How Bowman International Innovated a World-First Split Roller Bearing For High Load Applications

For the first time in split roller bearing history, Bowman has developed a high load split roller bearing specifically designed to accommodate high axial loads alongside increased radial loads across demanding sectors including cement, manufacturing, processing, and marine.

Harnessing the unique production capabilities of additive manufacturing, the new Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing delivers up to 75% higher radial load capacity and up to 1000% greater axial load capacity in both directions. This world-first split bearing sets a new benchmark for performance, reliability, and maintenance efficiency in heavy-duty applications.

Here, Ian Breeze, Technical Director and designer of the Advanced Split Roller Bearing, explains the thinking behind this split bearing innovation and the importance of engineering products for specific applications.

Q: Bowman prides itself on solving real industry problems with technical innovation and creative engineering. What inspired you to create the new Advanced high load Split Roller Bearing?

Bearings are not a one-size-fits-all component, and, to optimise performance on an application-by-application basis, manufacturers must develop products that meet and exceed the demands of specific operating environments. This is especially important in challenging applications where early bearing failure can increase downtime.

High-load applications are a great example of this, and until recently, traditional manufacturing techniques limited how effectively the industry could address these requirements.

These were exactly the challenges we wanted to solve, so we developed a high-load split roller bearing capable of accommodating greater radial and axial forces in systems such as screw conveyors, vibrating screens, and propulsion shafts.

Q: Describe how you went about innovating a ‘world-first’ bearing.

When designing a new bearing, I prefer a “blank page” philosophy rather than modifying an existing product. This approach allows every component to be evaluated individually before being redesigned for the intended application.

Traditional split roller bearings accommodate axial load as a secondary consideration, relying on race lips alone. To improve performance and reduce failures in high-load applications, the axial force required its own dedicated rolling element; something that had previously been impossible using conventional manufacturing techniques.

By embracing additive manufacturing, we overcame this limitation and created a bearing capable of accommodating significantly higher radial and axial loads.

When developing a product for demanding environments, it is equally important to address secondary challenges. During our research into high-load applications, we identified limited installation space and the need to maximise equipment uptime.

To solve these issues, the bearing was designed to split around the shaft, allowing engineers to assemble it radially without disconnecting couplings or removing motors, gearboxes, or pumps. This enables installation and replacement times that are up to ten times faster than equivalent solid bearings.               

Q: Why was additive manufacturing the right solution for creating the new Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing?

When developing a product from the ground up, material selection plays a critical role in achieving the required strength, wear resistance, corrosion performance, and load capability.

Bearing components are traditionally manufactured from rings and rods, with the cage often being the most complex component. As soon as additive manufacturing became capable of producing intricate geometries in durable engineering materials, it became the ideal solution.

Bowman International has always embraced new manufacturing technologies to improve customer outcomes.

Additive manufacturing enabled us to create robust bearing cages with highly complex geometries that cannot be produced using conventional manufacturing methods. The result is, improved split bearing durability, superior bearing performance, competitive pricing, and no tooling requirements.

Q: Which three features of the new bearing are most significant?

Conventional bearings handling both radial and axial loads typically incline the rolling elements to provide axial capacity, sacrificing radial performance in the process.

To eliminate this compromise, we introduced dedicated axial rolling elements that independently support axial loads while preserving full radial capacity.

The three most significant features are:

• Additional axial roller and cage assemblies for independent axial load handling in both directions.
• A design that enables integrated axial bearing raceways.
• Highly complex cage geometries that maintain lubrication under demanding operating conditions.

The bearing also incorporates numerous additional performance enhancements, including a patented triple labyrinth seal that helps overcome worn shaft issues and further reduces maintenance requirements.

Q: How has the new design been received since its global launch? 

The response to our heavy-duty split roller bearing has been extremely positive. Existing split bearing users, along with customers using Bowman’s solid bearings, have upgraded to the Advanced Split Roller Bearing to improve equipment performance and achieve up to 500% greater bearing L10 life in demanding high-load applications.

An increasing number of businesses are also taking advantage of the bearing’s dimensionally interchangeable design, allowing it to retrofit directly into housings from other leading bearing manufacturers. This enables fast performance upgrades, reduced maintenance costs, and improved reliability without requiring major equipment modifications.

To learn more about Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearings or discuss your application requirements, contact our technical team today.

To find out more about Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearings click here, or to discuss your requirements in more detail, connect with Ian on LinkedIn or call +44 (0)1902 898 560.