different duty in the plant.

NSK VE and VS series spherical roller bearings for vibrating screens
Load profileHigh speed, eccentric and shock loads
CageCAM, one piece machined brass
Series223 and 233
Tolerances1/2 relative to normal
Internal clearanceUpper 2/3 relative to standard
01 / Screening

VE/VS Series for Vibrating Equipment

High speed, eccentric loading and mechanical shock, every shift. NSK's VE/VS series spherical roller bearings are engineered specifically for vibrating duty rather than adapted to it.

The VE/VS series delivers up to twice the service life of conventional bearings in applications subject to frequent vibration, with high resistance to heavy and shock loads and high speed performance at low temperature rise.

Vibrating screen case study.  At a Central American quarry, vibrating screen bearings were failing every 6 months. NSK recommended VS series bearings in Hi-TF steel. Bearing life increased to over a year, with customer cost savings of USD $61,340. Results reflect that site’s conditions..
NSK sealed spherical roller bearing with removable seal for conveyor pulleys
Operating threatsHard particle and water ingress
Sealing focusRemovable, bolt fastened seal
MaterialHi-TF long life Tough Steel
Installation valueDimensionally interchangeable
02 / Conveying

Sealed Hi-TF Bearings for Conveyor Pulleys

Head, tail, drive and tensioning pulleys are where conveyor bearings get contaminated. Dirt, dust and water get in, and lifespans drop far enough to mean repetitive maintenance and costly downtime.

NSK pairs Hi-TF Tough Steel rings with a removable seal that compensates for misalignment, installs with bolt fasteners, and comes off so internal clearance can be measured during installation. The bearings are dimensionally interchangeable, so they fit the housings you already have.

Sealed configurations are specified per application. Tell an Applied® representative your pulley and duty and they will confirm the right part.

Conveyor pulley case study. An iron ore facility losing bend pulley bearings every 12 months to ore contamination moved to sealed Hi-TF bearings. Operating life increased by 21 months, with documented cost savings of USD $72,846. Results reflect that site’s conditions.
NSKHPS spherical roller bearing for crushing equipment
Operating threatsImpact, heat, dust and vibration
MaterialsHigh purity steel
Cage optionsPressed steel and machined brass
Internal designOptimized high capacity
03 / Crushing

NSKHPS Series for Crushers

Crushers combine high impact forces, heavy loads, dust, heat and constant vibration. Together they drive rapid wear and unexpected failures, and a crusher down is production down.

NSKHPS spherical roller bearings use high purity steel, an optimized high capacity internal design, and wear resistant surface hardened pressed steel or heavy duty machined brass cages. NSK designs the series to deliver durability, higher load capacity and longer service life in these conditions.

Jaw crusher case study. A quarry in the United Arab Emirates losing jaw crusher bearings every 12 months moved to high capacity spherical roller bearings with a machined brass cage, supported by NSK training and installation supervision. Bearing life increased to 5 years, with annual cost savings of USD $2,114,491. Results reflect that site’s conditions.

Hi-TF Steel: Built for Contaminated Lubrication

Contaminated lubrication is the normal operating state in a pit, and it is what takes most bearings out of service early. Hi-TF is the material NSK adopted to address it, and it runs through the sealed conveyor bearings and the VS series on this page.

NSK adopted Hi-TF steel specifically to mitigate the catastrophic impact of bearing lubricant contamination. Through advanced material composition and carbonitriding heat treatment, the steel carries greater hardness and higher toughness, which extends bearing life in severe operating conditions. NSK rates it against standard and general carburized alternatives as follows.

Superior wear resistanceLess than 1/3 the rate of wear of standard bearing steel.
Greater seizure resistanceAs much as a 20% improvement.
As much as 7 times longer lifeUnder contaminated lubrication conditions that instigate progressive bearing damage and failure, compared with general carburized alternatives.
Life test, result under foreign contamination. Against a catalog life rated at 1.0, NSK measured general carburized steel at 0.2 and Hi-TF steel at 1.4. Source: NSK Hi-TF product literature.
NSK reconditioning process operations including inspection, machining and finishing of large bearings
Candidate typesSpherical, tapered, cylindrical, deep groove ball
Size rangeLarge size bearings
FacilityNSK owned center, Alliance, Ohio
Quality basisSame measures as original manufacture
04 / Reconditioning

Greater Value From Critical Assets

A large bearing coming out of service is not automatically scrap. Where a bearing qualifies, reconditioning can return it to like new specifications. NSK identifies the potential benefits as:

  • Maximize service life and value from high cost bearing assets.
  • Potential savings compared with purchasing a new replacement.
  • Help address the long lead times associated with large bearing replacement.
  • Optimize inventory utilization and investment.
  • Reduce the carbon footprint associated with new bearing production.

Not every bearing qualifies. NSK is direct that operating conditions may be too severe or damage too profound, and performs a rigorous analysis up front to evaluate a bearing's potential for successful reconditioning. NSK also works with customers to identify root causes of damage so corrective or preventative maintenance can be put in place.

Inside the
Reconditioning Center.

Services range from polishing and minor repairs through to regrinding raceways and replacing components, at the NSK owned center in Alliance, Ohio.

Technician inspecting a large bearing at an NSK reconditioning center View the inspection detail
Step 1

Clean and assess

The bearing is pressure cleaned, then inspected with a damage analysis report. NSK verifies the raceway, bore, inner and outer rings, cup, cone and roller angles. This stage decides whether the bearing is a candidate at all.

Step 2

Restore to specification

New components are provided as required, including rolling elements, pins and cage rings. Raceways are reground, and the bearing is polished and vibratory finished. How far this goes depends on what the inspection found.

Step 3

Verify and return

Measured clearances are verified and reset, then the bearing is preserved, lubricated and packaged for long term storage. NSK applies the same process and quality assurance measures used in original bearing manufacture.

Built to Take
the Punishment.

What the three families above have in common: NSK engineers each one around the specific failure mode it faces, through material, cage and surface choices.

NSK spherical roller bearing with machined brass cage View the bearing detail
Materials

Steel chosen per duty

Ultra clean steel for fatigue strength in vibrating duty, high purity steel in NSKHPS, and Hi-TF Tough Steel where contamination is the threat. Hi-TF Tough Steel is designed to extend service life in contaminated lubrication conditions, reduce wear and improve seizure resistance.

Cage and clearance

Machined brass and controlled clearance

Heavy duty precision machined one piece brass cages carry shock loading and improve roller guidance and lubricant distribution. Tolerances and internal clearance are set per series rather than to one standard.

Surface and sealing

Raceway finishing and removable seals

Advanced raceway surface finishing improves durability and wear resistance. On NSKHPS, ring grinding with optimized roller to raceway profiles controls roller motion inside the bearing. Where sealing is the priority, the removable seal allows internal clearance to be measured at installation.

Put the Right Bearing in the Machine

Connect with an Applied® representative to discuss NSK bearing and reconditioning solutions for your aggregate operation.

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The above content is provided “AS IS”, AND ANY AND ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED.
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