The outstanding performance of spherical roller bearings in rolling mills

Jun 21, 2024

In the steel industry, steel rolling mills are one of the key equipment for producing various shapes of steel. Among the many components of steel rolling mills, the performance of working roll bearings directly affects the operating efficiency, product quality, and production cost of the rolling mill. This article will introduce in detail an application example of working roll bearings of steel rolling mills, especially how spherical roller bearings show their outstanding performance in this application.

Application background

Before the steel enterprise could improve the production efficiency and product quality of its steel rolling mill, it had to grapple with several challenges. The enterprise was using traditional bearing types, which proved inadequate under complex working conditions such as heavy load, high speed, and vibration. These bearings exhibited problems like insufficient load capacity, poor stability, and short life. It prompted the enterprise to urgently seek a new type of bearing that could overcome these issues.

Selection of spherical roller bearings

After conducting thorough market research and technical comparison, the enterprise made a strategic decision. It chose spherical roller bearings as the new type of working roll bearings, recognizing their superior performance. These high-performance bearings offer significant advantages, making them the ideal choice for the enterprise's needs.

1. High load capacity: Spherical roller bearings adopt a multi-row roller design, which can withstand greater radial and axial loads and meet the operating requirements of steel mills under heavy load conditions.

2. Excellent aligning performance: There is an aligning ring between the inner and outer rings of the spherical roller bearing, which can automatically adjust the radial and axial positions of the bearings, compensate for the coaxiality errors caused by installation errors, thermal deformation, or vibration, and ensure the stable operation of the mill.

3. Long life: Spherical roller bearings are made of high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing processes, with high wear resistance ability and corrosion resistance ability, which can significantly reduce the wear and failure rate of bearings and extend their service life.

4. Easy to install and maintain: The structural design of spherical roller bearings is reasonable, easy to install and disassemble, and its lubrication and sealing structure are also easy to maintain, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.

Application Examples

The steel company's decision to apply spherical roller bearings to the working rolls of the steel mill was a resounding success. After a period of trial operation, it achieved remarkable results, instilling confidence in the effectiveness of this technology.

1. Improve production efficiency: Due to the excellent load-bearing capacity and self-aligning performance of spherical roller bearings, the rolling mill can maintain stable operation under complex working conditions such as heavy load, high speed, and vibration, reducing downtime caused by bearing failure and improving production efficiency.

2. Improve product quality: Spherical roller bearings can effectively compensate for the coaxiality error and vibration of the rolling mill, ensure the stability and precision of steel during the rolling process, and improve the quality and qualified rate of products.

3. Reduce maintenance costs: The long life and easy maintenance of spherical roller bearings reduce the maintenance costs of enterprises. In actual operation, the failure rate of spherical roller bearings is significantly reduced, reducing the number of bearing replacements and downtime, and also reducing the consumption of lubricants and seals.

The above picture shows the spherical roller bearing with brass cage 24144MBW33 C2 optimized by FV for customers.

In addition, the steel enterprise has further exerted the advantages of spherical roller bearings through the following aspects:

Optimize the lubrication system: According to the characteristics of spherical roller bearings, the enterprise optimizes the lubrication system, adopts more suitable lubricants and lubrication methods, and improves the lubrication effect and life of the bearings.

Strengthen monitoring and diagnosis: The enterprise strengthens the monitoring and diagnosis of rolling mills and bearings, timely discovers and handles potential problems, and ensures the stable operation of the rolling mill and the safety and reliability of the bearings.

Technical training and management: The enterprise strengthens the training and management of operators and technicians, improves their skill level and sense of responsibility, and ensures the correct installation, use, and maintenance of spherical roller bearings.

Conclusion

As demonstrated by this application example, the use of spherical roller bearings on the working rolls of section steel rolling mills offers significant advantages and effects. It not only improves the product quality of the rolling mill but also reduces maintenance costs, bringing considerable economic benefits to the enterprise. It will underscore the importance of continuous improvement and adaptation to market demands, motivating enterprises to stay updated and innovative.