NMT split bearings are specially designed for cement industry equipment – rotary kilns, bucket elevators, roller presses, ball mills, conveyors and other critical cement plant applications. Traditional bearing replacement requires disassembly of shafts, couplings, gearboxes and surrounding components – in confined, high-temperature, high-dust locations – a process taking days or weeks with downtime losses reaching millions. The split design – with inner rings, outer rings, rolling elements and cages all manufactured in halves – enables direct installation around the shaft without removing any core components. Heavy-duty steel with specialized heat treatment withstands high impact loads, extreme dust, high temperature and continuous operation. In cement plants, split bearings reduce replacement time by over 80%, cutting maintenance from days to just hours, eliminating costly crane rentals and complex disassembly. Standard bore sizes from 55mm to 630mm, custom solutions available. Cost-effective replacement for premium imported split bearings to cut unplanned downtime and overhaul losses in cement production facilities.

 

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NMT剖分式轴承专为水泥行业设备设计——回转窑、斗式提升机、辊压机、球磨机、输送机等水泥厂关键设备。传统轴承更换需拆卸轴、联轴器、减速机及周边部件，且水泥厂设备往往位于高温、高粉尘的狭小位置，耗时数天至数周，停产损失以千万元计。剖分式轴承采用内外圈、保持架、滚动体全分体式结构，无需拆卸主轴即可直接围绕轴安装更换。重载钢材与特殊热处理承受高冲击载荷、极端粉尘、高温与连续运转工况。水泥厂应用数据显示，剖分轴承可将轴承更换时间缩短80%以上，维护时间从天级压缩至小时级，彻底避免大型起重设备和复杂拆装作业。标准内径55mm至630mm，支持非标定制。平价替换进口高端剖分轴承，减少水泥窑磨与输送系统的非计划停机与大修损失。

 

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NMTセメント産業用剖分軸受はロータリーキルン、バケットエレベータ、ローラープレス、ボールミル、コンベヤなどのセメントプラント重要設備向けに設計されています。従来の軸受交換では軸、カップリング、減速機および周辺部品の分解が必要であり、セメント工場の設備は高温・高粉塵の狭い場所に位置することが多く、数日から数週間を要し、停止損失は数千万円に達していました。剖分軸受は内外輪、保持器、転動体が全て分割構造となっており、主軸を分解せずに軸の周りに直接取り付け・交換が可能です。重荷重鋼材と特殊熱処理が高衝撃荷重、過酷な粉塵、高温、連続運転に耐性を持ちます。セメント工場での適用データによれば、剖分軸受は軸受交換時間を80%以上短縮し、メンテナンスを日単位から時間単位に圧縮します。標準内径55mm～630mm、特注対応。輸入高級剖分軸受代替でセメント生産施設の計画外停止とオーバーホールコストを削減します。

 

English Full Text

1. The “Kiln & Mill Dilemma“ of Bearing Replacement in the Cement Industry

The cement industry is a classic example of high-temperature, high-dust, continuous-operation heavy industry. Rotary kilns, bucket elevators, roller presses, ball mills, conveyors and other critical equipment operate year-round under extreme conditions of high-temperature radiation (over 800°C), extreme dust and continuous heavy loads. The profitability of a cement plant‘s entire production line depends on the long-term uninterrupted smooth operation of its key equipment, especially the rotary kiln.

 

However, when bearings in these machines fail, maintenance teams face a far more complex “kiln & mill dilemma“ than ordinary industrial equipment – traditional solid bearing replacement requires disassembly of shafts, couplings, gearboxes and numerous surrounding components, and cement plant equipment is often located in confined, high-temperature, dust-filled, hard-to-reach locations.

 

Taking the rotary kiln as an example: the kiln body operates long-term in an environment above 800°C, and support roller bearings must withstand the kiln‘s dead weight and thermal expansion stress, operating 24/7. Traditional solid bearing replacement requires disassembling the mill or kiln body, with downtime of 7-15 days and single shutdown losses exceeding 10 million yuan. Taking the bucket elevator as an example: the bearing is wedged between the drive pulley and the gearbox or motor assembly, requiring three working days for replacement. Taking a cement plant screw conveyor as an example: a single bearing failure averages 4.7 hours of downtime, with direct economic losses exceeding 96,000 yuan. Taking a heavy clinker crusher as an example: solid bearings are replaced every six months, each replacement requiring 32 man-hours and 16 hours of downtime, with production losses quoted at thousands of yuan per hour.

