Thinking outside the box with a bespoke bearing solution

A producer of high-accuracy technical ceramics was experiencing issues with its lapping machines, and who better to call for a ‘bespoke’ solution than ERIKS’ bearings specialists.

The lapping machine features two large round flat tables that rotate in opposite directions, with the ceramic parts placed in between. This process is to ensure that each item from the batch of ceramic parts remain of equal thicknesses. A diamond slurry is then introduced as the medium to slowly grind the surfaces of the manufactured parts.

And it’s the introduction of the diamond slurry that was causing the bulk of the problems. The process couldn’t change, therefore a new bearing solution needed to be designed and implemented as soon as possible.

Due to the aggressive nature of the diamond slurry, and the position of the assembly, the bearings were being destroyed with a single shift. This was causing the manufacturer expensive and increased downtime.

Que ERIKS unrivalled know-how and expertise.

Manufactured using a proprietary stainless-steel material that minimises wear on both the sealing lip and sleeve, no special equipment is required as the installation tool is supplied with the sleeve itself. All you need is a mallet and a pair of pliers and installation is underway. In comparison to the alternative, which is to manufacture a new shaft, downtime has been significantly reduced, easing the concerns of maintenance engineers.

Since the installation of the new bearing assembly in September 2019, the customer hasn’t reported any further issues, and has seen significant savings due to extended machine lifecycles and reduced downtime.