Engineered plastics specialist Cut to Size Plastics offers split plummer blocks to simplify maintenance tasks for production and process staff by minimising disruptions from bearing replacement and traditional bearing failure.

Split plummer block bearings that are precision machined from polyurethane and other engineering grade plastics deliver several advantages in diverse materials handling applications. The lightweight and self-lubricating split blocks are ideal for these applications, which often involve machinery with multiple bearings and shafts inline, and where closing down the entire line for removal and installation of heavier and more complex bearings would be expensive.

Pat Flood, NSW Manager of Cut To Size Plastics explains that engineering grade polyurethane bearings have a shore hardness of 75D, provide an excellent interim solution that saves time and money, and also ensure a long life solution in other applications. The company has been supplying engineering plastics to Australian and international customers for over 35 years.

Designed for quick removal and installation, polyurethane split plummer blocks from Cut To Size Plastics provide multiple advantages over traditional bearing solutions including a lightweight design for speed and OHS benefits; self-lubricating performance for production security and time savings; wear improvements; tear and weather resistance; heat and cold resistance; lower operating costs; long life; noise abatement; and ability to withstand extreme washdown applications.

According to Mr Flood, polyurethane is valued in various industrial applications for its robustness; by combining the elasticity of rubber with the toughness and durability of metal, polyurethane reduces plant maintenance and OEM product cost.

Urethanes have replaced metals in many applications, including sleeve bearings, wear plates, sprockets, rollers and diverse components. Parts made of polyurethane will often outwear other materials by margins of 5-50 to one when severe abrasion is a maintenance issue.

For operating in particularly corrosive or aggressive environments ranging from food and beverage through to primary production and handing of chemicals involved in resources processing, the split blocks can be engineered from other high performance plastics particularly suited to the particular task.

In addition to split roller blocks, Cut To Size Plastics also engineers a wide range of machinery components and Hercules brand load and slip bearings used extensively by industries ranging from architecture and construction to production and process engineering, manufacturing and materials engineering, mining and energy, timber, paper and primary product processing, food and beverage, agricultural product processing, and water and waste water treatment.