Herculon Type ‘D’ Steel Bearings, particularly Sliding Guided Bearings (HLD/SG) have emerged as a trusted solution for accommodating movement, rotation, and high loads in harsh, high-impact environments such as those found in commercial mines. With a proven
track record of servicing mines within Australia and abroad, their adoption on mining conveyors represents a strategic alignment of engineering performance with site reliability needs where durability and performance are paramount.
Mining conveyors are subjected to substantial operational stress from both the conveyed loads and the dynamic forces of start-stop operations. Traditional fixed supports often struggle to manage the thermal expansion, vibration, and settlement common in large-scale conveyor systems. The HLD/SG bearing is purpose-built to solve these challenges.
Key Considerations
- Sliding guided design enables horizontal movement (expansion/contraction) of up to ±40 mm, scalable for custom applications
- Low friction coefficient of 0.05–0.08 reduces wear and energy loss.
- Rotational capacity up to 0.02 radians to accommodate structural misalignment.
- Removable construction allows for ease of inspection and replacement.
- Load rating up to 600 kN (standard sizes), scalable for custom applications.
- Lateral load capacity of 30% of the vertical load ensures stability even under off-axis loads.
When installed on conveyor support structures, the HLD/SG bearings accommodate the long spans and thermal cycling typical of mining operations. Their ability to absorb horizontal movement and rotation reduces stress on the conveyor frame and anchorage points, minimising the risk of fatigue or fracture over time. This makes HLD/SG Bearings ideal for critical conveyor zones, such as drive stations, transfer towers, or long-span trestles where
bearing performance directly affects operational uptime.
In especially demanding locations such as those subject to extreme loads, abrasive dust, or high exposure to chemical agents. HERCULES offers an alternative to its conventional Hercupad material by replacing the bearing pad component of HLD/SG bearings with H- Glide (link to new page). For applications where high working temperatures occur, such as kilns and blast furnaces, HERCULES offers Sindanyo H91 (link to new page) thermal insulation plates that will help to shield the critical bearing components from any issues that might occur as a result of overheating.
