BMG has completed the two-phase upgrade of its in-house BTC bearing block unit (BBU) and housing range of products, which are manufactured exclusively for BMG to stringent quality and safety specifications.
“The first phase of the BTC bearings project involved an upgrade of all aspects of the bearing block units (UCP pillow blocks, UCFL and UCF flange, UCT take-up) designs, while the second phase encompassed advancements of the bearing housings (light-duty SN and heavy-duty SD series),” explains business development manager, Carlo Beukes “Originally the BTC range was developed for light to medium rotating equipment applications, including packhouses and small conveyors in general industry and the agricultural sector. However, with these recent important upgrades, robust BTC bearings and components are perfectly suited for heavy-duty applications in mining, for example crushers and overland incline conveyor systems.”
Phase one upgrades include an improved quality housing to ensure a stronger component that does not crack in tough conditions and a higher grade of steel for greater load capacity and speed stability. Because bearings form part of rotational equipment that is potentially hazardous, it is critical that these moving components are highly visible, rather than dark in colour. For enhanced safety, these upgraded housings are painted a new bright red, in line with all other BTC products.
As part of BMG’s ‘Going Green’ initiative, the packaging has been changed from a strong plastic bag to recycled wax paper. This new eco-friendly packaging will ensure a reduction of approximately 300 000 plastic bags per year, just from this one line of products. Upgraded BBUs benefit from an efficient amount of Shell Alvania EP2 grease (between 30 and 40% fill). For user convenience, these bearing blocks are supplied with an allen key and the installation and maintenance schedule is printed in English and isiZulu, which is another first for this market.
Phase two of the project involved the upgrade of all aspects of BTC bearing housings. Materials have been advanced from SD3134 to SD3164, in line with international premium brands. Grey Cast Iron HT200 grey, which replaces grey Cast Iron HT 150, can accommodate up to 200 Megapascal pressure ratings. In addition, SD3168 and larger sizes, are now manufactured from grey Cast Iron HT250, which can accommodate up to 250 Megapascal pressure ratings.
Special attention has been given to improving the dimensional control on the housing bore tolerance, to ensure an optimal fit between the bearing and housing and to the sleeve tolerances, to prevent any run-outs. Other advancements include improved sealing arrangements to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the bearing housing, thereby safeguarding the unit, and the upgrade of all bearing locking elements.
BMG specialists emphasise that these design improvements and quality enhancements require selection of the correct lubrication solutions, to ensure optimum efficiency and extended service life of the system. A top quality lubricant will ensure that the equipment is able to reach its L-10 design lifetime.
A wide range of industrial-quality branded lubricants is available from BMG, including Habot, Liqui Moly and CRC, and the company’s house-brand, which has been specifically formulated for the general applications. TF ALTIS EM2 is suitable for high speed, high-temperature applications, like electric motors and industrial fans, while TF Multis L2 is a general-purpose NGLI2 grease, ideally suited for wheel bearings. TF CERAN XM220, which is water resistant, is designed for low speed, high load, extreme pressure applications. H Syntec is a fully synthetic high-performance GP grease, perfect for bearings.
BTC bearing block units are available from BMG’s extended branch network, as well as through the company’s online shopping platform. This online shopping portal adds value to BMG’s service offering, and makes shopping for engineering components even more convenient.
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