 

Typical pain points of traditional solid bearings in the cement industry:

 

High-temperature conditions accelerate bearing wear – Rotary kiln support roller bearings operate long-term under high-temperature radiation above 800°C. Under these conditions, ordinary bearing materials experience hardness decline and grease carbonization, significantly shortening bearing life.

 

Extreme dust and contamination – From raw material crushing to clinker cooling, cement production generates massive cement dust and slag particles. Dust, debris and moisture constantly threaten equipment operating efficiency. Dust penetrating bearings mixes with grease to form abrasive paste, accelerating wear on rolling elements and raceways.

 

Inaccessible equipment locations – Bucket elevator bearings are wedged between drive pulleys and gearboxes or motor assemblies; rotary kiln support roller bearings are located in high-temperature areas beneath the kiln body; grate coolers have dense internal structures with confined spaces. In these locations, lifting equipment cannot access, and maintenance personnel working space is extremely limited.

 

Enormous disassembly workload – Traditional solid bearing replacement requires disassembling mills, kiln bodies, or large amounts of frames and transmission components. Grate coolers have dense internal structures with confined spaces, requiring disassembly of extensive frames and transmission components during maintenance, resulting in long downtime.

 

Downtime causes enormous losses – Rotary kiln solid bearing replacement requires 7-15 days of downtime, with single shutdown losses exceeding 10 million yuan. The profitability of a cement plant‘s production line depends on the long-term uninterrupted smooth operation of its key equipment, especially the rotary kiln. A cement plant case study shows a single bearing failure averages 4.7 hours of downtime, with direct economic losses exceeding 96,000 yuan.

 

High crane rental costs – Crane rental for bucket elevator maintenance is typically three days. Replacing standard roller bearings usually requires crane rental, incurring high costs and transport time.

 

High replacement frequency – Heavy clinker crusher solid bearings are replaced every six months. Frequent replacement compounds shutdown losses.

 

2. NMT Split Bearings for the Cement Industry: Kiln & Mill Without Shaft Removal, Quick Bearing Replacement

NMT split bearings for the cement industry perfectly combine the core advantage of split bearings – “no-shaft-removal installation“ – with the special requirements of cement equipment. The inner ring, outer ring, rolling elements and cage are all split along the axial direction – installation requires no removal of shafts, couplings, gearboxes or any other core components – assembly is completed directly on the shaft in situ.

 

More critically – NMT split bearings can be replaced without removing motors, gearboxes, couplings, without moving shaft systems, without using large lifting equipment. Split housed bearing units feature a “split-to-shaft“ design – the shaft only needs to be supported with jacks, and the split housed unit can be assembled around the shaft. This is like installing a “service door“ on cement equipment, enabling true “online“ maintenance. Compared to traditional solid bearings, split bearings can reduce maintenance time by over 80%.

 

▸ Full Split + Heavy-Duty High-Temperature Construction: Every Piece Can “Go in Separately, Rotate Together“ – Withstanding Cement Plant Conditions

 

Every component of an NMT split bearing for the cement industry is split – split inner ring, split outer ring, split cage with rolling elements, split seals. During installation, these half-ring components are assembled sequentially around the shaft. After being locked with high-strength bolts, they form a precision transmission unit with performance fully equivalent to a solid bearing. Precision step-type mating or V-shaped split joint design at the split interfaces ensures load capacity and rotational precision equal to solid bearings.

 

In terms of materials, NMT offers a complete impact-resistant and heat-resistant steel system for cement industry high-temperature, heavy-load, high-dust applications – carburized bearing steel with deep-case hardening achieves uniform surface hardness HRC60-64 while the core maintains sufficient toughness to absorb impact loads. For high-temperature applications such as rotary kilns, heat-resistant steel and thermal stabilization treatment are available, maintaining dimensional stability and mechanical properties in heat radiation environments above 800°C. Sealed split bearings are designed for heavy-load industries such as mining, mineral processing and cement, meeting high operating requirements.

