Motion Control & Drives


Sealed split spherical roller bearings deliver rapid installation and reduced downtime

July 2026 Motion Control & Drives


SKF Cooper sealed split spherical roller bearings offer what standard bearings cannot: a combination of an innovative split design coupled with premium quality and craftsmanship. This pairing enables rapid installation, seamless replacement and simplified repair and maintenance, delivering minimal disruption to operations and swift turnarounds.

“These are only some of the advantages these top-tier sealed split spherical roller bearings provide,” says SKF key account manager, Duncan Mngomezulu. “Manufactured from world-class materials and engineered for long service life, SKF Cooper split bearings deliver optimum performance, proven reliability, peak efficiency and extended life cycle. They protect critical assets and keep operations moving without compromise.”

Split design and sealing system

The unique split design works in tandem with a robust sealing system for fast, straightforward and safe on-site bearing replacement or repair. With minimal disruption to shaft alignment and reduced maintenance time, requirements and cost, these bearings achieve mean time to repair reductions of up to 70%. “This offers a transformative advantage that keeps machines running, productivity soaring and downtime firmly under control,” says Mngomezulu.

Quality is equally evident in the structural integrity of SKF Cooper sealed split spherical roller bearings, which feature integrated precision-engineered joining methods that secure the inner and outer rings. The standard sealing system incorporated into every unit retains lubricant, minimises grease leakage and blocks contaminant ingress, ensuring reliable performance and reduced maintenance demands throughout the unit’s operating life.

By eliminating the need to dismount couplings or the cantilevered drive to replace the bearing, realignment is avoided, reducing worker exposure to hazards and streamlining maintenance. This safety risk mitigation is important in the mining and cement sectors, where nearly half of accidents occur during maintenance and conveyor checks.

Precision and compatibility

SKF Cooper split spherical roller bearings are manufactured to ISO normal precision and running accuracy. The mounted internal radial clearance of the split bearing is based on the mounted clearance of a standard spherical roller bearing mounted on an adapter sleeve.

The range is designed for broad housing compatibility. Each bearing can be used with SKF metric and inch split block housings, and the split bearing outer ring shares the same external dimensions as a standard ISO spherical bearing outer ring. This ensures a seamless fit with SKF metric and inch housings such as SNLD, SMS and SAF/SDAF, as well as with many split block housings from alternative manufacturers, making the technology widely compatible across competitor designs.

The SKF Cooper split spherical roller bearing range has been expanded to include smaller sizes. “This broadens the application of split bearing technology, making it suitable for more complex challenges such as installations with smaller shaft diameters or where access is limited,” says Mngomezulu.

Applications

These bearings thrive in the harshest industrial environments, performing consistently in sectors including mining, mineral processing, metals, material handling, cement, pulp and paper, power generation and food and beverage. Their versatility extends across applications such as conveyor pulleys, bucket elevators, escalators, mixers and agitators. “Their unique split design redefines what businesses can expect from split bearing technology, consistently exceeding expectations, lowering operational costs and delivering rapid return on investment; setting a new benchmark for quality and reliability,” concludes Mngomezulu.


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