5 YEARS LATER. STILL RUNNING.

CX2SN13-060L installed at the same plant in June 2021, also operating without replacement for more than five years.

A Follow-Up to Our 2021 CROSSLOC® Installation Case Study

In October 2021, we published a case study about a steam blower fan at a textile manufacturing plant in Japan, where conventional plummer block bearings had been experiencing high operating temperatures and frequent maintenance.

The original bearing units reached temperatures of up to 100°C (212°F), requiring time-consuming grease replacement and cleaning.

After switching to COC CROSSLOC® CX2SN15-065L units in June 2021, operating temperatures stabilized between 65°C and 80°C (149–176°F).

Now, more than five years later, we have received an update from the same customer.

The two COC CROSSLOC® units are still running at 1,900 rpm, with no bearing replacements since installation.

The fan operates 24 hours a day, approximately 25 days per month — representing more than 38,000 hours of operation over the past five years.

Monthly greasing and routine inspections continue, with no abnormal temperature rise, noise or vibration reported.

Five Years Without Replacement

According to the customer, conventional plummer block bearings installed on other similar equipment at the same plant require replacement approximately every two years due to temperature increases or vibration.

In contrast, the COC CROSSLOC® units have now operated for more than five years without replacement.

Another COC CROSSLOC® unit, CX2SN13-060L, installed at the same plant around the same time, has also been operating for more than five years without replacement.

The customer reports that eliminating these bearing replacements has significantly reduced maintenance work and has been a major benefit to their operations.

Based on this long-term performance, the plant is now planning to introduce COC CROSSLOC® units on additional equipment.

Actual footage of a COC CROSSLOC® CX2SN13-060L bearing unit operating at 1,840 rpm after more than five years of service.

Proven Performance Over Time

The original 2021 case study demonstrated how CROSSLOC® helped stabilize operating temperatures and simplify maintenance.

Five years later, the same installation continues to demonstrate the long-term value of reliable bearing performance.

No bearing replacement. Less maintenance. More uptime.

And both units are still running.

Application: Steam blower fan
Bearing units: CX2SN15-065L × 2 / CX2SN13-060L x 2
Operating speed: 1,900 rpm / 1,840 rpm
Installed: June 2021
Operating schedule: 24 hours/day, approximately 25 days/month
Maintenance: Monthly greasing and condition monitoring
Current status: More than five years without replacement — still running.

Read the original 2021 installation case study:
Case Study: CX2SN15-065L (October 5, 2021)

Easy Installation Matters — Especially 100 Feet Above the Ground

Sometimes the real advantage of easier bearing installation becomes clear when you see where the bearing is actually installed.

At this feed mill in the U.S., a COC CX4SAF32-507 is installed on a bucket elevator approximately 100 feet (30 meters) above the ground. The maintenance area is extremely limited, with a narrow catwalk barely wide enough for two people.

In a location like this, bringing bearings, tools and loose parts up to the installation point — and then working with a feeler gauge to set the correct clearance — can make bearing replacement a difficult and time-consuming job.

With COC CROSSLOC®, installation is much simpler. No feeler gauge is required, and the bearing can be mounted quickly and correctly with fewer tools and no loose parts to worry about.

As the customer put it:

“Do you really want to mess around with a feeler gauge? I mean, come on. COC bearings make it so easy to install correctly, in a fraction of the time, with no lost parts.”

For maintenance teams working in difficult-to-access locations, easier installation isn’t just convenient. It means less time working at height, fewer tools and parts to manage, and a much simpler maintenance job.

COC CROSSLOC® — Easy to install, wherever the job takes you.

6 YEARS. STILL RUNNING. – CX2SN20-090L After More Than Six Years

This is another follow-up to our previous reports on the COC CX2SN20-090L units installed on the drive shaft of a belt conveyor used to unload limestone from ships at a cement plant in Japan.

The two units were installed in June 2020 to replace conventional plummer block bearings that were operating at approximately 70°C (158°F). To comply with the plant’s internal temperature limit, the previous bearings had been replaced approximately every three months. The application had also experienced repeated equipment shutdowns under heavy load.

More than six years later, both COC units are still running — without a single bearing replacement.

During our latest site visit in August 2026, the units were operating normally at a drive shaft speed of 1,480 RPM with no abnormal temperature rise or noise. The bearing housing temperature was approximately 26°C (79°F), and the high-load shutdowns experienced before the COC installation have remained eliminated.

Routine maintenance consists of monthly greasing and temperature monitoring.

What began as a solution to a high-temperature bearing application has now delivered more than six years of reliable service without a single bearing replacement.

Compared with the previous replacement cycle of approximately every three months, the reduction in bearing replacement costs, maintenance labor, and equipment downtime over six years has been substantial.

Runs Cooler. Lasts Longer.

