Covering the basic needs of industry with unique SKF

“The best kept secret…”
“Smart” exercise
The unique SKF Speed
Tracker™ uses tiny sensorized bearings and a
compact radio transmission system connected to
a wrist-worn display which
electronically transmits
information to in-line
skaters on speed,
distance, and skating
time. It also provides a
stopwatch and training
program target zones.
We hear it from our customers,
prospective customers, and visitors
to various technical trade shows,
seminars, and our technology and
R&D centers. When they see the
impressive range of SKF capabilities, they comment that “SKF is the
best kept secret in our business.”
The purpose of this brochure is to
highlight some of the many ways
SKF brings more to our OEM
customers—from industry and
application-specific design
solutions to mechatronics, linear
motion, software, and custom bearing solutions.
In truth, SKF technology is often at
work inside machines or behind the
scenes—sometimes literally, as in
the case of the Sydney Opera
House (see opposite page).
Included here are only a few
examples of how SKF can help
you do your job better, faster, and
more productively. And how SKF
knowledge can help give your new
product or system a competitive
advantage in the marketplace.
It may come as a surprise
to you that many SKF solutions
extend far beyond bearings.
In fact, SKF’s global knowledge
base is proving a rich resource
for design engineers working in
virtually every industry, from
automotive to wind power.
Additional technical information
is available for all of the subject
matter presented here in brief.
We look forward to discussing
your next challenge and how
SKF solutions can help you
meet it.
The purpose of this brochure
A safer heart pump
Our application engineers worked
closely with an international medical
device manufacturer to provide a
reliable screw drive product for
their blood pump assembly that would
not only resist corrosion in the moist
human environment, but also function
with extreme accuracy to match the natural beating of the heart. Part of
the solution was a custom-made SKF
planetary roller screw containing an
internal timing gear mechanism. This
unique arrangement is designed to
enable continuous rotation without skidding or slipping.
By-wire by SKF
Building on our fly-by-wire experience, SKF has emerged as a market leader in
mechatronics—providing innovative actuating functions and smart control with
sensors for drive-by-wire applications. SKF partnered with Italian design house
Stile Bertone to develop two groundbreaking concept cars, FILO and Novanta,
each employing smart actuators to control steering, braking, clutch,
and acceleration. Following that, SKF
provided the drive-by-wire technology for General
Motors’ revolutionary Hy-Wire, the world’s
first vehicle to combine a hydrogen fuel
cell with by-wire technology.
At work behind the scenes
Invisible to the audience, SKF bearings facilitate smooth, silent
scenery changes in theaters around the world, from the Sydney
Opera House, shown here, to La Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan
Opera House in New York.
Design Solutions
Changing the way the world works…and plays.
Now more than ever, the pace
of change throughout virtually
all industries, and the need for
a competitive advantage in
your products, is accelerating
the demand for more innovative
design solutions.
Make it better, faster, smaller,
lighter, less expensive—that is
today’s design mantra.
A cut above the rest
A “smooth solution” was
created by SKF for
DEWALT, a leading manufacturer of professional
grade power saws, solving
quality
problems from a previous
supplier. To provide perfectly
smooth movement for the
cutting head, SKF developed a customized linear
bearing slide assembly
from stock components,
working closely with the customer’s engineering group.
The new design
has significantly improved
product performance and
quality.
It’s no secret that involving
qualified supplier partners at the
early stages of design is
the best way to augment your
company’s internal capabilities—
taking advantage of their
competencies, knowledge and
insight—to ultimately come up
with better products.
Partnering with SKF means
access not only to world-class
experience and knowledge of
bearings and bearing-related
technology, but also to
innovative solutions for
components and sub-systems
which involve mechatronics,
sensors, and electronics.
By making SKF knowledge
portable, we are able to
allow our customers to take
advantage of SKF experience
to overcome design obstacles
and differentiate their products
in an increasingly competitive
marketplace.
You will see in the examples
throughout this brochure that
SKF is an integral player in the
arena of change, and a valuable partner in providing design
solutions across a wide
spectrum of products,
applications, and industries.
A mechatronic, hydraulic-free forklift
The all-electric E-Truck uses SKF by-wire technology to
eliminate hydraulics, reduce energy consumption, and
improve vehicle ergonomics for greater operator safety
and comfort. The forks are raised and lowered by SKF
electro-mechanical actuators, providing silent and precise
operation. By eliminating the need for steering columns,
electronic steering frees designers to create vehicles with
more legroom and explore new ideas in the shape and
location of the steering mechanism. The E-Truck
demonstrates the kind of efficiencies that can be
achieved through mechatronics—the integration of
mechanical and electronic technologies.
