SKF designs, develops and manufactures a range of premium quality products to meet the demands of the mining sector, which is notorious for punishing conditions that test machines, equipment, and components to their very limit. Irrespective of how severe the conditions, machine reliability is always a prerequisite to ensure sustainable mining operations. Even a few minutes of downtime of critical machinery due to the failure of even the smallest of component causes production stoppages that can result in significant monetary losses.
Dump trucks are the transportation lifeline of mining operations, and as long as they are on the move, mines are prospering. SKF Explorer tapered roller bearings have been specifically developed for mining dump trucks, with reliability top of mind. These bearings are renowned for their dependability in essentially all conditions – extreme temperatures, dust, mud or stones.
SKF Explorer tapered roller bearings are typically used as bearing solutions in applications where there is a need to increase performance, reduce friction or increase power density. SKF based the development of these bearings on real-world experience and dialogues with discerning partners. Owing to their superior reliability and rotational delivery at the right time, these bearings are trusted by some of the most prestigious mines globally, and are the preferred choice of operators to keep their dump trucks in motion.
SKF tapered roller bearings are manufactured in accordance with the SKF Explorer class, and incorporate the organisation’s combined areas of expertise in terms of design, tribology, metallurgy and lubrication.
A bearing is essentially a collection of individual components that work together. The construction of a tapered roller bearing features a cup and cone assembly that accommodates loads and provides low friction during operation. The cup is comprised of an outer ring, while the cone assembly consists of an inner ring, a cage and rollers, all designed to handle combined loads. The bearings’ optimised surface finish further enhances reliability, while the separable and interchangeable components facilitate mounting and maintenance.
SKF offers a wide range of tapered roller bearing designs including single, double and four-row, and matched tapered roller bearings. The units are customisable to match specific conditions such as speed, load, contamination, temperature or vibration conditions. SKF Explorer cylindrical and CARB toroidal roller bearings present reliable, compact, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for planetary gearboxes. Both bearing types offer high carrying capacity.
Alongside its comprehensive bearing portfolio, SKF also leads industry with condition monitoring and lubrication systems that further optimise customers’ asset management. Insight into the health of machines allows for preventive maintenance, while automated lubrication systems enhance machine lifecycle, delivering high operational reliability and augmented performance.
Service excellence is equally fundamental to successful operations. As a customer-driven organisation, SKF delivers on both. Customers can rely on smart stocking of products and parts, a strategic network of authorised distributors, and specialist teams of skilled technicians who offer professional service and fast turnaround times for maximised machine uptime.
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