Quite often, people ask the experts at Kurz Industrial if they need to use expansion bearings in conveyor applications. Although the answer is usually “no,” they are recommended as a best practice, as they can allow for movement and expansion in the belt that gives it the flexibility needed to accommodate changes in temperature, heat, and other changes that impact shaft growth.
Expansion Belt Bearing
Belt bearings are generally divided into two categories, which are expansion and non-expansion. Expansion components are further broken down into the categories of float and fixed. Floated components are typically made for supporting radial loads. They are designed with a race roller track located on the outside and an inner track that is attached to the shaft. Floated components have minimal resistance when the rollers move along the track on the outside. Fixed components allow rotation only in contrast to permitting contraction and expansion.
Advantages of an Expansion Bearing
Although you don't have to use an expansion bearing with an application, doing so is recommended for a variety of reasons. For starters, it can improve machine performance and operation. Additionally, using an expansion bearing can minimize downtime and improve the overall efficiency of a company's operations.
One key benefit of a bearing is that it improves the function of conveyor applications by allowing expansion of the shaft. If the shaft can expand or contract as needed depending on weight load and temperature, it creates a more efficient operation overall for the conveyor application. Another good reason to use an expansion bearing is that by improving machine performance, it reduces the risk of downtime and expensive system maintenance and repairs that can occur if the conveyor application wears out or becomes damaged due to problems associated with excess stress on the system, which can happen if you operate the conveyor application without a bearing.
How to Use Conveyor Bearings
There are several kinds of bearings that you can use for your application. Typically, system operators use one expansion bearing and one non-expansion bearing. If you are using an expansion bearing, the fixed bearings should all be located on a common side. If the conveyor is a dual-drive application located on a single shaft, the recommended usage is one fixed and one float bearing. Ultimately, the ideal bearing setup depends on the conveyor application. If you have questions about how to properly use bearings on your conveyor system, don't hesitate to ask the helpful staff at Kurz Industrial.
Finding the Right Bearings
While bearings typically break down into two categories of expansion and non-expansion, there are a number of different kinds that you can get within both categories. Kurz recommends using expansion bearings from Dodge, which produces a variety of high-quality parts for your system. Components from Dodge are designed to be high-performance products that require minimal maintenance and are easy to install. One of the most popular varieties from Dodge is the Type EXL bearing, which has superior expansion capabilities. It also has top-notch misalignment and seating capacities, and it has some of the industry's highest load ratings. This versatile expansion bearing also has a split ductile iron housing layout that can be interchanged with other Type E mounting solutions. This type of bearing is ideal in many common applications and industries, including:
· Mining
· Air handling
· Food, pharmaceutical, and beverage
· Paper products
· Unit and baggage handling
· Aggregate and cement
While these are some common industries that use Dodge parts, the expansion bearings are also ideal for use in a number of other high-volume applications that have a need for expansion and misalignment components.
Contact Kurz Industrial today to find out more about how Dodge products can help your conveyor applications.