 

▸ No-Shaft-Removal Installation: No Motor Removal, No Gearbox Removal, No Large Lifting Equipment

 

The core value of NMT split bearings for the cement industry is – bearing replacement without moving the shaft, without removing motors and gearboxes, without removing couplings, without using large lifting equipment. This means for bucket elevator bearing replacement, the motor stays in place, the gearbox stays in place, the drive pulley stays in place. For rotary kiln support roller bearing replacement, no kiln body disassembly is required. Maintenance personnel simply open the bearing housing, remove the old bearing halves, install the new bearing halves, and tighten the bolts – complete. The angled split design of split housed bearing units eliminates the need to remove drive components – the shaft only needs to be supported with jacks. No crane rental is required, saving three days of crane rental costs. Split bearings are especially valuable where downtime costs are high and shafts are difficult to access.

 

▸ Interchangeable with Standard Heavy-Duty Solid Bearings: Seamless Replacement, No Modifications

 

NMT split bearings for the cement industry are designed with full interchangeability with standard heavy-duty solid bearings in mind. In most cases, the outer diameter and outer ring width of split bearings are identical to standard spherical roller bearings (222, 230, 231, 239, 240, 241 series). Split spherical bearings can often directly replace a standard spherical bearing in an existing housed bearing housing. This means cement plants can directly replace existing solid bearings in their equipment with NMT split bearings without any machining modifications to bearing housings.

 

▸ Split Housed Bearing Units Option – NMT also offers split housed bearing units that integrate split bearings and housings as a complete assembly. Robust cast iron or cast steel construction ensures structural strength under long-term heavy loads. Can significantly shorten downtime caused by replacing standard roller bearings in cement plant equipment. Widely used in cement industry bucket elevators, conveyors, belt conveyors and other equipment.

 

3. Full Series Split Bearing Types for the Cement Industry

NMT offers a complete split bearing product system covering multiple cement equipment applications:

 

▸ Cement Industry Split Spherical Roller Bearings

 

Split spherical roller bearings are the most widely used split bearing type in cement plants, capable of withstanding heavy loads (primarily radial loads with some axial load capacity) and impact loads, adapting to harsh conditions. NMT split spherical roller bearings are specifically designed for rotary kiln support rollers, ball mills, roller presses, bucket elevators, conveyors and other heavy-load applications – inner rings, outer rings and cages with rollers are all split in half. Spherical outer ring raceways and barrel-shaped rollers provide self-aligning capability, effectively compensating for shaft deflection and installation errors. Sealed split spherical roller bearings are specifically designed for heavy-load industries such as mining, mineral processing and cement. Sealed split spherical roller bearings can be applied to conveyor pulleys, bucket elevators, mixers, horizontal mill pinions and other equipment. Widely used in cement plant rotary kilns, ball mills, bucket elevators, roller presses, vertical mills and other critical equipment.

 

▸ Cement Industry Split Cylindrical Roller Bearings

 

Split cylindrical roller bearings use cylindrical rollers to carry high radial loads, with extremely strong radial load capacity, low friction coefficient and low operating temperature rise. Inner and outer rings each split in half, with one or two rows of cylindrical rollers in a split cage. Angled split design eliminates the need to remove drive components – the shaft only needs to be supported with jacks. Timken split cylindrical roller bearing units provide significant downtime savings for cement bucket elevators. No motor or gearbox removal is required, no crane rental is needed. Widely used in cement industry conveyors, bucket elevators, fans, bucket wheel machines and other equipment.

 

▸ Cement Industry Split Tapered Roller Bearings

 

NMT split tapered roller bearings feature two rows of opposed tapered rollers, capable of simultaneously bearing radial and bidirectional axial loads, specifically designed for combined loads. Suitable for cement plant crushers, conveyors and other bearing positions requiring combined loads. Available in a complete range of specifications, widely used in various cement production equipment.

 

▸ Split Housed Bearing Units

 

NMT offers split housed bearing units that integrate split bearings and housings as a complete assembly. Robust cast iron or cast steel construction adapts to heavy-load conditions. Housings feature split design with upper and lower halves, including high-strength fastening bolts, seal caps, adjustment shims and other components. Split housed bearing units can significantly shorten downtime caused by replacing standard roller bearings in cement plant equipment. Widely used in cement industry bucket elevators, conveyors, belt conveyors, fans and other equipment. Bucket elevator bearings must withstand moderate loads, slow speeds and various weather temperatures. Split housed spherical roller bearing units can provide support for gear shafts and drive systems, extending bearing life.

