Motion Control & Drives


More power from smaller motors

July 2023 Motion Control & Drives

A new high-performance, two-piece polymer cage pushes SKF’s Hybrid deep groove ball bearing into new limits, and gives more flexibility in the design choices. By allowing higher rotational speeds, it operates more quietly and efficiently than bearings with common cages. Furthermore, it enables higher power density, leading to more power output from the same size electric motor.

SKF has developed a new hybrid deep groove ball bearing for high-speed applications. The new bearing is aimed at applications such as rail industry traction motors, and electric machines and drives. SKF already has three pilot customers, all of them OEMs.

A new lightweight cage helps to boost the limiting speed by at least 60% compared to traditional designs. Additionally, the polymeric cage helps to reduce friction, leading to quieter operation and allowing higher power density in the application. “Our new cage design helps our customers to get more power from electric motors, which enables downsizing,” says Andreas Pichler, business and project engineer at SKF.

By improving the efficiency of electric machines and drives, the new bearing can cut energy consumption, increase reliability and reduce the total cost of ownership. Its two-piece cage is made from PEEK and PA66, making it 80% lighter than a brass cage. As well as running more quietly, the bearing operates at a lower temperature, which prolongs grease life and extends relubrication intervals. This can give engineers more flexibility in their design choices.

In addition, its limiting speed is twice that of a single-piece polyamide cage, and 60% higher than a brass one.

Rigidly connected cage bars ensure robustness, which helps to lengthen service life in harsh conditions. The optimised geometry also eliminates radial deformation from high centrifugal forces, the ‘umbrella effect’, that typically occurs on snap-type cages running at high speed. The new bearing is targeted at OEMs in rail, off-highway vehicles, E-mobility, and industrial/electrical applications.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Next-gen battery-driven grease gun
SKF South Africa Motion Control & Drives
SKF’s innovative TLGB 21 battery-driven grease gun optimises lubrication efficiency and reduces costs, by seamlessly combining advanced technology with a smart, rugged design.

Read more...
Autonomous robots provide green logistics
DNH Tradeserve t/a DNH Technologies Motion Control & Drives
In 2007, Heinrich Amminger and Martin Trummer from Austria had an idea for revolutionising warehouse logistics. They developed the automated small part warehouse – an intelligent and very environment-friendly logistics system that is winning an increasing number of customers for Ylog, a startup company.

Read more...
Precision drives on the Red Planet
DNH Tradeserve t/a DNH Technologies Motion Control & Drives
More than 100 electric motors from maxon have been used on the Red Planet, and have withstood cosmic radiation, dust storms, and temperature fluctuations. The key to success is standard industrial products.

Read more...
Solar-powered drive solution for water pumps
Schneider Electric South Africa Motion Control & Drives
Schneider Electric South Africa has launched its Altivar Solar ATV320 variable speed drive (VSD), a solar-powered drive solution that is compatible with a wide range of water pumps, catering for water challenges and decarbonisation of irrigation pumping and agriprocessing machinery.

Read more...
Dependable belt rip detection
Motion Control & Drives
Becker Mining has launched the newly developed BRS4.0 belt rip detection system, with advanced features for greater durability, higher efficiency, and improved safety.

Read more...
Flat face and flat face screw couplings for mining
Motion Control & Drives
Quick couplings are the critical connectors that keep mining systems running. Within the mining industry, the choice of coupling can significantly impact equipment performance, downtime, and maintenance costs. Stucchi offers flat face and flat face screw couplings that are designed to withstand mining’s unique challenges.

Read more...
The importance of original branded bolt securing products
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG Motion Control & Drives
BMG is concerned about the proliferation of counterfeit merchandise, and the dangers associated with using inferior goods.

Read more...
New-generation drill rig
Motion Control & Drives
Epiroc is launching the new-generation PowerROC T35, offering both increased fuel efficiency and faster operations.

Read more...
Compressed air treatment do’s and don’ts
Artic Driers International Motion Control & Drives
As a long-established importer and manufacturer of air dryers, Artic Dryers often sees the results of poor installation and issues with aftercoolers that create serious problems in air drying systems.

Read more...
Understanding standby, prime and continuous gensets
WEG Africa Motion Control & Drives
The increasing reliance of South African businesses on generator sets to mitigate power disruptions highlights a crucial need for proper selection based on specific operational demands. Despite their growing usage, there is still widespread confusion about how to choose the appropriate genset, often leading to inefficient and costly decisions.

Read more...