High performance, not high maintenance
An innovative SKF solution for manufacturers of
personal watercraft employs a specially-designed
seal/bearing assembly to upgrade a new generation
of high performance, environmentally friendly marine
engines.The solution addresses the problems of
motor oil leakage and water penetration
by utilizing SKF’s expertise in
bearing and seal technology.
Application-Specific
Solutions
Covering the basic needs of industry with unique SKF products.
Regardless of the application or
the industry involved, design
engineers have similar goals –
size and weight reduction,
enhanced reliability, increased
speed, reduced energy
consumption, etc. And they
face similar obstacles, the result
of dealing with the realities of
existing components and the
limitations of traditional materials.
Compressors with
Oil-free lubrication
In a unique, oil-free design
for large-capacity air conditioners and compressors,
SKF hybrid bearings—with
ceramic rolling elements
of silicon nitride—allow
the refrigerant to be used
as lubricant. This groundbreaking technology
provides many design and
operational advantages
in addition to eliminating
environmental concerns.
Industry leader Trane chillers
incorporate this technology.
Nearly 100 years after SKF
invented the world’s first selfaligning ball bearing, SKF continues
to focus its product development
Material Handling—
postal roller technology
The market for automated postal equipment
and distribution technologies represents a key
focus area for specialized
SKF product solutions,
including both standard and
advanced sensorized roller
assemblies, as
well as linear bearing
assemblies for sliding
equipment applications.
The Siemens Delivery
Bar Code Sorter, shown here,
enables increased speed, expanded
automation, and unquestionable accuracy in
the sortation process. SKF is partnering with
manufacturers at the forefront of this industry,
providing the components needed to make
postal equipment design enhancements possible.
efforts to meet the broadening
requirements of mechanical applications throughout all industries.
SKF works hand-in-hand with
design engineers to improve the
performance of industry’s most
complex machinery, including compressors, pumps, gearboxes, electric motors, and conveyor
systems. These advances in
machinery design and performance
lead to greater productivity in the
manufacturing of products, as well
as potential savings in operating
and maintenance costs.
Electric Motors
SKF Insocoat™ (inset) and Hybrid ceramic bearings are enabling
manufacturers of AC and DC industrial electric motors to decrease
their failure rates and resulting exposure to warranty claims.
These SKF products offer better performance than other insulating solutions in protecting critical motor components from stray
electric current. Specialized bearings like these also help
reduce the number of components and processes within
customers’ manufacturing operations.
Pumps
For a customer manufacturing submersible
pumps, SKF was able to reduce costs and
simplify the manufacturing process by
eliminating several key components with an
enhanced bearing unit. Horizontal pumps
now benefit as well from this simplified
approach of a unitized design. Sealed and
greased for life, SKF Pump Bearing Units
offer optimized load carrying capacity and
performance.
Gearing up, sizing down
The superior performance of SKF Explorer bearings has led to a
number of engineering breakthroughs. In one dramatic example,
SKF was able to design and build a 250mm size gearbox
with the performance of a 280mm size gearbox.
Using Explorer bearings, advanced
simulation tools, engineered materials,
special lubricants, and on-line
sensorized monitoring, SKF was
able to reduce weight by 20%,
volume by 25%, and oil and
energy consumption by 20%.
Linear Motion
SKF linear motion technology has
produced a comprehensive array of
linear motion component designs and
systems. The various types include linear
guidance systems, high-efficiency ball and
roller screws, linear actuators, and precision
positioning systems. This mechanical technology
can also be combined with electrical controls
to provide a customized mechatronic solution.
Advanced Sealing Solutions
SKF has a strong capability in providing customized
sealing solutions. A good example of this is the sensorized
ROTOSTAT™ seal design which integrates a speed sensor
and PTFE seal in a custom designed metal frame to form
a single, integrated assembly for use on the crankshaft
of a passenger vehicle. SKF has extensive experience in
providing all types of radial shaft seals, as well as a
unique capability in bonding elastomerics and metal.
Advanced Bea
Breakthrough technologies ar
No single company in the world offers
the breadth of bearing products available from SKF. Nor the depth of
real-world application expertise we
bring to the table—hands-on
experience that
spans virtually
every industrial
sector.
From bearing products that handle
extreme speeds and temperatures,
to products that eliminate the
damaging effects of electrical
arcing, to customized sealing products for leading edge
automotive applications, SKF may
already have the bearing solution
you need to take your product or
application to a whole new level.
