How To Drive Circularity With Sustainable Bearing Specification
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, if our consumption of finite resources (like metals) continues to grow at its current pace, we will need 2.3 planets by 2040. (Source)
If your company is pushing circularity as part of its sustainability agenda, reassessing your sustainable bearing specification and split roller bearing selection could support your objectives while improving the overall bearing lifecycle.
In doing so, you’ll benefit from additional advantages like these identified by the Institute of Asset Management (IAM):
- Reduced reliance on lead times
- More uptime
- CAPEX savings
What is circularity?
For decades now we have lived in a take-make-waste culture, where we remove materials from the earth, make what we need, then throw it away and start the process over. This is called a linear economy.
A circular economy is based on the principles of reduce-reuse-recycle, where we actively reduce what we take from the earth by prolonging the operational life of the things we make, reuse products wherever possible, and recycle everything we can. Applying these principles to circular economy bearings can significantly reduce material consumption while supporting long-term operational performance.
REDUCE AND REUSE: Extend the Bearing Lifecycle
The key to reducing reliance on natural resources is to extend the operational life of your assemblies and systems through predictive maintenance and well-considered sustainable bearing specifications.
Predictive maintenance can be done manually or with condition monitoring sensors – either way, troubleshooting bearing performance issues when they can be fixed with a repair rather than a replacement allows you to keep most of the assembly (made from natural materials like metals) in operation. This extends the bearing lifecycle, reduces your reliance on finite materials, and promotes circularity.
When the time does come to replace your bearings, shop for the market for one that best suits your application. Higher load capacity bearings, for example, can extend operational life in heavy industrial applications. If your company promotes circular economics, it’s critical to regularly review your sustainable bearing specification to ensure you’re using sustainable bearings that deliver the best long-term performance.
Consider the reuse of existing components, such as retaining your existing bearing housing, to reduce the need for additional metal extraction and processing. Reusing serviceable components is one of the simplest ways to reduce bearing waste.
It is also worth exploring state-of-the-art split bearing designs that use sustainable materials, such as 3D printed PA11 manufactured from 100% natural castor beans. These eco-friendly bearings reduce reliance on finite resources by lowering the amount of metal required in the bearing assembly.
RECYCLE: Reduce Bearing Waste
The primary material used in bearing construction is steel, making it highly recyclable through standard scrap metal recycling processes. If your bearing contains additional materials such as 3D printed polymers, these can often be recycled through appropriate local recycling services.
Remember that rings and rolling elements can be recycled separately as high-quality steel, while grease should be removed, collected, and disposed of or recycled in accordance with local environmental regulations and waste management best practices.
Most bearing packaging can also be recycled through standard curbside collections or reused for storing other components and consumables, helping further reduce bearing waste and support a more sustainable operation.