 

4. Specialized Sealing and Lubrication Systems – Adapting to High Temperature, High Dust and Harsh Environments

Cement equipment operates year-round under harsh conditions of high temperature, high dust and heavy contamination. NMT split bearings for the cement industry feature customized sealing and lubrication systems:

 

▸ Heavy-Duty Labyrinth Seal Structure – Non-contact design using centrifugal force from rotation to expel dust, particulates and contaminants. Sealed split bearings are designed for heavy-load industries such as cement, meeting high operating requirements. Maintains reliable sealing in dusty cement plant environments, effectively blocking cement dust and slag particle intrusion while preventing grease leakage.

 

▸ Contact Seal Upgrade – For high-dust, high-contamination environments (bucket elevators, clinker crushers, grate coolers), NMT offers contact seal upgrade options. Sealed split bearings significantly extend service life through improved contamination resistance. In applications where dust, debris and moisture threaten operating efficiency – such as bucket elevators, conveyors, feeders – sealed split bearings provide ideal solutions.

 

▸ High-Temperature Seal Materials – For high-temperature radiation environments such as rotary kilns, NMT uses high-temperature seal materials that withstand continuous high temperatures in heat radiation environments above 800°C. Seals maintain elasticity at high temperatures without hardening or cracking.

 

▸ Split Seals – Seals are also split for installation without shaft threading, assembled simultaneously with the bearing. Split seals can be installed without removing the shaft, further simplifying maintenance procedures.

 

5. Installation and Maintenance – An Efficiency Revolution from “Days/Weeks“ to “Hours“

Installation Time Comparison:

 

Traditional cement industry solid bearing: Shutdown → disassemble motors, gearboxes, couplings, frames → move shaft → slide bearing on → realign → reassemble → recommission. Rotary kiln replacement takes 7-15 days; bucket elevator takes 3 working days; heavy clinker crusher takes 16 hours.

 

NMT split bearing: Shutdown → open bearing housing → remove old halves → install new halves → tighten bolts → complete. Typical time: just 2-8 hours.

 

NMT split bearings for the cement industry can reduce bearing replacement downtime by over 80%. Taking rotary kiln support roller bearing replacement as an example: traditional solid bearing requires 7-15 days of downtime, with single shutdown losses exceeding 10 million yuan; with the split bearing solution, replacement is completed in just 4-8 hours. Taking FAG split spherical roller bearings as an example: downtime was shortened by 36 hours, saving 40,000 euros (72,000 Australian dollars). Taking SKF Cooper split bearings as an example: they helped a cement plant save over $1.2 million in a disc feeder application. Taking Timken split cylindrical roller bearing units as an example: no crane rental is required, saving 3 days of crane rental costs.

 

Specific Case Studies:

 

A cement plant in southern France: A ball mill required frequent inspection and maintenance due to oil-lubricated trunnion bearings, causing costly downtime. After adopting the split bearing solution, maintenance downtime was significantly reduced.

 

A cement plant disc feeder: The SAF unit failed during kiln operation and required immediate replacement. SKF engineers recommended replacing the SAF unit with SKF Cooper split spherical bearings, saving over $1.2 million.

 

A cement plant screw conveyor: A single bearing failure averaged 4.7 hours of downtime, with direct economic losses exceeding 96,000 yuan. After adopting the split bearing solution, maintenance time was reduced by over 60%.

 

Maintenance Convenience:

 

No large lifting equipment required – Bearings are handled in sections – no large cranes needed. No crane rental is required, saving 3 days of rental costs.

 

No motor or gearbox removal – Drive systems and surrounding components stay in place.

 

Inspect anytime – Bearing housing can be opened for inspection without disassembly.

 

Split handling – Bearings can be disassembled into smaller components, simplifying lifting and handling – especially suitable for confined spaces such as bucket elevators.

 

No on-site adjustment – Clearances are preset at the factory – no on-site adjustment or specialized tools required.

 

Single-person replacement – Split bearings feature modular upper and lower housing design – a single person can complete replacement in a short time.

 

6. Quality Control – Triple Assurance of Split Precision, Heavy-Duty Strength and Seal Reliability

NMT implements a strict quality control system for cement industry split bearings:

 

Heavy-duty heat-resistant material certification – Each batch of bearing steel undergoes impact load testing and high-temperature hardness inspection to ensure performance meets cement plant high-temperature heavy-load requirements.