As an SKF customer, you will
benefit from the industry’s most
comprehensive and
sophisticated research
and development
operations.
SKF Explorer Bearings
Available in spherical, spherical thrust, cylindrical, and
taper roller bearing types, as well as angular contact and
deep groove ball bearings, SKF Explorer Class bearings
represent a new set of standards in operational performance. All SKF Explorer Class bearings last substantially
longer than conventional designs—even under marginal
lubrication and extreme loads. These high-performance
bearings mean that design engineers can either downsize
the bearing for the application, or dramatically increase
machine reliability with the same size bearing.
aring Solutions
re redefining what is possible.
At the SKF Engineering &
Research Center located in The
Netherlands, globally-renowned scientists and engineers, armed with
the most advanced analysis and
simulation equipment and software,
focus on the continuing improvement and development of the whole
range
of SKF bearing and seal products.
These efforts are complemented
by specific product development
activities in other SKF facilities
worldwide.
Talk to SKF about how
incorporating one or
more of SKF’s unique
bearing products
can enhance your
design, or to
discuss a new
bearing or sealing
solution to your
latest application
challenge.
Hybrid Be
SKF hybrid
applications
contaminatio
damage are
are made w
ceramic ball
bearing stee
cage design
bearings can
al lubrication
Magnetic Bearings
SKF adds another spectrum to its bearing capability with the offering of a full line of advanced
magnetic bearings. These bearings are non-contact and lubrication-free, and
operate efficiently at extremely high rotational
speeds — unaffected by harsh environments,
corrosive fluids, and even cryogenic
temperatures. They are also ideally
suited for sensorized applications.
Sensorized Bearings
SKF Sensor-Bearings™ are mechatronic
components which integrate sensors,
impulse rings, and bearings in a light-weight,
compact design. They are finding increasing
acceptance in a wide variety of industrial
applications for their ability to record speed,
number of revolutions,
rotational direction, and acceleration/
deceleration.
Bearings
bearings are an effective solution for
where corrosion, particulate
on, and the risk of electrical current
e present. These specialty bearings
ith a combination of high-quality
s, corrosion-resistant ultra-clean
el, special raceway curvature and
n, and precise bearing load. SKF hybrid
n also work effectively without traditionn.
INSOCOAT Bearings
To overcome the problem of damage to
rolling bearings caused by current passing
through the bearings, manufacturers of
electrical machinery are turning to INSOCOAT™
bearings from SKF. These bearings are
plasma-spray coated with aluminum oxide
to provide protection from currents up to 1000
V DC, in sizes up to 150mm shaft diameter,
and are effectively being used in variable frequency AC motors.
Industry-Specific
Solutions
SKF knowledge has application everywhere.
MINERAL PROCESSING
Mining data
Catastrophic shutdowns
are avoided and uptime
is increased in mine and
quarry operations with
the SKF Copperhead®
system. This specialized
system solution incorporates
SKF Explorer and CARB®
bearings for
longer life in the severe
environment of vibrating
screens, crushers, mills,
and conveyors. A fault
detection monitoring system allows
operators to take
corrective action to
prevent unplanned
downtime.
Over the decades, SKF has
formed close working partnerships
with customers from industrial segments worldwide. These
partnerships have provided SKF
with an extensive and intimate
knowledge of our customers’ applications in virtually every major
industry. This insight enables us
to apply the most relevant and
effective technologies to solve
industry-specific application
challenges.
From the world’s largest wind
power farms to the world’s most
popular fast food restaurants,
SKF products and expertise play
a vital role in the functionality of
machinery that affects the lifestyle
of consumers worldwide.
Achieve a competitive advantage
for your product, in your market, by
partnering with SKF.
FAST FOOD
Can I get fries with that?
AUTOMOTIVE
Steering toward the future
By utilizing electrical signals to operate the
accelerator, brake, and steering functions,
SKF by-wire technology allows the conventional steering wheel to be replaced with a
multi-function, hand-controlled unit that can
be located anywhere. This eliminates the
need for pedals, steering column, and
hydraulic lines. The result is a lighter, safer,
more environmentally friendly vehicle, and
new-found freedom for automotive design
engineers.
By eliminating the manual lifting and
lowering of baskets into hot cooking oil,
this automated deep fryer provides greater
operator safety and optimum product
consistency to the fast food industry.
Durable SKF actuators, lubricated for life to
prevent contamination, are designed for
long, maintenancefree operation—
literally millions of
cycles. Electronics
embedded in the
actuation system
communicate with
the equipment’s
controls for
precisely timed
actuation.
