Posted to News on 19th May 2010, 14:49
High-performance cylindrical roller bearings cut long-term costs
SKF is introducing new high-performance cylindrical roller bearings for use in large, heavy-duty industrial applications. The new bearings form part of the SKF Explorer series and combine superior axial and shock load capacity with low friction, wear and maintenance characteristics. As a result, users benefit from a lower cost of ownership.
The new bearings are designed for use in demanding applications including wind turbine gearboxes, large slurry pumps, high-torque industrial gearboxes and mining and construction equipment. The new 22 and 23 dimension series bearings are available in measurements up to 420mm outside diameter.
SKF says the bearings are designed to accommodate higher speeds by delivering significant reductions in friction and heat generation. This has been achieved by an optimised internal geometry and SKF's manufacturing and finishing processes. Together these are said to improve wear-resistance and service life, plus the bearings benefit form a 15 per cent higher load carrying capacity when compared to standard cylindrical roller bearings.
The surface finish of the SKF Explorer cylindrical roller bearings also promotes the efficient formation of a lubricant film across all internal load bearing surfaces. This is especially important in applications where equipment frequently starts and stops, and where conventional bearings can be slow to form a lubricant film leading to increased wear.
In addition, the new SKF Explorer bearings with a PEX designation suffix undergo a specialised heat treatment. This makes the bearings more durable and resistant to shock loads by improving the microstructure of the steel. Through improvements to the surface structure and contact properties, they offer higher axial load carrying capacity, reduced frictional moment and reduced risk of roller-flange smearing.