 

Precision split surface machining – High-precision wire cutting for inner and outer ring split surfaces, ensuring concentricity and strength after assembly.

 

High-strength locking system – High-strength steel clamp rings and multiple bolts ensure split surfaces remain secure during operation.

 

Seal performance verification – Each batch undergoes high-dust environment seal testing to ensure sealing effectiveness under high-contamination cement plant conditions.

 

Post-assembly precision inspection – Each split bearing is inspected for radial clearance, rotational accuracy and vibration after assembly – ensuring performance equivalent to solid bearings.

 

7. Stock Availability + Customization – Rapid Response to Cement Plant Emergency Needs

Common cement industry split bearing models (split spherical roller bearings, split cylindrical roller bearings, split tapered roller bearings) kept in stock – Covering over 80% of split bearing needs for rotary kilns, bucket elevators, roller presses, ball mills, conveyors and other applications. Emergency failures receive rapid response – minimizing unplanned downtime.

 

Custom solutions available – Special bore/OD/width (standard range 55mm to 630mm, expandable), custom heavy-duty heat-resistant materials (carburized bearing steel/heat-resistant steel), special split configurations, custom sealing solutions (high-temperature labyrinth/Taconite seals/contact seals), custom clearance, split housed bearing units.

 

Rapid customization from samples or drawings – Provide old bearing samples or equipment drawings – NMT completes surveying and custom production quickly. Cost-effective replacement for imported brands (SKF Cooper, FAG, Timken, NSK) with significant procurement savings.

 

8. Lifecycle Cost Optimization – No Kiln Removal, No Mill Removal, Save Millions in Downtime Losses

Unplanned downtime in the cement industry often costs tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of yuan. Taking rotary kiln support roller bearing replacement as an example: traditional solid bearing replacement requires 7-15 days of downtime, with single shutdown losses exceeding 10 million yuan. Taking a cement plant screw conveyor as an example: a single bearing failure averages 4.7 hours of downtime, with direct economic losses exceeding 96,000 yuan. With the split bearing solution, rotary kiln bearing replacement is completed in just 4-8 hours, and screw conveyor maintenance time is reduced by over 60%.

 

Hidden costs of cheap heavy-duty solid bearings:

 

Rotary kiln replacement requires 7-15 days of downtime – downtime losses are hundreds or even thousands of times the bearing price.

 

Bucket elevator replacement takes 3 working days. The bearing is wedged between the drive pulley and the gearbox or motor assembly – replacement is extremely difficult.

 

Heavy clinker crusher solid bearings are replaced every six months – each replacement takes 32 man-hours and 16 hours of downtime.

 

Crane rental costs are high – bucket elevator maintenance crane rental is typically three days.

 

Grate coolers have dense internal structures with confined spaces – requiring disassembly of extensive frames and transmission components during maintenance.

 

Standard heavy-duty bearings have limited life under harsh cement plant conditions – frequent replacement compounds the above losses. Rotary kilns operate long-term in high-temperature environments above 800°C, significantly shortening traditional bearing life.

 

NMT split bearings for the cement industry deliver “no kiln removal, no mill removal, quick bearing replacement without production stoppage“ in rotary kilns, bucket elevators, roller presses, ball mills and conveyors:

 

Downtime reduced by over 80% – From days/weeks to hours – annual unplanned downtime losses dramatically reduced.

 

No motor or gearbox removal – Drive systems and surrounding components stay in place.

 

No large lifting equipment required – Bearings are handled in sections – no crane rental required.

 

Heavy-duty heat-resistant steel withstands high temperatures and harsh environments – Carburized bearing steel and deep hardening resist impact loads – heat-resistant steel maintains dimensional stability in heat radiation environments above 800°C.

 

Superior sealing for high-dust environments – Sealed split bearings outperform traditional bearings in heavy contamination conditions.

 

Single-person replacement – Modular upper and lower housing design – a single person can complete replacement in a short time.

 

Extended life of equipment (motors, gearboxes, couplings) – Fewer disassembly cycles – longer overall equipment overhaul intervals.

 

For cement manufacturers, cement grinding stations and various building materials production facility maintenance departments, the total cost of ownership with NMT split bearings for the cement industry is significantly lower than the repeated disassembly and replacement costs of traditional heavy-duty solid bearings – what you save is not bearing price difference, but the enormous operational risk of “replacing one bearing, shutting down an entire kiln“ in cement equipment.