HEALTHCARE
A better bed
The SKF MediMove Actuation System is a
vivid example of SKF’s innovative use of linear
motion technology. Combining specialized
actuators and control components, MediMove
systems are fully modular and can be easily
integrated into standard platforms—such as
hospital beds, stretchers, physiotherapy and
examination tables—to provide precise, secure,
and safe positioning/adjustment.
TRANSPORTATION
Enhancing rail safety
The Bogie Monitoring System (BoMo), developed jointly by SKF
and Secheron, enables rail transit operators to use signals from
the wheelsets to improve overall safety and reliability. At the
heart of the system is an SKF sensorized bearing unit which
measures rotational speed and vertical/lateral acceleration of
the wheelset, as well as bearing temperature in the loaded zone.
Sophisticated monitoring techniques are used to continuously
extract, record and analyze critical safety indicators.
POWER
Wind power
SKF works closely with leading wind turbine manufacturers
to provide large customized bearings and special lubricant systems. More recent developments include an advanced
remote monitoring system called SKF WindCon, which
provides data for early detection of potential malfunctions, and
proprietary design and simulation systems to improve design
dynamics in future applications.
Software Solutions
Tap into the SKF knowledge bank.
Through the development and
implementation of highly specialized
software tools, SKF is helping
design engineers shorten the time
required for product development
and “test” products prior to their
introduction in the marketplace.
A virtual test rig
BEAST is threedimensional software
which studies the
dynamics within a given
bearing. BEAST can be
used as a virtual test rig
where the user has full
insight into the dynamic
behavior of the bearing
components, and where
the bearing can be
“loaded” in any way
the user requires.
SKF’s proprietary computer modeling
programs and dynamic analysis software give design engineers more
advanced information to work with,
empowering them to explore the
strengths of various design options
and trouble-shoot designs prior to
actual production.
Our technical consulting business
is based on our deep and often
unique application knowledge,
coupled with the industry’s
broadest and deepest core
competencies. Employing the
most advanced analytical
software tools, SKF engineers
devise solutions to the most
difficult rotating equipment
problems across a broad
range of industries.
Mastering bearing topography
Surface roughness in a bearing can affect a range of performance
parameters and is of particular importance to lubrication conditions.
SKF together with the University of Twente (The Netherlands)
developed a computer simulation program called “LOPES” (Lift-off
Prediction for Engineering Surfaces). This software allows SKF
researchers to tailor the microstructure, or surface topography, to reduce
friction and increase bearing life in specific applications.
Life calculation analysis
SKF’s Unix-based software program for
performing life calculation analysis in multi-shaft,
multi-bearing applications was developed from
many years of global application experience.
This is a powerful design tool that goes beyond
conventional calculations, with consideration for
a wide range of operational variables.
Internet-enabled portals
Increasingly, the Internet is the
preferred route for design engineers seeking information. SKF
offers a number of proprietary
Internet-enabled portals that provide information, handle
inquiries, and allow business
to be transacted efficiently 24/7.
Several examples are shown
at right.
@ptitudeXchange.com —
an online, asset management knowledge bank, providing a ready source
of high quality information
on critical reliability topics
for virtually every industry
and application.
PTplace.com — a
cooperative e-commerce
marketplace where SKF
customers can purchase
products, track orders, and
hyperlink to other SKF sites
including skf.com/mount
and the SKF Interactive
Engineering Catalog.
The online SKF Interactive Engineering
Catalog — a web-based version of our
printed catalog, the definitive engineer’s guide
to the world’s most comprehensive selection of
rolling bearings and related products.
Dynamic systems modeling
Orpheus simulation software studies the dynamic
behavior of bearing system vibration and deflection
within complete applications such as vibration-critical
gearboxes and electrical motors. This robust software
program provides a graphic shell for 3D visualization
and animation, with the ability to determine the
weakest link in the dynamic chain.
How can SKF help you?
We look forward to partnering with you to achieve your design
team’s product or application objectives. To discuss your needs call
1-800-753-6234 or visit us at www.skfusa.com.
® SKF is a registered trademark of SKF USA Inc.
The contents of this publication are the copyright of the publisher and may not be reproduced (even extracts) unless prior written permission is granted. Every care has been
taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication but no liability can be accepted for any loss or damage whether direct, indirect or consequential
arising out of the use of the information contained herein.
© 2003 SKF USA Inc.
Publication 100-128
(7.5M/HBM1/2004)
Version 1/2004
Printed in U.S.A.