COC CROSSLOC™ Draws Strong Interest at Steinexpo 2026

Our German distributor, Hagenauer, exhibited COC products at Steinexpo 2026, held September 2–5 in Germany.

Unlike a conventional trade show, Steinexpo is held directly in a quarry, creating a unique environment where visitors can experience quarrying and processing equipment in the setting where it is actually used. Held every three years, the event attracts more than 60,000 visitors from the quarrying and mineral processing industries.

At the Hagenauer booth, the main focus was a hands-on comparison between a conventional SN bearing housing and the COC CX2SN with CROSSLOC™.

A demonstration table clearly showed the difference in installation. On one side were the components and tools required to mount a conventional SN bearing unit. On the other was the CX2SN with CROSSLOC™, requiring only a hex key and torque wrench for installation—no feeler gauges, marker, or hammer required.

Visitors were also invited to install a shaft into a CX2SN10-045E themselves, giving them the opportunity to experience firsthand how simple CROSSLOC™ installation can be.

The demonstration attracted strong interest throughout the show, particularly from maintenance professionals in the quarrying industry, and Hagenauer received very positive feedback on COC products.

We would like to thank the Hagenauer team for representing COC and giving so many visitors the opportunity to experience CROSSLOC™ technology firsthand.

We look forward to Steinexpo 2029!

Introducing the New CROSSLOC™ SAFD Series

COC is pleased to introduce the new CROSSLOC™ SAFD Series, expanding our SAF product range with split ductile iron housing units for shaft sizes up to 7 inches.

Designed for demanding applications requiring greater strength and durability, the SAFD series features robust split ductile iron housings that are easily identified by their distinctive dark blue finish. The larger housing sizes provide a reliable solution for heavy-duty conveyors, fans, crushers, and other industrial equipment where standard cast iron housings may not be sufficient.

Like all CROSSLOC™ mounted units, the SAFD series offers fast and reliable installation. Large SAFD units utilize our proven CROSSLOC™ locking system with 6 or 8 cap screws tightened in a star pattern, providing secure 360-degree shaft clamping without the installation difficulties associated with conventional locknut systems.

The SAFD housings are equipped with dual grease ports, allowing customers to use either side for relubrication or to install condition monitoring sensors without additional machining.

In addition, the new CX4SAFD36 and CX4SAFD38 inserts feature an innovative adjustable sleeve design. By simply rotating the collar, the sleeve inside diameter can be adjusted to accommodate variations in shaft size, making installation easier and improving mounting flexibility in the field.

With shaft sizes available up to 7 inches, durable ductile iron construction, dual grease ports, and the proven CROSSLOC™ locking system, the new SAFD series delivers a stronger, smarter solution for large mounted bearing applications.

This year’s FOOMA JAPAN was held at Tokyo Big Sight from June 2 to 5.

Unfortunately, visitor attendance dropped significantly on June 3 due to an unseasonal typhoon. However, we were pleased to welcome many visitors on the other days of the exhibition. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth.

One of our new highlights this year was the introduction of the UC-style option. However, for customers who already appreciate the benefits of OCCLOC, this addition did not seem to generate much interest, as they continue to prefer the OCCLOC locking system.

It’s a stressful world situation these days.
Come grab a COC Turtle stress sponge at the COC booth at FOOMA JAPAN next week!

At this facility, our SAF unit was used for approximately 1.5 years before being replaced for the first time.
According to the maintenance team, they simply loosened the cap bolts until they heard a “pop” from the adapter, and the bearing came right off the shaft.

Previously, removal required 2–3 people, along with cutting using a grinder or torch. This also required a hot work permit from the safety department and a fire watch (a fire spotter who monitors for sparks and fire hazards) to remain on-site for several hours.
Eliminating this process was highly appreciated by the customer.

This represents a major improvement in safety, time, and labor.

Case Study – Alumina conveyor snub pulley

At an alumina refinery in Western Australia, snub pulley bearings on a train loading conveyor had to be replaced every 16 weeks due to premature failures caused by contamination, abrasive wear, and installation issues.

Our Australian distributor, Statewide Bearings, recommended upgrading to COC CX2SN11-050 units with protective covers and sealing improvements.

Result

The bearing life was extended from 16 weeks to 60 weeks — nearly 4 times longer.

Importantly, the bearings were still in excellent condition at inspection and could have continued running even longer.

Customer Feedback

• “Very easy to install”

• “Completed much faster than expected”

• “Using a torque wrench makes installation simple and accurate”

Cost Savings (per conveyor, per year)

• Before: AU$30,016

• After: AU$6,490

• Savings: AU$23,526

Key Benefit

Improved reliability significantly reduces the risk of unplanned downtime.

In this application, a full production stop could cost approximately AU$2.5 million per day, making reliability critical.