From High Failure Rate to Zero Downtime: The Successful Application of TFL Bearings in the Crushing Industry

"As a medium-sized enterprise, every downtime means a real loss of money. TFL did not force us to adopt high-end solutions. Instead, they used a practical combination of pre-adjusted clearance bearings and high durability bearings, enabling us to achieve zero unexpected production line stoppages with the smallest investment. Now, the maintenance team is no longer running around frantically and can even plan bearing replacements in advance - this is a true transformation for enterprises with limited resources!"

Home / Customer Cases / From High Failure Rate to Zero Downtime: The Successful Application of TFL Bearings in the Crushing Industry

TFL Roller bearing solution saves $580,000 in total cost annually

Crusher machine

Cost Savings: $580,000

A mining company is a medium-sized sand and gravel aggregate producer in Brazil, with an annual production capacity of 6 million tons and 5 crushing production lines. Its core equipment includes 3 jaw crushers and 2 cone crushers. It has long been confronted with problems such as short bearing life and frequent equipment shutdowns, which have seriously affected production efficiency and economic benefits.

"As a medium-sized enterprise, every downtime means a real loss of money. TFL did not force us to adopt high-end solutions. Instead, they used a practical combination of pre-adjusted clearance bearings and high durability bearings, enabling us to achieve zero unexpected production line stoppages with the smallest investment. Now, the maintenance team is no longer running around frantically and can even plan bearing replacements in advance - this is a true transformation for enterprises with limited resources!"

Key Facts

Frequent bearing failure:

The average lifespan of the original bearings is only 3 months (industry average: 8-12 months), with each crusher requiring bearing replacement 4 times a year.
Downtime losses are fatal:

Each bearing failure leads to a 32-hour production halt, resulting in an annual loss of 8,700 tons of production capacity (equivalent to a reduction of $360,000 in annual revenue).
Harsh operating conditions:
- On-site dust concentration exceeds 400mg/m³ (ISO 4406 cleanliness grade -/22/18).
- Equipment vibration values reach 6.2mm/s (200% over the ISO 10816-3 standard limit).
Limited maintenance resources:

Only 2 maintenance engineers are responsible for the entire line of equipment, making it impossible to implement precise lubrication management.

The TFL Solution

Based on the actual situation of the customer, TFL Bearing quickly identified the root cause of the failure and provided a dedicated bearing solution for the customer:

The dual-fortress dynamic seal (rubber double-lip seal + rotating labyrinth groove) completely blocks dust intrusion and ends the early failure caused by grease contamination.
The shock-resistant core (ultra-high purity steel substrate + logarithmic profiled roller contour) optimizes stress distribution and eliminates raceway spalling caused by impact loads.
The self-sustaining lubrication ecosystem (roller micro-texture oil storage + oil channel network + high-temperature extreme pressure grease) ensures the continuous integrity of the grease film and overcomes the problem of high-temperature drying.
The wide-range adaptive self-aligning structure

(super-precision raceway ±1.5° deflection compensation)

actively absorbs equipment deformation deviations and eliminates eccentric load wear.

Product Features

Lip contact seal + dust-proof labyrinth groove: Dust seal reliability
Super-clean bearing steel (inclusion grade ≤ K4): Extended fatigue life
Reinforced roller end design (impact resistance increased by 30%): Withstand instantaneous overload
Symmetrical spherical raceway (angle compensation ±1.5°): Compensate for shaft installation deviation
Copper alloy cage (high-temperature resistance up to 150°C): Adapt to high-temperature working conditions
Optimized oil guiding groove (lubrication efficiency increased by 40%): Reduce the frequency of manual grease replenishment

Application effects

After adopting TFL bearing solutions, the customer's crusher machine performance has been significantly improved with outstanding results:

This mining operation was once mired in a predicament of short-lived bearings (lasting only 3 months), 128 hours of annual downtime, and a cost of $0.48 per ton. After the implementation of TFL’s customized bearing system, the bearing lifespan saw a 300% leap to 12 months, all downtime was eliminated, and the cost per ton plummeted by 42% to $0.28. Moreover, it pushed the hourly production capacity of a single line to exceed 95 tons. This set of data not only validates the effectiveness of technologies such as sealed anti-noise and anti-shock cores but also marks the strategic transformation of a medium-sized mining enterprise from a “repair quagmire” to “continuous production”.

INDICATOR	BEFORE IMPROVEMENT	AFTER TFL SOLUTION	IMPROVEMENT RATE
AVERAGE BEARING LIFESPAN	3 MONTHS	12 MONTHS	+300%
ANNUAL DOWNTIME DUE TO FAULTS	128 HOURS	0 HOURS	-100%
HOURLY PRODUCTION CAPACITY PER LINE	85 TONS	95 TONS	+11.8%
MAINTENANCE COST PER TON OF AGGREGATE	$0.48	$0.28	-42%

Cost-Savings Breakdown

TFL Bearing has successfully addressed the key issues in the operation of crusher equipment for its clients by providing customized bearing solutions, achieving a comprehensive improvement in equipment performance and creating significant value for the clients.

ANNUAL EQUIPMENT FAILURE	≤2
ENGINEER WORKLOAD	-50%
QUALITY LOSS REDUCED	$580,000

About TFL BEARINGS

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Supply Chain Advantages

Our efficient global supply chain and inventory management ensure fast response and timely delivery.

Customized Solutions

We tailor bearing solutions to unique needs. Services include design advice & custom specifications for your specific application.

Cost Advantage

Competitive prices. Quality bearings meet int'l stds; interchangeable. Reliable, economical alternative. Lower costs, keep performance & value.

Reliable Service Assurance

Quality products plus reliable full service. Our pro team offers support from selection to after-sales. We aim to be your trusted partner.