Metallurgical equipment encompasses a wide variety of machinery, including not only the apparatus required for raw material plants but also the equipment needed for processes ranging from upstream operations such as steelmaking and rolling to downstream finishing processes. These installations incorporate diverse bearings. Operating under metallurgical-specific conditions of iron dust, water, and heat, these bearings must withstand heavy loads coupled with vibration and impact, as well as extreme operating conditions ranging from ultra-low to high speeds with abrupt acceleration and deceleration.

Temperature and speed extremes, sustained high impact loads, abrasive dust, corrosive chemicals, and high humidity constitute the extreme conditions faced by metallurgical plants. It is safe to say these represent challenges seldom encountered in other industries. Such conditions accelerate equipment ageing, cause unplanned downtime, and even under favourable circumstances make effective maintenance exceedingly difficult. Increasingly stringent environmental and health and safety regulations further elevate environmental protection and worker safety as paramount concerns. 

Faced with pressures to increase output and enhance steel quality, equipment must meet demands for improved dimensional accuracy, surface finish, steel grades and production speeds. Simultaneously, it must overcome daily challenges of high precision, heavy loads, high speeds and corrosive coolants. This requires reducing unplanned downtime and production interruptions, lowering labour and spare parts costs, extending maintenance intervals, eliminating manual lubrication at points in harsh operating areas, and minimising risks and accidents.