System and method for setting roller skew

1. A method for reducing roller skew for a plurality of rollers configured to support a rotary body, the method comprising:

rotating the rotary body in a first rotational direction;

ascertaining a first thrust load property applied to a first roller of the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction;

rotating the rotary body in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction;

ascertaining a second thrust load property applied to the first roller from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction; and

adjusting an orientation of a bearing assembly for the first roller to reduce a difference between the first thrust load property and the second thrust load property.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ascertained first thrust load property comprises an average of multiple measurements while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and wherein the ascertained second thrust load property comprises an average of multiple measurements while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

determining the difference between the first thrust load property and the second thrust load property; and

comparing the determined difference to a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotating the rotary body in the first rotational direction and rotating the rotary body in the second rotational direction are performed at substantially the same rotational rates.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein ascertaining the first thrust load property applied to the first roller comprises measuring a first tilt value of the bearing assembly for the first roller while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and wherein ascertaining the second thrust load property applied to the first roller comprises measuring a second tilt value of the bearing assembly while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the difference between the first thrust load property and the second thrust load property comprises an amplitude difference between the first tilt value and the second tilt value, and wherein the method further comprises comparing the amplitude difference to an amplitude threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

after adjusting the orientation the bearing assembly for the first roller, re-rotating the rotary body in the first rotational direction;

ascertaining a third thrust load property applied to the first roller from the rotary body while the rotary body re-rotates in the first rotational direction;

ascertaining the third thrust load property, re-rotating the rotary body in the second rotational direction;

ascertaining a fourth thrust load property applied to the first roller from the rotary body while the rotary body re-rotates in the second rotational direction; and

adjusting the orientation of the bearing assembly for the first roller to reduce a difference between the third thrust load property and the fourth thrust load property.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotary body comprises a rotary kiln.

9. A method for reducing roller skew for a plurality of rollers configured to support a rotary body, the method comprising:

ascertaining a first thrust load property applied to a first roller of the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in a first rotational direction;

ascertaining a second thrust load property applied to the first roller from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction; and

determining a difference between the first thrust load property and the second thrust load property;

comparing the determined difference to a threshold; and

adjusting the orientation of a bearing assembly based on the comparison of the determined difference to the threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ascertained first thrust load property comprises an average of multiple measurements while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and wherein the ascertained second thrust load property comprises an average of multiple measurements while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein rotating the rotary body in the first rotational direction and rotating the rotary body in the second rotational direction are performed at substantially the same rotational rates.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein ascertaining the first thrust load property applied to the first roller comprises measuring a first tilt value of a bearing assembly for the first roller while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and wherein ascertaining the second thrust load property applied to the first roller comprises measuring a second tilt value of the bearing assembly while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the difference between the first thrust load property and the second thrust load property comprises determining an amplitude difference between the first tilt value and the second tilt value, and wherein the threshold comprises an amplitude threshold.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the rotary body comprises a rotary kiln.

15. A method for reducing roller skew for a plurality of rollers configured to support a rotary body, the method comprising:

rotating the rotary body in a first rotational direction;

ascertaining first thrust load properties applied to the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction;

rotating the rotary body in a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction;

ascertaining second thrust load properties applied to the plurality of rollers from the rotary body while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction; and

adjusting orientations of bearing assemblies for the plurality of rollers to reduce differences between the first thrust load properties and the second thrust load properties.

16. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising:

determining the difference between the first thrust load properties and the second thrust load properties; and

comparing the determined differences to a threshold.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein rotating the rotary body in the first rotational direction and rotating the rotary body in the second rotational direction are performed at substantially the same rotational rates.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein ascertaining the first thrust load properties applied to the plurality of rollers comprises measuring first tilt values of the bearing assemblies for the plurality of rollers while the rotary body rotates in the first rotational direction, and wherein ascertaining the second thrust load properties applied to the plurality of rollers comprises measuring second tilt values of the bearing assemblies while the rotary body rotates in the second rotational direction.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the differences between the first thrust load properties and the second thrust load properties comprise amplitude differences between the first tilt values and the second tilt values, and wherein the method further comprises comparing the amplitude differences to an amplitude threshold.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the rotary body comprises a rotary kiln.